The Missing Purrincess

Chapter 9: Not My Friend Anymore

She knew that it was a possibility that she would have to look for herself, but she didn't think it would be this hard.

---Alya's POV---

My head was swimming. Lila being close with Ladybug was one of the first things that Lila told us. Nobody had even questioned it. To be fair, it wasn't like we could ASK Ladybug at the time.

No. That wasn't true. Marinette questioned it. Marinette had questioned everything that Lila had told us. What else was Marinette right about? The Jagged Stone thing? Her tinnitus? Prince Ali and her being close? ANY time she was out of class? 

Come to think of it, how easy would it have been to prove her claims? Prince Ali was friends with Rose, Jagged Stone was like an uncle to Marinette, I had never even heard of tinnitus before. 

When exactly did Marinette start being rude to Lila? I thought It was when she first saw her with Adrien, but that made no sense. She wasn't anywhere close to rude to anybody else who was friendly with her crush. Not even Chloe, who Marinette had a much better reason to be mean to had received the kind of treatment that Lila received.

Marinette was nothing but nice to literally everyone else she ever met. Even Kagami. I had never actually stopped to think about it before. Why did Marinette hate Lila so much? There was no way that she was right the whole time was there?

"Lila was..."

"She never told the truth Alya." Her voice was sharper than a sword. The most angry I had ever heard Ladybug, yet sounded slightly familiar.

"The whole time?"

"The whole time." Cat Noir piped in. I had nearly forgot he was there too. He kinda went silent when me and Ladybug started fighting. Looking up at him, I could tell why. He looked sad. Almost guilty.  Like this whole thing was his fault. 

"It sounds like Marinette may have caught her in a lie early on." Cat continued, "And Lila was taking things out on her."

I thought back to every time Marinette had ever got in trouble at school. Before Lila joined, it was mostly just absences and being late that laded her in the principals office. After Lila joined, she had been caught supposedly pushing Lila down stairs, stealing from her, bulling her on multiple occasions, always Lila. 

"But Marinette never stood up for herself." Ladybug had a tear going down her cheek. This didn't go unnoticed by Cat Noir, who came and put a hand on her shoulder. What was going on today? I don't think I have EVER seen Ladybug cry before.

"Are you close with Marinette?"

"You could say that." It was barely more than a whisper.

---Marinette's POV---

I was crying. I had just yelled at my best friend and now I was breaking down in front of her. This couldn't happen. I had left Marinette behind me so that THIS wouldn't happen anymore. No more.

I threw my yoyo out the window without another word. Cat ran up to the window, but didn't chase after me. He knew I needed to be alone. Besides, he needed to get more information about my disappearance from Alya. 

I knew that it was a possibility that I would have to look for myself, but I didn't think it would be this hard. No matter how big of a fight I had with Alya, she was my best friend. Trying to forget that would be difficult. 

I had already messed up in there. I not only snapped at Alya when I heard she went through my stuff, but I said that I was close to Marinette. While technically not a lie, it would be a lot harder to get out of looking for her if we were friends. 

I had to face a hard truth. I had no friends anymore. They may have seen that the messages were fake, but these people were supposed to be my closed friends. They should have believed me in the first place.  

"Tikki, Spots off."

I walked inside the small home that I had made for myself earlier. I would need to find a way to get food soon, but for now this worked. Master Fu had left some stuff in the fridge that I could share with Tikki for the time being.

"Are you okay Marinette?"

Tikki should have been exhausted, but she didn't say anything. She just flew up to my cheek and gave me a tiny hug. At least I had her with me. Tikki had to remain a secret, but she still was one of the closest friends I ever had.

"I know she's your best friend..."

"No she's not." Tikki flew up and met my swollen eyes. 

I thought about everything that led up to this point. How long I had been putting up with Lila's ridiculousness and how desperate I was to have someone believe me. How I had almost been expelled before at Lila's hands, and still everyone trusted her over me. 

I thought about my double life. How not one of my friends had ever thought it possible that I was Ladybug. And while I should be grateful that my secret has remained safe, it hurts that NONE of my "friends" recognized me.

It's so hypocritical too. I have no right to complain when I have probably met Cat Noir without the mask at least once, but it hurts. Nobody trusts me, None of them believe me, none of them thought it possible that I could be Ladybug, and ALL of them had believed Lila over me to the point where Alya would scream at Ladybug.

Alya. My best friend. Nino, my childhood friend. Chloe, the Queen of Mean. Alix and Kim, the sports stars.  Max, the super genius. Rose, the sweetheart.  Julika, the "edgy one".  Nathaniel, the artsy kid. Everyone. 

All people that I have personally spent time with and befriended. All people that I had taken the time to get to know and help. All people that had benefited from my willingness to bend over backwards for my friends. All people who had never seen me be mean to anybody. All people who chose Lila over me.

"You're my best friend Tikki.  I'm not friends with those people anymore."