{Fantine}
What could I do? Ten francs would save Cosette. My beautiful little girl.
The woman saw my moment of vulnerability and seized it. She started to walk. "Follow," she commanded. I nodded and followed her.
We arrived to this area that was partially covered. Candles lit the small area. I saw a glint of light flash across the surface of the knife and it became so real to me. She was going I cut off my hair. Who knows what she would be doing with it later I don't know.
She took the knife slashing, and cutting at my hair. I didn't feel pain only sadness. I could feel her pulling my hair up straight from the scalp and sawing at it. It wasn't completely painful, the pain I endured was bearable. I just hoped all the time that her small, skinny, fragile hands wouldn't let go of the blade. Wouldn't let the blade accidentally slip.
She finished and placed ten francs in my hand. "On with you then!"
I walked on. I realized I was as desperate as those women- the prostitutes. I couldn't dispute that.
The night was now. Every where I looked there was darkness. My lace quickened while I tried to exit the docks quickly. The men where just now reaching the area and the women were coming out. I didn't want to be mixed in the confusion.
Then it hit me. I realized where was I to go. Where could I go? No where to turn. I was by myself. I was only hoping Cosette was not as unfortunate as me. Of course she wasn't. She was in good hands with the innkeeper and his wife. I trust them.
I was all alone though. Nobody was going to help me. The people turn away. The people ignore me. Just because they ignore me though, doesn't mean I can't sense that I am the reason why they whisper, and the reason why they walk so far and fast. I know from these people no help would ever come to me. They would not help me.
Nobody was going to help me. I had ten francs now for this month, but what about for the next time? The time after that? Would I be able to save Cosette. I had to. Cosette had done nothing wrong, she was innocent. It was all his fault. Her father. There was no point in finding him if I could. No proof that Cosette was his child.
I walked back to Madame Rosalie's and retrieved my belongings from underneath the dumpster. There was a boy and a girl, asleep I thought, outside her house. I retrieved my items trying to not disturb their sleep, but the girl who looked like she was seven maybe nine at the most woke up. She looked at me and her eyes widened. She looked towards the boy who was still fast asleep. She turned back towards me and she relaxed this time for some reason. I smiled at her and she smiled back and then just sat propped up against the wall.
I left the children there. I know I should've tried to find them help, but I needed help myself. I walked down the streets till I came to a corner. I decided I might as well try to sleep now and find work tomorrow.
I laid my head down to sleep. Trying not to think of what happened today. Trying to think of Cosette. Cosette was what always gave me the will and the strength to go on.
{Gabrielle}
Enjolras looked at me smiling brightly. I returned it. He looked pleased at this. I guess he assumes it's a sign that he's forgiven. I do forgive him...for the most part. A part of me is still upset at him. He had no right to say those things. I would try and get over it though. I knew in my heart, what he said was true.
"Let's go!" he shouted cheerfully.
He got out of the corner and started running. I followed as quick as I could. We were running through the streets of Saint Michele. I could keep up with him easily. This surprised him.
He led me all through the town he's stop, say something about a building, the people here, just something then we'd be on our way again.
He led me to say Saint German. Saint German was where the wealthy families lived. He stopped in front of a house that was easily a mansion.
"You wanna know a secret?" he asked. I nodded.
After a minute passed, I looked up at him and saw his face. He was looking at the house. He looked like he was trying to figure out how to explain something.
"This is my house," he whispered. I looked up to him to see if he were joking. I could tell he wasn't.
"You're rich?" I gasped. In all the time I knew him- well it's only been one day, but still all this time I never thought he was rich. I thought he was like me. Abandoned and alone.
He nodded slowly.
"Why would you lie?" I asked.
" 'Cause if anyone knew they'd all treat me like I was just another spoiled Saint German kid. They wouldn't think I was one of them. The people there, they're dying while we're here relaxing in bed, and always having enough to eat," he shook his head, "It's not right."
"Why did you tell me the truth? Am I the only one who knows?" I asked. I was curious if Madame Rosalie knew.
"Madame Rosalie knows." Well that answers that. "I told you because...I'm not sure. I thought you weren't some gossiper. I mean you're only nine and you're parents were thieves. Have you ever had any friends?" he asked. He didn't mean to be rude. He didn't mean to ask in a rude way.
"No," I answered truthfully. I haven't had any friends.
"Well I'm your friend. Your best friend," he replied.
"My only friend," I corrected. He flinched when I said that. It hurt him that I thought he was only my best friend by default.
"But even if I had more friends," I went on, "You'd still be my best friend." He looked at me when I said this and his face brightened up.
"I'll take you back to Madame's house," he said. He was smiling, his white teeth flashing.
We ran back through Saint Michele to Madame Rosalie's house. He took me inside her house. He spoke a few words to Madame in a hushed tone but he sounded cheerful and excited.
When he finished talking he smiled a me and said, "You have a room inside for the rest of the night."
I looked at him in shock. Then I smiled.
"See you tomorrow morning," he said. He smiled one last time before leaving the house and closing the door tightly shut behind him.
"Wow," Madame said behind me, "that boy must love you." She said it in a voice barely above a whisper so I assumed she didn't want me to hear it. I blushed though.
I did really like Enjolras. He was pretty, and he was honest. Sometimes brutally honest. He was beautiful though. His eyes were this beautiful light blue. His hair was a tangled mess of golden curls, but on him they didn't look messy just natural. He had skin that wasn't pale, yet it wasn't completely tan. It was some shade in the middle.
"Well you best be gettin' to bed," Madame said.
When she spoke, I jumped. I had lost focus thinking of the boy.
"Yes you're right," I replied, "Where am I supposed to sleep?"
"By the fire on the mattress," she replied.
I looked up and was amazed. There was a mattress. Next to a fire. It had covers and pillows! It would be the best night's rest I ever had.
{Enjolras}
Gabrielle knew the darkest secret of my life, and she still wants to be my friend. My best friend.
I had spoke to Madame Rose about it all. About where I took her, about what I told, about what I felt for her.
She was only two years younger all in all. It didn't matter. She was very pretty. She was beautiful. Her hair was black, but when the sunlight hit it it looked amazing and not at all dark. She had the most stunning blue eyes I had ever seen in the course of my life. She had pale skin, but for her actually worked and didn't make her look sickly. She was skinny though- too skinny like she hasn't eaten for many days, who knows if she actually has.
I thought only about her as I walked the streets of Saint Michele back to Saint German. It was a long way so I had plenty of time to think.
She was a Saint Michele girl though. My mother would never let me even consider being friends with her. She'd have to be a secret from my mother. After all, they were wanting me to marry some girl in a family in the same class as ours. Not a girl who's parents abandoned her who lives on the streets.
"This woman needs a doctor! Help! You boy help!" I heard a man shout towards me. I looked at him and saw his panicked expression, his eyes dilated with fear.
"Nice try Thénardier!" I shouted back and took off running.
"Damn it kid!" I heard him say.
Thénardier. M. Thénardier really trying to steal money from me. Please, he would have to do much better. Their inn is just a town over. I don't understand why they aren't over there working it. At least they should be watching over their children. Éponine and Azelma.
Monsieur Thénardier was a fool for thinking I would fall for some scam. So was his wife.
Running madly, it was a few minutes only before I reached Saint German. I walked up the way to my house.
"Home!" I shouted. My mom worried constantly about my "adventures" outside of the house. "Adventures," going to Saint Michele, trying to help the poor while not getting thieved from. Complicated yes but hardly an adventure. She doesn't know I always go to Saint Michele. She would lock me in the house forever if that happened.
I really wished Madame was my mother. I wished my story that I told everyone was true. The story of how Madame had raised me since birth almost until I was five and begged her to let me go on my own on the streets. It wasn't true though. No matter how much I wished it was true.
I walked up the elegant stairwell to my room. Funny thing. I pretend all day to be poor, but at the end of the day I'm still a rich Saint German kid. No matter how much I wished I could help, there wasn't that much I could do exactly.
I pretend to be poor but this staircase with all its marble could be sold and feed easily twenty families of Saint Michele.
I pretend to be a kid like Gabrielle when in the end of the day for me it's my imagination, but for her it's her reality.
I thought of her and was immediately depressed. She didn't deserve to live on the streets. No one did. It wasn't fair. Change needed to happen. Something had to happen.
I thought of everything I could do and that was when I fell asleep.