mind over mask

two

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Marinette's POV

Before Adriens could answer back with a snarky comment, Lila and Alya make their way over.

What did they want?

"Look at the losers. Every year, they get uglier and uglier. I mean, look what Marinette's wearing," Lila loudly whispered to Alya, who is giggling in rude delight.

I actually look good today. Lila is wearing what she usually does, a neon orange sweater over a weird romper, leggings and high heeled boots. Her hair is still in sausage ponytails. Her style hasn't change for years.

"You know, my bestie, MDC could give you guys style tips. You desperately need it." The liar lies, to three of the biggest fashion icons of Paris.

I fume, because MDC is not her bestie. MDC should sue Lila for slander. MDC should cancel Lila. MDC should put a life time ban on Lila. MDC—

"At least I don't look like you, like seriously, orange? MDC is a bad friend if she's not giving you style advice," Chloe says, slightly chuckling while looking at me.

I chuckle at how obvious her comment is.

Lila bursts into fake tears, Alya instantly consoling her. "You see Marinette? This is why I could never be friends with you again." Alya said. It stung, I wasn't going to lie. I didn't even say anything in retaliation.

But I wasn't the one throwing insults.

"At least I'm not as blind as you. You're never going to work for Clark Kent or Lois Lane-Kent, Lila doesn't even know them." I retort.

"That's a lie! They've been friends since birth since Lila saved their cat!" Alya screeched at me.

Adrien says, fiddling with his ring, "They don't even have a cat."

"Let's go Alya. They're never going to change, they'll always be bullies." Lila says, puffing out her bottom lip.

"Yeah, let's leave these toxic people Lila." Alya says, pushing her away.

They leave, and we laugh. "Welcome to senior year." Chloe says sarcastically.

"Welcome to senior year," I answer back with an equal lack of enthusiasm.

We were close. We were best friends. Adrien, Chloe and I know each other's identities.

Adrien is Chat Noir, Chloe is Princess Honey, and I am Ladybug.

After Master Fu died, carrying the title of the Great Guardian of the Miraculouses too heavy of a burden to carry alone. So, last year, I decided it was time to reveal ourselves. I was surprised that it was Adrien, and he wasn't surprised that it was me as Ladybug.

"Your our everyday Ladybug," he said. "People are just to blind to connect the two of you."

While he had a crush on Ladybug, and I had a crush on Adrien, but we agreed to stay friends. Our feelings faded as we both realized it was a child's crush, and more out of admiration than anything.

We were partners, and we grew stronger because we shared secrets and were able to cover for each other.

We added Chloe to the team after she was my best friend for several months, and she earned a permanent miraculous. We also shared our identities with her.

We were the heroes of Paris. And one day, we would beat Hawkmoth's reign.

Hopefully that day would come soon.

Back to the present, Ms. Bustier is still our teacher, and yet she doesn't know what she's doing.

She feigned innocence to the problems of her classroom, preaching that the kids should be able to take care of their own problems.

What I mean is that she usually listened to Lila. The girl who cried wolf.

Adrien and Chloe walked into the classroom, and I followed close behind. I groaned when I saw a new seating chart posted on the board. I was in the very back on the right side, the farthest from the door. I was the only one without a deskmate, because I apparently cause problems.

I was fine with sitting alone, and Adrien and Chloe were sitting right in front of me, so it wasn't a big deal.

People start filtering into the classroom as the bell rings, giving glares or talking not so quietly about how much they hated me. I hurried to my seat before they would try and trip me.

And I wasn't the clumsy Marinette I used to be. I think being Ladybug helped me to have a sense of balance, and be graceful for once in my life.

Besides, I was used to the bullying by now, their words would never bother me again. I couldn't afford to get akumatized.

Alya and Lila sat together in the front row, with Rose and Juleka right behind them. Max and Ivan sat together in a comical way, because one was tiny and the other was a giant. Kim and Alix sat in the back. 

Mylene and Sabrina sat on the right side of the room, in the front, across from Lila and Alya. Nathaniel and Nino sat together, while Adrien and Chloe sat behind them.

So yes, I was content to be in the back, away from the problems.

The bell rings, and the classes silences for once, because our teacher is late. Again. It's a usual occurrence, she doesn't like her job and it's obvious.

The door opens, and instead of seeing Ms. Bustier, another boy walks in. He's tan, with black hair, and he turns to the front of the class, sporting green eyes.  He looks deadly, there's no other way to describe him. His jawline is sharp, his feature are shape and he looks angry, but maybe that's his resting face.

He looks tense.

But he's hot.

He's really attractive.

Lila immediately whispers to Alya, already making plans to sink her claws into him.

He's wearing a tight fitting long sleeve black shirt, and grey slacks, with black sneakers. His hair is slicked back with gel. He's holding a satchel, and he studies the students and the classroom, as if he's planning possible escape routes.

That's the only way I stayed sane in here too.

Ms. Bustier follows him moments later into her classroom.

"Class, this is Damian Grayson. He's from Gotham City in America, and he will be in our class this year. Please be nice to him, and welcome him to our school." Ms. Bustier says brightly.

I thinned her eyes at the boy. He looked familiar.

Too familiar.

I looked away before those jade green eyes could catch me, and promptly returned to my work.

The new student would fall under Lila's reign, so I didn't bother branching out. Everyone turned on me anyways.

Even Adrien did initially, but he quickly saw through Lila's lies, and begged me for forgiveness. I eventually agreed, and luckily, I did, because when we revealed our identities to each other, it could've gone very differently than it did.

I sat in the very back row, alone, with Chloe and Adrien the next row in front of me. There were more empty seats, but as the teacher also believed Lila, I believed that Damian would be moved to the opposite side of the room.

"Mr. Grayson, why don't you sit next to Marinette back there. Ms. Dupain-Cheng, raise your hand, please."

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