Chapter Two:
The next meeting was a little more successful. She walked straight into the back room and sat down next to Grantaire. She had studied them for the past week and had noticed that Grantaire was the key to the group. The boys loved him, he was the funny one always ready with a joke to ease the tension and if she could get in with him then the others would accept her.
"Hi." She said trying to get her voice to sound chipper.
"Hey." He said in reply. "So you came back, we weren't sure if you would."
"I figure you need me." She said nonchalantly.
He scoffed. "Yeah, sure. Like our little club becoming unauthorised is more of a threat than you being kicked out of school." She turned to him. "Oh yeah, I know everything." He raised the bottle he had in his hand to his lips.
"How?" she asked genuinely curious. "Patterson hinted that this wouldn't be common knowledge."
"Yeah but I have inside information." She sighed, it seemed as though her mission had failed. "Just so you know, there's no judgement here. We know you stole, we don't know why but we don't care. What they care about," he gestured to the boys who were beginning to pour into the room. "Is that you don't treat this like a joke. That's my job." Suddenly he was smiling at her. She might have a chance.
When Enjolras entered the chatting didn't stop but it did quieten a little. "So how did Enjolras come to be head honcho around here?" She asked and Grantaire barked a laugh.
"Head Honcho," he repeated. "I like that. I'm gonna steal that." He took a swig from the bottle again. "You heard him speak right?" She nodded. "That's why he's the leader."
It was then that Enjolras cleared his throat and silence fell. "Tonight we will be discussing a topic that up to this point we have been unqualified to talk about." Confused looks were shared between men. "Feminism." Suddenly all attention was on her. "Do we still need it?"
After a pause she realised that the question had been directed towards her. She looked around at Grantaire who gestured for her to speak before clearing her throat. "Well," She paused. "Yes." Grantaire let out a large laugh before quietening at Enjolras' glare.
"We'd appreciate it if you could perhaps elaborate on that Eponine." Enjolras told her with the tone that made her feel like a child being scolded for drawing on the walls.
"Where do I start?" She laughed. "We're paid less for the same job, we're constantly dragged down by society. If we are virgins, we're considered prudes if we enjoy sex we're sluts. The media blames us for violence towards us, our skirts were too short, we'd drunk too much that night it's our fault we get beaten and raped. Every single institution is created to put us at a disadvantage. We have to be twice as good as men to get even an ounce of respect that's handed out to any white male for taking a breath." She paused worrying that this was beginning to sound like a rant. "Imagine going to school, learning about the Prime Ministers of the country and realising that you can count on one hand people that look like you. In politics women are treated completely unfairly, our looks are just as important as our words. But you can't be too pretty or the men won't be able to get their head out of their dicks long enough to pay attention to what you're saying." She finished. She had more to say but she'd spoken for too long already.
The men around the table looked at her, she hadn't noticed but Marius must have snuck in while she was speaking and now she caught his eye and felt her cheeks redden. She'd clearly embarrassed herself and now she wanted a hole to swallow her up. "Is there any case for the notion that women aren't in politics because they don't want to be?" Enjolras eventually asked. For the first time he was actually looking at her. She returned his stare.
"I guess, but I believe they only avoid politics because they are not shown that it is an area that they can succeed in. in my experience, men are told their opinions are of value and girls are told that their value comes from their body. Either by way of making babies or looking pleasing to the male gaze."
"Your view seems to be that of an awfully cynical one." He suggested and she just shrugged.
"That's just me speaking from my experience. I've never met a man who hasn't sexualised me immediately." At the thought her stomach jolted. It was as if her throat was closing up and she became very hot all of a sudden. In the corner of her eye she thought she saw the black coat and she tried to supress the urge to jump. It seemed that Enjolras had noticed the change in demeanour as he took attention away from her by beginning a speech that led to an argument about pro-choice. Eponine tried to control her breathing, cursing herself for having this reaction. It had been a second of thought but he had such an effect on her. Grantaire slid her a glass filled with brown-ish liquid and she quickly downed it without much thought. The drink helped, her heart slowed and she allowed herself to focus on the room again.
Occasionally throughout the rest of the evening she added in a few of her thoughts but avoided big speeches again. She lost contact with Enjolras, he did not look her way again but Grantaire had begun to whisper things into her ear which made her laugh. At the end of the meeting most of the boys made a speedy exit, it had run on for longer than expected and they were expected home. "Are you okay?" Grantaire asked when the majority had left.
"Yeah," She said forcing a smile. "Why?"
"I don't know…" He said slowly. "It just felt like you had a little blip there at the beginning."
She let out a small laugh which she hoped sounded natural. "No, I'm fine!" Grantaire just nodded, not looking convinced. Eponine decided that it would be best if she made a speedy departure.
She started off down the street, pulling her jumper a little closer still not feeling fully secure. She'd been taken unawares tonight and she hated being surprised. She needed to clear her head and luckily a long walk usually did the trick. Just as she was beginning to focus on her breathing she heard footsteps behind her. As a hand touched her shoulder she whipped round and swung for the would-be assailant.
"Whoa Jesus!" She heard Enjolras cry and she quickly stopped glad that the blow hadn't hit its target. "Fuck Eponine what was that?"
"Sorry, I didn't know it was you!" She cried out in defence. "Why wouldn't you call my name or something, its pitch black!" Enjolras was still looking bewildered as she tried to explain. "How was I supposed to know you weren't some low-life?"
Understanding finally dawned on his face and he had the good idea of looking a little ashamed. "You're right, sorry I didn't think."
"Right well, I'm sorry too obviously." She stated. "What did you want to say?"
"Oh," Enjolras said having to have forgotten that he had been the one to start this lovely exchange. "Right I just wanted to make sure I hadn't made you uncomfortable tonight." She nodded. "I mean, I kind of put you on the spot without letting you think or anything and that probably wasn't… good." He trailed. Eponine found it a little amusing that a man who was so good at public speaking was coming off so terribly in this small exchange.
"It's fine." She assured him. "I appreciated that you chose to include me."
"Well, I didn't want you to think we wouldn't value your insight that we naturally lack."
"Right, well thanks."
"Well thank you."
A pause became firmly planted between them as the wind made Eponine shiver.
"Do you want me to walk you home? Seeing as you think everyone's a murderous assailant?" She laughed at that but shook her head.
"Nah, I'm used to it, I don't know if a guy with a watch like yours should be seen on my street." He quickly glanced at the silver watch gleaming on his wrist and nodded.
"Right." He said and she nodded. "I'll be off then."
She was the first to turn away, not sure why he lingered. It was the longest conversation Eponine would have with him for a while.
The next Monday couldn't come soon enough. Her weekends mainly consisted of working. Eponine would spend the mornings at the market selling fish for a local guy she had met when she was younger. It was a fine job, the smell soon lost its potency but it was thankless. Unless people had already decided to buy fish from her stall, there was nothing she could do to convince people. Fish smelled unappealing at best and so she never had any luck with passing trade. By the end of her shift on Saturday her hands were stained with dried fish blood and her face was red from the heat of the barbeque stand opposite her. She looked a mess and just wanted to get back to her house and the small, cold shower.
But just as she was leaving she heard her name being called. "Eponine!" She turned around to see Marius. Her heart sank. She looked awful and here was this perfect boy whose green eyes sunk right into her heart.
"Marius!" She said in reply, quickly letting down her hair in the hopes that it would do something to hide the awful mess that was her. "What are you doing here?"
"Well I was in the area and I'd heard good things about the market from Bets and the girls so I thought I'd take a look!" He was beaming as always, mouth straining ear to ear. He often reminded her of an excited Labrador, bounding around perpetually happy and blissful. She was so envious. "How come you're working here?" he asked.
"Money," She said simply. "For the basics; food, clothes et cetera." She noticed the flicker in his eyes before he nodded and chuckled.
"Well it looks like a fun atmosphere!" His optimism was endless and all Eponine wanted to do was jump in with him.
"Yeah it's not too bad. I like the people. The stories they can tell are brilliant." Eponine thought better of regaling him with one of the many tales assuming that he had some place else to be. "I've got to get home and I'm sure you've got better things to do than stand and chat with me so I'll see on Monday, yeah?"
"Talking to you is something I don't think I'd tire from but you're half-right. I'm supposed to meet my father at the bank so I will bid you adieu." He said pretending to tip his hat before walking away. Eponine laughed at his comical farewell. As she turned to walk away she caught sight of her reflection. "Jesus." She groaned before putting her head down and walking away.
She was now sat in her English class waiting for break to be over. She knew that she didn't have to be alone during school times now. If she wanted to she could probably hang out with the boys from the Musain but she didn't want to force herself onto them. So instead she took the spare time to either study or read. At least it meant that her grades stayed consistent. Patterson had congratulated her on joining a club and that seemed to be the end of it. He wasn't about to force her to make friends and not relent until she had at least two BFF's who skipped around together and had sleepovers. That was good. Things had gone back to normal.
"You alright Ep?" Her English teacher, Mr Miller had walked into his classroom unsurprised by his student's presence. "How did the weekend treat you?"
"It was fine, the usual." She answered. She liked Miller, he didn't seem to be too fussed with her beyond her grades. He didn't pry. She had once screwed up and rolled her sleeves when she had a meeting with him and he didn't gawp at what lay there. He didn't even react. She liked that. "How's yours? Wedding plans going well?"
Miller sighed, stretching his arms above his head. "Yeah, I guess. I don't like to get too involved. I really couldn't care less about what colour the peonies should be, I just want to be married. Hell, we could elope and that would be fine by me." He paused, thinking a little before saying. "God eloping would be perfect."
"No families." Said Eponine knowingly.
Miller sat up and snapped his fingers. "Exactly." He said smiling. Before the conversation could continue other students began to pile into the classroom. Among these students were Grantaire, who waggled his eyebrows at her as she entered, and Enjolras who merely nodded in her direction. The rest of the lesson went by quite nicely. They were focusing on Gothic literature. It wasn't her favourite, she felt it was often too 'on the nose' but she enjoyed Miller's teaching so she managed to feel a modicum of inspiration about writing an essay on the role of shadows in The Woman In Black.
At the end of the lesson she tried to get out quickly, not wanting to seem to be hovering. It was bad enough that she went early to his lessons, if she then stayed at the end rumours would spread and she would be known as the Scholarship girl who banged her teacher. Before she could fully leave her arm was grabbed from behind. "Don't attack me!" Grantaire said laughing. Eponine threw an annoyed look at Enjolras who didn't match her gaze. Instead he pushed past and left.
"I didn't attack him." Eponine sighed as Grantaire continued to pretend to karate chop her. "He shouldn't have come up to me on a deserted street at night."
"True," Grantaire conceded. "But I just find it funny that you have a mean right hook. Never would have pinned you for a fighter old Eppy." She frowned at the new nickname.
"Well I'm glad I could be so amusing." She muttered as they walked down the corridor together. "Do you know if I upset Enj?" Grantaire looked confused. "It's just he hasn't looked me in the eye since."
"Oh that's just his way." He explained. "When Enjolras, the mighty Enjolras feels embarrassed he proceeds to retreat into a hole of solitude until he gets over it. Nothing you can do to prevent or slow down the process." Eponine scoffed a little. The action seemed almost childish from the Stern Leader. "I remember in Year 7 when Joly saw him mooning over Arabella he didn't speak for almost a week."
"A week for mooning? What kind of time frame can I expect?"
"Oh he'll be fine by Friday's meeting." Grantaire told her. "And I did under-play the mooning. He had saved pictures of her in his phone."
"Ooh Enjolras with a crush? That does sound interesting." She admitted. The thought the Enjolras being anything less than stoic and awkward with a girl amused her greatly.
"I reckon pigs will fly before we see that again." Grantaire muttered as they reached the Common Room.
She and Grantaire spent their free period together which led to Eponine spending a rather enjoyable lunch time with the boys. It gave her another chance to talk to Marius, this time without blood on her hands and she laughed harder than she had in years. A small splash of doubt clouded her thoughts as she worked that night. She felt she was finally close to having a hint of happiness in her life, she was praying that it would last.