Need Some Help

Forgiveness

***

Apologizing to Marinette had to be the weirdest one of all to Chloe. They'd been enemies, rivals, since, well, forever. Chloe had never thought of why, until today. She supposed the real reason she despised her so much was because she had everything that Chloe didn't. A supportive family, kind friends who genuinely cared about her, and an amazing life. Chloe had never had those things, but deep down, she had always wanted them.

"So, I'm sorry, for being so rude, and mean," Chloe finished. By now, she was fairly good at giving genuine apologies.

Marinette smiled at her. "Thank you, Chloe, for the apology. I'm sorry too, for not always being able to understand."

Well, Chloe hadn't expected an apology back. That was new. "So...we're good now?" she asked, a little uncertain.

"We're good." The two looked at each other and tried to smile a little. Zoe peeped her head in between them.

"You gonna, hug, or something?" she asked. Both Chloe and Marinette looked at her.

"Nope."

"Not there yet." All three of them laughed wholeheartedly.

As Chloe exited Marinette's bakery, she realized she'd been wrong about her. Marinette wasn't mean, or stuck up. She was kind and giving. Even after all those horrible things Chloe had done to her, she'd still been able to apologize. That took guts. In a way, Chloe had always looked up to Marinette. It wasn't like she worshipped, or idolized her. Just that, a part of her always wished she could be selfless like that, like Ladybug too. Now, maybe she could be.

***

Chloe let out a long, exasperated sigh. It was evening, and she had spent close to the entire day giving out apologies and asking for forgiveness. By now, she was just plain tired of it. Can't a girl take a break?

"Now who else do I have to beg forgiveness for?" Chloe asked Zoe, who was the one helping her do all of this in the first place. If it wasn't for her, she would've gone back to her old ways almost immediately.

"No one. You've done a good job today Chloe. I think you deserve a break," Zoe said with that bright smile of hers.

"Finally!" Chloe announced, flopping upright on her bed.

"Come with me," Zoe said as she grabbed her hand. "I have a surprise for you!" Chloe followed, a little eager as to what Zoe had planned.

***

"Ta-da!" Zoe declared a few minutes later. They were on the Couffaine's houseboat, surrounded by all of Chloe's classmates, and a few others, including Luka.

Chloe didn't feel comfortable. In fact, she felt as far from it as she could. These were the people she had bullied, the people who she had made fun of...what would they think of her now, after she had nearly caused the destruction of all of Paris?

"Hey Chloe," said Marinette. She sounded more cheerful than usual. But, that was reasonable considering that Chloe had personally apologized to her a few hours ago. The same for everyone else on the boat, although she wasn't sure if they had forgiven her. They looked cheerful enough...but she didn't know. How did they really feel about Chloe? Did they think she was incapable of changing her ways? Was she?

Stop it! She told herself. Worrying about what other people thought of you never got you anywhere. Chloe managed a weak smile, before pulling Zoe and herself over to the side, out of the spotlight.

"Are you alright?" Zoe asked, a little unsure.

"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?" Chloe said, with fake confidence. She couldn't explain to Zoe why she felt so uncomfortable being here.