Jerk in Sheep's Clothing

Karma Hurts

Alya walked down the hall.  She had to talk to Marinette.  About Henri.  She might have believed the fall story, if she not seen that wicked grin he had given her and the others when his girlfriend wasn't looking.  She just knew he had set up the stage to look like Ivan had pushed him, to get the bigger boy on Marinette's bad side.

As she neared the nurse's office, she stopped suddenly when she saw him.  Henri was standing in the hallway, looking back and forth, probably for Marinette.  His right ankle, the one that he had claimed was hurt in his tumble down the stairs, was taped up.  Except...he was standing firmly on both feet, including the one that was supposed to be injured.  And he did not seem in the least bit of pain.

"LeRoi!"

His head snapped to look at Alya, who glared deadly at him.  "Didn't you say you hurt your ankle?"

His brown eyes widened as he looked at his ankle then back at her.  He raised his right foot and put on a facade of discomfort, pretending to ooh and aah in pain.

Alya stomped over to him.  "Nice try, buddy.  Too little, too late.  You're not really hurt, are you?  You just said that to get Marinette on your side!"

Henri dropped his wounded gazelle act, replacing it with the act of a hyena after a fresh meal.  "Well, it worked, didn't it?  I told your friend not to cross me.  I told him he wouldn't like me as a foe.  He learned the hard way."

His mouth then twisted into a frown.  "Take him as a cautionary figure to the rest of you.  Stay out of my way, or face the reprecussions."

Alya's mouth fell open.  "I can't believe—"

"Henri?"

At the sound of her voice, Henri went from being the sly fox to the hurt widdle bunny all over again as Marinette came into view.  "You need help getting to the cafeteria?"

"Yeah, that'd be helpful.", he said, in a sort-of whimpering voice.  Alya was so shocked by how fast he had changed faces, all she could do was stare as Henri hopped over to Marinette on one foot, letting her lead him away.
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It was now lunchtime.  As the students went around, looking for a place to sit, they noticed Marinette come in, Henri leaning on her, limping on one foot, his ankle taped up.  She led him to a table near the wall and helped him sit without putting any weight on his foot.  "You good?"

Henri smiled weakly at her, pulling his ankle up to massage it gently.  "I'm better..."

She smiled at him sweetly, cupping his strong chiseled cheek.  "I'm glad.  I'm sorry Ivan pushed you like that.  I honestly don't know what could have gotten into him.  He's usually so gentle."  She shook her head.  "But I digress.  You stay right here, and I'll get us some lunch, kay?"

She kissed him on the cheek and went off to the lunch line, grabbing two trays, one for her, and one for Henri.  She started gathering food to carry on the tray, picking out all of Henri's favorites.  As she reached for a pudding cup, her hand bumped into another's, a bulkier one.  She turned to see who was connected to the arm, and found Ivan staring back at her.

Marinette's expression soured, as her eyes gave him an icy glare.  "Oh.  Hey." She quickly grabbed the last pudding cup before he could.  He didn't deserve it, she thought.

Ivan frowned.  "Marinette, listen..."

"I don't wanna hear it, Ivan!", she snapped at him coldly.  "You're lucky Henri didn't break anything!  Else I would have reported you to the teacher."