Bridgette sighed as she ignored the stares from her dorm mates as she packed listening to music blasting from her headphones.
"Staring at me isn't going to change my mind about going back home to live with my Cousin and my Aunt and Uncle, you know?" Bridgette said calmly and amusedly.
The blonde with blue eyes simply crossed her arms at the statement.
"I know it hurt that dirty trick that those idiots pulled on you, but that shouldn't be enough to make you quit music all together." The blonde said.
Bridgette smiled calmly as she answered.
"That's not why I'm quitting music, Jessica. I just don't feel as passionate about it anymore as I used to. I love music, I really do, but I'm not feeling as strongly about it as I used to once. I'm going home to live with my family in hopes that maybe stepping away from music for a while will help me figure out if I still want to pursue a career in music and if I do then what kind specifically it is that I want. Plus, my cousin needs me even if she doesn't say anything to me about what might be going on." Bridgette explained calmly but reassuringly.
Jessica sighed softly while the other two girls (a brunette and a redhead) tried to argue with Bridgette to stay.
"Cassidy, Wendy, that's enough okay? She's not feeling as strongly or as certain about going after a career in music as she used to. We can't make her stay and force herself to pursue something that she's not fully invested in anymore. We are all still friends and can stay in touch through emails and letters."
Bridgette smiled gratefully as Cassidy and Wendy sadly relented.
The three girls soon had a long tearful goodbye at the airport with promises to email each one of them every week and Bridgette boarded the plane, soon listening to one of her favorite songs as the plane took off to go to Paris.
In Paris
Ladybug and Cat Noir tiredly fist bumped after an exhausting akuma battle.
"Bien Joue!" They chorused.
"Are you okay today, M'Lady? You seemed a bit distracted during the fight..." Cat Noir asked after they both caught their breaths at a not far off rooftop.
She sighed tiredly, "That obvious, huh? I'm okay, just a bit excited and nervous about some news I got from my parents today. I'll be perfectly fine, but for now I better go before I transform back." Ladybug said as her miraculous beeped.
She swung her yoyo and smiled at him happily, "Bug Out!"
Then she was gone and left with no other choice he left in the opposite direction to go home. When he made it home and safely into his room he was soon called by Nathalie to go pick up Felix at the train station with the Gorilla. After the two boys and bodyguard made it back Gabriel Agreste greeted them as coldly as he greeted his own son usually.
"Welcome to our home again, Felix, I look forward to having you live with us and I am sorry for your loss. Adrien will show you to your room and Nathalie has already worked out a schedule for you. You will be joining Adrien in his Fencing and Chinese lessons and will have to find yourself an instrument to play if you can or another sport if unable to find an instrument. You will also be attending school with him from now on and it has been arranged so that you will be in his classes as well. Good day to you both." Gabriel said before leaving the teens alone with Nathalie and the Gorilla.
"You will also have to choose a bodyguard to protect you at school. Much like Adrien has to choose one as well. However outside of school Arthur here will be keeping Guard of both of you. Adrien will show you to your room and around the mansion." Nathalie revealed before excusing herself as Adrien and Felix thanked her.
The gorilla excused himself and the boys then took the tour and ended it in Felix's room next to Adrien's own room.
When they walked in and he set down his bags, Felix turned calmly to Adrien.
"How did you..." He began trailing off, unsure how to express this.
Adrien smiled understandingly, "How did I what?"
Felix hesitated for a couple moments before answering.
"Handle the death of your own mother?" Felix asked awkwardly but calmly.
Adrien blinked but then smiled sadly at him and answered.
"I remembered that above everything, my mother wanted me and Father to be happy and live moving forwards. It wasn't easy, still isn't. But it got easier once I made my friends and with surprisingly enough Chloe's support and help. It hurt a lot to loose my maman, but whenever I feel hurt by her loss I remember that she wanted my happiness and father's happiness above everything else. Moving forward with my life helped a lot too." Adrien answered supportively.
If it was anyone else he would have hugged Felix, but Adrien is well aware that Felix disliked being touched affectionately in anyway.
Felix nodded and Adrien excused himself to let him unpack.
At the bakery, Marinette worked hard on cleaning up the old bedroom belonging to her cousin with the help of Alya, Nino, Kagami, and Luka.
"Uh, girl... I have to ask now..." Alya began holding out in front of her a decently sized case she found stored in the closet, "Who is this relative that's moving in with you?"
Everyone looked at Marinette expectantly as she took the case gently from Alya and put it neatly and carefully back in the closet. The closet that Marinette had deemed to not be messed with.
"It's my cousin, Bridgette. She used to live here with us up until middle school since her parents passed away when we were only five years old. She loves music and that case holds her clarinet. One of the first instruments she owned. The other two she's owned are in that closet which is why I said not to touch it. She's very...protective... of her instruments." Marinette explained kindly as she stepped back to join her friends infront of the bed in the room.
"Bridgette? How come I haven't heard of her before?" Alya asked suspiciously.
Marinette frowned sadly before answering.
"It's difficult to talk about her for me. Me and Her were always as close as twins, and we look exactly alike too. That's why I had no trouble figuring out Felix wasn't Adrien. But back in middle school she was offered this full-ride scholarship to an Arts boarding school in America and I haven't really seen her since. I have talked in letters with her and through holiday phone calls briefly. But I did miss her a lot regardless which made it difficult for me to really talk about her." Marinette explained.
Alya, Nino, Kagami, and Luka were shocked.
"She went to a boarding school for the Arts?! What talent did she get in for?" Nino asked curiously.
Marinette laughed and they all got back to work as she talked.
"You can all ask her yourselves on Monday at school. She's flying in today, and will be sleeping in tomorrow. My parents already arranged her enrollment at school and she's going to be placed in the same classes as us.
Everyone beamed and soon the room was all clean and they all went to go to the Roller Skating Rink for a dare between Kim and Alix.
TBC