Becoming Eponine *A Les Misérables Story*

Chapter Seven

Wednesday and Thursday went by quickly, far too quickly in my opinion as I realized the date of the production draws nearer. A mix of excitement and fear rushes through me as I belt out "On My Own."

"We don't need to do too much with this song. Strong acting and brief hand movements are all that is needed for the tone and strength of your voice conveys the entire meaning." Miles explains, as I pace across the stage. Without him, I feel his arms around me. The words of Samantha Barks swirl through my head as I sing them out, mimicking the movement as I cross my arms over my chest, my hands at my shoulders. I wear the barest flicker of a smile upon my face as I do so. I can feel the audience's eyes on me. I feel Vi, Orion, Pearl Bella, Sierra and Derrick's encouraging eyes, Romilda's judgemental and jealous eyes and the rest of the audience's. I move through the words, my expression bending with them. I build my voice up to a long strong crescendo at the end and then finish the song with the flourish of the last few sentences.

"It appears almost as if you have performed this song on stage already." Hazel comments after I'm finished and I beam,

"Well, I've watched quite a few performances through Youtube since I was little." I step off the stage and join my friends.

"You sounded great!" Orion comments, Sierra and Orion started sitting with us permanently it seems, leaving Romilda to stalk and bother them in the row behind us as she talks with some of the others.

"Thanks." I reply, I hardly get to sit down before Violetta, Bella, Sierra and I are called up for costume measurements. We move to the back of the theater where a table has been spread out. A computer is open and a site on it lists all the outfits for the performances. A lady named Mrs. Jern operated the computer, flipping through sizes and costumes. She pulls up Bella's costume first. I find that it's a magnificent navy gown made of a costume silk, she measures her and then puts in a size. Sierra has two costumes, one of which is a gorgeous cyan gown that she has to wear a locket with. Violetta has a convict outfit, a poor outfit, and a mayor outfit, all of which will have to be altered. Miles has decided to keep Violetta as a woman, though she is still possessing the title Jean Valjean. I am amazed by my costume. My first one is a long white dress which is light and airy, it's fixed at the wait by a large brown belt and I have a long tan trench coat over it. My second outfit is a loose white shirt and black pants with a shorter coat on top. I wear the brown cap for both outfits. I am happy they are reminiscent of Eponine's costumes in many popular productions.

We go back to sit down as the rest of the cast are called up in groups.

"The costumes look amazing!" Sierra gushes, "I love mine, it's like Sierra Boggess's when she played Fantine!" I smiled at my friend's comment. Everyone knew that her idol was Sierra Boggess, whom she had met when she was on Broadway last year. Sierra had played Matilda on Broadway last year and she had acquired so many memories from her time there.

"Mine's like Sam's." I can't help but saying, a grin spread across my face. I watch as Miles blocks "Empty Chairs At Empty Tables." Miles said they were going to put an entire table on stage. Throughout the song he would switch from chair to chair, mimicking each of the barricade boys subtly. Like he would flip through a book for Combeferre's and then the actor of Combeferre would step out from behind until all of the students are there. I liked the idea for it was original and I hadn't seen it anywhere else. I was scribbling my blocking notes in my scripts as Derrick sang. We were blocking "Do You Hear The People Sing" and "One Day More" on Friday, yesterday, on Wednesday we blocked, "In My Life," and "A Heart Full Of Love," so I just have "One Day More" and "Do You Hear The People Sing" left.

Once "Empty Chairs At Empty Tables" was finished Sierra and the chorus went up for "At The End Of The Day." Miles was using tables for the factory workers and Sierra was to sit at one of them, dressed like them and blending in until she is called out. I like the strategy that way because everything seems so organized at first. After the song was done Miles met up with the understudies to briefly review the blocking.

"You sound great Sierra!" I tell her and she grins.

"Miles just told me the Broadway auditioner was coming opening night then he would tell us his results after the production ends." Sierra whispered in my ear and I grinned. Excitement rushing through me,

"We need to make sure we have everything as solid as possible by then!" Excitement thrummed through me and I vowed to look over my lines at Vi's house.

"Do you want to go to the new bakery after rehearsal, it's a few blocks away, a bunch of people are going." Sierra asks me and I nod, Violetta's parents wouldn't mind.

Once rehearsal ends like I promised Vi, Pearl Sierra, Orion, Derrick, Sarah, a few other people and I walked over to the bakery. Thankfully no one told Romilda about the event so she wasn't coming. We walk there, it's near the ice cream shop so I find I have to pass my house, a place I didn't want to go near for a long time. I don't look at it as I pass by but Orion runs up to my side. Sometimes I forget that he's in a situation like I am, I forget that he might not even have a retreat. Orion smiles at me weakly and slips his hands in mine, as if for reassurance. I feel a chill roll over me and I'm almost afraid to look behind me to see Vi. But for some reason I'm relieved he did that, because it does reassure me. Every step past my house seems like a mile and thankfully I'm away from it quickly. Orion slips his hand from mine the moment after, in a way I'm relieved, and in a way I'm not.

At the bakery we all sit at a table. The air smells sweetly and we buy our food and sit down. I bought a mug of hot chocolate and a brownie. I can't help but think how satisfying it tastes, but everything tastes satisfying after rehearsal.

We hang out there for a little while, talking about our production and about school and other things of the such before I head back to Vi's house with Pearl. I am looking forward to formulating more plans for the revolution.

A/N: I am agog, I am aghast, am I at 1k reads at last? XD OMG WHAT HAPPENED I'M SO HAPPY! I just found out I cannot audition for the Les Miz production so that's upsetting... but MY PARENTS BOUGHT ME LES MIZ TICKETS ON BWAY AFTER WANTING TO SEE THE PRODUCTION FOR THREE YEARS OMG!!!! It was a surprise for my B-Day which was in November XD But I'm still so excited. And 1k reads OMG!!! What happened? :D Thanks so much for reading you guys are the best!!!