What is Love?

Chapter 21

Éponine didn't sleep much that night. All she could do was think about was what she had said to make Marius angry. How could she let Enjolras's thoughts about her cloud her mind when she had an amazing boyfriend there for her? She was lucky he stayed with her.

She sighed and sat up checking the time. 4 o'clock. There was no point in sleeping at all. She stood up and looked in the mirror for the first time since the incident. She gasped. Her face was swollen and bruised, badly. She couldn't go to school looking like this. Even if she covered up the bruises the swelling would still show.

She pulled out her phone and quickly typed a message to Marius, "Hey Marius I think I'm going to stay home today, the swelling is really bad, people would question. Sorry again". She tossed her phone back to her bed and continued to stare at herself in the mirror. Her left cheek was huge and puffy along with the bridge of her nose. She tentatively reached up to touch it and was met with a horrible pain. She let out a hiss and pulled her hand away.

The last time she felt this sort of pain was three years ago. The time her parents had beaten her for telling Enjolras everything. The time social services showed up at their door after Enjolras had called them and saw Éponine get beaten through the windows. They broke down the rotting door and Enjolras pulled Éponine away from her parents and behind him. The fury never left her father's eyes and they had stayed trained on her throughout the whole ordeal.

When the police finally arrived to take them away he remembered the last thing her father said to her, "I'll be back girl and when I am I'll make you regret this. I'll make him regret this" he had screeched at her.

Éponine shivered and felt strangely vulnerable even though she knew he was far away and couldn't hurt her. Suddenly she was pulled away for her thoughts by her phone buzzing.

She ran over and saw Marius had texted her back. "Alright please feel better. It won't happen again I promise. I love you".

Éponine smiled and keyed back "I love you too". This was the first time Marius had told her that he loved her and she felt her heart soar. She laid back down in her bed and surprisingly fell asleep.

A few hours later she heard a knock on her door. She checked the clock, 6:30 the time Enjolras usually left for school. "Come in" she groaned.

The door creaked open slowly, "Hey Ép it's time to get up" he said gently.

Éponine kept her back to him, "I'm not going to school today, I don't feel well" she said quietly to him.

She heard him open the door wider and take a step towards her bed, "Are you okay? Do you need anything before I go?" He asked.

Éponine shook her head, "No I'm fine, thanks though. Hurry up or you'll be late" Éponine said.

She heard Enjolras chuckle, "Okay. Ill be home right after school. Feel better Éponine" he said before closing the door.

Éponine let out a sigh of relief, thankful he didn't question her further. Éponine waited until she was absolutely sure there was no one in the house before she got out of bed. Enjolras's mom had gone to work and Enjolras to school do she had the house to herself for the rest of the day.

She got up out of bed slowly, her head still aching from the night before. The event kept flashing through her mind and she couldn't stop it. She cried. How could she let this happen, how could she push him over the edge so quickly? She slid down the door, gripping the handle tightly. She had to promise to be better, for him. From now on Éponine cannot let Enjolras interfere with her thoughts. She didn't need his opinion anymore. She could make her own choices and she would. She composed herself and stood up. She gently wiped the tears off her bruised face and walked down to the kitchen. She would change for Marius. She would become a better girlfriend. She needed to if she was to keep him.