Thanks again for your reviews, if you'd like, please read my 'Angel's Wings' Les Mis fan fiction... if you like Femslashes of course!
-Ophelia
"Favorite movie?"
"I haven't seen many to determine that,"
"Favorite book?"
"Too many to count!"
He chuckled, "Favorite type of music?"
"Old music,"
"So what, like, Jazz? Waltz? Symphony?"
"I like Edith Piaf,"
He stopped at a red light, "Who is she?"
Eponine loved this question game, "French singer from the thirties, I think. Beautiful singer," she looked up at him with a smile, "What about you? What music takes your fancy?"
Enjolras took a dramatic sigh, "Not country, not rap, nothing that is appreciated,"
"Old fashioned?"
"Very," he winked, "try ballroom dance music or jazz. Depends on the day."
Eponine teased, "You must trust me a lot to tell me that," she giggled when he shook his head.
"I like old things," he took a turn, "I like old book stores and other things,"
She stared up at him, "You don't seem like the old fashioned type,"
He gave his wining smile, "Yeah? Well neither do you and yet here we are,"
She agreed with a small nod, "You know," she said, changing the subject, "Gavroche even wore the mask while he was sleeping,"
Enjolras nodded, "That's a good lad,"
She giggled, "It was very thoughtful of you and I really hope it helps,"
"He seems like a tough kid, but no one deserves the pain you two take everyday," he parked in the best space available, "I wish there was another way of saying 'I'm sorry',"
Eponine slung her bag over her shoulder and walked with him to the school, "I don't need to know that you're sorry," she saw her breath clouds that soon disappeared.
He stared at the ground, "If I may ask..." he cleared his throat, "How long has it-when did it all begin?"
Eponine really didn't want to discuss it. She hated talking about her story like she could barely make it out alive. She was strong. A fighter. The last thing she wanted to show was more tears, "Why do you want to know?"
Enjolras shrugged, "It was a stupid question, really. I don't want to bring it up if you can't talk about it,"
She crossed her arms, "I'm okay, you know..." Eponine spoke as strongly as she could, "I'll only have to put up with it another year and then it won't be a problem anymore," she quickly added, "I'm not weak,"
He shook his head, "No, no, I would never think that. You must have been dealing with it for awhile," Enjolras caught her eyes with his as they walked side by side, "and to do that takes a strong person,"
Eponine couldn't hold his gaze anymore due to the face her cheeks were turning bright red, "Well, the answer to your question is: A long, long time."
"When you were a kid?"
She nodded, "I can't think of a time they showed affection. Or maybe they did at a time but the number of times they hurt me outnumbers it."
Enjolras raised a brow, "Haven't you told anyone?"
She bit her lip and opened the door to the school, "No," she mumbled.
Enjolras walked with her to her locker, "Why?!" he spoke over the noisy students who flooded the commons, "This has gone on for too long,"
"Do you understand how much trouble I will be in?"
"No, they will take you and Gavroche far away from them and have you stay with a relative,"
She stopped and listened more intently, "No...that's...what?"
"You didn't know that?"
"They told me that if I spoke a word about it, they'd be the first to know and we'll be punished, or worse." She quoted her father's words with eyes cast down.
"Eponine, why would you listen to them?!"
"I was scared," she was so thrown off by the genuine concern in his voice.
He took her shoulders gently, "They are wrong, Eponine. I know for a fact they are wrong," Enjolras leaned a bit, just enough to where she was only looking into his stern eyes, "trust me," he said in a hush whisper.
Eponine's heart raced at being so close to him. She almost leaned in a bit but stopped herself, "I only have to put up with one more year," she looked into his eyes, trying to match the certainty, "Plus I don't have relatives,"
He took his hands off her tiny shoulders, "Foster home?"
Eponine shook her head, "Just one more year and I'll be on my own,"
"Things are much worse on your own," he gave her a soft smile.
"No," she returned a small smile, "nothing is worse than living with them,"
They did their usual meet up in the library but they didn't scan books like usual. Instead, they sat a table and talked.
Eponine loved this. Having someone to meet up with everyday and just talk to, "So your friend that will be watching 'Roche," she started, "are you sure that's okay?"
"I talked to him about it, he's fine. I'll have you meet him when we drop him off."
"How long have you known him?"
He chuckled, as if recalling a memory, "Fifth grade. That's when I met all of them. We were all on the soccer team,"
Eponine giggled, "So when you moved here, you didn't move form out of state?"
He shook his head, "I just went to a different school,"
Their conversation rolled on about Enjolras, and she was glad to get to know him. She discovered all the things they had in common and wanted the conversation to go on for hours. Eponine loved the way talked, he must be good at giving speeches. It was as if he knew all the right things to say. That was one of the few things that drew her closer to him.
Much to her distaste, the bell rang, reminding her that she is at school, "I'll see you later, Eponine,"
"Too many syllables," she teased, "just 'Ponine,"
"So we're giving nicknames now?"
She laughed to ignore the bubbling feeling that rose to her cheeks, "No, we aren't giving nicknames. I'm simply making your life easier by giving you less work to say my name,"
Enjolras chuckled, "'Ponine?" he nodded, "Okay, I can get used to that,"
This was a surprise, he was walking out the door with her. Usually it was 'Seeya' and they'd go their separate ways, "Do you get a nickname?"
"No, no, no," he shook his head, "no," he added.
"Enjolras," she said his name playfully, "Enjy?"
"Are you mad?"
"Jolras?"
"Do you want to live?"
"Enjol?"
"Now you're just saying nonsense,"
They laughed and he walked her to her next class, "We can have secret nicknames!" she teased.
"Are you six?" he nudged her and kept looking ahead, dodging the students trying to make their way past him.
Eponine sighed, "Your name is so unique," she was watching for his reaction, doing everything in her power to make him smile again, "so unique that I want to shorten it,"
He scoffed, "My name's unique? What about Eponine? That's one hell of a name,"
"Is this a flattery contest?"
"Yes, and I'm winning!"
They stopped in front of her classroom, "Thanks for this lovely stroll," she teased and laughed, "I'll see you after school?"
Enjolras shrugged, "Or I could just stop by after my class and walk you to your next one,"
Before she could even think about it, she said almost immediately, "That'd be lovely,"
After the movie and snacks, Gavroche and Eponine headed to their apartment but Enjolras grabbed her arm when Gavroche left, "Will you be okay?"
Eponine couldn't suppress the warm smile, "I'm not a victim," the feeling of his cool fingers on her forearm gave her butterflies.
He chuckled, "That's right but still it's one hell of a fight,"
"I think she won't get mad over the fact that I have a job interview Friday," she winked.
Enjolras nodded, "Anything to help, 'Ponine,"
Her knees felt weak at the sound of her name, "Thank you,"
Eponine wanted to stay with him and be as far away from what awaits for her in her 'home'. But he said the words she hated the most, "I'll see you tomorrow,"
"See you," Eponine repeated, walking out the door.
In response, he a gave a quick grin, "See you,"
Taking a deep breath, she entered her apartment to see her mother sitting like a potato in front of the television. Her eyes were cold and froze Eponine at the door, "I would ask where you were but I really don't give a damn,"
Eponine mumbled under her breath, "Good to see you too,"
She was frozen at the door with Mom's glare, the sign that she was in trouble, "Have you applied?" She asked with disgust. It was as if Mom already suspected the answer to be 'no' and was ready to curse about how pathetic she was.
"Actually," Eponine felt triumphant, "I did. I have an interview on Friday," Eponine had won this battle, she could feel it.
Mom raised a brow, not so easily pleased, "Oh yeah? Where?"
"Café," She was more relaxed now.
"Pathetic,"
Eponine felt the word stab her like a rusty knife, a knife that had always struck her when the word was spoken. A feeling she was used to, but today she wasn't going to put her head down, "I am not pathetic," she said through her teeth, "Pathetic is sitting and drinking all day," She felt strong for the very first time. Eponine was not a victim, she was a fighter. She will rise against her mother, the woman who has put her down every day of her life. The woman who is the definition of hell and pain.
But when the look her mother gave made all that pride fade away as if was never there, "You want to be smart now, do you?"
So many words were held on her tongue but she bit it to letting herself continue.
Her mother won, "Pathetic," she tisked, "How can you even live with yourself?"
She hurried to her room, slamming the door to at least let off some steam.
"'Ponine?" Gavroche asked timidly.
Eponine did her best to calm down by taking deep breaths and pacing the tiny room.
"Here," he gave her his pillow with his shaky hand.
She snatched it and stuffed it in her face. Letting all the pain and curses out with one scream into the pillow. Eponine even kicked as she continued screaming.
Once she felt that she was done, she threw the pillow against the wall and plopped on her bed, "Are you okay now?" he asked.
Eponine covered her face to feel her cool fingers on her hot temples, "Yeah, I'm okay, 'Roche,"
He curled up beside her and pulled the blanket over the both of them.
"We'll be okay," she said as she closed her eyes, "We'll be okay,"
R/R, please!
-Ophelia