Chapter 15
I DO NOT OWN LES MISERABLES OR ANY CHARACTERS INVOLVED.
...
Enjolras paced the small living room, restless.
"Come on, girls, we'll be late!"
"Oh, be quiet Enjolras," snapped Éponine, although she was grinning. She was wearing a light green dress that she herself had made, with spare material from the shop. Her hair was curled softly, both Nicolette and Lottie's work.
"You look lovely, Éponine," he smiled at her, pretending not to notice her comment.
"Thank you, Monsieur," she laughed, pretending to curtsey, but nearly tripping over, causing her to burst into rough, un lady-like laughter, frequently snorting in doing so.
"It's Enjolras. And no offence, but Éponine, I'm not quite sure you were born to be a princess," he shook his head.
She nodded, still laughing.
"Where are Lottie and Nicolette?"
Éponine tapped her nose. "Nosy!"
Enjolras raised his eyebrow at her.
Éponine rolled her eyes. "They're getting ready!"
"How come it's taking so long? You're done already, why aren't they?"
Éponine shook her head, and again rolled her eyes.
"A lady doesn't wake up ready for a night at the opera!"
"I know that, but if you're done, shouldn't they be?"
"Well, I haven't got a Monsieur accompanying me! I don't have to impress anybody! I could go looking like a dog, and no-one would care!"
"You wouldn't look like a dog," Enjolras chuckled. Secretly, he was singing inside. Nicolette was making a special effort, just because the man she was courting was accompanying her? He felt special, and a little bit smug.
"Thank you. And don't go getting arrogant because Nicolette is making an effort. She would make an effort anyway, and her dress is much more fancy than mine. You can't just slip on a dress you know, two buttons, and be done! And her hair is thicker, and she did my hair for me, her and Lottie," she smirked at him, knowing just exactly what he was thinking.
"Remind me again, why are we bothering to take you?"
"Monsieur Enjolras!" she exclaimed, in mock digust and shock, before bursting into laughter again. "Because I am your best friend, and because it's sociable, and because it's a nice thing to do. Also, when you become far too much for Nicolette to handle alone, I'll swoop in for moral support," she grinned.
"You will not 'swoop in' to a conversation of mine and Nicolette's, to ruin it with some interesting quip about the 'lady in the far corner who looks like the re-incarnated, female Christ'," he shook his head.
"Hey! She did, I swear-"
"I wasn't there, but I don't think she did. From what Nicolette says, she definitely didn't, and you aren't a very good whisperer. She left the shop?" he grinned at her.
"It's not my fault! She wasn't meant to be listening, it's her fault for being nosy. And she did! She had this serious, sad look about her, and Enjolras, she had so much facial hair, it was nearly a beard! How am I supposed to dress someone who looks like-"
"Éponine, we went over this you know. You really should keep your opinions to yourself, especially with the customers!" laughed Nicolette, emerging from the room where the girls were changing.
"Colie, tell him that she did look like-"
"Colie?! That's your nickname for me, Colie?!"
"Well, yeah," Éponine nodded.
"At least it's better than Enjy," Lottie grinned, entering the room.
Enjolras groaned, and Éponine laughed. Lottie joined in, and Nicolette did too, in spite of the situation.
"Enjy," Éponine started, looking at Lottie, who quickly picked up.
"And Colie!" grinned Lottie.
"Enjy and Colie!" they soon laughed, synchronised. Enjolras and Nicolette shot death glares at the pair, and Joly took that as his cue to emerge from the kitchen.
"Enjy...And Colie? You guys, that's cute," winked Joly at Enjolras, knowing he would more than likely already be in a mood with Éponine over this.
Éponine flashed a grin at Joly, "You agree?"
Joly nodded with a smirk, standing behind Lottie, his head resting on her shoulder, and her arms clasped in front of her, hugging her around the waist.
"Well, I must go tell Phillie about this name! Be right back! I'll only be a minute, Enjolras, before you jump off the Seine with impatience, so don't worry," she warned looking at the pair. As she looked at Joly and Lottie, then looked back to 'Enjy and Colie', she saw the obvious difference, between Joly's arms comfortably around Lottie, and the other pair in a stance which made them look no more than friends. "Oh, and Enjy? Take a leaf out of Joly's book, don't stand there all stiff ignoring the fact that you can't wait to kiss Nicolette," she laughed again, quickly running to find Phillie before Enjolras could reply.
Enjolras stood there with an uncomfortable, blushing look on his face, but Nicolette rolled her eyes, lifted his arm, and placed it around her shoulders. He soon found that it wasn't as bad as he thought it might be, and relaxed.
Éponine came back not long after, her arrival announced by shrieks and snorts of laughter.
"Right, let's go!" Enjolras smiled, motioning to the door. The group shouted their goodbyes to Phillie, and left for the opera.
...
"That was brilliant!" Éponine exclaimed as they left the opera late at night.
Joly nodded, and Lottie, whose face was on Joly's shoulder, smiled in agreement.
"It was okay," Enjolras disagreed.
Éponine stuck her tongue out at Enjolras, and Nicolette laughed.
"I thought it was great," Nicolette countered.
Enjolras rolled his eyes at the two, but the smirk was quickly wiped off his face.
He had felt a tap on his shoulder, and turned cautiously to see who had touched him. When he saw, he turned full around, and stood strong. The girls and Joly kept walking for a few seconds, until they heard Enjolras shout, and realised he'd stopped.
"What are you doing here?!" Enjolras growled.
Lottie and Nicolette turned round first, and gave each other confused looks. They had no idea who he was. Joly turned next, and he stuttered.
Éponine soon turned after, and she gasped, and felt tears in her eyes.
Marius.
Marius.
Marius, the boy she loved. Marius, her best friend. Marius, her saviour.
Monsieur Pontmercy, the fancy soon-to-be groom. Monsieur Pontmercy, the man who abandoned her.
Marius, and Monsieur Pontmercy, were two completely different characters, two completely different roles in Éponine's life...two completely different people.
The heavy, hot tears in her eyes threatened to fall.
"M-M-Monsieur?" she managed to choke out, her tears over-coming her.
She didn't know why.
Were these tears of happiness?
Were these tears of sadness?
Were these tears of anger?
No.
They were a mixture of all, happiness, sadness, and anger.
She'd never encountered such tears before. But she had reason why.
He turns up, after months! He left me...
But I love him...
Éponine backed away from him, moving towards Joly and Lottie. Joly pulled her into a hug, comforting her with soft whispers, while Lottie reached in her bag for a tissue.
Marius moved towards her, reaching out his hand.
"Pontmercy," warned Enjolras with a snarl, reaching out and grabbing him, pulling him back from Éponine, whose tears were in full flow.
"Enj-"
"No. Can't you see how upset she is?! That's after a few months. I will not stand by and let you ruin her again."
"I didn't mean to!"
Enjolras raised his eyebrows with a glare.
"I swear, Pontmercy-"
"It's Marius!"
"No, when you abandoned my best friend, the girl who loves you, after you let her believe that you returned those feelings, you lost the right to any friendly conversation. You're lucky I'm not taking you away from 'Ponine by force."
"'Ponine?! That's my nickname for-"
"You really want to claim rights on Éponine?!"
"Y-No-Just Listen! C osette made me! She told me it wasn't safe!"
"No she didn't! You kissed, you're getting married!" Joly shouted.
"That stupid, spoilt garce shouldn't have any power over a son of the barricade. And if she does have power over him, then he does not deserve the honour of even being associated with the brave men who died for France."
"But, she threatened me!"
"What, she said she'd tell her Papa on you?!" Nicolette added, knowing little about the situation, but knowing enough from 'Ponine's rants that the girl was stupid, spoilt, and relied heavily on her Papa.
Marius noticed her for the first time, looking her up and down.
"Who are you?" he asked, confused.
"I'm a best friend of Éponine's, Joly's and Lottie's, and Enjolras's girlfriend," she answered evenly.
Marius laughed, despite the situation.
"You cracked the marble statue?!"
Nicolette recognised this quote immediately. Éponine.
"Is this really how you want to butter up Enjolras?" interjected Lottie.
Marius then noticed the girl comforting Éponine, who was turned away from him, still crying into Joly's shoulder. Hurt swept his face at the sight of 'Ponine, but decided he'd better keep a calm head if he was to sway Enjolras.
"I suppose you're Lottie then?"
She nodded firmly.
"And you are-
"A good friend of Nicolette, Éponine and Enjolras, and Joly's girlfriend."
"You've both got girlfriends?" Marius asked disbelieving.
"Again, this isn't the way I would go about swaying Enjolras and Joly," Nicolette narrowed her eyes at Marius.
"But, you're out with your girlfriends, and Éponine is-"
"Pining over a man who doesn't deserve it," Joly angered.
"But, I- Please just listen to me."
"Why should we?!"
"Enjolras, please, I...I love her."
Éponine looked round, her eyes bloodshot and her face bright red, tear tracks running down her face.
"What?" she stuttered.
Marius smiled weakly at her, and then turned to Enjolras.
"Please, Enjolras?"
"You have ten minutes."
...
I'm sorry!
I'm awful at updating, I know, and it's nearly been two weeks.
I'm so sorry again, but these past two weeks have been awful. I've been listening to "I'll see you again," by Westlife, and "Lord, I'm coming home," on repeat. And crying. A lot.
I cannot thank you enough for all your support in light of my Granny Gillen's passing, and that negative review. I am overwhelmed by your support and I really cannot put into words what your support means to me. Honestly, it's good to have someone not connected with the situation offer words of supports, and I really cannot put into words my appreciation.
Hopefully, I won't take as long to update again, but I apologise in advance if I do.
Thank you so much.
Léis an grá i mo chroí, Ó Niamh Ní Luachra.
(With all the love in my heart, from Niamh Ní Luachra.)