Lead Me to Salvation

Chapter 14

Enjolras POV

"Mon amour! I'm going to the Cafe Musain to meet Les Amis. Would you two care to join me?" I called to Éponine one afternoon. She was in Gavroche's room, talking to him about something.

"Yes!" Gavroche ran to me before Éponine could even reply.

Éponine followed him out, laughing.

"We'd love to, Enjolras. While we're there, maybe I could give Gavroche a reading lesson," Éponine shrugged, picking a random book off of my shelf.

"Shall we go?" I held an arm out for Éponine, which she smiled and took.

As Gavroche led the way towards the Cafe Musain, I looked over at Éponine. She had filled out, and she was clean. We had gone out and bought her a few more dresses. Today, she wore a simple red dress and her hair hung down her back in loose waves. She was the most gorgeous woman I'd ever seen, especially since she started smiling more often.

"There's the happy couple!" Courfeyrac laughed when we entered the cafe. Éponine blushed as Les Amis started cheering and clapping.

"Oh, stop!" I called to my friends.

"Monsieur and Madame Apollo!" Grantaire called.

Gavroche ran around, saying hello to all the men. I watched his face light up, talking and laughing. Until he got to them.

"Marius! Who is this?" Gavroche asked, looking at Cosette.

"Gavroche, this is Cosette, my beloved," he said adoringly.

Éponine POV

I could see Enjolras staring at me. I wasn't jealous of her anymore, but I was still mad at Marius for telling everyone my secrets.

"Gav," I said, walking up beside him. "Why don't you let Marius and Cosette be? You and Enj can wait for me at the table by the window. I'll give you a reading lesson."

"But, Ép, I want to listen to the meeting!" Gavroche whined, causing Marius to chuckle.

"We'll discuss it in a minute, Gavroche," I told him with a stern look, causing him to go sit at the table.

"Lovely to see you again, Éponine. That's a beautiful dress," Cosette smiled. I could tell she was trying very hard to be my friend.

"Yes, it is, 'Ponine. Did Enjolras buy it for you?" Marius suggested, barely able to hide the bitterness in his voice.

"Excuse you, Marius, but I hardly think that's appropriate to talk about," I chastised. If they wanted to play 'proper' then so could I.

"I was only wondering as it seems you two are together now?" He wondered.

"Oh, congratulations. I thought you two would look wonderful together," Cosette tried to ease the tension.

"Thank you, Cosette, and yes, we are together, Marius. Does that bother you?" I smirked.

He chose now to notice me, but it was too late. As I spoke with him, any feelings I had went out the window. Enjolras was so much more than Marius. He was smarter, kinder, wittier. He was everything that Marius would never be.

"No, I just think it's quite sad that you're using Enjolras for his money!" Marius snapped, making the entire cafe go silent.

Enjolras was by my side in an instant.

"Marius, don't ever speak like that again. Éponine has tried to refuse everything I've given her from the beginning. I'm sorry that we didn't 'fall in love at first sight' like you and Cosette, but we are certainly in love. And if you can't be happy for your two best friends being happy with each other, then what kind of friend are you?" Enjolras asked him, his blue eyes burning with rage at Marius' wrong accusation. All of Les Amis pretended they weren't listening.