The next day in Intro to Child Psych, Éponine noticed Azelma and Courfeyrac were still sitting behind the rest of them. Enjolras was seated to Eponine's right, and Cosette to her left, with Marius, R, and Jehan past her. Before Valjean walked into the classroom, Azelma flicked Éponine and Cosette in the back of their heads. They both whipped around to look at her. "Lunch at the Union after class?" She asked. Cosette nodded, almost hungrily. Éponine shrugged, before turning to Enjolras.
"Can we cancel lunch today? Azelma, Cosette, and I need to talk." She asked.
"Yeah, no problem. As long as you feel better." He smirked at her before turning his attention to the professor entering the room. Éponine rolled her eyes before turning back to her sister and nodding, letting her know she was in for lunch. Class went on as normal, and Enjolras left with Courfeyrac, instead of Éponine, but not before Courfeyrac and Azelma shared a quick hug, promising to see each other later at the apartment. Then, the three girls were off to the Union. They all got coffees and wraps and sat down on the couches in the corner, hoping for some privacy.
"So, how was he?" Cosette asked, as soon as she finished checking their surroundings.
"Ummm…" Azelma answered.
"Slow down. I want to know about the talk first, before I hear any less than desirable details about Antoine Courfeyrac."
"Well, after R and Jehan left with Julien and Hillaire, we both were still just sitting in the living room. It was kind of awkward, actually. Then he stood up to go to his room, claiming he was tired, which I knew he wasn't, since his first class of the day is Valjean's, so he goes to sleep at like 1 and wakes up at 10:30. I stood up and flat out asked what he wanted from me. It must have shocked him, or something, because he just kind of froze.
Flashback
"'Zel, can't this wait? I was going to bed." Courf said, not turning around, putting his hand up to his face.
"No, Antoine. Just tell me. I won't be mad. It won't change anything if you just needed something to hold you over for a while. I'll just go along with my life. But I can't do this uncertainty. It's killing me, not knowing if you just wanted to try it out or if you actually wanted something to come of it. Please, just give me an answer and I'll leave you alone." Azelma pleaded with the man.
He turned around and walked towards the girl. "Azelma, you leaving me alone is the last thing I want. You weren't just a one night stand to hold over a horny college kid. I actually really wanted things to work with you, but I also didn't want to rush into anything. I was hoping something like last night wouldn't happen for a long while in the future, but it did. I guess, what I want to say is, Azelma Jondrette, will you do me the honor of being my girlfriend?"
"And then, I nodded, and he kissed me, and I woke up in his bed this morning." She finished.
"Eeek! That's kind of adorable!" Cosette squealed.
"Yeah, wonderful." Éponine said, not looking up from her coffee, feeling a rumble in her stomach.
"'Ponine, you said you weren't mad. Especially since it worked itself out instead of causing anyone problems." Azelma said to her sister.
"I'm not mad. It's perfectly fine. I'm just kind of tired. I think I'm going to head back to my apartment before my last class. I forgot my paper on the printer, anyways. Then you can tell Cosette all of the juicy details that I don't want to hear." The other two girls nodded, still looking concerned.
"Do you want me to call Enjolras to take you back? You don't look so good-" Azelma offered.
"No. I'll be fine." Éponine responded shortly, feeling a headache coming on from the loudness of the Union.
"At least text me when you get in so I know you're alright?" Cosette asked. Éponine nodded, and hugged her friend and sister before exiting the Union. She wrapped her scarf tighter around her neck as she left, as the September air was a little chilly.
When she got back to her apartment, the door was already unlocked. She stepped in, and almost ran into Enjolras as he was trying to leave.
"Ép! What are you doing back? I thought you were eating with the girls." He said, stepping back to let her in.
"Yeah, we did. But then I decided to come back before my last class. I had to grab my paper, anyways. I didn't know you would be in, either. I thought you went to lunch with Courf." She said.
"We went, but he only had a half hour before his next class, so I just came back here. I was just going to head to my next class a little early. Are you feeling okay? You don't look much better than you did last night." He said.
"I'm fine. Just tired. I stayed up late working on the paper that's due today. I have to get going. Excuse me." She said, pushing past him, going to her room, where she grabbed her paper. When she came back to the door, he was still there. "I thought you were going to get to your class early?" She asked him.
"Ép, I really think you should check your temperature. You really don't look good."
"No. I can't afford to not go to class. Besides, I have to work tonight, anyways."
"Then, at least let me walk you to class to make sure you make it there okay." He told her.
"Fine. You do it every other day." The pair left the apartment, Enjolras locking the door behind them. They walked most of the way in comfortable silence. The farther they got, the bigger her headache got, and the dizzier Éponine felt. When they were just one building away from the one in which Éponine had class, she started to see spots. She stopped walking and reached for Enjolras.
"Ép!" Enjolras grabbed her hand with his, and stepped behind her, trying to keep her upright. "Éponine, can you hear me?" He asked. Éponine could only nod. When she opened her mouth, nothing came out.
"Oh, god, Ép! You're burning up!" She felt his cold hand on her forehead. "I'm going to try and get you inside. Can you try and walk?" He asked. Éponine tried to take a step, still leaning heavily on Enjolras. "Okay, I'm going to just pick you up."
Éponine tried to resist and shake her head, but she still couldn't see and gave up quickly. She felt him put one hand behind her back and the other under her knees. Her feet left the ground, but she felt safe. She subconsciously tucked herself into his chest. She felt the warm air as they entered the nearest building, which happened the one in which Enjolras had most of his classes. She felt cold wood under her as he laid her on a bench, but he sat down and put her head in his lap, so she wouldn't have to put her head on the hard bench.
"'Ferre! Can you come to Meeker? Éponine just blacked out, and I don't know what to do!" There was silence, in which Éponine figured Maurice Combeferre was responding. She didn't know him very well, but he had come to their apartment parties some nights and she knew he was Enjolras' best friend and most trusted advisor in times of trial. Especially since he was a pre-med/pre-law major, hoping to go into medico-legal studies.
"Thank you! Please hurry, I think she's losing consciousness!" He said, before hanging up the phone. "Éponine, can you please keep moving so I know you're okay. I know you can't talk but-" She nodded, understanding he was just worried. She reached up to try and grab his hand, hoping to tether herself to reality and calm him down at the same time. Once she found it, she squeezed it, and felt some of his tension dissipate. She tried to keep twitching her feet or squeezing his hand to stay awake, but it was hard.
"Enjolras!" She heard Combeferre enter the building.
"'Ferre, thank you for coming so quickly." Enjolras said.
"No problem, mon ami. Just tell me what happened." 'Ferre said, sitting by Éponine's feet, starting to check her over.
"She hasn't been looking so good since last night, but she said she was just tired and worried about her sister. Then she came back to the apartment today and she looked pale, so I insisted on walking her to class. One moment we were walking, and the next she was reaching for me and couldn't really move. She couldn't walk or talk. I carried her in here and called you."
"Okay. Éponine, did you sleep last night?" He asked, while feeling her forehead. Éponine nodded, because she had. "For more than a couple hours?" Éponine paused before shaking her head. "Did you eat this morning?" Éponine nodded, because once again, she had. She had an apple while Gavroche ate his waffles.
"How much did you sleep the night before? Can you hold up fingers?" She nodded, and thought for a moment. She held up four fingers.
"Jesus, Ép! No wonder you don't feel well!" Enjolras said. Combeferre nodded.
"If you want my opinion, you need to call in sick for the next two days and just relax. I think you are getting sick from lack of sleep and stress. Have your teachers email you assignments and you can sleep and continue to get caught up. You probably shouldn't work for the next few days, either." Combeferre told her.
"Umm, did you by chance bring your car?" Enjolras asked.
"Yeah. You want a lift back to the apartments?" 'Ferre guessed. Enjolras nodded, and the two men helped Éponine stand and walk out to the car. Combeferre drove while Enjolras rode in the back with Éponine's head on his shoulder. Combeferre parked outside the apartments and the two men once again helped Éponine up to the apartment. Once Éponine was settled on the couch, the two friends walked over to the door.
Enjolras nodded and thanked his friend. "Thank you, mon ami. I'll see you at the meeting tomorrow?"
"Yeah. Take care of her, make sure she doesn't exert herself too much for the next few days. If you need to, skip the meeting. Éponine and Gavroche are more important. I'll whip the guys into shape. She's a special one, make sure she's okay." He said, looking at his friend knowingly.
"She sure is." Enjolras said, looking over at the girl who was now asleep on the couch. "I might take you up on your offer. See you." He said, shaking his friend's hand and closing the door behind him.
A/N: Hope you liked this one! I would have updated last night, but I was on a choir trip, and while it was really fun and we got to sing a lot and meet new people and everything, I'm so tired and hungry!
I have a strange question this week. What is your newest favorite song? I know I can't just choose one, so pick the newest one you have. There will be more next week! Review and stuff!