Camp Cheng (CONTINUED)

~CHAPTER 32~

Adrien's POV

Alya groaned from her place on the sofa.

"Can't sleep?" I asked, leaning against the countertop.

She punched the pillow and sighed. "I don't get how people sleep on the couches all the time on TV. It's impossible."

This woke up Nino, who'd been sleeping peacefully on a pile of cushions on the floor. "Yo, can you guys try to keep it down? It's hard enough as it is, sleeping on cushions."

"Well I told you that you could sleep on the couch and I'd sleep on the floor, but then you decided to man up and sleep on the floor. Not my fault!"

"Fair enough. I mean, there weren't a lot of options due to that liar lying in our bed."

We all cracked a smile at that.

Not even half an hour ago, Lila had kicked Nino and Alya out from the room, claiming that she'd sprained her ankle. When I asked her how she'd managed to make it up here with all her suitcases, she feigned hurt and collapsed on the floor, weeping. I had to drag a cussing Alya and a tired Nino out of the room moments later.

Nino and Alya slowly sat up and made their way over to me. "So, what's the game plan?"

That snapped me out of my reverie. "What game plan?"

"The...uh...the plan for getting Marinette back?" Nino folded his arms.

"Right, the...uh- plan. Well, to be honest, I haven't really-"

"Figured out a plan yet?"

Luka and Kagami had appeared at the bottom of the stairs- how had we not heard them coming down?

I stared at them. "Yeah. Yeah, I'm sorry, but I haven't figured anything out yet...but I was thinking we could get those miracul-" Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed a strand of brown hair suddenly whipping out of sight from the staircase.

Damn it. Lila.

"-those...uh... miraculous noodles from the canteen! Yeah, the noodles there are amazing; have you tried them?"

"Noodles?! How can you be thinking of noodles at a time like this?! Marinette-"

"Oh, Alya, don't strain your sore throat! Guys, can you help me reach the glasses in the kitchen?" They all looked at me weirdly, but I gave them a look and they quickly obliged.

Once we were all in the kitchen, I shut the door and steered them as far away from it as possible.

I began speaking quietly and very fast. "Listen, I saw Lila on the staircase. She's trying to eavesdrop, so anything we say aloud could be caught by her. Oh my god, it all makes sense now- Marinette was right! Ah, this is so huge-"
"Adrien?"
I didn't hear Kagami over the rushing thoughts in my brain, spinning and bending into the truth about Lila.
"Adrien? Hello? Earth to Adrien Agreste?"
I still continued to pace back and forth, lost in my thought, lost in the fact that Lila was-
"ADRIEN AGRESTE!" It was then that I snapped out of it, rubbing my stinging cheek in agony.
"Sheesh Alya, you didn't have to-"
"Yes. Yes I did. Now will you please explain what the heck you're going on about?!" She whisper-yelled.

"Okay, fine, you should've just asked," I rolled my eyes, "Marinette had once given me a theory that Lila was working with Hawkmoth. At the time, I thought it was silly, but now it all adds up. When Lila was faking it as a superhero, Marinette told me later after the fight that her kwami hadn't recognised the miraculous from anywhere. Seems kind of suspicious, right? We've caught her lying before, who's to say she'll stop? Besides," I shrugged, "she once hated and still hates Ladybug- that's enough confirmation for me."