The Missing Purrincess

Chapter 20: Fake Friends

She didn't care that she was crying. She didn't care that he wasn't the one she was the most mad at. Honestly, she didn't even care how much she said to him.

---Nino's POV---

Holy freaking cow I found her! I actually found her! Like here Marinette is, In the flesh, looking... Scared? Why is she scared? Did I scare her? I guess she wouldn't have seen anyone for a week so maybe? 

"Marinette?! Dudette everyone's been..."

Marinette ran up to me and put her hand over my mouth. I got a good look at the small red thing that Marinette had hung from the celling. I couldn't even see the string. It was almost like it was floating like Wayzz did when I got to be Carapace. 

"MnmnMNMNmnMNMmnmnmnMNMNMnmNMnmNmn"

Marinette blushed a little and took her hand off my mouth.

"Sorry." She said. 

Marinette walked behind me and closed the door.

"Are you okay? Where have you been? Do you know how upset the class has been? I'm so sorry..."

I just kept rambling on and on the the poor chick as she looked out the window to see if anyone else was looking. She closed the blinds and berried her head in her hands.

"Nino did you bring anyone?"

"No?"

She sighed. Then noticed the thing she hung up.

"TIKKI!"

She ran up and plucked the thing off the string and hid it behind a plant. I didn't even see teh string break or fall, just her grabbing it and hiding it.

"What was that?" I asked.

"Nothing. What are you doing here Nino? You should be in class."

"I skipped. The more important question is why are YOU here? do you know how worried..."

"I KNOW!"

I was stunned silent. Marinette rarely yelled. The last time I had heart her sound so upset was the day she went missing. The time before that... I don't even know. A while ago. 

"Are you okay Marinette?"

She sighed and sat down on the floor. She motioned for me to sit by her and I did. 

"I can't believe this." She started, "What were you even doing out here?"

"Walking. Getting some air? I don't know."

She put her head in her hands again. As much as I wanted to ask her questions, I knew she must have a bunch for me. We were both in shock clearly. 

"Why did you leave?"

Marinette looked at the floor. Tears filling her eyes.

"You guys didn't need me."

I was shocked. How could she think that? Were we really that cruel to her?

"Dude I..."

"And I don't need fake friends either."

--- Marinette's POV---

I was panicking. Nino had found me? How? Nobody ever came this way anymore. What was he even doing out this way? And how DARE he try to be my friend now.

"What do you mean fake friends?"

"Friends who turn on you when there's a better offer? Friends who SAY they'll believe you and trust you, but when a newer shiner friend comes along, you get tossed aside?! THAT is a fake friend Nino."

Nino said nothing as I unloaded everything onto him. As Ladybug, I couldn't give Alya the verbal whooping I wanted to because I couldn't let her know who I really was. With Nino here? Yeah. I was mad and getting madder. 

"People who believe someone who had admitted to being a liar with some stupid lying disease over somebody they've knows since kindergarten!? Friends who tell you they trust you then scream at them with no explanation the SECOND they walk into class?! NO HEY MARINETTE DID YOU DO THIS? NOPE APPARENTLY I DON"T DESERVE THAT!" 

I didn't care that I was crying. I didn't care that Nino wasn't the one I was the most mad at.  Honestly, I didn't even care how much I said to him. I just wanted to scream. Scream and yell and let everything out and he was here.

"NOPE! NOT AT ALL! I GUESS THAT MARINETTE DUPAIN-CHENG IS A COMPLEATE NOBODY TO YOU! Who cares if I was your everyday Ladybug? WHO CARES If I actually knew Jagged Stone and could prove it? WHO CARES if I had literally never been mean to anyone at school, even freaking CHLOE! CLEARLY I MUST BE A HORRIBLE BULLY HUH?!"

Nino wouldn't make eye contact with me. He just stared at the ground between his legs like he wanted it to open up and for him to fall in.

"Lets see. I got rid of Julika's photo curse, I helped Mark and Nath write their comic, I helped get you and Alya together, I sew costumes for Kitty Section, I tried to give Max my place at the video game contest just because he was sad, I was nice to CHLOE every time she was horrible to me, I said nothing about the drama going on behind the scenes, I just minded my business."

Nino looked up at me. He took off his cap and put it on the floor next to him. I continued,

"I have never been akumatized, I have actually HELPED Cat Noir in MULTIPLE akumas before, I fill in for people when their out, I GAVE UP ON ADRIEN when he started liking Kagami JUST because I wanted him to be HAPPY! I FORGAVE Chloe for everything because she was becoming a better person!"

Tikki snuck out of her hiding place and gave me a hug. She was behind me so Nino couldn't see her, but I could feel her warmth. 

"I left, because I couldn't stay Nino." I sighed, realizing just how much I unloaded on him. I felt a little better, but not completely.

"Are you happy here?"

"What?" I leaned forward, and Nino met my eyes. Brown clashing against blue and I could see every thought in his head. A mix of guilt, anger, frustration, and compassion. 

"Are you happier without everyone else? Are you happy like this? Alone?"

"I-I don't know." I sighed. It was true. I still couldn't tell him about the Ladybug stuff, but I did know that distancing myself from everything else didn't help me process it properly. That was evident by me screaming my head off at Nino after not seeing him for a week.

"Figure it out. I don't know how long I can keep this a secret dude."