When the Cat Met the Wolf

27. Of Soups & Chefs

"I shouldn't feel like this" said Arianne, inside one of the toilet cubicles, while looking at Ayu floating besides her "I shouldn't feel...sad about them. I should feel happy for Marinette, right?" she questioned sadly, while her kwami looked at her sympathetically "Then why do I feel like crying?"

"Because you're in love with Adrien, Arianne" replied Ayu, stating the obvious "And, as much as it pains you to say it, you'd feel devastated if he was with another girl"

"I'm such a terrible friend" said Arianne, burying her head in her knees. Ayu was right, she didn't like it, but she had to say it.

She would be heartbroken if Adrien was with another girl.

"Aria?" the violinist heard the door of the bathroom opening, and Marinette's voice "Are you in here?"

Arianne wiped some tears away, before coming out, as Ayu hid inside her bag.

"Yeah, I'm here!" she replied, putting on a happy tone "What's up?"

"My uncle is about to present his soup" 

"Really? So soon?" she questioned, and her friend nodded "Okay, let's go! I'm sure he'll win!"

"Hey, are you sure you are okay?" questioned Marinette, thinking about the fact that Arianne had spent almost twenty minutes in the bathroom.

"Yeah!" she replied happily "I'm just tired, I didn't sleep well last night"

"Okay" nodded Marinette, but she didn't really believe her. Arianne smiled once more before walking with her to the main hall, where Adrien was waiting.

"Aria, there you are!" said Adrien with a smile "We were worried about you! Are you okay?"

Arianne swore that if someone else asked her if she was alright, she was gonna start throwing punches.

"Yeah, fine" she replied, smiling yet again as they watched the judges having the celestial soup.

The news reporter, who was also a judge, spit the soup with disgust.

"What is this?!" he questioned, making Arianne, Adrien and Marinette open their eyes wide. The mayor was disgusted, too, and gave the soup three stars out of ten, claiming that 'it wouldn't suit well' with their guests, in an attempt to sound polite. Chloe, of course, gave it a zero; she didn't even try it. Jagged Stone gave it a zero, and the head chef gave it a one. Arianne looked at her mother hopeful, thinking that maybe she would give it a higher score.

But when Layla looked at her daughter sadly, Arianne knew that she hadn't liked it either.

"I'm sorry" she replied, looking at Wang Cheng, and she sounded genuine "I was expecting a bit more. I give it a four out of ten"

Wang Cheng approached the table where the judges were sitting, while the trio exchanged sad and worried glances. When Cheng-Sifu tried the soup, he spit it, too.

"I don't understand!" he admitted, much to Arianne's sadness "I never put these ingredients in! It's a mistake, someone sabotaged soup!" the judges exchanged worried glances, Chloe smirked, and Arianne noticed.

"Guys" she called, looking at her friends, who looked back at her curiously "I think Chloe has something to do with this" Adrien and Marinette looked at her surprised upon hearing that.

"How do you know?" questioned Adrien.

"Did you see her smirk? I think she may have sabotaged Cheng-Sifu's soup!" just as she said that, the judges stood up and left the room, and a violet flower petal fell out of Chloe's clothes. Adrien and Marinette opened their eyes wide with surprise "See?"