39. Day 3 Part 11

When Juleka and Chloe eventually returned to the classroom after their eye-opening session together, it was not quite with linked hands as the blonde had done with Alya. The friendly looks exchanged between the pair however, and the mutual pleasure they seemed to take in each other's company, showed everyone that Miss Bustier's plan had achieved yet another notable success.

This in itself would have been quite the achievement, but it was somewhat overshadowed at that present moment by something even more astounding. A sight that made Marinette gasp, Adrien widen his eyes, Sabrina's earlier frown to become even more pronounced and even their venerable teacher to put a hand over her mouth in shock.

Yes, that's right. Chloe Bourgeois-Marigold, the girl who never had a middle name before today (but if she did it would've been "Don't touch my hair!") had deigned to not only switch from her trademark ponytail today to bunches (with some 'gentle' prompting from a certain bee kwami, of course) but had also decided to add some colour to it. Not a lot, but enough for the new style to be picked up immediately by anyone who knew her well.

It was a light pink, the same kind of hue that Alix had present on her head. No one knew if the tomboy's hair was dyed, because no one dared ask. Regardless, she stared along with everyone else as Chloe, having regained pretty much all of her original grace and poise, showed off her new 'do before confidentally taking her seat.

She felt quite good about herself right now. The shabby clothes she wore now may have looked tatty, but they were much more comfortable than her previous flashy attire, and she was starting to feel like she'd worn them all her life. The lack of make-up no longer really bothered her, as no-one had mentioned it's absence in a negative sense all day. And, the hair...

It might have started off as a petty notion to get back at her father for his ongoing inattention towards her, but having reluctantly allowed Juleka to operate on her precious follicles with an unfamiliar colour, all that changed the moment she glanced in the mirror afterwards. She looked absolutely fantastic, and indeed had to be dragged away from her new reflection by her new, talented beautican friend to see out the last part of the day.

Why did I never try this before, she'd pondered in admiration, while adopting a studied trout-pout from the models in the trendy magazines that were her sole reading material. I was so obsessed with appearing a certain way, that I rejected all ideas of ever trying to do anything different with how I looked and dressed. Sorry Daddy, but in your zeal to keep me cooped up in a little box, I think you've really made me miss out over the years. From now on I'm going to be much more adventurous in life... including, in the friends I make.

She cast her eyes with undisguised glee around the silent room at all the stunned faces gazing back at her, before they whispered their undoubted admiration to whoever they shared a desk with, and unlike the shrinking violet she resembled on her arrival that day, the blonde/pink now took a great deal of pride in the scrutiny she was getting. It also felt refreshing to not be the centre of attention for disruptive behaviour, so it was a double celebration.

The only fly in the ointment was obviously, Sabrina, who from Chloe's point of view, had been nothing but a jealous little thing since the 'nerd' had started hanging around with her two other least favourite people. See how I don't need you anymore, the heiress internally smirked, while tossing her new hair proudly, around like a lion's mane. So much for me needing your 'fresh start' to win friends. Soon, I'll have everyone in this class eating out of the palm of my hand... well, apart from Maritrash, who you can keep, or Adrien, who sadly is now contaminated beyond all hope due to his exposure to that mouldy bread vendor.

While Sabrina continued to seethe at her ex-friend's arrogant posing and apparent easy popularity, regretting that she'd ever felt guilty about revealing Chloe's secrets or even harboured hopes that the two of them might be able to rekindle their friendship, a messenger from another class appeared. Briefly stopping to gawk at the new look 'school bully' too, she nevertheless possessed the presence of mind to finish her assigned task by delivering a note from the person who'd sent it.

Miss Bustier, still gobsmacked by Chloe's appearance and how well the blonde was now intermingling with her peers, glanced briefly at the piece of paper dangled precariously in front of her nose, before realising the significance of it. Quickly grabbing the message to get a better look, she mouthed thank you to the deliverer, before sending her on her way. She read it once. She read it twice. A sense of panic began to set in, but she had to remain calm. Nothing like this had ever happened in her lessons before, it was time to be a professional...

Keeping her eyes firmly trained on the unsuspecting subject of the note, Miss Bustier tried to put aside her growing anxiety to address the class. "E-er, thank you all for a very pleasant few hours. I'm especially pleased with the students who helped me with Chloe on the first day of her new schedule, especially as she seems to have come on in leaps and bounds already. Your time with her though, is not an excuse for you to go wandering around Paris for the entire schoolday, only returning minutes from the end period. Mr Le Chien would remind you all, while he's doing his punishment assignment tonight: The second you break the terms of our agreement, homework is back on the menu, I'm afraid. You can all go now. See you tomorrow..."

The whole room stood up as one to leave in their usual social groups, as Marinette departed with Alya, Adrien with Nino, and Kim with Max, along with an extra-large stack of homework and a veiled threat from the jock to his rather studious friend. "You're helping me with this lot tonight... you got that, bro?!"

Sabrina was of course, all by herself, but just before despondently shuffling off, she chanced to take one final glimpse at her ex-friend. Chloe was far too busy primping and preening herself in front of a vanity mirror to acknowledge the her former bestie's existence, and Sabrina's feeling of insignificance only grew. With a long sigh and a shake of her head, she left the room, with absolutely no idea what to do with her life next.

In the meantime, Chloe was just about to put her reflective device away and place it next to a now gently slumbering Zzubo in her bag, before she felt a hand on her shoulder. It was Miss Bustier, who'd walked over to her chair and now had a strangely sympathetic look on her face. "Hi there Chloe! I'm glad you stayed behind, instead of me having to call you back. It makes it much less awkward now..."

"Er, what...?" Chloe raised a eyebrow slightly at her teacher's oddly soft tone and off-putting personal contact. "Oh, is this about me dying my hair during class? Well, that was Juleka's ide... actually, it was mine, but so what? It's not like we were smoking, or anything..."

"No dear, that's not the issue at all... and by the way, I think you look lovely."

Miss Bustier might have been trying to be complimentary, but the condescending way she was expressing herself and the fake smile on her face told Chloe that the teacher was hiding something. "U-um, thanks I... guess? And listen, sorry about skipping detention and knocking you over yesterday. Also, for lying... I didn't actually have a charity thing to go to, I was just making excuses. Can you forgive me?"

"W-what? Why of course, dear. But that's not what's important right now..." Any other day, Chloe's sudden penchance for truth telling and owning up to her previous misdemeanors would have knocked the teacher for six, but at this moment in time she had far more pressing matters on her mind. "L-listen, there are some very nice people here to see you, and they want to ask you some questions that might sound a bit funny. But don't worry, I'll be with you all the time, ready to help you out in any way I can..."

"What?" Chloe felt confused and scared all of a sudden, a feeling that was only exacerbated when the door opened, and in came a friendly looking woman in her mid-twenties, and a sterner middle-aged female. Unsure what was going on, the heiress glanced at her teacher who only nodded back apologetically, while the younger of the two new arrivals was the first to speak.

"Hi, Chloe Bourgeois is it? I'm Miss Renoir, and I'm a social worker. This is Mrs Petite, and she's a doctor." She spoke in an amiable, patient tone, while the unsmiling lady behind her just sat and took notes. "We're here today to talk to you about something quite personal, and we would appreciate your full co-operation. We've heard some slightly upsetting things from a reliable source, and we need to check them out today to see if there's any substance to them. At this meeting, you need a responsible adult to join you, and your teacher has very kindly volunteered to sit in..."

A wave of dread began to descend on Chloe, as she glanced around her surroundings nervously before asking "B-but what about my father? C-can't he be with me? W-what exactly is this, anyway? A-am I in any trouble? I-I'm trying to be a better person..."

Miss Bustier rubbed Chloe's back gently, attempting to calm her down. "It's okay, dear. You haven't done anything wrong. It's just these ladies here need to investigate a report which has been filed, and at this moment in time your dad might not be the most appropiate adult to be present. Besides, the note said the grown-up supervising you at this meeting should be a female, and seeing as how your mother is no longer around..."

"F-female? W-what are you talking about? W-why can't my Daddy be here with me?!" Chloe's cheeks suddenly felt wet, as the room began to fade into a blur.

"All will be made clear in time..." Miss Renoir tried to settle Chloe with her everpresent friendly demeanor, but neither that or Miss Bustier's caressing seemed to do any good. "Although, we can tell you now the reason we need another woman present is because it wouldn't be appropiate for the examination portion of the interview if a male were to attend. Now then, shall we get started? Chloe... We'd like to know, how happy are you at home? Is there anything that makes you sad or worried? What can we do to help?"

Examination? What are they talking about? And what's with all these weird questions? Chloe's mind was a tizzy as she began to answer everything to the best of her ability, wondering why they were all centred around her physical and mental well-being, and her father's role in her life. Occasionally, she was asked to repeat her answers while everything was recorded, and Miss Bustier tried to comfort her as much as possible, because the heiress found herself randomly bursting into tears at regular intervals. The whole thing felt like a bad dream that had no end, but just when Chloe didn't think things could get any worse, now it was Mrs Petite's turn.

"Chloe, I need to perform a complete examination of you, to make sure that you're not in any immediate danger. Would you please lift up your T-shirt, and we'll start with your back..."

...

Chloe emerged from the mortifying encounter both apoplectic and humiliated, with a look on her face that sent everyone still dumb enough to be lingering around the school grounds scattering for miles. Like an army radar, she scanned the nearby vicinity looking for her target, and when she'd discovered it, homed in like a guided missile.

"You!" She growled at Sabrina, who was getting some last minute items from her locker before leaving.

"U-um, Hi there, Chloe?!" Sabrina nervously answered, unsure why the heiress had gone to the trouble of finding her when the two were still clearly at loggerheads.

"Don't you 'hi there' me, you vindictive little bitch! It was you that spread that false rumour that my Daddykins abused me, wasn't it?" Chloe yelled directly in the redhead's face, attracting a small, curious crowd in the process of those who'd earlier fled. "You're the only informant who could have started this investigation involving the social services, with everything you know about me! Just because we're no longer friends and you're so envious of me, doesn't mean you had to betray my trust and do something like this. I can't believe we ever used to be best friends..."

"E-er, w-well..." Sabrina began to sweat profusely. While not confirming Chloe's accusations, her reaction to being confronted out in the open told the heiress all the wanted to know. "S-surely it can't have been that bad. Just a quick question and answer session, right?. What's the harm in that..."

"Sabrina, they wanted to know everything! Did my father ever raise his voice. Did he ever beat me up. D-did he ever..." At this point, Chloe took a deep breath, deciding not to divulge any more personal details to a slowly gathering audience.

"Oh." All Sabrina could do was look down at the floor expressionless, as the heiress suddenly drew closer to the redhead.

"T-they made me take off my clothes, Sabrina..." Chloe continued, whispering the more private parts of the discussion. "My teacher saw me in my underwear, Sab! It wasn't even the fashionable kind, either!"

"I-I'm really sorry to hear about that, Chloe!" Sabrina paled, looking a little sheepish upon hearing that last bit. "I-I'd no idea what I said would result in that sort of thing! B-but I've seen you half-naked before. H-how is this any different..."

"Sabrina..." Chloe's anger suddenly rose again, along with her voice. "That was at a sleepover while I was getting changed into my nightdress, not in front of three grown ups, two of which I barely knew! But don't fear... I won't be inviting you to any more of them in the future, you pathetic little creature! In fact, I never want to see you again! First thing tomorrow, I'm switching seats!"

W-what... you're the one mad at me?! How dare you..." Sabrina suddenly felt very cross, and with her previous animosity from earlier bubbling to the surface again, she decided to respond with some cold, hard facts. "Who was it who tried to force me to take the fall for you over that stupid diary theft?! Who is it who thought of all your best ideas to get others into trouble, yet never received any credit for it?! Who was it who allowed herself to be treated like a slave for so many years, barely getting anything in return?! And now you're upset because I went to a grown-up with genuine concerns for your health. Well, whatever you went through just now, is nothing compared to the trauma I experienced as your so-called 'best friend', Chloe. I can't believe I was actually planning on trying to make things up with you..."

At this point, a shaking-with-rage Sabrina removed the second friendship brooch a stunned Chloe had given her after the Antibug incident and threw it on the floor, as a visual indication of their parting of the ways.

"Here, you can have this back now..." Sabrina huffed. " I was going to try and be your friend again and try and mend your ways, but obviously you're beyond help. Have fun with your new best buddies Alya, Lila and Juleka. When you show them the true Chloe, the one I now despise, you'll know what it's like to be truly alone. And good riddance, because it'll be no less than you deserve. I'll be off now to spend time with my actual friends Marinette and Adrien, who by the way, are a thousand times nicer than you'll ever be. Well, Ciao!"

At this point, Sabrina barged past Chloe and the rest of the crowd to stomp outside, a fresh gust of wind taking on the redhead's sails. Chloe was slightly shocked at her former friend's newfound aggression, but not unduly concerned. Thank goodness I finally saw her true colours eventually... She mused, picking up the brooch, intending to destroy it later on. Besides, who needs her anymore. Now, I have all those people she mentioned, along with Zzubo... wonder how the little nuisance is getting on, anyway..."

She somehow managed to squeeze past her raucous audience, to open up her bag and find the kwami still fast asleep inside, although the nougat bits she carefully placed in there at the start of the day were mostly gone, proving that at least they'd been some activity.

Who'd have thought after our rocky beginning, we'd become such great friends? She smiled, watching the furry yellow chest of the insectoid slowly breathe in and out. Well... parent and daughter she'd say, though I'm not quite ready to accept that just yet. I mean, I'm sure she'd make a great mother... but I don't know. Being adopted by a bug... it just feels so... strange...

Her train of thought was abruptly cut off as she took one step through the exit, at the unbelievable sight that greeted her eyes.

For there was Chloe's father, standing right next to his personal limosine, parked by the entrance to the college. His chauffer stared back at her uneasily, as if warning her in advance that in order for the mayor to cancel all that afternoon's meetings and be down there, it had to be for a good reason. And it wasn't a nice one.

For now though, Andre Bourgeois's attention was elsewhere. Namely, on an attractive teenage girl with long, brown hair, who he seemed to be speaking to quite cordially.

Lila.

Uh oh...

AUTHOR'S NOTE: So, is everyone looking forward to Christmas now? I'm getting lots of Ladybug merchandise of course... with extra money so I can buy some more when the new batch arrives next year. Around May would be my guess... no idea why... ;)

There might be another update before the end of the year. It depends if I can drag myself away from boring relatives, bad Christmas specials and copious amounts of eating. Then, it's back to the diet plan for January... can't wait (sigh)...

Still, happy holidays whatever you're up to. Bye for now! ;)