Love Is Never Ugly

Chapter 4

Weeks passed, my old man promised to visit me but he either didn't show up or stayed for like an hour. Plagg would tutor me and Tikki would talk with me but it didn't fill the void. I was bored out of my mind so Plagg and Tikki gave me a magic mirror, they said it would allow me to see whatever I wanted. First I used the mirror's powers to spy on people I knew. First I spied on my father, as usual he was busy in the office yelling at his employees. Next was Nino who looked pretty upset and bummed, it turns out my father had told everyone I moved to a boarding school. Then I spied on Chloe and she was making out with several men. I remembered the last time she had spoken to me. It had been months ago when the curse first took hold, I had invited her to my house hoping to get a kiss and an "I love you."

"Adrien?" She said walking in. "Why is the room dark?"

"I...I...just wanted to make things romantic." I lied nervously. "Chole...do you love me?"

"Of course I do. You're rich and handsome."

"But what if I wasn't would you still love me?"

"What does it matter? You'll always be rich and handsome."

I was afraid she was going to say that.

"Will you kiss me?"

"Sure but hang on my make up is running, I need to check it." I tried to stop her from turning on the lights but I was too late and the room was filled with horrific screeches from her. "ADRIEN?!"

"I...I can explain."

"You're...you're hideous!" She headed for the door.

"Chloe wait! You said you loved me."

"That was when you were better like looking. Now you're a freak! A monster! Ugh! Call me when you get a makeover."

I had always suspected that Chloe never really, truly, loved me but I couldn't help but hope.

"Chloe wait, please don't tell anyone."

"Oh don't worry I won't! Everyone would laugh at me if they knew I was with...whatever you are."

She left and I never heard from her again except for when I spied on her once in a blue moon. Once I had seen everyone I especially knew I decided to just look up random people from my school, they were all just doing stuff that didn't interest me except for when I got to Marinette. She was in her room sewing something that seemed to be a hat. Now that I could see her in a better light I saw that she was beautiful. Without that stupid hat or her uniform I saw that she had midnight hair that shined like stardust and her eyes were a very deep blue that envied the heavens above and shamed the blue belle flowers that grew in spring time. My examination of her face was interrupted by an angry voice shouting.

"Marinette! Where are you?!"

A man ran into her room and seized her by her arm. Fear crossed her face but she calmly put down her work.

"Where is it?!"

"Where's what?"

"Don't play stupid! Where is it?!"

"I threw it out."

"Bitch!"

He slapped her, I almost jumped back.

"You...You promised us that you had stopped." She whimpered. "That you had gone to rehab."

"I only said that to shut up my stupid brother!"

He lunged for her but she ducked.

"Stay away from me!" She cried. "I'll call the cops!"

"You wouldn't call the cops on your uncle!"

Uncle? I thought.

"We're family and don't even think about running away because until my idiot brother and his wife come back from China I own you!"

She broke away from him and ran into the bathroom where she locked the door and began to cry. I wanted to go to her but what could I do? Weeks turned into months and eventually I got tired of moping around so I decided to just explore. At first I found nothing different, same old rooms with same old stuff but then I found a couple of rooms I had never been in before. Most of them were empty though and those that weren't had packages that were un opened. I remember my father saying that there were somethings he kept in storage, this must be his storage.

But one room that really interested me was one with a safe. My father's private safe which no one was allowed to look into not even my mother was allowed to look in it. But he hadn't been here in years so I said screw it and cracked the combination with my heightened senses. Inside were a few old designs he trashed, a few books, a miniature portrait of my mother, and a bunch of letters. Needles to say I got curious and decided to take a peek at those letters. They were addressed to me from my mother. I opened the first one and began reading it.

Dear Adrien

I'm so sorry I left you, really I am.

What happened between me and your father wasn't your fault.

I love you so much and if you still love me and can find in your

heart to forgive me then write me and I'll come back for you.

Love Mommy.

That letter was written a week after Mom left. I read another that was sent the next day and the next and the next. She had written me a letter everyday for the entire year she was gone and they all said the same thing.

I'm sorry

I love you

Just write back and I'll come home

I remember my father never letting me see the mail, he stole those letters and he kept them from me. Leaving me to believe that my mother never cared. That man had a lot of explaining to do and he would explain.

"Why did you keep Mother's letters from me?!" I said when he came for his next visit. I tossed the 365 letters on to the floor.

"Where did you get those?" He asked.

"I found them in your safe."

"You went in my safe!"

"Don't change the subject! You took these from me! And you lied to me about weather Mom tried to contact me! You knew how much I missed Mom why didn't you tell me?!"

"Because I knew you'd go with your mother if you knew she still loved and wanted you. I didn't want to lose you."

"No! You didn't want to lose your best model!" He snapped. "Where is she?! I wanna talk to her right now!"

"You can't!"

"Don't try to stop me!"

"No you can't because she's dead!"

"What?" I whispered.

He didn't answer for a five minutes then he spoke in a calm tone.

"She died in a car accident six months ago."

My heart shattered and my soul was destroyed. Dead, she was dead and buried. I turned to him with fury in my eyes.

"Get out." I whispered.

"Adrien."

"I said get out! I hate you! I never wanna see you again!"

He left while hanging his head in shame. He deserved to feel shame, I never saw or heard from him again after that for a long time. That's when I realized that I needed to do something otherwise I'd go insane and I did. I would tend to my mother's beloved roses. I broke the lock on the greenhouse, bought gardening supplies online, and pretty soon the greenhouse was once again alive with roses, my prized possessions.

"The greenhouse is beautiful Adrien." Tikki said.

"Thank you."

"Don't they make you happy?"

"No but they keep me sane."

"Have faith Adrien, sometimes unexpected things happen."

"Sure they do." I said