Chap. 8 Forming Friendships

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It was jarring how everything just went back to normal. As if there'd never been a giant doll walking through the city, a child helpless to the destruction he was causing, and Léa deeply afraid that one wrong move would mean her death.

Not talking about it was suffocating.

She couldn't do it. Couldn't bring it up, not when no one else did, not when any upset emotional soul could become the next doll rampaging.

"Léa! Breakfast!" Her mother called from downstairs.

Léa finished brushing her hair and put it into a ponytail. The bright, colorful highlights that she'd been allowed to get thanks to the move had lost their charm in her eyes. Overshadowed by her first week in Paris.

"Léa!" Her mother called again.

Léa called back. "Coming!"

Her dad rarely had time for breakfast with them, but he always had dinner at home. Léa was alright with that, her mother was always home in the mornings.

"Hey mom?"

Her mother hummed, mouth filled with coffee but eyes attentive.

"Is it alright if I go to Marinette's place after school?" She asked. "We want to look over what fixing my jacket's going to take. And she says her parents want to meet me."

The older woman nodded. "Alright, just make sure I can reach you and be home by 8. Okay?"

Léa nodded. "Alright."

The two finished their breakfast and Mrs. Anciel dropped Léa off at school.

"Léa, over here!" Marc waved her over to a familiar group. "Ready for the group project? Ms. Mendeliev says we're starting today."

Oh yeah, the group project. They'd pushed it up a few days after the akuma. "I'm looking forward to it. I wonder what groups we'll get."

Marinette smiled. "Ms. Mendeliev said it's the first thing we'll get to know."

They walked towards the classroom as they talked, only stopping briefly as Luka came over and handed Marinette a bag that she'd forgotten while visiting. "See you later!" He smiled.

Léa smiled faintly and pulled a rosy cheeked Marinette along into the classroom. Everyone sat down in their seats as their teacher started the days lesson.

"Alright children, the first group is Marc, Aurore, Claude and Irma. Group two is David, Marinette and Léa-"

They moved into their assigned groups and a hat with paper was passed around. Léa pulled a slip for her group and they set to work. "Alright, we have China. Want to ask if we can study in the library?" once she recieved two nods she went to talk to their teacher.

With Ms. Mendeliev's approval the three set up shop in the school library, dividing the work between each other.

"Alright, let's confirm, Léa is taking how China was formed, David is taking China as it is today and I'm taking Chinese culture. Sound right?" Marinette asked.

David nodded. "Yes."

"Yup." Léa replied.

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Working with Léa and David lulled her into a deceptively calm state of mind. It was so easy. No complaining, no getting off topic and doing everything other than what they were supposed to do. Sure, they talked some while working, but it wasn't a disturbance.

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