What is Love?

Chapter 12

Éponine scrambled into her next class and waited anxiously for Musichetta.

When the girl entered the room her face immediately turned suspicious. Musichetta sat down next to Éponine, who couldn't wipe the smile off her face. "Ok please tell me something amazing happened because honestly you look like you're trying to hold in your pee" said Musichetta sarcastically as she sat down.

Éponine rolled her eyes, "You wouldn't believe what just happened. You know how I thought I totally screwed up with Marius. Yeah you do, ok anyway, I talked to him after physics and we made amends. And then he held my hand and we walked to art. He held my hand Chetta! Ok so after that we were drawing in art and he flicked a note over to me and I opened it, obviously, and it was a note asking me out. On a date. Tonight" Éponine finished breathlessly.

Musichetta's eyes widened and her mouth dropped, "Oh my gosh Éponine! That's amazing! I'm so happy everything worked out!" She said.

Suddenly Éponine's face darkened, "Oh my gosh" she said.

Musichetta's face filled with worry, "What wrong? Eponine are you ok?" She asked taking Éponine's hand in her own.

"I don't know what in going to wear!" She said.

Musichetta burst into a fit of laughter, "Éponine calm down! Ill come over after school and help you. And if worst comes to worst you can always borrow something of mine" she said with a smile.

Éponine squealed and squeezed Musichetta's hand, "Thank you thank you thank you! You are the best!"

"I know I know. Now calm down before I slap you!" She said laughing, pulling her hand from Éponine's grasp.

Éponine flinched back, but readjusted so quickly that Musichetta didn't even notice something was wrong.

Musichetta didn't know much about Éponine's past, just that she moved into Enjolras's house because her parents were arrested. She didn't know why they were arrested and Éponine didn't feel like sharing. Frankly, Éponine was embarrassed about her past and felt like people would treat her like a wounded animal. Enjolras sometimes did but only when he sensed something was wrong. Otherwise he treated her like a normal person, just as all her friends at school did. She didn't know why she let it slip to Marius so quickly and easily. She never told that to anyone, Enjolras found out about it himself.

She smiled. She really trusted Marius, and that's the most important building block for a successful relationship. Trust and acceptance, and Marius and Éponine had both. She trusted him enough to share her past, and he accepted her. And he trusted her enough to share his past, and she accepted him. It was the perfect base for a relationship.

Before Éponine knew it, her class was over and she and Musichetta were off to lunch. Éponine couldn't contain her excitement to see Marius again and soon she found herself way in front of Musichetta.

"Ahem, Éponine. Can you walk a little slower and try not to make it more obvious" Musichetta called across the crowded hallways.

Éponine slowed until Musichetta caught up, "So obvious about what?" She asked innocently.

"That you're in love of course! You're acting like a school girl who just got kissed by her crush behind the slide on the playground" Musichetta said grabbing Éponine's arm.

Éponine let out a harsh laugh, "As I recall that was you" Éponine said nudging Musichetta gently.

She felt Musichetta laugh against her and nudge her back, placing her head against Éponine's shoulder.

Finally Éponine and Musichetta arrived at lunch. Everyone was present at their table except for Marius. Éponine felt her heart sink slightly as she sat down next to Musichetta on the ground. Éponine stared around the campus looking for the familiar spike of brown hair, but she couldn't see it. She began to worry but was interrupted by Musichetta jabbing her in the ribs. Éponine jumped slightly causing the boys and Musichetta to laugh.

"Ép, don't you have some exciting news to tell the boys?" She asked talking to Éponine like she was a baby.

Éponine rolled her eye and turned to the boys. Joly was clutching Musichetta's hand, Enjolras was staring at her suspiciously, R was almost asleep on the ground, Combeferre was reading until the book was snatched from his hand by Courfeyrac, who was staring at Éponine excitedly. Yup, she thought, these are my friends. She cleared her throat, "Ok, so today in my art class something amazing happened" she began. She knew that if she started out vaguely the boys would be left in suspense and anxiously waiting for the answer. Especially Courfeyrac. "So I was drawing when the person who sits across from me flicked a note towards me. I opened it and-" she paused.

Courfeyrac was on his hands and knees, "And what?" He shouted.

Éponine chuckled, "It was a note that asked me out on a date tonight" she finished proudly.

Courfeyrac jumped up, "Oh my goodness, our little Éponine is growing up! Getting asked out finally after four years of-"

"Alright Courf your done" Ferre said pulling him back to the ground.

Enjolras looked sick, "Who was it Ép?" He asked.

Éponine was about to answer but she was interrupted.

"It was me" said a smug voice behind her. Marius.