I was awoken by a sudden shake.

"Wake up, lovebirds," Grantaire joked, clapping his hands together in hopes to annoy us. Enjolras and I sat up and I rubbed my tired, burning eyes. My head pounded like a drum and I began to regret drinking all of that wine the night before.

"Are you alright?" Enjolras asked, noticing my state. He expressed concern and laid his warm hand on my shoulder.

"I'm fine," My head felt as though somebody has banging it with a hammer. But, I chose my words carefully. I didn't want Enjolras to be concerned for me. He had a rebellion on his shoulders and he didn't need to worry about me.

"We need to prepare," Enjolras returned to his usual self, standing up and dusting himself off.

Combeferre jogged into the room, his cheeks inflating and deflating with each breath. "We have enough gunpowder for today, but we will need more if we are expecting an army," He smirked at us.

He stepped over to Enjolras and whispered, "So, what happened last night? Did you.." He made sexual moves with his body.

"No!" Enjolras punched Combeferre's arm, scoffing harshly. Combeferre began to laugh uncontrollably as he rubbed his arm. He looked at me and I rolled my eyes, standing up and adjusting my dress. I walked outside to see what was going on with the other boys. They all seemed hung over from the night before, which wasn't a surprise at that point. I'll tell you one thing, it was not a pretty sight. I saw Courfeyrac sitting on top of the barricade, apart from the other students. I climbed up the barricade and joined him. He didn't bother to look at me. His eyes stayed glued to the scenery before us.

"What are thinking about?" I tried to be subtle, but it was difficult with a question like that. I folded my hands in my lap and waiting for a response.

He turned to me, "Hm? Oh, just about tonight. When the armies come,"

"What about it?" I scratched my chin.

"I...I don't want to die," He sounded as though he was about to tear up. His voice was hoarse and little-kiddish. I didn't expect him to say something like that. "I'm afraid." He turned to me, his eyes glossy with tears. I thought of how to respond to what I was hearing.

"Me neither. But, if you really have a burning passion for the revolution, then you'll fight anyway. Even if it's to the death," I sat closer to him, trying to comfort him.

"I have a passion. But I feel this little pain and it's telling me 'you are too afraid and you're going to die here,' you know?"

I nodded. I was sure everybody felt that in some way.

"What's that?" Courfeyrac perked up.

"What?"

"Sh! Everybody, listen!" he held a finger to his lips. Everybody fell silent, even Grantaire.

Footsteps pounded against the stone road leading to the barricade. There was pure silence before Enjolras grabbed a musket and climbed the huge pile of destroyed furniture. The others, including me, followed his actions. I climbed, making sure to be covered by a chair. I was next to Enjolras. There were soldiers that were creeping closer and closer. My heart was beating out of my chest.

"Halt! Draw!" a large commander was towards the side of the men.

"There are three rows of men. This shouldn't be too hard," Enjolras' voice sounded confident, but his face said otherwise. I held my gun tight in my arms.

"Who's there?" the commander shouted to us.

Enjolras exchanged looks with his partners before he answered. "French Revolution!"

"Fire!"

Gunshots rang through the air. I ducked my head under the chair that was in front of me. There was yelling and screaming all around. I raised my gun and aimed at a soldier.  With one flick of my finger, he was lying dead in a pool of his own blood that puddled around his body.

Gasping, I thought, Did that really just happen?

I turned to my side to see that Enjolras was gone. I whipped my head around everywhere, trying to find him somewhere.

•{ENJOLRAS' POV}•

I grabbed the gunpowder and furiously and reloaded my gun. Next thing I knew, Adéle was by my side.

"Hand me a different gun!" she shouted over the noise. I did as she ordered and she raced back to the top of the barricade without another word. I finished reloading and joined her. Our condition was getting worse. The soldiers were now starting to advance closer. They would soon be climbing over the barricade. My men and I had to act fast if we were to live and keep this revolution from crumbling. I shot one more soldier before I ran down again to reload. Adéle remained on top fo the barricade.

"Adéle, get down from there!" I screamed. I dropped my gun but it was too late. There was a piercing crack as I witnessed her body go limp. I caught her before she tumbled to the ground. I dropped to my knees, my entire body clipping with the sudden weight.

"Fall back or I blow the barricade!" I heard Marius threaten. I didn't bother to look up. I felt a hot tear stream down my face as I looked at Adéle.

"No!" She cried. I tried to move her hand away from her bullet hole but she refused. Red blood was rapidly staining her clothes. "Stop!" There was shouting all around me. I persisted, not listening to her. I needed to help her. She could live. She needed to live. I felt cold droplets of rain on my bare arms. "It's okay!" her face was blackened from smoke and her hair was tangled in a ratty mess, but she still was beautiful to me. Her amber eyes were watery. When she noticed the silky tears that dripped down my face she whispered. "Don't cry for me," She smiled despite the pain. A tear rolled down her smoke-stained cheek. "Promise me you'll take care of my family?"

"I can save you!" I cried, frantically examining her wounds. Everything was blurred together.

"No," she grabbed my face and held my face in her hands. "it's alright." she stroked my cheek. Her chest grew and shrunk with each of her labored breaths. I tried to smile back, but it was so difficult. She grunted and her body jerked. I hugged her tight, trying to comfort her the best I could. I stroked her hair and brow. The screaming and shouting of my friends stopped. Everything was silent except for the hum of the rain in the back of my mind.

"I love you, Adéle," My voice cracked. She became blurry through the tears. She pulled me close to her face, trying to kiss me one last time.

"I love y-" she couldn't get the words out before her head fell back and her hands dropped from my face. I balled. I couldn't stop the tears.

"Damn you, bastards!" I screamed at the soldiers. "Damn you! You killed her!" I screamed with such force that my throat burned. "You killed her!

She was dead.

I noticed my friends were watching me sympathetically.

I kissed her on the head and held her in my arms, rocking back and forth on my knees. There I sat, my cries echoing throughout the place. I knew all eyes were on me. Marius came and sat next to me, trying to make me feel better, but it didn't help. He then carried her body away from me with help from Combeferre. I snorted up my snot to see Grantaire standing above me. A wine bottle was in this outstretched hand. Without speaking, I took it from him.

---

I fell asleep that night, trying my hardest not to think about Adéle. But everything somehow led to her. I just couldn't believe she was gone. She didn't deserve to die. I was determined to show them what they had done. 

I am going to avenge Adéle.