Not a Dream

Chapter 2

    Éponine sprinted out of the alley and ran towards her way out. She occasionally bumped into people in the streets and hastily said an apology while maintaining her pace. She didn't slow down for a minute. However as she was running it began to rain. She quickly ducked under a balcony of a building. The building she stopped in front of was a café called the Musain. As she stood there she looked in the windows to see a group of boys around her age laughing and enjoying themselves. They were the opposites of Éponine. Where she was dirt poor and alone, they appeared to be wealthy and have friends that truly cared for them. Looking at them she began to cry harder and she needed to get away from those happy glowing faces. So she turned away from the window and continued running through the light rain.

Little did she know, that one of the boys had seen her.     

      Enjolras had his future in the palm of his hand.  He came from a wealthy family, so he had anything he ever wanted.  He planned on studying law when he finally got in to the University and he was prepared for any case he may be presented.  He was strong willed and ambitious. He made himself appear stone hearted and intimidating even as though he was just a seventeen year old boy.

       However, right now he was hanging out with his friends in the Café Musain. This was the only time he dropped his stone-faced appearance. He was able to laugh and enjoy himself whenever he was with them.

      "Hey Enj! Come over here we're getting ready to play truth or dare. " said Courfeyrac mischievously.

      "What?"

      "Seriously get you arse over here!" Yelled Grantaire

      "Ok, ok I'm coming!" Enjolras said with a sigh.

      "Awesome, ok. I choose Enjolras!" Said Courfeyrac.

      "Seriously?"

       "Hey! No judging my choices!" Courf said pretending to look hurt "Anyway, Truth or Dare?"

      "Are we really doing this? Come on this is for kids!" Enjolras said annoyed.  "We should be focused on more important stuff!"

     "What could be more important than playing a good game of truth or dare with your friends?" Asked Courf innocently.

      "We could be working on getting into the university-" Enjolras began

      "Oh boy, here we go" said R.

      "No I'm serious", Enjolras began again, "if we want to get anywhere in life we have to work hard for it! Joly you want to be a doctor, right".

      "Yeah, of course!" Joly said with excitement.

      "Then you have to work hard! You have to-" Enjolras stopped abruptly because he saw a figure running across the window. She was small and really frail but she was still beautiful. She was a street rat, trash as Enjolras' parents called them. But as he looked closer at her, he saw her beautiful town eyes were red and puffy, and her face was streaked with tears.  He wondered what was wrong, but as soon as she appeared, she was gone. 

      "Helloooo? Anybody home?" Asked Courfeyrac playfully.

       "Earth to Enjolras" said Grant waving his hand infront of Enj's face.

       "Oh yeah, what's up?" Asked Enjolras, still slightly dazed from his encounter with the street girl.

     Courfeyrac laughed  "We'll you were about to give us this big long speech 'you should go to the university blah blah blah' but then you totally zoned out-"

      "Are you feeling ok?" Asked Combeferre. 

     "You know what, I actually don't feel that good, I think I'm going to go back home now. Ill see you guys later!" He said while he packed up his belongings.

      "Enjolras, what are your symptoms? I want to make sure it's not contagious, I can't get sick! I hate germs!" Joly shouted

      Enjolras couldn't help but laugh, "and you're the one who wants to be a doctor. I'm fine Joly I'm just going to go to bed, I'm a little rundown.  Night guys". There was a chorus of byes and good nights from the guys. Once he was out of the view of the window he broke into a brisk walk looking for the girl from the window.

Éponine finally reached the bridge. She had thought about her decision a lot from the alley to the bridge and she was fine with it. No one would miss her, he father certainly wouldn't, one less mouth to feed therefore more money for his alcohol.  She waited until most of the people walking on the bridge were gone before stepping up onto the barrier. She stared into the void if water swirling below her. Would it hurt? Would it be instant death or would she be drowning under the water for a long time?  Well, there's only one way to find out; she took a deep breath and was about to step off when she heard someone yell.

     "Wait, stop! Don't jump!"