A Promise

Chapter Twenty

        "Montparnasse," I said, narrowing my eyes at him. "Get away from us."

        "How cute," Montparnasse said, taking a step closer to me. "You actually look like one of them."

        "One of who?" I snapped.

        "The bourgeois," he replied, gently touching my dress with his fingertips.

        "Don't touch me!" I said, slapping his hand away. "Stay away."

        "I have every right to touch you, Eponine," he said with his eyes narrowed. "You are my fiancee."

        "Not anymore," I said coolly. "I'm done with you, and with father. I've left that life behind me."

        "I paid your father 1000 francs for your hand! I intend to make good use of that money. I will have you, Eponine."

        "Don't count on it."

        He roughly put his hands on my waist, but I pushed him away. "I said not to touch me!"

        "I don't generally take orders from little girls," he spat.

        "And I don't generally allow filthy animals to put their greasy little paws on me," I countered.

        Montparnasse's eyes narrowed. "Look at you," he snarled. "You think you're so much better than me with your new goody-goody attitude. You're not one of them, Eponine. You'll never be one of them. You're still a Thenardier. You can't change that. I saw you running in here. You were running from the police weren't you? That proves you can't change your life. You can't change who you are. You're better off with me and the Patron Minette, your own kind. Come back with me, Eponine. We could make an amazing team if you would just realize that you're not good enough for these arrogant bourgeois."

        "Eponine,that's not true!" Musichetta spoke up. "You are good enough. Don't listen to him."

        Montparnasse eyed Musichetta. "You're a pretty little thing," he said with a grin, reaching out to caress 'Chetta's cheek.

        "Stay away from her," I snapped, slapping his hand away. His eyes flashed angrily, and he turned to me, baring his teeth like a wolf about to attack its prey. He raised his hand, and before I could react, smacked me across the face. I gasped and bent down, clutching my eye. I felt his hands roughly seize the hair on the back of my head. He pulled my head back, then, with as much force as he could muster, he slammed my forehead against the stone wall next to us. Musichetta screamed, and I gritted my teeth in pain. Ignoring the fact that my vision was beginning to blur, I elbowed him sharply in the stomach and stomped on his foot. He grunted and let me go. I grabbed Musichetta's arm, and once again we raced down the street.

        "I will find you!" Montparnasse called out to me. "This isn't over! You will never be one of them, you hear me? You will always belong to me."

        'Chetta and I ran faster. My head throbbed and my body ached, but I ignored my pain and exhaustion. I had only one goal: to get away from Montparnasse as quickly as possible.

        "Eponine Thenardier!" a voice yelled. I turned and my heart sank. Inspector Vauquelin stood close by, aiming his gun at me. "You are under arrest."

        "Come on!" I cried, grabbing Musichetta. I pulled her to the side of a tall building and began scaling the wall, one hand clinging to the grooves in the wall, the other guiding Musichetta.

        "Eponine, I don't like heights!" 'Chetta cried out, her face turning green.

        "Just climb!" I said urgently, pulling her up. We climbed higher and higher. A bullet from the inspector's gun missed my head by inches. We climbed even higher. We finally reached the top of the building, and I pulled 'Chetta up. I peered down to the ground and saw Inspector Vauquelin trying to climb up the building. He was clumsy and uncoordinated, and soon enough, he fell to the ground. I laughed loudly. "Nice try, Inspector, but you can't catch me!"

        "This isn't over, Thenardier!" he called up to me. "I will find you, and I will catch you!"

        "You will never catch me!" I called back. Inspector Vauquelin let out a groan of frustration and walked away. I breathed a sigh of relief.

        "Come on, 'Chetta," I said. "Let's get down from here."

        The way down was much more difficult than the way up, most likely because we lacked the adrenaline we had had on the way up. 'Chetta's foot slipped multiple times, but I steadied her. We finally reached the ground.

        "Eponine?" a voice said. "'Chetta?"

        I jumped in alarm, but then I realized it was Grantaire who had spoken. He was sitting outside the building we had climbed, a bottle in his hand. I realized that the building was a pub. "What happened to your face?" he asked me, standing up.

        "I- nothing," I said quickly. "It doesn't matter."

        "It doesn't matter?" said a voice behind me. "Then perhaps I should hit it harder."

        I turned around quickly and saw Montparnasse standing directly behind me. "You have got to be kidding me!" I cried out. 'Parnasse cracked his knuckles, then his eyes landed on Grantaire. A grin spread across his face. "I know you," he said to Grantaire. "You're that drunk we beat up in the inn a year ago. I thought we'd killed you!"

        Grantaire glared at him. "Get away before I punch you," he snapped.

        Montparnasse laughed. "You weren't this feisty a year ago. But don't worry, Monsieur. You're not the one I'm after. I want the girl," he said, pointing to me. "If you'll recall, she's the one who told her father about you and earned you that beating, so I'm sure you wouldn't mind if I took her."

        "On the contrary," Grantaire said in a dangerously low voice, "Eponine is my friend. You're not taking her anywhere."

        Montparnasse laughed again. "And I suppose a drunk like you is going to stop me," he said sarcastically.

        "Correct," Grantaire said coolly. He picked up his bottle, and, in one fast instant, smashed the bottle against 'Parnasse's head. Montparnasse fell to the ground, unconscious. Grantaire smiled, obviously quite pleased with himself. Then, he turned to me. "That's the second time I've saved your neck, Eponine. I think you owe me a beer."

        I laughed. "I think that can be arranged." Suddenly, I was aware of the throbbing pain in my head, and I swooned. Musichetta caught me and lowered me gently to the ground.

        "I'm okay," I muttered.

        "No you're not," Grantaire said. "We should get you home."

        I nodded. "But please don't mention this incident to Enjolras," I begged. "I don't want him to worry."

        "I won't," Grantaire promised as he and 'Chetta helped me stand. I smiled gratefully, then my head began to spin, and everything went black.