King, Queen, Liar

An Oncoming Storm

The first thing they heard as they walked up the steps to school was Chloé's incessant wailing. Marinette sighed, stealing her nerves and trying to hide her puffy eyes. Alya had already commented on her disheveled look and given her a hug, the two girls now walking arm in arm all the way to school. The girls around all looked put out as they glared at their phones, willing Adrien's status to magically change once again. Even some of the guys looked confusedly at the update, this was something they hadn't seen coming.

Marinette paused, feeling sick to her stomach with nerves. She prayed that it wasn't true. She would give anything for Adrien to tell them it was all a lie. Alya waited patiently, an understanding smile on her face. Glancing up at her friend, Marinette nodded and they continued into school.

Immediately she was met with the sight of Chloé crying into Adrien's chest. Normally, this would cause a twinge of jealousy in Marinette's heart but just for today she could sympathise with her, everything in her own body wanted to do the same. As they neared, Marinette heard the words that made her freeze.

"You can't be telling me you'd choose that bitch over.. over me!" Cloé's voice rang so high it was pretty much a piercing screech.

Adrien's eyes were encompassed by bruise-like circles indicating he was tired. More than tired. Exhausted. A candle that had been lit in him longer than Marinette had known the boy, burning like a valiant fire through every struggle and attack, looked like it had been extinguished. He had been doused and was struggling to light back up again.

"He doesn't look right does he?" Voicing her exact thoughts, Nino had come up behind the girls and stood with his arms wrapped around Alya's waist and chin on her shoulder.

"No..." As she started to agree, a commotion had started at the front of the school. Lila strode into school, taking off her shades and smiling like the cat who'd finally gotten the cream. Her green eyes narrowed as she found her prey, and her eyebrows arched into the perfect scowl as she saw Chloé clinging to him.

As though sensing the oncoming storm, a crowd stationed itself around the three; Marinette, Alya and Nino all crushed up front. The silence around them was deafening and the air static with tension between the three. Adrien stepped back from Chloé but made no move to go closer to Lila. At this small, almost insignificant movement everything seemed to erupt. Chloé strode over to Lila and screamed.

"How dare you!" Her voice was shrill and all of a sudden her hand was flying towards the brunette's face. She squeaked in pain as sharp nails caught her wrist, drawing blood as Lila held Chloé in a vice-like grip.

Immediately Adrien was moving, pulling Lila away into his chest, "Don't. It's not worth it." He mumbled.
"She should learn her place." Lila crooned, leaning into his physique and looking up at him with a cruel smile. Her hand slid up to hook into his blond hair, "After all, you're a taken man. The whore should keep her hands off." She laughed, Adrien not joining in. Marinette saw his jaw twitch as he gritted his teeth at the comment.

He didn't actually seem happy with any of this, it was confusing, why would he be in a relationship with someone he didn't like?

Chloé started to shriek, "Are you just going to let her talk to me like that?" Some of the students actually put their hands over their ears at the din, "That bitch-"

Without delay, Adrien snarled at Chloé, "Don't call her that!" His teeth were bared, making him look savage and wild in that instant. "If you can't be happy for me then just don't talk to us." With that, he took Lila's hand in his and pulled her towards class just as the bell rang.

Chloé looked shocked, her words leaving her as she watched the boy she'd grown up with walk away from her with another girl.
"Adrikins?" Her voice was small and quiet, so unlike the usual Chloé everyone was used to, a hand rubbing at her wrist.

People muttered as the crowd cleared away, each heading to their classes. Sabrina was flapping around Chloé, trying her best as always until the blonde slunk up the stairs to the classroom without another word. Alya and Nino were whispering to each other, shooting worried looks towards the classroom until Alya broke away and took hold of Marinette's arm.

"So it looks like they really are dating," Her voice was soft and hesitant, "Are you okay?" Worried eyes searched her best friend's face in an attempt to read the emotions flooding through her.

Marinette could feel her heart throbbing as though someone had taken hold of it and squeezed too tight. She simply nodded and took off towards the stairs, desperate to just sit down in some sense of normality before her own emotions would get the best of her.