I Was a Child Then (ON HOLD)

Enjolras Daydreams & Meets A New Friend

"Enjolras! Wake up!" the female teacher hissed at Enjolras from across the classroom.

He immediately removed his fist from under his chin and grabbed his pen.

The teacher was telling the children about Shakespeare. Enjolras had a passion for Shakespeare's works, but he couldn't help but let his mind daydream about after school. Unfortunately, the school day wasn't even half passed yet.

Enjolras sighed inwardly and listened to the lesson.

"Today we will read an excerpt from Macbeth," The teacher announced. She set her gaze on Enjolras, who was not looking up, but instead at his hands. "How about you read, Enjolras, starting on page nine."

Enjolras whipped his head up at the sound of his name.

"Yes, Madame." He opened his book. He began reading, having trouble quickly to pronounce the difficult words. It seemed as if this was reading a whole different language to him.

Some of his classmates snickered and Enjolras could feel his cheeks burning. He could barely get through the first paragraph of the page.

"Stop there. Thank you, Enjolras." The teacher discontinued Enjolras from embarrassing himself anymore.

Enjolras didn't dare make any eye contact with his classmates.

Ding-Dong! Ding-Dong!

Enjolras could hear the schoolyard bell, signaling it was lunchtime.

The students began filing out, grabbing their lunches as they headed to the yard.

Enjolras did the same and headed outside to where he normally sat on a bench. It was his favorite. He would sit and eat his lunch quietly and peacefully, sometimes enjoying a good book or two.

That was just what he did today.

He began munching on his bread that he held in one hand and reading a book that he held in the other.

The book he read was a boy who lived during the time of Shakespeare. Enjolras thought it was a real thriller, though he often got teased for what he liked to read.

"Can I sit here?"

Somebody interrupted Enjolras' thoughts. He jerked his head up, only to see a boy with dark scruffy hair staring at him with wide eyes. The boy seemed about the age of Enjolras, maybe a year younger, judging by his height.

"Sure." Enjolras didn't think about it much more before he returned to his reading.

"What's your name?" the boy asked, taking out his lunch from his sack.

Enjolras didn't look up, but instead, let his eyes continue to follow the words along the page.

"Enjolras." He said.

"Oh. Mine's Grantaire." The boy shook a little as he spoke. He must have been nervous. But why?

"It's my first day here at this school," Grantaire explained.

Enjolras finally lifted his eyes to meet Grantaire's.

"How come?" Enjolras questioned, wanting to learn more about this new student.

"My family and I recently moved to a nicer neighborhood." He took a bite out of a slice of cheese he had in his hand.

"Hm. What neighborhood-" Enjolras was cut off by a sudden shout.

"Did Enjolras finally make a friend?" the voice mocked. It was Bernard, or otherwise known as the school bully. He especially picked on Enjolras, for some reason that Enjolras could never figure out.