The Eve of Revolution

Vive La France

CHAPTER 3

‘I often come and listen to the ABCs talks, in fact your face is starting to look familiar I must have seen you when you gave your talks in the square, but I was wondering if you could answer a question.’ They stopped walking and she looked up at him ‘you are a student Enjolras, you must have money to pay for an education’ she paused ‘why do you care? We are the Poor we live our lives on the streets, you have your rights but why do you care if we have them too?’

Enjolras at her, and paused ‘Vive la France’ he said simply said

She looked at him curiously ‘Long live France?’

‘Everyone deserves a chance, say there was a man and he was a beggar on the street,’ he began, she listened to his words ‘he could have been a doctor if he had had the money what if this man could make extraordinary medical breakthroughs that would help save the life of thousands of people with the breakthroughs his made but you see he can’t because the government and the king would never even gives these people a chance. I believe in a free France. A France that belongs to the people to help our nation grow. Vive la France.’

‘that is truly brilliant Enjolras, you are kind’ she said as she gripped his arm again as the continued up the road ‘You have enough money to ignore us completely but you don’t,’ she looked up at him again ‘but why do you personally care, I see your visions I know where you want to go but what made you do this, personally what made Enjolras do this?’

He had to think he had always known he wanted to help build a better France like there used to be but he couldn’t remember exactly what had triggered it. Then it hit him like a tone a bricks.

Love.

He assumed it was the love for his country the love of a better France, but now thinking about it he realised it was the love of people, the reason he drew in his note book was because he knew the peoples story and he wanted it to have a happy ending. He looked at Eponine who was looking back waiting for an answer. Then he realised something else he was almost waiting to die for his cause but he had been so focused on his work that he realised his whole work was based on making sure these peoples story’s had happy endings when his story wouldn’t have one. Yes, yes he would die for the country he loved but what would it be worth, would he never see this better France? The reason he had hid behind those creates and listened to Eponine was because she had a story, it was a broken story one that needed fixing. What if he could make both their stories have a happy ending. But his subconscious had known this way before his brain had, he was in love. In love with this girl who was looking at him right now waiting for his words. He had been in love with her since he had heard her sad story, one that his heart would try to help fix.

‘love’ he whispered as he looked into her eyes they held an expression he could not read.

‘EPONINE’ a gruff voice shouted, a man strode towards them he looked vile and cruel, his clothes looked quite expensive but they had holes and stains in them, he had a rough look on his face with a devilish sort of glint in his eye   ‘EPONINE! What are you doing out there! I have a bone to pick with you! I HAVE HAD A VERY ANGRY FRIEND OVER ASKING ME TO PAY HIM 10 FRANCS BECAUSE YOU HAD NOT SETTLED OUR DEBT!’

Enjolras knew what he was talking about. He had witnessed it earlier that night.

He saw the man’s hand raise and then Eponine flinch. He had just slapped her. That was it.

He shielded himself between this man and Eponine. ‘WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE? TREATING A WOMEN LIKE THAT?!’

‘Enjolras stop’ Eponine cried

the man straightened up ‘Who I am sir’ he spat ‘is this whores father, and family has to pull together to pay the debts, she didn’t pull her weight but she will have a chance to redeem herself the gentlemen is sitting in there waiting for her and HE WILL DO WHAT HE LIKES TO YOU UNTIL THE DEBT IS PAID’

Enjolras went pail, Eponine was crying softly beside him. ‘COME ON EPONINE!’ Her father shouted ‘THE GENTELMAN WONT WAIT ALL NIGHT’

Enjolras held Eponine protectively, ‘I will not let you’

‘Enjolras don’t’ Eponine pleaded

‘Oh wow oh’ Eponines father laughed ‘is this love ‘ear is it? She looks at you the same way she looks at that Marius fellow…’ he laughed drunkenly

Enjolras froze. Of course stupid stupid how could he of not seen? Marius falls in love with some random girl. Eponine finds her. Marius meets her. She falls in love with Marius and Eponine is left broken hearted and walks the streets of Paris still in love with him. The way she had said his name before…he should have known. He had never had his heart broken but I swear It broke a tiny bit.

‘- fallen in love with nothing but a whore who doesn’t care about helping her poor family out when she has all the resources needed to do so’ he laughed louder as he picked up a bottle from his bag, popped the top of and took a gulp ’she will give you nothing in life boy, get out while you can’ he chuckled cruelly stepping close to him so his nasty smirk and ferrel breath was in his face.  ‘but family business is still up and running if you want to buy her for the night…’ he winked

Eponine was breaking down, she thought she had found some protection in Enjolras. He had made her feel stronger and more confident but now standing here watching his face as her father told him she was a whore and not worth anything it showed pain. She was heartbroken she thought she was maybe falling a little bit in love with him, he was there for her but know he knew the truth he would never fall in love with her, her father was right, she was just a whore. But she was in a state of shock and her heart shattered into little pieces when Enjolras answered her father’s question with:

‘How Much’