Marinette glared furiously at the chalkboard from where she sat at the back of the class. It had been weeks since any of her so-called friends so much as said a kind word to her; months since she could enter a room with meeting dirty looks. And for what? A liar?
They turned on her for a mean, dirty-rotten, princess of lies. Just because Lie-La told them what they wanted to hear. Spun fantastic, unbelievable tall tales about all the famous people she’d met and the adventures she’s been on. And because Marinette didn’t believe her, called out her lies for what they were, she was a bully.
Her? Marinette Dupain-Cheng? Ladybug? The girl who has bent over backwards to help every single time they needed it. Who literally saved their ungrateful asses time and time again? She was the bully.
“If you weren’t such a jealous bitch, we’d have told you,” Alya stomped. “But we didn’t want the drama, gurl.” When Marinette had simply asked what Alya, her once best friend did over the weekend. Apparently, the class had a party, and everyone was invited… except for Marinette.
“Honestly, Marinette worst then Chloe’s ever been,” She heard Nino snipe to Max and Alix who nodded in agreement.
“Just leave Lila alone,” Adrien hissed. “You’re being a bully. It’s not like Lila’s hurting anyone.”
Tears burned in her eyes. To stop them, Marinette clenched her fists so hard she drew blood. No. She wouldn’t cry. Not over them. Not anymore. She was so tired. Tired of bending over backwards. Tired of always being the one to save the day. And NO ONE ever coming to save hers.
Tired of pretending that she had any friends in the class left. Tired of pretending that everything would work out. One of these days, Alya would realize the truth. She was Marinette’s best friend after all. Nino would realize the truth. He’d known her since kindergarten. That Adrien would say something. He promised he’d have Marinette’s back. If not, he’d use that stupid Chat mask of his to hide how spineless he was and stand up for her; his everyday Ladybug, even if he didn’t know she was actually Ladybug. (And oh how furious, she had been when she found out Adrien Agreste was Chat Noir) But Marinette had a terrible feeling that day she so dreamed of would never come. And was tired of pretending that it would. Tired of lying to herself.
Because Marinette wasn’t the liar here. She wasn’t the problem. The instigator. The jealous, callous bitch they all made her out to be. No that was Lila and they loved her anyway. They were sheep. Followers clinging to anything bright and shiny that could hold their attention for more than a few seconds at a time.
Brainless, Marinette sneered at the students in front of her. The class would start soon and when that bell rang it would all be over.
Unworthy, Marinette thought. Unworthy of her time, her effort, her love.
Marinette pulled out her phone. For the last few months, she had used it to look busy whenever she was forced to sit alone. Work alone. Do entire group projects by herself. Now it would be used to light the wick.
Because Most of all, Marinette was tired of pretending That if she stays positive, did the right thing, was her sunshiny self, drew inside the lines, followed all the rules, she would still get her happy ending. They all left her behind; pushed to the back like she never mattered. It hurt. It hurt more than she’d ever admitted. It was like ice through her veins and made her want to scream. And she knew exactly who was to blame.
And it wasn’t Lila.
Marinette blamed herself. She had been stupid. Too nice. Too naive. Doing everything for everyone, saving the day, saving the world. Only to cast aside and made into an outcast; a villain for them hate and sneer at. Not anymore. Never again. There was no going back. Even if they realized the truth and begged on their knees, there was no going back. They weren’t her friends.
