Superstar (The Elites Book 2)

Crash

"What was that?" Chloe had waited until she saw Adrien take off to confront Kagami. She shoved the girl by one shoulder.

"I was kissing my boyfriend." Kagami flicked her bangs out of her eyes.

"You shoved him against a wall, Kagami," Chloe gave an angry laugh. "I mean why do you think he took off just now."

"He was going after Marinette," Kagami said quietly.

Chloe noticed her shoulders had deflated. Kagami didn't want to fight.

"Maybe, but that's his business," Chloe warned. "She looked really upset."

"She's just jealous," Kagami scoffed.

Chloe looked at the table where Marinette's best friend sat. She was practically in tears, leaning her head against her boyfriend's shoulder.

"No, I think something else is going on here." And it wasn't about Marinette's breakup with Luka. This seemed more serious.

"Oh whatever." Kagami pushed Chloe out of the way. "I'm going to find my boyfriend."

Chloe sighed as she watched Kagami walk away. She pinched the bridge of her nose. As if she didn't have enough to worry about at the moment.

It turned out having Marinette as a roommate wasn't all bad. She was actually very respectful, and Chloe wouldn't have minded loving with her if they hadn't fallen out.

As it was, they barely talked. She'd found out about the break up through Adrien who had learned about it via Nino. Chloe felt a variety of emotions swirling through her. She was genuinely sorry for Marinette, while simultaneously a little bit glad and relieved.

Chloe circled her arms around herself, fighting off an invisible chill. The atmosphere of the room had changed. Students were whispering to one another. Many had long faces or were crying.

She had originally assumed Marinette had taken off because of the Adrien fiasco, but something else, much more urgent, must have been happening.

"Chloe." Lila stepped up to her.

The white shirt of her uniform was half untucked from the bevy skirt.

"Is everything okay?" she asked.

"You tell me," Chloe exclaimed. "Did you see that?"

Lila hesitated, then nodded. "It was... weird."

"I knew this would happen. Adrien's so needy."

"And Kagami's such a jealous person," Lila finished.

Chloe blinked in surprise. She hadn't know Lila recognized that, too. "Well, yes," she paused. "Do you know why everyone else is upset?"

Lila looked around the cafeteria. "No. I wanted to see what happened up here so I didn't wait to find out."

"Let's ask then." Chloe grabbed Lila's arm and steered her toward Alya and Nino.

Alya's smooth brown face wrinkled into suspicion as the two girls approached.

"Is Marinette okay?" Chloe asked.

"Why are you asking?" Alya pushed her glasses up from where they had slid down her nose.

"Well, after what happened in the line—"

"What happened in the line?" Alya cut Chloe off.

"You mean you didn't... oh nevermind," Chloe face palmed.

"But if that's not what upset Marinette, then what did?" Lila asked.

"Jagged Stone's plane went down in New York. They haven't found the wreckage yet. Or any survivors."