Of Glitter and Gold

Chapter 26

"Hey, is that your old school, Marinette?"

The bluenette froze, turning to look out Damian's window. Right in front of her were the steps of Francois Dupont, students collected around the steps. Marinette could have sworn she saw Chloe Bourgeois' classic yellow and white ensemble disappear behind the large wooden doors. Everyone followed her lead and looked at students congregating on the stone steps of the school.

Marinette sat back down in her seat before her eyes could look for the people she never wanted to see ever again.

Damian snapped at them to stop crowding that side of the car and to return to their seats, shutting their questions down as Marinette blankly stared forward. She nodded when someone deftly asked if it was where she used to go to school. Shoving everything deep down, Marinette diverts everyone's attention to the now visible Champ-Elysees as the car moves forward again.

Eventually the group pulled into an underground parking lot of a multi story, modern, white building. The second car pulled in behind them, everyone was quick to climb out and stretch, Mme. Ruiz and M. Bernard led the students towards the lobby while the drivers parked and waited for them.

"Wow, this place is beautiful." Marinette breathed out, the lobby was modern but not stiff. There were colorful couches and art, homey decor. Everyone patiently waited as Mme. Ruiz approached the kind looking receptionist. They spoke, a glass desk with gold corners, the receptionist had a polite smile as she handed a manila envelope over to the teacher.

Mme. Ruiz walked back to the class, opening the large envelope.

"Okay, we have an odd number of boys and girls so some of you are going to have to be three in a room but don't worry we made sure to try and make the arrangements as accommodating as possible." M. Barnard pulled a list out of his satchel, listing off the pairs.

"Lilith and Sophie D."

"Carrie and Liann."

"Sophie L. and Jocelyn."

"Alex and Maddie Valin and Marinette." The Valin sisters were really sweet, both brunettes. Alex was older, in the same grade as Marinette with a wide smile. She towered over Marinette and her younger sister Maddie at 5'5. Maddie was a freshman and had a more shy personality, she was at least four inches taller than Marinette.

"Maya Vega and Christine."

"Christopher and Greg."

"Henry and Javi. Damian, your parents asked you to be roomed alone." Everyone seemed satisfied with their sleeping arrangements, Marinette glowered at Damian for having the fortune of having his own room, he smirked back as the two Valin girls started excitedly pestering her about it being like an extra long sleepover.

"Oh we can get the other girls to come over after dinner so we can all watch a movie!" Alex exclaimes, locking her and Marinette's arms as they grab their keys and head towards the elevator.

"Remember, we're just going to drop our bags off and then we need to get something to eat." The class squeezed into two elevators heading for the third floor, girls to the left and boys to the right of the elevators. The students eagerly made their way into the rooms. Marinette looked at the number written on her and her roommates' keys, 325, they were towards the very end of the hall as numbers grew higher the further they walked away from the elevator.

Alex used her key to open the door, their room had a little hallway with a door to each side. One for the bathroom and the other for a closet. The trio walked further into the room, there were two full sized beds and a desk, and two wardrobes under a nicely sized television. There was a red armchair tucked into the corner of the room, its upholstery matched the fabric that made the decorative pillows neatly placed on the white beds.