The Wolves in the Woods

The Heroine of Your Life

Above all, be the heroine of your life, not the victim.

— Nora Ephron

***

Lila's testimony and Idon's evidence seal the fate of Bustier's class.

***

            "Lila?" Alya parroted out loud. All eyes were on the girl entering the courtroom. On the surface, she looked as put-together as ever, though Marinette couldn't shake the feeling something felt off. Excitement buzzed in the air. The students in Miss Bustier's class were beginning to cheer. After days of not seeing or hearing from her, everyone on the defendant's side was tittering with joy. Lila was here! In the flesh! She was here to save them and put that bully in her place! That bully and those traitors would finally get what was coming to them!

Without thinking, Alya jumped out of her seat and to the doors. Ignoring the judge calling for her to come back. Ignoring Lieutenant Raincomprix and his daughter making their move to restrain her. At the moment, she didn't care. Lila was here, finally, to put Marinette in her place. They could all rest easy now.

"Oh my gosh, Lila!" Alya squealed, dashing forward. She held her arms wide open for a hug. "How have you been? It's—"

SLAP!!

Alya jerked her hand away, surprised out of her mind. The entire court on both sides went silent. The tension was thick enough that someone could have grabbed hold of it and squeezed. Without thinking, Alya stepped back. Eyes wide and full of hurt on why Lila would slap her hand away. Her heart nearly stopped at the look of sheer disgust on her bestie's face. What? What was...

"Don't touch me," Lila growled, walking to the plaintiff's side of the courtroom. All without sparing Alya a second glance. Following her was a woman of considerable beauty who looked eerily similar to Lila. And she was also wearing a similar expression of thinly-veiled disgust and rage. Alya's eyebrows pinched in the middle. Didn't she look familiar?...

Her confusion was replaced with rage seeing the three people trailing after Lila and the mysterious beauty. The school's newest bullies... must've threatened Lila! How dare they! Well, they chose the wrong people to pick a fight with. First, that jerk broke Kim's wrist, and now his girlfriend and her brother intimidated Lila into siding with them! This wouldn't stand! This wouldn't stand at all! Growling, Alya lunged forward to grab a hold of them.

SNAP!

The defendant's side shrieked. The plaintiff's side gasped. Alya felt a sharp pain shooting through her arm. Which was now twisted behind her back so much she couldn't move. Without warning, her face was suddenly looking at the ground. Her glasses were in danger of falling off and hitting the hard floor. She felt like she couldn't breathe.

"Ma'am?" the judge called. Alya tried not to shudder at the ice in his tone. "Please release Miss Césaire." Alya glanced up in hope. "Do not be concerned. I will tally up the counts of contempt of court." Everyone froze.

"What?" Alya asked, dumbfounded. But before she could say another word, Amaia had handed her off to Lieutenant Raincomprix. Without another word, he escorted her back to the defendant's side of the courtroom. Amaia and her entourage sat with Marinette's witnesses and gave her reassuring looks full of compassion and empathy. It took Alya a while to notice the tall man dressed all in black. Who he was, they would know soon.

"State your names and business, please," the judge requested. One by one, they came forward, each shooting an encouraging smile to Marinette. It was hard not to feel a bit of hope creeping back. They were finally here. With her. Her and her family's saviors.