Bullied (A Miraculous Fanfiction)

Chapter 7

Adrien's POV

As I walked toward my house, I prayed that my father wasn't home. I didn't want Marinette to be scared by my father. He can be quite intimidating when he wants to be. And I'm pretty sure she was intimidated with my house and the fact that it was my house.

As I put my hand on the door, ready to open it, I turned back to look at Marinette. She bit her bottom lip, that was still a little swollen from our kiss. Her eyes were glazed over, as if she were in her own little world. Her hands played with the bottom of her hoodie. I don't know what happened to me, but I reached out and grabbed her hand before opening the door.

Thank god, my dick of a father wasn't standing at the top of the stairs. Instead, it was Nathalie holding her tablet as usual. She began to descend down the stairs, her eyes locked with mine.

"Adrien," she began breaking our eye contact to look at her tablet, "you have a photoshoot at 4, an interview with Nadja Chamack at 4:30, a meet and greet at 5, another interview at 5:30, and a—"

"Cancel it all," I interrupted.

"Sir, your father will be—" she began to protest, but I stopped her by lifting the hand that wasn't gripping Marinette.

"I told you to cancel it, and I will deal with my father if he approaches me. Thank you, Nathalie," I stated before dragging Marinette up the stairs.

I stormed into my room at full force before anything could stop me. I held onto Marinette hoping that Nathalie wouldn't make some comment about me bringing another girl home. I finally let go of Marinette, and watched her. Her glazed over expression changed from one of utter disbelief.

Typical, I wanted to say to her.

This was the routine thing. I bring somebody up to my room, they finally decide to look around at their surroundings. Their eyes widen to the size of saucers, their jaws break the floor as they stare. That's all they seem to do for a couple minutes.

"Wow," she whispered.

"Thanks, I guess," I replied.

She looked up at me like she meant to say that in her head.

"Sorry," she sheepishly smiled at the floor, "it's just, my house is smaller than your room."

"It's fine," I smiled at her slight embarrassment.

I thought better than to comment on how she said her house is small. She and I stood there in silence for a few seconds, but it felt like forever and a day. It was awkward but peaceful. She still seemed a little overwhelmed by her surroundings, and I wanted to tell her this was normal. That all the girls I brought in here had the same expression on their face. But they aren't that surprised by how big my house is. They are more shocked by how big
my—

"So, why'd you b-bring me here?" she interrupted my thoughts with a whisper of a question.

"Oh," I started, "I just needed to get out of there."

"Oh, w-well why'd you bring me?" she asked.

"I think we need to talk," I said.

She visibly tensed. I couldn't blame her. She had that glazed over expression again, and I knew she was trying to escape to that peaceful place.

"O-ok," she shakily sighed.

I sat down on the edge of my bed, and patted the spot next to me. She hesitated at first, but eventually walked over to my bed and plopped down on the side of my bed. I liked seeing her on my bed. Calm the fuck down, Agreste.

"Okay," I started, knowing this would be tough. "I want to know the full extend of the abuse."

"F-from who's end?" she asked nonchalantly.

I hated this. I hated how she was so calm about all the abuse that's been going on. I hate that I abused her. I am a terrible person for doing that, and I don't know if she'll ever forgive me.

"Um, from Chloe and Lila," I decided to start with that.

She looked at her hands that were fidgeting in her lap, "That started back in elementary school. To be honest, it got much better until three years ago. When the two of them realized you. . .were doing what you were doing. They started doing it more. It was more likely they would get your attention if they did."

I felt a pang in my chest as she explained to me what was going on with those two bitches. I hated that I inspired such negative and bad things.

"H-how about with your parents," I pushed.

"Terrible," she simply stated.

"Do they. . .?" I trailed off the question.

"They punch, kick, cut, spit on, slap, everything," she said blandly.

As she described the entire thing, her eyes glazed over again. I knew that she was trying to escape from the terrible memories. I know she didn't know, but I could relate more than she could ever imagine.

"Hard?"

"I don't think they know what lightly means," she laughed dryly, trying to lighten the world with a joke.

It had no affect on me.

"I—" I began, but was interrupted by a knock at my door.

"Adrien," my father called out.

Shit, shit, shit, I thought. He's not going to be too happy about my canceling things.

"Yes, father," I began to stand up from the bed.

"Come out here this instance," he demanded.

I replied, "Coming, father."

I looked at Marinette, and she nodded for me to go. I walked out of the room and to the top of the stairs. My father stood in his usual attire, and I wasn't talking about clothes. He had his signature frown, his crossed arms, and impatiently tapping foot.

"Adrien," he took a menacing step toward me, "tell me why in the hell did you try and cancel everything?"

His voice was low, but deadly. I decided to match his tone.

"I had more important matters to tend to," I simply told him.

SLAP

"What the fuck could be more important than making money for your family," he snarled.

I held my now stinging cheek and looked at the marble floor to stop the tears.

"I'm sorry father, but I had a friend in need," my apology came out in a whisper.

BAM

"Bullshit," he unballed his fist. "What the fuck is wrong with you, Adrien?"

I held my sore stomach.

"I'm sorry, father," I apologized again. "I can skip next weeks break."

SLAP, BAM

"I don't need some bullshit apology, you piece of shit," he started. "You will skip next months breaks. You better work your ass off."

"Yes, father," I held back the tears from him.

You had to hold them back. If you cried in front of him, you'd never live it down. Ever. I just had to take it. The tears just fueled their desire to hurt you. Tears were seen as weak, and they would exploit that weakness or they would see you as even more weak. He finally walked away, and I relaxed my shoulders. I began to walk back to my room, ready to bawl my eyes out.

But when I entered my room, I saw Marinette in a blur. She moved so fast, I barely knew what was happening. That is, until she wrapped her arms around my shoulders. I was in too much shock to even wrap my arms around her. She eventually pulled away with tears in her eyes.

She let a tear slip from her bluebell eyes, "Now I want to know the full extend of the abuse from your father."