Disclaimer: Disclaimer: I do not own Les Misèrables or its characters. I also do not own any songs mentioned or sang in this story.
Chapter 2
Everyday since that unfaithful night, when he's waiting outside her house in the mornings, he couldn't help but look and try to glance inside. When he's not doing anything he finds that his mind is constantly drifting to Èponine. He can't take the image of how the sarcastic, witty brunette he knew looking so weak and fragile. Or maybe she had been fragile all along.
"Who's the lucky girl, Enj?" He's been pulled out from his thoughts by Grantaire.
"It's not a girl I'm thinking about, Grantaire. And what do you need?" He lied and changed the topic immediately.
"Whatever you say, but the bell rang five minutes ago and the bus is gonna leave us if we don't hurry."
Enjolras mentally smacked himself for getting lost in his thoughts. He really should stop thinking about her. Heck, he shouldn't be thinking about her in the first place.
LINEBREAK
Èponine watched as Enjolras entered the bus with Grantaire. They came late. That's certainly a first for him. They caught each other's gaze for a brief second before he turned away and sat beside Combeferre. Èponine felt a sharp pain on her arm and winced. She turned and found Cosette pulling her arm away from her and looking worried.
"Èponine what happened?
"Nothing you need to worry about Cosette."
"Why didn't you come to our house? Did he catch you again? Who tended to your injuries?" she asked in a whisper.
"Don't fret Cosette, I'm fine. Yes, I got caught again last night. It's just like the other times, he's drunk again."
Cosette sighed. "Just be careful next time, okay?"
Èponine just nodded.
Èponine got off the bus, but not before sending Enjolras, the last occupant, a tiny smile which is returned with a nod. She entered the house and proceeded to the room immediately. She changed to a simple black long-sleeved shirt, jeans, and black sneakers then grabbed her black coat and newsboy cap.
There are four doors found in her huge bedroom. One door leads out, one to the bathroom, and the remaining two leading to both her siblings' bedroom. She entered Gavroche's room and found him sleeping by the window with a book covering his face. She went to him and woke him up.
"'Ponine? Are you alright? Does it hurt so much?" he sat up and started to raise her sleeves but Èponine stopped him before he could.
"I'm alright, Gav. Don't worry about me. I'm going out alright? Do your homework." She ruffled his hair before walking away. But she was surprised when tiny arms wrapped around her tiny waist.
"Be careful 'Ponine." She heard Gavroche said.
"Of course, Gav." She turned and crouched to his level then gave him a kiss on both cheeks. He beamed at her before saying,
"Alright. See ya later!"
She went to Azelma's room next and found her asleep too, face buried on a pile of papers on her desk. She smiled and woke her up.
"'Ponine? You're going out again?" She asked.
"Yes 'Zelma. You know I can't let them down. They need me there." Èponine explained.
"I know that. But it gets you to so much danger. I get it that Cosette and 'Parnasse helps you, but 'Ponine-" Èponine cut her off.
"'Zelma! Ws talk so we've had this talk so many times. It will still end the same way." Azelma sighed.
"I know that. Be careful alright?" Èponine let out a small laugh.
"You know… You're the third person who said that to me today. And yes, I'll be careful."
Èponine went back to her room and grabbed her black satchel that contained her wallet, ipod, and sketching materials. She made sure her phone is in her pocket then grabbed her keys before going out. Èponine walked out and headed to a mansion a little smaller than theirs a few blocks away. She went at the back, opened the garage and smiled as she saw her silver motorcycle. She wore her coat, mounted the motorcycle and zoomed away to the city.
She parked on the parking lot across the park and went to the Musain to get coffee before going to her destination. After she got her Chai Latte, she proceeded to a three storey building by foot even if it's a couple of blocks away from the Musain. She was welcomed with hugs and kisses making her wince from her bruises.
"Hi Ms. Nina!" The Children exclaimed when they saw her. Èponine smiled and greeted each and every one of the children. Her heart was filled with so much happiness seeing the children she cared so much for. When she sees them this happy, the bruises and wounds on her body doesn't seem to matter anymore.
"Hi Nina." She looked up and found Musichetta. Musichetta is the one managing the children's house and caring for them every day since she can't because she's going to school. Musichetta fixed her schedule so she can still care for the children in the mornings and when they get home. Cosette and Claire, another friend of hers, sometimes drops by to give something or to play with the children.
"Hi 'Chetta, how are things here?"
"Very fine. The children did a lot of art this morning at school. Want to see?" Noise erupted from the kids for her to take a look at their artworks. She laughed and agreed.
"Whoa! Did you really make this guys?" She heard a lot of "yes" and "of course".
"We'll frame all fourteen and display it in the living room." Cheers erupted once again from the children.
"Have you eaten dinner?" They shook their heads.
"Want to have pizza?" They all agreed and Musichetta ordered pizza as they all sat down in the living room. The pizza arrived ten minutes later and they all just ate there while they chatted.
"Ms. Nina, Peter and I got a perfect score on our Mathematics exam today." Jacques said grinning.
"Ms. Nina, I finished reading Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets today." The eight-year old Lucie said.
"Then we all watched Bridge to Terabithia. It's so tragically beautiful, Ms. Nina." Gabrielle said, her voice filled with awe.
Èponine could just nod in agreement to all the children's chatter. She was so proud of them all. Their ages just ranges from five to ten years old and they are all special in their own ways. She can still remember clearly how the children's house started.
Flashback
Thirteen-year old Èponine is walking beside her seven-month pregnant mother who is holding a six-year old Gavroche to her other side. The three of them are out strolling in the park when Gavroche ran off to play with two street children his age. Her mother gave the two children food and Èponine eventually joined them and played the whole afternoon. When they were about to go home that afternoon, Èponine was curious why they had to live on the streets, so when they got home, she asked her mother.
"It's because they don't have a home and family, Èponine." Her mother said to put it simply.
"But they're just Gavroche's age, maman. They can't stay out there, they'll get sick and hungry and cold. They'll die!" Her voice rising slightly at the last sentence. Having realised her mistake, she immediately apologized for yelling. Her mother, however, didn't feel the tiniest bit of anger. But instead she felt proud. Proud of her daughter's compassion towards others.
"So… What do you want to do?"
Èponine's eyes lit up at her mother's question and she immediately blurted out her suggestions and ideas of how to help Jacques and Peter.
"We should also help other children, maman! That would be fun, then we'll buy them a house to live and we'll all play together with 'Zelma and 'Gav." Her mother just smiled and nodded at her.
A week later the three-storey building was bought without the knowledge of her father, who approved of them at that time in helping the poor. It was just Jacques, Peter, and the four year old Zacharie who was living there that time and they visited them every afternoon and played. They all lived happily until the day her mother gave birth. There were a lot of complications and she didn't make it through. Everything went down, her father got cold and cared for nothing but his money, he became abusive and drinks every night, and no one's funding the children's house so she knew she had to take matters in her own hands.
Since she still had no access to the inheritance her mother left her, every time she gets, she sneaks food to the boys in the house. It came to the point that the electricity in the house got cut because they weren't able to pay in time. She got a few francs that day from her father's wallet and maid Clemence, their maid, to pay for it. She knew she can't keep doing that to cover the bills so she thought long and hard in finding new ways to earn money. The answer came to her when she was walking to the house one afternoon and found a crying Lucie, who was four years old that time.
"Little girl, why are you crying?" she kneeled beside her and stroked her back.
"I was asked to leave by my stepmother. She doesn't love me." She sobbed harder.
"What's your name?"
"Lucie." Èponine didn't know what to do so she did what her mother does when she's crying. She picked the song she hears Cosette sings so much.
There is a castle on a cloud
I like to go there in my sleep
Aren't any floors for me to sweep
Not in my castle on a cloud
There is a lady all in white
Hold me and sings a lullaby
She's nice to see and she's soft to touch
She says "Lucie, I love you very much
I know a place where no one's lost
I know a place where no one cries
Crying at all is not allowed
Not in my castle on a cloud
She noticed that Lucie has stopped crying by now and she was so relieved. She was about to talk to her when she heard applause. She looked up and found a crowd had formed around them and they are cheering. They gave her money and it summed up to fifty francs! From then on, she would sing at the same spot, also accepting requests sometimes.
End of Flashback
She observed the room and found that some of the kids are already yawning. She declared it's already bedtime and they all stood up to get ready for bed. When they all left, Musichetta sat beside her.
"You got caught last week, didn't you?" she has her arms crossed in front of her chest with one eyebrow raised.
"Yes, yes. Before you can say it, I'll be careful next time."
"But Nina, the funds here are enough for us to last for two more years. You give your allowance and every money you get for singing here. You can lessen sneaking out now."
"'Chetta, I like it here. The only reason I go home is school and my siblings. But once I turn eighteen and have access to my money, I'm taking my siblings and live far from that cruel man I call father."
"I really just fear for your safety, Nina. You're becoming your dad's punching bag when he's angry. It's becoming his habit." Èponine looked right to her friend's eyes.
"I'll endure it all for them 'Chetta. I won't let them go back the streets even if it's the last thing I'd do." They're conversation was cut short when an alarm clock went off.
"It's eight, I better get going. See you sometime again kids!" Footsteps were heard from upstairs and she was once again tackled by the children.
"See you next time, Ms. Nina"
"Absolutely. I'll be going now. My audience is waiting for me." She winked at them and left.
She traced her way back to her usual spot and saw that a small crowd was already formed. She took her newsboy cap from her satchel and tucked her hair in it. Once she was sighted, the crowd burst into cheers.
"Good Evening everyone. Tonight is another musical night. I have prepared four songs for you, so let's all settle down."
LINEBREAK
Èponine just parked her motorcycle in the garage of Montparnasse when he came out.
"You better hurry, They're on their way home." He informed her while leaning on his car.
"Thanks 'Parnasse. For everything."
"Whatever, But I'm still not marrying you." He said with a mocking smirk and Èponine hit him upside the head.
"As if I want to marry you. I know you like Ines." She said teasingly. Her childhood friend let out a small smile.
"We'll get out of this, 'Parnasse. We'll get out of this arrangement and you'll be very happy." Èponine said to him.
"And you will too… You will find someone to love besides your siblings, the children and your friends." Èponine scoffed.
"As if." Montparnasse put both his hands on her shoulders and looked right in her brown eyes.
"A guy out there was meant to be the love of your life, your soul mate, the one you can tell your dreams to. He'll brush your hair out of your eyes. Send flowers when you least expect it. He'll stare at you during movies even though he paid $8 to see it. He'll call you to say goodnight or just because he's missing you. He'll look you in the eyes and tell you, you're the most beautiful girl in the world, and for the first time in your life, you'll believe it."
Èponine just stared wide eyed with her jaw slightly open at her friend. That's the first time he heard words that many come out of his mouth. And the fact that-
"Oh my goodness… You quoted Nicholas Sparks…" she said in a whisper. "You quoted the Nicholas Sparks! Oh my… Ines really broke you and there's no way you can be fixed. You're beyond repair if you're now reading romance novels." He laughed and pressed a light kiss on her forehead.
"You should get going. It's late."
Èponine smiled and left. She arrived at the house and entered by her bedroom window which is near a tree in their backyard. She saw Azelma there, pacing.
"'Ponine! Thank goodness you're okay. I was afraid Papa will get home before you do."
"It's alright now, no need to worry." Then Gavroche burst into her room asking about the kids. The two talked and Azelma soon joined in setting her worries aside.
A.N. Hi again! So… Not too much happenings in this chapter, more of just explanations of some certain situations. And I made Montparnasse good for a change! The fics I read often has him abusing or hurting Èponine and I guess I just wanted change.. So yeah… Please Review! I like to know what you think, or what you want to see in this story. And if anyone wants to beta this story, I'm currently looking for one because I have no time to proofread my story and I need all the help I can get..