Violets & Bluebells

A Julenette Fan Fiction

Cover Image by StarrdustCrusader

Chapter 3

AN: Thanks again for all the views, favs, follows and comments! On with the next chapter! ^_^

Juleka took another look at the clock, anxiously awaiting the end of the day's classes. Only fifteen minutes remained. Fifteen short minutes until this agonizing day would potentially be over. Then she could breathe the free air away from this time-locked prison she was forced to be in and get far away from Chloe. She would pedal home on her bike as fast as she possibly could and hide in her room for the rest of the weekend…alone.

There was only one problem though. It wasn't a small one either. She had to find a way to get out of the same classroom as Chloe and out of school, all the while avoiding a confrontation with her. It felt like she had to navigate a minefield and the slightest misstep would spell her doom.

Since this morning's incident in class, the day had been surprisingly uneventful. Chloe hadn't as much as batted an eyelash in her direction all day. That is what worried her the most though since this was not her usual behavior. If experience had taught her anything, it was that Chloe normally would take advantage of every opportunity to bully her that presented itself. This eerie silence felt like the calm before the storm and she didn't want to stick around and find out how bad it was going to be.

There was one other thing though. Something that had been weighing on her heart all day. Or rather, someone. Marinette… Dear, sweet Marinette. After she had managed to calm herself down this morning, she had been avoiding her gaze all day. She wanted nothing more than to get lost in those pretty bluebell eyes but those same eyes had pierced her very soul and seen the pain she was hiding inside. The shock of it had her feeling like a deer caught in headlights; she didn't know which way she should run, or if she should even run at all.

When she was daydreaming about Marinette this morning, she thought that she had resolved to work up the courage to try and talk to her today. Try to talk to her about the problems she was having. Try to talk to her about anything at all. After the shock of being exposed though, she felt as if her resolve had crumbled completely.

It didn't feel like she was being fair to Marinette but she hadn't planned on her finding out her problems this way and Juleka was feeling distraught over the whole situation. She had hoped that if she had been able to talk to her under normal circumstances, she would have been able to ease into the subject more gradually. Instead, she was forced to skip right to the end and into the middle of the heart of the matter. It terrified her being so quickly exposed like that and she couldn't decide if she was ready to continue down this path and open up to her or not.

She had to make a decision now though. Time was quickly running out, and to make matters worse, it felt like Juleka's heart and mind were in a blender and set to liquefy. Her thoughts were becoming jumbled and incoherent. Making a decision on what she should do felt nearly impossible. And then, by a cruel twist of fate, the bell rang and left her there with her thoughts lying in a twisted, mangled mess.

She sighed and decided not to decide anything at all. Fate obviously had something in store for her and it felt like there wasn't going to be any way to escape it. Maybe it would be easier to just give in to despair and stop fighting it. Maybe it meant she would be akumatized again but it almost felt like she didn't even care anymore. She was so tired of constantly worrying about keeping her emotions in check. She was so tired of keeping her guard up all day long around everyone so they wouldn't see how she was really feeling. It was absolutely exhausting and it felt like she was reaching a breaking point. She could feel a surge of emotions rushing to the surface and it felt like she was about to explode. It felt like...

"Juleka? Are you ready to go?"

Rose's voice snapped her out of her thoughts and she realized that the classroom was nearly empty and Rose was standing next to her with her bag packed up and slung over her shoulder. Chloe was thankfully nowhere in sight but sadly neither was Marinette.

"O-oh, I'm sorry Rose," Juleka stammered looking up at her. "You don't have to wait for me." Juleka looked back at her desk at the mess of books and school supplies strewn about but didn't make a move to start packing them up in her bag.

"It's okay, Jules. I don't mind waiting for you." She replied cheerfully. She studied Juleka closely, noticing she wasn't even starting to pack her stuff up. She had seemed off all day to her and she didn't know why. Juleka was normally pretty quiet, even with her, but today she seemed especially distant. She had been avoiding conversations all day with her and everyone else and was hiding behind her bangs like she did when she wanted to be left alone. She had been wanting to ask Juleka what was bothering her but wasn't sure if she should. She glanced over as she saw Miss Bustier leaving the classroom and it was just the two of them left.

"No, you don't have to wait for me. Just go home and be with your family. They're waiting for you." Juleka didn't mean for her words to sound so cold but they had slipped out without even thinking about them.

Rose immediately picked up on a tone in Juleka's voice. The way she said it almost made her feel like she was mad at her for spending time with her family instead of her. "Juleka, I…" Rose started then trailed off and paused for a moment. "It doesn't matter when I get home. I would rather wait for you and walk out together."

"Just go, Rose. I'll be fine." Again, these words slipped out of Juleka's mouth before she had time to think. They sounded so cold that she couldn't believe that she was even the one who said them.

Rose almost shivered after she heard the icy tone in her voice but dug her heels in and was determined to find out what was bothering her friend. "What's wrong Juleka?" she hesitantly asked.

"Please, just go Rose." Her voice was firmer this time, almost angry. Rose couldn't see them since they were out of sight under the desk but Juleka's hands were clenched up tightly into fists.

"No, just tell me what's bothering you," Rose pleaded. "I can help you." She reached out and put her hand on Juleka's shoulder, trying to comfort her.

"Just leave me alone!" Juleka suddenly shouted, jumping out of her seat and harshly brushing her hand away. Her chair noisily fell over and the classroom became eerily quiet.

Rose visibly flinched at the sound of Juleka's voice and she instinctively put out her hands in a defensive manner. She was completely in shock and her mouth stood agape. She had never heard her raise her voice once, let alone get angry. She didn't recognize her at all at this point. Juleka wasn't looking directly at her but she could see part of the right side of her face and the expression on it frightened her. She knew that she wasn't going to be able to get through to her and she lowered her hands down to her sides in defeat. Tears started to sting the corners of her eyes and she quickly turned and hurried out of the classroom.

No, please don't go! I'm sorry! Juleka tried to call after her but felt frozen in place as she helplessly watched her best friend run crying out of the classroom. She was so stunned by what she had done she couldn't even find her voice. She didn't know why she had said those things and treated her that way. All of the emotions she had been bottling up were boiling to the surface and she had completely lost control for a moment. She took a few deep breaths and felt her anger subsiding. Once she had regained her senses, she knew exactly what she had to do.

Juleka left everything on her desk and ran down the classroom steps. She had to catch up to Rose and tell her how sorry she was. She had to tell her everything. She barely made it to the door when Chloe suddenly stepped into the doorway and shoved her roughly to the ground. She stood there blocking her way with her arms crossed and a nasty spread across her face. Juleka immediately had a flashback to her horrible nightmare.

"There you are, Juleka! You didn't think you could hide from me ,did you?" Chloe took a menacing step towards her and stopped.

Juleka shrunk back and felt a chill run through her from Chloe's icy tone.

"You weren't hard to find," Chloe continued. "I simply followed your stench. River rats like you that live in slums on the river leave behind a real foul smell!" Chloe pinched her nose and waved her other hand in front of her face for emphasis.

Juleka felt her heart start beating wildly and panic start to claw at her from within.

"Just look at you! You really do look just like a river rat! What are you even wearing?" Chloe berated her while pointing and laughing. "Did you dig that outfit out of a dumpster behind a thrift store?"

Chloe took another step and Juleka tried to climb to her feet but Chloe quickly shoved her back down. She saw the fear on her face and knew she had her right where she wanted.

"When are you going to learn, Juleka? There's no room here for you, or anyway for that matter." Chloe laughed aloud, putting her hands on her hips. "You think you have friends? You think people care about you?" She laughed again cruelly. "As if! You're 'friends' don't care about you! You're nothing but a burden to them! They feel like they have to tip-toe around you on eggshells so they won't offend you! Everyone would be better off if you just disappeared for real!"

Juleka shook her head trying to block out Chloe's heartless words. Her voice sounded like it was getting louder and louder like in her nightmare. She managed to prop herself up onto her elbows. "N-no, they do care." Juleka tried defending herself but her voice only came out as loud as her usual mumbling.

*No they don't!" Chloe shouted back as Juleka shakily pulled herself onto her knees. "And do you know why?" She asked in a low, looming tone. "Because you're useless," she whispered. "Utterly… useless."

"N-no I'm not." Juleka stammered louder this time. Her emotions were starting to boil over again and she latched onto the only one that mattered at this moment. "No I'm not!" She shouted back angrily as she finally felt strength return to her legs and stood up.

"Oooh! The river rat has some bark after all!" Chloe mocked, feigning dismay. "It doesn't matter how loud you say it. It doesn't change the fact that it's true. And I know it's true because there's only one thing you're good for."

"Stop it Chloe! Leave me alone!" Juleka shouted at her again, clenching her fists until her knuckles turned white.

Chloe ignored her and continued her merciless monologue. "I've been watching you for a while and I figured it out. I know what you've been hiding. I know your secret." Chloe let an evil grin slowly grow on her face as she gave Juleka a moment to process what she said.

No, she couldn't know! Juleka had never told a soul. She couldn't possibly know… that she was in love with Marinette. Could she? Wait, maybe she had seen her watching Marinette like she always did in class. Maybe… It didn't matter how she found out though because if Chloe knew then she would make it her mission to humiliate her and destroy any and all hope she had with Marinette. Juleka's shoulders slumped in defeat. It felt like her heart, no, her very being was breaking in half.

Chloe was carefully watching her reactions and could tell when the realization had hit her. "Shhh," Chloe whispered out of nowhere as she looked around apprehensively. "Can't you hear them?"

Juleka was caught off guard by Chloe's sudden bizarre behavior. What was she going on about?

"All those wings...there's so many of them!" Chloe crouched down shielding her head and started looking around wildly like there was some invisible threat about to strike.

"What are you…"

Chloe abruptly stopped and stood up, looking Juleka straight in the eye. With a voice as cold as the grave she whispered, "The only thing you're good for is being food for Shadow Moth's akumas. They're coming for you and they're going to gobble you up until there's nothing left."

Meanwhile, at the Agreste mansion...

"Yeees! This is it! This is the moment I've been waiting for!" Shadow Moth declared maniacally. "I've never felt despair like this before!"

He held out his hands, pouring his dark matter into an innocent butterfly and a lone feather, transforming them into hi dark agents of corruption.

"Now fly forth my akuma and take this amok with you! Evilize her tortured soul and transform her into a darkness that will consume Ladybug and everyone she's ever loved!"

Back at Francoise Dupont High School...

Juleka's eyes widened in horror and a jolt shot through her from head to toe. Chloe's cruelty was like a knife to her heart and she felt the damn holding back her ocean of emotions shatter completely as she gave up all hope and collapsed onto the floor in tears.

"Chloe! How could you?" A stunned voice suddenly asked from behind them.

Chloe turned to see Marinette standing in the doorway nearly paralyzed at the scene she had just witnessed. She had been waiting on the steps outside the school for a chance to talk to Juleka alone because she had been by Rose's side all day. When she saw Rose running out of school crying, she knew something was wrong and ran inside to find Juleka. Nothing could have prepared her for what she witnessed when she stopped in front of her classroom.

"Oh, hey, Dupain-Cheng." Chloe greeted her calmly with a sickly sweet smile as she hopped up on Miss Bustier's desk and crossed her legs. "You're just in time for the show."

Marinette didn't hesitate for a second as she stepped up to where Chloe was seated comfortably and slapped her hard across her face.

"Um, ow," Chloe replied, slightly startled but still arrogantly calm. She rubbed her cheek for a second as Marinette glared every dagger in existence at her. She gave Marinette a knowing smile. "My work is done here," she said motioning to Juleka," so you can have that one for free."

Marinette glanced over at Juleka to see her scramble to her feet and rush past them and out of the classroom. She knew what was about to happen and she couldn't be near poor Marinette when it did. She had to get away from her as far and as fast as she could or she would end up being collateral damage when she was akumatized.

"Juleka!" She heard Marinette scream back in the classroom.

Her tears fell almost as quickly as her feet as she descended the main staircase down into the courtyard. Luckily it was Friday and none of the students had stuck around to bear witness to the tragedy that was about to unfold. She was close to the archway leading to the front of the school when she spotted the akuma. The dark-winged messenger of doom was just ahead out near the road. She wasn't going to make it down the steps and around the side of the school to her bike in time.

She had to hide. Without thinking, she slammed through the nearest door and ran into the boiler room. She knew it didn't matter. There was no escape and no hiding from what was coming from her. When she reached the end, she slumped down against the nearest wall in defeat and let the despair wash over her. Not even Ladybug could save her from what was approaching. The only one that could possibly save her was…

"Juleka?! Juleka?!" A panicked voice cried out as she heard a door slam and rapid footsteps echoing towards her.

"No, Marinette! No, you can't be here!" Juleka cried when she saw Marinette come into view.

"It's okay, Juleka, this is right where I want to be," Marinette reassured her with a calm voice and a comforting smile. She took several slow steps towards Juleka and knelt down in front of her. She knew full well what was just outside and heading their way, but she had to be strong and fearless. She was Juleka's final defense from Shadow Moth's clutches and she had to save her from being akumatized. She had to save her friend.

"Please, Marinette!" Juleka pleaded. "Run! It's almost here! I-I don't want to hurt you!" She tried desperately to push Marinette away but she was so exhausted and there was no energy left behind her actions.

Marinette gently took hold of Juleka's wrists and she slowly stopped them from trying to push her away. "It's okay, Juleka. I'm here for you," Marinette told her in a soft, soothing tone. She straddled Juleka's outstretched legs and sat gently on her lap so their faces were only inches apart. She held Juleka's right hand in her left, interlocking their fingers together. She slid her other hand up Juleka's arm to her face and carefully brushed her violet bangs out of her eyes, gently caressing her cheek.

"No, Marinette I…" Juleka tried to protest but gave up when she felt Marinette's delicate touch on her cheek. She dared to look up and was met with her kind and compassionate bluebell eyes. She felt a calming warmth emanate from her touch start to spread through her.

"It's just you and me, Juleka. There's no one and nothing here but us," she whispered sweetly to her. "I know you're hurting and it's okay. I'm going to help you through this. Nothing and no one can hurt you as long as you're with me." Marinette gave her a smile like Juleka had daydreamed about hundreds of times before. "I promise," she whispered.

I promise. Those words echoed through her very being, blanketing her in a gentle, comforting aura. She felt her racing heartbeat ease from the distress it had been enduring. Her fears and worries seemed to melt away until there wasn't anything left except Marinette. A small smile played at the corner of her lips and she looked down for a brief moment to regain her composure.

Marinette put her hand under her chin and brought her gaze back up to meet her own. Juleka's eyes softened as she wholeheartedly put her faith in Marinette and wrapped her arms around her in a tight hug. Marinette returned the embrace, breathing a soft sigh of relief.

"Thank you, Marinette."

At that moment, it almost felt as if Juleka had known all along. There really was something about Marinette. She really was going to be the one to save her.

And not a moment too soon as the akuma and amok were hovering mere feet away. A moment later they floated aimlessly away as all of Juleka's negative emotions had vanished completely.

Meanwhile, back again at the Agreste mansion…

"Noooo!" Shadow Moth screamed, wildly shaking his clenched fists in the air. "This can't be happening! Where did all those wonderfully negative emotions go?!"

He slammed his came down on the floor as the metal shield slowly started sliding back over the decorative window.

"This isn't over yet, mark my words! Emotions that strong don't just disappear for good! I'll find a way to bring them back to the surface, even if I have to drag them out myself!"

AN: I had a hard time deciding where to end this chapter, but I decided to not be as cruel as Chloe and end it on a cliffhanger lol!

On a unrelated side note, I had a tiny editing question that you, one of my dear readers, may be able to help me with. I'm brand new to using this site and can't figure out whey the first line of my chapters (in this case the title) is being pushed off center to the left side a little bit. All my documents I type up show everything properly centered and the document manager does as well. However, when the story is viewed normally like how you're reading it now, the first line is being pushed off center to the left a bit. Unless the issue is strictly on my end, I haven't been able to figure out what the issue is. Thanks in advance if you know the answer!

See you guys next chapter! ^_^