The Beating of Your Heart

Chapter 9

CHAPTER NINE.

I HAVE NEVER BEEN THIS NERVOUS IN MY LIFE.

Javert -the Javert- is standing no more than two feet away from me in a small room where no one can find us, or so he hopes.

"So," he says.

"So," I reply, clearing my throat.

Before seeing him in person, I had a million things to tell him, but now... Yeah, I kind of feel like a coward. My brain doesn't seem to be able to function correctly and I'm sweating like mad. I must look like such a loser right now.

"You're wasting my time, boy."

"Okay, so, look... Umm, I mean, here it goes..." I clear my throat for like the millionth time. "You see..."

"Let me start, then. So Mademoiselle Eponine told me that she voluntarily got arrested to get a word with me and that she knew, for some reason, that you'd come to help her escape. Am I right up to here?"

"I, umm... I guess?"

"You guess? All right, let me tell you this, Monsieur. Whatever you had in mind before coming here, you can forget about it. I don't know what you kids are planning, but enough of my time has been wasted on your little games. I am head of the National Guard. I am Javert. Criminals tremble just hearing my name. You see, I don't have the time nor the will to spent any minute worrying about little kids that get arrested for fun. Do I make myself clear?"

"Umm, yes, sir, but-"

"No buts, Monsieur. I know who you are, Enjolras." I don't know why, but him saying my name just chilled every bone in my body. "I heard about this little rebellion of yours. Don't you think I don't know what's going on in Café Musain. And so I suggest that you stop all activities before someone gets hurt."

"But, Monsieur-"

"There we go again with the buts. I guess we'll just have to wait and see what the god in heaven has in store for you and them."

And with that he just marches away. I take a breath, which seems to be the first one I've taken since I got in this place.

Well, that didn't go as planned. I was supposed to make a deal with him. I was supposed to fix everything with the boys. But now? Now, I just look like a fool who has wasted all his money to get his friends killed before the rebellion even starts.

I make my way out of the National Guard and find myself face to face with Montparnasse and Eponine. Marius and Pierre are nowhere to be found.

"Where's-" I start.

"If you want to see Marius again," Montparnasse says.

"You'll give us the money, now," Eponine finishes.

I look at her in shock. I can't believe that she told Montparnasse that there was money involved. I thought she'd want to keep it all for herself. I look back down at her, but I notice a certain gleam in her eyes that wasn't there before. She looks hurt. Weird.

"Now," she insists, though I can hear a certain tremble in her voice.

"Sure," I reply sharply.

I dig in my pocket and toss her the bag of coins, which Montparnasse catches before it even has time to reach Eponine. He opens it and instantly smirks.

"I hope you got what you wanted," he says. "Pierre, you can let Marius go!" he yells to his left.

Marius suddenly stumbles in the open, gasping for air. I rush to him and he immediately collapses in my arms.

"Don't you ever," he tells me, "ever, associate yourself to them again."

I look back at Montparnasse who's smiling beyond his ears, and at Eponine, who's looking at me in such a weird way, I'm not sure I can describe it. It's like she wants me to feel pity for her. It won't work, Mademoiselle. It definitely won't work.

"Don't worry," I mumble.

"You two have a nice day," Montparnasse calls out, running away.

Eponine looks at me one more time before following Montparnasse towards her father's inn.

"Let's go," I let out. "Let's just get out of here."

Marius nods and soon we're making our way towards Café Musain, him with a limp, and me with the impression that my heart is getting squeezed in my chest.