Hey everyone! SO sorry for the late update. I've been super busy with finals and a bunch of other stuff. I promise I'll have the next chapter up sooner! By the way, HUGE shoutout to my beta reader, writergal96 for all her help! I couldn't do this without you! Thanks to all the followers, and PLEASE comment!
As she slept, Eponine dreamt of Marius although she was in Enjolras' arms. She smiled as she remembered the way his brown eyes danced when he looked at her. She recalled his infectious laughter and giggled quietly in her sleep. She remembered everything she loved about him but felt guilty in her subconscious. If she still loved Marius, why had she blushed when Enjolras smiled at her, and why hadn't it been Marius who had been there to comfort her when she was hurting? Was it his absence that had driven her into Enjolras' embrace, or did she love Enjolras as well? It felt so wrong but also so right to be where she was in Enjolras' arms. She could not stop thinking of Marius but could not stop her heart from fluttering when Enjolras' arms tightened around her as he slept. Eponine was jolted from her dream when she heard someone gasp.
Marius had left his and Cosette's new home as soon as he had finished breakfast. Marriage was not the happy haven he had dreamt it to be. Cosette had become too occupied by her new social life to give a thought about her husband which made Marius feel shunned and abandoned. He had tried to ignore it and paid much attention to his new job as a lawyer. He had tried his hand at cards, at gambling. He had even begun to drink, but none of it had overshadowed Cossete's neglect. Recently, he had found his thoughts drifting to the shadowy street urchin he had become friends with in his college days. Eponine had always paid attention to his needs and happiness and had never been too busy to listen to an account of the day's events. He found himself longing to see her, but he did not know where to find her. That morning, he had decided to revisit his past and pay a call to his good friend, Enjolras. He rode down near the Cafe where his friend leased a small apartment and knocked on the door. When no one answered, he tried the knob and found it unlocked, so he let himself in. He let out a gasp at what he saw. Eponine was asleep on the stairs in Enjolras' arms. The girl's eyes popped open when he gasped, and she shot up, surprised.
"Marius! What are you doing here?" Eponine exclaimed. She quickly stood up when she noticed what her position looked like. "It's not what you think!" she exclaimed, stepping further away from Enjolras and closer to Marius. The boy stormed out of his friend's apartment and slammed the door, causing Eponine to flinch. The commotion woke Enjolras, and Eponine looked quickly from him to the door then back. Which way should she run? Into Enjolras' arms or after Marius? As she stared into Enjolras' eyes, she took a step towards him then back again. A wave of guilt and fear engulfed her. What had she done? Had Marius come back because he loved her and not Cosette? What if she had ruined her one chance to have her dream? She had to try and fix the mess she had created. She had to go after Marius. Eponine ran from Enjolras' apartment, leaving him too baffled to pursue her.
Enjolras sank back onto the stairs as he watched Eponine's shadow grow smaller until it disappeared. He dropped his head into his hands and let out an exasperated sigh. He should have known better than to hope that Eponine's feelings had changed. He chided himself for showing his feelings in the way that he had. He could not expect Eponine to fall in love with him as he had with her. He had to move on and learn from his mistake. He had to forget Eponine. It was clear that she did not care for him.
She stumbled over the cobblestones, calling Marius' name desperately. What if she had lost her chance? Her love had come for here, and where had she been? With his best friend, searching for comfort in all the wrong places. "Marius! Marius, where have you gone? Marius, please come back!" she wailed desperately. She kept running, but he did not call her name. She did not find him. Eponine sank onto the street with a broken heart. "I'm such a fool," she told herself. "Such a fool."
Marius heard Eponine running after him and calling his name, but he kept running. He was not blind. She had been there with his best friend, but then again, that was his fault; wasn't it? Eponine had loved him all along, but he hadn't noticed until after it was too late. He had been dazzledby Cosette's beauty and charm, but he had not seen what lay beneath her fresh, pretty exterior. On the inside, Cosette was still a child, not yet ready to be a wife, but he could not blame her. Their engagement had been a mere three days, and their relationship had only begun a few weeks prior to their engagement. It had all been rushed and probably a bit forced. Their whirlwind romance had a shaky foundation which would soon give way if something wasn't done soon. Marius had given up. He felt abandoned and finally realized who truly loved him, but he had apparently been too late. He kept running because he was not searching for Eponine's pity but for her love. Her feelings were clear, or were they? As Eponine continued to call his name, Marius realized that she wanted him to come to her, to love her. It was what she had always wanted, but he had been too to see. "Stupid fool!" he chided himself, turning on his heel and running toward Eponine's voice.
Eponine stood up and dusted off her shabby dress, wiping away the tears that remained on her face. With an almost silent stiff, she turned around and made her way home. It was about time to pay her parents a visit. As she ambled reluctantly down the lane, she heard her name being called in the distance. She gasped. Was it Marius? "No. It can't be," she whispered to herself, but nevertheless, she found her feet moving in his direction. She heard him getting closer. "Ponine! 'Ponine, where are you?" Marius suddenly dashed around the corner, almost knocking Eponine to the ground. "Marius?" her voice was barely audible. "Eponine, I love you!" exclaimed Marius, taking the girl's face in his hands. "But-but you love Cosette! You two- you're married! I can't let you do this!" "Eponine, I was a fool! Such a fool! I hate myself for not telling you sooner. I love you! More than anything in the world!" "Marius, you are a married man! Cosette is your wife! This is- it's madness!" Eponine's heart longed for Marius, but her conscience denied her. "Eponine, you can turn me away. I will not blame you. I know that this is wrong, but I can't go on without you. I know that now. Please, say that you will be mine! Say that you love me as well!" "I...yes, Marius! I love you!" Eponine felt faint with pleasure and happiness as Marius gently tilted her head back and kissed her passionately. Eponine suddenly felt light headed as Marius held her in his arms. His lips were warm and slightly chapped as he kissed her. This was what she had dreamed of since she was 15, and Marius had moved into the flat next to that of her family. She remained in a dreamy state of bliss as they kissed, but her happiness was short lived. When Marius broke their kiss and took a step back, Eponine heard the click clack of slippers on the cobblestone street. "Marius!" Eponine's face paled as she recognized Cosette's childish voice. She ducked around the corner and took refuge in the shadows, knowing that what she had just done was wrong.
Marius gasped when he saw Cosette prancing toward him, her bonnet crooked and parasol in hand. "Marius, there you are! I've been worried sick about you! Come along. Have you forgotten about our invitation to tea at the Dubois's? I couldn't possibly go alone! Now, how would that look?" Marius locked eyes longingly with Eponine as Cosette linked her arm through his, straightened her bonnet and hurried him back home.
Eponine sighed to herself, remembering the kiss she had shared with Marius. It had been all she had hoped for. Marius loved her, and she felt as if she could lift herself off of the ground and soar across France. She smiled and began to hum as she continued aimlessly down the lane. Eponine didn't question why Marius had so willingly followed Cosette. Nothing could bring her down from her cloud of dreams. Her smile faltered as she imagined Marius kissing Cosette the way he had kissed her. Why ("Why," you need the comme after why) if he was happily married off as most grown men seek to be, had he come for her? Would he come back, or would Cosette reel Marius in as she had the first time that the two had met? She pushed the thought away, telling herself that he would find a way to be with her and not Cosette. That he would come for her and kiss her again and again and hold her and love her as she loved him. Marius would come back. Wouldn't he?
Enjolras sat in the window seat of his flat, watching as blurred faces passed on the street. After an hour or so, one face caught his eye. Eponine! Had she come back to him? He started to get up until he glimpsed the expression on her face. She looked blissfully happy. He sighed and sank to the floor. "Stupid!" he yelled at himself. How could he have let himself go there again? He should have known better. "Lesson learned," he sighed, rising and ambling to his desk. He had to pick up with his life and move on. No more pining away for a girl who had never noticed him. She obviously didn't feel the same way.
Enjolras sat in the window seat of his flat, watching as blurred faces passed on the street. After an hour or so, one face caught his eye. Eponine! Had she come back to him? He started to get up until he glimpsed the expression on her face. She looked blissfully happy. He sighed and sank to the floor. "Stupid!" he yelled at himself. How could he have let himself go there again? He should have known better. "Lesson learned," he sighed, rising and ambling to his desk. He had to pick up with his life and move on. No more pining away for a girl who had never noticed him. She obviously didn't feel the same way.