The Fox and the Ladybug

Part Thirteen: Apple Cinnamon Pie

🥝Hello everyone! I just wanted say that I made a cover for this story, I hope you like it! Digital art isn't exactly my talent, but this came out better than I expected it to. Also, thank you so much for reading this story; we now have over 200 reads. I also want to announce that I'm writing a new story! I should be publishing the first couple chapters by the end of winter break, if I haven't done so already.🥝 

Lila's POV

6:18 pm

"MOM?!" I said loudly as I turned to my mom walking out of the movie theater with another woman I swear I've seen before. She had shoulder-length dark blue hair with red tips. She was wearing a red turtleneck and a black skirt with thin white lines that went down to her knees.

"Lila!" she said. "Hi!..."

"I thought you were at work?" I asked, confused. Then the other woman spoke.

"Wait, Christy, did you tell your daughter about our... arrangement?" she asked. What is everyone talking about?!

"No.." she whispered to her friend.

"Mom, what is going on right now?" I asked. Mom stayed quiet, but her friend spoke.

"Your mom and I were friends in college. She told me that her current job at the donut shop across the street doesn't provide enough money and needed financial support to provide for her and her daughter until she finds a new one. I am loaning her money monthly at the moment, and we were just getting lunch," the woman explained. I quickly found a flaw in her story.

"My mom works at a restaurant, not a donut shop," I said walking closer to the woman. She did not move. Instead, she gave me a confused expression. "Christy told me..." We both looked at my mom, who looked guilty and nervous.

"I don't have a job," mom said. "We've been living off of the monthly payments from Natalie for the past seven months." I turned to the woman named Natalie and she looked at my mom with anger. "So you've been lying to me and your daughter? I've been paying you 35% of my monthly salary! What have you been doing when you tell your daughter you're working?"

"Wait a minute..." I said softly. Everyone turned to me, including Marinette, reminding me that she was listening to all of...this. This is so embarrassing. "One night, when I was... out..." Nobody needed to know I was saving Paris with Ladybug. "I saw a familiar person coming out of the local club." My brain connected the dots and my eyes widened in anger and surprise.

"You've been partying this whole time?!" Natalie shouted before I could. "Yes," my mom said, refusing to look me or Natalie in the eye. I couldn't believe it.

"You know, this counts as child neglection. You could end up in jail for this," Natalie pointed out. "I have a good lawyer that could give you both a sentence and a fine. Then, the house would go to Lila as well as the money you spend on drinks and parties."

This is was too much. "I can't live by myself! I'm barely an adult, and I don't even have a job!"

"You've been doing exactly that for the past three years. Anything that wasn't taken care of by you was taken care of by me," Natalie said.

"Al-alright," I hesitated. "I-I think I need to go home." Tears started to form in my eyes. "K-Kagami, please drive me home." I walked away from Natalie and my mom. I couldn't believe she would ever do this.

"I'll come home with you," Ladybug said and turned to Kagami. "I'm going to get her home, you and Luka have fun." She took her yoyo which she tucked into a pocket on her dress and and grabbed my waist before flinging us to my apartment.