Miraculous: The Next Generation (Book 1)

Chapter 2

A few days after Firenze, Louis sat down next to Alison at school. Alison grinned at him, and Louis grinned right back. No way I have a crush on her, Louis thought. She's just a friend.

Mrs. Clementine was saying, "Class, today we are going to..." Okay, let's be honest here; Louis wasn't paying attention to his teacher one bit. He zoned out.

But then, Lawrence Blackwell, a classmate of Louis's dropped his school bag, and a bunch of papers went flying everywhere. Louis bent down to help, and so did Alison. Lawrence was really red. Louis noticed his drawings were made up characters with fake names as well.

Elenore, the meanest girl in class, bent over and picked up one of the pictures. Then, she started laughing. "Imaginary friends? Lawrence, aren't you a tad too old for this?"

"G-Give it back, Elenore," Lawrence said.

"Aw, the little kid wants---"

"Shut up!" Alison seethed. "Leave him alone."

"Children," Mrs. Clementine said. "Settle down."

"Give him the piece of paper," Louis said.

Elenore batted her eyelashes. "Oh, Louie, if you say so." She proceeded to tear the piece of paper. "I'll give it to him in ittle bitty pieces." Elenore laughed again.

"No," Lawrence went down to his knees.

"Elenore, that was uncalled for," Louis gritted his teeth.

"You witch," Alison blurted out.

Lawrence's eyes filled with tears, and he ran out of the classroom, Mrs. Clementine calling after him. She turned to the class, "Read page 201 and onward until I return." She left the classroom.

Alison was glaring at Elenore, arms crossed over her chest. "Hope you're happy," she said before turning away, her eyes hard as steel.

"Of course," Elenore giggled. "Say, Louis, wanna hang out after school?"

Alison gritted her teeth, but she stared straight ahead, unmoving.

"Of course I don't," Louis spat, before ignoring her all together.

Just then, the door blasted open to reveal a strange looking guy... was that Lawrence? "Elenore, I have come for you," he said, as he drew. Just then, he drew something and blue man came to life. "Meet H2o."

"Eek," Elenore screamed.

"What's going on?" Alison whispered.

Louis shrugged. "Lawrence must've been akumitized."

Lawrence seemed to have heard him, and turned, seething. "My name is not Lawrence! It is Imaginary Larry and you--" he faced Elenore, "-are the only one I'm after. The rest of you may go, but if you get in my way..."

Elenore paled. Louis wasn't sure what to do, but his mind was made up, when Alison picked up her pencil and threw it at him. Louis was surprised that Alison was defending Elenore, but she's awesome like that.

"You dare?" Imaginary Larry said. "H2o, take that girl out along with Elenore, the brat."

Meanwhile, the rest of the class has gone. Louis, Alison, and Elenore were the only three left.

"We have to go," Louis grabbed Alison's wrist.

"But---"

"Ladybug and Chat Noir'll handle this."

Alison gave a swift nod. "But what about Elenore?" She shuddered after she voiced the question.

"Don't leave me!" Elenore said. "You better not!"