Chapter 1//Feuilly's Secret

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I've never known my mother. Nor my father. The only one I had with me was Feuilly. He has been like my own brother, a mother, and also a father. When my mother left me in the streets, he was the one that took care of me even though he barely had food to eat. I do not know what I was named by my own mother, but I call myself Abella since that is what Feuilly named me. I've never really lived in an actual house before. I was just used to living on the streets, giving greetings to fellow street children, stealing breadcrumbs and leftover vegetables from nearby restaurants. But the one thing Feuilly always told me was to read. I would often go to bookstores to collect unpopular, worn out books. I would share my collection with him, and he would teach me how to read like how he did when he was little. He taught me how to write too, which was unusual for girls since our education wasn't really prioritized as boy's education. He wanted me to read good books and write my own stories, and he would read it and give me comments. I loved to read about Rapunzel, with her golden silky hair and a prince that would search for her no matter what. Apparently, when I was little, I used to tell Feuilly that one day I'm going to marry a rich Prince and I'm going to live in a big castle and he would always be welcome to my tea parties. Now that I am seventeen (but in fact, I do not really know my age. All I know is that I am three years younger than him, and I am betting that Feuilly is twenty) I obviously do not dream of marrying a prince. Feuilly has a job as a fan maker, and I try to get as much cash by delivering the newspaper, delivering messages between soldiers, cleaning windows for rich people. 

"Abella," Feuilly said. I was cooking some vegetable soup for the both of us to eat, and he just came back from his work. It was a lovely evening, the air was fresh and not too hot, and the little birds were chirping to go back to their nest.

"Yes, Feuilly?" I haven't really been able to talk with him much. He was always out with his friends or working late. I often ate dinner by myself and I was just so happy to be able to talk to him again.

"I know I haven't really been able to eat dinner with you... and I have a reason I haven't told you yet." 

I was quite surprised when he said that. He never kept secrets from me. He always told me everything, even if it was terrible. Once he had a huge debt but he told me and we both worked very hard to pay it back. I turned down the fire and sat down across from him. He straightened his back and cleared his throat.

"You know the Musain, right? The cafe?"

I nodded. I've worked there, cleaning the tables and handing out beer bottles to the customers.

"Well, a group of students, they call themselves Les Amis de l'ABC." 

We stopped the conversation since I heard a knock on the door. I looked at the clock. 5 o'clock. Then it must be him. I headed to the cupboard and got the basket of bread crusts. I walked over to the door and saw the little boy standing impatiently. Feuilly came over as well, with a surprised look on his face.

"Gavroche? What on earth are you doing here?"

"Hello, Feuilly. I'm just here to..."

The boy, Gavroche, took a peek at the basket and licked his lips. I scoffed and handed the basket to him. I told him to bring the basket back tomorrow and we said our goodbyes. After I closed the door Feuilly was giving me the look that said don't you have some explaining to do? So I gave the exact look back.

After we sat down again, I opened my mouth.

"That boy... I met him in the middle square. He was begging on the streets, you know, near the elephant statue, with his brothers. I promised him that I would give him bread crusts every Tuesday."

"And you didn't tell me?"

I rolled my eyes. 

"Don't you have some explaining to do? I believe that you were in the middle of it."

He just sighed and continued.

"Well, the group of boys... I met one of them. Bousset, I believe. He studies the law, although he astonishingly hates it. He invited me over to one of their meetings, and it was so inspiring. They often go on protests against the government to protest for the rights of the people. And the people in the gathering are all so different, one is named Joly and he is remarkably worried about his health, and he fights for those who must abandon medication for food, and..."

"You're part of them now, so you spend most of the nights drinking with them."

"Well, yes."

Was he hesitating to tell me that he was just part of a little rebellious community run by a group of students? I almost scoffed since it was so ridiculous that I thought that maybe that the police was after him.

"And I was wondering, Abella. If you would like to join the community."

I was confused. Not many women took part in protests these days. We were just told to leave it up to the men.

"We would love to have some female voices."

He was looking at me with that familiar look that gave me little furry feelings. Oh, Feuilly. I was never really able to say no to him. He was really like a brother to me.

"Okay then."

thanks for reading the first chapter of Roses for Revolution! This is my first book to write, and I hope you enjoy! Stay tuned for the next chapter!

Roses for Revolution//Les Miserables Fanfiction {Completed}Wo Geschichten leben. Entdecke jetzt