Chapter Forty Three – Last Day
Leaving Adrien to comfort (distract) Nino, Marinette goes to the art room to tell Nathaniel and Marc that this is her last day. They're understanding, of course, and abide by her wishes to not tell anyone because she doesn't want to deal with a fuss from the class – especially after the disaster that was second period. Marinette's original plan was to hang out with them for longer, but seeing as Nino is in such an emotional state she promises to keep in touch before making her retreat.
She finds them in the library, huddled in the religious section, and with Adrien trying to show Nino some funny videos on his phone. Nino, for his part, doesn't tell Adrien to fuck off and find Harry Potter, and instead humours him and watches the videos, despite having no interest in any of them. Hearing Marinette arrive, he looks up and manages a small smile.
"How'd it go?" He pats the spot beside him and she sits down instantly, wrapping her arms around him in a hug. He sinks into her, letting out a big sigh.
"About as well as can be expected." She squeezes him tightly before releasing him, although he doesn't move away from her and rests his head on her shoulder, curling into her side.
Smiling at Adrien – who's realised his videos aren't working and has put his phone away – she takes Nino's hand and entwines their fingers, before opening the Harry Potter book she snagged from a shelf on the way over.
"'Chapter one: Owl Post. Harry Potter was a highly unusual boy . . .'"
She manages to get halfway through the second chapter of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban before the bell goes, at which point Nino has begun to feel better and Adrien is just as obsessed with Harry Potter as the two of them are (they make a note to have a Harry Potter marathon at some point in the future, since he hasn't seen the movies since they first came out in theatre which is a crime in itself).
Ms Bustier must've heard what happened earlier, because she doesn't question when Alya hands in the USB containing their video presentation and the piece of paper with their speech instead of doing the presentation. She also doesn't say that the fact they have chosen (well, Alya has chosen, since she didn't actually ask Nino if he wanted to go through with it or not) not to present will have any effect on their mark. Marinette wouldn't be surprised if they actually gained a mark or two because of the 'emotional turmoil' that has faced them, despite the fact that the assignment was finished beforehand.
Juleka, Rose and Lila are first to go, followed by Sabrina and Chloé – who actually did some of the work herself rather than leaving it all up to Sabrina – then Marinette and Adrien go. Their presentation is mediocre at best, since they, like everyone in the class, are emotionally drained from this morning. They get a muted applause when they finish and return to their seats for Max and Alix to do their presentation (they also made a video, and Marinette overhears Nino say something to Adrien about their editing skills, so she knows that he really is doing better), followed by Ivan and Mylène, then finally Kim and Nathaniel, who finish just before the bell goes for the beginning of lunch.
"That's it." Adrien says, turning to look back at Marinette.
She smiles and nods eagerly, glad that her time at Françoise Dupont has finally come to an end, but before she can say anything someone clears their throat and taps Adrien on the shoulder, drawing his attention away from the girl behind him.
Lila gives him a sickenly sweet smile and puts her hand not still on Adrien's shoulder on Marinette's desk, leaning her weight against it. "We should get going, sweetie. We don't want to be late." She tries to grab his hand to pull him out of his seat, but he moves it away from her and shuffles along the seat, closer to Nino.
"What are you talking about?" He glances at Marinette quickly, as if she'd know what Lila's on about, but she just looks back at him and shrugs.
"We have a meeting with your father. He probably wants to see how our relationship is going, and maybe wants to discuss a press conference or inter–"
"We don't have a relationship, Lila." Adrien rolls his eyes.
Because Lila's blocking his way out of his seat, He waits for Nino to get up before sliding across the seat and leaving that way. Marinette does the same, seeing as Alya left as soon as the bell rung, and he takes her hand in his, matching Lila's gaze head on.
"And I don't have a meeting with Father. If you have one, then it's alone and I wish you luck." Not sparing her another glance, he turns to his friends and smiles genuinely. "Where are we going for lunch?"
"Mum and Dad want to take us out to celebrate." Marinette says as they make their way out of the classroom, leaving Lila behind them. She smiles at them nervously and squeezes Adrien's hand. "If you want to, that is." Before Adrien can answer, Nino beats him to it.
"A free lunch with my two favourite people? Of course I'm in!"
Marinette giggles, looping her free arm through Nino's so they make a human chain. "Great! Since you two have the rest of the day off too, maybe we can play some Ultimate Mecha Strike or watch a movie or something."
"Watch a movie," Adrien says straight away. "You and video games are not a relaxing combination."
As they reach the stairs there's some students coming up them so they break their hold on each other and walk down single file. When they reach the courtyard, Mr Damocles calls out to Marinette from the steps to his office. They pause and look towards him, watching as he waves at them as he descends the stairs.
"He's going to try and save face, isn't he?" Nino says to her quietly, and she nods, crossing her arms and meeting Mr Damocles' gaze with a blank stare.
"You don't have to listen to him if you don't want to. Technically he isn't your principle anymore." Adrien says, but she shakes her head.
"He's my principle until the end of the day, and he's still an adult. I have to listen to him, but that doesn't mean I have to do as he says." She goes quiet again when Mr Damocles approaches, nervous smile in place.
"Miss Dupain–Cheng," He greets, coming to a stop just in front of them with his hands behind his back. "I am glad I caught you."
Marinette has half a mind to point out that it seems more like he was waiting for her, but she stays quiet.
"I wanted to say how sorry I am that you have chosen to leave Françoise Dupont, and that I hope you have enjoyed your time here." His smile turns even more forced as he glances around him nervously, looking at all of the students who are looking on in interest. As the meaning of his words set in, a murmur goes through the small crowd and their faces range from disbelief and confusion to understanding. "You are a top student and I am sure that you will go far in–"
"If Marinette's a 'top student', why did you expel her after one child's claims?" Chloé's voice cuts across the crowd as she marches out of the cafeteria.
Her voice must've drifted back inside the cafeteria, because a moment later their classmates follow her and join the crowd.
"Did you even look into the security tapes? Question why Marinette would cheat on a mock exam that doesn't even go towards our final mark? Call an ambulance because she apparently pushed someone – who had no visible injuries besides from a bandage on the outside of her pants leg – down a flight of stairs?" She arrives at Marinette's side – pushing Nino behind her slightly in the process – and slings an arm around Marinette's neck much to the shorter girl's surprise.
"U–U–Um, w–w–well, I–I–I, u–uh–" Mr Damocles stutters, suddenly looking very flustered as he glances around at the swarms of students around him, taking in all of their shocked and disbelieving faces.
Chloé scoffs and rolls her eyes, putting her free hand on her hip. "No, you didn't, because you found it easier to expel one child rather than launch an investigation into the other's claims. Ridiculous, utterly ridiculous!" She turns to Marinette and says in a voice meant for everyone to hear, "No wonder you're leaving this sorry excuse for a school!"
The students around them descend into chaos as they launch questions at Mr Damocles and Marinette and each other, all of which go unanswered as Mr Damocles has begun making a hasty retreat to his office and Marinette is more focused on the blonde girl beside her.
"How do you know?" She asks, raising her voice slightly over the noise of their peers. "I only told Nathaniel, Marc, Adrien and Nino."
Chloé smirks and releases her hold on Marinette, fluffing up her hair as if it's out of place. "Does it matter? I just saved your arse from the moron pretending to be a principle, you should be down on your knees thanking me."
Marinette smiles fondly and shakes her head. "Thank you, Chloé."
Chloé's cheeks flush slightly but she waves her hands dismissively. "All in a day's work of being Queen Bee."
Nino opens his mouth to point out that she isn't Queen Bee anymore, but thinks better of it when he sees how happy Chloé is right now. Plus, it wouldn't really benefit anyone by having him point out something everyone, including Chloé, already knows.
She pulls her lip balm out of her purse and starts applying it to her lips. "So where are you going for school?"
Marinette tells her of her plan to be home school until lycée, and then which lycée she's going to.
"That's the one near Notre Dame, right?" Chloé questions and the three of them nod. "I'm going there too." She scrunches up her nose. "Maybe. Either that one or an elite privet school. Where are you going Adrikins?"
Adrien shrugs, putting his hands in his pockets. The students around them have begun to disperse, although some still remain, trying to not–so–subtly eavesdrop. He can see that their classmates are engaged in some kind of whisper battle amongst themselves, and that has captured most of the student's attention.
"It depends where Father wants me to go. Nathalie says we'll sit down and look at lycées over the next few weeks, and that she'll take my preferences into account."
Chloé nods in understanding, her expression softening at the mention of his father (she knows as well as he does how controlling Gabriel is). She looks back at Marinette and smiles. "Maybe I'll see you at lycée, then?"
"Maybe," Acting half on impulse she steps forward and hugs the blonde. Chloé stiffens at first, before she relaxes somewhat and returns the gesture, patting Marinette's back awkwardly until the shorter girl lets her go. "Would you like to join us for lunch? We're celebrating my escape." Nino snorts at Marinette's (accurate) description.
"I wouldn't want to impose. Also, can your parents even afford to feed any more people?" Chloé crosses her arms and inspects her nails.
Marinette doesn't take offence to her statement, recognising the defence mechanism. "I'm sure they could duck into their savings for one more meal. Come on, it'll be fun." She smiles at Chloé hopefully, grin widening as Chloé's resistance begins to wane.
"Fine," Chloé huffs, putting her hands on her hips. "But I am not eating in any restaurant or café that has a lower rating than four stars. That would be ridiculous, utterly–"
"Ridiculous?" Adrien, Nino and Marinette chime, smiling sweetly at the blonde.
She glares at the three of them, but it only lasts for second before she has to turn away so they don't see her smile. "You're so lame."
"Is that why you're hanging out with us?" Nino questions, wrapping an arm around Marinette's waist in a side hug before starting to usher them towards the exit before their classmates can ambush them. "Because you're so lame too?"
Chloé looks at him sharply, glare back to full force, and she points a finger at him, holding it so close to his face that when he looks at it, he goes cross–eyed. "Don't push it, turtle boy."