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Even after what happened it actually still hurt to see that not even her friends could hear or out or help her try to make things right.
Through the window rain that dominated the inky black skies of Paris had fallen without a moments hesitance, producing nothing but a one-note symphony.
A lonely girl sat quietly in her silent pink bedroom, body masked with bedsheets as she lied down on her bed with a resigned look on her face as she stared at the screen of her phone, the brilliant light glowing in her dark bedroom as she scrolled through many texts her friends had sent to her.
adrien: stay safe marinette! thanks for everything!!!
chloe: be careful mari💞
nino: happy trails dudette. Don't forget about us 👍👍👍
juleka: we'll miss you
kagami: the gifts you gave us were wonderful. thank you so much for everything you've done to us.
Looking at the series of various messages seeing as there were many more to come after what had just been sent, her cerulean eyes had told everything about her emotional state; it seemed that she had spent more than half the days crying her eyes out combined sith not getting enough sleep at night as she should.
Her picture-perfect life was just going great, she was only an ordinary girl with many good friends and loving parents, all until another girl about her age who was the complete opposite of her just so happened to coincidentally make the decision to come into the picture. From there everything started to go downhill as the opposite decided to rip everything to shreds with every word that would come out of her mouth, and now Marinette's life was turned upside down with everyone before her expecting her to fix it with what little remnants she had of it.
Apparently, the said girl, named Lila Rossi despised Mari's company so much, she deceived everyone with a lie that gave some lasting damage to Marinette's reputation.
However from the same day Lila confessed her statement had immediately divided the class; on one side everyone there believed Lila's claims where another side remained initially sceptical. Juleka and Rose's relationship took a swift hit when Juleka decided to leave Rose behind when she considered and established Marinette's innocence like the others before her, and Luka shared her feelings too. It almost broke Juleka's heart to see the betrayed look on Rose's face. Looking back at Rose's actions during the incident Marinette could only think that while her insults were almost nonexistent, she considered that Rose only followed the trail of the others much to Juleka's initial dismay.
One day, Adrien, Nino, a seemingly nervous Chloe, Kagami and including Nathaniel and Marc all approached Marinette who sat at her desk alone. Marinette looked almost hesitant to respond back to them figuring that they were allied with Lila and the others, only to find out from Adrien who spoke up first, that they all think that Marinette was completely innocent; that she was too much of a sweet and generous girl to harm anyone.
After glancing to an almost relieved looking Marinette for some confirmation Adrien had personally apologised after that for not helping her out with her issue with Lila sooner and for giving her poor advice after realising just how bad the situation became; surprisingly Marinette took the liberty to forgive her former crush, and with that, with the number of friends Marinette had left Adrien vowed to her that he and the others were going to help get her through this no matter what. Chloe also came forward to apologise for mistreating Marinette on her end too, a clear look of regret on her face. While it seemed that Marinette seemed a bit reluctant to accept Chloe's apology she could see that the blonde was only trying to turn over a new leaf especially after how much her parents' divorce had taken a major toll on her, and she did.
However after all wounds were almost healed, it was all until Lila and the others showed up. Lila proceeded to cry about the group siding with Marinette where Alya chose the time to lash out at Nino for helping his friend. Nino immediately countered back defending Marinette in the process, and before everyone knew it they got into a massive relationship-ending argument, one that left Alya in storming to the girls' washroom with angry tears flooding her face right after accusing Marinette of sabotaging her relationship. Since then things between Nino and Alya were most definitely frigid after that.
With Lila, while she was pleased to notice that Marinette is basically public enemy number one at their school she was dissatisfied that she was still there. So she took the liberty to keep the lie going; she had limped to class one day in tears sobbing out to everyone that Marinette had just tried to hurt her again. The reaction Marinette had gotten the second she walked inside the classroom was nothing short of brutal and polarising; and before she knew it she was immediately sent to the headmaster's office where she was expelled.
As soon as Marinette was escorted home by her parents after the meeting, Marinette intended to tell her parents that what Lila told Damocles was a lie right until her parents immediately resolved to disown her, leaving a heartbroken and horrified girl behind as soon as she was dispatched to her room.
After a while of staring almost solemnly to the ceiling silently establishing everything that happened so far, Marinette finally realised something. She immediately felt a wall of courage deep inside her. And she was honestly glad that she didn't even try to ignore it. She knew that if she had done this before it would've been a major violation to her moral code, but now she was so done and so over it.
Walking down the stairs and over to her desk, Marinette quickly plopped down on her swivel chair, turning on her computer. She enabled the camera function, dutifully straightening her appearance as the recording began.
Just the following morning before classes started, headmaster Damocles walked into his office to find a small parcel on his desk. Confused by its sudden presence the older man sat down to open it with a nearby box cutter before discovering its contents-which was a DVD and a written note accompanying it urgently scribbled with red marker.
Play in auditorium. Make sure everyone in school is present.
-MDC
At that moment, after a few minutes of establishment through the letter every student and faculty member remained assembled in the auditorium. Damocles and Bustier felt it necessary to disregard Marinette's attendance given that she has since been expelled.
The lights faded along with the confused chatters of students as soon as the video had started. Everyone present looked on to see what was going to be shown on screen-but nothing could ever prepare them for it.
"Hello everyone."
The face of Marinette appeared on the screen, showing her as she sat at her desk facing the camera before her, and what every viewer saw shocked them-her small face was completely devoid of any feelings, noticeably dried tears making clean tracks on her pale cheeks.
Every student in the auditorium, well basically most of Bustier's class were ready willing and able to raise their voices to her, however before they could properly take action to do so Mari finally started speaking after a while of silence.
"I know and understand that in light of what happened and after everything that just went down before all of you here hate my guts. I did so much for you guys, from help you with whatever issues you have, to babysitting, to giving away free desserts, over to designing only just blatantly receiving little to no compensation in return. I did a lot for you guys, I worked my ass off for you, and I go broke to create for you, but no-as soon as Lila joined our class and I keep considerably trying to warn you guys that she's obviously not who you think she is to the point where she threatened me in the girls' washroom, over to the point where out of her own vindictive jealousy she straight up lied to me about me assaulting her. When everything went down, of course you guys decided to become her personal attack dogs, I couldn't go one day in school without having you guys be out for my blood, one night where i don't get a single scathing text form someone of you. Let's get one thing straight that I would never hurt a person in any sort of way. I would never brutalise, insult, belittle, regularly harass them out of my own jealousy. I have constantly tried to welcome Lila with open arms to our school and all I get was the exact same thing from her. When she got me expelled the first time I knew that she was probably damaged in some way and tried to talk it out with her in the meantime when my expulsion was lifted, but she still had the decency to not listen to me. From there I really had no idea what would it take to get some sense into that godawful bitch, and to coincide with that I have tried to get you to guys hear me out but none of you could ever get your hair out of your ears to actually try to listen."
Some students, mainly a select few that were on Lila's side were silent along with the rest of Bustier's class. One by one in their heads a bout of realisation had silently arisen with a vengeance-why would Marinette ever hurt someone she tried to help from the beginning?
"Well now that Lila had officially made good on her promise this whole situation just gave me some good time to figure out things for a while-first I saw the true faces of my dear best friends, second, I also saw the true faces of my loving parents and teachers-being disowned by the former and being expelled from school by the headmaster with little explanation on my end by the latter-and third, after realising from the start of the shit lila caused and the many good things i worked so hard for was stolen from me and stomped on it lost made me feel as if id be so much better off this world if i wasn't in it right after losing the respect of my own parents. Until my real friends came by my side to assure me that they'll help me get through this."
Marinette's friends had softened at her brief mention of them whereas the rest of Bustier's class had a sheer look of shock and horror on each of their faces at Marinette's revelation. Looking at the pale faces of her sheep in front of her Lila could only see nothing but red in her wake.
"However before I start naming names here, I just wanted to say a couple of things to Professor Bustier." Marinette admitted.
The aforementioned educator's face had paled slightly as she discovered the almost steely glint in Marinette's eyes, sweating bullets more and more as she watched her student speak up.
"I feel like a part of me knows that there probably isn't really much to say about you-but however I really, really have no idea why you always choose to be such a freaking self-righteous martyr. You're a teacher. You're a district employee. When a student's being bullied by different classmate your job is to stop the incident in particular and report it to the headmaster, not to fucking chastise the victim and tell them that they need to be the bigger person. You constantly keep miscommunicating the statement of what you should and what you shouldn't do. Your job is to clearly preserve and ensure the safety of your students and what you're doing is nothing but the exact opposite. The highlight of your job is to take action when someone's harassing another and the only thing you're really doing is just only handling the situation like you're a daycare teacher. From the moment I came to you for some guidance you simply told me off that the more I continue to be stubborn over not admitting defeat to Lila, the more I lose friends. I believed in you and what you do so much and yet you have the nerve to coach me on being nice to my tormentors? I for one think that that's definitely what's sick."
Blinking for a quick second, Marinette looked back at the camera before getting back to what she originally intended to discuss with her viewers beforehand.
"Then again, I'm honestly really disappointed though, thinking of the lot that proclaimed to be my many friends and family just so happened to end up being my first and most vocal enemies. I definitely think that it appears that i just made a major lapse in my own self respecting judgement for considering to place my full trust, grounding respect and faith onto you guys. However, it's rich; everyone thought that I wouldn't hate the day where they dump me, and when it came they expect for me to shed a few tears, and tomorrow, absolutely nothing and not a single thing after that. And if they really think that they can get all, and I mean all they want out of me-mainly Lila-then they must have me mistaken for the stupidest silliest little girl in the planet. I'm talking about all of you who are watching this video right now. That means Professor Bustier's class, save for my truest friends. Namely Alya, Lila, all of you. What you did to me that day, left me all disgusted in you. You betrayed my trust for some girl who doesn't even care about you the way I used to. Every single one of you deeply disgust me beyond words, but hopefully, you don't think that I won't stand up to fight back. It's even more hilarious how after what happened all of you would think that since I no longer have any shoulders to cry on in the world anymore, I'll suddenly consider that my life no longer has any meaning and I'll lock myself up in my room crying my eyes out or many weeks to come. Just like how guys always thought of me. You left me in tears, all alone on the sidelines all shattered. And all you did was laugh at me, expecting me to find some glue to look back at you and try to assure you that I'll be the one who has to fix it. Let me ask you this now; will one bottle of glue be enough to repair my soul after you tore it out and stomped on it like a used cigarette?"
The group of students in particular nervously gulped, Rose deeply horrified at Marinette's jarring lack of decency and empathy evident in the sound of her voice and tone of her speech.
"Let's start with the first, or should i probably say the major in terms of who hurt me the most if you will-Alya Cesaire, my so-called best friend. Alya-you hurt me. You were my best friend, you were so caring and kind and loving but I guess all of that was a huge lie the second you've shown who you really are after Lila came. It honestly hurt me so much that you didn't choose to believe me, but it made me realise that it was time for me to finally start opening my eyes to the lies our friendship had. I guess that after all this time of you attacking me-calling me a "jealous little bitch", a "petty little brat", and a "scheming traitor" I really should've been laughing at you and your hilarious little insults instead. While we're both on the subject of who's a bitch, let's just say that for the record it honestly takes one to know one. You were my best friend, like how can you just turn your back on me for someone else and throw me to the wayside after so much time we spent together. You and the others honestly believed me to be the one who put Lila in the hospital and it really hurt me deeply to know that you basically disregarded my words over Lila's false statements. I spent half this whole semester being ostracised, hated, replaced, even constantly beaten by everyone in class. I couldn't go a single day without bruises or being ridiculed and you and everyone else's ever-so self-righteous well-beings tried to convince me into thinking I deserved it and whatnot. You should be checking your facts and every source to determine the validity of a person's statement instead of following along when someone blindly accuses another without any substantial proof-that's what a true journalist does. I do think its fair for me to say that laughing at you should be a national sport at this point because right now you're the real faker between us and the rest of Lila's sheep. You honestly really think I'm a "jealous, selfish bitch"? Well, you must certainly my control boss because I clearly don't remember ever having a friend whos more of a washed-up, self-absorbed, two-faced control freak like you."
"As for Lila's little fanclub, I've said it before and I'm just going to say it again. You guys absolutely disgust me. You probably have to be the worst friends anyone could ever have; you guys literally used to be my friends, and when we were, we were so close. I was so happy; with my parents around I honestly felt like I was the most happiest girl on the planet. And then when Lila had to open her mouth-all of you just left me in the dust. You guys attacked me, mocked me, threw food at me, you call me a bitch whenever I have a bad day, I really and honestly don't know how much I could go on when listing the shit you did to me. From the very first day everything happened I had a select group of people in my life taken away from me because Lila, and when I saw her do so it made me realise that all this time I had people in my life that loved me when really they despised me, thought so low of me, behind all of those hugs and laughs, and after that, it's like each of you had no idea how much that broke me. Also Rose, while you barely did anything but just shared everyone else's feelings, i know that this is really short for you, but you honestly really need to stop being kind for your own good. As for the rest of you, they say loyalty its own reward-so I think it's honestly safe to assume to you all that you're all pretty much empty-handed at the moment?"
Marinette stopped for a split second to recollect everything that happened when Lila was in her life where she mentally debriefed on every single little detail. When she was finally done, she immediately focused on the camera. It took Lila almost what could've been the better part of forever to find out that she was the last of Marinette's verbal wrath, her shoulders as slumped as low as possible as she looked up at her with cautious, threatened eyes.
"I'm aware that this is highly uncharacteristic of me to do so, but back then I have never ever hated a person in my life. I feel like I can only have a reason to do so especially when they cross the line and make me as miserable as I can be, especially when it comes to singlehandedly taking everything I worked so hard for away from me and bringing it up to dust right before my very eyes, which definitely brings me to the one person who was the most vocal catalyst of my misery up to point: Lila Rossi."
Lila scowled at Marinette at the mention; oh how she so desperately wanted to run up to the stage to rip the almost scowl from the stone-faced blunette's face-but now that she's definitely in some deep shit after feeling the incredulous stares she was given by everyone in the room right now, she couldn't.
"I actually don't even know where to start with you anymore Lila, I actually really don't. I haven't done absolutely anything to you, I could say I hated you the very first time I saw you, but thanks to my moral compass leading the way I initially considered being nice to you since your time of attending this school. I tried to be helpful and friendly, and what do you do? You came after me and harassed me nonstop, consistently trying to threaten my relationships with people I'm close with just so you could see me miserable and empty-handed. And from the moment you lied to everyone about me, I was all alone with no one to turn to for a while and with that, I know just who to thank it for-and that person just had to be no one but you. And now that everyone I used to love is falling to your feet and polishing your crown, you just had to use the opportunity to your advantage to poison their mind and transform them into your personal slaves that do nothing but kiss the ground you walk on. You made my life a living hell every waking moment-which makes me start to think that you were probably that desperate to have my life. That under that front on the outside you really just wanted to belong somewhere, but too bad that didn't work out for you back in Italy or right here because of the person you decided to become. In summation you're really just nothing but a truly selfish, two-faced, self-centred, double-crossing, disgusting, downright manipulative cunt. I'm not to blame that I've taken everything you wanted in your life from you, it's your fault because what you did significantly added to the problem and made everything worse; all you did is basically made yourself into nothing but a serious danger to be around someone in need of a friend or primarily in a social circle, you're too much of a bitch to have any real friends no matter how much you lie to everyone for them, and you probably even noticed that no matter how hard you try it'll never feel that way for you. You've really, really got some truly ballsy nerve to drop in my life and start causing trouble for me-but honestly if you're really that desperate to push me over the edge so you could take my place, I think that before you go far I think you politely need to go fuck yourself and go figure out a nonlethal way to have a social life, because ruining someone else's life clearly isn't the way to get you to the top."
After concluding her analysis on her sworn enemy Marinette faked a cough before proceeding.
"When you see this video, I won't be here to hear you beg and plead or scream at my face for how much of a bitch you think I am for all I said and did here. You could come to my doorstep with pitchforks for all i care but in the meantime i honestly don't really care what you call it anymore because I won't be here to see an angry mob near my house. On a side note, I don't know if you've noticed but I'll actually be leaving Paris real soon. I'm aware that I'm obviously overreacting, but right after acknowledging that I'm basically not accepted anywhere, this city just so happens to be a place I really don't want to stay in, especially when it comes to going to a school where everyone's out for your blood for no reason. I have an idea of where I want to stay but that's not my information to share. I'm off and out of my own like I know i should've been. I shouldn't have much faith in people who never considered me as a person in their lives anyway. I'm just so seriously tired of being everyone's ragdoll. I'm tired of being pushed to the front when i'm needed then pushed back to the back when their done getting what they want from me. I'm not that person anymore and I most definitely refused to be treated that way. While I'll be missing each of my friends even though I'll be keeping in touch with them I honestly hope I'll never come back. Ladybug out."
The video finally drew to an end, the eerie, almost sepulchral silence of the sitting room more eloquent than that of a shout enough to make way for the sound of a pin dropping. After everything was said and done by Marinette, one of the most caring, kindhearted souls known to ever graces the halls of Dupont, it was really a lot to take in.
Lila stifled herself in her seat silently, trying to do her best not to scream out loud out of her own rage. Marinette had just ruined everything.
Sighing gently, she wore her usual good girl exterior so fast Sonic nearly had a seizure as she smiled sheepishly before everyone, not noticing the amount of trouble she just got herself in by Marinette.
After the video many students from Mendeleiev's class started whispering to one another along with many other faculty members silently discussing to each other while giving shifty eyes to Bustier and Damocles alike, but with Bustier's class however even though it had seemed that their reactions were to be expected as it turns out everyone was a full-blown, unadulterated mess; the stigma and tension that erupted between each other was thick and near inextinguishable as it could be. An enraged Kim and Alix were both screaming at Lila constantly badgering her for answers, Lila furiously yet defencelessly curling into herself to block out their yelling-only to be pulled out of her seat when Damocles escorted her to his office for further questioning. A gaping Alya looked absolutely heartbroken, teary eyes with a betrayed look peering through the lens of her glasses; Sabrina, Max and Ivan looked petrified, Mylene and Rose on the sidelines were crying uncontrollably, Rose's small face masked with palms of her hands as she wept out loud as much as possible, where Ivan comforted Mylene with guilt in his lowered eyes. Bustier on the sidelines looked helpless as she looked on to each of her students with completely horrified silently looking at the carnage Marinette had caused with her words around the auditorium with eyes of utter disbelief. Meanwhile with Marinette's friends, they looked to Bustier's class while praising Marinette; with Chloe muttering something about Bustier's class being "idiots".
Over in Marinette's bedroom, Mari silently stood around in it-or basically what was almost left of it. Her parents were away tending to the bakery where she decided to stay in her room not wanting to deal with them right now especially after what they had done to her.
A large carryon suitcase sat atop her chaise lounge where another filled with many personal items of hers sat on her floor, both to be filled up.
After a moment of dull silence she looked out to the sky from her window, still canvassed with rain droplets that were now noticeably dried to the pane from a few hours earlier. She could only imagine the certain actions from certain select few of people from the school as soon as the video ended, however looking back at the bridges Lila had just recently burnt between them she knew and understood that she could basically care less.
However unbeknownst to her, her phone was bombarded with many texts from guilty students, constantly urging Marinette to read them. Taking notice of the constant sounds of her notification ringtones going off from her phone, guessing that those must be messages sent from them, letting out a quiet sigh while just gently shaking her head, Marinette moved over to the other side of her room, proceeding to continue packing away everything she owned. Tomorrow morning is when she'll be leaving to travel to the nearest airport.
And thinking about where she'll head to next she just really couldn't wait to leave.