When I Knew You

Chapter Four: Rumors

After Dinner, Marinette walked upstairs to her bedroom and went outside, only to see a familiar cat on the building across

"Chat?" She called, "What are you doing here?"

"Oh hello Purr-incess," Chat chuckled nervously as he jumped towards Marinette's balcony, "just waiting for you."

"Oh? Did you need anything?" she asked

"Ah, no, not really..." Chat began, "Just wanted to see you."

"What were you doing on the other side?" Marinette laughed, "you could have waited out here."

"Well, I kinda came across your family having dinner together on my way over, and everyone was so happy, I just got lost in thought for a while." Chat admitted

"So you were spying on us?" Marinette faked a gasp before swatting his arm playfully.

"Meow-ch" Chat yelled holding his arm, pretending to be in pain.

"Haha," Marinette laughed "Very punny"

"Did you just make a pun?" Chat gasped, with a shocked look on his face.

"I don't know, maybe?" Marinette shrugged with a smug look on her face.

Was she always this cute and confident? Chat wondered to himself, Why didn't she talk normally around him?

"Anyway, why did you look so sad?" Marinette asked noticing the glum expression on his face when she first noticed him this evening.

"Well... actually... you see..." Chat muttered as he tried to come up with the right words, "I don't really know what's its like to have a happy family, I always eat alone at home," he admitted, "seeing you with your family, just made me wish... I don't know, that I had someone to eat with at least sometimes."

"Oh!" Marinette exclaimed, why does this remind me of someone I know? "Well, I'm sure my parents would be happy to have you over sometimes... I mean I don't know about my dad so much but I'm sure he's forgiven you by now."

"Uh, I don't know..." Chat blushed shyly

"Or it can just be the two of us if that makes you more comfortable," Marinette suggested, "maybe late-night snacks or some dessert?"

"Sure," Chat breathed, "I'd like that... I'd like that a lot."

*****

The next day Marinette walked into class, on time for a change, but was met with strange looks from her classmates, even her friends were staring at her whispering to each other.

"Hey girls," Marinette said as she approached them "What's going on?"

"I can't believe you!" Rose sobbed rushing out the door

"What happened?" Marinette frowned confused

"Don't act coy with us Marinette Dupain-Cheng," Juleka growled throwing a phone at her.

Marinette opened the phone to see a forum of hateful comments directed towards classmates and her friends

MDC_Designs: Who does Juleka Couffaine think she is? She wants to be a model? Please, have you seen her face? That's right you can't see it because it's covered by her stupid hair!

QueenBuzz: Ivan Bruel is so fat, how much does he eat every day? Plus he's dating a tiny girl like he can just crush her any minute

MDC_Designs: Alya Césaire is such a lame journalist, why do viewers even like lady blog? I mean it's so lame, she hasn't even found the hero(s) true identities yet, yet she wants to be a reporter? In her dreams!