Marinette POV:

Marinette felt a strong sense of clarity after her conversation with Adrien. Everything with Alya  didn’t seem so hopeless and she knew what she needed to do.

Marinette determinedly walked up to Alya after class. Alya saw her coming her way and rolled her eyes, walking away. Before she could ignore her once more, Marinette stepped in front of blocking her path.

“Alya, I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but you’ve been ignoring me. Can we please talk, I don’t know what I’ve done wrong. Please, you can continuous afterwards but I need to know what’s up”  Marinette pleaded with her best friend. She couldn’t keep the pain that was ripping away at her out of her voice, as it seeped into her words. She couldn’t lose Alya.

Alya looked as if she wasn’t going to respond, and as long moments passed Marinette felt her heart plummet, but just as she was going to walk away, her hope to rekindle their relationship lost, Alya quickly glanced around before pulling Marinette closer whispering in her ear, “Okay. but we can’t talk about it in public, my place?”

Marinette nodded, following Alya to her house. Once they arrived Marinette set her bag down on the floor before following her brown haired friend to her room. Could they even still be considered friends?

Alya gestured for Marinette to take a seat on the chair near her desk. Marinette couldn’t help but notice the awkward tension that enveloped the room.

She could feel her nerves eat away at her, as she shakily rubbed her palms against her jeans.  Was Alya going to tell her she didn’t want to be friends anymore? That she was done with her? 

“Listen Marinette, I’m really sorry, and it was an accident I swear but I…” Alya said, having to take a long breath before continuing.

“You’re going to hate me but…” Alya whispered meekly out, grasping the edge of her desk,  not being able to complete her sentence.

Her thoughts were jumbled, confusion tearing away at her seeing Alya’s shaken state.  A deep consuming panic rose in her. What was Alya talking about...

“Alya, whatever it is it’s probably not as serious as you’re making it seem, and I could never hate you, just tell me… Please”

“I KNOW THAT YOU’RE LADYBUG” Alya suddenly blurted out.

Marinette felt her heart skip a beat. Every inch of her was screaming GO BACK GO BACK GO BACK. How could she know, it was just a wild guess probably. She needed to deny it, she couldn’t put Alya in danger,

“Wh-What me Ladybug no I could never be her. I’m so clumsy haha nope not me I’m not Ladybug, you’ve got it all wrong” Marinette said, nervously giggling, this was not happening. No not right now, not to her. Alya couldn’t know.

“Marinette there is no point in denying it, I saw you detransfrom” She revealed before letting a heavy sigh laced with disappointment,  “and your still lying to me,”

“All this time, you never told me! How could you keep this from me Marinette, I thought we could trust each other, I thought we could tell each other everything...but I guess not,” Alya suddenly angrily blurted out.

“Alya! You know I couldn’t tell you! Hawkmoth would target you, I can’t let you get hurt” Marinette admitted, Alya just rolled her eyes, turning away from her. “By not telling you I was protecting you!” Marinette exclaimed, desperately trying to make her understand.

“Plus you didn’t tell me you were Rena Rouge!” Marinette argued.

“You already knew!” Alya argued back, turning back to face her, anger evident in her blazing eyes.

“But you still didn’t tell me! How can you get mad at me for not telling you, it was for your safety!” Marinette said, feeling tears start to form.

“You’re right Mari, I’m sorry, that wasn’t fair of me.” Alya admitted, as she looked at Marinette’s broken expression, her anger rolling off her in waves as a sympathetic smile cleared the frown which once stubbornly remained.

“It’s just crazy, my idol is my best friend, and I'm still a little hurt that you didn’t trust me, but I understand girl.” Alya said, pulling her best friend in for a hug.

“Oh this is all my fault, how could I be so careless, you were never supposed to know” Marinette said, pulling the brunette in tighter. The heavy feeling of loss was lifted off her chest as relief washed over her, holding her best friend close.

“Is it bad that I’m glad I found out?” Alya stated, a slight grin playing on her lips, lightening the once dark atmosphere.

“No, I get it. Just no Ladyblog, alright?” Marientte said finality clear in her voice. She had to protect her secret.

“I would never, and plus, you’re not thinking of all the positives” Alya said, releasing her best friend.

“Positives?” Marinette asked. There wasn’t anything good about this scenario, except for the fact that she didn’t have to lie to her best friend anymore.

“Of course, I can help you sneak away, I can put fake leads on the Ladyblog to help you keep your identity, and most importantly, I get to hear all the deets on Chat Noir!” Alya squealed.

“Like do you know his true identity, do I know him, oh my gosh what does he look like without the mask? Is he hot? I bet he's hot? Omg are you two like secretly dating?  Alya excitedly rambled.

Marinette tried to keep up with the thousands of questions being thrown  her way and she couldn’t help but laugh at her enthusiasm.

“Alya! No our identities must remain a secret and….we’re just friends!” Marinette exclaimed, moving to sit on Alya’s bed not meeting her eyes. “Seriously there is nothing to tell” she clarified, playing with the edge of her comforter to look up and see Alya giving her a skeptical look.

“I don’t know about that Marinette, I clearly remember you two sharing a kiss not that long ago….” Alya teased with a  mischievous smirk.

Marinette playfully threw a pillow off her bed at her best friend as she laughed quickly dodging it.

“We had our minds wiped! It wasn’t me! There’s nothing going on!” Marinette tried to assure her.

“BULL CRAP MARINETTE DUPAIN CHENG!!! Alya yelled,

Marinette desperately tried to hush her as Alya gave her an apologetic look before whispering stubbornly, “I see the way you two look each other, there is something there, your just not telling me,”

“No there isn’t Alya…:” Marinnette felt a heavy weight crush her chest as she spoke her next words, he… actually he’s moved on from me.” Marinette admitted solemnly.

“Wait… you like him don’t you! Oh. My. God. Ladybug likes Chat Noir!” Alya cried. “This is awesome!”

“But he doesn’t like me back! I missed my chance!” Marinette said with a groan. “I just need to move on.” Marinette started trying to make herself feel as determined as she sounded.

“Wait… so you like Chat Noir” Alya asked.

“Yes, I thought I’d explained that enough” Marinette grumbled into the pillow she was currently hugging.

“But you’re dating Luka” Alya said incredulously, trying to yank the pillow out of Marinette’s tight grasp.

“I know! I’m a terrible person! Why can’t I ever like the people that like me back!” She complained.

“Well, correct me if I’m wrong, but Luka was supposed to be a rebound.” Alya stated.

“Uh.. yes? I mean I like him, but I like Chat more, but Chat doesn’t like me… and I still kinda like Adrien, who also doesn’t like me… So does that make him a rebound?” Marinette said, expressing her muddled thoughts out loud.

“I would say that guitar boy’s a rebound then.” Alya said matter of factly. “And clearly, you haven’t gotten over either of your pretty blond haired boys, so dump Luka” she said simply.

“What? I can’t do that! I’ll hurt his feelings!” She shouted, shocked at her best friends blunt suggestion.

Marinette’s head was spinning, could she really just break up with Luka? Hurt him like that?

“Listen, I’m gonna be real with you, I don’t see you liking him back fully, and that might just be because I’m biased, but I know you, and I know that you don’t wanna drag Luka along in thinking that he has all of your heart. Especially since it sounds like a certain cat has already captured it.”

Marinette blushed at Alya’s last  comment, before trying to reel her mind back to  focusing on Luka.

“I guess you’re right, I mean Luka’s a great guy, but all he talks about is me and it makes me feel guilty. A relationship should have both people giving and taking but it feels like all I do is take.” She confessed.

“Is that what it's like with Chat Noir?” Alya asked, wiggling her eyebrows, not even trying to mask her curiosity.

“Well I’m not dating him so I wouldn’t know!” Marinette said, exasperated, playfully throwing the pillow in her hand at Alya once more. “I refuse to say more! Enough about my love life!” She spluttered.

“Alright then, I’ll let you off the hook for now, but think about what I said okay, the longer you put off breaking up with him the more it’ll hurt in the end” Alya said wisely.

“I know, I’ll think about it, thanks Alya” Marinette said, thankful her best friend was back again.

“You better girl,” Alya said, teasingly wagging her finger at Marinette.

“I’m going to get us some snacks cause all this boy talk has made me hungry,” Alya stated, playfully sighing in exhaustion and dramatically getting off the bed.

Before Alya could reach the door though Marinette felt a surge of emotion inside her and called out her name.

Alya looked back at her best friend, “What's up girl,”

“Thank you, for understanding, for keeping my secret.” Marintte spoke sincerity evident in her voice. 

“Anytime Mari, that’s just what friends do, they got your back” Alya said meaningfully.

“Plus, they’re fun to be around, Ultimate Mega Strike 3?” She added.

“You know it! I’m going to pummel you Cesaire” Marinette laughed, overwhelmed with happiness to be spending time with her best friend again. She had missed her.