#human plagg

Chloe had many regrets, but losing her best friend was on the top of the list.

His words still rang in her ears 8 months later, and they only rang louder now that they were all in the same class again.

Marinette’s more than us. She’s better than us.

I don’t know what you want from me, but I don’t want anything from you. I want the Chloe I used to be best friends with, but I don’t think she exists anymore.

She stretches herself out on the barre as Tikki and Plagg spoke to everyone in the background.

Chloe couldn’t hear them. All she could focus on was Marinette and Adrien, giggling quietly and nudging each other when the teachers got close.

She knew that they were dating. It was clear as day to her how close they had gotten over break.

In fact, Chloe had never seen Adrien so happy.

She wanted to be happy for him, she really did, but she couldn’t.

Not when they were barely friends anymore.

He didn’t even tell her.

Chloe sighed and leaned her forehead against the barre. She knew he had no reason to even want to be in contact with her again, but the distance between them still hurt.

And now… well, now, Marinette was roommates with Adrien and Chloe was stuck with an overconfident new girl who had zero talent.

Yippee.

(At least Marinette knew she barely had talent last semester and tried to be better. Lila made empty boasts and constantly wore perfume that stunk up the studio and gave Chloe migraines.)

Honestly, she couldn’t bring herself to be mad at her situation. It was her fault after all.

If she didn’t destroy Marinette’s shoes last year, she wouldn’t have gotten so close with Adrien, and he wouldn’t have fought so hard to be her roommate this semester.

Sure, Chloe had apologized to Marinette, but she doubted that Marinette would ever-

“-loe? Chloe!” Tikki’s voice snapped Chloe out of her train of thought. “Is everything okay?”

Chloe heard Lila snicker in the background and fought back the urge to scream.

“I’m fine, Tikki.” She forced out. “I just… have a lot on my mind”

Chloe pretended to not notice as Tikki looked at her with concern before returning to the lesson.

~~~~~

When class was over, everyone started filing out.

Chloe was going through her bag in a shadowy corner of the sitting area when Adrien and Marinette came in.

“Do you think it’ll work?” She heard him ask. Marinette snorted.

“Maybe not, but I am so sick of Nino and Alya being into each other and doing nothing about it.” Marinette grumbled. Adrien chuckled, then went silent.

“…is this how they felt?”

At his words, Chloe saw Marinette blanche.

“Oh my god, I’ve turned into the very thing I’ve sworn to never become.” Marinette groaned. Adrien smiled at her.

“You know I love you just the same.” He said, putting his hand on her shoulder and pulling her towards him. Marinette smiled and rolled her eyes.

“I love you too, you dork.”

They kissed, and Chloe’s vision blurred. She swallowed back a sob and waited for Marinette and Adrien to leave before sinking down onto the floor.

Chloe never cried. She didn’t cry when Adrien left her, she didn’t cry when her mom moved to New York, and she sure as hell wasn’t about to cry now.

But seeing them together, hearing them say that they loved each other so casually as if they said it every single day was too much for her to bear.