deja vu~ miraculous

8| manipulation

Marinette
The misty haze of hazel green that were the beasts eyes met Marinettes blue, and it made her feel almost nauseous.

The scent was terrible. If jealousy, anger, regret, and loneliness had a scent, that's what it would be. The creature was a deep brown, with jagged spikes streaking down its head to its tail. It stared into Marinettes soul, as if reading every piece of her.

How could she know it was Lila? Well...

20 Minutes Earlier
"I'm going to be so so late!" Marinette yelled as she nearly toppled down the stairs. 

"It'll be fine Marinette, just keep calm and everything will be oka-"

"EVERYTHING WILL NOT BE OKAY!" Marinette cried as she tripped over her own feet and sent fresh macaroons flying through the air. Her parents were upstairs while they let them cool, but didn't even fuss when they heard the crash and bang that was Marinettes body hitting every corner of the kitchen, because it was a pretty natural thing.

"I'm okay!" She yelled anyways, so they wouldn't come down and worry about her well being- which was not particularly well at the moment. She popped a few macaroons in her mouth for breakfast, snatched a few for Tikki and flew out the door- nearly walking into the doorframe on the way out.

As she was running, she wasn't paying complete attention to where she was going and crashed right into a stiff figure waiting to cross the street. Marinette rubbed her head and looked up at the persons outstretched hand in front of her.

"Need a hand? Clumsy and late as usual I presume?" 

"Haha Lila," Marinette said sarcastically, slapping her hand away and standing up. A little too fast- she lost her balance and fell right back on the ground. Lila reached out her hand again. "Get up. I need to talk to you."

Marinette hesitantly took her hand and rose to her feet, her eyes narrowed.

"I know you like Adrien." Lila said with a sneer as they crossed the street. "And I want to make a deal with you."

"What kind of deal?" Marinette said raising an eyebrow. She refused to trust that girl under any circumstances- especially with Adrien. "I'm not setting you up him if that's what you think."

Lila rolled her eyes. "Please. I don't have a care in the world for that sweet little goody-two-shoes crush of yours- and believe me, if I did he would already be in my clutches." She smiled a cheshire smile, tapping her chin simultaneously. "However... he has something I want. And I don't stop until I get what I want."

"What thing of Adriens could you possibly want so badly that you'd consult me?" Marinette asked.

Lila's smile widened even further- sending Marinettes body into unease. "Nothing that will concern the likes of you."

"So what do you want me to do?"

They stopped in front of the stairs to the school- Lila's piercing hazel green eyes driving through Marinettes body. They narrowed. "Get me into Agreste mansion, and we won't have any problems."

Marinettes eyes widened. "Why? You just said that he has no importance to you! What do you need from him so badly that you would go so far as to manipulate his emotions?  And why do you need me of all people?"

"Because he defended you against me!" She growled. "You're his "vErY gOOd fReiEnD" or whatever and he values you and your opinions more than mine! He'd actually LISTEN to you if you could actually get a word out of your stupid awkward brain." She paused to glare at her. "He's a model and he's rich so he does have importance to me. His family has something that I want, and that I deserve, and I will do as much as it takes to obtain that."

"Why should I help you?"

"Well... if I don't get what I want then... let's just say Adrien will be the one to pay."

"What do you mean?" Marinette asked, panicking. She hated how vulnerable he made her. How she would drop everything and anything to keep him safe. She hated it.

"Do you want to find out?"

Marinettes fingers clenched into fists. Lila had the upper hand. She knew things Marinette never could- for all she knew Lila could be working with Gabriel Agreste and she could have all the power in the world to destroy his life. There was no way of knowing- and she couldn't risk it. However... "You've forgotten one thing in your brilliant plan Lila. If you make Adrien stay home from school, there's no way for you to ever get close enough to him or to get whatever it is you want. It's a lose lose for both of us."

Lila only smiled wider, sending Marinette into even more unease. "Who said that what would happen to him would be staying home from school?"

Marinettes face drained of all color and Lila laughed. "Today I'm going to get akumatized. You're going to be with Adrien and you're going to confess it's your fault and that you tried to split us up."

"But he knows you're a liar. He's my friend. I don't want to lie to him or go against him."

"Well you better. Unless you want to chance his life for your precious pride."

Marinette ran up the stairs- Lila's sneer following her from door all the way to the classroom.