Adrien's POV
"I am so late!" I exclaim as I rush to Collège Françoise Dupont, my shoes scuffing against the concrete as I pick up speed.
My father had scheduled an early photo shoot before school in the park. However, the photographer had thrown some of his equipment in frustration when none of the photos were meeting his standards. It was partially my fault, having not gotten enough sleep the night before. He was then akumatized, and Ladybug and Chat Noir had to take care of the superpowered SharpShot. The thing is, I'm Chat Noir, so I had to sneak away to transform.
I had let Ladybug know that the akuma was in SharpShot's camera, and we quickly took care of the akuma. However, the photographer is almost as stubborn as my father. Because he was akumatized before getting any decent shots, I had to stay longer than usual to finish the photo shoot instead of just having it rescheduled for a later date.
All of this leads me to being almost two hours late, sprinting through the streets of Paris trying to avoid running into others as I make my way to school.
"Why don't you just skip the rest of the day? It's not like you actually learn anything useful in school anyways." Plagg, my cat kwami that allows me to turn into Chat, said to me as he poked his head out of the inside pocket of my overshirt.
"If I skip school, I'll get in trouble. I'm already on thin ice with all of the other classes I've missed. And I can't tell him it's because I'm fighting supervillains created by a madman to destroy me and Ladybug! Then he'll never let me go outside again! Now will you get back inside before someone sees you!?" I try to explain.
"I don't understand you humans. Why would you even want to go to school?" Plagg huffs before ducking back into his hiding spot as I make it to the front steps of the school.
It's more than just going to school. If I'm not allowed to go to school, I also won't be able to see any of the friends I've made. Plagg's a loner, so he just doesn't understand.
I'm out of breath and sweating profusely by the time I make it to the door of my classroom. I take a moment to catch my breath and slightly fix my appearance (I am a model after all).
"I hope I won't be in too much trouble."
Marinette's POV
"…tte. …inette. Marinette!"
I'm shaken out of my thoughts when I finally hear someone whispering my name. I look away from Adrien, or where he should be sitting, to face Alya with a questioning look.
"You've been staring at Adrien's seat for the past twenty minutes. Have you even been paying attention?" Alya said.
"Um… no. Haha…" I laugh, scratching the back of my head in embarrassment. The truth is, I'm worried about Adrien. I learned that his photographer was akumatized this morning during a photo shoot. The only reason I know this, aside from the fact my best friend runs the Ladyblog, is that I'm the superhero Ladybug. By the time I had transformed and met up with Chat at the park, Adrien was nowhere to be seen. He may have run to safety, but I didn't see him after the incident either.
I know that my Lucky Charm fixes the damages after I purify an akuma, but I don't know if it heals people. What if Adrien had gotten hurt and my Lucky charm didn't heal him? What if he was injured and alone, unable to get help!? What if…
Before my thoughts could cause me to panic in front of everyone, Adrien burst through the door and walked into class. His face looked slightly red from exertion and his skin was slightly glistening from drying sweat. I blushed seeing him like this.
"Mr. Agreste, you're late! What have you got to say for yourself?" Madame Bustier questioned.
Adrien gave a sheepish look as he walked to his desk.
"I'm sorry. I had a photo shoot when the photographer was akumatized." He explained.
"Well, I hope that you're alright. But please, if you are stalled by an akuma again, please try not to disrupt the class when you come in." Madame Bustier said kindly.
"Yes Madame." Adrien said.
As Madame Bustier turned around to continue the lesson, Adrien and Nino fist-bumped each other in greeting.
Alya tapped on Adrien's shoulder, causing him to turn around and look at us.
"Glad you're still in one piece." Alya said with a smirk, but with relief mixing in with her teasing voice. Adrien smiled in response.
"Me too." He said. He then turned towards me and gave me a friendly wave before facing forward and grabbing his notes and books from his bag.
With that little encounter, mixed with my relief that Adrien wasn't hurt, I had trouble paying attention for the rest of the class. I couldn't hep but admire how handsome he looked, even after running all the way from the park.
Adrien's POV
The final bell rang, indicating the end of the school day. Everyone hurried to pack up their bags and head home, not wanting to spend any more time at school than needed. Nino and I walked out of school together, but as we were making our way down the steps, we heard a shrill voice call out above the rest of the students' chatter. And it was heading our way.
"ADRIKIIIINNNNSSSS!" I was rammed into from behind, Nino catching my arm so that I wouldn't fall down the rest of the stairs. I had to forcefully hold in a groan of pain and annoyance, knowing only one person who calls me that, and would crash into me without considering if I would fall down the stairs.
"Hey Chloe." I say as I turn around, trying to politely remove her arms from around my neck and move her out of my personal space. It took a little bit of effort, this girl is surprisingly strong. It wasn't helping that she was pushing against the bruises I acquired during the akuma attack. Thank goodness no one noticed them.
"Oh, I was so worried when you didn't show up at the beginning of school. I was about to call my daddy and ask him to start a search party to find you. I'm glad that you're alright, though." She said with a sickeningly sweet tone of voice, with a similar smile to match.
"I'm sorry to have worried you. But, um… I have to go now. Bye Chloe." I say as I'm finally able to remove her arms.
She pouts for a second before her smile comes back.
"Okay! See you tomorrow Adrikins!" She exclaims before she tries to give me a kiss. I have to move my head slightly so that her lips meet my cheek instead of locking with my own lips. We may have known each other since we were kids, but I don't feel that way towards her.
My obvious denial towards her doesn't deter her as she smiles and waves at me before skipping away, Sabrina running close behind her.
As I watch Chloe leave, I notice the limo that picks me up after school every day, with Nathalie standing outside the door with a grim face.
This... cannot be good.
Nino, noticing my slightly nervous look, turns to see what I'm looking at. He also notices Nathalie. He puts his hand on my shoulder and gives it a comforting squeeze.
"Don't worry. It might not be that bad." He said.
I try to smile at him, but I think it becomes more of a grimace. Nino wishes me luck before we part ways.
As I make my way towards the limo, my bodyguard, who I call Gorilla, steps out and makes his way to the other side to open the door for me. Nathalie's eyes follow me the entire way until I'm about to get in.
"Your father is waiting for you at home. He wishes to have a word with you." She says, staring at her tablet.
This isn't good.
-Time Skip-
With Nathalie constantly checking her tablet and the Gorilla being, well, the Gorilla, the entire car ride was silently. I tried to distract myself by going on my phone, but my mind kept wandering to what my father could want to talk about.
Ever since the incident with "Simon Says", my father has started to pay a little bit more attention to me. Not a lot, but it's a considerable difference than before. However, he's also been acting strange and would stare at me when he thought no one was looking. More specifically, he's been staring at my ring, the one that allows me to transform into Chat Noir.
Does that mean that he wants to talk about the ring? What if he's figured out that I'm Chat Noir!? If he did, he'd never let me out of the house again!
As I'm having my internal meltdown, the limo pulls up to the front gates of my house. Other's would consider it more of a mansion, but it just seems wrong to call it that.
As we start to roll up the long driveway, I notice my father is standing on the front steps, exhibiting perfect posture as always. I silently gulp in apprehension when I see the stern look on his face.
I've barely stepped out of the limo when I hear him call to me.
"Adrien, follow me. We need to talk."
My palms become sweaty with nerves. I discreetly wipe my hands off on my jeans and grab my school bag from the back seat. I walk up the front steps and into the front hall, following my father into the dining area. I don't even dare thinking of making him wait to long, fearing that I might upset him even more than he is now, still not knowing what it is that has upset him.
I feel a slight movement in my overshirt. I just now remember Plagg is with me and can probably feel how fast my heart is beating. I put my hand over the spot I know Plagg is and feel his presence. Even though I know he can't do much in this situation, knowing he's there gives me a little more strength.
As I walk into the dining hall, my father motions for me to sit in one of the many chairs. I slightly hesitate before sitting, looking to my father with a questioning look.
He just stared at me for what felt like an eternity, but was actually only a few seconds, before he took a breath and started speaking.
"It has recently come to my attention that you have been coming late and even skipping a fair amount of your classes."
So, he's finally noticing this. I shrink slightly in my seat before quickly fixing my posture. I try to quickly think of an excuse, not willing to tell him the real reason why I have to miss some of my classes.
"It's, uh… b-because some of my photo shoots go later than expected or are rescheduled for when I have class." I silently curse myself for stuttering at the beginning, but I have to pat myself on the back for coming up with the excuse as quickly as I did.
My father just continues to stare at me. I shift uncomfortably under his gaze, feeling like I need to continue.
"So, you see…"
"Enough!" My father yells. I wince, never having had father raise his voice at me before.
"You have been missing more school than what I have calculated for your photo shoots, even adding in the possibilities of them running late. I have also been informed that you have, on occasion, left in the middle of some of your shoots and only show up again hours later. There have even been times when you never even attend your shoots."
My gaze falls, knowing there was no way for me to lie through all of that. Father doesn't seem to notice as he continues.
"Along with your unexplainable absences, you have failed to turn in or complete several assignments, and it is beginning to severely affect your grades. I will not allow my son to continue such behavior."
"I understand, father. I'll work harder until my grades improve. I'll…"
"No." He says, cutting me off.
"I have done some careful considerations and have decided that you will no longer be attending Collège Françoise Dupont."
Wait! Was I hearing this right!?
I quickly look up to my father, eyes wide with panic. I completely lose my composure.
"Father, you can't do this! I don't want to be homeschooled again, all of my friends are at school! This isn't fair!" I cry, practically begging. He can't do this to me. He can't make me a prisoner of my own home again! Can I even call it that if it no longer feels like a home?
Even after my screaming, my father still has a calm look on his face.
"Don't worry, you will not be homeschooled again." He says.
I blinked in confusion
"I-I'm not?" I ask. If I'm not going to be homeschooled, then why was he saying that I won't be going to school anymore?
"No." He said as I let out a small breath of relief.
"You will be going overseas to America, to continue your studies there."
At these words, I could practically feel my heart stop.
"Wh-what?" I can only manage a whisper as he continues speaking.
"You will be attending Phillips Academy, a private high school located in Andover, Massachusetts. It is said to be one of the best in America."
I zoned out, not believing this was really happening. When it finally registers that he's serious about all of this, I finally snap back to my senses.
"Father!" My sudden outburst has him pausing with what he was about to say next.
"Y-you can't do this. All of my friends are here in Paris, I can't just pack up my life and leave them." I try and plea. I hadn't even realized that I stood up, or that it had caused my chair to topple over.
"You will make new friends in America. Ones that are a better influence on you."
I pause for a moment.
"Is that really the reason you're sending me to America, because you think my friends are a bad influence on me!?" Father doesn't say anything, he just continues to look at me.
"Father, my friends aren't the ones causing me to miss school or photo shoots. This isn't their fault!" I try to explain to him. From the way that he looks at me, he either doesn't believe me, or thinks that it might be my fault.
"Then there is even more reason to send you. If these absences are of your own accord, you need to be disciplined. You will get that discipline overseas." He says in a stern tone.
"W-what about my modeling? If you send me to America, I won't be able to model for you. You would be losing one of your most popular models for your clothes and products." Honestly, I hate having to be a model for my father, but if I could use it as a way to stay, I'd happily continue.
"I have already made arrangements for that. I contacted one of my colleagues in America, a professional photographer who does photos for several popular magazines. He has talked with the writers he works for and has convinced them to allow you to do a couple test runs for their works. This opportunity will allow you to not only continue your modeling and gain experience working with more than one photographer, but it will also help to spread the Agreste name and brand to the other half of the globe."
He really has this all planned out. He didn't even question whether this was something that I wanted! Does he even care what I think, or what I want!?
"But father, I don't want to go to America. I like going to school here, in Paris. You can't do this!" I try to plead to him.
"I can, and I have. This is no longer up for debate." As he says this, he reaches into his suit's pocket and pulls out a slip of paper. "Here is your plane ticket. You are to leave tomorrow. I have already had Nathalie arrange for someone to pack your things for you."
His eyes seem to gain an almost sad look before it quickly changes back into a stern look. I'm almost convinced that I imagined it.
"I am only doing what is best for you."
It finally hits me, I'm being forced to leave tomorrow. I'm being forced to leave my life here, without even getting the chance to say good-bye to all of my friends. I almost give in before I remember something.
I can't leave! I'm Chat Noir, one of the heroes of Paris. I can't leave Ladybug to fight the akumas and Hawkmoth by herself. Especially without telling her why I wouldn't be around anymore.
"F-father, I can't leave Paris!"
He gives me a disapproving glare, most likely the reason being that I'm still trying to argue with him.
"And why is that?" He questions with a glare.
I can't tell him the truth. My mind goes completely blank.
My father just stares at me before shaking his head and turning around, and I panic.
"Do you really not care what I care about at all!? Do you really hate me that much!? If mom was here, she wouldn't send me away because she actually cared!"
By the time I'm finished, I'm panting. I pause in horror, immediately regretting everything I said. I hesitantly look up, terrified to see my father's reaction. I cringe backwards when I see his face.
He's seething in anger with his face turning a bright red color and a vein is bulging out on his forehead. He's trying to control his temper, and it's obvious he's failing.
"How dare you." He says in a low tone. I unconsciously take a step back, him copying my movements.
"How dare you say that I don't care. I only want what is best for you! And how dare you bring your mother into this!"
As his voice rises in volume, he starts to march towards me. I back up until I hit the opposite wall, but he still continues to move forward until he's practically screaming in my face.
"Ever since she died, I have been the one solely in charge of your wellbeing! I have only done what is best for you, and how do you repay me!? By talking back to me and saying that I don't care!"
His eyes travel down to the ring on my finger and he reaches for it, ripping it from my finger. My eyes widen even further. He can't take it from me, it's the only way I can transform into Chat Noir! The only thing I have left of her!
He closes his fist around the ring, then lifts his arm up. With a cold terror climbing up my spine, I realize what he's about to do.
"No, father, don't!" I reach out to try to stop him, but I'm too late.
He throws the ring to the floor and brings his foot down on it, crushing it beneath his heel. My eyes widen as I hear crunching under his foot. He turns and walks away, but I hardly notice.
I fall to my knees in front of the broken ring and scoop up the pieces in my hands, bringing them close to my chest. Hot tears start to escape the corners of my eyes, and all I can hear is my own heartbeat pounding against my eardrums. My tears start to fall faster when the ring darkens to a black color, the magic leaving the small object.
Plagg flies out of my pocket. I'm glad he's alright, but I don't say anything to him.
I just didn't care anymore.
Everything just felt cold.