Miraculous One-Shots (Requests Open)

Chapter 3: It's Okay (Part 1)

"Chloé, what on earth..?!" Ms Mendeleiev started but then dropped the annoyed tone when she saw the girls. "What happened? Is there an akuma? Answers now."

"Miss Bustier is useless as a teacher. She can't see that Marinette needs help!" Chloé declared.

"She hasn't talked to you about ADHD management?" Ms Mendeleiev asked, and Marinette looked at her with hopeful eyes.

"You read my file?" she asked with a few tears in her eyes.

"Of course I did! It's my jobs to know about my student's wellbeing! Are you telling me..." Ms Mendeleiev asked but saw the blonde's look and then pinched her nose in annoyance.

"Vexing, isn't it?" the blonde said.

"Very. Now thank you Chloé, you may return to lunch. I would like to have a little chat with Marinette," Ms Mendeleiev said. Chloé gave a huffed and turned on her heel towards the door. She then felt herself freeze at the sentence Marinette then uttered.

"I don't think you're a bully," she said with a smile. Chloé said nothing but even the teacher could sense the smile appearing on her face before the girl left the room, closing the door behind her.

"Now, please have a seat," Ms Mendeleiev said, noting how Marinette's fidgeting sped up as she sat down. "You're not in trouble." Sure enough, the fidgeting slowed down.

"I'm not?" Marinette asked.

"No. I just want to ask you how you're managing in class. Is what Chloé said true?" Ms Mendeleiev asked.

"Yes... I'm slacking off when not paying attention, people think I'm making it up. I don't want people to know, they'll think I'm a liar... so I just... focus elsewhere," Marinette admitted.

"Why would people think you're a liar?" the teacher asked, noting how the fidgeting was going even faster now as Marinette was looking around the room to avoid eye contact.

"I don't..." Marinette stuttered. Seemed like there was a trigger word there. Liar. Hold on a moment. A certain student came to mind from her class who claimed to have arthritis. After not having a doctor's not, she hadn't believed her, but she had certainly not missed the look of fury on that student's face.

"Ah. Miss Rossi. You don't want to be linked to her do you? A liar," Ms Mendeleiev asked, making the girl freeze.

"You know she's a liar?" Marinette asked.

"Marinette, I have been a teacher for over fifteen years, I know all of the tricks in the book. Illness to get out of classes are more common than you think. Bringing it up in meetings... well it gets brushed to the side by our so called principal. Marinette... I think you should be in my class this afternoon. I will take care of your other class. Would you like that?" Ms Mendeleiev asked.

"Y-yes!" Marinette squeaked.

The poor girl's eyes were brimming with tears of joy that someone actually believed her. Ms Mendeleiev smiled but on the inside she was livid. How dare Caline let a student's mental health deteriorate to the point where she is clearly having issues! No! No akuma today. She was going to sort this the old fashioned way with what she did best. Provide actual discipline.

*****

Marinette was currently sitting in front of Ms Mendeleiev's class as the other students poured in. She recognised a few as Marc, Aurore, Jean, Wayhem and Mireille. They all gave her a wave but noticed her appearance. They asked if she was okay and did not push it when she nodded in response. The mood in here felt lighter already and Marinette didn't feel... as pressured or watched. Her desk was pushed a little forward in the front than others. No one was either side of her so her focus was now at the front of the class, with one blind being drawn so no sunlight was flickering in her eyes. It was oddly relaxing.