Turns out, getting around the legalities of recording was fairly simple. Markov was given special permission to record Miss Bustier's class to help work on his understanding of Human behavior. And as a bonus, record lectures for those who were absent. As long as the students being recorded were from Bustier's class and on school grounds, it was fair game.
After that, it was a question of which one of them would be bait.
While Marinette might have been better, as Lila had already been threatening to her, Adrien didn't want to let her get in any more trouble. She'd protested, having had enough of him throwing himself in danger for her. But once he said he felt guilty for letting her deal with this alone for so long...
The plan was to have Marinette stay with the girls, talking about her new relationship, and all of them would give Lila the side-eye if she tried to add to the conversation. Or derail it. Meanwhile, Adrien would go to the locker room alone. Well, alone except for Markov perched on top of a locker.
And Plagg, of course. Though Plagg was ready to fly off and get Marinette's attention if things got too out of control.
When he heard the door open, he pretended to be busy with the contents of his locker. Soon enough Lila's hand slammed against the door beside him.
"What the hell are you doing?" Lila demanded.
"Searching for my science homework," Adrien said.
"I meant with Marinette!" She snapped. "You're supposed to be paying attention to me!"
"I can pay attention to other people," he said. "Especially my girlfriend."
He could see how easily that word enraged her. Good.
"We had a deal," Lila said.
"We did," he said. "Part of this whole 'being your friend' deal was that you leave Marinette alone. But you stole her phone and tried to convince me that she was some stalker super fan. Too bad for you, I know her better, and I feel the same way about her that she does about me. Thanks for helping us figure that out!"
That really got her mad. She grabbed the front of his shirt and slammed him against the locker. Though it would've been easy to avoid, he let her. It helped with the video.
“If you go back on the deal, then so will I,” Lila threatened. “You think I can’t get her expelled again? Please. Even with the excuse I gave of a ‘lying disease’, the staff haven’t bothered to check up on anything else I’ve said. It’d be too easy to convince them that she’s still going. Especially if I say she blackmailed me into saying it.”
“Technically, you blackmailed me with her safety,” Adrien glared. “Why not tell them I blackmailed you with friendship?”
“Because while she’s nothing,” she said. “You’re useful. I can be so much worse. What happens when I tell your father to check those messages she sent you? Or mention how she just wants an in at the company? And that’s just him. A few more attacks and texts, and everyone will be convinced that her jealousy only spiked once she got her claws into you.”
“I can’t believe I ever thought talking to you nicely would do anything,” he huffed. “I'd call you as much an asshole as Hawkmoth, but at least he has Mayura. Who do you have?”
“If you think you can protect her, then you’re wrong,” she said. “Or should I go after the others? Alya already posted some of my stories. How long until she becomes a tabloid? All your Musical friends? Well, leaking their songs online wouldn’t be helpful at all. Max’s next little robot might end up ‘accidentally’ dropped off the second floor. Graffiti in the classroom would be blamed on the one with access to spray paint, and don’t even get me started on Nathaniel’s pathetic Ladybug fancomic. Even just a sprain would take Kim and Kagami out of the game for a while. And Chloé? Please. It would be so easy to frame her for a number of things with her reputation. Sabrina’s so much of a lapdog that it’d be killing two birds with one stone.”
“You won’t be able to touch them,” he said.
“I can and I will,” she said. “And don’t think you’re safe either. A few tears, and say goodbye to your reputation as Paris’s precious sunshine child.”
With that, he laughed. And kept laughing. It almost was maniacal, which had Lila loosen her grip on his shirt. Adrien just gave her a grin, far too wide and full of destructive energy.
“You can’t touch any of us,” Adrien said. “We have each other. It’s our word against yours. What? Do you think you can convince people that all of us are bullying you? Over what? Your ‘fantastic life’? It’s not real, so why would we care. We’re not a rival you can call ‘jealous’. Though, Marinette was never your rival. If she wanted to, she could run circles around you. Only reason she didn’t is because I didn’t think you were worth her energy.”
Adrien felt pain burn on his face as his head jerked to the side. That was unexpected. Lila hadn’t been physically confrontational before. Perhaps he pushed too much?
Once more, though Adrien could easily grab her and slam her into the ground, he let her keep going. All he did was put his arms up to block.
He felt Lila get dragged off of him, and chanced a look. Marinette had come in, either because Plagg warned her or just because she got paranoid, and dragged Lila off him. She’d also brought Kim and Alix as backup, the former holding a still pissed Lila and keeping her from going at him again.
Despite Lila already spinning a tale about how Adrien had attacked her, and she was only doing it in self-defense, no one paid her any attention. Alix was glaring, and Marinette was fussing over Adrien, especially the first hit to his face.
