Punisher

Chapter 13

Adrien Agreste

Adrien was well enough to go to school. His dad was hesitant. But Adrien didn't feel like being stuck in the house at day and free in the night. He looked in the mirror. He still had the uncomfortable patch on his stitches. Which he had to change once in a while.

Adrien wore a flannel, unbuttoned shirt over a black T-Shirt and ripped jeans. Finishing with some black flat sneakers. He had some extra accessories he kept close all the time. His specials lucky charm and her ribbon, around his wrist.

Apart from Chloe's flirts that went in one of his ears and out the other. Chloe had told him how bad It was going to be when he came back. So, he was prepared. Lila had been suspended for the akumatization of a student and bullying. Only a broken arm remained. Miraculous ladybug healed people as much as it could, huh.

He breathed in and out. It was going to be okay. It wasn't like this wasn't going to happen regardless. He had to face them eventually. He looked at his bedroom door.

"Okay...let's do this..."

---

Adrien felt as if the power of all akuma magic smacked him in the face. Because of the aura of the classroom was no longer sunny and joyful. But dead and dreadful. His hands clutched his bag tighter. When he entered he felt eyes on him. He swore he was going to melt. Chloe tapped her desk to get his attention. His grass green eyes darting up, and he sped walked his way and sat down. He observed the classroom around him.

It was mostly the same. Except Alya and Nino sat together, Sabrina sat with Nathaniel, and it seemed his seat was to never be sat in, same with Marinette's. Except there was one big difference.

While his seat remained untouched. Marinette's seemed to be showered with gifts. Flowers, bouquets, letters. They must have missed her. And he felt guilty that he was in the only one in the room seeing her. Knowing what was happening, how she felt, how she felt about them. They also must have heard that she's never coming back. As she's getting homeschooled.

The guilt must be agonizing. He felt bad for them. He frowned, looking at the desk. Remaining silent.

"It's been pretty gloomy in here. Everything crumbled to pieces. It honestly feels like the aftermath of losing a loved one." Chloe spoke. "I honestly kind of feel bad for them. But Marinette made the right choice."

Adrien perked at that. "Change of heart?" Adrien smiled. Chloe looked at him, her blue eyes straying off to her desk. And a frown forming on her lips. She remained silent, which was unusual. Normally she would be quick to recover with some mean retort about her classmates. But she looked sad. Adrien put his hand on her shoulder. "What happened?"

Chloe hugged her arms with a sigh. "I and Sabrina are no longer friends."

Adrien looked down. "Oh..." There was an awkward silence between them. Before Chloe broke it. "I guess you want to know what happened?"

She began to explain, whether he wanted to hear or not. She gave him a summary of what happened.

Alya was desperate to get in contact with Marinette again, to the point she tried to call her through the rest of the class's phones. Not like they didn't want to talk to Marinette too. Chloe made sure to give Sabrina space.

Lila never showed up after the incident. But she was expelled for bullying and causing an akuma. Including lying to Mr. Damocles. Anyway, if she did show up, Alya would've chewed her out or murdered her. So, getting expelled was probably best.

Everyone got the message Marinette wasn't answering anytime soon. And that's when things got silent and dead. Sabrina was drifting away from her, Alya and Nino broke up, and nothing was the same anymore. Sabrina eventually cut ties with her. Leaving her alone. Alya and Nino did end up reconnecting, and few people are still friends. But the atmosphere is unbearable. The class is trying to reconnect with each other, slowly, but trying.