Chapter Text
8.26
Fantine and her daughter, Cosette, waited in the car for the bus to arrive. Cosette patiently waited in the passenger’s seat, on her phone and listening to music. The bus was supposed to arrive fifteen minutes ago, but it was late, as always. For the past two school years, they had no permanent bus driver, resulting in constant tardiness. This angered all the parents, but the school never seemed to care. School started in twenty five minutes. That was just enough time for Fantine to drive Cosette to school. “Do you want a ride, Cos?” the mother asked. Cosette shook her head. “I can get out now so you can get there early, mom.”
“Alright. Text me if anything happens. ” Cosette stepped out of the car, backpack and purse in hand. “I love you, hon!”
“Love you, Mom!”
Cosette closed the car door, and her mom slowly pulled out of the parking lot. She walked over to a nearby bench, where the rest of her friends were sitting. “Look who’s out of the car,” Marius teased. Cosette laughed, rolling her eyes. “Good morning everyone, except Marius.” Éponine ran up to the blonde girl.
“Cos!”
“‘Ponine!”
The two hugged, then pulled away. Cosette looked Éponine up and down, loosely grabbing a piece of her hair. “Did you grow your hair out?” Éponine nodded. “It’s not too bad, is it?”Her dark brown hair, which was usually kept short, now reached her back. “Of course it’s not bad. I love it.” The two girls continued to talk on and on. They hadn’t seen each other all summer. All they were able to do was call and text, which was rather hard because Éponine’s phone had been broken since April.
“Alright, alright,” Grantaire, the oldest amongst them, said. “Before the bus comes… we got you something, Cos.” He pulled out a slightly smushed honey bun from his backpack, handing it Cosette. “Your favorite, from the gas station. Happy birthday!” “Happy birthday to you…” Marius started singing. Éponine and Grantaire joined in. “Thanks,” Cosette smiled. “I’ll save this for lunch. “Thirteen… she’s all grown up.” Marius said, faking tears. The bus arrived a few minutes later. Shortly before they arrived at the school, Cosette took out her phone. “Can everyone get in the frame? I wanna take a photo!”
Marius, Grantaire, Éponine, and Cosette all huddled close together, smiling and giggling. “Happy first last day!” Cosette laughed. It was true. Today was the group’s first day of eighth grade. One last year before they all split apart.
…
Fantine rushed out of the car, grabbing her teacher ID and going up to one of the doors. She was panicking. There was unexpected traffic on the way to the school, and it was almost time for the doors to open. She sped-walked through the halls, trying to find her classroom and awkwardly waving “hi” and “good morning” to other teachers and staff that passed her by. Wandering around the school, she still couldn’t find it. Just when she had given all hope, the sound of footsteps approached. “…Are you alright?” a gentle voice asked.
Behind her was an older gentleman, around forty or so. He was tall and had glasses and had black hair, which was beginning to turn gray. “Yes, I’m… fine. Sorry.” Fantine nervously murmured. “Do you know where room 224 is?” The man nodded, pointing. “It’s three halls down and up the stairs. I can show you, if you’d like.” The woman nodded. “Yes, I would. Thank you, sir.” The two walked to the other side of the school, and Fantine finally saw the 224 sign outside one of the doors. She sat her stuff down, sighing. She had so much stuff to do, and getting lost took out a massive chunk of her time. “Are you the new health teacher?” the man asked. Fantine nodded, beginning to unpack her belongings.
“Fantine… Thomolyès.”
“Jean Valjean. I teach eighth history right down the hall.”
Bing! Bing! Bing!
The 8 o’clock bell rang, and the entrance doors opened. The kids shuffled inside, heading to their classes and starting their days. “It sounds like a stampede down there…” Fantine said. “As usual.” Valjean laughed. “Well, I better get going. Find me if you need anything!” Fantine smiled. “Goodbye, and thank you!” As of now, homeroom had just begun. Thirty minutes to herself before she had a class. Fantine looked at her classroom, taking a deep breath, and sighing. Today was going to be a long day.
…
It was 8:10. Five minutes before kids were officially marked “tardy.” The bus had just arrived at school. “So, none of us have the same homeroom?” Grantaire asked. “I don’t think so.” Éponine responded, getting in line to get breakfast. “I’ll see you all around!” Everyone went their separate ways, heading to homeroom. Cosette had glanced over her schedule on her phone, trying to remember as much as she could. (This failed.) Luckily, she remembered her homeroom— Mr. Javert, one of the math teachers. She had never had him before, but her friends and people she knew said he was… alright.
Cosette entered the classroom, which was surprisingly quiet. In the front of the classroom was Mr. Javert, taking attendance and handing out papers. She walked up to him. “Name?” he said. “Cosette Adrienne.” He nodded, handing her a locker code and schedule. Cosette headed outside the classroom, finding her schedule and dropping off her stuff. She debated taking her notebooks, wondering if they would do any work today. They wouldn’t make us do anything on the first day, right…? she thought. But, anything could happen, though. Cosette’s seat was in the back of the class, away from the rather loud and annoying kids in the front. She recognized the boy sitting next to her— Jean or Jehan something—, but did not bother to say hi.
It was soon 8:30, and homeroom was over. Looking at her schedule, which was neatly placed in the front sleeve of her binder, she had to head to the gym. On the way there, Cosette managed to find Éponine and Marius walking in the same direction. “Hey!” she called out. “You guys have gym also?” They both nodded. “With who?” “Thomolyès,” Éponine said. “I have someone else.” Marius responded. The three walked down the hallway and into their separate locker rooms. After that, they headed up to the gym.
Everybody was sitting down with their classes. Éponine showed Cosette who Mr. Thomolyès was, since they were in the same class and Cosette had never had him before. He was just beginning to take attendance. Everyone was sitting down on the floor. “Cosettte Adrienne?” he called out. Cosette raised her hand. “Here!” Éponine messed with her hair. “Anyone we know in this class?” Cosette slowly nodded, pointing. “Well, Félicien and Laigle are over there.”
The two boys Cosette pointed at were Félicien Feuilly and Philipe Bossuet, who everyone called Laigle. Feuilly was a half-Polish, half-American red headed and freckled boy who made bracelets. Last year, he made a pink bracelet with stars for Cosette, who gave it to Éponine as a birthday present. Meanwhile, Laigle was half-African, half-French, and known around the whole school for being extremely unlucky. During fights, he’d always find himself in the middle of them and get b injured more than the actual fighters did. Anytime the nurse’s office door opened, the nurse always expected it to be Laigle, involved in yet another weird accident.
Feuilly and Laigle were a part of the “popular, but not obnoxious” group, along with Grantaire and Marius and their other friends.
“We kind of know them,” Cosette said.
“…Do we go over?” Éponine reluctantly questioned.
“Of course!” Cosette cheerfully answered. “More friends for us.”
The two girls went over to the boys. “Hi!” Cosette greeted. Éponine shyly waved. “Hey, Cosette. ‘Ponine. Happy birthday.” Feuilly greeted. After sitting down, the four began to talk and laugh, as if they had always been friends. Around fifteen minutes passed, and the teachers all told the kids to assemble in the middle of the gym, where they stood in front of them. “We’re gonna start calling names for gym lockers,” Thomolyès announced. “When your teacher calls you, come grab your code and find your locker downstairs.”
For the rest of gym (which was rather uneventful), Éponine and Cosette spoke with their new friends.
…
Fantine successfully hooked her computer up to the board, relieved. The late bell for second period had just rang, and students began to sit down. Fantine stood in the front of the class, and began talking. “Hello, everyone,” she said. “I’m Ms. Fantine, your health teacher for this quarter.” She started handing out syllabi and other papers. “I didn’t make a seating chart, so, feel free to sit wherever you like. Just don’t interrupt teaching.”
Grantaire looked around the classroom, searching for a familiar face. A few kids he talked to occasionally, kids he didn’t like, and… someone he recognized? People already moving around to sit next to their friends blocked his few, but from afar, he looked pretty familiar… And, there was an empty seat right next to him. Grantaire grabbed his stuff, moving up a row and into the empty seat. The boy next to him didn’t pay him any mind. “Hi, Marcelin!” There was a beat of silence between the two.
Is that not him…? Grantaire thought. I just embarrassed myself if—
“…Hello.”
Grantaire laughed. “So it is you, Marc?
“I missed you, dude!”
“…Sorry I didn’t text much. I was in—“
“France! I remember.” Grantaire smiled. “It’s fine, though. Hope you had fun.”
Marcelin Enjolras was known as many things to different people. To friends, he was brave and witty and funny. To those who barely knew him, he was a privileged rich kid or a shy, yet charming boy. To adults, he was reserved and intelligent. His closest friend, Sebastién Grantaire, seemed to be the complete opposite. He was silly and artsy and a band nerd. Always hanging out with his friends, or writing and drawing alone. Thought the two were complete opposites, they were the best of friends.
Fantine began talking again, explaining the contract guardians had to sign and the syllabus. Grantaire subconsciously zoned out, as usual. But, one thing did seem to catch his attention… “Marc,” Grantaire whispered. “What?”
“Doesn’t Ms. Fantine looked familiar?”
“…Not really, but, explain.”
“I totally feel like I’ve seen her before.”
For the rest of class, Grantaire internally discussed hypotheticals with himself and Enjolras. When he finally reached a conclusion, he almost let out an audible “aha!”.