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She swore it started as jokes. Just little jokes to start conversation. Nothing serious. It wasn’t supposed to get this big - it wasn’t supposed to get this big at all.
A lying disease, that was what she had been narrowed down to. Lila was now known as the girl with a “lying disease.” Did such a thing even exist?
It was a downwards spiral. Jokes about knowing a famous singer turned to full fledged fake stories of their interactions. Fake, fake, fake, that’s all she was. All she said. Fake.
Lila didn’t even really notice how bad it had gotten until her classmates started asking her for more. More stories of her “endeavors” with those she supposedly knew.
There was this girl in her class - she was smart and pretty and saw directly through every lie that Lila spoke.
God, how she hated that girl.
Time and time she sabotaged her, at some point even getting her expelled, albeit temporarily, from the school entirely.
Lila should have seen it coming.
In all honesty, she was never one to believe in karma. She had some belief that bad things happened to bad people - but she never believed herself to be one of those bad people.
The first thing to occur was a nasty fall down the stairs at Dupont. It was ironic - how she had framed that smart girl for pushing her down these stairs and now - she had actually fallen.
The second thing to occur was promptly after falling down that flight of stairs. It was a sharp pain in her wrist.
Every self defense class she had taken before - relating to her actually being the diplomat’s daughter and needing to know how to defend herself - had always told her to avoid putting her hands out during a fall. It would always result in a broken bone somewhere in her arm and it was better to protect her head and roll.
It was so quick how it happened, how was she supposed to tell herself to not reach out in front of her to stop the fall!?
Her wrist was definitely messed up now, and it really did feel like some sort of god was punishing her.
It was an ironic karma, as if her lies were turning to truth, but she didn’t deserve this.
She wasn’t a bad person.
Right?
RIGHT!?
A warm hand cupped her terribly cold face and she could only melt into it.
“I hate to see you like this.”
Lila immediately recognized the voice. It’s soft and soothing and kind and she hates it.
“Go away, Dupain-Cheng.”
“Lila, you’re literally sprawled out on the floor with a seemingly dislocated wrist, am I just supposed to ignore you?”
“Yes.”
Marinette giggles and quickly stifles it. “Of course, Lila. I’m carrying you to the nurse.”
She hated that she couldn’t even object. Lila needed help and she couldn’t exactly… help herself in this situation.
The scream Lila let out when the nurse ‘relocated’ her wrist must have been heard throughout the whole campus and ten miles outward. Marinette watched and let out a “oooooo” sound as it happened.
The nurse wrapped a contraption around Lila’s hand. A splint? Maybe? Lila had never messed up a bone before! How was she supposed to know??
“Are you… certified to do this..?”
“It’s just a splint, dear.”
“Yes…” Lila trailed off, looking to the side to see Marinette with her hand over her mouth. Was she laughing?
“Don’t laugh at me, Marinette!”
“Ah, so we’re back on a first name basis now?” She waved and giggled at how Lila’s expression changed from angry to flustered.
It was a bit before they both left the office. The nurse had to explain to Lila the process of the wrist healing and how to care for it.
Normally, she wouldn’t have cared, but she really didn’t need her classmates asking what happened to her wrist (again!?)
It felt… wrong. Like she was repenting for her sins somehow. Was lying a sin? Probably.
There was quiet footsteps from Marinette as she walked away before Lila pulled her back. “Listen.”
“Yes, Lila?”
“I - um.” Lila faltered. Gosh, why was this so hard?
“Take your time.”
“I just wanted to say, thank you.”
Marinette smiled tenderly as Lila thanked her.
“I don’t know what I would have said if anyone else had found me - after all of that I feel… guilty? You’re the only person I’m truthful with, I don’t make big lies around you.”
Was she tearing up? Oh no.
“I treat you terribly and yet you didn’t hesitate to help me when I was vulnerable - when you could have taken revenge on me!”
There was a short pause. “I wouldn’t do something like that, Lila. You needed help so I provided the best I could.”
“Thank you and - I’m sorry.”
Marinette smiled once again and walked away. That was all she needed to hear.
And Lila, well, she was busy reevaluating how she had been acting to the girl.
Maybe it was time for a change?