𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐲 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐢 𝐜𝐫𝐲 [ 𝘫. 𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘤𝘢𝘮𝘱𝘴 ]

6, une date d'étude

a/n: probably my favourite chapter yet!

[ listen to: Adeline - John-Robert ft. Kathleen ]

Eponine's eyes darted away from him. "Can we talk about this another time?" she asked, voice shaking. She couldn't just tell him that one of his friends had tried to assault her, he would never believe her.

"Uh- Yeah." Descamps nodded. "Yeah we can."

"Thanks," Eponine said. "Just promise me you'll tell me," Descamps asked, "Whenever you want."

Eponine bit her lip. She really wanted to tell him. But she couldn't. "Yeah. I promise," she agreed. "Good, now let's get to work." He said.

He reached over the table to grab his notebook. "What is the assignment even about?" he asked. "Did you not listen to the instructions?" Eponine gaped, and he shook his head. "Are you kidding me?"

"I was busy," he said. Eponine groaned. "What on earth were you even doing? You sat right next to me, I saw you doing nothing."

Descamps shrugged. "Exactly, I was busy doing nothing." Eponine gave him a smack on the back of his head with her notebook. "Ow!" he exclaimed, shielding his head.

"That didn't hurt, you wuss. Pay attention in class next time." she scolded. "Why would I when I can make you do the work for me?" he teased. She rolled her eyes. "Arsehole."

He put a hand over his chest. "And here I thought you were starting to like me," he joked. "Have some sympathy for the poor one-eyed boy."

Eponine smirked. "Aren't you technically a cyclops, now?"

"That's a low blow," he laughed. "I'm not a cyclops." Eponine shrugged. "Live your truth, Descamps."

Descamps shook his head. "Why can't a pretty girl like you be nice for once," he said with a fake disappointment. Eponine's ears perked at that. She felt a blush creep onto her cheeks. "Nulla rosa sine spinis," she informed.

He looked at her in confusion. "Come on, I don't have to translate that for you, do I? You got an eighteen on your Latin test!" she exclaimed. "Yeah, because I studied. I don't breathe Latin," he said.

"It means there are no roses without thorns."

. . .

After successfully having explained the assignment to Descamps, the two had now been working on the assignment for an hour. Descamps groaned and stretched his back. "Man, I could go for a smoke break right now," he proposed.

"Sure, let's go," Eponine agreed. Her brain felt empty and fried, so she was glad he offered to take a break. Instead of taking her back outside through the front door, he led her through a maze of hallways and rooms until they reached the living room.

The back wall had two giant doors with big windows, leading to a back porch. The windows had a simple, yet beautiful stained glass pattern, which immediately reminded Eponine of the windows above her front door.

He pushed one of them open, and stepped outside. Out of his pocket, he fished a packet of cigarettes. Eponine stood next to him, and glanced around his backyard. It was open, light, and filled with wildflowers. He lived at the edge of town, so his backyard looked out on the hills and farms beyond the city lines. It was beautiful.

The sun was starting to set in colours of pink, orange and a golden yellow. A wind gushed past Eponine and Descamps, and his lighter wouldn't light the cigarette because of it.

"Let me help," Eponine said. She folded her hands around the cigarette, the side of her palm slightly brushing against his cheek.

His face felt hot, and he looked at her intently. He made no move to light his cigarette. "Are you going to stand there and adore me, or are you going to light it?" she asked cheekily.