mind over mask

twenty-eight

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Marinette's POV

"Marinette!" A high pitched voice calls out to me.

"Five more minutes, Maman." I groaned, turning the other way in bed. I had been rifling through applications for commissions, trying to see what my next project should be.

"You're going to be late for school!" The voice continues.

My eyes shot open, and I jump out of bed, hitting my head on the ceiling. "Ouch," I breathe through my teeth, holding my head in throbbing pain.

"Finally, I've been trying to wake you up for 15 minutes Marinette!" Tikki chastises me. "You have to get to bed on time or else your civilian life is going to suffer!"

"I know, Tikki." I say absentmindedly, waving her away as I carefully climb down my ladder.

"I'm serious Marinette, you're going to work yourself to death."

"It's not like I can take a break, Tikki. I have responsibilities," I tell her, trying to find an acceptable outfit for school, which started in 10 minutes.

"I know Mari." Tikki says softly, watching me as I struggle.

I end up deciding on an oversized green sweater, with baggy black jeans, and platform converses. I brush through my hair, and grab breakfast in one hand with my backpack in the other.

I looked down at my watch, and I saw that I had less than a minute until class started.

I ran as hard as I could, trying to make it in time. I hadn't been late all year, which was miraculous, but it seems old habits die hard.

The bell rings, and I enter the classroom after it.

"Marinette, you are late," Mrs. Bustier points out.

"No really?" I muttered under my breath.

"What was that?" She asks sternly.

"I said, I'm sorry," I lied. I climb up the steps to my seat in the back, ignoring the light laughter of the class at me.

Alya says not so quietly, "The old Marinette is back."Nino looks slightly annoyed at his girlfriend, but he doesn't offer any help or resistance.

"Okay class, turn to page 394 in your online textbooks-" Mrs. Bustier forests, beginning her lesson.

Damian nudges me, "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. I just got to bed late last night." I told him.

"You should really get to bed on time," he says.

I roll my eyes, "Don't start. I already had Ti-my mom get mad at me for that." He nods, not noticing my mistake, I hope.

I look around, and notice that Juleka and Rose aren't in class. "Hey did they come to school today?" I whisper to him.

"They left the classroom before we started. The short one seemed mad, and the tall one was trying to help her." He stays stoically.

"Weird. I hope she's okay." I shrug, at least pretending to pay attention to Mrs. Bustier.

"Tt." Damian says in difference, he doesn't really care for this class, and I don't blame him.

Mrs. Bustier calls out, "Max, can you read the first paragraph?"

He pushes his glasses farther up his nose, "Of course. The French Revolution-"

But Max doesn't get a chance to finish as our classroom becomes icy cold, and the floor glazes with ice, slowly, bringing a sense of impending doom.

People start screaming, and heading for the exit, trying not to slip on the ice.