What is Love?

Chapter 2

As Éponine and Enjolras entered the school they were surrounded by their other friends. Courfeyrac, Combeferre, Grantaire, Jehan, Joly, Feuilly, Bahorel, and Bouesset gathered around them.

Éponine found her only girl friend Musichetta and linked arms with her as they walked down the halls. "How was your summer?" asked Éponine.

Musichetta had spent most of her summer in various countries on many different trips, her family was incredibly wealthy, so they could afford the many excursions they went on. Musichetta smiled, "Nothing could replace the quality time I could have had with all you guys around here, but I guess it was alright" she said with a laugh.

Éponine scoffed, Musichetta was the only person Éponine knew who would complain about tanning on a beach in the Bahamas. "Ha ha very funny", said Éponine, "are you excited for our senior year?"

"I'm already done with this school year and it hasn't even started yet!" She laughed.

Éponine chuckled along with her and nodded her agreement, "If we could just skip to the end of the school year, that would be great! This year is going to be awful" She said.

Finally, the boys caught up with them and Joly, Musichetta's boyfriend, pulled her away from Éponine and into his arms. Musichetta squealed with glee and placed a kiss on his nose.

Éponine smiled, she hoped to find love like that this year. It was senior year and Éponine had never had a boyfriend nor had she ever kissed a boy. Well, not a real kiss. She remembered when she was younger when her father had made her kiss an older boy, about 7 years older than her to help him get a member in his gang. She was 13 and that was when she discovered that a kiss didn't always mean love.

She felt her mood depress, but soon she found Enjolras at her side again. "What's wrong?" he asked.

Éponine turned to face him with a smile, "Nothing, don't worry about it" she said.

Enjolras searched her eyes, willing her to say something else, but she didn't so he let the subject drop.

Finally they reached their homeroom. Luckily all their friends were in the same one. They congregated in the back corner, Éponine sitting between Musichetta and Enjolras as the bell rang, signifying the start of their senior year. The group chattered through the announcements and when the bell rang they went their separate ways.

Éponine and Enjolras had their first period class together, actually basically all their classes together. She was glad she would have a friend in most of her classes. She hated it when she didn't know anyone. Éponine and Enjolras entered their physics class and sat down next to each other as the other students filled in.

She recognized the faces of her fellow students as they entered the room. She smiled at them as waved to ones she knew, but she didn't recognize one person. The high school was small, with only about 100 kids in her grade, but this boy was defiantly new.

He wore a white T-shirt with a black leather jacket and dark jeans. His brown hair was spiked in the front of his head, and freckles covered his face. His eyes scanned the class and landed on Éponine, she quickly looked away blushing.

She mentally cursed herself, she didn't even know the kid yet she was scared to meet his eye. She discreetly looked back up and saw his eyes were still on her. She gave him a small smile and he winked back at her. She felt her face begin to burn and she looked back down at her notebook as the teacher entered the room.

As he began to talk, Enjolras nudged Éponine. Éponine looked up from her notes and turned to him, "What?" she whispered.

Enjolras shrugged, "I don't know, you're acting weird today".

Éponine laughed playfully, "Nothing's wrong, Enj, I swear. If there was something wrong I would tell you, okay?" She insisted.

Enjolras smiled and nodded, "alright" he said before returning his attention back to his notes.

Éponine sighed, she had to keep her emotions controlled if she didn't want Enjolras to find out about her little crush. He would mock her until no end.

Finally when the class period was over Éponine and Enjolras parted ways as he went to his public speaking class and she went to her art class.

Art had always been Éponine's favorite class throughout her three years of high school. It was her only class where she was able to express herself creatively instead of academically. She began drawing at a young age. It was a quiet activity that would keep her under her parents radar, and in addition, she was really talented. She had gotten best in show at her school art show three years in a row, and she hoped to win it again this year.

Éponine sat at her normal table in the back corner of the room. She liked to be by herself when she drew, she couldn't concentrate when other people were working close by.

However, when Éponine was reaching down to get her supplies from her backpack she heard a backpack fall to the floor by her. She looked under the table and saw that someone was sitting across from her. She huffed and angrily and sat up to tell the person to go away, but she was face to face with the new kid. Her breath hitched in her throat and she felt the heat rise to her face.

The boy smiled at her, gosh his smile was flawless, "I hope you don't mind if I sit here, it's the only open chair".

Éponine shook her head, "Oh, that's no problem. No problem at all, really. Sit down" she said hastily. He laughed at her and Éponine mentally kicked herself for sounding like an idiot. What was wrong with her? She was never like this around anyone. What made this boy so different?

The boy sat down across from her and held out his hand, "My name is Marius by the way. Marius Pontmercy".

Éponine took his hand and marveled at how well they seemed to fit together. "Éponine. Éponine Thenardier" she replied. His smile was warm and made her feel comfortable and wanted, and she couldn't help but smile back, maybe this year wouldn't be so bad after all.