Dancing Hearts (DISCONTINUED AND ADOPTED)

Chapter 2

BAM!

Marinette was slammed on the row of lockers by the angry Lila Rossi. "Have it your way!" She growled and trotted away. Marinette sighed as she leaned on the slightly dented walls and slid down to the floor. Her back was aching and she has practice today. Her mother will surely notice.

She picked herself up and got her bag from the floor from where Lila had thrown it. She sighed again and left the locker room, dying to go home.

This was Marinette. Marinette Dupain-cheng. Secretly known as Lady in Red, the most famous Prima Ballerina in the world. In the day, she would get bullied by Lila Rossi and the rest of her class, her friends. The ones she thought would stand by her through thick and thin. But what hurts the most is that her crush, Adrien Agreste, a well-known ballet dancer in France, turned her back on her and believed Lila. It hurts.

The bell of the bakery tinged as Marinette came in, and the scent of bread in the oven welcomed her. "Marinette! How was school?" Her mother, Sabine, asked, giving her only daughter a smile. Marinette gave a tired smile back and replied, "everything's fine." She kissed her mother on the cheek and went upstairs to her bedroom to get her homework done.

The next day, Marinette arrived early. Her classmates would say she's always late, but they never noticed how she's always early the start of their 3rd year. She walked quietly towards the back row where her seat was. Since Lila came, Ms. Bustier re-arranged the seats because Lila had a hearing disease, which she obviously lied about. 

She sighed, relieved that no one noticed her. She brought out her sketchpad and began to draw. No one would believe her when she would say that she would love to draw. Indeed, she would draw designs once in a while, but her favorite thing to draw were ballet dancers dancing with a partner. 

She smiled as she looked at what she would draw in the past. She would always draw what she wanted. And many are the things she can't have. She wanted a partner, who could trust her with or without the mask. She wanted a friend who was true and would stay close to her through thick and thin, even if they're from the other side of the world. She wanted love. Love that could reassure her, warm her, hold her tight during the toughest times. Yes, her parents give her love, but that isn't the love she wanted. 

"Hey, Nathaniel!" Alix greeted as she walked in, "have you heard? There's a new student coming in today." "Oh?" Nathaniel stopped what he was doing and looked up from his work, "is it a boy or a girl?" 

"Don't know. But I heard they're rich," Alix said, sitting in front of Nathaniel. "Well... have you heard of the new ballet dancer?" Nathaniel asked. This perked up Marinette's interest. Ballet dancer? Who?

"No. Enlighten me," Alix said, tilting her head. "Well, word started to spread that a new dancer has entered the stage. He was already dominating all the amateur dancers," Nathaniel gossiped. A new dancer? Does he want to challenge Lady in Red?

"What's the name?" Alix asked. "Shadow," Nathaniel replied. 

"Shadow? That sounds like a supervillain name to me," Alix chuckled. "Well... He is sort of a rising threat to the Lady in Red, so, maybe he is," Nathaniel said as he shrugged. 

More students came and Marinette didn't bother to see who it was. It was another regular day anyway. 

The bell rung and the class Ms. Bustier entered the room accompanied with another student. He was tall, blonde, and had green eyes. He wore a formal attire and he looked rich. "Good morning class. Today, we have a new student joining us," Ms. Bustier announced. She turned to him with a smile and asked, "would you like to introduce yourself?". A firm "no" was his answer, shocking everyone, except Adrien who just smiled at him. 

He walked forward to the back of the class and sat beside Marinette- which by the way, was the only empty seat left- shocking everyone in the process. Who would want to sit with Marinette Dupain-cheng? Well, he was new, so they concluded that no one warned him about her. 

The class went on, as some students glanced back at the new student who was silently reading what the teacher was saying. They eyed Marinette, warning her to not harm the new student. She ignored them. She only continued taking down notes as the class glared daggers at her. 

When break had arrived, Lila approached the new student. "Hey! I'm Lila! Class president, and you are?" she greeted, extending a hand for him to shake. The new student looked at it and shook it once. "Felix," he replied. 

"Do you play the piano?" Lila asked. Felix smiled, assuming she was an intellectual that wanted to speak of instruments. "Yes," he replied. "You know, I know Mr. Graham. He has been teaching me how to play the piano ever since I was a child," Lila said. "What did you say?" Felix said, eyeing the girl. Lila took this as a good sign- of course, completely ignoring the glare the boy was giving her. She then proceeded to put her hand on his broad shoulder. "I could ask him if he could teach you a few-" before she could finish, Felix slapped her hand off of him. 

She retreated it back, shocked to see him react like this. She looked at him and stepped back seeing the cold glare he was giving her. "W-what's wrong-"

"Don't lie to me about my father in front of my face," Felix said, giving Lila the coldest tone he could ever make. He continued, "I am the only child of Julien Graham de Vanily, and my father wouldn't just pick up a random kid from the street and teach them how to play."

Lila's eyes widened. She stepped on the wrong foot. Now, she's going to have to think of something quick. "I am so sorry, Felix," she said, getting closer, for him to only do the opposite, "I have this rare illness that sometimes make me spout utter none sense sometimes," she tried to explain, then put on a little smile.

"Why don't I make it up by treating you to a-" 

"No."

Felix gave her another glare before going to the cafeteria. 

Felix saw his cousin in a table with other people. He casually walked towards his cousin and sat beside him. "Oh guys. This is Felix. He's my cousin," Adrien introduced. 

One by one, his friends introduced themselves to him. Some even came to their table just to get to know the new student. It has been pleasant for a while, until Lila came. 

"Oh, and this is Lila," Alya said Lila took a and smiled innocently at Felix. Felix glared at her. He stood up and left the room table, leaving the confused students. 

"What's up with him?" Alix asked, turning to Adrien.

"Oh," Lila said, "I introduced myself earlier this morning and he already said that I wasn't to his liking," she sobbed as she cried crocodile tears. The people around her started to console her. 

"Don't worry, Lila," Alya said, "I'm sure he'll warm up to you."

Lila wanted to lie more to make Felix the bad guy, like Marinette. She had a bad feeling about him. But, she could always keep lying to wrap that pr**k around her finger. Besides, he's Adrien's cousin. Maybe stupidity was in their genes. 

Felix walked around the school halls, touring himself. He was planning to ask the class representative to tour him and assist him for a week or so, but after meeting her, he shut down that idea instantly. 

He turned another corner and bumped to a person. Papers scatter on the ground. "I'm sorry!" a squeaky female voice said as the person started to pick up the papers up. Felix didn't bother to care. He was about to walk again, but something caught his eye. 

He picked up a sketch. It was a figure of ballet dancers dancing together hand in hand. "You have good art skills," Felix said as he looked at the girl. It was his seatmate the class before. She stood up and looked at him. Then she gave him a smiled. "Um, thank you," she said as Felix gave her back the sketch. 

"My name is Felix, and you are?" Felix asked. "Marinette," she simply said. Felix nodded in acknowledgement, then an idea popped into his mind. "Could you give me a tour around this place?" Felix requested. 

Marinette smiled. "Sure!" she said as she led Felix around the school.