Not So Much

The Tale of a Chloe

"ADRIKINS!" I yelled at the top of my lungs. Sabrina followed me closely, bearing my tote bag,  hair-dryer, and umbrella. Adrien turned from talking to Nino, and waved at me. I approached them, dusting rain from my sweater. "Isn't this weather ghastly?" I exclaimed. It had been raining since early that morning, which is why I made sure Sabrina brought my emergency hair-dryer.

"I don't know, Chloe, I've always kind of like the rain," Adrien said. Nino nodded, "Ya, for reals though. Plus, it means no running outside for P.E." They high-fived, chuckling. I rolled my eyes, adding, "Well, it's nothing but a nuisance, right Sabrina?" She looked up and nodded, "Oh yes, of course Chloe!" I smirked, and heard the bell ring for school to start. But then my cell phone rang as well. I flipped it open, "Hello? Yes, Daddy, I finished my breakfast this morning, and I brought my ointment in case I have a reaction. And make sure Garcon picks me up after school, I hate the-" I stopped suddenly, realizing that my hand was wet. And so was the rest of me! "EEK!" I yelled. I turned to yell at Sabrina, who was nowhere to be found. Or anyone else, for that matter. "URGH!" I groaned in frustration. "It's going to take forever to fix my hair!" I thought, utterly irritated. 

"Chloe?" I heard a voice from behind me. I turned, and saw Nathaniel, the quiet artist from my class. I think he got akumatized because of me. I snarled. "What?" He had a hood on, and pulled a compact umbrella from his bag. He handed it to me. I was confused, and I think my face showed that I was. "You'll catch a cold if you don't have one of these. Plus, um..." His face now matched his red hair, and he pointed to his chest. I took the umbrella, and looked down at my own chest. And my face turned just as red. MY SHIRT IS SEE-THROUGH! "OH MY GOSH!" I yelled. I pulled my sweater tighter around myself, covering my exposed self. I opened the umbrella, struggling to hold it open and my sweater closed at the same time. 

Suddenly a wad of fabric hit me in the face. I grabbed it, and got a look at it. My eyes widened and I watched as Nathaniel walked up the steps of the school...with only a t-shirt and jeans on.

*          *          *

I was un-fashionably late to Miss Bustier's class, but Nathaniel's hoodie kept my wet shirt covered. And, very warm. I found it hard to concentrate. Why had he helped me? There was no way he liked me, I mean why would he? It was because of me that he got akumatized that time, and I hadn't exactly talked to him since then. Sabrina had a change of clothes for me, so I was able get out of the wet ones. But I still had his sweater. Should I give it back to him? It's not my style, so why would I keep it anyway?

I found him during lunch, sitting on the stairs and sketching the last akumatized victim, The Puppeteer. "That's a really good sketch," I admitted. I wasn't lying. It was really good, almost a spitting image. He looked up in shock, like he'd been so absorbed in the sketch that he hadn't heard me approach. "T-Thanks, Chloe," he replied. I had the sweater behind my back, but I wanted to ask a question. "Um, so..." I started. "If you're looking to make fun of me, didn't you do enough to Thomas this morning?" My face turned pomegranate pink. "I-I was just upset, and confused, and I took it out on Thomas. I was planning on going to apologize to him right after I came to see you," I explained. "And you came to see me because...?" he asked. I stared at my feet.

"I'm a bully, I know that. No one in their right mind, at this school at least, would want to help me in any way, ever," I admitted. I paused, and looked up. I could see him starting to get it. "So I want to know-"

My statement was halted as a set of heavy footsteps shook the building. "What was that?" I exclaimed. Footsteps sounded again, and Nathaniel bolted to his feet. Suddenly, from the roof stood a figure, at least 10 feet tall, wearing a rubbery red and blue suit, and carrying a huge shield with the engraving of a sandwich on it. He looked down at the courtyard of the school building until his eyes found us. Then his mouth twisted into a hideous, evil grin. My chin trembled, and all I could think was, "Thomas. No. I'm too late." I stood frozen as Thomas jumped in one leap from the roof to the ground. His eyes found me again, and he bellowed, "CHLOE!" Nathaniel grabbed my hand, and hauled me across the balcony. As we ran, Thomas inhaled, and a large tornado formed from his mouth, and started swallowing people, desks, anything that wasn't nailed to the floor. I was caught in the torrent, but at the last second, Nathaniel pulled us both into the library. We quite literally flew in, and I promptly landed on top of him.

"Owww," we said in unison. I pushed myself as much as I could, only to see my face only inches from his. He opened his eyes, and I immediately noticed how green they were. So much more so than even Adrien. Nathaniel's were like looking right into a forest, or an emerald. Both our faces turned bright red, and we messily tore apart from each other, refusing to make eye contact. "Thank you, for saving me," I gasped, while thinking, "Again." "No problem," he replied. 

Suddenly, another bellow came from outside. We looked at the door in fear. Nathaniel leaped up and grabbed a broom, placing it in the door handles, then locking it. "Will that hold?" I shivered. He looked back at me, those wonderful eyes plastered with fear. "Hopefully. But even if they do, we're going to be in here for a while," he sighed. I gazed at his eyes again, thinking, "Right now, that doesn't sound so bad."