The Missing Purrincess

Chapter 32: The Akuma Class

Alya looked at her with wide eyes, but she didn't stop.

---Adrien's POV---

"That's it! If Lila wasn't the most despicable human being before, she definitely is now. What is she, working for Hawkmoth?!"

"I dunno Kid. I've seen a lot of horrible people in my time."

"Stop trying to sound wise Plagg, and eat your stupid cheese so I can get back to Ladybug."

Plagg was taking a lot longer than normal to eat the stinky substance.

First, he had insisted on checking on Ladybug because I had left her hurt and and alone and he would never eat cheese out of my hand again because HE needed to recharge. Then, apparently after making sure she wasn't bleeding to death or something started taking his sweet time eating the foul-smelling cheese. Talking to it and me instead of just taking a bite.

"That's it, you've recharged enough. PLAGG, CLAWS OUT!"

I waited for the transformation, but it didn't happen. Looking up at Plagg, he had flown a ways away and had stuffed pieces of cheese into his ears.

"PLAGG!"

"Can't transform if I don't hear the words!"

"Plagg there's an akuma!"

"Wait a bit kid. This convo needs to happen."

---Marinette's POV---

I wasn't crying. At least not because of Alya. I had given up on that friendship a long time ago. 

Still, hearing her heartfelt speech did... tug at my heart. A little.

Turns out that it's harder to erase months of friendship in a week. I really thought I had got that backstabbing blogger out of my heart for good after seeing her buddy buddy with Lila, but once again, I was wrong.

Of course, after all that, she still believed Lila. Livestreaming her stupid face on the stupid Ladyblog. 

"No. I haven't been on the Ladyblog much lately. Even if I was, I don't think I would have watched a livestream about Lila Rossi."

Alya looked a little hurt. What did she expect me to say? Just because she apologized doesn't mean I have to forgive her. Yeah, I'm human. Congrats genius. That amazing revelation doesn't make what happened hurt any less. 

"You may have wanted to watch this one." Alya chuckled, "I took what you said about Lila to heart you know. About her being a liar? I did what I should have done the first time I heard her stories. Some research. "

An image of Alya in the park the other day flashed in my mind. The two of them seemed awfully buddy buddy if Alya actually did what she was saying she did.

"Lila thought she was so smart with what she pulled with Marinette. Within a week she had most of the class on her side over the whole thing. Honestly though, I probably would have believed her too if you hadn't spoken to me."

"Is that why you two were so close this week? Hanging out like besties and hugging?"

I clamped my hand over my mouth. Alya's head swerved towards me and her face was filled with confusion and embarrassment of all things. I could see the gears turning in her head as she, even if it was unconscious, remembered every detail of that day and tried to pick my face out of the scene.

"How did you... If you didn't watch the live stream..."

"I was in the park Saturday!" I blurted out, it wasn't a lie, but it also wasn't the whole truth about why I had noticed them in particular.