He took his hand from her cheek and smiled closing a small part of his eye with his risen cheek. He pulled back out of her face creating a friendly distance between them, feeling his heart beat faster every second they looked at each other. He took in a breath and let out some form of a quiet sigh, "because I don't need you on a pedestal to see how amazing you really are."

Chapter 6- The New Girl

2 weeks later

The beginning of the holiday was a quiet time for Alya. She hadn't had anything to do. Her family were far too busy working to save money for their holiday towards the end of the summer. She'd only really seen Nino and binged watched TV the whole time. Ladybug hadn't been seen in any Akuma fights, so blogging was kept to a minimal, but this wasn't exactly new to her. Many holidays had come and gone and she didn't really mind the time to herself, instead of always being on the go. However, she felt so much lonelier than she ever had. She guessed this was because of Marinette. Not because her friend was away in China, but because she hadn't seen her since their fight...

To say she thought about it every so often would have been an understatement... It would have been better if Marinette stopped giving her the cold shoulder by not responding to her texts or calls when Alya tried to apologise.

It was a Wednesday when Alya finally got sick of staying inside. She tossed and turned on the sticky leather sofa, she was just so restless and staring at the ceiling was much more entertaining than paying attention to the random TV show she had playing.

She got dressed and ready, snatching her purse off her desk with haste, desperate to escape her clammy house.

She stepped out onto the calm Parisian street, in hailing the city air through her nose getting scents of all the car fumes, fresh food from the market close by and flora from the park.

For a long time she would just walk aimlessly, lost with her thoughts. She had grabbed just a regular ice coffee from a family run café somewhere in the neighbourhood along with some mini cinnamon doughnuts to snack on.

On her rout, she had avoided the local park several times cutting down new streets, unlocking new elements of the city or finding a spot she had already passed before. At one point, she had crossed by where the school was and even saw some classmates hanging out on the walls. It was just Kim and Max but they chatted for a small while before parting once again.

Alya reached the park once again and paused. She stared down streets but every single one looked too familiar.

I must have been down them all...

She breathed a chuckle and rolled her eyes. She had nowhere else to go. If she walked around the park to her house it would take much longer than going through it, and she wanted to go home.

So she began to pace amongst the green, the families and pets. She didn't look towards where her friends had sat two weeks ago, completely blocking any memories and sights from her vision.

The local park wasn't big nor small, so she made good time. She shared quick 'hellos' to neighbours, shop owners and distant acquaintances but really just took in the natural beauty of the neighbourhood she lived in, all the while praying she never saw a specific blue-eyed girl... But of course, life couldn't give her just that, could they?

The black gates at the end of the path drew closer, people still filtering in and out when amongst the crowd, she noticed a familiar hair colour... not black, but still darker than anything she'd ever seen, too pigmented for brown with a shiny overlay. The hair style though was... unfamiliar. The hair was longer as well. Instead of just past the shoulders, it was at least to the girls elbows even in a fishtail... Not her usual pigtails...

Alya froze. She squinted against the sun towards this girl swinging her legs on the stone wall, potted plants nailed to the wall either side of her. The rich red pansies and apple she munched into matched the unusual red skirt and white lacy top strung exquisitely across her shoulders. And if Alya was looking really closely, she'd notice it all seemed a size too small...

But like anyone paying attention could see, Alya froze in place right in front of the girl, out of purely shock of what she saw, fear and guilt for what had happened.

Marionette looked up slightly from her phone, taking a chunk from her apple, but looked back down once more. Alya's face contorted into a confused one.

Did... did Mari just ignore her?

She attempted to turn away hurt welling in her eyes but in a wave of courage she shot back around almost angry.

"Marinette." Alya stood her ground, eyebrows concerned.

The blue-eyed girl looked around finally locking on Alya eyes ushered in a second's confusion, biting another part of her apple.

Alya slowly backed down onto herself ripped and dissected into tiny pieces by her gaze.

Did Mari not know who she was?

"Oh, Alya. Hi."

"H-hi... I... err- You haven't called or texted me back..."

"New phone, new number. Is that all you wanted to say? 'Coz I'm sorta busy."

Alya caved for a second, eyes wide and watering, a small lump noticeable in her throat, "well I wanted to say I'm sorr-"

"Hold that thought." Marinette threw her apple in a bin, typing something furiously on her phone screen, much to Alya's discomfort.

"... done?"

"Yep. So where were you? Saying you're sorry? Yeah, maybe you should have thought about that before you basically threw me under the bus. You're lucky I never became Akumatized Ali."

"Ali? You know I hate being called that..."

"Do I? Well I guess we weren't as close friends as you thought."

"W-what?"

"Stop questioning reality Alya. You broke me, my trust and our friendship! This is all on you so don't look at me like I'm the bad guy here! None of this is my fault. It's. All. On. You. Deal. With. It."

"Mari... Can't you understand I'm trying my best to apologise?!"

"And can't you see I've taken that apology, and put it in a blender. Take the hint Alya! You hurt me but I'm not going to hurt you, I'm just removing you from my life so I can be happy again!"

Alya took a step back, her eyes wider than plates, her pupils smaller than pinheads. Her heartbeat ricocheted the shatter around and around her body, completely clouding her mind, her ears.

"But you've already hurt me..." She whispered feebly, trying not to show the weakness she had eating at her throat.

"I may have, but that's your fault."

Alya looked up fearing the worst, and there it was. Her greatest fear was staring right back at her, no remorse. Marinette's face showed no fear. No sympathy. No weakness. Absolutely no sign she was joking in the slightest. Her eyes were blazing, her gaze shot daggers. If looks could kill, Alya would have been brutally murdered within a second.

Marinette's phone rang taking the twos staring contest down to the device radiating the sound. The girl on the wall picked it up to answer it muttering a, "coming", down the line to the caller.

"Who... who was that?" Alya sniffled, holding her breath with a silent pray.

"What does it matter to you?"

Marinette rolled her eyes and dropped down from her ledge, brushing shoulders with Alya a little too hard to be friendly.

"Guess I'll see you 'round school." That was the last thing Mari muttered before disappearing down the street.

Alya watched this new girl walk away, only leaving a path a misery behind her. Her tears spilled past the barricades running marathons down her cheeks. Passers-by stared in a pity-confusion fusion, but never went up to help.

She dropped to the ground and lent against the wall for support. After a few breaths attempting to compose herself, her hand (still shaking) reached into her pocket to her phone, dialling a number she knew all too well.

The phone rang for a few beats before the sound of someone picking up on the other end sounded.

"Heeello?"

"N-Nino I-"

"Alya? What's wrong?"

Her she swallowed dryly gasping for a new breath every few seconds.

"Alya?!"

"I- I n-need t-to s-s-see yo-you. Please! I need you!"

"Of course! What happened?"

"M-Marinette." She spat. Something she never thought she'd ever do.

Marinette strutted down the street like she owned it and it… to her, it felt amazing. She didn't have to apologise to people who got in her way because they stayed out of it. They saw her confidence shine brighter than the sun on that boiling, August day and backed away.

This was her exterior.

But what about her interior?

It was much easier to shine from the outside than the in. But she now had to face the fact that that was how things had to be from now on.

It didn't matter what you felt on the inside if it was weakness. So the fact that she wanted to turn around and yell how she meant none of what she said didn't matter…

"You know you did the right thing, right?"

Marinette took a deep breath, almost feeling her eyes turn a shade darker, "I know."

Authors Note: Well this is Marinette folks! From the reviewer 'NaLuCrAzY215' I guess you didn't have to wait too long xD

Personally, I thought this chapter was a bit… 'meh'. But please leave your reviews and opinions on this short yet (I'd say quite eventful) chapter!

I hope to see you soon!

-L.E-Rae _x_