In My Life (Enjolras Prequel/lovestory)

Chapter One

February, 1829.

Francine

I waited patiently for  the philosophy class to finish so I could clean up after all the spoiled boys. The door swung open, I moved aside and with my head bowed my eyes watched their feet shuffle by. Once all the shoes had passed, my feet moved in, head down.

“Excuse me mademoiselle?” My eyes looked up, only because I had to have been the one the Professor had been talking to, no other woman was allowed inside here. I did not say anything, it had been against the rules to speak unless asked a question. The old professor had been the crossest out of all the professors in the University in Paris.

“Yes Monsieur?” I responded  lowly.

“What do you think you are doing in here? Can’t you see that I am tutoring?” It was then that I looked - really looked at saw  the others in the room. They were only a few boys, huddled - now broken due to my presence, around the desk. All the boys had beautiful features, of course it was something that they could afford but one boy in particular caught my eye. He had a mane of sunset curls, a hard face, I recognized the hard face only because it mirrored the one I wore everyday.

“No, I didn’t, I’m terribly sorry Monsieurs’, please, forgive me, I’ll leave.” As I turned to leave, one of the boys spoke to the professor.

“Professor, really its alright, it isn’t as if she’ll understand what we’re saying, she’s just trying to do her job.” It had been the blonde sir that had insulted me. I bit hard on my tongue so I didn’t say anything that would get me fired. The Professor sighed in defeat and told me to carry one quietly. I curtsied then went behind each row and picked up cigarettes, papers and fallen books. While I did this and more tasks, I listened to the boys speaking.

“Professor, don’t you think that the people should have a right to some things in life?” It was the blonde boy again.

“Of course young Enjolras but it simply isn’t done, I shouldn’t even be talking to you boys about this, this could count as treason and I could get dismissed or worse.” This Professor had no right teaching boys about philosophy! He had no backbone to influence ideas, which is what I viewed philosophy to be about!

“Yes, we realize that but we feel it is unjust that one man alone has the right to what the people should think and how they should live,” the blonde called Enjolras argued, I couldn’t help but agree but what did he know of limited rights. “The people are suffering and are getting worse, and they have no one to help them because the King is too busy helping himself and his friends!” his voice was getting louder but I tried to remain ignorant.

“You can’t possibly know how the people down there are feeling and I won’t sit here and let you talk treason against your King,” the Professor snapped. The rest of the boys started to argue with either Enjolras or the Professor, I couldn’t tell. I had finally gotten to the bottom of the first half of the classroom when someone shushed the rest of the boys and the Professor.

“Excuse me, Mademoiselle?” I stood upright and stared at the group but made my sight go towards their feet. “Might I ask you a few questions?” he asked again. I nodded humbly. “Do you feel your opinions matter?” My eyes met his and I opened my mouth to speak but the was interrupted by the Professor’s roaring laughter.

“You’re asking a woman Enjolras? It’s ludacris! What would this woman know, besides how to do her job?” I bit down harder on my bottom lip so I didn’t slip up and get dismissed myself. “Go back to what you are doing,” he ordered and I obeyed. “Enjolras, Combeferre, Courfeyrac, Grantaire, please, drop this idea and go study, live your lives and be thankful for your position. Don’t question the King or his laws, it doesn’t affect you, you are in good hands, all of you. I’ll see you all tomorrow,” he shewed the boys away, leaving me to clean the rest of his classroom.