{No POV}
The next day greeted Adrien much lighter.
He was having a fairly good day, he had woken up on time, and Plagg hadn't been very fussy about camembert so far primarily because they were not at home.
He also managed to make it to school on time and Miss Bustier while frustrated to no end by Marinette's appearant lack of focus that was supposedly because of him led to him and Alya switching seats so that he sat next to Marinette.
Which actually worked out great for the most part except for the fact Lila started at the decision and claimed her tinnitus was acting up lately and asked to be seated next to him since he could help her catch up on whatever she missed during the lecture the best.
Marinette seemed to tense at that moment but only Chloe, Alya, Nino, and him seemed to notice.
Surprisingly Chloe had been the one to speak up when Marinette made to stand up awkwardly.
"Actually Miss Bustier, I have no problem helping Lila out with the work! The seat next to me is open since Sabrina and Max started their dual enrollment, so it works out without any more seat changes that way right?"
"Well yes, that is more convinient... and you do have the third best grades in class consistently. Alright, Lila please have a seat next to Chloe. Now let's all focus back on the lesson!" Miss Bustier said with a smile.
After Lila changed seats everything got peaceful again for everyone including him except for Chloe, Nathaniel, and Lila.
But Adrien and Marinette remained unaware of the happenings nearby.
Nathaniel on the off hand observed and listened in on the happenings between the new desk mates and drew said happenings skillfully in case anything should happen that it needed to be revealed.
"Thank you for all your help Chloe! It means a lot to me!" Said Lila with a smile.
Chloe glared at her knowingly.
"Cut the bullshit Lila, I'm the Queen Bitch of the school. I know a liar and a bitch when I see one and you are a terrible combination of both." Chloe said seriously as she focused primarily on writting both her own notes and notes for Lila.
"W-what are you talking about?" Questioned Lila sweating a bit nervously.
Chloe sighed in annoyance.
"I mean to warn you to stop attacking Dupain-Cheng. It's been four fucking years now, get over whatever it is that you don't like about her and move will regret it deeply. Especially if she gets akumatized because of you." Chloe warned harshly knowing quite well that Marinette did gymnatics and MMA to mastery of both and even a bit of fencing as children since Chloe had been in those classes as well.
Lila smirked evilly.
"Oh yeah? How would I regret what would bring me great pleasure?" Lila said evilly.
Chloe smirked far more sinisterly than Lila thought possible.
"There's two sayings that I discovered to be true a couple years ago. Karma is a bitch and the quietest people are often the most lethally dangerous. I'm being merciful and advising you to lay off Dupain-Cheng before someone ends up seriously injured or worse, hasn't happened yet with the akumas or Hawk Moth but it could happen." Chloe said just before the bell rang.
Chloe smirked at Lila's pissed off expression and shoved the second set of notes into the girl's chest.
"Have fun studying for the quiz tomorrow on today's lesson." Chloe said viciously before walking out of the classroom.
Nathaniel subtly followed and found her going into the art classroom and setting up a station.
So he smiled and went inside.
Setting up a station next to her which shocked Chloe endlessly as she suddenly blushed tomato red and focused heavily on her painting.
"That was nice of you to stand up to Lila for Marinette. You should show that side more often." He said smoothly.
"I did no such thing." She denied shyly.
"Yes you did, I saw you call Lila out. How did you know Marinette is being harassed by Lila for these last four years?" Nathaniel said calmly and confidently.
"How did you?" Chloe questioned suspiciously yet shyly back at him.
"I was just outside the girl's restroom passing by to come here four years ago when I heard Lila declare war on Marinette..." He said awkwardly.
Chloe was shocked at the word war.
"She declared war? She specifically said the word war?" Questioned Chloe seriously.
"Y-yes... But what's going on? What is so important about that?" Nath questioned confused and slightly unnerved by her reaction.
Chloe gulped putting down her brush and pallet and pulling out her phone.
"Because Marinette WILL end up getting akumatized soon if this is war. War between girls or women, NEVER ends well. Specially when it goes on for over a year. I have to go!" Chloe said as she put down her apron on a table and grabbed her bag.
Then she rushed out dialing a number.
"What the?" Questioned Nathaniel silently in confusion.
Then he turned back to his painting to see that he had subconsciously been painting Chloe and Queen Bee linking arms.
He blushed and promptly covered it once done with it and took it home with him.
-With Chloe-
After leaving the art classroom she promptly dialed a number she never thought she would dial for help again.
"Hey Chlo... What's up? You NEVER call me anymore..." Greeted Adrien on the other end.
"How do you feel about Marinette? Truth only Agreste." Responded Chloe seriously as she looked out the window of her limo to see Lila speaking with Marinette just the same as the day before.
"I... I'm not sure... She's a great friend, she's kind, caring, brave, determined..." Began to drone on Adrien.
"Yes, we get it, Marinette is amazing. But the fact is that right now I have a suspicion and have learned a fact that combined have me a bit worried about what will happen soon... So figure out your feelings for her and if you care for her in the slightest bit Agreste, then you'll stay by her side no matter what." Chloe said hanging up just as she saw Lila leave and Marinette fully close herself off for a moment before smiling awkwardly at Alya as they spoke cheerfully and left.
"Everything okay Miss Bourgeois?" Asked Chloe's butler.
"Jean-Claude?" Chloe questioned.
"Y-yes Miss?" Asked the butler shocked at the expression and tone of voice the young lady wore.
"When two incredibly powerful forces clash, which do you think will give in first, the anger and sadness or the happiness?" Chloe questioned observing as Marinette faded off in the distance.
"From what I have witnessed in the span of my life, the happiness gives in first and once it's given in it either never returns or it returns stronger than ever when given the right help..." The butler answered after some thought.
"Why do you ask?" He asked hesitantly.
"Things are going to be crazier than ever soon and I can't do anything about it. I also for once am NOT the reason things will go crazy..." Chloe said with a sigh before begining to study her phone screen as it displayed her contact for Nathaniel.
"Let's get back to the hotel. I have plenty of homework to do today and I also have to make a call or two." Chloe said with calmly.
The driver nodded and soon Chloe reached home.
-With Adrien-
After Chloe's call, both Adrien and Plagg were confused heavily.
"Is everything okay Adrien?" Asked Natalie now worried as Adrien leaned back in his chair unable to eat a single bite.
"How do you know if you like someone as a girlfriend or a friend?" Asked Adrien shocking Natalie.
"Well... I think that your father might be better at answering this... but I suppose the most fitting answer you are looking for is when she seems so perfect or amazing that you feel extremely lucky to have her in your life if not like the luckiest guy on earth to have her in your life. If you don't feel like that she's a friend, if you do feel that way about her than she is someone you would want as a girlfriend." Natalie answered awkwardly after some thought.
Adrien blushed shoveled down all his food before hugging Natalie in thanks and leaving to his room.
"Plagg! I'm in love with Marinette and Ladybug! This is insane!"
'What's insane is that you are so oblivious and idiotic that you can't piece together they are the same person...' Plagg thought annoyed.
"Kid, relax, are you even sure you actually love Ladybug and not her mask?"
"What do you mean?"
"Well think about this; When did you first start feeling the way you do about the Princess?" Asked Plagg.
Adrien got lost in thought until suddenly his mind flashed back to when Marinette had gotten angry at him for the gum incident and didn't even care that he was the son of Gabriel Agreste the fashion designer.
"If I had to say probably when she got angry at me and told me off even when she knew that I was Gabriel Agreste's son... It wasn't noticible then but it was amazing to me that someone out there could just simply not care about my lineage or even who I am." Adrien responded to the kwami.
"Now, when did you first start feeling about Ladybug the way you do?"
"That's easy, it was when despite her insecurity she just jumped to action and saved Chloe. Challenging Hawk Moth moments after the fact." Adrien said without hesitation.
"Did you ever pause to think that those things were just actions in the line of being a hero and that she might not be the same way as her real unmasked self?" Plagg questioned.
Adrien realized a moment later Plagg was right.
He was in love with a mask aside from being in love with Marinette.
"What should I do then?"
"From what I have seen and heard so far kid, they both could use your trust and support. Ladybug could use the support and trust of Chat Noir and Marinette could use the support and trust of Adrien. For the mean time you should just put aside your worry over your feelings and focus on just being there for them." Plagg said eating some cheese after he finished speaking.
"Speaking of Marinette... what do you think Chloe meant by what she said?"
"I honestly don't know, kid, but it sounds to me like you should listen to her suggestion..."
"First Marinette has been acting weird... now Chloe... What do you think is going on Plagg?" Asked Adrien worriedly.
Plagg sighed.
'I'm worried about my chosen Plagg... She's only been getting worse over time...' Tikki's voice rang in his mind.
"I don't know, kid... I honestly don't know..." Plagg answered Adrien with a sigh.
Adrien sighed but nodded inrelent and they got to work on the rest of his schedule.
-With Chloe-
Now done with homework and freshened up, Chloe sighed as she found herself having a staring contest with her phone.
On the screen was Alya Cesaire's contact.
'This is not a good thing... but I should hold off for now... Alya and Nino haven't been told by Marinette and neither has Adrien. Nathaniel hasn't said anything to them either... If I get involved or involve any one else things will only get worse...But they could also get better...' Chloe thought as she locked her phone and put it to charge before going onto her balcony to get some fresh air.
She was in her lazy pajamas that night with her hair down just looking down at the streets to watch the people.
When she saw Nathaniel being picked on by two muscleheads from the basketball team.
So she growled in anger and ignored everyone as she quickly went down the stairs to the ground floor and snapped her fingers at two security guards to follow her as she ran out the door.
When she reached the scene she growled and punch the one that she managed to see punch Nathaniel in the gut now fully pissed off.
The guy had the wind knocked out of him for a moment.
"Who the hell do you fucking think you are to attack someone within 50 feet of my father's hotel?! Get lost, or I will be forced to have security remove you from here by force and ban you from the premises." Chloe growled viciously.
"Why do you care bitch? He's the one who started it by refusing to apologize for being an eyesore to me and my friend!" The other guy said angrily still under the influence.
Chloe growled and punched him in the gut too.
"First of all, never call me a bitch again or you will regret it!" She warned dangerously.
"Second of all, he may be a loser but only I get to insult the people in school! Know your fucking place before I knock you back down to fucking size!" Chloe said evilly her glare screaming murder.
The two muscleheads were now scared.
"Now leave before I ruin your lives forever!" She said angrily.
The boys promptly nodded and fled shakily from the scene.
"You two, get him inside, and let his parents know that he will be staying at the hotel with me until tomorrow so that I can patch him up and make sure he rests since he was attacked by two drunks." Instructed Chloe at the guards leading the way back inside.
Chloe was unaware but Nathaniel blushed lightly as he followed her and the security guards inside.
TBC...