Author's Notes: So thank you everyone who has stuck with my story so far it means a lot. And an extra thank you for those who helped me proofread and better my story. I do want to apologize as it was pointed out that one of my genres was somehow labeled western. When I first created the story it was friendship and general and I honestly don't know when or how it got switched but it should be corrected now. Also I wanted to note that I am aware I may have gone out of character on Adrien Agreste in this story, but was very innoyed with him after the Ladybug episode. While ineffective I thought his statement at the end of Chameleon was very noble and was excited to see the two of them stand against Lila even if they did not confront her, but then it took Marinette almost begging Adrien to help her during her exploitation and I have wanted to stick Alya on him ever since as a result.
Alya and Nino were both currently sitting on the chase in Marinette's bedroom. They had met up for a late lunch around noon and had discussed the whole Lila situation till it was time to face the music and come over to Marinette's.
Marinette immediately showed them up to her room and asked them to wait there for a moment. She then disappeared back down stairs leaving her 2 best friends nervously awaiting her return.
"I hope she does not disappear for hours again. I love her and all but I swear she can just dissappear with out a trace at the most impromptu of moments." Alya muttered to Nino who chuckled.
"I know what you mean, my bro Adrien does the same thing all the time." Nino replied.
Alya hesitated at the mention of Adrien. He never responded to her reply this morning and if Alya was being honest, she is very disappointed in him.
"Did you know he knew about her lies but did not want to call her out?" Alya asked quietly.
"Adrien?" Nino asked in confusion. Alya nodded and Nino's eyes furrowed together. "No. I did not know that, why would he want to let her deceive and manipulate us?" Nino asked.
"I am not 100% sure but from what I gathered this morning he simply did not want to make her upset." Alya replied.
"Huh??" Was all Nino could get out before the trap door opened and Marinette came in with a plate of fresh baked cookies and macarons.
After taking what she wanted she handed the plate over to Nino and Alya before walking over to her desk to grab her chair to wheel over. ( And leave a cookie for Tikki on her desk.)
After wheeling her chair over and sitting down across from her friends Marinette ate one of the macarons she grabbed as a way to ignore feeling the tension in the room.
Nino and Alya followed suit eating some of the sweets Marinette had provided. And for a few minutes they were all just silent.
Eventually Alya let out a defeated sigh. "Look Marinette, I am so sorry I never believed you about Lila. I was a hypocrite for telling you that you needed proof that Lila was lying when I never checked myself to see if she was telling the truth." Alya apologize with her head down in shame.
Nino began rubbing Alya's shoulder in a comforting gesture as he spoke. "Even if she wasn't a liar I have been thinking back on things and no one in the class even asked you if you would be willing to move to the back of the class, and that alone was not cool. And I Can't even begin to say how sorry we are." Nino stated shamefully.
Marinette sighed, for so long now she has just ignored everyone's mistreatment so not to face the pain that came with. But now with everyone facing their wrong doings Marinette can no longer ignore it herself. And it sucked.
"Its.. I... I want to say it's okay, but I can't; because it wasn't. I never understood why everyone would just believe such blatant lies and disregard me completely. I love that my class is such a kind and trusting group of individuals but I always thought everyone carried a righteousness to them."
"And even if I was being jealous and petty, I always thought you would at least take me serious enough to search for the truth yourself. But Lila was right you only heard what you wanted." Marinette said the disappointment and hurt evident in her voice.
Alya lifted her head to meet Marinette gaze. "She said that to you?" Alya asked in a quiet voice.
"Not in those exact words but essentially yes." Marinette replied.
"So how do we make it up to you?" Nino asked. Marinette took a moment to think about that before answering.
"Slowly. You have not done anything to shatter our friendship beyond repair. But my trust and faith in you will take time to build back up." Marinette replied sadly.
Alya nodded. " I will. I promise I will do everything I can to become a better friend and all around a better person. I WILL learn from my mistakes." Alya said with determination.
"As will I." Nino added.
Marinette smiled at both of them grateful that Lila was not successful in turning them fully against her. Her smile faded as the memory of Lila's threat came to mind.
"I'm glad to hear that, and now that I know you will actually listen and believe me there is something I think you both should know. Just promise me you will keep your tempers in check. I really don't want either of you two getting akumtized over me." Marinette practically pleaded.
Alya and Nino looked at one another before looking back at Marinette. "We will try." Alya said apprehensively.
So Marinette, starting from the day Lila returned; began to tell them both all that Lila has done from her perspective. Even the things that they had already known about such as the napkin incident and Marininette being expelled.
Marinette even explained Adrien's suggestion to not out Lila. And that she had seen Lila try to get Ladybug captured during Oni-Chan by faking an injury.
By the time Marinette was done Nino and Alya were both taking calming breaths to keep their anger under control. Marinette kept looking around for an akuma while her two best friends processed what they had been told.
Alya was livid to say the least. Oh, how tempting it was to just let Hawkmoth akumtized her and go on a vengeance spree. But Alya would not break her promise to Marinette, nor would she let Ladybug down.
And so Alya took slow calming breaths, while counting in her head to keep her temper under control. Eventually Nino let out a disappointed sigh.
"Adrien. My man. You are even more clueless then I thought." Nino muttered putting his head into his hand and shaking it a little.
Alya sighed as well looking back at Marinette who's whole demeanor screamed defensive. As if she was waiting for Alya and Nino to yell at her.
That was a hard punch in Alya's stomach.
"I am so sorry Marinette. I am sorry that Lila had done those things to you. I am sorry that you did not feel you could trust me enough to tell me what was going on. I am sorry that the whole class let Lila use them against you. I am just so sorry." Alya said trying to swallow the lump in her throat.
Seeing her best friend on the verge of tears, Marinette got up and gave Alya a big hug. This seemed to push Alya over as she broke out in tears and hugged Marinette back.
"Its okay Alya, its okay. I forgive you, and though it may take some time to repare the damage Lila did; we will fix our friendship and come back stronger than before." Marinette said holding her best friend till she stopped crying.
"You okay dude?" Nino asked as Marinette pulled away with a far off look on her face.
"Yeah I'm fine. I was just thinking about what we should do about Lila now that you know the truth about her." Marinette said uneasy as she sat back down.
"Hmm, that is a good question. I don't really want to just let her get away with everything she had done." Alya said wiping away the last of her guilty tears and replacing them with a determined look.
"Well between the bullying, manipulation, and everything else she has done; I think its safe to say Lila has done enough to be expelled." Nino commented.
Marinette shook her head. "Unless you can prove what she has done, and actually get one of the adults at least hear you out; trying to go through school administration would be pointless." Marinette said with a hint of frustration.
"So lets get some proof." Alya stated bluntly.
"And how do you plan to do that?" Marinette asked.
Alya gave Marinette a mischievous smile.
"You will just need to wait and see, but I promise Lila is going down." Alya stated.
After her talk with Marinette, Alya sent messages to all her classmates with the exception of Lila, Chloe, Sabrina, and Marinette; asking to meet early the next morning to talk.
Now they all stood in Ms. Bustier's classroom about a half hour before class starts and about 20 minutes before people normally start arriving.
"Alright everyone listen up. I brought you all here because we have been acting very badly towards Marinette for someone who is a liar and a manipulator." Alya stated grabbing everyone's attention.
"While I agree that Lila's behavior is 100% inexcusable one could also say Marinette could have handled the whole thing in a better manner." Max said adjusting his glasses.
There were several murmurs of agreement. Alya just blinked at the class unsure as to why they were not rallying against Lila.
"I agree, while I'm not happy to find out I may have been lied to, and should have never jumped to conclusions that you removing that post was because of Marinette. We all know Marinette tends to bring that onto herself with her own behavior." Alix said yawning.
"Actually I think this is all just a big misunderstanding. I talked to Lila last night after I finished crying to ask why she would lie and it turns out Rena Rouge has felt threatened by Lila because she is Ladybug's best friend." Rose chimed in.
What in the world? That was the only thing that went through Alya's mind as stared bewildered at her classmates. For once she finally understands the extent of Marinette's anger and frustration regarding Lila.
"Are you saying that you believe that Rena Rouge, one of Paris's heroes lied?" Alya snapped a little sharper than she ment to.
Rose recoiled in suprise and hurt at Alya's tone. Her eyes filled with un-shed tears as she spoke. "Nnn.. No I just think that maybe Lila was not lying, and that there was a reason Rena Rouge told you she was." The blond replied meekly with Juleka wrapping her arms around her comforting.
Juleka glared at Alya. "I get that you are proud of your blog and that Rena Rouge has already caused it some discredibility. But you don't need to be rude at Rose for you not checking your facts with Lila first." Juleka said in her normal quiet voice.
Alya could not believe what she was hearing and was starting to understand the extent of Marinette's frustration. Nino placed a calming hand on Alya's shoulder to prevent her from doing something rash. Even though he too was appalled by that he was hearing.
Alya took some deep breaths to calm herself has the class stared at her. She then looked up to Adrien who was shaking his head slightly while rubbing his temple.
"Adrien?" Alya started in a tense voice. The blond model looked up at the reporter with a look that said leave me out of this. But Alya was going to fix this she owed it to Marinette to do so.