When We Were Young

Chapter 23

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

"Cosette?" Enjolras asks. "Who's she?"

"A nobody," I spat, pushing myself up.

"Hey, where are you going? We're not done!"

"I'm going to set things straight."

I march towards the bench on which Marius had sat down next to Cosette. They're talking, and laughing... Disgusting.

"Hey there, gents," I say, sitting down right between the two of them.

I flash a smile to Marius before quickly turning to my left, where Cosette is looking at me with fire in her eyes.

"What are you doing here, Eponine?" she asks through gritted teeth.

"I could ask you the same question."

"I'm enjoying a nice day out with Monsieur Marius. He arrived at the inn and told your mama that a break could only be beneficial for me. Isn't he a nice guy?"

"Yeah, yeah... He's great." I can feel Marius nudge me on the side, but I ignore him. "I just got the best idea," I exclaim, jumping to my feet. "How about we go on a double date?" I turn to look at all three. "What do you think?"

Cosette's cheeks immediately flush red. Marius pushes himself not so subtly a couple inches further from Cosette as Enjolras eyes me down.

"We're on a date?" he asks me, dumbfounded. "I thought-"

"Just go with it," I whisper to him through gritted teeth. I grin as I turn towards the two others. "Any objections? No? Great! Then it's settled. Double date here we go!"

"I don't know," Cosette lets out as I grab her arm to pull her up.

"If you want to go back to the inn, I understand. Here, I'll even walk you home!"

"Ep-"

"Shush, Marius, if she wants to go home, she can go home."

"No, it's okay," Cosette suddenly says. "We can go do something together, all four of us."

Yay... Not. Ugh. I don't know why I'm acting this way but I can't help it. Seeing her with Marius, having fun, without me, just fired up something inside me. Marius is my friend, not hers. And no, I don't want to share with her.

"Let's go to the café!" I exclaim.

*

This is the most awkward double date I've ever been on... Okay, so, it's also my first, but it will probably be worst. Hopefully.

"So..." I try again as Marius slurps his drink. "This is fun."

"We have different definitions of 'fun'," I hear Enjolras mutter.

I kick him on the leg under the table.

"Cosette!" I say, turning towards her. "Tell us a bit more about yourself."

"Eponine!" Marius exclaims, slamming his drink on the table.

"What?" I ask innocently.

"You know exactly what I mean."

"Okay..." Enjolras suddenly interrupts. "How about we change the subject?" I stick out my tongue at Marius. He rolls his eyes as Enjolras continues. "Look at this place. It's amazing. The location, the colors on the walls, the cool breeze coming in from the second store window... I'd love to work here someday."

Marius stifles a laugh.

"You want to work here? In a café called..." he looks around. "Musain?"

"Café Musain has a great ring to it."

"Right..."

"Marius, be supportive," Cosette scolds.

Marius's cheeks instantly turn red as he grabs another sip of his drink.

"Okay, maybe not work here," Enjolras continues. "But we could easily come here to hang. Just imagine once we're older. I could be standing here, talking to you all."

Enjolras jumps on a table, knocking a nice couple's breakfast on the ground. They start portesting but Enjolras instantly shushes them.

"You, Marius, could be sitting right there, where you are right, lovestruck or whatever talking about your dear Cosette."

I swear, if Marius could make himself tinier, we wouldn't be able to see him. He's almost halfway under the table, not even daring to look at Cosette, who's beaming.

"And we could have a couple more friends around the table, drinks in hand, talking about the future and how we want to change the world!"

He jumps off the table, earning more disapproving stares from the couple as the waitor rushes over, so deeply apologizing for Enjolras's actions.

"And you, Eponine, would be right by my side!"

I look up and our eyes meet. And suddenly he stops talking, and the people around us stop moving, and it's just him and me, in this moment, together.

"No," I suddenly let out, shaking my head. "No, I can't."

"What do you mean you can't?" Enjolras asks, rushing towards me.

He goes to put his hands on my arms, but I push him away, shaking my head.

"This ends here," I say.

"This?"

"Whatever this is. Me seeing you. You teaching me how to read. It right ends here."

"Why? What's wrong?"

"I ruin everything, Enjolras, can't you see? Everything! My father's in prison. I can't go home. Montparnasse, my best friend, hates me. I ruined them all."

"I think you're putting way too much pressure on yourself."

"Am I? The decisions I made put me in this position. So please, don't make me make another one."

I turn and walk out of Café Musain without a second.

"Eponine, wait!" I hear a voice call after me. But I don't turn around.

Just forget about me Monsieur Enjolras. Forget I ever existed.

Maybe we'll meet again someday.