Moving on with the Bully (Book 2 of the Bullied Series)

Chapter 4

Adrien's POV

After getting Marinette checked up at the hospital and being told she was fine, we went back to the house. I followed Marinette to her room. She plopped down onto her bed and I did the same. She rested her back and head against the headboard of the bed and pulled her knees into her chest. We sat in silence for a while.

Marinette broke the silence by telling me, "The court appearance is the same day as my birthday." She sniffled and it was only then did I notice she was silently crying. "I thought for once I'd have a normal birthday where I wasn't beaten for simply being born. I thought that we'd maybe get a cake and somebody would finally sing me happy birthday. But no. They ruined it. They always ruin everything."

She dropped her head onto her knees and sobbed. I scooted toward her on the bed, and simply held her. She continued to cry for a few more minutes before her sobs turned into sniffling. I lifted her chin so she made eye contact with me.

"Marinette, I promise you that we will celebrate your birthday and you will get a normal birthday party," I swore. "They won't and can't ruin it."

Her lip quivered before she broke out into sobs again. I hugged her tightly as I thought about how I would keep my promise to her on a day that would be very hard for her.

LE TIME SKIP

Natalie decided that it was time for the two of us to return to school. On Monday morning, Marinette and I got in the town car and pulled up to school. As soon as we stepped out, eyes went toward us; more like their eyes went toward Mari coming out of my car. She looked down at the ground with pink along her cheeks. Her embarrassment was cute, but I didn't want her to feel uncomfortable. I put my arm around her shoulder and pulled her in toward me.

"They're staring because they're jealous of you being alongside me," I joked. "These girls and some boys would kill to be you right now."

She snorted in laughter, which was maybe the most adorable thing ever.

We continued into the school until we reached her locker. She opened it and began to gather her things. My locker was on the opposite side of her lockers.

"I'm going to go grab some things from my locker, but I'll be back in a second," I informed her. She gave me a nod in response. I walked to the set of lockers behind hers and grabbed my algebra textbook. As I was about to close my locker, I heard the clacking of high heels; the footsteps were going toward Marinette and her locker. I could hear what was happening, but I kept my distance.

"Ew, look," one bitchy voice said. "It's Marinette."

The other voice responded, "So that's what that smell is."

The two snickered while I clenched my jaw.

"Now, Marinette, we want to know something," the first voice told her. "How did you get Adrien to drive you to school?"

"Is it some kind of charity work?" The second girl asked rudely.

"Or, did you suck him off so well, he let you go back to his house and fuck him?" The first voice inquired.

"It's always the nerdy girls who are the real freaks," the second voice laughed. "But that couldn't be it. Who would ever want to have sex with an ugly, fat girl like you?"

"You're right, Lila," Chloe said. "Besides, Adrien is into us, not you."

"Exactly, Chloe. Adrien would never stoop that low. Hell, nobody would stoop that low," Lila chuckled evilly.

"He actually—" Marinette's barely audible voice started to say, but was cut off by a smacking sound.

"Did anybody say you could speak?! No wonder your parents abused you! You're very disobedient," Chloe yelled.