Paris is Weird

Chapter 5: An Unexpected Pest

Alya Cesaire

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Best friends often teased each other, but when Mari bolted, it didn't take Alya long to realize she had way over done it this time. Setting up an awkward situation with both sides of Marinette's love triangle was not good. She made a mental note for future reference as she headed to the bathroom in hopes of finding the dark haired girl.

Instead, what was waiting for her was a nightmare of blonde hair and expensive tastes. Of all people Chloe Bourgeois had the absolute nerve to tell Alya how she should go about handling the situation! Seriously?! The amateur reporter had the very strong desire to chase after the girl and punch her! But Marinette's need came first!

Marinette needed an apology from her best friend; and that was what she would get! Just as Alya placed her hand on the handle of the door though, the blonde bully's last word seemed to echo through her mind. Backstabber. Yikes. She really had betrayed Marinette's trust back there. Out of the entire school a best friend should be best equipped to help you deal with your weaknesses...but Alya had pretty much thrown Marinette to the wolves.

"Maybe I really should go get Rose or someone to go in first..." The teen bit her lip in hesitation, "Pfft, Mari's not that petty! Chloe's just being manipulative!"

Still, Alya approached carefully, knocking first, "Hey, Marinette? It's me! I wanted to apologize!"

Then she opened the door and stepped in as Mari snapped her purse shut, "A-alya!"

"I know, I know," The reporter sighed, leaning against the door, trying to fight the curiosity that begged to know what was hiding in that purse, "I was a jerk. I shouldn't have known you'd have twice the break down!"

"Y-you should have!" Marinette pouted, face a bright red.

"I told the guys we would be eating alone, without them...any of them," Alya informed her bestie, and held out a hand, "Still friends?"

"Pfft," Mari had to smile at that, "Forever."

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After the two of them had gone to Marinette's family's home for lunch, school resumed as usual. Alya felt better having made up with her friend; she just hoped things hadn't been too disastrous on the other end of things.

"Psst!" She tossed a tiny piece of balled up paper at the boy in front of her, clipping him  behind the ear with it.

"Ow!" Nino turned around to glare at her, the lessons having just started. Seriously, couldn't she talk to him before or after the classes? What was this chick's problem? The look on his face clearly conveyed his exasperated question of 'what now?'

Scrawling on a piece of notebook paper she lifted the page enough for him to see it. 

How did lunch go? Any long term damage?

Nino rolled his eyes and scribbled his own note in hasty reply, making sure their teacher wasn't looking before showing it to Alya.

Lunch was cool, Luca and Juleka did their thing, Adrien and I did ours. No damage done. Marinette?

Alya just shrugged and glanced at Marinette at that question, writing quickly.

We seem okay now...dunno about overall. Didn't get to talk about it much.