𝑅𝑜𝑦𝑎𝑙 𝐴𝑡𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑠 || 𝑀𝑖𝑟𝑎𝑐𝑢𝑙𝑜𝑢𝑠 𝐿𝑎𝑑𝑦𝑏𝑢𝑔

"I find it weird"

There were gasps sounded from the crowd that filled around them.

"Him? Following her?"
"No way"
"She's got to be delusional"
"I don't know, maybe she's attention seeking.."

Marinette could hear whispering from all around them. It was really happening, she were really letting those words get to her. Could this be what her parents so desperately wanted her to be protected from? From the hurtful assumptions, labeling, gossiping.

Marinette's bottom lip began to quiver a bit, she looked down as she grabbed the hem line of her gym shirt and stretched it downward. She could turn around and say something back to the gossipers, but, wouldn't she look like a fool. This was one of those moments where you get to choose a decision for your own good. Either say something and risk being an outcast, or simply run away and let the problem disappear.

And Marinette did what she knew, she turned around and pushed pass the crowd of people, slipping from the locker room into the gymnasium.

The bluenette balled her fists up by her sides, shaking her head as she made her way to her class on the bleachers. Nope, she wasn't going to weep and look frail. She could do that in her room when she got home. There was no point in crying at school, that would only cause more hassle.

Marinette sat down onto the bleachers. Why did she run away, she were the one who asked the question. Did she run away because of the whispering. Did she actually let it get to her, to actually hurt her. People who she never even spoken to assume things about her, gossip about her. She really fell under the pressure. Her father was right, she knew nothing about the real world, they had hid it from her for so long.

So, where would she start now?

Marinette lifted her head as she heard a silent voice, almost like a whisper. She turned her head to the side, just now noticing that she had sat right beside some girl.

"Hey, are you okay?" She asks with a warm smile as she leaned forward to look the aburnette in her face.

A slight blush dusted across her cheeks from embarrassment, she must of looked troubled as she kept her head down lost in thought. Marinette smiled with a grimace as she slowly nodded.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Marinette removed her gaze from the girl, looking down at the huge stadium. There she caught a glimpse of him. On the basketball stadium, he stood there fiddling with the ball in his grasp. It seemed as if they were doing tryouts. Marinette trailed her eyes to the cheerleaders on the other side of the court also doing tryouts.

"I'm guessing you're new here?" The girl leaned back into her seat letting a long breath out. "I am too." She added.

Marinette furrowed her brows, "well yes, but how would you know if you're new?" She brung her gaze back to the girl who had brunette hair and hazel eyes.

"Well because you're letting the gossiping get to you so easily." Alya smirked "plus all newbies have to wear a name tag." She reached over to flick the card hanging from Marinette's neck.

Marinette looked down at her name tag then back up at the girl with a scoff. "I- I didn't let it get to me." She turned her head away.

"I'm Alya by the way." The girl introduced herself with a soft laugh.

Marinette poked her lips out before slowly turning back to the girl. "Marinette."

"Cool name, which is awesome because you're my new friend." Alya smiled warmly as she nudged Marinette's arm.

The bluenette's bluebell orbs slightly widened with curiosity "really?" She couldn't help but let the ends of her lips curl into a grin. Well, she couldn't believe that anyone would even consider being her friend. After all, she probably made a fool of herself back in the locker room.