Tears streamed down Éponine's face as she walked through Paris "looking" for Cosette. She wasn't paying attention to the people that walked by, she was too distracted. Cosette, she recognized that name from somewhere, but she couldn't put her finger on it. Then she stopped dead in her tracks, Cosette, now she remembered! They were children together. When Éponine was younger her life was carefree, she had plenty of food, and she was always dressed in the nicest things. Her parents owned an inn and they used it to scam people of money. One day when Éponine was about 4 a woman came to the inn begging Éponine's parents to take in her daughter. That daughter was Cosette. When her parents finally agreed they made Cosette their slave. She cleaned and did household chores while Éponine never had to lift a finger. A few years later a man came and took Cosette away and that was when Éponine's life started its never ending spiral down into poverty. She laughed bitterly at the memory, look what's become of Cosette. She's a proper lady and Marius is in love with her. Éponine guessed it served her right, what goes around comes around. Cosette was a kind girl, never arguing or talking back, so she got the money and the man. Éponine was awful to Cosette, so she got what she deserved, poverty and an unreturned love. She sighed and continued trudging on her path. Tears now stained her face and she was beginning to sense people staring at her. She broke off from the crowd and sat down on the corner of a step. She sat there with her head in her lap trying to conceal herself.
Then she felt something tap her shoulder. It wasn't a quick brush of a passerby, but the intentional tap of someone trying to get her attention. She looked up to come face to face with the last person she wanted to see. Cosette.
Cosette's face had a ridiculous smile on it and Éponine could already tell that she had a bubbly attitude, oh joy.
"Hi!" Said Cosette, "my father and I are giving out some coins today, would you like some?"
"What?" Asked Éponine confused.
Cosette giggled, an annoying squeak, "Would you like some money?" She asked again.
Éponine shook her head, "um no, thanks, but no. I'm fine on my own."
Cosette looked slightly discouraged, but that look was quickly displaced by a smile, "Ok! Goodbye then!" She waved at Éponine before scurrying back to her father.
Éponine watched her go, each step filling her with dread; she would have to follow Cosette. Éponine stood up and waited until Cosette and her father were at least 15 yards in front of her before following them. They walked through town taking many turns and alleys that made Éponine suspicious. What could they possibly be hiding, she thought, why else would they be trying to avoid the main road with people? Soon they came to a small house off a bigger building. The property was surrounded by a gate and inside the gate was a beautiful garden filled with flowers and drooping trees. She watched Cosette and her father go into the house before turning to go to the café.
Éponine ran to the café as quickly as she could. She needed to get to Marius, not so she could tell him about Cosette, but to see him. She spent the whole day looking for Cosette, so it was now night. She finally arrived at the café and went up the stairs in the back; the boys always held their revolutionary meetings upstairs. She could hear a lot of shouting and laughter, but she could also smell alcohol as she ascended the steps. She peaked above the stair and heard Enjolras mocking Marius about his newly discovered love. Éponine felt her cheats tighten in fury. Of course she hated Cosette, but how could Enjolras talk to Marius that way! It took all her strength to hold herself back and not go up and slap him. She was snapped from her thoughts by a little boy running up the stairs. He ran up to one of the boys; the one who was making fun of Enjolras at the first meeting she went to, what was his name, Courfeyrac? Courfeyrac bent down to the boy's height and his eyes flashed to the stairs before turning to face the group.
"HEY!" He shouted over all the commotion. All the boys turned to face him, "according to our little friend here we have a guest snooping in the stairwell".
Éponine's heart stopped. He was talking about her. She heard one of the boys say, "come on out, we won't bite", with a laugh that was silenced by a death glare from Enjolras. Éponine slowly made her way up the stairs and as soon as she came into view she saw Marius jump up and walk briskly towards her. He looked into her eyes and asked, "Well, did you find her?" Éponine put the smile back on her face, "yeah I did. Can you leave now, or should we wait?" She asked not wanting to get Marius in even more trouble with Enjolras. Marius turned around to face Enjolras and Enj let out an exasperated sigh, waving his hand to say that Marius could go. Before Enjolras could change his mind, Marius grabbed Éponine's hand and pulled her after him down the stairs and out to the Parisian streets; they were off to find Cosette.
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Not a Dream
Fanfiction"One rainy night in Paris, there was a girl running. The brisk wind cut through her wet, tattered dress. She felt like she was running for hours through the slums of the city, when in fact, it was only minutes. She knew he would send someone after...
