The Missing Purrincess

Chapter 1: What Did I Do?

Nobody wanted to believe Lila, but she was very convincing. By the time that Marinette got to school, only Adrien still believed in her innocence. 

--- Adrien's POV ---

"Marinette is late to school again.   It's the third time this week." I said to Alya. 

"Girl's gonna get detention soon." was her only reply.

I rolled my eyes. Marinette was a sweet girl. She would never hold up in the wilds of detention, nor would the teachers send her there. It was strange, but it was like she never got punished for it anymore. Maybe the teachers were afraid?  

Still, it was worrying. With the amount of Akumatizations lately as well as modeling stuff, I had barely gotten any sleep.  

Lila ran into the classroom. She looked scared? Honestly, if it weren't for Alya I wouldn't have paid attention. I had learned a long time ago that Lila was not to be trusted. Ever since she claimed to be close with Ladybug, I had started distancing myself from her. 

"Are you okay Lila?!" Alya jumped up from her seat. A few other students ran toward her.

"I I'm fine."

Then came the crocodile tears. It wasn't the first time I had seen them, but it still worried me that nobody else had learned how to tell the difference. Marinette tended to be the topic when she did this so I came forward.

"Lila, what happened?" I asked. I was a bit worried about the answer. Lila had the whole class wrapped around her finger.

"M Marinette texted me and.." Lila threw herself into Alya's arms. This girl had no shame.

"What? Are you sure it was Marinette?" 

 Lila pulled out her phone and showed us a text message. 

[Mari😁: Lila, just don't come to school today. Nobody wants you there.

You: What? Why not Marinette?

Mari😁: Your annoying? 

You: What?

Mari😁: Nobody wants to be your friend

Mari😁: Nobody wants you to come to school

Mari😁: So just dont. plz. ]

Everyone stood still as we read the messages. Once, twice, three times. A few students looked angry, Rose seemed in disbelief, but most looked furious. If I were Hawkmoth, i'd have a field day with the akumas.

Nobody wanted to believe Lila, of course we didn't. Marinette was our friend! Some of us had known her since preschool. But Lila was very convincing. By the time that Marinette got to school, only I still believed in her innocence. Not even Alya believed in her anymore.  I just couldn't believe that sweet clumsy Marinette had done something like that. Why should I?

---Marinette's POV ---

I had just gotten out of bed and was already late to school. Tikki had helped me get my stuff together, and I was running to the building. I was lucky enough to live close by, but I still missed at least the first few minutes almost every time. 

As soon as I got to class, I saw Lila crying on the floor. Everyone just glared at me. Immediately I begun to worry. Lila had it in for me since forever, and it wouldn't be the first time that she tried to turn everyone against me. 

"Marinette how could you?!" Alya cried.

I was surprised at where the voice came from. I thought at least my best friend would believe me but it seemed not. 

"What did I do?" Hopefully this was something I could prove quickly enough. This taking the high road stuff was starting to get to me and I was tiring of it. 

"Don't WHaT DiD i D0 me Marinette Dupain-Cheng!" Alya seemed really mad this time.

"Seriously, what did I do?" 

"Marinette..." Adrien began. 

Of course Adrian believed that stupid liar. I had been in love with him longer than I've known Lila. She knew that of course. Anything to get to me was enough for her. I'm pretty sure I could make a case for her working for Hawkmoth with the amount of times that Lyla was akumatized just to hurt me.

Alya grabbed Lila's phone and shoved it in my face. Open, there was a text conversation between her and somebody called "Mari😁" in her phone. I can only assume that was ment to be me.  Only Alya's finger had changed the screen, showing more of the messages sent...

You: You got the script?

Mari😁: Depends. You were going to pay me for this right?

You: Just like we agreed

Mari😁: And this is just for a movie right? 

You: Why would i lie

Mari😁: its happened a couple of times where messages i sent would be used to upset people irl

You: What? i would never. just follow the script Ian.]

"You have got to be kidding me!"

"What?" Alya looked desperate to have some reason to believe in me.

"Did you even look at the rest of the conversation or just the bits Lila showed you?!"

"I wasn't about to snoop through her private messages Marinette!"

It was too much. Alya was my best friend and she didn't even think to check the number or anything! I needed to get away from that toxic place.

---Aiden's POV---

Marinette looked really upset. Tears were streaming down her face as she shoved the phone back into Alya's face screaming at her incoherently about fake friends and other stuff like that. Alya turned the phone off without looking back at it. 

Marinette ran out of the classroom. I though for a second I saw something red poking out of her bag, but she ran out of sight too fast. I was about to run after her, but the bell rang and that ment class started. I would have to check on her later.