Chapter 1

Eponine awoke to screaming and yelling from her living room. Quickly, she got up and dressed in skinny jeans and an old black t-shirt that she stole from her friend Montparnasse. Ramming a beanie onto her brunette hair, Eponine carefully made her way to her brother's room. Azelma, her fourteen year old sister, roomed with her and was attempting to select what she would wear to school. Gavroche, her 12 year old brother, was still sleeping. Eponine quickly woke him up. After all the Thenardier siblings went down to the kitchen quietly and out the back door, avoiding their parents.

Eponine sighed in relief as they walked toward a cafe down the block, and with a little money Eponine had earned, she bought her siblings food. Kindly, the shop owner lowered the price so she could eat as well. Afterwards, the siblings made their way to the bus stop, and made their way to school.

On their bus, however, was a majority of the football team. Eponine had to roll her eyes at their loud and cocky behavior. She knew they would never last a day with actual hardships. She smiled as her friend Marius boarded the bus. He was on the football team, but he wasn't as bad as the other guys. In fact, he had been a real friend to her for a couple years now. He was the only one who she ever hung out with her, which it might appeared that she trailed him. But she didn't. He was just her only friend.

Finally, the bus arrived at the school and Eponine bid her siblings goodbye. She then made her way towards homeroom. Luckily, Marius was in her homeroom. It was rare for Eponine not to see Marius without some blonde bimbo that he was "absolutely in love with". But that was just who Marius was, he loved everyone and was kind to all. Sometimes he confused that type of love with romantic love and got into a mess (which Eponine helped him out of).

"Hey Eppy!", Marius greeted her with a smile. She grinned and took the empty seat next to him.

"Hello Marius."

"How are you?"

"Not bad. And you monsieur?" Eponine ask mockingly. Marius hated it when she addressed him so formal. It had been their little joke since junior high.

"Actually, Ponine, I think I'm in love", Marius exclaimed with dazed eyes. He smiled forlornly as he grasped her hand. Eponine just rolled her eyes and used her free hand to open her bag and ensure she had what was needed for her classes today.

"With whom?"

"This blonde beauty. I just saw her in passing this morning. I think her name is Colette."

"You mean Cosette?" When Eponine was younger, her parents fostered a girl her age. Eponine's parents were awful to her, yet Eponine formed a sister-like relationship with her. A year later, Cosette was taken from the Thenadier home, just prior to the family's hotel business collapsing. Just yesterday, Cosette, this beautiful blonde lark, walked into Eponine's english class. Eponine recognized the girl instantly and offered to help her around the first day. It had been just a day, but the girls were already close.

"Yeah, that's it!"

"Cosette just started yesterday. She is in my English class."

"Oh Ponine, would you give her this note for me?", Marius asked, revealing an envelope.

"Of course."

On the other side on Marius, a dark haired boy sat down. Eponine recognized him as Grantaire from Marius' football team.

"Hello all", he said as he sat down. Eponine nodded in his direct before taking out her sketch book and favorite pencil. She was a fantastic artist, and was at the school on an artistic scholarship, while Azelma had managed to earn an academic one. Eponine had found enough money to send Gavroche to the school, but he was working on some type of scholarship to lessen the load on his older sister, though he always thought she was more of his mother than older sister. Eponine had taken on the mother figure for all her siblings at a young age. Sadly, her parent sold her two youngest brothers to pay off a debt. Eponine hadn't seen the boys in three years now.

Her pencil started moving after she put her earbuds in and Eponine was lost in her own world. After what felt like hours, she felt Marius tap her shoulder. The period was over. Now it was time for her first art class.

Quickly she collected her belongings and rushed down the hall. She wasn't paying attention, and so it wasn't a surprise that she collided with someone.

"Eponine, hey." Looking up, Eponine recognized the person she ran into. Enjolras? Yes, that sounds right. He was one of Marius' friends, the leader of the 'Les Amis'.

"Hi."

"So I was wondering if maybe you would like to go to junior prom with me?", Enjolras asked.

"What?" Eponine was confused and trying to hid behind her hair. Was Enjolras, a guy who has never said a word to her before, was asking her to junior prom even though she was a sophomore.

"Would you go to junior prom with me?", Enjolras repeated.

"Um...no." Eponine turned on her heel and quickly hurried to her next class. She could hear Enjolras following her, but she didn't care.

"Oh come on 'Ponine!", Enjolras called after her, attracting the attention of several of students still in the hallway.

"Stop following me!"

"Eponine!"

Eponine stopped quickly and whipped around with anger in her eyes.

"No. You've never recognized my existence before, why now?"

"Well…"

"Great, thanks. I have a class to get to."