One Chance at the Truth - A MLB Fanfic

Chapter IV

Marinette P.O.V.

I don't make it too far down the hall before I hear voices-- Zoé and Chloe are still talking, I guess. Starting to back up, I figure it's better just to give them a minute... but that doesn't stop me from hearing a bit of their conversation that immediately catches my attention, making me stop to listen.

"...and don't think I haven't heard from Marinette that you used to bully her! I'm not the one who has to apologize to her!"

"That was years ago, and Dupain-Cheng just sat there and took it, anyways! And you're the one who's been keeping secrets from her while you pretend to be her best friend-"

"Chloe, I am her best friend," Zoé snaps. "What I haven't told her won't change that... I mean, it shouldn't..."

"You don't even know if your friendship is strong enough to hold!" Chloe replies triumphantly. "After all, it didn't stick with her friend Alya, so why would it stick with you?"

"That's enough." She takes a deep breath as though trying to reassure herself. "Marinette will understand... she has to understand."

"Or you could let me help you." Chloe scoffs. "Of course, I'll want something in return, but you can get rid of this situation before she even finds out."

"Why do you care, if you don't even think of us as sisters?" Zoé grumbles. "I still don't meet your standards?

"My standards have changed," Chloe replies off-handedly, "so you'd have to live in Paris and stop going to this snooze-fest school."

I don't know what's more surprising anymore. The fact that Chloe really has gone softer in the time I've been gone, or knowing that Zoé is keeping something big from me. Some secret big enough to destroy our friendship, even.

And suddenly, it feels like Paris all over again. I don't know who to trust, because I already got the feeling that Nino is hiding something. I could see, naturally, the jade bracelet on his wrist; he's a long-term Miraculous holder. But there's something else he's not telling me, and the only one I feel like I can trust right now... is Adrien.

Even then, he's being secretive too, but in this case, it concerns his life. He won't go into detail about what's changed since he lost friends. If he's really an outcast in the class, surely he feels awful about it. But he won't tell me, and it makes me worry that this whole situation is much more upsetting than he wants to admit.

I shake my head, clearing away these thoughts as I step around the corner and make my way toward Zoé and Chloe. They look up to see me and immediately go silent, making it seem like they weren't just talking about me behind my back.

"Sorry to interrupt... whatever this is." I swallow, also trying to make it seem like I wasn't listening to them. "Zoé, we need to start with the tours; we're already running behind."

"Right, right. Let's go." She glances back at Chloe momentarily, and I don't even look to see their expressions. I don't know if I want to know what's happening here.

As we head down toward the guest rooms again, Zoé nervously asks, "You didn't hear much, did you? Chloe hates it when people eavesdrop-"

"Hear what?" I frown, subjecting myself to telling this one lie even though I've started to become mortally opposed to lies. "I couldn't even hear you down the hall, Zoé. What were you talking about?"

"Things." She sighs. "We've never been close. I guess I should have mentioned Chloe sooner."

"That's okay." I look away, gritting my teeth. I wouldn't have listened if I hadn't heard my name. I wouldn't have kept listening if I hadn't known you were keeping secrets from me.