The Beating of Your Heart

Chapter 13

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

HE IS FUMING MAD.

I don't think I've ever seen someone this mad before.

"I want my money!" Montparnasse yells, punching the wall.

Also, I never thought I'd meet someone more driven by money than the Thénardiers... Guess I was wrong.

"She ruined it," he mumbles. "She always ruins everything."

The thing is, I don't know what he's still doing here. Eponine's not here, so shouldn't he be out in the streets looking for her? Or maybe he knows that she'll be coming back. In that case, I need to find her before that. But where could she be?

"You looking for something?" a voice suddenly whispers in my ear, making me jump.

I turn around in a flash, ready to hit whoever's there, when I recognize the little face, the distinct grin. I loosen up immediately.

"Gavroche," I tell him. "What are you doing here?"

I grab him by the arm and almost drag him behind the next building. I don't want Montparnasse to hear us.

"Hey," he starts. "You don't get called a street urchin if you don't live in the streets, now, do you? Besides, I've heard some things around."

He suddenly starts to pucker up his lips and make kissing sounds. It doesn't take me long to smack him behind the head.

"You heard nothing," I say.

"Yeah, yeah. Whatever you say."

I bend down to get to his eye level and smile on the corner of my mouth.

"No telling the boys, now. You understand?"

"These lips are sealed," he replies with a grin. "Oh, by the way, I believe that this is your lucky day."

"And why is that, may I ask?"

"I've got good news for you, sir. Well, good news for you, less good for her."

"Her? You mean-"

"Eponine? Aye. Just saw her not so long ago."

"What! Where?"

"Now, I told you, sir. My lips are sealed."

"Come on, Gavroche, spit it out. I don't have time to play games."

"Neither do I, sir. See, I've got a proposition for you. You know, you help me out and I help you out."

"Sounds fair," I sigh. "What'd you have in mind?"

"You see, since you left, this talk of revolution and such isn't going quite well."

"Then I'm sorry to hear it. But what does that have to do with anything?"

A smile suddenly spreads across his face.

"I want you to be our leader again," he declares.

I almost choke on my own spit.

"You've got to be kidding me," I tell him.

"Do I look like I'm kidding?"

"They won't want me back," I protest.

"You were just trying to help, Enjolras. They can't stay mad at you forever for that."

"Okay... So what do you want me to do? You want me to just march up the stairs of Café Musain and just take back my place?"

I look at him with an eyebrow raised.

"Umm..." he gulps. "Yes?"

I stare at him wide-eyed. He's serious. This little child is telling me the same thing Eponine told me earlier, except a lot less blunt. I am a coward. But that has lasted long enough.

"If I do this," I ask him, "you'll tell me where Eponine is?"

"It's a deal, sir. And don't worry, she won't be coming back to the inn before sunset."

I nod to myself before taking a deep breath.

"Okay," I say. "Okay, I'll do it."

A part of me is trying to convince myself that I'm doing this only for Eponine, but I know that it's not true. I still care about this rebellion. I still want to be a part of it.

And so I'm going back to Café Musain.

I'm taking back my place.

This rebellion is mine and it shall rise or go down with me in it.