We're finally equal | a miraculous story

Silence

A couple days had past, and Marinette was allowed to go home now. She was given back her usual mask, and had to stay home from school. She had a cast around her back, because the fall had damaged her spine, which was already delicate from her scoliosis. Supposedly this brace would prevent any more damage to it, though it hadn't been broken.

She was over joyed to have Tikki back in her life, but was ever more suspicious of Lila. Alya had called her and apologized a thousand times, as did the rest of her class mates. Marinette was able to forgive them, her heart was too kind. But she hadn't Adrien since she'd been sent home from the hospital.

The first night at the hospital, Adrien had fallen asleep in the room. He stayed all day the next day, but then vanished for the rest of her stay. He hadn't even messaged her! She tried not to dwell on it too long, but it did make her worry.

She was standing in front of the mirror, looking at herself. The shell of the cast was obvious through her clothes, and her mask was even more damaged from the fall. Though the hospital had done their best to repair it, it just didn't seem right any more. Not that it ever was in the first place. Her weights were back on, as required by the government of France, and even worse the doctors had suspected she might meet the requirement for an ear buzzer! Her heart was full of dread.

She reached her hands up to the mask, and slowly took it off. Tikki was dancing in front of the mirror, looking at her own reflection as if admiring her "sexy" bird body, or gorgeous feathers. Marinette laughed a bit, but when she set the mask down and looked at her own reflection, she returned to her original depressed state of mind. Her face was scratched and bruised still from her fall. So was the rest of her body. In fact, she almost rather wear the mask than not. That how hideous she saw herself.

She pulled the mask back on and Tikki stopped dancing.

------

Another day past and Marinette was told to return to school, and her normal daily routines. She wore her normal clothes, put her hair in their usual pigtails, and made sure to keep the window shut. She walked down the stairs, unsure of what to expect from the school society. Would they like her again? Maybe all those calls were fake so they could just beat on her heart even more. She bid farewell to her parents, and left the bakery.

"MARINETTE!" Alya squealed as she saw the girl approached the school. She ran in and hugged Marinette tightly. Then jumped back in surprise after touching her back. "Why is your back a rock?!"

Marinette explained why, uncomfortably. Was Alya doing this because some one was filming, and then could make a fool of her when they posted it on the internet?

"Thats horrible! Hey, let's get to class and surprise every body!" Alya grabbed marinette's wrist and attempted to drag her up stairs but unfortunately both of their weights (Marinette's being heavier than Alya's) Made that task extremely difficult. When they managed to reach the class, both were huffing and puffing, drawing heavy breathes. Everything seemed to be normal again.

"Sit down every body! Marinette we are happy to have you back!" Ms. Bustier smiled and nodded at Marinette.

"Some of us at least." Chloe whispered to Sabrina. The two girls snickered.

The teacher started the lesson and Marinette couldn't even focus. Adrien was sitting in front of her, but he didn't even say a thing to her. She laid her head on her desk in defeat. But kept looking at him.

When that period was over, she approached him. He looked at her sadly, but didn't say anything.

"Adrien! What the heck? Why aren't you talking to me?!" Marinette exclaimed. He placed a hand on her shoulder, then left, leaving Marinette with a thousand questions. "Whats up with him?" Marinette asked Alya.