Because He Loved Me First

16

Ah. . . Where am I? Marinette slowly opened her eyes and looked around the place. The place looked to be dull and abandoned, everywhere looking all empty. She tried to move, but that's when she noticed that she was all tied up. Her feet were tied together, her hands tied together, and a tape over her mouth. She tried to scream but found that she couldn't no matter how hard she tried.

"Marinette, stop pushing it!" Then came an all too familiar voice. Marinette looked over to her side, seeing Chloe walking towards her. Behind her were four more girls, including Sabrina and Lila. Chloe knelt down in front of Marinette with a wide grin. "I've been going way too easy on you. Now it's time for your punishment. Finally, it's time!"

Marinette tried to back away, but unfortunately, her back hit against a wall. Chloe came closer, pulling something out of her pocket. Marinette looked down and watched as the blonde pulled out a pocket knife. Letting out an unheard gasp, Marinette started shaking her head.

Please don't do this! Chloe, please don't! Chloe brought the knife closer to her neck, noticing the small tears falling out of Marinette's eyes. Please stop it! Stop doing this!

I SAID STOP!!

~

"Hmm, Marinette should be back by now," Sabine looked at the clock. As soon as she said those words, the door opened and Marinette walked inside. Marinette had her entire face covered, except for her eyes, of course. She started walking past her mother like she didn't even exist, but Sabine grabbed her back. "What's wrong? Why are you so late?"

"Mom, I'm fine," She muttered.

"No, you're not. You don't sound fine," Sabine reached for the cloth Marinette was using to cover her face, but Marinette suddenly slapped her hand back, shocking Sabine. "What is wrong with you?!"

"I said I was okay!" Marinette spoke again, before climbing the ladder to her room. "Please don't bother me." She closed her trapdoor and headed over to her mirror, a face full of determination and anger. She uncovered the cloth from her face and looked at herself. A huge line created by the knife Chloe had used was on her neck, starting to bleed again. Then she also noticed a small mark on her cheek. She hadn't wanted her mother to see it, but maybe she had turned out more harsh than she had wanted to.

Marinette opened her drawer and took out three bandaids, quickly covering the wounds with them. Now she looked uglier, but she couldn't care less anymore. She knelt down and looked under her bed, before taking out the calendar she had been hiding there. Then taking a pen from her drawer, she sat down on her bed.

1̶0̶ m̶o̶r̶e̶ d̶a̶y̶s̶ t̶o̶ g̶o̶

Today is the day.

Taking in a large breath, she started tearing the calendar, until she had it in six pieces, then she put them back under her bed. It's time to get ready!

Before she could get started though, she heard the ding coming from her phone. She walked towards it, and picked it up, seeing that it was from Alya. It had been quite a while since she'd heard from her friend, and Alya's test message sounded like she was worrying.

A - I heard that Chloe threatened to take down your bakery. You okay?

M - yeah, I'm fine

A - u sure?

M - yeah. We were able to stop her from doing it, so it's okay now.

A - we?

M - I don't wanna mention his name, but yeah, we.

A - him?

M - stop

A - okay, okay. I just wanted to check up on you. See how you were doing.

M - I'm great.

A - and how are things going in school?

M - u sound like my mom. . .

A - and I'll continue sounding like her until I'm convinced that you're doing great.

M - things are great in school. After everyone stood up for me about the bakery, Chloe backed off, so now she isn't bothering me anymore.

A - alright, that sounds pretty convincing. There's another thing I have to tell you.

M - wut?

A - I'm coming back to Paris!

M - oh

A - u don't sound sound too happy. . .

. . .

. . .

A - Marinette, u still there?

A - Marinette?

A - Mari?

Marinette had dropped her phone on the bed. It wasn't that she wasn't happy that Alya was coming back, but picturing Alya's look when she comes back to Paris and finds out that her friend is long gone. The thought was troubling. Maybe texting Alya before leaving was not a good idea.

Going to her closet, she stuffed her phone inside a pocket of one of her jackets. Then she started leaving her room, opening the trapdoor and climbing down the ladder. Sabine was still there, and when she saw Marinette coming down, she instantly rushed over to her daughter.

"Mom, I'm sorry for what I did. I shouldn't have done it," Marinette looked down while she talked. And then unexpectedly her mother hugged her. Marinette hugged her back, knowing this was going to be the last time she ever did this. It was a shame her father wasn't home, then it would have been better. . . Or maybe it would have been worse.

"Marinette, I'm sorry I've been so blind to not see what was happening. Chloe. . . She's bothering you, isn't she?" Sabine looked at her daughter and Marinette could notice the tears forming in her eyes. "She threatened to take down the bakery, I saw the post too!"

"But it's okay now," Marinette said almost in a whisper. "Chloe will not be hurting me anymore. Nobody will!" She took in a large breath not wanting to end up leaving with tears. "I'm sorry, I have to go now. There's somewhere important I have to be." She stepped away from her mother and started heading towards the door. The she added the all too familiar lie. "I'll see you when I get back." And she left, closing the door behind her.

She walked around Paris for 30 minutes, just looking around, seeing everything for the very last time. And then she started heading towards the place where she had been planning on going for a very long time now. And she whispered two more words.

Goodbye, Paris!