The Salt Files (MLB)

Wait for It

Marinette perspective of Lila gradually taking her friends from her

Theodosia writes me a letter ev'ry day.
I'm keeping her bed warm while her husband is away.
He's on the British side in Georgia.
He's tryin' to keep the colonies in line.
But he can keep all of Georgia.
Theodosia, she's mine.

Lila Rossi was becoming a pain for Marinette lately. Ever since she came back from wherever the hell she went, all she does is lie through her teeth. Is Lila even her real name?

But the liar had a new goal. Before it was to separate Marinette's friends from her, but now it's to ruin her reputation completely. And if some friends decided to leave, they would only add to the chaos. They didn't matter, they were just pawns in a game to Lila.

But even though Lila's lies were obvious, why did no one believe Marinette over her?

Love doesn't discriminate
Between the sinners
And the saints
It takes and it takes and it takes
And we keep loving anyway.
We laugh and we cry and we break
And we make our mistakes.
And if there's a reason I'm by her side
When so many have tried
Then I'm willing to wait for it.
I'm willing to wait for it.

Alya was the first to go. Marinette couldn't believe it one day when Alya accused her of bullying Lila and going as far as to steal another piece of jewelry from her. The baker girl barely even wears anything else besides the earrings!

Next was Rose, the girl Marinette thought would never go. She was always so sweet, but she suddenly turned hostile once Lila got ahold of her. Rose doesn't do well with bullies because of her past, so anytime there is a bullying situation to someone close, she ices them out immediately. Rose's stance differed from Juleka's, and they ended up breaking up over it. Juleka didn't come to school for the rest of the week, but Luka made sure to give Marinette updates.

The class continued to fall apart after that. Nino, Nathaniel, Sabrina, Mylene, Ivan, Kim, and surprisingly Chloe all took Marinette's side while everyone else was kind of neutral. 

And by neutral, they would believe some stuff that Lila says while ignoring Marinette, but still being civil. 

It was the fact that even the teacher took Lila's side that made Marinette's blood boil in annoyance.

My grandfather
Was a fire and brimstone
Preacher, Preacher, preacher, preacher
But there are things that the homilies and hymns
Won't teach ya. Teach ya, teach ya, teach ya
My mother was a genius, Genius
My father commanded respect. Respect, respect
When they died they left no instructions.
Just a legacy to protect.

Marinette made sure not to let her parents know what she was going through. It wasn't that they were taking Lila's side, it was just that she didn't want to burden them with running the shop and their daughter having problems that she can handle herself if she played her moves properly. She also refused to get anyone involved if they didn't have to be.

Death doesn't discriminate
Between the sinners and the saints
It takes and it takes and it takes
And we keep living anyway.
We rise and we fall and we break
And we make our mistakes.
And if there's a reason I'm still alive
When everyone who loves me has died
I'm willing to wait for it.
I'm willing to wait for it.
Wait for it Wait for it
Wait for it Wait for it
I am the one thing in life I can control
Wait for it Wait for it
Wait for it Wait for it
I am inimitable I am an original
Wait for it Wait for it
Wait for it Wait for it
I'm not falling behind or running late
Wait for it Wait for it
Wait for it Wait for it
I'm not standing still
I am lying in wait Wait
Wait Wait

A few weeks have passed and Lila has successfully gained the upper hand on turning people against Marinette. All she had to do was photoshop pictures and cry some waterworks and people were on their knees practically begging to be of assistance.

Marinette didn't want to do anything rash, so she just ignored her haters. Alya, being the most avoided one. She did everything but stalk Marinette demanding an explanation as to why she harasses Lila and talked about all her achievements and the jealousy Marinette must have had to sink so low.

The bluenette lost it and raged on Alya. She berated her about how she wasn't acting like a good friend and how it was wrong of her to claim that she was harassing Lila when Alya was harassing her. Alya yelled back that she was being a good friend by leaving her to figure out why she was in the wrong. She huffed and walked away in anger. Marinette had hope she would come to her senses one day. She was a reporter, right? So they know when something isn't right. So she did the best thing she could do.

She waited.

Hamilton faces an endless uphill climb Climb Climb Climb
He has something to prove he has nothing to lose
Lose Lose Lose Lose
Hamilton's pace is relentless
He wastes no time Time Time Time
What is it like in his shoes?
Hamilton doesn't hesitate.
He exhibits no restraint.
He takes and he takes and he takes
And he keeps winning anyway.
He changes the game.
He plays and he raises the stakes.
And if there's a reason
He seems to thrive when so few survive
Then Goddamnit I'm willing to wait for it.
I'm willing to wait for it...
I'm willing to wait for it...

Kagami, Aurore, Marc, Juleka, and Luka all got involved with Lila now. But a few more weeks passed and Lila's followers decided to get physical. Marinette ended up in the hospital for a week because Alya pushed her down the stairs. At last, the group decided to handle the problem themselves, against the baker's stubbornness.

Chloe found Lila's mother's information and contacted her, Sabrina convinced her dad to look into Lila and her background, Aurore, Marc, and Kagami gathered the teachers and convinced them to get the School Board involved, and the others got the rest of the student body to watch the takedown live.

It was beautiful. The moment Lila walked into school she was finished. 

Lila and Alya were escorted to the principal's office. From there, you could hear Lila's mother and Alya's mother screaming at them and the principal at the same time. Mrs. Bustier was also called into the room and was scolded and berated by the school board. Everyone who left had a look as if their tails were between their legs.

Adrien was put back in homeschool and his father did everything he could to make sure he would be kept out of the whole ideal. But instead, the police found it suspicious and started investigating the household. The golden boy wouldn't be coming back anytime soon.

When Marinette returned, her other classmates were begging for forgiveness. She forgave, but didn't forget. She also didn't try to repair the friendship, seeing as how little it mattered to others. 

Marinette also later found out Kagami threatened Lila and Alya with her sword and promised to show no mercy if they ever bothered Marinette again. 

Marinette was now watching a movie with her friends at Chloe's house, celebrating the freedom out of the grasp of the enablers. Maybe there was a perk to waiting.

Life doesn't discriminate
Between the sinners and the saints
It takes and it takes and it takes.
And we keep living anyway
We rise and we fall and we break
We fall and we make our mistakes.
And if there's a reason I'm still alive
When so many have died
Then I'm willin' to- then I'm willin' to-
Wait for it... Wait for it... Wait for it...
Wait for it... Wait for it... Wait for it...
Wait for it... Wait for it... Wait for it...
Wait for it... Wait for it... Wait...

The ending was bad but my head hurts🥲💀

128 words