_Ch.3
Thank you very much for even more reviews guys! Just a note: Unless anyone knows a way I can edit the chapter, I am changing the date so H.B. is going to Peru in March. I am really sorry guys, I'm planning something to happen that may or may not be obvious to guess, I got the specific date wrong. I'm really sorry! So anyway, you can give suggestions for the story. I will try my best to incorporate them. If I can't I will be in a state of sadness, because I am a thoughtful person, or in other words I try my best to make people happy. Alright that's really it! Please R&R and most important of all, enjoy!
-G
After scolding Azelma, Eponine had no choice but to bring Azelma back to Holsten's with her, since she obviously couldn't be trusted alone.
Once the two got to the parlor, they went to see all five boys crowded around Gavroche, who sat happily at the counter chowing down a banana split. Eponine sighed, they won Gavroche's hunger.
Azelma chuckled as the two walked up to the crowd. "Gav, watcha' got there?" she asked, glancing to the ice cream. Gavroche looked up at her and grinned.
"It's this thing called a blueberry split. Best thing I've ever eaten." He gushed, then took another huge bite.
Joly chuckled and corrected, "Gavroche, it's actually a banana split. We're happy you like it though."
Eponine pressed her lips together. She loved seeing Gavroche happy, but there was loads of sugar in that thing, and it was only 3:15 in the afternoon. She had to have a serious talk with….she looked around. Who was the most gullible in the group? It would be Joly, but he would absolutely tell the group about it afterwards.
She ended up picking Courfeyrac. This was because you could bribe him with anything, you could even bribe that boy 50 cents to commit murder. So Eponine came up t o him and asked sweetly, "Hey Courf, wanna go pick the next record with me?" Courfeyrac glanced at her and stood up. "Sure." he replied.
The two walked to the back of the room where the record player was. As Courfeyrac ran his finger down the list slowly, Eponine asked, "So who's idea was it to buy Gavroche something?" Without looking her in the eye, Courf explained, "Well it was first my idea, then everyone else agreed." Eponine nodded slowly. She wasn't sure why, but Courferyac and Gavroche did have some kind of a connection.
"Who paid?" Eponine continued. Courfeyrac tsked her and turned to the counter. He asked politely, "Could we please have 'Some of These Days' by Sophie Tucker?" The man at the counter nodded and began to fiddle with the record player, resulting in the song.
As the opening credits flew in, Courfeyrac answered, "Enjolras paid, he insisted." Eponine blinked. Enjolras, she should've known. He was the richest of the group, his dad owned three factories.
Eponine thanked him and went back to her seat. She crooned to the guys, "Oh guys, you didn't have to buy Gavvie anything, he's a big boy. He can handle himself." Grantaire muttered, "Yes, 'cause you can call a big boy Gavvie." Joly and Marius burst out laughing, earning a cold glare from Eponine.
All of the sudden, Enjolras stood up and handed a piece of paper to Marius. "Hey Pontmercy, could you go deliver this to the post office please? I'd do it myself, but I still have some stuff to do." Marius tsked and shook his head. "No can do, brother," he apologized. "My grandpa wants me home by 4 to get ready for supper."
Marius looked around the room, his eyes falling on Eponine. He called to her, " 'Ponine, could you take this to the post office for us? We'll stay here and watch Gav and 'Zelma." Eponine silently groaned. Her feet still ached from walking back and forth from Holsten's to home then back to Holsten's.
But this was Marius she was talking about, he was only one of her best friends and her crush. How could she say no? She nodded and took the letter from Marius and started to walk out. On her way, she took Grantaire's shoulder and whispered,
"While I'm gone, think of a decent punishment for 'Zelma. It can't be work related, but you have to watch her like a hawk too. You copy?"
Grantaire nodded and saluted her. "Sir yes sir." he replied. Epoinine chuckled and saluted him back.
As Eponine walked in town again, the letter nestled in her pocket, she felt the annoying pang of pain in her feet again. She moaned as her eyes fell upon a vacant park bench that was calling her. No, I've gotta perservere, she thought.
She walked up a steep hill. Brown snow caked the sidewalks, shoe shapes printed in. Eponine's calves began to burn and her side pierced in pain. Her thoughts floated back to the image of the park bench. How good it would feel to sit there, feeling the firey pain sink form her legs.
A cool breeze whipped through Eponine. She sighed and tugged her scarf on tighter. It was cold for mid-February. As she made it to the top of the hill, she noticed the post office sitting on the other side, waiting for her.
She gasped at the sight, drawing in a cool air of breath. Although it hurt, she picked up her legs faster. She wanted to get this over with and sit in the warm heat of Holsten's once again.
On her way, she stopped dead in her tracks. She caught the sight of a three children huddled on a street corner; two girls and a little boy. Eponine watched with a heavy heart as the littler girl whined, "Nancy, I'm tired. I want to sleep, but Joseph keeps crying!" The little boy was wailing in what looked like a radish crate.
The older girl who looked like she was at least 8 sighed, "Beckie I'm sorry. He's just hungry, we all are. I'll try to keep him quiet, but I'm not sure if I can." The girl walked over to the crate and picked up the little boy, rocking him slowly.
As the girl whispered a song to the baby, the other girl nudged a little cup farther into the street, trying to get money.
Eponine's heart trembled. It reminded her of her, 'Zelma, and baby Gav. One day, the three's parents just left without a trace. Eponine was 10, Azelma was 8, and Gavroche was 6. Eponine had to take her younger siblings onto the streets on her own.
Eponine had to grow up pretty quickly. It was her duty to make sure Gav and Azelma were healthy and fed. She grew a stone, nearly marble heart during this time. But when she got a job at the factory, Marius melted the marble heart. He made her feel as if she still had hope for life.
Eponine blinked back to reality, to see that the picture still hadn't changed. The older girl was rocking her brother to sleep, the little girl was trying to sleep, and the boy was still wailing. Eponine's stomach dropped. Shew didn't have any money to give, but there had to be something she could give.
All of the sudden, her eyes fell upon 'Mr. Happy's Toy Store'. It wasn't food, but it just might make them it would be a risky trip, she'd have to steal.
Eponine walked into the door to see fading yellow walls, decorated with paintings of ballerinas and monkeys. She walked over to a wooden shelf and glanced at a row of rag dolls. Her heart pounded as she reached for three rag dolls.
She looked both ways and snatched the dolls. She held it close to her chest and yanked it under her sweater. She folded her arms over the lump in her sweater and power-walked out the door.
Once she was out the door, she sighed in relief. She reached into her sweater for the dolls when she felt a firm hand on her shoulder.
Eponine pushed open the doors of Holsten's and ssat down by her friends silently. Joly was the first to actually notice her. "Eponine, you're back!" he cheered. The group went silent.
The only remaining group members were Marius, Enjolras, and Joly. Eponine nodded and asked impatiently, "Where are Gav and 'Zelma?" Marius quipped, "Grantaire and Courferyac took 'em home. I told them where the spare key was, hope you don't mind."
Eponine grunted and muttered under her breath, "Yeah,'cause the next thing I need is Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum bursteing into my home." Enjolras glanced at his watch and asked sternly, "Eponine, what took you so long? It's 5 o'clock, you left at 3:15."
"Crap!" Marius exclaimed as he shot up. "Gotta go guys, Grandad's gonna kill me." He said hurriedly as he pulled on his coat. And with that, Marius burst out of the store.
"Well that was unexpected." Joly replied stupidly. Enjolras gave Eponine a look that arned, 'you got lucky'.
Up came to the table a server with long brown wavy locks. He rcoffee brown eyes marveled as she greeted, "Anything I can get y'all?" She leaned her elbows on the table, leaning forward. Joly's jaw dropped, Eponine swore she could see the tiniest bit of saliva drizzled on his lip.
Eponine and Enjolras burst out laughing. "No way!" Eponine choked out between chuckles. Joly blushed as the server raised an eyebrow at the two.
"Can you believe these two?" she asked smiling. Joly gasped and shook his head mechanically. This only made Eponine and Enjolras laugh harder.
Once the laughter softened, the server asked, "What in God's name was that you two?" Eponine giggled, "Nothing. Someone's in love." Enjolras stifled a laugh. The server smirked at the two and winked.
She turned to Joly and crooned, "Hey baby, my name's Musichetta. And what would a sweet thing like you's name be?" Joly stammered out, "J-Joly."
Musichetta smiled flirtatiously and held out her hand, shaking Joly's hand.
"Well nice to meet you Joly. I'll see you around sometime."
Joly nodded and whispered, "A-alright." As Musichetta walked off.
Enjolras shook his head and grinned. He offered, "Want me to get Courfeyrac for you?" Joly shook his head and blushed. "Shut up." He smiled.