Reunited (A Miraculous Ladybug Romance)

27: Afraid

8/8/18

"Isabella!" a woman's voice shouted. "It's almost dinnertime. You need to eat with the family tonight."

A lanky girl with long dark hair and tired brown eyes spun around in her chair, looking to make sure that the locks were firmly fastened on her bedroom door. Every evening that wretched woman tried to make her come downstairs, and if there was anything she hated more than Marinette or even Ladybug, it was spending time with family. However, today, in particular, Isabella's mood was extremely foul. Her plan had gone astray, and now she had to figure something else out.

"I'm not hungry," she sharply replied, making sure her voice could clearly be heard without opening the door. "And I told you, my name is Izzy! Quit calling me Isabella!"

Frustrated, the teenage girl stood from her chair, stomping across the darkened room. She leaned her head against her wall, and placed her hand on one of her posters. Her lips were tight with frustration and her heart ached. Even still, she knew it wasn't time to give up. Good things couldn't come unless you worked for them. And he was the only good thing she'd needed for a long time now.

"Soon, my prince," Izzy cooed, "you will be all mine."

She leaned forward, pressing her lips against a picture of a blonde model posted on the wall.

"I may have failed you today," she continued, stroking yet a different picture of a young boy in a black suit - his face covered in a mask. "But I promise you that I won't mess it up next time."

Her phone buzzed in her pocket, making her roll her eyes. She hated trying to pretend like she had friends. In the past, every time she thought she had made a friend, they would always end up stabbing her in the back: practical jokes, making her the laughing stock of the school, cyberbullying - nothing was new. Everybody tried to control her - no matter how hard she tried. Nothing Izzy ever did mattered; others always chose her place in life.

No one, besides Adrien, would ever make her happy by being by her side. She knew, from years of observation, that Adrien could never betray someone he was close to, no matter how much that person screwed up. Heck, he had forgiven his own father for being Hawkmoth for crying out loud. Once she managed to build a relationship with Adrien, he would be hers for eternity.

"Hello," she chipperly greeted the person on the phone, internally gagging at the disgustingly cute tone of her own voice.

"Izzy, my dear," the voice on the other end replied. "I hate to be calling you this late, but do you think you could cover my shift tonight? I forgot I had promised to eat dinner with Sabrina's parents. They would be devastated if I couldn't make it."

Izzy internally groaned. "Chloe!" she fakely responded with cheer. "I would be glad to help. What time was your shift supposed to start?"

"6:30," Chloe hastily responded. "Izzy, you really are the best! Thank you!"

"I know I am! Just make sure you enjoy that dinner. Goodbye."

Izzy sighed in relief as the phone call went dead. Trying to stay in Chloe's good graces was beginning to wear her thin. But Izzy needed to keep Chloe happy: she was the perfect source of information on everything Adrien. In fact, that was the only reason why she had taken this tireless job of being a barista - the things she had learned from Chloe had been invaluable thus far. Everything would have been perfect if it weren't for that pestering Marinette. That insufferable girl messed up all her plans of helping Chloe reconnect with her old friend, Adrien. She was supposed to be with Chloe every step of the way, and then she herself would have gotten close to Adrien due to her help in reconnecting the old friends. But it happened without her, and in the meantime, Adrien had even managed to pick up a disgustingly ordinary girlfriend.