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Seeing Lila's fake tears was always a bad sign, especially for her. And them, combined with the ice-cold glares of her classmates, well... She wasn't getting out of this one.
"I can't believe you, Marinette! How could you do that to poor Lila?" It was Alya who said that, which made it sting even more. "I know you don't like Lila, but ripping up all her notes and homework is not okay! Now's she's going to have to redo all that work all over again!"
"I never-"
"I get that you're jealous, but a boy is no reason to do this! Why can't you just accept her and be friends? Come on, Marinette. You're better than this."
"But I-"
"Yeah, Marinette!" The class chorused. "You're better than this."
She couldn't take it anymore. This constant stress, and hurt, and pain. Looking at the clock, she noticed that school wasn't going to start for another five minutes.
So, she bolted.
Ignoring the yells of her classmates, she ran out the door, only stopping to avoid getting hit by a car. Once the road was clear, she continued running, through the bakery door, up to her room, not noticing the concerned looks of her parents as she went, only stopping once she'd collapsed on her loft bed.
Tears streaming down her face, she hugged her pillow to her chest. "What did I do to deserve this, Tikki?" She asked then, lip quivering, as the tears refused to stop. "I thought they were my friends. How could they think so poorly of me?"
"Oh, Marinette." She said, quietly, doing her best to help her bug. Hugging her cheek, she said softly, "None of this is your fault. Surely there must be something we can do. Do you think you could switch classes, maybe?" She pressed a kiss to Marinette's cheek.
"I... I guess I could. Or... Maybe I could switch schools entirely. It's not like anyone will miss me, anyway."
Just then a knock came from the trapdoor, before it slowly opened. "Marinette, sweetie. Are you all right?" Came the gentle voice of Sabine Cheng. "You rushed home before school even started. Is everything okay?"
"I... I just wasn't feeling well, Maman. Do you think I can stay home and rest for the day?"
"Of course, Sweetie. Do you want me to bring up some breakfast for you?"
She smiled then, a small smile. "Thanks, Maman, that would be great." Sabine nodded, confident that when Marinette was ready she'd talk to them.
Once Sabine dropped off the tray, and closed the trapdoor behind her, Marinette made her way down to the tray of treats, and her computer. "If I'm going to transfer schools Tikki, we have some research to do."
-x-
It was over dinner that she finally decided to tell her parents what was going on; The bullying, the threats, the lies, the manipulation, the abandonment, the loneliness, everything.
So, it was with a heavy heart, that she concluded her rant with, "I want to transfer to another school." Grabbing her phone, she unlocked it before turning it to face her parents. "RoseHeart Academy. It's a private school for those looking to pursue the arts as a future career. It's a little farther away, but I really think this could be a great experience."
Her parents turns to face each other then, a silent communication and understanding through facial expressions. It was always magical how they could understand each other without saying a word (kinda like her and Chat). Finally, they both turned to face her.
"If it's really what you want," Sabine began, and with Marinette's excited nod she continued. "Then of course you can go."
"Thank you!" She said, getting up to give both her parents a hug. "I'll go get the application forms."
But it was when she got upstairs to retrieve them, everything finally sunk in. She was really leaving Collège Françoise Dupont, and without a goodbye too.
"This'll be good for you, Marinette." Tikki reassured her, as she hugged Marinette's cheek. "You'll have a fresh start, at a new school and make new friends."
"Thanks, Tikki. You're right." And with newfound determination, she grabbed the forms, and headed back downstairs.
-x-
RoseHeart Academy was a large school compared to Collège Françoise Dupont, that was for sure. Transferring in the middle of the school year didn't seem to help matters either. Everyone probably already had their own friend groups and she doubted she'd make news ones until, at the very least, next year.
It was then that she bumped into someone. Well, when someone bumped into her actually. She was blonde, had light blue eyes, and fair skin. "I am so sorry!" The blonde girl said. "There was a new student coming today, and I'm supposed to be showing them around, but I'm so late!"
Marinette laughed, and held out her hand. The blonde girl smiled, and shook it. "I'm Allegra, class representative."
"Marinette," She said in return, and with a quirk of her lips continued, "the student you're supposed to be showing around."
Allegra groaned, although you could see a hint of a smile on her lips. "There went a good first impression."
"It's all right. It happens to the best of us."
By the time the tour ended, it was time for lunch. And when Allegra said she could sit with her and her friends, well, who was she to refuse? Grabbing her hand excitedly, Allegra ran towards the other end of the cafeteria, where three boys were sitting at a table for four.
"This is Claude, Allan, and that's Felix. Guys, this is Marinette, my new friend." Claude and Allan scooted over so Allegra could squeeze in next to them, leaving Marinette to sit down next to Felix.
During lunch, Marinette learned a lot about this friend group, the Quantic Kids.
She learned Allegra was here to become a professional singer. She was really friendly, and loved to hang out with her friends. She knew, and got along with, just about everyone in the school, and Marinette could tell why she was elected class president, after only knowing her for a few hours.
Claude seemed like one of those popular guys in movies, that was charming and all the girls fell for, but at the same time he was actually kind and considerate of other's feelings. She also found out he'd applied to the school, for training to become a professional actor.
Allan was the class jokester. He always found a way to make you laugh, and helped raise people's spirits when they were down. He was also a real sweetheart, and was here to aid his training in becoming a professional dancer.
Felix, she found out, was there because his parents wanted him to be, as his mother was a famous designer, and his father owned one of the business's invested in this school. She found out he modeled for his mother, although he was more passionate about photography. She also found out he liked to keep to himself, more often than not.
Not that she minded, of course. People should be allowed to not want to share what they didn't want to. They shouldn't have to tell someone anything, just because they wanted to know.
Marinette smiled, for the first time in a while, all throughout lunch. Talking to these people was easy. And they didn't force her to tell them why she transferred in the middle of the year, or even ask. And she could tell they wouldn't. Not unless she brought it up first. They told her about some school events coming up that she should attend to help her meet she new people. They even offered to have her come join them for their usual hangout after school if she wanted to (and boy did she want to).
When the lunch ended, she smiled as she waved goodbye to her new friends and followed Felix to her next class (as they had the same one).
She took a deep breath as she entered the doorway of her new class.
This was it.
Her new beginning.
Away from Lila, and Alya, and all the others who lost their faith in her, and all the toxicity of her old school.
She was free.
She was finally free.