Marinette's POV
I wake up in the morning ready to face the world. I'm even early enough to have a proper breakfast. As soon as I'm ready, I leave my house. When I get to school, Lila approaches me.
"Marinette?" She says, pretending to be nice.
"What?" I say scathingly.
"What's…uh…wrong?"
"Nothing. I just decided to be the bitch you all seem to think I am. So, do me a favor and kindly, fuck off."
At that point, we had attracted a crowd. Adrien was among them, seemingly worried, but it doesn't matter. Unfortunately, the crowd was blocking my way to class.
I shift my weight to my left side, putting my hand on my hip and staring at them.
"Are you gunna move?"
They part slowly as if they don't believe what they're seeing. Good. I hope it shocks them to their core and makes them think twice about their actions.
"Looks like Dupain-Cheng finally snapped." Chloe, the previous mean girl, laughs to her lackey, Sabrina.
I whip around and walk right up to her.
"No. I just decided I'm done being a doormat for you to dump your shit all over. Step aside, Chloe. There's a new top bitch in town."
Even she looks startled by my response. I smirk and turn around, continuing my walk to class.
"You can't just talk to me like that!" She calls after me.
Not even bothering to turn around, I say back, "I just did. Get used to it." I walk into the locker room as the collective class starts to whisper behind me. I'm alone, and I like it. Or I was alone until Adrien came in.
"What was that?"
I don't stutter as I reply, "Exactly what they asked for. They wanted me to be a bitch, I'm going to be a bitch. Fuck Lila, and fuck anyone who wants to talk shit. They should have been prepared for the consequences."
"Mari, I don't think anyone expected this…not even me, and I knew Lila was lying."
I turn to him, "That's the thing, Adrien. Everyone else chose to believe her. And I'm done. Chloe's right. I've finally snapped."
"This isn't you."
"Maybe it is. Everyone else seems to think so. It's only a matter of time before you do, too."
"What happened to being our everyday Ladybug?"
"Oh, I think you'll find that Ladybug is quite accepting of this change. She even encouraged it."
"Ladybug wouldn't do that…"
"Wouldn't she? She would do this." I say as I lean in and plant a kiss on his lips. "In fact, she just did. Bye, Loverboy." I say as I walk out and to class.
I go to the bathroom, and Tikki comes out of my bag.
"Marinette! You just told him you are Ladybug!"
"Please. That boy is so dense, he wouldn't know I was Ladybug even if I transformed right in front of him. He probably thinks I meant the old Marinette, the 'everyday Ladybug'."
"If you say so… Just be careful."
"I am, Tikki. Thanks for not leaving me."
She just flies up to hug me.
I walk out and to class, making my way to the back to claim my new throne. Above all of them. Everyone turns around and stares at me, but I just stare boredly, tapping my pen on my knee, my legs crossed on the desk. Adrien walks in, looking both dazed and concerned.
"Dude, what happened?" I hear from Nino.
"I'm not sure I know…" and that's all he says. I laugh to myself, knowing the old Marinette would be a stuttering mess around him. She never would have kissed him.
I briefly feel guilt fill me for how I've acted today, but I quickly push it down. I'm a queen. The Queen of Mean. And they will feel my vengeance.
The teacher walks in and begins to do role call. I blank out until I hear my name.
"Marinette."
"What?" I ask rudely, not wanting to be bothered from my thinking.
"Okay, she's here…" Ms. Bustier says, a little shocked. She quickly moves on, as though unnerved by the change in me. Good.
A note gets passed to me.
Watch your step. I won't put up with this for long, bitch.
"Which one of you fuckers wrote this?!" I demand, standing up and interrupting the lesson.
"Marinette Dupain-Cheng! I will not tolerate that language in my room."
"Okay." I walk right outside the open door. "Who the fuck wrote this shit?!"
Adrien seems to be growing increasingly concerned, but I don't care. This is me now.
"Go to the Principal's office."
"I'll do you one better. I'll go home. See ya later fuck faces."
I walk out of the school, acting as though I'm unbothered. But I don't go home. I go into an alley way and transform before making my way to the top of the Eiffel Tower. I don't plan on going home tonight, so I de-transform and send my parents a text, telling them I'm spending the night at Alya's. Ha. As if. That bitch deserted me. As I sit on the edge in civilian form, I can't fight the tears.
Tikki flies out from my bag.
"God, Tikki, how can I act like this and not feel like shit? I mean, I'm being who they see… but no one sees me."
"Marinette, it's okay."
"Sometimes, I just want to jump off of here. See what they think of me when I'm gone." I pull out the scissors I keep in my bag. Sorry, Cat. I'm just not strong enough."
"Marinette, please. Stop." Tikki's big eyes seem bigger as they fill with tears, and I can't help but feel worse.
"I'm so sorry, Tikki. I'm the worst holder for you. You deserve better."
She quickly hugs me. "I just want you to be happy."
"I don't know if I can be."