Be Creative

Chapter 13: Ashamed and Alone

You could have heard a pin drop. Crickets. Literal crickets. Lila was frozen to her seat as her brain went into panic mode as she tried to think up an excuse. Most people in the class looked confused. Adrien looked worried, Marinette was doing her best to hide the glee but Morgana oddly enough... sat with a stoic look on her face. One of my pieces is about to be taken, Morgana thought. Now one of the things Morgana could do was predict a victory. It was so natural to her. However, in this particular moment, while she had all of the ammunition, she knew that this would not turn into a victory. If it did, then she could have taken down Lila in a day.

"Ummm..." Alix said breaking the silence.

"Why would she say that?" Rose said in confusion. Marinette looked around the class, seeing who would piece this together. Come on, use your brains!

"..." Juleka mumbled.

"She's obviously saying it to protect Lila," Alya said with an eye roll. Wow, and I thought she was stupid before, Morgana said, resting her chin on her palm.

"Can we change the topic?" Adrien asked meekly.

Marinette almost threw a book at his head. Don't you dare! Not now! People in the class started voicing their annoyance as well as questions but then Lila did something no one expected. Well, excluding Morgana of course. She burst into tears. No that wasn't what was so surprising. It's what she said.

"I-I'm sorry everyone... I lied about being sisters with MDC!" Lila cried.

"What?" Alya said in shock, as everyone let out shocked gasps, especially Marinette. What on earth was she planning?

"You lied?" Nathaniel said with hurt in his eyes.

"Why would you do that?" Sabrina asked.

"Well...I thought you would think more of me as a person," Lila sniffed as she rubbed her eyes. Don't think I'm out just yet, Lila thought sinisterly. She could draw back in these fools like moths to a flame.

"Lila you're already great. Why would you need to do that?" Alya asked in concern. She didn't even look angry. Frankly that annoyed Marinette. Why was she not opening her eyes?

"MDC was already a name going around with Gabriel. I thought if I could get her on board, then she could collaborate and impressed the company. But I did message her... and she turned me down... calling me an attention seeker!" Lila said as she burst into tears once again.

"How could she do that?" Nino said in shock.

"Father has been on about enlisting MDC..." Adrien said quietly, only enraging everyone else.

Gah, where was that book, Marinette thought angrily. She wasn't exposing herself, she was manipulating the situation to make MDC, well her, look like an online bully! Adrien was again enforcing it! Marinette knew well enough that companies were looking to hire her. She didn't respond to any of them per the group's discussion. Not yet anyway. So, this didn't help either.

"And after all the praise we gave her! That's it, I'm going to write an entry on how MDC mistreats fans!" Alya declared.

"There's no evidence Alya. She blocked me and deleted the messages," Lila said as she rubbed her eyes. Oh, I have to applaud that, Morgana thought. Deleting evidence without giving any. Good move.

"Either way, that sucks," Kim said.

"Agreed. It's not how you should treat someone," Max said, with everyone nodding. Talk about the pot calling the kettle black, Marinette thought with a quiet huff.

"Well, we don't think any less of you Lila. I understand why you lied," Alya said, making Marinette bite down hard on her hand and resisting the urge not to flip a chair or anything else.