A little boy is approaching a group of his classmates.
He approaches one of them.
"Hey, Billy, want to come to my house to play today?"
"Play? With you? What are we going to play, Marius? Barbie dolls?"
The whole group laughs at the little boy but he answers without tears.
"No. . .we could play something else, like house."
"Forget it, Marius, Billy isn't a fag like you. Ask a girl to play with you!"
Another boy joins the conversation.
"All the girls' mothers are afraid of him."
Soon names are mentioned.
"Fag boy!"
"With all the money your daddy has, go buy some make-up!"
"Don't come near us."
"I hate you!"
"Go join the circus."
The little boy runs away, he runs and he keeps running. He wants to find himself. He wants acceptance.
Some years later. . .
"Hey, aren't you that Eponine girl?"
"Aren't you that Marius guy?"
"You got that right. Who asked you to our high school dance?"
"Nobody, I just came by myself. And you?"
"I came with my girlfriend."
"She seems. . ."
"Like a prostitute?"
"I won't say a word."
"I like you, Eponine. Why don't we ditch the school gym and go somewhere else?"
"Sure thing, Marius. This place is a bore."
The boy and girl drive up to a deserted park. The boy has brought stolen alcohol with him.
"Do you drink, Eponine?"
"No."
He smashes the gin with his foot and leaves it broken on the grass.
She closes her eyes at the smashing sound. Before they know it, the two are kissing.
"Marius. . ."
He ruffles his hands through her hair.
"Marius. . .stop."
He stops.
"What is it?" he asks.
"We don't love each other. You'll never love me. I'll never love you."
"What makes you say that, 'Ponine?"
"Because you love the way I do."
"I don't understand."
"You kiss me like. . .your kiss is different from other guys."
"Yes, I'm gay. So what. You can run away now and tell all your friends."
"I don't want to."
"Eponine, don't fall for me."
"I won't. I'm like you. Nobody accepts me too."
"Are you gay too?"
"No."
"Then why are you not accepted by the world."
"I will tell you when the time comes but while you're waiting, will you be my friend?"
"I'll be your friend."
"I like you, Marius. I'll help you. I'll be your friend."
He approaches one of them.
"Hey, Billy, want to come to my house to play today?"
"Play? With you? What are we going to play, Marius? Barbie dolls?"
The whole group laughs at the little boy but he answers without tears.
"No. . .we could play something else, like house."
"Forget it, Marius, Billy isn't a fag like you. Ask a girl to play with you!"
Another boy joins the conversation.
"All the girls' mothers are afraid of him."
Soon names are mentioned.
"Fag boy!"
"With all the money your daddy has, go buy some make-up!"
"Don't come near us."
"I hate you!"
"Go join the circus."
The little boy runs away, he runs and he keeps running. He wants to find himself. He wants acceptance.
Some years later. . .
"Hey, aren't you that Eponine girl?"
"Aren't you that Marius guy?"
"You got that right. Who asked you to our high school dance?"
"Nobody, I just came by myself. And you?"
"I came with my girlfriend."
"She seems. . ."
"Like a prostitute?"
"I won't say a word."
"I like you, Eponine. Why don't we ditch the school gym and go somewhere else?"
"Sure thing, Marius. This place is a bore."
The boy and girl drive up to a deserted park. The boy has brought stolen alcohol with him.
"Do you drink, Eponine?"
"No."
He smashes the gin with his foot and leaves it broken on the grass.
She closes her eyes at the smashing sound. Before they know it, the two are kissing.
"Marius. . ."
He ruffles his hands through her hair.
"Marius. . .stop."
He stops.
"What is it?" he asks.
"We don't love each other. You'll never love me. I'll never love you."
"What makes you say that, 'Ponine?"
"Because you love the way I do."
"I don't understand."
"You kiss me like. . .your kiss is different from other guys."
"Yes, I'm gay. So what. You can run away now and tell all your friends."
"I don't want to."
"Eponine, don't fall for me."
"I won't. I'm like you. Nobody accepts me too."
"Are you gay too?"
"No."
"Then why are you not accepted by the world."
"I will tell you when the time comes but while you're waiting, will you be my friend?"
"I'll be your friend."
"I like you, Marius. I'll help you. I'll be your friend."