When Tomorrow Comes

Chapter 13

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Eponine walked all alone in the streets of Paris, like she always did late at night. But this time it felt different. She felt as if her heart had been ripped apart and she didn't know what to do to heal it.

"Never again," she kept repeating. "Never again will I open my heart to another person."

She was going around mumbling how life sucked, how love sucked, and how Enjolras was a stupid idiot.

"Can't he see that I only want to be with him?" she whispered. "No, he doesn't. He's a guy."

Yeah, that was her excuse. Guys were assholes. Just look at Montparnasse... Still she wondered if Enjolras was different. She decided that she would sneek in their revolution tomorrow, without Enjolras seeing her. It was her life, therefore her decision, not his.

Soon she arrived on rue Plumet. It was pretty much deserted at this hour. She love walking here, especially because she knew Cosette lived not far from where she was. Eponine had always wondered; how did Cosette end up here, with that man? They had been children together.

"Look what's become of me..." Eponine muttered.

She had always been the pampered child, the one who had everyone's attention. But now... Yeah, she had her father's attention, but not for the reasons she wanted.

She hid behind a bush close to Cosette's house, and that's when she spotted an unusual figure standing before the gate. It was Marius.

"Oh, Mademoiselle!" he exclaimed. "What a pleasure it is to see you here again tonight!"

"I'm afraid it will have to be short, Monsieur. Papa doesn't like me out at this hour."

Marius smiled.

"As long as I get to see you for a little while before tomorrow."

"What happens tomorrow?"

"The biggest revolution Paris will have seen! Ok, maybe not as big as the 1789 French Revolution, but as important for us as it was for them."

"Monsieur, you're leaving?"

"I don't know what God has in store for me, yet I know what my heart wants."

"What's that?"

"It wants you. Though I'm sorry, Mademoiselle, but I can't abandon my friends tomorrow. We're like a family now."

"What about us?"

"If I make it, Mademoiselle, I'll meet you here afterwards. And then I'll be yours."

She smiled.

"Alright, Monsieur. Do what you need to do. I'll be waiting."

Cosette gently opened the gate and leaned in to kiss Marius on the cheek.

"Goodnight, Marius. Hopefully I'll see you soon."

"I'll do anything in my power for us to meet again. Farewell, Cosette."

And then he was gone. Eponine let herself sit on the ground. She tugged on a nearby branch and started to play with it between her fingers.

Why couldn't her love life be that simple? And then it dawned on her; it could never be. Fate must hate her. She was doomed.

And speaking of fate, what was her surprise when she saw her father walking towards her with his gang. She wanted to run, hide away, but there was no place to go. So, she stood up and decided to confront him.

"Eponine? What are you doing here?" Thénardier barked.

"You kicked me out, remember?"

Thénardier was fuming mad.

"Go away, Eponine. We don't need you here."

"What do you want here anyways? There's nothing but a man and his daughter living an ordinary life."

"It's called payback, for one of the scams you messed up. Which reminds me..."

Thénardier raised his hand to slap her as Eponine squinted her eyes, ready for the hit.

"Wait!" Montparnasse let out.

"What's with you?" Thénardier snarled.

"Let me handle her, Monsieur."

Eponine grew worried instantly, but she made no sign of it.

"Alright, Montparnasse, do what you have to do."

He grabbed Eponine by the arm and pulled her far away from Monsieur Thénardier and his gang.

"'Parnasse?" Eponine asked in disbelief. "What are you doing?"

"Shut up and come with me," he said.

And at that moment he pulled out a gun from behind his back.

"Where did you get that from?"

"'Ponine, shut up. Don't make me shoot you."

She backed up but instantly hit a wall. He chuckled.

"You've got nowhere to go, sweetheart."

"I'm going nowhere with you," she let out.

"And who are you to tell me this? A girl?"

"A girl who can kick your ass..."

Montparnasse instantly lost his smile. He walked up to her and, before she had time to react, raised his gun and hit her unconscious.