Alone

Chapter 14

"Adrien?" Marinette asked herself as she made her way into the classroom.

Marinette could never have been happier. Seeing Nino, Alya and Adrien safe and sound had managed to lift the heavy weight of guilt off of her shoulders. Marinette smiled to herself and leaned her hand on the door blocking her path.

Marinette pushed the door open with a bright smile on her face. But her smile faded when she saw Lila sitting next to Adrien on the front seat and Alya and Nino in the second row. Lila was smiling at Marinette while Alya was looking at the sky through the window. Marinette glanced at Nino who was wearing his headphones and seemed to be scrolling through his playlist. Marinette looked towards Adrien whom she knew would understand her. But what she saw in his eyes made Marinette want to sink through the floor.

Adrien was staring right back at Marinette, his eyes burning flames. His lips were twisted in an angry frown as he took in Marinette's presence, scrutinizing her. His eyes radiated surges of anger, hatred and disgust as they wandered back towards Marinette's face. The beautiful green eyes that Marinette had once fallen for were now flaming orbs of hostility. Hostility towards Marinette. 

"Marinette. Please take your seat." Said Miss Bustier.

Marinette looked at the red-headed woman, hoping to get an answer. Instead, Marinette was met with her teacher's grim expression silently asking Marinette to take her seat without causing further disappointment. Head hung low, Marinette walked to the last row with a heavy heart. She slumped down on the benches and buried her head in her hands.

She wanted to disappear. To dissolve into thin air. To never resurface again. But most importantly, she wanted to be alone. She had never been left alone in her life. She had had her parents, then Miss Bustier, Alya, Adrien, Tikki and Chat Noir. But now, she didn't know who to turn to. Everyone seemed to be against her.

Marinette wanted to hide. And then it clicked. The reason why she had been crouching behind the seat was now presented to Marinette on a silver platter. She had been hiding from something. Or rather, someone...

"Lila..." Marinette sighed into the desk.

Her body, overcome by exhaustion drifted to sleep while her mind remained fully awake. It kept replaying Chat's death in Marinette's head oddly having captured all the details from his dimming green eyes to his bleeding stomach as if it were all a reality. In her sleep, Marinette felt a small pat on her thigh. She slowly lifted her head and peered down at Tikki poking her head out of her purse. Having no reason to stay awake, Marinette returned her head to her crossed arms but ended up with a cheek full of moisture. She glanced down at the table to see that she had been sleeping in a pool of her own tears. Sighing, Marinette took out a napkin to wipe the tears off of the table.

Before she even knew it, it was already lunchtime. Marinette lifted her head from the table to see Alya walking out of the classroom without a glance in her direction. Marinette still had no idea what was going on and she was determined on finding out what was happening. She quickly got up and trailed behind Alya to their usual meeting spot.

"Alya?" Called Marinette.

Marinette was done trying to be patient. She was done waiting for answers. She knew that she wasn't going to get any answers until she forced Alya to spill the truth.

But naturally, Alya completely ignored Marinette and continued walking. Having had enough, Marinette ran past Alya and blocked Alya's path. Marinette walked closer to Alya and placed both hands on Alya's shoulders, slightly jerking the brunette. Marinette stared into Alya's hazel eyes but Alya wouldn't meet the bluenette's gaze.

"Talk to me." Said Marinette.

It wasn't a request. It was an order. Marinette was done being nice. If being nice made everyone abandon her, then she was done being the victim.