Deceiving Passion

Chapter 1: Eponine's Triumph

~Eponine's POV~

I sat down at a table, marveling at the piece of jewelry that occupied my hand. I, Eponine Thenardier, was now engaged. Not just engaged to anyone, I was engaged to the wonderful Marius Pontmercy! I still couldn't believe it. I had to contiously pinch myself to make sure I wasn't dreaming. It had felt as though I had been waiting a lifetime for him to propose, and he finally did. I was elated. I felt as though I was over the moon.

And to think, if Cosette hadn't said what she did, it might have ended up differently.

***************

~1 Year Ago~

I had sat upon the bench of the park that Cosette had told me to meet her in. I fiddled with a strand from my skirt apprehensively as I waited for her. She had told me that she wanted me to meet a good friend of hers that she had met on one of her multiple trips to the park. I was not good with meeting new people. I was constantly worried that they would not like me, as I had a way with saying the wrong thing a lot. It surprised me that even after all these years Cosette still stood by me, as I had probably put her through the most pain out of anyone.

Cosette had lived with me when we were both young. I remember the harsh way I had treated her, and all the rude things I would say about her. Still, even when I had so much more than she had at that time, I found ways to envy her. The fact that she had her mother's love all the way in a different city, while mine barely noticed my existence, and how people even seemed to fancy her more than me, despite her being tattered with dirt and dressed in rags. However, she had soon been taken away from our family, and not long after her departure had my family fallen into poverty. I had grown even more jealous of Cosette during that time. I did not even know what was going on in her life, and somehow I could just feel it was better than what was happening around me. I wished that she and I could simply switch places, and that she would have to suffer through the pain. Not me.

Soon enough though, who should return but Cosette? She had certainly changed in the years she had been separated from us. For one thing, she certainly dressed much nicer. Secretly, I had hoped that the experiences she had been opened to had made her greedy. That way, I try and take away my envy towards her. That didn't happen though. In fact, in the time she had grown, it seemed as though her heart had simply grown, extending hands to those living in poverty, and acting kindly even towards the cruelest of people. This had only led towards my jealously growing even stronger.

Then, Cosette had done the worst thing of all. The boiling point to my envy towards her. She wanted to be my friend. She had seen me acting as a vagrant of the Parisian streets, and had offered me her friendship. I would still ponder each and everyday why she would have done this. She had everything she could wish for now. And after the horrid things I had done to her as a child, why would she wish to still have a tie to me and my family. I would never learn to understand Cosette. I still don't.

Soon enough I heard the cheerful chipper of my best friend's voice echoing in my ear, "Hello there Eponine!" I looked up to not only see her there, but a man there as well. He was, in a word, heavenly. It was almost as if the heavens had opened up the moment I had laid eyes upon him. The man smiled at me softly, causing me to blush. Suddenly, all I wanted to know about was this man. It was almost as if Cosette had disappeared. However, reality seemed to tick by as I had meandered through my dream land that was evoked by this man's eyes, and I realized that Cosette had not actually disappeared, along with not having answered her.

I shook my head a bit to bring myself down from the clouds. I gave Cosette a tiny smile, "Hi Cosette," I shifted my gaze back to the man, who was staring straight back at me. My face again began to radiate with a blush. I wanted to kick myself for acting so stupid. He was just a man. I had met so many before. What was so different about this one? I smiled back at him, "and who might you be?"

The man's words flowed soothingly out into the air, "My name is Marius Pontmercy. It is a pleasure to meet you Eponine. Cosette has told me so much about you."

Marius. The name of an angel sent down towards me from heaven above. I wondered for a moment. Why would Cosette want me to meet him? He did not seem in any way horrible. She didn't say anything about them dating, and there actions towards each other seemed nothing but friendly. Maybe, it was possible that she was trying to set me up with him? Man, Cosette really was a wonderful person! Meeting this perfect guy, and not wanting anything but for her best friend to have him!

As our encounter with each other continued, I learned even more about Marius. Everything that escaped his mouth was bliss to me. I could simply listen to him for hours. It was official. I had fallen for him. Hard. It was almost as if time stopped moving when I was with him, and that nothing mattered but the two of us. Then there was something on his face, it told me that he felt this way too.

I looked towards Cosette, who had fallen silent for quite some time. It was weird. Usually, Cosette was the type to keep conversation going. Was it because she wanted to give Marius and I time to get to know each other? I shook my head. There was something in the expression on her face that told me that wasn't the case. I shot Cosette an is-everything-alright glance, and she simply stared back at me. She spoke quietly, "Eponine, can I talk to you privately for a moment?" The way she spoke scared me a little. It was different from the way she normally was, but I nodded. We excused ourselves from the table, and headed towards the corner of the room.

Cosette let out a deep breath, and spoke first, "Y-you like him. Don't you?"

I blushed profusely, "Is it that obvious?"

"No," she replied quickly, "it's just... The look you had when you met him... It was the same one I had... When I first met him."

It all made sense. Cosette had feelings for Marius. That was why she had wanted me to meet him. She wasn't trying to set me up with him. She was trying to show me the man who had stolen her heart. All the pieces had fallen together. Cosette had been acting differently the past few weeks, and she had been visiting the park more often than usual. Her silence, and dazed expression finally made sense to me. Cosette was in love. I let out a short breath, "Oh."

A silence had fallen upon us. I didn't know what to say. In a way, I wanted to be happy for her. She was my best friend. However, there was still that tearing feeling inside of me that wanted Marius to be mine. Cosette had everything. Couldn't she let me have this one tiny thing? She could get a bunch of guys at the flick of one of her little blonde curls. Marius, he could be my last chance at love.

"If you like him, I'll back off."

Cosette's words shocked me. She was giving up? "You really mean it?"

She sighed, "Yeah. It's just a... A silly little crush. I'll get over it soon."

This was almost too good to be true. I hugged her tightly, "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! You're the best friend a girl could ask for!" She simply gave me a soft smile as we headed back to the table. Cosette made up an excuse to leave, gave me another smile as if to say go-get-him-tiger, and then left Marius and I alone.

*********

And that's how it began. That's how an entire year of bliss began. That was how a new lifetime of love and happiness for me had begun. I still smile every time I remember that day. However, that day also brought forth a new era in my friendship with Cosette. We stayed friends after what happened, but there was always a bit of awkwardness when the subject of Marius was brought up. Cosette always denied that it was there, and that she was over Marius. Still, I could never shake the feeling off that her feelings were still there.

I shook my head. Cosette was my best friend, and she would tell me if she was feeling that way... At least, I thought she would.