After Lila's lies are revealed, the class expects forgiveness from Marinette. They're forced to take a good hard look at themselves when it doesn't come
Alya practically crashed into her, enveloping her in a hug.
âIâm so sorry!â Alya cried, almost bawling. âI should haveâŠIâm so sorry!â
âWe all are.â Nino added from a few steps behind.
There were murmurs and choruses of the affirmative from the rest of the class that now formed something of a semi-circle around them.
âCan you ever forgive me?â Alya asked.
In a perfect world, Marinette would have said yes. She would have proclaimed it in an instant, hugged Alya back, and smiled brightly at the rest of the class.
This was not a perfect world.
There was a long pause. Something felt wrong.
It took Alya a moment to realize that Marinette wasnât hugging her backâher arms remaining limply at her sides.
Unsettled, she stepped back and looked at her friend. Marinette wasâŠhesitant. Uncertain. Anxious. She hadnât looked this way since they had first metâŠand then lately as Lila was succeeding in alienating her from the class.
But it was find now, right?
Marinette bit her lip, finally meeting Alyaâs eyes.
âIâŠI donât think I can.â
She looked away, uncertain. âWellâŠIâm glad you know now. The truth, I mean.â
That class watched her twiddle her thumbs nervously before looking back at them.
âBut that hasnât really changed anything.â
âNot changedâMarinette, that changed everything!â Alya exclaimed.
âWhy? Because now you know that how you treated me wasnât okay?â
Alya flinchedâactually flinched. Marinette had ever snapped at her like that.
âButâŠIâŠwe didnât know before!â
âYou should have. I warned you. Several times. I pointed out how her stories had more holes than Swiss cheese and it didnât matter.â
âBut that was justââ Alya suddenly froze, realizing what she was about to say.
Unfortunately, Marinette did as well. âJust me?â
The class as a whole winced, confirming the truth for her.
Marinette nodded, understanding.
âI donât blame you for believing her. I meanâI canât really blame you for that. But I would have thought at the very least that after the elections, the class photo, andâŠeverythingâŠI thought that I at least had your trust.â
âWhat, are you owed our belief now?â Alix questioned, angrily and defensive.
âNo, but if we were any sort of friends, I should have been given consideration. AndâŠnone of you considered me. Even before Lila started lying about me, you guys pushed me to the back corner and dismissed me out of hand. None of you tried to talk to me. None of you were willing to even listen to me.â She hesitated, taking a breath. âAnd Iâve noticed thatâŠmaybe thatâs happening a bit more than it should.â
âGirl, we hear you!â Alya insisted.
âYou blew me off when I tried to talk to you. You demanded I provide evidence that you never asked Lila for.â She met the girlâs eyes. âAlya, youâre the journalist, not me. Isnât it your job to gather the facts before reporting something? Why did that suddenly not matter when it came to me?â
âMarinette, no offense, but you have done some pretty intense things.â Mylene pointed out.
âBut did I ever lie or falsely accuse someone of something they didnât do? Did I intentionally do things with the purpose of hurting someone? Or did I go out of my wayâas I always doâto help and defend other people regardless of how they may have hurt me?â She looked around, meeting everyoneâs gaze. âAt what point did I show that I wasnât worthy of basic trust? I understand if you couldnât give me the benefit of the doubt, but didnât any of you even consider if I might have been right? Or is it that you didnât want to?â
One by one, each of the class members was forced to look down or away to break her gaze. Because no. They hadnât. They never even considered it.
âBecause after everything, I think Iâve long since proven I was worth it.â Marinette realized she was beginning to slouch inward and forced herself to straightenâto not show weakness. âI thought that after the class elections at leastâwhen I only ran for you all in the first place, you guys would have had more faith in me. But a new student came and suddenly nothing I said mattered. Nothing I FELT mattered.â
She took a breath. âIâŠI shouldnât have to keep going to such lengths to keep proving myself to you. Thatâs not friendship. And thatâs not something I should have to be okay with.â
With that, Marinette pulled away.
âSoâŠwhile I appreciate the sentiment, I donât think I can let it go. I donât think itâs something I should let go.â
Alya reached out to her. âMariâŠcâmon. CanâtâŠcanât we talk about this?â
âNot right now.â Came the reply, and it made her want to sob. âYouâŠhavenât really shown you can listen.â
Her face crumpled, and Marinette very nearly gave in.
ButâŠshe couldnât. Not this time.
âWhat hurts the most,â She stated, âisnât that you believed her over me. Itâs that any of her lies could have easily been found out if anyone had just lookedâŠand none of you even tried.â
âIâm sorry. But I canât. Not yet. So pleaseâŠjust leave me alone.â
The classmates winced. Marinette didnât have to speak the final words for the thought to collectively ring in their heads that leaving Marinette alone had been the only thing they were good at.
Adrien had watched the whole thing with a critical and disappointed eye. When Marinette walked away, he made to follow. He caught up to her pretty quickly, though it wasnât like she had been trying to avoid him.
âMarinette, donât you think you were being harsh?â
She stopped walking and turned to face him. âNo, Adrien. Iâm being honest. Itâs all Iâve ever been.â
âBut theyâve apologized.â Friendships often had fights and disagreements, but they always worked things out and got back together in the end. So Adrien felt disappointed that Marinette was being so stubborn about it.
âAnd that makes it better?â She asked, feeling drained and honestly wanting to just go home and sleep. âIt doesnât undo the months of being targeted and alienated. It doesnât change the fact that I tried to help them and they hurt me.â
âTheyâre trying to make up for it now.â He reasoned, calmly. They were at least trying. For all that Marinette talked about not being enough, wasnât this enough for her? Wasnât she the one holding such extreme standards?
But Marinette wasnât having it. âNo, theyâre trying to make themselves feel better. And Iâm not ready yet to help them with that. Not when I still feel so hurt about everything.â
âEnough.â For once, she felt angryâactually angry with Adrien. âIâve let you invalidate me enough times already, Adrien. But this time, Iâm not going to let this go and pretend Iâm okay when Iâm not.â
His eyes widened and he drew back in shock and hurt. âI havenâtâ"
âYou told me not to out Lila. You told me it wouldnât help her become a better personâlike SHE was the greater concern. YouâŠâ Her breath hitched. âYou said that we were in this together. That as long as you and I knew the truth, did it really matter?â She met his gaze with more strength than she ever had. âIt did matter. Suddenly it was just me. On my own. Against everyone, even though I wasnât the one in the wrong. And where were you, Adrien?â
âBecause you werenât with me. I had to face everything alone. And now I need to figure out how to move forward alone. Because real friends donât turn on their friends like that. And a real friend wouldnât have left me to face it all alone.â
He tried to reach out to her in comfort. âMarinetteâŠyou know weâre still friends, right?â
That actually gave her pause.
And for once, really made her consider.
It was with a heavy heart that she pulled away from him.
âI would appreciate it, Adrien, if you wouldnât lie to me anymore.â
She turned away before having to see the look on his face and headed home.
At least there she could mourn in peace.