AN: Time for Chapter 6. I've been looking forward to writing this bad boy for quite some time now.

So. Still waiting on suggestions for what you guys want to see more of in this story. I know it's still early but still. Come on guys. So I'll repeat the plot points in my Author's Notes until I start getting some suggestions.

What would you guys like to see in some of the following scenes?

- A girl's night in

- Team Marinette v Lila scenes

- A girl's day out

- A surprise party

- A snoop into Lila's background (before Francois Dupont)

I will take any and all suggestions, feel free to let me know via comment or PM! :)

Also, how keen are you guys on ships for this story, and what ship do you want to see?

Enjoy you filthy animals.

A Spoonful of Sugar

Monday morning came and Marinette was prepared. She'd finished her homework on Saturday, rehearsed and memorised her speeches for Monday, spent Sunday baking and making various treats to give as gifts, and now she was at school, early for once (way too early), putting the last touches on her gifts before people would start filtering into class.

A straightened bow here, a smiley face on a note there, and she was done. Marinette stepped back to admire her work. At everybody's desk sat a personalised box of treats. Each was painstakingly decorated to suit everybody's individual preferences, plus with carefully worded apology notes attached which Lila wouldn't be able to manipulate against Marinette. Inside, of course, were a variety of macarons, biscuits, tarts, and small cakes, each treat and flavour picked specifically for the recipient. Strawberry tarts for Rose, coffee macarons for Juleka, chocolate chip cookies for Adrien and Kim, blueberry chocolate cake for Alya, and so on. The only desk that was empty was Marinette's. She even made Chloe and Sabrina boxes, just so they didn't miss out.

Lila's gift was the largest of course, she had to do something really special to 'make up' for all the horrible things she'd done. The box was about the size of a laptop, with six smaller boxes fitted inside so that all the treats could be kept separate, in case Lila complained of an allergy.

Marinette checked over the treats inside the box once more, ensuring nothing was broken or smushed. Shortbread biscuits, check. Miniature strawberry custard tarts, check. American style chocolate stuffed donut balls, check. Peach macarons, check. Miniature vegan quiches (in case that was her new thing), check. And homemade Turkish delight pieces. Marinette nodded in satisfaction, closed the lid, straightened the bow on top of the tastefully sunset orange box, and ensured that the apology letter was firmly enclosed in the card, before finally taking her seat to fit in a short nap before class.

A poke in the shoulder startled Marinette into wakefulness, and she dragged a sleeve across her drool dampened cheek. She managed a bleary grunt before meeting the face of whoever had woken her.

Alya beamed back at her, eyes shining behind her glasses and chocolate smeared on her cheek.

"Girl, I knew you'd come through!" Marinette was dragged into a hug, face pressed into the particularly frizzy mess that was Alya's hair today. She was pushed back and held at arm's length so Alya could smirk superiorly at her. "It just took most of us yelling at you to get it through your head."

"Ha ha, yeah," Marinette trailed off awkwardly, looking about the classroom to see that gone were the glares from the week before and in their place were bright smiles rimmed with crumbs or sauce. Even Adrien was beaming at her, smiling that darling angel smile of his, and if that didn't make Marinette want to squeal nothing ever would.

Marinette craned her neck to look up the back. Even Lila was smiling as she ate her treats, she didn't look half as confused as Marinette thought she would, but maybe she actually believed the act. Marinette hoped so, oh she really, really did. That would just give her extra time to start Phase 2 of the plan. And plan Phase 2. It had been hard enough to come up with Phase 1: Get back on everyone's good side, especially alone, but she wasn't quite desperate enough to start asking Chloe for suggestions. Not after last time.

"We're really proud of you, Marinette," Adrien said, smiling. Flutters started in Marinette's stomach.

"Yeah," Alix agreed from across the room. "It was cutting everyone up big time."

"I'm glad you guys have forgiven me," Marinette said genuinely. She steeled herself as she turned towards the back, forcing as much natural timidness as she could into her voice. "But, I can't pit you guys against Lila." That sounded genuine didn't it? It did, it's okay. "If Lila won't forgive me, then I don't deserve your friendship either." Marinette resisted the urge to smirk at Lila's startled expression. A lump of Turkish delight fell from her open mouth and landed on the desk. Ew.

Lila chewed and swallowed, clearly forcing back something akin to a sneer. The rest of the class watched with bated breath, clearly hoping Lila (as the darling she is) would say yes so the class could return being a paradise of sunshine and puppies and rainbows. Lila's face barely twitched into a glare at Marinette as she finally choked down the last of her mouthful of sweets. Marinette clawed her legs through her jeans to stop herself from smirking. It was about time Lila had a taste of her own medicine, and boy was it delightful to watch.

Lila finally managed a mockery of a sincere smile. "Of course! After such a sweet gift, there's no way I could possibly deny Marinette friendship. Especially since she apologised over the weekend already." Something glinted in Lila's eye when she mentioned that, something hard and vicious, but it was gone too fast for Marinette to think on it. "It'd hurt all of you guys too much to lose your friend because of me."

Ah, playing the self-sacrificing game again? Two could play at that game, Lila.

"It's okay, Lila." Marinette managed her best teary eyed look at the class. "If I make you uncomfortable, I can always change schools. Of course, I'll miss my friends, after I only just got them back…" She let the sentiment trail off, igniting whispers in the desks. It pained Marinette to do this, to be so fake and deceptive towards her friends, but it was the only way. The only way to get Lila to stop. To leave.

Lila's smile more closely resembled a grimace than anything else, but apparently it was good enough for the class.

"Of course we can be friends, Marinette. You're so sweet." Lila fluttered her eyelashes in what was supposed to be a display of…maybe friendliness? Marinette really couldn't tell. "Especially since you've convinced Chloe to be nicer to everyone, and done so much for everybody recently. I can't possibly deny your friendship now."

Marinette fought down the urge to scream. She knew this was going to be hard, she knew that. But this level of manipulation, this gaslighting Lila was playing with, was forcing Marinette into being a little more heavy handed.

Marinette smiled, a little giggle that only sounded a little fake slipped out. "I'm so glad, Lila! I would never want to make you uncomfortable, but I so want to be your friend and I would hate to leave my friends, especially since we've just made up."

It was then that Ms Bustier appeared, just as the bell for class rang, and any opportunity for further discussion was promptly denied.

Class passed rather uneventfully, with Lila interjecting to tell a tall tale every so often as per usual. Luckily for Marinette, she'd foreseen this and had practiced her false exclamations and wonderments over the weekend. Every so often Chloe would chime in, to offer her own impressed sentiments. They were totally false, of course, but no one expected Chloe to turn into a perky fangirl straight away.

For Marinette, the constant forced praises were draining, and every time she phrased something in a slightly manipulative way made guilt pull at her throat. Every lie she told and every lie she let Lila say unchallenged made Marinette's heart sink deeper and deeper until by the end of the lesson her heart was nearly in her toes. The frustrated looks Lila failed to hide when Marinette played up the sweetness almost made it worth it. Almost.

The class packed up for lunch, but Marinette hung back, intending to speak to Chloe alone. Alya rambled excitedly at her side, gushing about all the girls' days that Marinette could now join now that she and Lila were friends.

"Hey Marinette, could I talk to you for a sec?" Lila's dreaded voice cut through Alya's ramble, and the two girls turned to face Lila, sitting at the back. She smiled, oh so sweetly.

"I'm going for lunch, catch up later, girl." Alya clapped Marinette on the shoulder before backing out the door, pointing finger guns at her friend. Marinette caught a glance of Chloe pausing in her rapid texting, to peer curiously over her shoulder. Sabrina shrank behind Chloe, out of Marinette's eyeline.

"Sure, Lila," Marinette finally said, turning to face Lila fully. "I'd be happy to."

Lila stood and moved around her desk to perch on the edge and watch Marinette from the high ground. When she smiled it was all teeth.

"You must think I'm stupid." She examined her nails and Marinette had to stop herself from affirming that statement. "After all." Lila's gaze slid back to Marinette, her cold eyes narrow. "There's no way you could expect me to fall for that pathetic performance."

Marinette shifted, but didn't remove her stare from Lila's.

Lila laughed at Marinette's glare. "I mean, of course everyone else fell for it, they're so dumb I'm surprised they're still alive…" She rolled her eyes. "You must think yourself so clever, trying to play the game I invented." Lila's voice came as a hiss, filtering into Marinette's brain, slithering in her ear like so many worms. "Pathetic."

Lila stood and slowly sashayed down the stairs, placing one foot carelessly in front of the other in an easy display of grace. She met Marinette's eye as she passed and smirked.

"You're not going to get away with this, Lila," Marinette snarled, bunching her fists in the hem of her top.

"Mmm." Lila pressed her pointer finger to her lips and looked to the ceiling as if she were considering it. The expression morphed into an ugly smirk. "But I already have, Marinette. Your little performance today, as annoying as it was, is working in my favour. Now you and…Chloe, have to keep up this little charade, and do anything I say or…" Lila shrugged nonchalantly. "I can make your life more miserable than you can possibly imagine."

Chloe slammed her palms on her desk and stood. "You're a worthless little peasant Rossi, by the time I'm finished with you-"

"You'll what, Chloe?" Lila simpered. "Be all alone, abandoned by your Mom and Adrien?" Lila scoffed at Chloe's horrified look. "You forgot one simple thing girls." Lila snapped her fingers and Sabrina rose to skulk wide eyed behind her. Marinette forced herself to ignore Chloe's strangled gasps and swears. "You might have grown up with these fools, but I have their loyalty."

With that, Lila swept out of the room, Sabrina on her tail, leaving Marinette all alone with Chloe's strangled sobs.