Eponine

Eponine looked up and suddenly it was all too much, she didn't want to be here she hadn't asked to be here. Why had this rich lady dragged her out of her misery and led her to more. It was too much, she couldn't keep her cool. She had been so shocked at first and struck that Marius would be in that building that she had completely forgotten her misery. She had errands to run and could not waist the whole night watching the window. She shouldn't be here. She wanted to go home, not home, anywhere but home, but not here. She hadn't heard what the lady had just said and didn't want to. She was going. She was about to stand up when the lady repeated what she had just said, "that could be arranged."

Eponine stumbled, "meet Marius?" The lady nodded. Why should she listen, how could she trust this lady. "NO! I don't believe you and your foul house." She stood up and the lady followed suit, blocking the enterance. "What?" said Eponine bitterly.

"You don't have to stay, but you will meet Marius by the river." She said simply and moved away from the door.

Eponine bounded out and ran down the stairs and out the door. It was only there that she stopped to think. What had she just done, thrown away a chance to meet Marius. Oh what a stupid thing to do, what had the lady said, go to the river? No harm in trying. She calmed down and her mind stopped racing. She looked up and to her horror found herself staring into a clean shaven policeman's red face.

"What are you doin here missy, you don't look like you're supposed to be here, go home or its prison!" He sneered. She ran.

Round the corner she found herself face to face with Grantiere. This was not her night she had to get back, that policeman was still in sight. She whimpered, what on earth did he want. He was one of Marius's friends and by the looks of it drunk. She was pushed behind a dustbin. "What were you do'in with my girl!" he roared at her, his breath smelt heavily of absinth.

She shuddered, "nothing! I didn't know nothing! I ain't sayin anything about you! I didn't know no woman could love you!"

"You were trying to get her fixed with that other boy, turning her against me!"

"No, I swear I didn't do nothing, I got to go, I don't know neither of them!"

"You smell o wine! You been eatin my loves drink, poor girl, we was goin to have a date, and you drank me liquor!"

"No, please leave me, I didn't do anythin, she asked us in!"

"Who would ask you in? Liar! Ruining our date and that other boy too, I'll kill him! I'll kill you both"

"No! the police are down there, they'll kill us all, let me go!"

He loosened his grip, she was crying, her coat covered in another layer of dirt and she was now in trouble with a drunk. And worst of all, the policeman was walking up.

"I thought I told you to scat, and you!" he roared at them. Eponine ran but Grantiere with uncoordinated arms punched the man and ran in the opposite direction.

As Eponine finally reached the edge of the neighborhood and found herself entering the slums. She couldn't stand no more, why couldn't she be a normal 16 year old girl. She ran away from the dirty streets and down to the river, there she flung herself against the path and wept.

Some time later she was aroused by footsteps and sat up, trying to see,through her tears, who wondered, such a dodgy place at this time. It was Marius. He walked up and knelt down beside her, she was speechless. This was the only time Marius had ever paid any attention to her at all. She stopped crying and sat up looking in to his eyes. He looked back.

"Are you ok?" he asked kindly, she nodded and sat up. She wanted to say something clever, but couldn't find the words. He smiled and pulled to her feet. "look after yourself." He said, and he was gone into the night, leaving Eponine standing in the rain which had just started.

She just stood for a while too weak to follow and too happy to sit. He had talked to her; he had loved her, for a moment. She sank to her knees and looked at herself in the puddle. She was dirty and tearing stained, but her face was glowing. One day of happiness, she would remember forever. She lay down in the gutter and slept, to tired to do the chores her father had asked. To tired to do anything.