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The whispers felt deafening to Marinette's ears as she tried her hardest to block them out.
Just ignore them and focus on your classwork.
Marinette didn't know what the newest lie told by Lila was but as long as it wasn't about her, she couldn't care what the girl said anymore!
"I can't believe they're brothers!" Juleka mumbled quietly to Rose. Marinette furrowed her brow but continued to ignore them.
That was easier said than done now that she sat behind them.
She looked longingly towards her old seat next to Ayla, frowning when Lila flipped her hair over her shoulders and giggled at something Adrien said.
"I can't believe Mr. Agreste would do something like that! Didn't he love his wife?" Rose sighed, sounded genuinely upset.
Marinette froze at the mention of Gabriel and Emilie Agreste. Lila wouldn't start a rumour about the Agrestes would she? As much as Marinette hated to admit it, Lila cared for Adrien, so she wouldn't hurt him... right?
She needed to find out more.
Her blue eyes flickered down at her learning pad, as she tired her damn hardest to gather more information from her gossiping classmates.
The door opened and closed again, a sound Marinette has unconsciously learned to filter out. Confused on why the sound stuck out to her, she lifted her head and realised the whole class was silent and staring towards the door.
There stood Felix, Adrien's cousin. He startled a little at the surprising amount of attention he was getting before he glared coldly, her class were quick to adverted their gaze.
Marinette was quick to put two and two together. They were talking about Felix, not Adrien.
There was only one problem with that, Felix's Dad wasn't an Agreste.
A horrible thought found its way to her mind but it couldn't be! Lilia definitely couldn't have said something like that? Even if it was aimed at Felix, Adrien would get caught in the firing range, it was his father being accused.
As she bit her lip nervously, contemplating what she could do about the situation, Felix came up the last steps to the back row to his seat besides Marinette's side.
He saw her still staring at him and gave her another glare but she couldn't see any real bite behind this one.
She sent him what she hoped was an apologetic smile and turned to the front just in time for class to begin.
…
Class went by quickly and without incident. Marinette was even convinced that perhaps everyone forgot about the newest piece of gossip but lunchtime, unfortunately, proved her wrong
As soon as class was out everyone made their way to the courtyard to hangout. Marinette followed along with the crowd despite the fact that she already knew she wouldn't be included in their conversations, not with Lila around.
Alya, Nino, Adrien and lila sat around an outside table dubbed as 'their spot'. Marinette sat at the bottom of the staircase out of their line of sight but a place she could still hear them. Was it pathetic? Yes. Did she have anything better to do? As Ladybug, maybe, as Marinette, no.
It was after several short moments of useless chatter between Alya and Lila before Adrien's phone chimed. A heavy sigh fell from the boy's mouth before he apologized profusely to the group.
"I'm really sorry but Father has just pulled me out of school for possibly the rest of the day."
"What? Are you serious, that sucks dude." Nino patted Adrien on the back, before standing and picking up his own backpack. "Come on I'll walk you out."
Marinette heard Alya's goodbye and Lila's over exaggerated tearful farewell, Marinette gritted her teeth.
The boys walked off and it was only silent for a moment before Alya practically yelled at Lila.
"I cant believe what an asshole Adrien's father is!"
"It's absolutely terrible!" Lila sobbed "you should see how he treats him at photoshoots."
"He doesn't even go to Adrien's photoshoots you liar." Marinette grumbled to herself, absolutely livid at the brat.
Yes, for some unknown reason, Lila was hired by the Agreste brand as a co-model for Adrien but Marinette knew that Gabriel never left the house, everyone knew! So why was Alya eating up her every word?
"I wouldn't be able to work in an environment like that, I don't know how you do it. I don't know how Adrien does it!"
"The worst he has to deal with is Natalie's completely stoic face and lack of conversation." A low voice muttered from behind her.
The hairs raised on the back of her neck, goosebumps appearing on her skin but she didn't jump and flail like she was known to do, she just shivered as she felt her face heat up.
"Hello Felix." She already knew who it was, he was the only person she could act like this around.
"Afternoon Marinette." He nodded as he sat next to her.
Felix has been like this since he moved here. He had no friends, he didn't even speak to Adrien much, despite the other boys numerous attempts.
He preferred to hover in the shadows and observe everyone with cold, calculating eyes. When he spoke, his words were sharp with razor precision and being on the receiving end of his verbal attacks could be seen as fatal. Chloe has been the first person to get on Felix's bad side and although Marinette didn't particularly like the girl, she did feel a little sorry for her.
He had only been here for just over a month and had had a falling out with almost everyone, everyone except herself.
She would exactly call them friends, not that she didn't want to be his friend, it just seemed as though Felix wasn't looking to make any friends, was repulsed by them even.
He just seemed to hover around her alot. Almost never really making contact with her, she was always the one to initiate all of their conversations nut he did seem to enjoy her presence and she did enjoy his.
"How are you today?" She asked, looking at him from the side of her eye. He looked almost as he did everday; perfect and cold, like a statue, Marinette quite liked it.
"I am well but it seems that I have found myself as the new topic for school yard rumours." He frowned, his finger twitched ever so slightly but he straightens himself out fast and any traces of emotion that may have appeared are gone.
Marinette frowned at the show of repression but didn't comment on it.
"I'd say to just ignore her but then I'd sound just like Adrien." Maribette muttered before her eyes widened at what she just said. It was true that she was still mad that Adrien insisted to put up with Lilas lies, even when they made Marinette out to be a bad person but is she really going to talk about him to his own cousin?
Felix seemed to notice her inner distress and chuckled lowly. Marinette found she really liked the sound.
"Its okay, I'm not one to sit around while being bad mouthed either." He looked down at her, something twinkling in his grey eyes that Matinette couldn't quite identify. "Come on."
With that, he stood up and started to walk toward Lila and Alya. Marinette's blue eyes widened, she was completely dumbstruck. Felix was almost at their table before Marinette was on her feet and chasing after the boy.
"Felix" she hissed, "what are you doing?" She fell into step behind him, reaching out and tugging on his hand to stop.
Felix just chuckled at her, locking their fingers together and tugging her along with him.
"I'm calling Lila out on her bullshit." He gave her a smirk as they arrived directly in front of the girls, who hadn't even noticed their approach yet.
"Afternoon girls." Both of the girls startled, snapping their heads towards Marinete and Felix.
"Ah, yes?" Alya asked confused, sending questions look's towards Marinette. The dark haired girl just shrugged and looked towards Felix, this was his idea, he could take the lead.
"I'd like to have a word with Miss Rossi." He nodded towards Lila who paled a little under his intense gaze.
"What? why?" Alya sneered, her over protective mood turning on full throttle.
"It seems that Lila thinks it okay to tell the class that My Uncle had an affair with my Mother, making me Gabriel Agreste's Bastard son." He deadpanned.
Alyas eyes widened a little as her own face lost a little colour to its cheeks. She looked guilty and Marinette felt a weighted sense of disappointment towards the girl.
"What do you mean Felix?" Lila's eyes teared up as she blinked rapidly at him. "I didn't do such a thing I couldn't make up such a nasty rumour!"
Alya shot Lila a look at the corner of her eye but still didn't contradict the girl making Marinette's blood boil.
"Cut the crap, Lila." Felix snapped making the girl flinche, her tears seemly gone as a glare crossed her hard green eyes. "I asked a few classmates earlier who told them that rumour, guess who I was pointed towards? I'll admit it wasn't as easy as that, for some unknown reason these degenerates seem to want to protect you."
Alya, not unlike a female wolf protecting her mates neck, jumped to Lilas defense once again.
Marinette turned her face away as she turned out Lilas rambling.
When it had been Marinette thrown under the bus by Lila's lies, no one cared, no one came to her defense, not even her best friend.
She looked at Alya, her old best friend, willingly defending the liar even when she knew she was lying!
Marinette felt herself shake. All the loss she went through this year wasn't becuase Lila was decieving, it was because no one truly cared enough about her to care.
She was all alone.
She felt Felix squeeze her hand, snapping her out of her thoughts. She jumped, glancing towards him to see him already looking at her. Concerned burned in his grey eyes as he frowned at her.
He gave her hand one last squeeze before turning his attention back to Lila and Alya. Marinette blushed, she hadn't realised they were still holding hands.
"Stop." He seethed. Both girl's eyes widen at his tone. Felix was indeed normally cooled but this, this was sub zero.
"Rose and Juleka told me it was you that started the rumour." He stared down his nose at the brunette that glared back, eyes equally as hateful. "They were quiet shocked that I confronted them and the little one was easy to break."
Marinette's own stomach recoiled at his words. Rose and Juleka are- were her friends and Rose was very sensitive at the best of times. The poor girl must have been frightened, Marinette frowned, she doesn't know how she feels about that.
"I'll be talking to the principal, as well as Adrien and my Uncle. I'm sure everyone would love to get to the bottom of your web of lies." With one last glare, Felix stuck up his nose and walked away an air of self entitlement that Marinette strangely found endering.
Once they were out of view, his statuesque facade cracked before her eyes.
"Are you okay?" He rounded on her, facing her towards him, one of his large hands on each of her shoulders. He hunched down bringing himself to her eye level.
Those intense silver eyes were even more breathtaking up close Marinette realised.
"Marinette?" He gently called, snapping her out of her trance.
"Wha..?" She cleared her throat, shaking her head a little as she got her bearings "I'm fine, are you?"
Felix sighed heavily, his shoulders sagging in relief.
"Yeah," he whispered, "Rumours don't bother me, I'm flattered actually. She put in a lot of effort to talk shit about me, do you think she likes me?" He chuckled, teasingly.
Marinette giggled at the absurdity of his question, Lilia hated his guts before, Marinette couldn't even imagine her feelings towards him now.
"I like when you laugh." He boldly whispered. Marinette felt her cheeks heat up, her stomach flipping with a confusing mixture of excitement and nervousness.
Felix bent down slightly, bringing his face close and closer towards her until she could smell his breath mint, everything about him was so cold, why did she enjoy it so much.
"Marinette?" He whispered, Marinette hummed in reply as she closed her eyes, licking her bottom lip.
"Yes?" She breathed out, leaning towards him.
She sat still as a statue, waiting to feel the soft press of his lips against her but it never came. She blinked open her eyes slowly, confused.
Felix stood, towering over her still, a smirk on his lips.
Shock ran through her system, followed by a sickening feeling of embarrassment followed by a burning anger.
Before she could even act on her emotions, Felix kissed her on her forehead. Wrapping her tightly in his arms, pressing her face against his chest.
His heart was beating rapidly.
"Let me take you on a date first." Was all he said, squeezing her a little tighter before releasing her from his warm embrace. Marinette took a modest step back, blushing hard as she tried to make eye contact with him but failed as he stared at the ground a hint of colour in his pale skin.
Marinette was stunned but a big smile blossomed across her face.
"I think I'd like that very much, Felix." She beamed at him as his finally looked into her eyes again, relief on his features.
"Hmm." He hummed, lacing there fingers together again as they lead them back towards class, the lunch bell will chime any minute now.
"Advanced English, Calling out Lila and a date with the cutest girl I know, wow today is shaping up to be the best day ever!" He peered down at her, snowflakes twinkling In his eyes. "Perhasp I should piss off Chloe aswell? Thats really bring everything together."
Despite her best efforts, Marinette snorted, Felix brighten all that more at the sound. This was the warmest she had seen the boy ever, the fact that she was the caused made her heart flutter. She couldn't wait for their date.
Felix smiled down at her again, squeezing her hand, neither could he.