As the day passed, Alya started to notice more about Lila. How her stories always involved how she helped someone, or did something incredible. Hadn't Alya started to look into some of her claims she would probably fall for it as the rest of the class did. She felt disgusted. How could she have been so deceived like that? Once she began looking into the claims of Jagged Stones cat, she began to look at interviews with him. He had at one point even said he was allergic to animal fur, so why would he even have had a cat?
Then the things about her supposed charity work in Achu. Nowhere did it say they did any charity work for the environment. Only prince Ali had made his statement about his work for children and children's hospitals. How had she not looked this up before? Or asked Rose to confirm it? Hell, why hadn't Rose asked Ali if it was true? SHe had him on speed-dial.
She had stayed up late last night as she kept digging further down the amount of stories Lila had told over the year she had attended. And unfortunately, thanks to her ladyblog there were a plethora of facts to uncover.
"A penny for your thoughts?" Lila said as she had noticed the brunette not focused on her or the lesson. "Did Marinette say something to you? She wants to make me look bad because of Catie. I don't really believe she has lived in all those places, it's like she's trying to copy me." Lila made herself look hurt and offended.
Alya didn't even look her way. She just shrugged and felt even more embarrassed that she had let Lila turn her against Marinette. Had she been left to continue, their friendship would definitely have been destroyed.
"I think Catie photoshopped those photos of her family in Achu. I can't really describe why, it's just a feeling I have. It seemed too good to be true." Lila kept going. She was on a mission, and that was to start rumors that Catie faked it all to be like her.
"I don't think so" Alya finally spoke. Lila looked shocked at her.
"Why do you say that?"
"Because why would she photoshop something she doesn't really like showing around? It doesn't make sense."
Alya looked at Lila, and for the first time she could see the little twitch in her eye. A nervous twitch? Whatever.
"Probably because she wants to make me look bad in front of you." Lila looked down at the desk, trying to hold in the anger.
Alya didn't get a chance to respond as the school bell rang, signaling the end of the day. Alya quickly gathered her things and rushed through the door. Lila looked surprised. "What's gotten into her?"
She was quickly brought back into reality by the sound of Catie and Marinette talking cheerily as they ascended the steps. With a quick smirk she packed her things and made it look like she was going to stand up, and put her foot out. She didn't look but figured it was Marinette who came walking closest to her as that was how they were seated. She didn't think it would've been Catie that tripped on Lila's foot, almost falling face first onto the floor if Marinette hadn't been quick to catch her. It was supposed to be Marinette who would've 'kicked' Lila and injured her. It was supposed to be another injury to pin on the stupid loser. It wasn't supposed to be Catie who tripped. "She could at least have fallen and hurt herself again. Why did that goody-two-shoes have to catch her?"
"Lila! Will you please look where you put your feet before you injure someone?" Marinette barked once Catie had found her balance again.
Rose, Juleka and Kim were still in the classroom and saw Catie falling.
"What happened?" Kim quickly ran up to the girls.
"I…" Lila couldn't process what happened quick enough to find a reasonable lie to cover this.
"I'm okay." Catie said with a shy smile. "It was an accident, right Lila?"
"Damn you! It wasn't supposed to be this way!" Lila thought. "I-I guess" she finally muttered.
"You guess? Or was it deliberately?" Marinette crossed her arms.
"What?" Lila couldn't believe the audacity of her words. She was accusing her! And why didn't someone come to her defense?
"Marinette, it's fine. You caught me. And I'm sure Lila was only trying to get up to go home like the rest of us." Catie locked eyes with her. Giving a silent warning through smiling eyes.
"But Catie!" Marinette tried to protest.
Catie raised her hand and shook her head. Then she turned to continue the walk down to what she could only imagine, her father standing by the gates waiting for her.
"You little! Trying to be the bigger person? I'll show you who the bigger person is!" Lila thought through gritted teeth.
—
"Alya!" Marinette waved at her best friend who was waiting by the entrance. Alya waved back and ushered the girls to come quickly. Marinette and Catie looked confused at each other before they stopped at her side. When they arrived, Catie looked puzzled until she saw what Alya meant for them to see. It was a strange view.
Catie's father had indeed arrived to pick up her daughter, but he was smiling and talking. To Adrien! Marinette almost fainted while Catie had to rub her eyes to see if what they were looking at was really there.
"You see this too, right?" She finally whispered.
Alya and Marinette could only nod. They noticed that Adrien looked relaxed, not afraid at all. It was almost like when he spent time with them. He was always so respectful of authority, or hanging his head in shame. But this? This was a sight to behold. Marinette made permanent photos in her mind of relaxed Adrien.
James shot a glance at the entrance and saw his daughter. Instead of dropping his smile to turn serious as Catie thought he would, he kept smiling. He gave a little wave as Adrien turned and smiled at the girls. Marinette could feel her knees give out, but was held up by Alya who gave the infatuated girl a smirk.
Catie finally snapped out of her trance and made the slow walk down the stairs as she went up to her dad.
"Hey sweetheart." James said as he pulled her to him for a bear hug. Something he seldom did.
"Um… Hi. Who are you and what did you do to my dad?" Catie said with big surprised eyes.
"Catie, stop. I was just talking to this young man."
"What were you talking about?" Alya said hooking arms with Marinette to drag her down with them.
"He gave me a lot of useful information on the two superheroes in town."
"Really?" Marinette finally manages to breath out.
"What about the ladyblog I showed you?" Catie asked.
"Really? Until a certain point it was useful. But then it became more of a storytelling blog. You are the one who started it, right?" James turned to Alya.
Alya looked ashamed. What he said was the truth. She would have to do a cleansing on that site soon.
"Yes. I'm sorry." Alya barely spoke up.
"Alya?" Marinette looked at her best friend.
"I wanted to talk to you about that." Alya turned to both Marinette and Catie. "I'm sorry I didn't believe you when you said Lila was lying." Alya took Marinettes hands in her and looked like she was going to cry.
Marinette was taken aback from this sudden apology, and Catie and Adrien looked equally as shocked.
"Did you really think a teenager could outrun a plane? Or that she would even make it far enough without security stopping her?" James had turned serious again.
"Well… I guess all of her promises to meet these famous people and the way she told the lies made me feel a bit starstruck. I don't know why I didn't think to fact check these things." Alya could feel her face turn a bright red. Marinette gave her a soft smile as she wrapped her best friend into a hug.
"It's okay Alya. You don't need to apologize."
"But, why aren't you surprised to find out she was lying?" Alya turned to Adrien, and then Catie.
"Really?" Catie said as she pointed to her dad. Alya smirked and nodded, understanding her point. She then looked at Adrien who rubbed the back of his neck while he looked away.
"I sort of…"
"You knew, didn't you." Alya then said with a soft smile.
"Yes. I'm sorry I didn't tell you guys. I just… I didn't want her to feel attacked and then be akumatized." He turned his eyes to the ground, hanging his head in shame.
"So you let her run her mouth instead, risking her to be cornered with the law?" James crossed his arms as he gave a big sigh.
"I didn't… I didn't think of it that way."
This was the Adrien Marinette and Alya knew. The one who hung his head in shame, afraid of doing or saying something wrong.
"Dad!" Catie scolded him.
"Catherine." James gave his daughter a stern look.
"Can we please go home?" Catie sighed after a staring contest in which James won.
"Well… Your friend here convinced me to let you walk around town for a bit. Since there are two superheroes, which I find ridiculous by the way, in town and your friends here would be your escorts, I agreed. I know you want to explore the city, and since you seem to have recovered almost completely, I think it sounds good."
"Really? Thank you, thank you, thank you!" Catie hugged her dad as she almost started to cry.
"Nino is meeting us at the Louvre, I thought we could start there." Adrien again found the back of his neck.
"Now, I will let you go on two conditions." James said as he looked serious.
"What? Uh, I mean… What are the conditions, sir?" Catie didn't want to fight her dad and make him regret this or change his mind because she didn't act the way he wanted.
James smirked at his daughter. "I want you home by seven."
Catie waited before she finally asked, "and the second one?"
"That you be careful while you have fun." His look softened.
Catie jumped at her father again as she continued to thank him. The group then waved goodbye to James after they promised she would be home at seven. Catie was practically skipping her way as she was so excited to finally be able to explore the city.
—
"Thank you so much! I had an amazing time!" Catie said as she hugged the group of friends after their day out. The time had turned close to seven, and Catie had messaged her father that she was just outside the door.
"It was nothing. You wanted to explore the city, so we're glad you could." Adrien said as he hugged her back.
"It was really nice of you to convince my dad to let me. Since I was grounded for going close to that lollipop thing." Catie hugged Nino next.
"Well, I can understand him being worried considering you have no experience with that kind of thing." Marinette said next as she recieved her hug next.
Catie let out a soft giggle. "I guess you're right. If I think about it, if I was in his shoes I don't think I would've let my own kids outside. But maybe that's just me."
It didn't pass her that everyone in the group had a nervous laugh in response. "Oh right. Crap!"
"I'm sorry! I didn't mean it like that." she quickly said.
"No, it's fine. I guess that's one way to look at it." Adrien's eyes softened. "But, school is mandatory so I'm happy I can attend a real school instead of being homeschooled. I would've never met you guys if it wasn't for it." he said as he rubbed his neck in embarrassment.
"Honestly, I can say the same thing. Even though I've attended so many different schools, it beats homeschooling by a long shot."
"You were homeschooled too?" Alya pointed at Catie, asking the question that popped up in everyone's mind.
"Ah, well, uhm, yes" Catie stuttered. She turned her eyes toward the sidewalk and started to rub her arm.
"It's like you have experienced everything, dude" Nino almost laughed. Catie could feel her cheeks turning red.
"I guess it's one of those things you don't like to talk about." Marinette tried to smooth the conversation.
"No, no. It's not that. It's just… I don't like being treated differently because of my life. I just want to be seen as a normal kid. Not some idol or some weirdo. I have been used because of people I know, and I have been bullied because I was new and didn't know the customs of the country we lived in at the time. I can talk about things, as long as I won't be treated like someone to be worshiped or hated. People have promised me they wouldn't treat me differently, but as soon as they know something they want from me they break that promise, nagging me about it or bullying me into giving them what they want. I have some trust issues because of it, but I trust you guys. I feel it in my gut."
Silence.
"Uhm… Did I say something wrong?"
The quartet shook their heads in sync, making Catie giggle.
Ding
Catie's phone went off. It was her father asking if she would step inside soon. She looked at the clock, 6:58. "I guess that's my que. See you tomorrow?" she quickly gave Alya a hug before she turned to the door.
"Bye Catie. See you tomorrow!"
—
"Does anyone else feel…" Nino began as the group of friends walked away.
"Exhausted?" Marinette continued his question.
"Embarrassed?" Alya chimed in.
"Angry?" Adrien remarked, making the others look at him. "What? I knew what Lila was doing, but I let her because I thought it was for the best, that it would all go away eventually. But hearing Catie say that, makes my blood boil. Of course Lila wouldn't stop."
"I feel embarrassed that I let her fool me for so long. How could I even think of her as an idol?" Alya facepalmed.
Marinette placed a hand on her shoulder, giving her best friend a smile. "I knew, but no one believed me. I started to feel like she could make true of her threats."
The teens stopped, making Marinette turn to look at her friends turning from sad to angry.
"She did what?!" Alya almost shouted.
"Marinette, please tell me she didn't." Adrien looked worried.
"Uhh, well…" It was Marinette's turn to find the back of her neck.
"Dude, that's so not cool." Nino frowned as well as sighed.
"She um… She promised me that she would turn the class against me. Making you all hate me and that Adrien would be her boyfriend." She wanted to sink through the ground as her friends almost turned red from anger.
"Oh no, she didn't! How could she do that? We would never hate you." Alya tried so hard not to explode.
"But Alya, you almost did. Several times."
Alya was dumbfounded.
"The times she 'cried' because I didn't believe she had tinnitus or arthritis, you all scolded me. Or that one time she got me expelled, you believed her over me that I had stolen her necklace and pushed her down the stairs. She had no injuries to back it, but you believed her. Or that one time she claimed she was in Achu for Heroes day, and I tried to disprove her. You all scolded me and said I was jealous." Marinette couldn't fight the tears any longer. The more she talked about it, the more she felt the anxiety, the frustration and the sorrow come to the surface. She turned around as she placed her face in her hands.
No one said anything. She was right. She had almost succeeded. Nino felt the most embarrassed as he had known Marinette the longest, yet he had believed Lila over her. He should have known that his childhood friend wouldn't steal or hurt someone. Yet, he had only looked at what was right in front of him instead of thinking about it.
Suddenly a pair of strong arms grabbed hold of Marinette, making her tense up. She knew who they belonged to, and she relished in the feeling.
"I'm so sorry." Adrien whispered beside her ear. She could tell in his voice he was close to crying as well. "I didn't know. If I did…"
"What could you have done? It wasn't like you could've done anything."
"No, I could've. I made her take back her accusations against you. And I warned her that if she pulled something like that again she would be sorry."
"It was you?" Alya said in disbelief. "You knew all along and even told her off, but she continued anyway?"
Adrien let go of Marinette, who had calmed a bit. She instantly missed his touch, but would never dare to ask for another hug. But she could still feel him holding her arm. "Yes. Some things didn't add up. Also, you posted the 'interview' you had with her where she claims she was best friends with Ladybug."
"You're saying…" Alya turned pale.
"Ladybug found out about it somehow and confronted Lila in front of me. I saw and heard the whole thing. Ladybug would never be friends with a civilian since it would be too dangerous. And she would never reveal her secret identity to someone and let her brag and boast about it, also because it could be too dangerous."
Nino had to grab hold of his girlfriend before she collapsed.
Marinette was thankful that Adrien remembered that encounter and would finally talk about it. She had acted out of jealousy, but it did turn into something good in the end.
"Why… Why didn't you say anything?" Alya raised her voice.
"Would you have believed me?" Adrien looked straight at Alya. No, she wouldn't. She would probably have disregarded him as a crazy fan or something.
Ding
This time it was Adrien's phone. He frowned when he saw the message from his father, then sighed. "I have to go home now. But we have to talk about this, what we should do about Lila." As on que, the limo stopped right where they stood. Adrien let go of Marinette after he gave her a light squeeze. She turned around and caught Adrien looking at her just as he was about to climb into the car. He gave her a soft smile.
The trio that were left waved after the limo before they split up to go home. They promised to keep in contact with one another, trying to come up with the best strategy on how to handle Lila and her lies. She was good, they had to give her that. She knew how to twist words and situations around to make herself the victim. They had to be equally as cunning as Lila if they wanted to succeed.
And then there was Catie. If only they could somehow convince her to jump on their plan, it would probably be much quicker. Catie could easily debunk whatever Lila said with facts and experience. Like how she could prove that Lila was never in Achu during Heroes day, since she lived there at the time and even spent time with the royal family. If they had to, they would ask Caties dad to answer some questions. The trio kept throwing thoughts and ideas to each other in their chat group they made just before they split. They kept messaging long into the night.
Tomorrow couldn't arrive fast enough.
—