Tattoos ➳ 𝓜𝓲𝓻𝓪𝓬𝓾𝓵𝓸𝓾𝓼 𝓢𝓸𝓾𝓵𝓶𝓪𝓽𝓮 𝓐𝓤

Schemer

I didn't like what Lila was up to. Not one bit. And I had only just seen her upon my arrival to school. 

The class room was bustling and full of excitement. I noticed the streamers and confetti that lined the floors, and the anticipation on my fellow student's faces. 

"Thank you all for the kind birthday wishes!" Lila stated enthusiastically as I found my seat. "The support you're all giving me is immensurable. Unfortunately, my tattoo hasn't surfaced yet," she paused again with a fake frown, glancing around the classroom. "But I'm sure it will during school," she finished with a smirk. 

Something didn't feel right about all of it. All I could do was simply brace myself for the long day ahead. 

⥈

In the cafeteria, I was on high alert. I gripped my sandwich so hard the bread and its components fell out onto the table. Alya glared at me suspiciously. 

As though the flowers wilted when he walked by, the blonde boy with the slumped shoulders had appeared to have fallen into another slum. 

Without thinking, I jumped from the table, retreating from my friends and the mangled sandwich and marched over to Adrien. I didn't utter a word. I simply sat next to him, my presence halting him from playing with his food. Meeting his face with mine, I recognised the sadness once again within the depths of his eyes. Why was it always lingering behind those beautiful eyes? And why was he always trying harder to hide it from me?

Without hesitation, I cupped his cheeks in my hands. It was only once I felt my hands heat up against his skin and his inquisitive head tilt that I was able to snap out of it. 

"Adrien," I said firmly, clearing my throat. "Smile for me."

His eyes widened for a moment, and I could almost feel his sadness slip. But moments later he looked down to avoid my overwhelming gaze. Classmates and student's eyes were tearing into our closeness, but I didn't pay any attention to it. With Adrien still not stuttering a word, I pulled out a pen and delicately took his hand. Knowing the bell for class would soon ring, I briskly drew a smiley face on his hand. The same one from before, as I had done during our chemistry assignment.

"You'll be okay, Adrien," I said sweetly. His head shot up a little too fast, and he leaned in close, desperately searching for something. I suddenly remembered I said something similar to him as Ladybug on night patrol, with the same tone of voice too. 

The bell rang abruptly, saving me for the first time in my life. I swiftly released his hand.

"Wait, wha-" 

"Hurry, we'll miss class! Don't fall behind, keep smiling," I spill out, shouting behind me and speed-walking away in panic. Turning my head over my shoulder, I find him packing up his things, seemingly unbothered by what I said. 

"That was too close." 

⥈

The monotonic sound of the teachers voice was pulling me into a deep slumber, and I wasn't the only one. Almost everyone had their heads resting heavy on the desk in some way. I was barely keeping my eyes open. 

I forced myself to doodle some designs on my note book, unable to process the information that was being said. But my heart suddenly skipped a beat at the sound of a loud, audible gasp. My classmates shot up in fright as we turned to the back to find Lila with her hand over her mouth, gaping at something on her wrist.

"My tattoo! No way. It just surfaced, just then! Look," she interrupted jumping up and down. She leaned to the people in front of her and braced her wrist, going from desk to desk to show the classmates around her.

"That's amazing, Lila! Congratulations. Come and show the rest of the class," the teacher enthused. But Lila dismissed what the teacher commented. She passed her classmates, directing herself straight to a particular blonde boy. I felt my heart skip a beat and my throat close up for no particular reason. 

Why is she going straight for Adrien? This doesn't feel right. Something isn't righ-

"Adrien! Look at my tattoo. Isn't it lovely?" She said in an exhilarated manner, her feet thumping hard against the wooden floor in the classroom. As she sprinted over to him, Adrien leaned back in discomfort, unsure as to why the girl was targeting him over anyone else. 

Lila's coral toned jacket blocked my view. All I could witness in front of me was her slowly pulling down her sleeve, bracing the freshly surfaced tattoo on her wrist to the boy with shiny, emerald eyes. 

I glanced at Adrien, curious to see his reaction. But his eyes were wide open. The usual light that was encapsulated in them darkened and all remaining colour had drained from his face. His mouth was moving, though no words came out. Nothing but a croak, a desperate sign of distress. That moment in time seemed to drag on forever, Adrien eternally staring voidly at Lila's wrist, his essence of life depleting. I rose to my feet and peaked over Lila's shoulder to witness the shocking tattoo for myself but Adrien reacted faster than anticipated. His head hung low as he pushed Lila back by the shoulder at an arms length. He clasped his shaky hand over his mouth and shoved her out of the way so he could leave his seat. 

"Sorry. I'm not feeling well. I'll be back," he said shakily as he staggered his way out the door.  

As I watched him leave, I felt sympathetic and sorry, but most definitely confused. Glancing around, I observed my classmates for a sign that someone understood the situation. My only findings were that they were just as bewildered as I was. 

"What was that about? Why'd he leave like that?" Nino muttered in the silence, scratching his head. 

"Who knows," Lila said slyly patting him on the shoulder. I peered as she condoled him, yearning to see the tattoo on her arm, yet it was the wrong arm. As though she read my thoughts, she abruptly placed her hand on her hip, bracing the back of her wrist clearly to my inquisitive eyes. 

And that's when I saw it.

A monochromatic circle divided into two halves by a curved line. Half black, half white with a dot of each colour situated near the centre of the other's half.

I unconsciously tugged at my own sleeve, grasping my wrist so tight my nails pierced my skin. I felt my heart in my throat, and my palms grow clammy with sweat. My blood pounded in my ears, along with the thudding in my chest which grew tighter by the second. My vison began to blur and disfigure, as though I was looking through a fish-eye lens.

I have to get away. I can't look at it. 

I took a slow deep breath and took off from my seat. Passed my friends, passed the muddled classmates figures, and passed the teacher as I rounded the corner to the door and out of sight.

Adrien. 

Why did he look at the tattoo that way? There's no way that was Lila's actual tattoo. It can't be.

I gasped for air, but no matter how hard I inhaled, it seemed the world was deprived of oxygen.

Why else would he be in shock? But it can't be- 

I continued to run, thinking of nothing but everything at once. 

Swinging myself around the corner, I came to stumble upon a certain boy whose world was equally falling apart around him. I glanced down at my own wrist, overwhelmed with confusion and fury, unsure as to why Adrien retreated and why Lila had that freshly surfaced tattoo.

One thing was for sure about that symbol on her wrist though. 

It was my tattoo.

⥈

A/N: aaaa sorry! long wait. bad quality chapter. i cri. more updates coming later.

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