A Franc or Two - Les Misérables [IN EDITING]

A Couple Acquaintances - Chapter 15

You would have never suspected reading could be so hard.

Even though you were learning the basics- pronunciation, to be specific- it was still difficult to you. You didn't even want to think about your vowels.

But still.

You walked out of that library knowing a hell of a lot more than you thought you would.

"Thank you, Monsieur," you said, clutching the now-rented book in your arms. The streets now smelled like fresh rain, and Jehan smiled as he gazed over at you.

"Of course," he smiled. "My apologies for keeping you so late- I just got a little excited that-"

"Oh, it's not your fault," you said with a chuckle. Jehan, whose blush was difficult to see behind the orange light coming from the cloudy sunset, blushed profusely. "I was just too stubborn to admit that I wouldn't be able to understand those... erhm, vowels."

"Well, you certainly get them now," he said with a reassuring smile. "More or less."

His arms were filled with more books than he had originally started with.

"We're meeting again next Saturday, correct?" you asked. You apologized to a man as he pushed past you. "To continue where we left off?"

"Of course, Mademoiselle," Jehan smiled. "Well... I'm supposed to be meeting my cousin for dinner, but if you'd like to come with, I'd be more than happy to invite you."

"As tempting as that offer sounds... can we do a rain check?" you asked, tucking a strand of hair behind your ear. "I'm supposed to be taking Matelote's position tonight at Le Café Musain. But if you just happen to come across another dinner, I will be more than happy to attend."

Jehan smiled.

"Well... That's perfect," he said. "I'll see you then."

He gave you a wave before you both continued your on separate ways. You hadn't been this excited in quite some time- but what could you expect? Just about the sweetest man in the world was teaching you how to read. Now you had something to look forward to...

But before you could think, a little blur went crashing into you.

"Gavroche, you little worm!" a woman- who you didn't at all recognize- gasped, staring at you apologetically as her jaw hung open. "My apologies for him, mademoiselle- Gavroche!"

Gavroche, sure enough, backed up a little to get a look at you face... And he grinned the moment he saw who you were.

"Mademoiselle [Y/N]!" he said, throwing his arms around your waist. "How's you doing? I hasn't seen you in days!"

"You know her?" the woman said. She looked at you, then Gavroche, and then back to you. "Well... my apologies for meeting this way. I'm Eponine."

"My dumb sister," Gavroche said under his breath. You smiled and ruffled his hair a little, patting his back as Eponine evidently resisted the urge to snap at him.

"My name's [Y/N]," you said. "Gavroche and I met through Courfeyrac."

"Yeah," Gavroche said, letting his arms drop from around you as he looked to Eponine. You noticed that her arms were covered in goosebumps. "Them two are in love, isn't you?"

You paused for a moment. Eponine, however, was quick to your rescue.

"Gavroche, you shouldn't just ask about someone's love life," Eponine said. She shuddered when a gust of wind blew in her face, and she wrapped her arms around herself as she began to shuffle a little ways out of the wind.