A/N: Well, on to chapter 2. Hopefully with fewer typos this time. No promises, as I did fail English class a handful of times. Anyway, read and review, or don't. Up to you. Hope you enjoy. Also, I updated chapter mostly for formatting purposes. No big story changes or anything happened. I'm just one person, usually writing these chapters way too late at night, and I miss things sometimes.
Chapter 2
"Ugh, I still can't believe this!" The voice of Chloe Bourgeois echoed through the women's restroom during the passing period between classes. "First, some nobody ruins the ride to school... Well, more so than having Marinette along already did. And then she gets paired up with Adrikins for the class project instead of me?!" The blonde was ranting and pacing, as her quiet, bespectacled friend Sabrina stood to one side.
Sabrina loved Chloe as a friend. Although she would admit the friendship had not been exactly healthy during those first years, Sabrina was still glad to have it. Her confidence had always been hampered by her mousy nature, and so she followed after Chloe. But over the years she had gained some insight into who Chloe was behind the scenes. She had been a part of Chloe's games where they dressed up as the heroes of Paris and went after the butler who posed as the villain of the week, with whatever ridiculous scheme Chloe had cooked up for him. She had been there as an accomplice in some of Chloe's underhanded schemes, but she had also been there to eat ice cream and comfort the crying blonde on the anniversary of her mother disappearing.
Sabrina knew more than anyone how much Chloe had changed over the years. Ever since that event almost four years ago. Mayor Bourgeois had been akumatized, and teamed up with a new super villain calling herself Royal Wasp. The city was in complete chaos for days as Chat Noir, Ladybug, and even the new hero at the time, Rena Rogue, fought to bring down the iron-fisted regime of the akumatized Mayor.
It wasn't until they had managed to convince Royal Wasp to help them, to be a hero worthy of the Miraculous, that they managed to turn the tide. Sabrina figured that Chloe, seeing someone as wicked as Royal Wasp becoming the new hero Queen Bee, sparked something inside of her. Some desire to change.
Granted, it wasn't an overnight change. And even now, she still complained often about Marinette (something Sabrina believed was rooted in jealousy, but would never actually bring up to her friend), and would be rather blunt and tactless with her words. But it was the small things Sabrina noticed. Like the first time Chloe asked her over to help her review their homework, instead of just demanding the shy redhead do it for her. Or how she would ask for Sabrina's thoughts on what movies to watch, or invite her to parties as a friend, instead of just expecting her to show up as a personal assistant of sorts.
Sabrina felt her lips turning up in a small smile as she thought about the blonde in front of her, and how much progress she's made, even if others didn't see it.
"Is something about this situation funny?!" Chloe snapped, causing Sabrina to blink and shake her head.
"Wha-? Uh, no Chloe, of course not. Sorry, I was just thinking about how nice our last sleepover was." Sabrina said, deflecting the accusation. Chloe looked like she was going to say something else, but then just sort of deflated with a huff, and turned to look at herself in the mirror. Sabrina knew what this meant as well, even if it was a fairly new dynamic to their relationship. She moved over to stand next to the blonde as she touched up her make-up. "I'm sorry your day hasn't been going as great as it should be. But hey, look on the bright side! Adrien was sure to notice how generous it was to give his other friends a ride, your homework is done, and you don't have to share your next two classes with Marinette." Sabrina said, giving the blonde a smile.
Chloe tried to keep her dour look, but in the end, gave up as her lips curled slightly into a smile Sabrina was certain only she had ever seen. "Yeah, you're right Sabrina. Thanks." She said, closing her compact and putting it back in her purse. "Still, my poor Adrikins being subjected to being partnered with Marinette for this project just makes my soul weep for him."
Sabrina subtly rolled her eyes, following her friend out of the restroom. Sabrina actually quite liked Marinette. The girl was quiet, and a bit clumsy, but always willing to help others. And she hoped one day maybe Chloe could get past her jealousy, and work towards a friendship with the bluenette. Unfortunately, there was a slight obstacle standing in the way of that by the name of Adrien Agreste. On one hand, he had a history with Chloe as childhood friends, which had developed into a one-sided crush from Miss Bourgeois. On the other hand, Marinette had perhaps the least subtle crush in history on the blonde-haired model. In fact, the only person who had failed to notice it was Adrien himself. But Marinette had friends who had been hatching matchmaker schemes since they started high school, where as Chloe was working alone.
Personally, Sabrina didn't understand. Sure, Adrien was handsome enough. But if she was going to chase after a blonde pretty-boy, she had discovered years ago that she wanted hers clad in leather. It was a shame he was too busy fawning over Ladybug to notice someone as mousy as her though. But she had found ways to cope with that disappointment that may or may not have involved a folder on her computer with some... stories in it.
Her wandering thoughts of a sly smirk meant just for her, from the black-clad hero of Paris was interrupted when she noticed the tone of Chloe's voice, indicating she had asked a question, and Sabrina hoped she wasn't as flushed as thought she may be. "Um, sorry Chloe, I was thinking about the assignment... What did you say?"
Chloe huffed and turned to look at her friend, her icy blue eyes seeming to look through her friend, before she rolled her eyes. "Ugh, I can't believe my best friend is ignoring me for schoolwork." Chloe said, and were it anyone other than Sabrina, she may have missed the very subtle undercurrent of humor the blonde was using. Sabrina barely stifled a giggle before Chloe started speaking again. "I said that while it's terrible what is happening to my Adrikins, I feel much worse for you. Kevin Rainer, seriously? What was Mr. Dupree thinking?"
Sabrina sighed at that, but she actually didn't have much ground to argue from on this one. Kevin was... Well, he was a student there. And that's about all she could say on him. He was just there. Usually in the back of a class, quietly reading a book. Sabrina had never spoken to him. Nobody she knew had ever spoken to him. If she had to guess, Chloe's disdain for him probably stemmed from his often disheveled appearance since that was perhaps the only thing Chloe knew about him either.
Sabrina shifted her bag on her shoulder with an awkward shrug. "Well, maybe it won't be so bad? I figured I would meet up with him at lunch to discuss the project." She hadn't until just now, but most of the others in the class seemed to be doing so, and it made sense to be on the same page for a group project.
At her words, Chloe turned to look at her again, narrowing her eyes, before turning sharply. "Ugh, fine. I guess I should meet up with Max then. No sense putting it off." She said, causing Sabrina to actually giggle as she moved to walk up beside her friend and gently nudge her with her shoulder.
"Thanks Chloe. I'll see you later, okay?" Sabrina said, before moving off down one of the halls to her next class.
Adrien sat in class, staring at the board as the teacher droned on. He told himself he would never take going to public school for granted after having worked so hard on getting here, and usually he was able to keep in mind how nice it was to just be normal, to have friends and homework, and not be locked in the gilded cage that his father insisted he lived in.
Today was not one of those days. Sure, Nathalie could be boring and dry when she delivered lessons, but Miss DeGrange could give lessons on the subject of sapping the will to live through sheer ennui. Almost immediately an image flashed through his mind of an akuma with that power and he shuddered from the implications, the mental image of himself as Chat Noir, facedown on the pavement, struggling to crawl away from something so boring it has rendered him completely incapacitated. His only solace was that anyone as boring as Miss DeGrange was likely unable to feel any extreme emotions, and hopefully be impervious to akumatization.
And as naturally happened, his thoughts on akumas soon led into thoughts about his Lady. Even just thinking about her brought a slightly dazed smile to his lips. He still didn't know who she was, but that didn't stop him. And lately, it seemed he was making progress. Her rebukes came slower, usually accompanied by a blush, and sometimes he even caught her smiling at his bad cat puns.
He also noticed other things about her as well over the years. Like how her body filled out her suit that left little to the imagination. Or just how flexible she actually was.
He may have continued down this particular train of thought, were it not for a sharp poke in his side. He did his best to hide a wince as the offending gesture came very close to the large bruise he was sporting over most of his abdomen. He had no idea how that akuma hit so hard, and he had no idea how Ladybug's magic hadn't healed him, though that last bit did leave him worried for his Lady's safety.
He turned his green eyes to the young woman sitting at the desk next to him. He had gotten to know Alya fairly well over the years. She was his best bud's girlfriend after all. Plus she was the owner and operator of the Ladyblog, a site Adrien visited far more often than he probably should. Still, he appreciated the pictures and videos posted. Maybe it was childish but having his Lady around, even in a digital form, helped ease his loneliness when he was at home.
'Wow. Probably should work on that phrasing' He thought idly, as he raised a curious eyebrow at Alya, silently asking her what she wanted. In response, she slid a piece of paper over to him using the end of her pen. He picked up the note and opened it, worried it would be another matchmaking attempt. He knew what Alya was doing, and he even knew Marinette had a crush on him. Okay, sure he was oblivious in middle school, but he eventually put the pieces together. He just kept playing dumb because... Well, because Marinette was a good friend. She was kind, and funny, and caring and would make somebody very, very happy one day. Just not him. His heart belonged to his Lady after all. And sure, maybe it was a coward's way out, but he found it easier to play at being oblivious, than to try to explain to her why he couldn't like her the way she liked him. It really was a shame, because if Ladybug wasn't in his life, he could easily see himself falling for someone like the klutzy but sweet baker's daughter. And as he opened the note, he felt the familiar weight of guilt that often accompanied having to keep up the charade settle into his gut.
'Plans for lunch?' He forced a well practiced smile on his face and scrawled out a reply. 'Was going to meet up with Marinette to discuss our class project, but she says she needed to do something during lunch. So, I'll probably hang out with Nino.'
He slid the note back to the amateur reporter, who picked it up and opened it. He watched her brow crease as she did, and the smile slowly fell from her face, before she set it down and pulled her phone out hastily sending out a text and putting her phone down as their teacher turned to address the class. Adrien kept an eye on her from the corner of his eye. He knew she was sharp, and while he didn't know her as well as Nino or Marinette did, he knew enough to recognize when she had sniffed out some sort of story.
His gaze shifted from her to the clock, and then back down to the desk as he felt something bump against his hand. He looked down to see the note again, and subtly opened it. 'Max is trying to help Alix ask Kim out. Nino and I were going to provide moral support. You in?'
Adrien chuckled softly under his breath. Alya had a reporter's keen senses, and she was not above using them for attempted to matchmaking. He was legitimately worried sometimes that she would catch on to the fact that he was just playing dumb in the face of her attempts to get him and Marinette together.
'Sure. Hope it works out for them.' He responded back, before turning his attention back to the lecture and consequently missing the narrowed eyes Alya was looking at him with.
Marinette sighed to herself as she landed on the rooftop of the building. As soon as lunch time rolled around she had made a hasty exit, finding a quiet alleyway and transforming into her superhero alter ego, Ladybug. Though after first period she hadn't really wanted to. Lunch would have been the perfect time to meet up with Adrien, and even if it was just to discuss their class project she was more than happy to spend time alone with him. Especially since she could string a complete sentence together around him now. Usually.
But, as one of the guardians of Paris, she had an obligation to the city and that dark shape from earlier had been nagging at her all day. Had it just been someone who saw what happened? Or had it been the person the driver claims to have almost hit? Neither one seemed very logically sound.
She peered down over the edge of the building into the alleyway she had watched the figure vanish into just hours ago. It was a T-shaped alleyway, with a straight shot from one street to the next one over, but about halfway through it branched off into a dead end. The set-up had her thinking of the entrance to shady back alley nightclubs like she had seen in a few movies. Though now it seemed more like a vestigial remnant of the older city layout, as the buildings around the dead end had no real exits into the alleyway.
But something caught her interest and she lowered herself down into the alleyway. And with her angle adjusted she could now see what had appeared so wrong about the dead end. After all, the deep scratches and gouges in the brickwork had been difficult to see from an elevated angle and were much clearer now that she was looking at them straight on. She walked to one of the walls, extending a hand and feeling an odd sort of primal fear that whatever had caused these may still be around. As Ladybug, she wouldn't give into that fear. But as her fingers grazed one of the long gashes cut clean into the stonework of the building she still felt rather nervous.
She walked along the wall trying to picture what could have happened here. Had this been the work of the fleeing figure? Was it an akuma after all? But why would it be so quiet now? She stopped abruptly as she stepped in something that felt oddly like sand, and looked down. Her brow drew down in puzzlement as she knelt and pressed her fingers to the spot she was standing in. They came away stained black. It wasn't sand. It was ash. The area around here was littered with it. She turned to take in the whole scene again but it still didn't make any sense to her. On top of that there was no indication if the figure had been involved, or where they might have gone after the fact.
She shook her head, pulling out her yo yo and throwing it to the roof of the buildings, using it to hoist herself back to the rooftops. She would come back later, possibly with Chat Noir to see if her favorite kitty couldn't sniff out any clues. She hated the unsolved feeling of this particular mystery, but lunch was only so long and, without an akuma alert, she had no excuse to go missing for an extended period of time.