Chapter Text
Lila Rossi stretched and sighed. It was 7.30 and she'd have to go to school soon. It's not like she wanted to sleep, she had been awake for quite a while. "Such a pity that when I'm so close to figuring out something big after these few days of research, I'll have to postpone it to go to school. It's such a waste of time, honestly. I can't bear being surrounded by those people who lead such happy lives and seem like they have it all. Well, at least I got them to swarm over me and they're of some use now." She smirked. "They'll certainly be helpful stepping stones for me."
She got ready and went downstairs, only to find her mom already out. Her face fell for a moment, then rearranged itself into its normal smile. Honestly, she doesn't know why she still allows herself to hope when she knows it'll never happen. It's so ironic that while she looks down on people who are so naive and bother to hope, she too still has some remnants from that version of her. She had long since learnt how devoted her mom was to her work, leaving so early and coming back so late, and yet she still allows herself to care, to hope. It was pitiful, really.
Lila Rossi stepped out into the brightness of the sun shining down upon her, the birds chirping so merrily on the trees, the noise of the vehicles on the road, the brightness of the colours of the outside world, everyone going about their own normal lives. She frowned. This was why she preferred her room with all its blinds drawn, barely any light able to get in, and its mess, with things scattered all over, and not at all bright and airy. There, she could avoid the painful cheery sunshine, shut out the happy outside world that taunts and mocks her, and truly be herself, with all the mess, and no one judging her. Where she doesn't have to pretend to live a lie to get people to accept her. She hates the sun, and every happy normal person, they seem to mock her for not being like them, not being so optimistic everyday, not embracing the warmth of sunshine, taunting her for not having anyone to accept her true self. She shook herself out of her thoughts, the frown on her face erased as though it had never been there, and continued on her way to school.
As she walked into the classroom, she went past Marinette, the annoying klutz who for once wasn't late, and a sugary sweet smile appeared on her face, directed at Marinette. Marinette, instead glared angrily at her and Alya, noticing, immediately said, "Hey Marinette, I know that you and Lila now are competing with each other, but stop being so mean to her and show some good sportsmanship." Marinette bit down on her pen in frustration, as though doing that would stop her from screaming out. Lila continued smiling as she walked up the aisle to her seat. "Alya has certainly been very useful indeed. I somehow won her favour, as illogical as it is, really I almost feel sorry for Marinette for having a bff with such little faith in her." She silently snickered.
"Marinette stands no chance against me."
Just 4 days ago, "Hey, Ms Bustier, isn't it time for the class rep to be changed again?" "Yes Lila, but I thought we could let Marinette be the class rep this whole year..." "Well...I thought she should let other people have a chance, also because I want to have a shot at being the class rep!"
Marinette stared at the innocently excited face of Lila, wondering what lied under that facade, after all, there could not be a good reason behind her wanting to be the class rep. She couldn't help herself saying angrily, "You...class rep...?!"
Ms Bustier turned to look at her as Lila's eyes widened in surprise. "Yes, Marinette, do you have any objections against Lila being the class rep?" Standing beside Ms Bustier, Lila wore an expression of innocence and hurt.
"I...um..." Marinette tried to support her claim with evidence. It wasn't her fault people were so blind and easily manipulated by Lila's problematic lies.
"Well, Marinette, if you still want to cling on to your position as the class rep, the class can vote for you and Lila like what happened the last time with you and Chloe. I'll give you two 1 week to prepare your speeches for your campaign."
"Good luck Marinette! I know you'll be able to win it!" Adrien looks up at Marinette from his seat with an encouraging smile. A hint of a blush flitted across Marinette's face before she snapped herself out of it. "Good luck to you too, Marinette!" Lila sweetly said but internally rolled her eyes in annoyance and slight amusement at their weird antics. It was sooo obvious they were in love, but oh well, since they're stuck in denial-land, it's all to her advantage.
She could still pursue Adrien, who she didn't really care about, except that he has the connections, the reputation to help her rise to fame and she only invests in people worth the time and effort. After all, what are other people if they don't benefit oneself?
Lila roused herself from her thoughts of the past and smiled.
It was the end of school and Marinette was walking out of the school when she noticed a lonesome figure sitting down on the stairs. She momentarily felt worried and concerned before realising it was Lila.
"Hey, Marinette, isn't that Lila? What's she doing all by herself?" Tikki pondered. Marinette snapped, "Well I don't care, and whatever it is, she deserves it, having promised to ruin my life." Tikki frowned at her and said, "Well, as inhumane as you make her out to be, she's still a teenage girl with feelings, and definitely has a reason for why she's doing all this."
Marinette sighed and scrunched up her face at the thought of approaching and being concerned about Lila.
"Hey Lila, are you okay? Why are you still at scho-"
"Oh it's nothing, my mom is going to bring me to this 5-star restaurant to celebrate my imminent appointment as the class rep. However, you're going to lose your position, so you should be more concerned for yourself!" Lila taunted as she quickly packed up her things and left.
Marinette was left there, slightly confused, if she wasn't wrong, she thought she saw Lila's face looking as human as Marinette has ever seen her, all her layers of lies put away, genuinely looking like she wanted some concern, love...Maybe it was just a hallucination, Marinette told herself, after all, she only caught a flash of that face before it rearranged into that face that always had a nasty smile tugging at her lips, the face she loathed, the face that swore war with her.