Miraculous the tales of Ladybug and Chat Noir; Princess Justice

Chapter 8

Marinette rushed from the classroom without her stuff, after the lunchtime bell rang, heading straight for the girl's toilet. Adrien was going to follow her, when Alya caught his arm. She had Marinette's bag on one shoulder, her own on the other. Juleka rushed after Marinette.

"Are you an idiot?" Alya asked Adrien her eyes flashing with frustration, ignoring Lila walking behind her, on her way out.

"What do you mean?" Adrien asked, "You know what, don't answer that, I want to see if Mari's ok." He tried to pull his arm free. Alya tightened her grip.

"You did talk to her before school right?" Alya asked.

"Yeah, that's why I need to check on Mari." Adrien insisted, looking at Nino, gesturing for him to help tug him free. Nino froze however, when he saw Alya glare at him. He didn't want to upset her further.

"Then you know she wants some space away from you." Alya said.

"I don't buy it," Adrien stated, "Lila must have threatened her again. That must be why she told me to stay away."

"She didn't!" Alya exclaimed. "Marinette decided it on her own." Adrien blinked at Alya, confused by Alya's statement.

"But why would she want me to stay away?" Adrien asked giving voice to his thoughts.

"Think about it." Alya said to the model.

"Just tell me Alya, don't keep me in the dark." Adrien said.

"I went round hers last night." Alya explained, "She cried herself to sleep. I haven't seen her in such a state. She thinks she knows why Lila's been targeting her."

"Why?" Nino and Adrien asked together.

"Two reasons." Alya answered, "Firstly, Marinette has always been distrustful of Lila, one of three people in our class that never believed anything Lila said, the other two being you and Chloe. Secondly, Lila has liked you since her first day and she saw that Marinette was close to you." Alya stretched the truth a little, to protect her best friend's secret crush, "Lila confused this as Marinette having a crush on you."

"Wait," Adrien said, "Lila's targeting Marinette because of me?"

"That's the only thing that makes sense in Marinette's head right now." Alya said sounding and looking apologetic, "I tried talking her out of this, knowing how much you value her friendship. But she said it is too confusing and painful for her to be too close to you right now. Sorry Adrien."

"I don't want her to stay away Alya." Adrien said, collapsing back into his seat, as his heart began to ache.

"Why?" Alya asked, the classroom was now empty.

"I like her," Adrien answered, tears forming at the corners of his eyes, "as more than a friend." Alya's mouth dropped open in disbelief.

"If you care that much for her, you won't tell her," Alya said, recovering quickly, ignoring a still shocked Nino, "you'll also keep your distance, like she wants and treat Lila like you did before. Especially if she is right, because Lila would be more likely to take it out on her, not you."

"I have to know Alya," Adrien said a thought occurring to him, "she likes me too, Mari that is, doesn't she? That's why this is hurting her some much, isn't it?" Alya just looked at Adrien sorrowfully, knowing that she wasn't going to give him an honest answer.

"Yes she does." Nino answered instead, remembering what Alya had told him, and deciding that his friend's need was more important than making things better with Alya.

"Nino, you swore..." Alya trailed off angrily diving at Nino, but Adrien was in the way and had jumped to his feet at Nino's words, hope and pain on his face. Plagg was listening very closely from inside Adrien's bag, smiling smugly to himself. Adrien stumbled a little, but didn't fall, as Alya slammed into him, trying to get at Nino. He was happy to know that the girl he liked did like him back, hopeful that things could fix themselves.