Alya had just arrived at school. She scanned the students, looking for Nino, when a voice behind her spoke.
"Hey, I saw your post on the Ladyblog. How'd you get grounded?"
Alya jumped. "Marinette!" She whirled around to face her best friend. "Don't scare me like that!"
Marinette stepped forward until she was in alignment with Alya. "Sorry. You seem really tense, though. So tell me, how'd you get grounded?"
Alya had a response prepared, but she really didn't want to use it. "Uh- I was on my phone after midnight..?"
Marinette crossed her arms. "Come on, you've gotten off scot-free doing worse. What did you do?"
"I let Nino come over without her permission..." Alya grudgingly admitted.
Marinette raised an eyebrow, probing for more.
Alya facepalmed. "We both slept in my bed..."
"Oh my god, Alya!" Marinette looked like she would burst out laughing. "No wonder you got grounded!"
"Shut up!" Alya tried to hide her reddened face.
"Marinette?" Alya and Marinette were silenced by an unexpected voice.
"Chloè?" Marinette sounded surprised, but a bit wary.
Alya looked up and saw Chloè standing in front of them, looking nervous.
"Hi..." Chloè waved shyly. "So, um, I've had some time to think about my choices, and I wanted to officially say that I am so sorry for all the teasing and bullying. I feel really bad for hurting your feelings, and I had no right to do that when you've never done anything to me." Chloè looked at the ground and rubbed her arm self-consciously. "I'm not asking you to be friends with me, but please just know that I'm really sorry. Will you forgive me?"
Marinette looked touched by Chloè's kind words. "Chloè, of course I forgive you! We all make mistakes sometimes, and it's our job to move past them. And I think I'd like to try and be friends."
Chloè wrapped Marinette in a tight hug. Marinette patted Chloè on the back softly, and they pulled away.
The blonde wiped away the budding tears on her eyes.
"Adrian deserves someone as kind and beautiful as you, Marinette."