Adopted

Adopted

Ms. Mendeleiev was unwell, which meant the class had a substitute teaching them. They covered genetics, despite the class being physics. The substitute was sat behind the desk, lazily pointing around the board with a laser pointer.

"So, to recap, everyone in this room shares at least one trait with their parents or a family member." Said the Sub, as Marinette frowned, "If you don't, then I suggest you look at the local milkmen."

"Sir," Said Marinette, raising her hand, "I don't resemble any of my family members and-"

"Then you're adopted." The Sub cut her off, making Marinette sit back, "If that's everything, then class dismissed."

Everyone was in a rush to get out of the room, Marinette trailing behind at the back of the group, her mind going over what the Sub said.

A

Marinette idly pushed her food around her plate, her mind still on what the teacher had said, her parent shared a look.

"Sweetheart, is everything alright?" Asked her mother, making Marinette stop and look up.

"Y-yeah, everything's fine." Lied Marinette, her parents silently calling her bluff, "Ugh, fine, we were learning about genetics in class and the teachers said that we all share at least one trait we have with family members," Tom and Sabine shared a worried look, "and when I said I didn't share any with my family members, he said that I was adopted, which is crazy, right?"

Marinette let out a nervus laugh, as both her parent looked uncomfortable, her father rubbed his eyes, while her mother sighed, "Marinette, we really didn't want you to find out like this."

"W-what?" Stuttered Marinette, her eyes wide and her body slowly going numb.

"Shortly after your father and I married, we got into an accident," Said Sabine, grasping one of Marinette's hands, "the result was that we weren't able to have children."

Marinette trembled, her mind swirling with what her parents told her.

"The news destroyed us," Said Tom, "it nearly ended our marriage."

"Then, we saw you," Continued Sabine, "we saw you with one of the nurses at the orphanage and you were screaming your little head off, for some reason the nurse passed you off to us and you just stopped. I'll always remember that moment, when you stopped crying and just stared up at us."

Marinette looked at her mother, her adoptive mother, and asked "D-did they say who my birth parents were?"

"They didn't know who your birth father was, but," Tom scowled, clearly angry about something, "they knew who your birth mother was, and she wasn't a good character."

"What do you mean?" Asked Marinette, looking up at him.

"Marinette, when we adopted you, you didn't have a name," Said Sabine, looking in Marinette's eyes, "your... mother was trying to sell you, saying your father was a rich man from America."

"Why would she try to sell me?" Questioned Marinette, making both Tom and Sabine stiffen.

"Marinette," Said Sabine, slowly, "She was trying to sell you for drug money."

A

Marinette didn't sleep that night, deciding to go on patrol, in an attempt to clear her head. It didn't work. Marinette stood on the school steps, unsure if she should go in, a hand on her shoulder jerked her from her thoughts.

Adrien looked at her worriedly, trying to gage her emotions.

"Marinette," Asked Adrien, slowly, "are you okay?"