I'm Here { Lukanette FF }

17 - Framed

The light of the morning was bright and warming. I skipped happily to school, for some reason, I felt like today would be a great day.

I spotted Juleka and Luka walking together up the front stairs, I gave a small wave to them as I skipped up.

Suddenly, something caught my foot, and I tumbled back down the stairs with a painful thud. "Marinette!" I heard Nathaniel and Juleka shout simultaniously.

I landed on my arms, thankfully I was quick enough to brace myself before I collided with the ground.

I was suddenly aware of eyes. So many. All of them were on me.

Some, from friends, were shocked and worried, others, cold and hateful.

The way they pointed their sights on me made my skin prickle. "Here," Nathaniel pulled me up as Juleka and Luka ran up to me.

"You're quite clumsy, you know that?" Nathan said teasingly. I laughed, "I do- but..." I glanced at the students staring at me from the stairs.

"I think... someone made me trip." I murmured. Nathaniel frowned, "W-what...?" his head whipped around to look for anyone who might have been the culprit.

"Are you okay, Marinette?" Luka asked. Then Juleka said, "Are you hurt?"

I shook my head, "Just a few scratches." I said as I looked at my elbows. There was a bit of blood, but nothing I can't clean myself.

"I'll just wash my cuts in the bathroom." I said.

By now, the staring students started to move to their classes again, but I could still feel someone's glaring eyes on the back of my head.

I turned around, but I didn't see any glaring eyes.

I tried to shrug the feeling away as I walked up the stairs again. Before going to class, I rushed to the girls' bathroom to wash my wounded skin.

When I entered, there were a few girls gossiping in the corner. When they saw me, they stared at me with expressions I didn't want to read. I just walked over to the sink, washed my cuts with soap, dried them off.

I was just about to leave the bathroom when I felt someone behind me, their eyes on my back.

I whipped around and saw a girl with short, silky black hair and brown almond eyes standing behind me.

"Uh, can I help you...?" I asked.

She shook her head.

Hm... not much of a talker.

I tried to read her expression but her face didn't give away anything. She's pretty good at hiding her emotions...

I left the bathroom quietly without saying or hearing another word, but I could feel that girl's stare on me.

Why is everybody staring at me today?

As I walked up the stairs to class, I heard yelling coming from my classroom.

When I came in, I spotted Nathan and a girl with light honey blond hair having a very heated argument.

"How could you accuse her of that?!" Nathaniel barked. His face almost as red as his hair.

The girl's blue eyes glared at me as I walked in. "There! Why don't we ask her what really went down?!" she hissed, pointing an accusing finger at me.

I took a step back and cowered under everyone's sharp glares. Why are they all looking at me like that...?

"Settle down, Chloe! I'm sure this is all just a big misunderstanding." Ms. Bustier said.

"Sit down, both of you! We'll settle this like civilized students." she told the two. Nathan shot the blonde a very menacing glare before slumping into his seat and crossing his arms angrily.