According to the Oxford English Dictionary, there are 171,476 words in the English language. There is a name for every single thing that has ever existed, a name for every place ever discovered, and words to describe every part of those things and places in a multitude of different ways. There are millions of words that can be combined in an infinite number of ways to form names for all humans that have ever existed. Words are used to describe feelings of love, hatred, anxiety, worry, joy, sorrow, grief, relief, jubilance. We use words when we greet and part with other people, and in between have conversations full of words. Words are combined in rhythmically satisfying ways and put over music to create songs. This intro describing how many words there are and how they're used took 137 words. Yet, the instant her eyes locked with Luka's, Marinette forgot every single word that she knew.
He was here. He was back. After he left three years ago on his scholarship to an art school in Nice, after he shattered her heart, he was back.
He started to walk towards her, slowly and tentatively. The sound of his footsteps on the pavement made Marinette acutely aware of the fact that the room was now completely silent, as all eyes were watching. Everyone knew the relationship the two had, and they all knew what happened when he left. Well, all but one, and Marinette thanked God that it looked like he wasn't here yet. If he had been, Marinette would have…. actually, she didn't know what she would have done. Probably more of the same blabbing and mumbling and falling over herself as always.
She must have zoned out as she followed that train of thought, because it wasn't until those piercing blue eyes were staring into hers that she remembered what was happening. He looked down and slowly, tentatively, took her hand. Marinette expected to feel something, anything, but his hands just felt cold and lifeless. All the while, Marinette's eyes never left Luka's face. Never moved, never blinked. The rest of their class was still watching: Alix, Juleka, Rose, Mylene, Ivan, Kim, Nathaniel, Max, Sabrina, Nino, who was talking Alya, even Chole was looking up from her phone for once to witness what was happening.
Luka let out a light chuckle, re-met Marinette's eyes, gave a small, smug smile, and started, "I have been waiting…" he paused for a second and looked up at the ceiling. Marinette had forgotten how his voice sounded, so sweet, soft, yet with a surprising amount of cockiness and smugness to it. He looked back at Marinette and tried again. "I have waited three years, four months, thirteen days, five hours, twenty nine minutes, and-" he checked his wrist like he was looking at a watch, even though he wasn't wearing one, "four seconds for this conversation. I've played it over and over in my head, all the different ways this could go. But, now that I'm here, the only thing that I can think to say is…"
He leaned in closer, a massive, toothy smile plastered across his face.
"I forgot how beautiful you are."
Marinette felt inexplicably angry at this. No, scratch that. She knew exactly why that made her so upset. Before she could think, she shot back.
"You forgot?" Marinette said, voice calm, yet you could hear her anger bubbling underneath if you listened carefully. Luka was not listening carefully, so he continued smiling and nodded.
"You forgot? Like you forgot to say goodbye? Like you forgot to call? Like you forgot to visit?" Marinette questioned, getting louder with each word. The look on Luka's face had faded from that of a jubilant smile to complete and utter shock and despair. Marinette was almost proud of herself. After all the pain he caused her, this was her time. Everything she wanted to say, everything she bottled up for years, it was coming out now. And boy did it feel good.
"What the hell is wrong with you? Did you think that after all this time, the whole three years, four months, and the other bullshit, you would come back and sweep me off my feet? And I would have waited for you this whole time? Did you expect me to fall into your arms the second you wanted me?" Marinette was properly screaming in Luka's face and had long since ripped her hand from Luka's. Luka wasn't even looking at Marinette anymore. He just stared at the ground, awkwardly shuffling side to side.
"You told me you loved me. And I loved you," Marinette was choking up, tears welling in the corners of her eyes. "I loved you. And you left me. You left without even saying goodbye. You never even told me when you were leaving. Do you know how I found out you left? Juleka posted a picture of the two of you at the airport. That's how. I sent you fifty texts that day. I called you ten times. You never even looked at them, did you?" Luka said nothing, which Marinette took as an answer. Tears were rolling down her cheeks now.
Marinette's hand lurched out, and everyone let out a collective gasp as the sound of her hand hitting his face reverberated around the schoolyard. Luka let out a short yelp as he doubled over and clutched his face, heartbroken eyes looking up at Marinette, silently begging for an explanation, as if the last five minutes weren't enough. Instead, all he got was a furious Marinette in tears, staring down at Luka coldly, saying through tears and as harshly as she could, "Don't talk to me again."
With that she turned and walked out the school doors, leaving in a stunned silence Luka, her classmates, students from other grades, a janitor, and even some teachers and Mr. Damocles. Once she hit the side walk, she took off in a sprint towards home. It didn't take long, considering the bakery was only a few short blocks away and Ladybug-ing for almost a year had put her in incredible shape. She sprinted right up to her room and locked the door.
Back at the school, Alya was about to chase after Marinette until Nino caught her. He put his hands on her shoulders and spoke to her quietly, "I think I should be the one who goes to Mari right now. Someone is going to have to explain this to her parents and I know more about what's going on than you."
"But I'm her best friend!" Alya countered. "I'm supposed to be there for her whenever she needs me, no questions asked!"
"I know I know I know and she will need you but right now I'm better equipped to handle the whole situation," said Nino. Usually, Alya would keep fighting until she got what she want (and Nino usually gave in), but after everything that just transpired and because Alya had never seen Nino act this way before, she let it go.
"Alright. Go do what you need to do. I have faith in you."
Nino let out a sigh of relief and smiled. "Thanks babe. You're the best," he said, leaning down and planting a quick kiss on his girlfriend's head. He ran off, and Alya smiled to herself. Even though she didn't want to admit it yet, she was completely in love with him.
It wasn't long until Nino burst through the doors of the bakery, out of breath and sweating a little. When he entered, Sabine came down the stairs separating the bakery from their house, thinking she was greeting a customer. She saw it was Nino, and relief flooded her face.
"Oh, Nino, sweetie, how are you?" Sabine greeted Nino with a tight hug.
Nino smiled. He always loved coming to the bakery, but unfortunately, he didn't have enough time to stop by as often as he used to. He had fond memories of himself, Marinette, and Luka coming in to cold lemonade and fresh cookies and croissants after running around outside. At least, they were fond memories until today. "I'm fine Sabine. I take it you've seen Marinette?" he questioned. Sabine pulled away, and he could see how worried she was.
"Yes, I have. What happened, Nino? She just stormed up to her room and locked the door without saying anything to either of us. This is so unlike her. I haven't seen her like this since-"
"Luka," Nino answered. Sabine smiled at Nino, thinking he had just finished her sentence. However, the look on Nino's face showed Sabine that he hadn't finished her sentence. He had answered her question.
Sabine's eyes widened with horror as her hands covered her mouth. "Nino, what happened?" she asked, voice wavering slightly. Nino filled her in on the events of the morning leading up till now: Luka returning, him still liking Marinette, him telling her he forgot how beautiful she was, Marinette ripping him a new one, Marinette slapping him, Marinette taking off, and Nino following her back to the bakery in which they now stood.
Just as he finished, Tom's massive frame came lumbering down the stairs. "I've been trying to coax her out and get her to talk, but she hasn't done anything. I haven't seen her like this since-"
"Luka," Sabine answered. Much like Sabine did only a few minutes earlier, Tom thought that she was only finishing his thought. He looked affectionately at his wife, until the defeat on the faces of Sabine and Nino lead him to the same realization as his wife.
"What happened?" Tom asked, now looking very worried. Sabine walked over and put a hand on her husband's massive arm.
"Nino told me what happened at school this morning. I'll fill you in so Nino won't have to repeat it again," said Sabine. Nino was silently grateful, for he didn't know if he could bare reliving the experience for a second time in ten minutes. "Besides," Sabine now looked at Nino, "I think it's time you head back to school. You don't want to miss too much, don't you?"
As much as Nino wanted to protest, he knew deep down that Sabine was right. He gave the pair a defeated nod and started to leave. Once he was half way out the door, he turned back and asked Tom and Sabine, "Should I tell Mlle. Bustier that Marinette won't be in school today?"
Sabine and Tom shared a sad glance and nodded at Nino. He nodded back and took off back for the school.
