A big Thank You to @khanofallorcs for being a wonderful Beta, and to @noirequin for creating the Spin the Record Challenge
Can also be read on AO3
🎵“And the scary truth is I’m flying blind, and I’m making this up as I go!”🎵
“Marinette, are you okay?”
Marinette turned slightly from her position, leaning on the railing of her balcony, looking out at the world to see the little red and black spotted being who had asked her the question.
“Yeah, Tikki,” she said in a quiet, almost sad voice. “I just… woke up an hour ago and couldn’t fall back asleep. So I decided to come up here to do some thinking.”
Tikki flew over to her chosen, a concerned look crossing her tiny little face as she faced her. “What seems to be troubling you?”
The dark-haired girl blew out a raspberry, ruffling her fringe. “The question should be what isn’t troubling me?”
“What do you mean?”
“Well…” she trailed off, the beginnings of being overwhelmed evident on her face
“Can we try to have an optimistic outlook?” The Kwami of Creation interrupted her holder, knocking her out of the downward spiral for the moment. “Can we buck up just enough to see the world won't fall apart? Maybe this day we decide we’re not giving up before we’ve tried? Today, let's make a new start.” Tikki said as she gave Marinette’s cheek a nuzzle.
A sudden noise interrupted them, making the two glance in the direction from whence it came. Noticing it was her phone with a notification, the designer picked it up to see that Alya had texted her.
“I wonder what Alya wants this early,” Marinette said with a sidelong glance to her Kwami. Tikki gave her a shrug, just as confused as the girl sitting beside her.
Ladyblogger: hey gurl wat up?
R u excited about 2day’s project?
MDCDesigns: Yas!
I can’t wait 2 c who I’m partnered with!
Ladyblogger: Whoa!
Ur awake!
Wait, y r u awake?
MDCDesigns: Couldn’t sleep.
Ladyblogger: That sux
So…
Who do u think ur partner is gonna b?
MDCDesigns: idk
But I hope its not Chloe
Or Lila
Ladyblogger: y not Lila?
MDCDesigns: sorry Als,
No offense
but...
I don’t trust her on a project this big
Ladyblogger: gurl.
I don’t know what ur issue is wit Lila
but u need to stop being jelly of her
“How did this get turned into me being jealous of her?” Marinette asked out loud, turning to face the little red embodiment of Creation with wide eyes.
Turning back to her text conversation, the dark-haired girl furrowed her brows as she tried to get her point across to her supposed “best friend”.
“Another stellar conversation for the scrapbook,” the dark haired girl quoted with a sigh as she began typing again.
MDCDesigns: I am NOT jealous of her, Als!
I just don’t trust her.
Ladyblogger: so you say gurl
I’ll see u in class
“Another stumble as I’m reaching for the right thing to say,” she muttered quietly with a shake of her head, dismayed at the direction the conversation had taken. “I’m kinda coming up empty, can't find my way to you...”
MDCDesigns: yeah...see u
With a sigh, Marinette exited the text messaging program, checked the time, and slipped her phone into her handbag. It was still pretty early for her to head to school, but she figured that there was a first time for everything.
“It's a ‘Dear Evan Hansen’ kind of day, isn’t it, Marinette,” Tikki commented as she phased into the bag, giving her holder a sympathetic look as she did.
“Oh, Tikki,” the designer said with a humorless chuckle, pinching the bridge of her nose as she headed towards her trap door. “It most certainly is!”
Her parents were surprised to see their perpetually late daughter up and about so early.
”Marinette,” her mom called out before the girl could make her escape. ”We’re going to need you to help out after school today. A big order came in that your father and I need your help to take care of for tonight.”
The dark-haired girl stifled a grimace. She normally didn't mind helping out in the bakery, but today wasn't exactly a normal day.
”I would, Maman, but I'm being assigned a big group project at school today, and I'm not sure when the due date is yet,” Marinette said tactfully.
”I know that your schoolwork comes first, dear,” Sabine countered gracefully as her husband lumbered over to join the pair. ”However, we really could use your help. It would only be for about an hour, give or take.”
It was the give or take that worried her.
Resigned to her fate, Marinette bowed her head dejectedly and mumbled, ”Yes, Maman.”
”Thank you. You're a good girl, Marinette, ” said her father, patting her on the back before heading back to the ovens.
Grabbing a croissant and a to-go cup of coffee, Marinette left her parents with a kiss to their cheeks and a wave before starting her daily walk to school.
As she started up the stairs at the school’s entrance, she was met with the one person who would sour her day.
Lila.
“Well, if it isn’t Mari-brat,” the Italian vixen sneered.
“What do you want, Lie-la?” Marinette asked as she continued up the front steps, keeping her eyes to the front.
“What I want is for you to go down in flames,” the brunette said in a sing-song voice as she walked beside the secret heroine. “Are you ready to give up yet?”
At the top of the stairs, the designer spun to face her nemesis, blue eyes flashing like lightning. “Let me tell you something,” she growled. “I do not make deals with liars, and I never give up easily.”
“Oh,” the fake fox said coyly, “but you will. I’ve already won, you know. You just haven’t realized it yet.”
With a flick of her brown locks, Lila sauntered away, ready to claim her next victim.
Marinette glared after her, wishing with all of her might that the bitch would finally get caught up in her web of lies. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes.
“Another masterful attempt ends with disaster,” she muttered, bringing a hand to her face to give it a slight rub. “Pour another cup of coffee and watch it all crash and burn,” she continued as she headed to the locker room, ready to just get the day over with.
Opening the door and finding the room empty, the designer kept singing under her breath as she reached her locker and gathered her belongings for the day. “It’s a puzzle, it's a maze. I tried to steer through it a million ways, but each day’s another wrong turn,” she took another deep breath as she closed the locker door. The secret heroine felt her Kwami pat her through her purse on her hip in reassurance.
“Does anybody have a map, anybody maybe happen to know how the hell to do this? I don’t know if you can tell, but this is me just pretending to know,” Marinette sang slightly louder, looking around as she left the locker room and crossed the courtyard, confident now that no one was paying attention to her. “So where’s the map? I need a clue, ‘cause the scary truth is I’m flying blind… I’m flying blind... I’m flying blind, and I’m making this up as I go...”
Reaching her classroom, Marinette discovered it to be empty. 'Just as well,' she thought, setting her bags down and pulling out her tablet, sketchbook, phone, and earbuds. ‘It's bound to be a long day.'
Feeling inspired, she sat down and opened up her sketchbook to an empty page. She then pulled up the ‘Dear Evan Hansen’ soundtrack on her phone, plugged in her earbuds, and set to work.
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