His Midnight Shadow

Chapter Thirteen

Ella sat at the unfamiliar table next to Adrien and across from Alya; Marinette was there too but was quiet and held a face of distance against Ella. Though she wasn't bothered or hardly even noticed the sour stare as her mind was somewhere else. On a thought in her mind that has been lingering for some time of her father and how he appeared in the office so abruptly. In the moment she believed she could make some sense of it but now after thinking about it, nothing added up.

Though Ella was living in her mind no one else could tell but Adrien. He looked at her as she laughed with Alya but saw that her eyes were clouded and somewhere else. He knew it hadn't been something serious, she would tell him. Though as he thought more they barely spoke to each other about anything anymore, even their mother's passing. His shoulders and smile fell at the thought, but as of recently there was little to do about the lost connections.

When the bell rang Ella was already gone from the table, catching up with Lila, Chloe, and Sabrina, causing Adrien's eyes to water but with just a few blinks the tears discontinued to pool. Though his attention was soon pulled away and focused on Alya and Marinette who were currently in an argument, "I just don't understand why you're so mean to her?" Alya demanded.

"I'm not being mean to her. I just don't like it that you're adding new people to the group, especially her. You know she's friends with Chloe and Lila, Alya you don't know what she's playing," Marinette pleaded to her best friend.

"And you don't even know if she is planning anything. You were perfectly fine with Adrien joining the group and you two get along quite well, so why can't you think his sister will be more like him. Chloe yes is terrible and she's hurt you in the past, I know this Marinette. Though we can't throw her away just because of what her friends have done. She was even trying to be nice to you besides the fact that you were being mean to her, and since she got here Chloe has barely bullied anyone. Lila even has stopped lying... as frequently," Alya began to calm down and lightly placed a hand on Marinette's shoulder. "Please, just give her a chance."

Before Marinette could respond Adrien added to Alya's statement, "She's a good person Mari, one of the best that I know. Chloe sucks, but she's been there for Ella as long as I can remember but Ella has also been there for everyone in her own life. I mean you don't have to like her, I don't sometimes but you shouldn't be so cold with her just because of things in your head."

"Okay," Marinette breathed looking into Adrien's eyes. "I'll give her a chance."

Alya chuckled under her breath, annoyed at how it took Adrien to get her friend to cave. She also noticed Marinette's eyes towards the blonde and how similar they looked to when Alya stared at Nino. Though Marinette never spoke about Adrien, not to the point where she suspected a crush, though now she believed that her friend had something hidden beneath.

Adrien dropped the two off at class before continuing on to his own. Though he walked through the school with ease he still had a gaping feeling of being lost. Unattached to himself or anyone around him. He felt hopeless in a world where he thought everyone else had found their own. Though at one point he had he lost it, just like he was slowly losing himself. As he walked he didn't notice Kagami as she smiled and waved to him, prompting her to quickly scurry away.