'Oh, no! My lucky pen is missing!' Lila lamented, her lower lip trembling and eyes already wet. 'I can't write the math test without my lucky pen!'
'You can borrow one of mine!' Rose chirped, viciously shoppingmode pink pencil-case at the ready.
'Nooooo,' the Italian girl wailed. 'That was my favorite pen! Purple, my favorite color too.'
'Maybe you left it somewhere?' Nathaniel supplied. 'When was the last time you had it on you?'
Lila pursed her lips in an exaggerated manner as she considered this question. 'I had it when I went to ask Adrien about an equation I didn't understand. He's so wonderful at explaining things!' she exclaimed.
'You didn't sit with us,' Nino reminded her.
Adrien just nodded. He watched his classmate and latest modeling partner closely, trying to figure out in time, what she was up to.
'That's right!' Lila snapped her fingers. 'I sat in Marinette's seat. She was running late, as usual.' The girl sent their class president a condescending look. 'It must be soooo hard for you to get here on time with all the tasks you have with your parents at the bakery!' She continued with faux smile. 'I guess some of us are lucky their parents don't expect them to work!'
Marinette growled under her breath, but she left this hidden insult without any answer. Instead she pointed to her desk. 'I don't see your pen here, Lila. You must have left it somewhere else.'
Lila narrowed her eyes at the girl. 'I'm sure I left it there. I remember I stood up when you came.'
'No pen here, Lila,' Alya rolled her eyes.
'Can I check?' The Italian girl fluttered her lashes innocently and headed for Marinette and Alya's desk, despite the fact that it contained no pens whatsoever.
She stumbled over Marinette's backpack, scattering all the contents on the floor.
Adrien caught a glimpse of purple as Lila opened her jacket and then he heard the clatter of a falling pen, just a bit later than the rest of Marinette's things. He moved fast, his shoe covering the pen and kicking it deep under Nino's seat. His seat buddy didn't even blink as he stepped on the pen and moved it even further away, obscuring it from view for better measure. Good old Nino, he probably had no clue as to why Adrien took the pen, he just followed Adrien's lead.
'Oh,' Lila sighed. 'I'm okay. It's nothing! I'm sorry Marinette, I stepped right into your backpack.'
'It's oka-' Marinette started.
'But look, what's this?' Lila gasped feeling the floor in the place where she dropped the pen just a moment earlier. 'Isn't it my-'
'Lila, I found your pen!' Nino exclaimed, turning around and bending to pick the pen that was now next to Nathaniel's desk.
'No, you didn't!' the girl snapped. 'It's right he-'
'Look!' Nathaniel took the offensive item from Nino's fingers. 'It's your lucky pen!' he called happily.
Lila looked to Marinette, then to Adrien and Nino. She pursed her lips. Her eyes flashed with rage, before her face morphed into a well practiced elation.
'Oh, thank you, Nino! You saved my test!' She cast the boy a pleasant smile before going back to her seat.
Adrien didn't know any Italian, but he was pretty sure what Lila mumbled on the way was some extremely bad cursing.
'I swear to you, I didn't sleep a wink last night!' Lila complained. 'I basically moved to the bathroom.'
'You poor thing,' Mylene cooed. 'Did you eat something bad?'
