10. Day 1 Part 3

We now return to our drama of the week, where a Miss Chloe Burgeois's very life hangs in the balance.

Well, her love-life and social life, that is. Listen with rapt attention as the next words from Adrien's lips could be the difference between glorious acceptance or devastating rejection.

The crowd's all ready, as are our performers. So, let's get on with the show. (No climbing on the seats, please).

...

"... Really nice."

What was that?! Before she'd heard the end of the sentence, every instinct in Chloe's brain was telling her either to scream, lapse into a coma or run for the hills. Maybe all three.

In fact, so sure was the heiress that her long time crush would find her chemical-free features a bigger turn-off than the last city wide power-cut, she almost didn't catch those two final magic words spring forth from the teenage model's heavenly shaped mouth.

As it was, she stood there like a fish out of water, gasping for air in a most unattractive manner. waiting for her ailing brain to process this completely unexpected turn of events.

He... Likes it?!

Chloe's minor freak out also gave Marinette time to peruse her rival's appearance, and her response was almost as surprising. "Wow, you're right Adrien. I never thought that underneath all that gunk she comes to school wearing, she could look so different! And, it's a good different! I didn't think I'd see the day she had less make-up on than me. So, what's the occasion? Did you lose a bet, or something?"

Marinette's ringing endorsement of Chloe's unfamiliar visage brought a new reaction from the blonde: It helped thaw her mind from it's lethargy, and bought her back to the present. If there was one thing she couldn't stand, it was that blue-haired imbecile opining her looks. Negative, or positive, she didn't care. A baker's daughter held no sway on such matters.

"Yeah, I 'lost a bet' about who the second biggest fashion disaster was in Paris..." She cattily remarked. "I thought it was you, but it turns out it was Alya. You were in first place, so congratulations! I think it was those groovy pink leggings that did it..."

Marinette's look turned from curiosity to frustration in a second. "Some old Chloe, I see..." She sighed. "And there was me hoping your new look meant you were growing up a bit. It sems miracles only happen around Christmas Time, after all. Come on Adrien, let's go and meet Alya and Nino. Oh, and I've changed my mind about letting you carry my books to the school building. As long as you pick them all up for me now, I'll let you do the 'manly' thing just this once." She joked, with a gleaming smile.

Adrien tried without success to hide the blush that appeared in his cheeks at this point, causing Chloe to grind her teeth together in a most unladylike manner. What does he see in that peasant girl, she thought with annoyance does he get discount loaves for agreeing to be her consort, or something? I really don't see the appeal...

"...Yeah, in a little while. You head over there and think of a good excuse for me. I want to talk to Chloe here for a minute. Don't worry, I'll gather up your homework and join you soon." Adrien's surprise answer stopped the blonde's molar-gnashing, and her expression soon changed to one of significant gloating towards one pig-tailed girl in particular.

Marinette though seemed remarkably unphased by her enemy's unparalled victory over her, with her only response being a sad look cast in Chloe's direction, almost as if she feels sorry for me?! The heiress could not believe the blue-haired girl's cheek! I have so much more to offer than her. She lives in that dingy little shop, can't even afford a decent outfit, is about to lose her only chance of happiness to yours truly.. Yet, she feels sorry for me? This... This doesn't add up. She must have something up her sleeve. I better find out what it is...

After Marinette's enigmatic glance, she turned to Adrien. "Okay, we'll see you soon." Those were her parting words, as she went to meet the gang.

Chloe made absolutely sure her hated rival was some distance away, before turning on the 'charm' by grabbing hold of her oldest friend and clutching him close. "Oh Adrien, I'm so glad we're finally alone! Though, I must say... It's very naughty of you to lead that baker's daughter on so much! I understand that you're trying to be a good samaritan, but there must come a point where you have to have to stop being so charitable and let her down gently! After all, you and I are truly destined to be together... It's 'written in the stars', remember?"

Adrien rolled his eyes slightly at the over-exuberant blonde, before gently prising her arms away from his neck. "Chloe, that was something we promised each other when we were six. Six. We've both changed so much in that time... Especially you. And you need to treat Marinette with more respect, her family might not have our wealth, but she's one of the nicest people I've met. I certainly don't hang out with her because of sympathy, so please don't say things that aren't true. In fact, she reminds me a lot how you used to be, before..."

"I've told you, I don't want to talk about it, ever..." Chloe delivered an instinctive death glare at Adrien, before hastily correcting herself. "I mean... Sorry, Adrikins. I'm just not in the mood right now. Busy day today, you see. I have to pick out this dress for my father's party next week. It's going to be a gala ball, so I can't afford to be cheap. Do you want to help me choose one later?"

Adrien grunted with frustration, as though this was a common argument the pair had. "Sure, sure. If it makes you feel better. Yet another easy distraction for you, isn't it? Of course, you already know what I really think would make you feel better, but you've been putting it off for so long, short of pushing you there myself, I don't think it's going to happen. If only you weren't so prideful, and let more people in, they'd see the real Chloe, and stop asking me why I became friends with you in the first place..."

"Oh, don't mind them Adrikins... They're just jealous, as usual!" The heiress pushed all the doubts to the back of her mind, and pasted a smile on. "And people change as they grow older. I'm perfectly happy the way I am now. I'm not going to lower my standards just because I'm in a school full of losers. It's up for them to raise their game for me, not for me to drop mine. After all, as the lord mayor's daughter, I deserve only the best..."

"Yeah, yeah..." Adrien shook his head. He'd heard all this before, continually. "Anyway, as happy as I am you've finally taken a break from hiding your entire face behind cosmetics, I have to ask, what's the occasion? Is there a nationwide shortage of make-up, or something? I must admit, I didn't see the news this morning..."

Chloe couldn't help but smile at her friend's joke, even if she was churning inside trying to think of an excuse. "Err... Well, you know. I just thought I'd try something a bit different today. They sometimes test those things on animals, and you know how environmentally conscious I am..."

"Those two aren't even the same thing, Chloe. Plus, I haven't seen you without mascara or lipstick on since we were both really tiny, so I know it would take something more drastic than that for you to reach that kind of decision." If was now Adrien's turn to put his hands around his friend, albeit in a non-romantic way. "Come on, we used to tell each other everything. Somewhere along the way, we lost that. Can't we start again, please?"

"Err..." An unbelievably annoying magical giant bee appeared in my bedroom last night, and stole it all to try and teach me a lesson in beauty being only skin deep is what Chloe dearly wished to say, but seeing as how she wanted to sleep in her own comfortable bed that night, and not in an unfurnished padded cell, she wisely kept her mouth shut. "I...I..."

"Dude, are you coming?" And there was Nino, being the most unlikely of knights in shining armour, poking his head around the corner to rescue the damsel in distress. Who he couldn't even stand.

"Umm... Sure. Just a sec..." Adrien didn't fail to notice the odd look the music lover gave him upon seeing his best friend with his arms around Chloe, and the teenage model quickly withdrew them.

"Listen... We'll talk more about this later, 'kay?" He seemed to be in a hurry to rush off, for some reason. "Hey, Nino. It's not what it looks like. Please don't tell Marinette..."Yep, that was the reason.

Chloe watched Adrien grab Marinette's textbooks off the ground and then leave, with a scowl on her face. By the sound of things, I've really got a battle on my hands to prise him away from that weirdo. But hey, at least he seemed to like my new look. Score one to me. Maybe that kwami knows what she's talking about after...

Nah, it was just a lucky hunch. I better step it up against Marinette today, really show her who's she's messing with. By the time I've finished ruining her reputation, she wouldn't even get a job scrubbing the toilets at my hotel. I better be careful though, I have that ever vigilant pair of eyes in my bag watching my every move. I'll have to be sneaky. Subtle. Downright cunning. Fortunately those are three of my favourite words. HA HA HA HA!

As Chloe left for her first class, that 'pair of eyes' had indeed been listening intently to every word of the conversation, and had found it all absolutely fascinating. Zzubo had gained a major insight into the mindset of Chloe Burgeois, and she intended to use that information to further her own agenda for the rest of the week. Thank you Adrien, for getting your friend to open up like that. You may have just saved her future, and made my job a whole lot easier.

Speaking of the teenage boy, Zzubo couldn't help but feel something odd about that schoolbag he was carrying. She had a very close link with other members of her species, and it wasn't too long before she figured out that there was a small cat thing in there, munching down on some Camembert. Ugh, Plagg. He might be my superior, but I never got on with him. Far too jokey, and his heart is in his stomach. He's the spirit of Bad Luck, and he certainly lives up to that monicker for anyone who meets him.

But, that girl who left earlier... Was it my imagination, or was that Tikki in her rucksack? Now she's the real deal... Intelligent, resourceful, always has her mind on the mission. You could even say, she's my idol. I might even get some advice from her on my current project. I better talk to Plagg, too. Just to let them both know that the Master is okay...

That must also mean those two are Cat Noir and Ladybug. Huh. I suppose I shouldn't be surprised, as they're always destined to meet throughout history and fight evil side-by-side. Strange though, how my wielder loves one, and hates the other...

This mission is getting more interesting by the minute... Zzubo pondered, as she popped another delicious nougat into her mouth.