Chapter 6

Enjolras Point of View

Éponine and Enjolras left Café Musian hand in hand. As they walked down the street Enjolras felt like his hand was on fire as he held Éponine's hand. He had never been so nervous around a girl, mostly because he never gave them the time of day, but there was something Éponine. He was drawn to her. He just wanted to be near her, and wanted to talk to her.

He kept thinking about his conversations with Marius and Gavroche. He knew that Éponine had a past. He knew that there was a problem with this guy, Montparnasse that she used to date. He also knew that she had an unusual home life. Marius had previously mentioned that she was talking care of her younger siblings, so her parents were not in the picture anymore. Enjolras was curious about her, but he did not want to ask.

He knew if Jean were around he would be telling him that everything was happening was meant to be. He would tell him to just take a chance for once in his life. Enjolras was just scared to take a chance with a girl he hardly knew. He just wasn't used to this sort of thing, and he did not want to mess this up. He could feel it in his soul that something had change and that he was now walking on a different path that he never planned for himself.

Enjolras just wanted to talk to her, but he didn't know what to say. He was not good at this sort of thing. He could feel the back of his neck getting sweaty, but it was not humid Persian night. It amazed him that he could speak at a rally in front of thousands of people but he could not find the words to talk to the beautiful girl in front of him.

Suddenly Éponine squeezed his hand, pulling him away from his current train of thought.

He looked down at her and smiled. She smiled a big smile back at him. Her big brown eyes were warm, and soft.

"Its still pretty warm for this time of night!" he said to her. Enjolras just wanted to kick himself. Of the all subjects he could of brought up, he had to talk about the weather. She probably thought he was an idiot.

"Yea it is actually. Normally its usual cool by this hour" she said. "So what other ice cream place is open after midnight? I only know of one." she asked him.

"This small corner place by the Eiffel Tower. It's a tourist trap, but its open late. It has a lot of different flavors. I used to go there when I was kid with my mom when we came and visited the city. Plus it has a great view. Its only a few blocks away, but we don't have to go there if you want to go to the other place?" said Enjolras.

Éponine smiled at him. "You invited me so you get to pick the place. I just suggested the other place since you seemed nervous about asking me to get ice cream late out." Enjolras just smiled back at her. He already liked how kind and caring she was. She realized that he was nervous and she was doing what should could to put him ease. No one had done that for besides his mother.

"So you were not Paris originally?" Éponine asked him trying to continue their conversation.

"No! I used to a few miles outside the city. My so-called father had his family estate there. My mom used to take me into the city. She would show me the poorer parts of the city, where the homeless lived, the drug addicts, the dealers, the gangs, everything my father ignored." Enjolras said. He could feel himself getting angry thinking about his father, but sadden by the thought of his deceased mother.

"You don't seem to care for you father to much. I guess that is something we have in common." Éponine said. "My Father was a leader of a gang, so I have seen it all. He was involved in everything from drugs, weapons, and prostitution."

As she said that she looked him right in the eyes. He could see the pain that her father her caused her over the years. He was starting to put some of the pieces of her life together, but he knew that there was so much more to her than that. He noticed that she felt vulnerable.

"I am so sorry that I just threw that all at you!" Éponine said. She looked embarrassed. "I understand if you want to turn around." she said to him.

"No. Only a pathetic excuse for a man would do such a thing. I am not that kind of man. Don't be ashamed about your past. Your past only defines a small part of who you are." Enjolras said.

Éponine gave him a bewildered look. He could tell that she surprised by his statement.

"Thank you" she said quietly as she started to look down at her feet for a moment.

"How did you end up meeting, Marius and those guys anyway? I do not know them that well. I know Joly a little because he is going out with Musichetta, and Courfeyrac, only cause him and Gavroche spend so much time together." Éponine asked him.

"I meet them all during my first year at the University of Paris. We all lived on the same floor and became fast friends. I started to do my work in the poorer parts of Paris. One day they all told me that they wanted to come. After that we all started to work together to set up different groups to help people in the city in our respected fields. " Enjolras said. "We are trying to help the city, but it's hard. We have a limited source of income, and we are all only going into our second year of University, so it will take time for our organizations to grow."

"You go to the University of Paris?" Éponine asked him. She looked very excited as she asked him the question. She started to smile.

"Yes I do! I am a law student there." Enjolras said. He was trying to figure out why she had gotten so excited all of a sudden.

"I will be starting my first year in a few weeks. I am English major, with minors in photography, and music." She said. She was still smiling. Enjolras just realized that she had such a bright smile despite everything she had ever been through in her life.

"It's a great campus. It has such a rich history to it. If you get a chance you should go down to the archives. They have great primary sources about the French Revolution." He said to her. Enjolras was now starting to feel more relaxed talking to her. They had a few things in common, which was good from a conversational standpoint.

The two of them walked the rest of the way to ice cream shop in a comfortable silence. They would look at each other from time to time and smile at each other.

They walked into the ice cream shop, and ordered their ice cream. They then walked outside together. The two of them then started to talk the University, College life, and about Enjolras and Les Amis charity work as they walked back to Éponine's place.

"Thank you" Éponine said to him smiling as they arrived to her apartment.

"Your welcome!" Enjolras said to her. "I had a great time with you."

"So did I! You are really easy to talk, too, once you get over your nerves," she said smiling.

"Was it that obvious?" he asked her.

Éponine laughed at this. "Just a little!"

Éponine then did something that he didn't expect her to do. She then kissed his cheek. "But don't worry Enjolras you were not the only one. Goodnight" She said to him.

Éponine then turned to walk up the stairs that led to her apartment.

Enjolras did not want her to leave. So he acted quickly.

"Éponine!" he yelled.

She turned around to face him. She was just about to say something to him, until he mouth was on hers pulling her into a kiss.

He could not believe what he was doing, but he knew that it was the right thing to do. He kissed her gently. As he started to pull away, she pulled him closer. Then wrapped his arm around her waist, as his other hand cupped her cheek. Her arms were around his neck holding him close.

After a few minutes, they broke apart.

Enjolras looked at her right in the eyes. Her eyes were bright with excitement. He could tell that she had enjoyed the kiss and his bold actions.

"What are you doing tomorrow night" Enjolras asked her. He was hoping that she would be free.

"Nothing as of right now." Éponine said

"Every night around six, me and all of my friends meet at the Musian to talk about our charities, and to just hang out. Why don't you join us?" Enjolras asked her.

"Sure! I would like to meet your friends. And Gavroche has been begging me to come for a while now. He said that you guys are planning some kind of revolution." She said laughing.

"Will yes we are, but don't worry about it! I will see you later then." He said.

"I will see you later!" Éponine said giving him a wink as she walked back to her apartment.

Enjolras waited to make sure that was in okay. He then walked back to the Musian, processing what happened. As he opened the door to the café, he saw his friends still sitting at their usual table, despite the late hour.

He walked towards them, and sat down.

"Enjolras! You have returned." Grantaire said with a drunken slur. "How was your date?"

"It was fine! We had a good time. She is going to meet us here tomorrow for our meeting" Enjolras said.

"Wait a minute! She actually liked you?" said Courfeyrac surprisingly. "You never talk to women, I am surprised you were able to talk to her."

"He is not that helpless," said Combeferre.

With that comment everyone started to laugh, even Enjolras.

"What has this girl done to you my friend?" said Jean! "I can not remember the last time I seen you laugh, or if I have even ever see you laugh."

Enjolras realized that Jean was right! He did not laugh a lot ever since his mother died when he was a kid. He did not think about his mom a lot but he knew that his mother would like her because she was not polished like his father wanted him to date.

Enjolras began to think about what tomorrow would bring. He knew that tomorrows meeting would not come fast enough.

TBC