Elements of Madness

Ripples

Chloe's entrance into school the next morning turned heads. There was no hiding the bruise across her right cheek without hideous amounts of makeup that would look even worse. She liked to look made up, she did not like to look like a street mime. Chloe Bourgeois with a bruise was something to be talked about, even if no one talked TO her about it.

The classroom was much the same. Sabrina was aghast, but Chloe shushed her, she was waiting. Students filed in after her, Rose and Juleka among them. Chloe raised a hand and waved her fingers at Juleka along with one of her well practiced confident smiles,"Good Morning Juleka," she singsonged.

Juleka's response was to turn, hiding her face and trot even faster up the stairs. Another stone thrown into the pool, the ripples of attention were swirling even more now. Even though Chloe couldn't hear what was being said she could hear Rose talking to Juleka with a sincere earnesty up on the upper level. It was only a matter of time.

The ripples flowed down from the top row. Whispers spread out, something too good to hold in. Chloe felt the energy of it prickling the hairs on the back of her neck. Would there be an explosion? Yes. Marinette, who had only a passing familiarity with the idea of 'inside voice' was the one to break out,"They did WHAT?"

Chloe swiveled as casually as she could in her chair to look back up into the tiers. With only a couple exceptions nearly all the eyes in the classroom were on her, and she hadn't had to shout or threaten anyone. She drank it up,"Is something wrong Du-pain-chang?" Chloe kept her voice as sweet as honey.

Marinette's expression was something between confusion, disgust, and despair. She realized quickly that the eyes in the room had swiveled to her,"Oh, nothing." she forced a laugh, putting on a bright cheery smile,"I was just reading about a show I watched and there was a spoiler about the season finale online. I can't BELIEVE they went that route." Marinette forced another laugh and picked up her phone, hiding her face behind it.

The eyes in the room ping-ponged back to Chloe,"Spend too much time watching TV Du-pain-chang and you'll rot your brain." she paused, then laughed,"Oh what am I saying? Too late." Chloe laughed again and turned back to the front.

Sabrina had been whispering behind her back with Mylene and as Chloe turned back she shared in a whisper,"Chloe, she was dating Luka just a little bit ago."

Chloe had no idea what Mylene had thought would come from sharing that information with Sabrina. Maybe she was trying to head off a confrontation, maybe it was simply too juicy to hold in. Chloe used it for an encore,"His name is Luka Du-Pain-Chang?" she asked, not turning around.

Marinette's voice was resigned,"Yes Chloe, you know it is."

Chloe laughed, stretching her arms overhead,"Actually, I'd forgotten to ask what it was." She rolled her neck, glancing back over her shoulder, and delivering the delicious knockout,"Did you teach him to kiss like that?"

Marinette didn't have an answer. Her face turned an unhealthy shade of red and she hid under one of her books. There was a train-wreck fascination among the class keeping the tableau frozen. Chloe wasn't being exactly mean, who could tell her to stop? Stop what?

Chloe turned her head a little further, presenting her bruised cheek more clearly,"He is a little rough though, but I think I gave as good as I got." She turned back around, conspicuously ending the conversation. That would do nicely. There is no way the rumor mill wouldn't be grinding to her name for the day, if not for the week.

Then her phone had the ill fortune to buzz. The family group-chat. Another event tonight, 'as a family'. Chloe's sugar turned to sawdust. She and Marinette were unintentional twins, hunched and seething at things beyond their control.