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This is Marinette’s least favorite day of the year. She wakes up with a feeling of sadness surrounding her and she knows. She gets up and gets ready for school deciding today to wear her comfy black hoodie and her dark washed skinny jeans. Tikki helps her to tie her hair up in a messy bun and she rests on her cheek trying to make her chosen smile. Marinette gives her kwami a small smile knowing trying to assure her she will be ok. She heads downstairs and are greeted by her parents. Who hug her just a little longer than on a normal day.
As she walks to school she prepares for the looks. Knowing Nino he has picked up some chocolate for her like always as Rose will give her a hug. She is met with both of those and a hug from Kim, Mylene, and even Max. Chole walks right past her without an insult which is always the case today. Marinette smiles at all of them assuring them that she is good.
Alya arrives with her usual greeting, “Hey girl did you check my Ladyblog last night?”
She doesn’t know-Marinette thinks to herself, “Sorry no I didn’t.” Marinette says as cheerfully as possible.
Alya doesn’t notice, “Well apparently Ladybug was spotted last night Arc de Triomphe until midnight last night.”
“Huh cool.”
“Yeah isn’t that crazy I wonder what she was doing.”
Marinette shrugs, “Probably just thinking.”
I shouldn’t be older.
“Yeah but what about? Probably some cool super hero stuff.”
The bell rings that signals that it is time to head to class and Marinette rushes off Alya following behind her.
All the students have arrived at their desks including a running late Adrien who quickly sits.
Ms. Bustier clears her throat, “Okay class I thought today would be a good day to do some meditation at your desks. Everybody close your eyes and go to your happy place.”
All the students comply and go to there happy place. Well all except Marinette, her thoughts go somewhere else.
Five years ago-
“Like how does it actually happen.” A young Chloe says to Sabrina in front of Marinette’s desk, “Just sleeping then all the sudden,” She puts her hands around her throat making a choking sound.
Marinette stares frozen at her. Those jokes are mean, she shouldn’t make jokes like that.
The substitute teacher walks in, “Class before I begin the counselor is here to make an announcement.”
“Thank you,” The counselor clears their throat, “As some of you may have heard last night something tragic took place.”
No- Marinette thinks, it wasn’t bad everything is fine.
The counselor continues, “Eliza from the other primary school passed away in her sleep.”
It’s at that moment it hit Marinette. Her parents told her she could stay home but she swore that she was ok, she didn’t even cry, but now she realises it was just shock.
The counselor continues on but she has no idea what she is saying. The class directs their attention to a crying Rose who says something about crying because of her grandpa, then everyone looks at Marinette, asking her, through her tears she is able to speak,
“She was my friend.”
“Marinette!”
Marinette is pulled out of her memory by concerned faces. She realises that she was crying and runs out the door mumbling something about the bathroom.
She runs into a stall and cries a little louder. She hates this day so much. This is such a stupid day and she hates that it happens every year. She feels Tikki’s warmth pressed against her cheek knowing that she is giving all the luck she can give to prevent an purple butterfly from showing up. She will forever be grateful.
Marinette arrives back in the classroom and sits back down. She goes through the rest of the day with Alya asking questions that she promises to answer on another day.
————-
It is night time now and Marinette is sitting on her balcony wrapped up in a warm blanket, she hears the thump of boots behind her.
A concerned voice comes from the darkness, “Princess?”
Marinette turns to face him, “Hey Chat what are you doing here?”
“I was in the neighborhood and… are you ok?”
Marinette shrugs.
Chat kneels in front of Marinette, “Princess please tell me what’s wrong.”
Marinette can’t look at him, “I don’t like today.”
Chat is confused, “What is wrong with today? Did something happen?”
Marinette gives a sad laugh, “Kind of. It’s an anniversary of something I do not wish to remember.”
“Anniversary?”
Marinette finally looks at him, “Have you heard of Eliza?”
Chat looks at her quizzically, “Don’t think so.”
Marinette continues, “Well she was my best friend growing up. We use to go camping together and we would cook together and she had this joke that she would pretend to eat me because I live at a bakery.”
Chat smiles, “She sounds amazing.”
Marinette looks away, “Yeah she was.”
Chat’s smile falls, “Was?”
Marinette only nods.
“Princess…”
Marinette ignores him, “She was a year older than me did you know that? She is supposed to be older than me but every year I just get older and older and she doesn’t and it isn’t right.” Tears are falling down Marinette’s face, “She died so young and she is never going to get to do so many things. She will never go to dances or university or have a career or family.”
Chat pulls her off the chair into his arms wrapping them around her. She sobs into his chest letting it all out.
Eventually the crying lessens, “Thank you Chat.”
He smiles, “Anytime.”