Removing the Mask (Book Two)

Chapter 13

(3rd Person POV)
Adrien sat with Marinette's limp body in his lap, tears flowing down his face like a waterfall. He slowly removed her purse from her, knowing that Tikki was in there.

"Marinette... Please just hang in there..." He begged through his tears.

In the front seat, Chloé could feel tears threatening to escape. Even if she hated Marinette, she knew that deep down, she had a soft spot for her.

She pressed her lips together, fighting back her tears as she remembered all the nasty things she said to her. She did wish she didn't have Marinette as a classmate, but she didn't mean it like this... This was the one time she didn't wish that. For once, she wanted to go to school and see Marinette sitting in what used to be her spot.

~

Marinette was rushed to a hospital room and Adrien sat in the waiting room after washing the blood off his hands. He called Nathalie, telling her that Marinette was in the hospital.

Madame Cheng and Monsieur Dupain rushed in, desperately asking a doctor if their daughter was okay.

Seconds later, Alya and Nino came in after seeing what happened on the news.

The doctor told all four of them to take a seat. They did as they were told. Alya was crying into Nino's chest as he rubbed her back silently.

Adrien stood up and walked outside to get some fresh air. He anxiously walked around in a circle for at least ten minutes before settling down under a tree, hugging his knees.

He felt his tears surfacing again as he cried into his arms. Seeing that nobody was around, Plagg and Tikki flew up to him.

"I hope Marinette will be okay," Tikki's high-pitched voice said.

"I... I should h-have saved her i-instead..." Adrien said through his tears.

The two kwamis flew to either of his shoulders, giving him small hugs as his tears continued to flow.

~

Nathalie brought Adrien back home. He didn't want to leave Marinette, but everyone except her parents had to leave.

Adrien went up to his room, thinking about Marinette. As soon as he shut his door, the tears came back. His tears wouldn't stop flowing and his eyes were starting to get sore.

He prayed that this was just another bad dream, that he would wake up and see Marinette at school. But it was no use. He was living in the reality.

Plagg and Tikki didn't know how to comfort him, as they too were worried about Marinette.

Adrien walked into his bathroom, locking the door behind him. He took the knife from the drawer and dug it into his skin, tears still escaping his eyes. He felt the sharp sting in his arm before they began to burn, blood escaping from his cuts.

He was about to make another cut, but stopped when he realized what he was doing. His hand trembled with the knife and he put it down. He quickly bandaged his cuts and fell to his knees on the bathroom floor, shaking with his face in his hands.

Plagg's voice sounded from outside the door, "Adrien? Are you okay?"

"Y-yeah, I'm... I'm good," he said shakily.

He rolled his sleeves down and walked out of the bathroom. The blond sat down at his piano and placed his fingers over the keys. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and began playing his feelings away.

Luckily it was Friday, so he wouldn't have to get out of class to check on Marinette tomorrow. But he would be willing to miss class to see her if he had to.