The Missing Purrincess

Chapter 22: A Conversation Worth Watching

She pulled her arm away from the bench and she briefly nodded at him to follow.

---Alya's POV---

Saturday. The weekend. A time where friends hang out to rid themselves of stress. That's what I had always heard it described as. Today? A day of evidence.

I sat down on the park bench and opened my bag. The fresh, crisp air flowing through my hair. I looked down at the little orb as he flew out of the bag I had brought and came up to eye level.

"You ready Markov?"

"Affirmative Alya."

"Great. Let's do this."

Markov flew upward and hid behind a tree where he couldn't be seen easily. 

"Alyaaaa!"

I looked behind me at the she-devil herself as she made her way to me. That past week had been torture, but this would be so, so much worse.

"Hey Lila."

"What's up girl? Why'd you wanna hang out? You said it was an emergency?"

"Yeah. Since Marinette was missing, I've been in charge of the class rep responsibilities."

"And I'm sooo grateful that you stepped up to that plate! I can't believe Marinette would abandon those responsibilities on you like that!"

Lila gave me a big hug. I put my arms around the girl, trying to be as natural as possible. This was go time. 

"So I need your help Lila."

She pulled away from me fast.

"I'm so sorry Als! But with my arthritis I'm afraid I can only do so much! Otherwise, I would take the position on myself."

"it's okay Lila. I just need you to make a few phone calls."

Lila paled. This was my chance to pounce.

"Our class meeting with Jagged Stone fell through since Marinette was the only reason he agreed. You know they were friends right?"

Lila smiled sweetly, but she was still deathly pale. 

"That's horrible! What can I do about it though? If he cancelled..."

"You said you were close with him right? If you called, surely he would agree to fix things! From the way you described your relationship, you sounded closer than he ever was with Marinette."

"I can try, but no promises. He may have already made plans for that time."

"Thank you soooo much Lila!"

I hugged the sausage haired girl, looking up briefly at Markov, who had made a face. Could robots make faces?

Lila pulled my arm away from the bench and I briefly nodded at Markov to follow.  I turned back at the girl monster, who apparently didn't notice.

"You wanna get something to eat since we're out Alya?"

"Sure." I said, a little too harsh. If Lila noticed however, she shrugged it off pretty easily. She pulled me through the park and to a very familiar looking bakery.

"Hello. Welcome to..."

My eyes met Tom Dupain's and he stopped his greeting. I hadn't seen either of Marinette's parents since I told them she was missing. 

"Get out."

And apparently someone had told them about who Lila is.

"Sir? I just wanted to but some croissants. Is there a problem?'

"I don't know what you were thinking Alya, bringing that girl in here, but you both need to leave. Now."

She was doing this on purpose I thought. She had intentionally brought me to the Dupain-Cheng bakery to see how I would react. Did she know I was onto her?

"Why Mr. Dupain-Cheng? Lila didn't..."

"Don't tell me that stupid jerk Is feeding you her lies again."

--- Tom's POV---

That little... I wanted her out of my bakery NOW. She had hurt my only daughter and now I didn't know where she was staying. If she had enough food, or water, or anyone to talk to. And this little girl was in here acting like nothing was wrong? Like she hadn't been the main reason why Marinette had broke the way she did?

"Look Alya, you're a good kid, but if you continue hanging around with her  you won't be allowed back here."

"Why not?"

"Excuse me sir," The monster called Lila started, "What exactly did Alya do?"

"Apparently, believing a friend is grounds to be banned from a service now Lila. Let's get out of here."

I watched as the person who called herself Marinette's BFF dragged the bully out of my bakery.

Alya had been one of the few classmates I still respected after what happened when Marinette had been expelled. She may have been a little childish and forgot to check facts now and again, but she was also one of the few students who stood by my daughter's side when the evidence was stacked against her.

Now she was siding with Lila Rossi?! The person who made Marinette's life miserable. What has the world come to?

---Lila's POV---

I had of course been suspicious when Alya had asked to meet me out of the blue. Her body language at the park had leaned toward the fact she was keeping something from me. But when she stormed out of the bakery the way she did, grabbing my wrist, I knew she was still on my side. 

And who wouldn't be? Even in the little class feud, I had more sheep following my every whim. The people on that were on Marinette's side were eventually going to believe me again, just like last time. If I get caught, a lying disease was to blame.

I'm honestly surprised that worked though. Whoever heard of a lying disease? I had them all wrapped around my little finger. Caught in a web of lies that spun so deep even I didn't know who I was anymore.

"Let's go Lila. I don't wanna hang around them."

"Good choice. I didn't want to say anything earlier, but I was only going there because I thought you would have missed Marinette's bakery stuff. I thought if you two were so close..."

"Can we not talk about her Lila? I'd rather talk about more pleasant stuff."

Was she dodging the subject? That couldn't have been an act right?

"I'm sorry Als. I just can't let it go. It was MY fault Marinette ran away."

"No, it wasn't. It was her own fault for bulling you the way she did. Anything that happens to my ex friend at this point is in her own hands."

"But, I ripped her sketchbook. It was an accident of course, but she got so mad."

"It was an accident. And after the way she pushed you down the stairs..." Alya comforted, pulling me into another hug. When did she get so huggy.

"I probably hurt her. I must have made her so jealous. I promise I wasn't trying to brag."

"I know girl. You all good. Marinette was so stalkerish with Adrien and hated you from the start.

I smiled. I knew she couldn't see my face. Nobody could. 

"Lila?"

"Yeah Alya?"

" Not to victim blame, but why didn't you say anything about the way she treated you?"

I froze, trying to think of a good cover. As far as this idiot thought, Marinette had been bulling me for months. 

"She threatened me. It wasn't until the texts that I had any real evidence to show."

Alya hugged me tighter. A tear falling on my shoulder.

"Well I for one, believe the truth Lila."