Fantine raced home, sobbing. She loathed Blanchevelle with all her heart. He had completely ruined her life by attempting to rape her and convincing Felix that she had cheated on him. She could not believe that after all that, he would actually have the gall to ask her to marry him! No, she was definitely not that desperate. Fantine flipped her golden hair haughtily over her shoulder, tears in her eyes. Her thoughts strayed to Felix, causing her to sob even more. Her heart ached as she recalled the way he had looked at her with such fiery anger in his eyes. He had once told her that he loved her, but she knew now that it was all a lie. She reached her apartment and shut the door behind her, staring around the room with a wild look of desperation in her eyes. Slowly, as if in a trance, she walked up to her vanity, her small hands trembling. She took her hairbrush into her hands, staring at it in disgust. There was a time when it was her most prized possession, but that time was long gone. She looked up at the mirror on her wall. Her eyes were red and puffy from crying. The innocence and wonder that once lit up her face was gone, replaced by hatred and despair. Her hands shook. What was she going to do? Her head spun and sweat poured from her skin. She wanted to cry, but she had already used up all her tears. "What did I ever do to him?" she asked the empty room. And then something in her broke. She threw her head back and let out a long, animalistic wail. She screamed and raised her hairbrush above her head. With one swing, she smashed the hairbrush against the mirror. A crack formed through the glass, breaking it in two. Just like my heart, she thought. Again and again, she hit the mirror with the hairbrush, screaming.
"Men are selfish-" Smack! "-stupid-" Smack! "-heartless-" Smack! "PIGS!" CRASH!! The mirror fell to the floor, shards of glass raining down upon her, cutting her skin, making her bleed. She relished the pain. Still screaming, she brought her hairbrush crashing down on the broken glass, crushing the pieces into a fine, shimmering powder. Crushing the glass just like he had crushed her dreams. Finally, she fell to the ground, exhausted and drained of energy. She had nothing left. Nothing left but agony.
There was a time when she had a reason to live.
But that time was long gone.
And then she touched her belly, where a new life kindled inside of her. Suddenly, a warm feeling spread throughout her body. Maybe she did still have a reason to live, and someone to love. She smiled down at her stomach, determined to start anew and give this child the life it deserved. She had never known before the kind of hope a new life could bring, but now she felt nothing but optimism. This baby was a new life, a new chance. She didn't need Felix anymore. She had this child, and she vowed to do everything in her power to make sure that this baby knew love. "I'll never leave you," she promised her unborn child. Then she looked at her shattered mirror and smiled radiantly, hope shining on her face. And in that moment, Fantine was the most beautiful woman in all of Paris.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It didn't take Felix long to pack up his things and leave Paris. He knew in his heart he would never see Fantine again, but no matter how hard he tried, he could not stop loving her. He was sure that, although he had vowed never again to return to Paris, a part of his soul would forever be trapped in that city, forever searching for Fantine. He pulled out his pocketwatch and rubbed his thumb against the face of the watch. He smiled bitterly. There was a time when this watch was his most prized possession, but now he would give it away in a heartbeat if only he could be with Fantine. However, he knew that it was not possible. She was with Blanchevelle. Blanchevelle was the man she had chosen, and there was no way Felix could ever change that. He shivered and let his head rest against the window of the carriage that was taking him back to Toulouse. He only prayed that the 150 francs a month that he sent to Blanchevelle would be enough to support Fantine and her baby. He sighed. He realized he had never gotten the chance to tell Fantine that she was the most beautiful woman he had ever met. No matter. Blanchevelle probably told her that every day. It was still strange to think of those two as a couple, but Felix forced himself to accept it. Fantine loved Blanchevelle, and she was happy with him. And really, all Felix wanted was for Fantine to be happy.
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There Was a Time
Fanfiction"He took my childhood in his stride, but he was gone when autumn came," she said. But who is "he"? And why did he leave? There was a time when Fantine was just a plain, ordinary girl who dreamed of romance and love. There was a time when Felix Tholo...
