Chapter One
It was right before lunch and Mme. Bustier had ended the day's lesson earlier due to them having a test on the unit tomorrow. Everyone was clumped up in small groups with the biggest being most of the girls. The groups were Ivan and Nathaniel, Max and Kim, Adrian, Nino, and Lila, and the last group consisted of Marinette, Alya, Juleka, Rose, Chloe, Mylen, Alix, and Sabrina. Everyone was ‘studying’ well except Max and Kim because the ladder asked his friend to help him ace the test so he doesn't get thrown off the swim team. The girls were talking about anything and everything when Alya spoke up, “Marinette, girl you’ve been awfully quiet over there. What's going on in that little head of yours?” the girl looks up from the worksheet she had been blankly staring at for the last 10 minutes. She had been mulling over this decision for a few days now, close to a week, but hadn't had the courage to speak to her friends about it. She took a deep breath before starting, “I think I’m ready to move on from my crush.” she stated plainly with a determined look to her. The rest of the group gave her varying looks, ranging from understanding and encouraging to disbelief.
“Girl, What?!?” Alya shouted in disbelief while being shushed by the rest of the group. Marinette knew that she would get this kind of reaction from her best friend, and cringed. “But you two and meant to be together, you’re like soulmates or something girl. Just because we haven't made a successful plan doesn't mean you should lose hope,” Alya encouraged, and normally Marinette would take her words to heart and get a determined look on her face before telling the creole-french girl that she was right; but this time all the words succeeded in doing was causing the ravenette to deflate. “But Alya I’m serious this time,'' Marinette told the girl but was ultimately ignored. “ Besides I came up with the perfect plan to get you two together for real this time! It's all here on my phone…” Alya continued on like Marinette hadn’t said a thing.
While Marinette tried to speak and tell Alya to leave it alone while being ignored over and over again, there were a few girls who looked around concerned for their raven-haired friend. Juleka, who knew that Marinette and her twin brother Luka were bound to start something between them was looking around the group to see if anyone else was caught as off guard as her by the dark-skinned girl who blatantly ignored her so-called best friend. She caught the eyes of two other girls in the group who looked like they were thinking the same thing. One Alix Kubdel and surprisingly Chloe Bourgeois. Chloe had calmed down and apologized to everyone in the class, all together and surprisingly one-on-one, and had become one of the group after she figured out that she was lesbian and had a huge crush on Marinette for years and just didn't know how to deal with it. She had confessed the first part to the class and told them that she had found someone she thinks she really likes, who ended up being, wait for it, Kagami. They had been talking last that Juleka had heard. That's beside the point though, because right now they were supposed to be focused on Marinette right now.
The girl in question had given up trying to stop Alya and resigned to just sit there and try to do her study guide that was handed out before they were left free to study however they wanted. Just as Juleka was about to speak up the bell for lunch rang and everyone started packing up. Juleka rushed to pack up and get to Marinette so she could speak to her. Unbeknownst to her, Alix and Chloe were doing the same thing, Juleka succeeded in getting to her first, startling the half-Asian girl. “Marinette could I talk to you quickly?” the shy girl asked in a low voice. The girl in question looked back at Alya and signaled her to go on without her. Just as Alya was leaving Alix and Chloe came up with the two girls who were still in the classroom. “What's up Juleka? oh! Alix, and Chloe, what are you guys doing here? Sorry, Juleka just asked to speak with me but I can talk to you two after we’re finished if you want?” Marinette said with a look that told the three girls that she felt bad about not being able to help everyone at once. “No, it's fine they can stay, I have a feeling that they are here for the same reason I am.” The quiet girl explained, and the other two girls nodded. “But before we talk, do you guys want to come over to my place for lunch? For a little more privacy?” The other three girls nodded signaling Juleka to lead the way.
Once they made it to the Couffaine houseboat they settled down with the food they had gotten from Marinette's house when they decided that they should buy something to take back to the boat so they could eat. The silence on the boat as they ate wasn't an awkward one, but one of comfort and camaraderie. After 20 minutes, once everyone was done eating Juleka started, “I think that you wanting to move on from Adrian is really great Mari, and I don't think you should listen to Alya on this one.” She looked at her friend while fidgeting due to nerves. She was worried she had crossed a line and upset the other girl when she hears Alix say, “ I agree with Juleka, it wasn't cool of Alya to ignore your feelings back there. If you want to move on then you should do it.” Juleka deflated a little at that, but still held tension because to ravenette hadn't said anything yet. “They’re right DP,” a nickname Chloe had given Marinette as a joke referencing back when she still called her ‘Dupain-Cheng’. “ You shouldn't listen to Césaire when it comes to your feelings, it's your choice.” The heiress told her friend.
Marinette was stuck still where she was sitting, the silence stretched on for what felt like hours but in reality, was only 2 minutes. Finally, the Ravenette let out a relieved sigh, “ You guys have no idea how much I needed to hear that, thank you.” she told the group, “ I really appreciate it, you have no idea. I just don't know where to start. How do I begin the get over someone who I tricked myself into thinking I was in love with but was really just obsessed with, in a very unhealthy way? I mean it's my fault I let it get to this point and I shouldn't be asking for help but I don't know what to do.” the bluenette exclaimed, letting a few tears slip past and down her face where she furiously wiped them away. “Marinette, yes you did have an unhealthy obsession with him and you should take part of the blame but it's not only your fault. We, meaning most of the girls in the class, were encouraging you to continue this unhealthy behavior and continued to egg you on every time you tried to stop. We are also to blame for this.” Chloe told her while getting up from her seat and giving the girl a hug. Juleka and Alix looked at each other before getting up and joining the two ex-enemies in the hug.
They stayed that way for a few minutes just encouraging Marinette that it was okay for her to cry and to get it all out before stepping back and letting her compose herself. “Thank you guys, I think I really needed that.” shed bluenette said after which the alarm they set for the end of lunch and when they needed to start heading back rang out. They all took a second to make sure they had everything before heading off back toward the school. As they approached the building which had been subjected to most of the recent Akuma attacks, Marinette turned towards the three girls, “ hey, do you think you guys could come over after school today and help me start getting over him?” she started,” you can totally say no, you know. Actually never mind, you guys are probably busy and don't have time, it's fine. Don't worry about me.” Marinette rushed out, while the three girls all looked at each other and back to her with fond looks. “Marinette, of course, we can come over after school. We wouldn't leave you hanging like that.” Juleka explained, “ya” “Absolutely” the two other girls exclaimed. Marinette smiled, she was glad she had friends like them.