Stay by my Side

Stay by my Side - Chapter Twenty-Three

"Did you really do this Marinette?"

"I can't believe my daughter would do something as awful as petty thievery!"

"Of course she did! Marinette's been bullying me all year!"

"Bullying?! Marinette, care to explain yourself?"

Marinette stared at the disappointed faces of her parents in disbelief. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. The people she thought would always have her back, always be there for her, always fight for her, were now glowering at her as if she had somehow committed the worst act imaginable - when she hadn't done anything wrong! But...

... they didn't believe her.

And that was what it all came down to in the end. Her versus Lila. Truth versus lies. Marinette wished that good always won in the end, but unlike stories, fairy-tales, games and whatnot, her life was real. And good didn't always win in the end. That's just the way life is.

Right now they were back in the locker room. She hadn't seen Chat Noir at all, and her hope was wearing thin. At this point she just felt like giving in and retreating to her bathroom for the next several hours. Lila had broken into her locker and left her necklace there - what was Marinette supposed to do? Say Lila framed her? The perfect popular student Lila? The one who could fabricate a lie as soon as it became necessary? She wouldn't stand a chance.

"Tell me the truth, Marinette Dupain-Cheng. Did you steal Lila's necklace?" The principle asked her, leaning down to look more intimidating. Her parents - who Marinette had hoped would be supporting her, or standing up for her, or something, were just watching with disappointed expressions on their faces. The only one showing some real emotion was Lila - and it was joy that Marinette was about to get in trouble. Of course no one seems to notice though.

A surge of anger rose within her. Why should she lie to accommodate Lila, even if it means she ends up with a worse punishment at the end? She should fight for what's right! It's like Alya used to say: 'Evil triumphs when good people do nothing'. Even though she doesn't really see Alya much anymore, she still holds that phrase close to heart.

She turned to the teachers, to her parents, to Lila, with a fierce expression in her eyes. "No. I did not steal Lila's necklace."

She was going to fight.

"B - But you... the necklace is in your locker!" Lila protested, wildly gesturing with her hands. "You're clearly the culprit!"

"Do you have any proof?"

"W - what?"

"Aside from where the necklace was found, do you have any proof that I was the one who took it?" As Lila made gasping fish noises, Marinette continued. "We saw you wearing this necklace yesterday, in our last class. Which means it went missing between after school and this morning. Which means it was impossible for me to do because I was with my parents at home."

Lila continued to sputter excuses, but the other people in the room slowly stopped paying attention to her. "Marinette..." Her mum asked. "Is that... true?" Guilt and concern filled her eyes. Marinette hated feeling so resentful, but really she just felt betrayed by them both. When she needed them to be there for her - they weren't.

She sighed and turned her head to face them. "I wish you'd have believed me sooner." She muttered scornfully before telling them more reasons she wasn't the culprit. "I haven't been at my locker at all, because as soon as I entered the school building I was called to the principle's office, and I'm sure Nathanial can attest to me walking straight out of school after class and not going to the lockers, because I walked with him."

Her voice was firm, sharp. "This proves that I couldn't have stolen her necklace, because it was found in my locker and I had no opportunity to put it in there. Therefore, the proof that was being used to make me the culprit is now the evidence that proves me innocent!" She glanced at the other people in the room and they flinched.

"Y - You should still expel her!" Lila frantically said, clutching at straws. "It had to be her! Who else could it be?"

"You were going to expel me?!" Marinette yelled, getting progressively angrier. "With barely any evidence at all? Just on Lila's word?" How could they? And her parents were just going through with this?

"Marinette, calm down!" She felt Tikki whisper in her ear, but Marinette didn't care. She felt her rage course through her, like a tyrannic storm, a flood, crashing into all her past morals, her past concerns, her past cares-

"Marinette didn't do it!" Her thoughts got cut off, as Adrien and Alya stormed into the room. As they past, Adrien gave Marinette a concerned, but happy glance. "I'm sorry we didn't get here sooner, I didn't realise you'd gone back to the locker room." He gave her a small wink. "A certain black cat told me he'd placed cameras in the locker room, to make sure if she tried anything, there'd be evidence for it."

Marinette smiled, warmth flowing back into her chest. Of course - how could she have forgotten him? Whenever she needed him most, he was there. Chat Noir. He's the one person she could always rely on.

"Wait... you say that as if you know who stole Lila's necklace." Sabine said. The principle, teacher, and the remainder of the people in the locker room leaned forward expectantly. Lila on the other hand cowered, afraid of what Adrien was about to say.

"I do." Adrien said, anger in his eyes. "The culprit... is Lila herself."

Hiya everyone! I hope you enjoyed this chapter.

Lila is the culprit! I mean we all knew that, but it's nice to get that out in the open. Next chapter should be the immediate fallout of the recording that Adrien shows. Marinette's being slightly dense, but don't worry, it'll smack her in the face soon XD

I hope you're looking forward to it!

But for now...

Peachy out! 😊