Rough

Chloe knew one thing about herself and that one thing she knew was that she would never back down from a challenge, especially considering the stakes if she lost.

In her mind, an image was conjured of some dumb no named loser cackling with tiny pup Sabrina in the back, dutifully doing her job and yet not receiving any reward or love or anything along those lines. She had to stop herself from breaking the table with how angry she was at that thought. 

(Pack...only the best, lead.)

She had to be the best leader! The bestest there is! Nothing less for her pack, she’ll never let someone unexceptional be a leader of her pack and if she was unexceptional, that meant that she’d be a shitty leader and a Bourgeois is anything but that.

So with a surprising amount of intensity, she tackled her two classes like a fish in the air, so hyper-focused that she blocked everyone out. Which meant that she didn't understand a damn thing the teacher said because she was so focused on the stuff written on the board. Well, she did… Somewhat , at least she wasn't committing asphyxiation .  

She wanted to ask Sabrina for help but that would prove her incompetence and that is something that she does not want, at all. She can’t just prove Sabrina right, she was supposed to prove her wrong after all.  So here she was, in the library the moment recess started and ordered Sabrina to have her break, with a stack of books around her as she flipped into a page, all taken to boost her intelligence because how else can you prove that you’re competent by having an indisputable top spot in grades?

Chloe rubbed her stiff fingers across her brow, feeling a headache coming, ignoring the sharp pain she got after moving them. She knew that studying was hard, it was why she’d usually leave it in Sabrina’s hands, that was what a subordinate/friends do right?

It was her pop’s kept on saying, that and her mum’ so it must be right! But she can’t do that right now, she had to prove to pack that she was competent and if the dictionary was right, it meant that she had to have the necessary ability, knowledge, or skill to do something successfully and a Bourgeois is exceptional in everything , which meant that she had to be competent in anything and everything. 

But she can’t do that if the dumb book would make sense!

A growl built up at the back of her throat, feeling a tiny bit annoyed as she slouched onto the book she snatched out of the academic section, as if the close proximity would somehow implant the information through her eyes and into her brain like some weird photosynthesis like those plants absorbing the sun.

It didn’t work, much to her dismay.

So she’ll do it the only way she knew how, BRUTE FORCE! If it didn’t work, you’re either just not doing it hard enough or not doing it right! Was what her mom would always say.

Chloe pumped her fist into the air, a fire relit inside of her. That’s right! She’ll do it over and over until her body instantly knows what’s wrong and what’s not, trial and error and all that. She stretched quickly already knowing that she’ll be in one position the whole time, her joints popping in the silent library and dived into work, even when her fingers ached with every movement or her bones locked much to her annoyance but it was nothing but a light distraction.

A Bourgeois either goes beyond or don’t have a home is a saying engraved in her heart. 

Pack is home and she’s not going to lose that.

A grim look crossed her face as she cracked open a book and brought out a notebook, starting another round of notes.

She won’t allow herself to lose another one.

____________

“Hey- Sabrina, is everything alright?” questioned Dupain-Cheng from behind her and Sabria tore her sight away from her locker to glance to her side where the baker girl stood, her best friend Alya next to her. She was just placing her books in her locker, Chloe had dismissed her early just as the class ended, saying that she had something to do and as much as Sabrina wanted to go run after the best friend and help her out, she’d rather not stress the blond and give the girl more headache. She’d learn that a large amount of emotion would cause severe headaches and she’d rather not accidentally trigger one. She’d rather not worsen Chloe’s condition, who knew what’d happen.

“Huh? What do you mean?” Sabrina asked, a smile still on her face before it faltered when her mind registered what Dupain-Cheng queried. She didn’t allow it to drop when her mind drifted to her best friend at the word ‘Everything.’  

Nope, everything is not alright! She inwardly whined but she didn’t allow herself to say so in real life. The subject is Chloe after all and contrary to popular belief, whenever something bad happens to her, she’d rather it not go out to the public and be pitied over something she never did herself. That and because she’d never stoop so low as to claim that she has any kind of terminal illness. Sure the girl never outright told her this but when you’ve been friends since grade two, you tend to catch up on silent and unspoken rules.

Her brows furrowed and her smile faltered. So that must be why the blond wasn’t telling her anything, Chloe would probably never wanted to be known over her near coming death instead of anything else. Her grip on the locker tightened, her smile finally slipping.

“Sabrina?” Marinette called out and her green eyes met blue ones. Marinette’s brows furrowed, a hint of suspicion entering her eyes. “What did Chloe do this time?” She even crossed her arms as her tone changed and Sabrina couldn’t stop but feel a bit of ire at that action. Her fingers that held the locker tightened and she slammed her locker closed, the sound causing Marinette and Alya to flinch and step back slightly.

She turned on her heel, stomping closer to the taller girl, a small bit of glee growing when the girl stepped back.

“Listen- Dupain-Cheng. It’s nothing you should care about-”

(“I’d rather care about what you think instead of wasting my precious time”)

Her words got caught in her throat and she stopped, lips flattening as the situation she was in smacked her in the face once again.

That’s right, what was she doing wallowing in despair that her best friend was going to die? And soon if her recent actions were to support, being overly touchy in public, exclaiming that she’ll do whatever she could, things one would do when they don’t have a lot of time left.

Her fists clenched. Despite her near end, Chloe sure wasn’t acting like it and she’s the one dying. Besides, who do they think they are? Interfering with Chloe’s business? Insinuating something like she was doing something bad? She didn’t have time to waste on insignificant people like them, she had better things to do, like doing whatever she could in her little time.

“Sabrina,” Alya stated, stepping forward just a bit. “Girl, relax. You seem stressed, just what is Chloe making you do? You look so tired, come on we’ll do anything we can to help out just explain what’s going on.” Marinette seems to agree with how she nodded.

‘We’ll do anything we can to help out’ they say. Sabrina contemplated their words before coming to a realization. Chloe couldn’t do everything on her own, no matter how hard she tried. She’d need help and they…. Her green eyes scanned over the two… perhaps they can help out.

“Fine,” she uttered out before glaring up at the two. She was probably going to get scolded if Chloe found out that she was releasing very private info but this was necessary.  “But you two better not be spreading this info.” She crossed her arms. “If this gets into the public, I'll go after you two first.” Her eyes narrowed from behind her glasses. “And you don’t want that.”

Alya and Marinette glanced at each other from the corner of their eye, wondering what they just got themselves into.