#tolerance

Damian sat at the table for breakfast.

"Should I even question as to why you all have that insufferable smile or should I assume the Joker is loose?" He threw out.

"Aren't you glad you went to prom?" Dick asked.

"It was the lesser evil." Damian replied, lifting his pancakes to his mouth.

"She didn’t seem evil." Jason smirked.

Damian frozen and looked up to see Jason holding up his phone. On the screen was a picture of him and Marinette dancing. It had perfectly captured when she smiled.

"Delete that." The youngest Wayne demanded, before eating his pancakes.

"Come on, Baby Bird!" Dick huffed, "You looked happy!"

"What's her name?" Jason continued to goad his brother, "You two look cozy."

Tim interjected, "Have you been hiding her from us? I assume you already ran her background check."

"I'd like to meet her." Bruce declared.

Damian set down his fork, leaving the butter knife in his hand, hoping to get a point across, "She is known as the Ice Queen of the school. I have heard her referred to as 'Elsa'. She is someone I tolerate. We are not friends. She looked as miserable as I was to be there; she was coerced to attend, as well."

Give your heart a break Let me give your heart a break Your heart a break Oh yeah, yeah

"That was the only dance and after we talked about our appreciation for art." Damian spoke, "We have different mediums."

"Okay." Dick spoke and then smiled, hopeful, "There's a ....connection?"

"Does she fight?" Jason prodded.

Damian shrugged, "Not to my knowledge."

"But you have art!" Dick pressed.

"And avoiding people, it seems like." Tim sighed, going back to his breakfast

"We get you." Jason prodded, "But why her?"

"I have never asked." Damian admitted, "I have only heard she does not believe in 'friendship'."

"Well, fuck." Jason groaned, admitting defeat.

"It seems she is possibly aware how she can be ….viewed, in your presence." Bruce admitted, "An ex-boyfriend, perhaps?"

Damian found he didn't like that train of thought and continued his breakfast, ignoring his father.

Bruce sighed, "Well, she's are only hope at you having a relationship, so get to know her."

Damian immediately choked on his food.

"Baby Bat!" Dick stood up.

Damian glared a thim as he quickly drank his tea, "Doubt it." he mumbled.

When your lips are on my lips

Then our hearts beat as one

But you slip out of my fingertips

Every time you run

Whoa, Whoa-oa

Damian and Marinette walked through the auditorium doors and into the school's hallway. They agreed it would be easier to tlak without the loud music and everyone staring. Damian looked at the floor disgusted, as Marinette took a seat against the lockers.

"I hate school and all of the social obligations." she spoke, "It's draining."

"Agreed," Damian stated, taking a seat next to her, "Father forces me to come to this establishment. Mother homeschooled me, but Father prefers if I were to become social and make 'friends'."

Mari snorted, "And your mother can't tell him no and defend your wishes?"

"They are not together." Damian spoke, "I moved in with him when I was ten. It has been his way since."

"Oh." she whispered, looking down.

Damian took the advantage to glare at the teacher spying on them. They turned the corner, but the tip of their shoe gave away their position.

'Adult supervision. How childish.'

Don't wanna break your heart

Wanna give your heart a break (don't wanna break your heart)

I know your scared it's wrong

Like you might make a mistake (I know your scared it's wrong)

There's just one life to live

And there's no time to wait, to waste

"I was bullied and my parents did nothing to stop it. Their parents had money and influence. I'm just 'The Bakers Daughter'." Mari stated, rolling her eyes, "Then came that bitch and she spread rumors about me. Her lies were horrible; they didn't even make sense! She claimed to be related to just about every famous person or was a removed cousin, some bullshit and I was 'jealous' of her."

"Why Gotham?" Damian questioned.

"I punched that witch's nose in, on the day of an important photoshoot." She smiled, "Ambulance was called. Parents were called. The whole thing, except no one could reach her parents. Apparently, she had to personally call her father, at the hospital. The principal expelled me in front of the whole school."

"We knew you bullied Lila!"

"I can't believe you tried to get us to believe you were nice!"

"You are a liar and a bitch!"

"I can't believe I was ever friends with you!"

Marinette just looked at the scorned looks and smiled, "I'm not expelled."

"Yes, you are Miss Dupain-Cheng! I will be calling your parents-"began Principal Damocles.

"No. I'm not." Mari declared taking a step into Damocles' face, "The most Mr. Damocles can do is suspend me. He doesn't have the power to expell anyone; only the school board does and even my suspension has to be signed off by them."

Marinette smiled as she watched his face pale and quickly turn red, then purple.

"You kept expelling me and letting me back in; I wanted to know why." Mari answered the open question, "I'll see you, tomorrow, and I hope her parents can make it, this time."

When Marinette walked into the bakery, she stared unwavering under her parents' glares.

"I need for you both to finally listen to me and understand I am being bullied. I refuse to be bullied anymore. You have done nothing, all of these years, but tell me to be kind and it has only made me miserable." Marinette declared, "I am taking care of this myself and I need you both to trust me for one more day. If I am expelled, I'll do whatever you want to happen from here. I'll even give up designing and take over the bakery."

Her parents glare faded instantly. They knew how much designing meant to her.

"Marinette." Sabine whispered, gently and afraid.

"I should be meeting the school board tomorrow, as it is standard protocol for every suspension or expulsion." she answered, "I have things to get ready."

"What happened?" The Wayne heir asked.

So let me give your heart a break (let me give your heart a break)

'Cause you been hurt before

I can see it in your eyes

You try to smile it away

Some things you can't disguise

Don't wanna break your heart

Baby. I can erase the ache, the ache

So let me give your heart a break

"I was led to an empty classroom, the next day, where the principal, my teacher, a few members of the school board, and her father were waiting. Her dad instantly started yelling at me for hurting his precious daughter and how I needed to be expelled for my violent actions."

Marinette walked into the room and dropped a large three-ring binder on a desk, in front of everyone.

"This binder, you all see, contain lies that Layla Rossi has been telling the class since she was admitted to this school. It is organized by lies, absences, medical questionability, and rumors she supposebly heard someone say. It is also organized by people she claims to be related to or have connections with. There are also the theft incidents." Marinette then turned to the only man in the room she didn’t recognize, "Your daughter is a liar and a bully! My teacher and principal bend over backwards to aid her in her lies because she has money."

"Marinette!" Caline cried out, "That isn't true!"

"Then, the school board knows that this qualifies as my third expullsion, concerning Miss Rossi?" she questioned.

"What?" one of the board memebers cried out, quickly looking through their papers, "There is no record of these 'previous expulsions'!"

"If you were expelled, why are you still going to the same school?" Another demanded.

The last turned to see Principal Damocles pale and sweating profusely. The others quickly caught on.

"He has no authority to expel anyone." one of them stated.

"I know that now." Mari admitted, "I didn't know that the first time. I found out after the second time; I even demanded you all be here for the third. After my first expullsion, Layla claimed she had a 'lying disease' and that it was caused by stress. Even if this disease were true, they still believed every word she spoke and never questioned anything. A simple google search proved most of her lies were fabricated."

She then turned to Caline, "Now that you can speak to one of her parents, in person, you can get proof from her doctors about all of her disabilities and injuries. You can also get proof from all her missed months of school. Neither of you wanted to bother her diplomatic mother; she was too busy, right?"

"What are you talking about?" growled out her father.

Marinette turned to Mr. Rossi, "I'm talking about how your wife flies your daughter out of the country, for her embassy meetings. Your daughter claims how much her mother despises leaving her behind. She video calls during her travels from her hotel rooms, all the time. Your job must be as equally as demanding, as an ambassador's husband."

"My wife died when Layla was eight years old!" he roared, "I have never dated or remarried!

"But then why did she miss moths of school?" Marinette quickly questioned, not leaving room for anyone to interrupt the unravelling of Lila's curated lies, "Was she sick?"

"Not that I'm aware of." he growled out, "I'm a pilot. She stays with her older sisters, here in Paris. They should have called me if she needed that kind of care!"

"So she never left Paris?" Mari questioned.

"No!" he shouted, grabbing the binder and began to look through it.

Marinette turned and smiled at her judges and jury. Caline and Damocles were starting to pale, out of the corner of her eye.

"Tell me about your other…..expulsions." one of the board memebers spoke, concerned.

She shrugged, "We took a test before lunch. When we got back, Ms. Bustier announced to the class that she received an anonymous tip that I had stolen the test answers, which had been used to grade the tests and that it was in my bag. She also told me I had gotten a perfect score. Instead of believing I studied, she questioned me in front of the entire class. I blamed Lila. She then announced that she flunked the test and received a zero. I questioned how Lila could perfectly flunk an exam, not one single answer was correct? "

"Ms. Bustier decided we needed to talk to Principal Damocles. She walked down the stairs, laid down, and proceeded to scream how I pushed her down the stairs." Marinette glared at her principal, "That decrepit old man never even looked at the security footage. He called my parents, but when I suggested reaching out to hers, she said her 'mommy was a very busy person' and hugged her knee, going 'owwie'. If I had pushed her shouldn't she be more injured than just her knee? Her head? She could have had a concussion? Maybe her arms from trying to stop the fall? If he paid a single amount of attention to detail, her clothes and hair were perfectly fine. Instead, I was expelled. The next day I was called in as Ms. Rossi claimed she had a lying disease that caused her to lie under stress, and was reinstated."

"What lying disease?" Caline whispered, but it was loud enough for the board members to hear.

Damocles sunk into his seat.

Marinette ignored the commotion and continued, "The second time, I 'stole' her 'family heirloom'. She showed it off all day and I left home for lunch; I live across the street. Somehow, it was stolen from her locker and put in mine. Her so-called heirloom is a $3000 Gabriel brand necklace; it came out five years ago. Even his son tried to say something when I was accused in front of everyone, but the pricipal silenced him and expelled me, again. I came the next day to turn in my book and was told to hurry to my class. I have no idea what happened there."

A loud exhale broke the deafening silence, "Layla….has never been hospitalized." Her father announced, "Until now. She has never broken a bone, sprained herself, no overnight stays. Nothing!"

He turned his rage onto Caline, quickly, "What support did you give my daughter when she was 'out of the country? If she flunked so badly on a test, surely she got tutors, extra credit to make up for her absences, turned in homework online?"

Caline sputtered in embarrassment, "I-I let it slide, since she was doing important charity work."

"The ones that don't exist?" he screamed, "How stupid and incompetent are you? None of the bullshit, in this binder, is believable! I demand a refund for her tuition and I want everything recorded; all of the lies photocopied so I can give it to her new school, with explicit instructions to call me the minute is late to class! Any medical emergency, I should have been notified! If anything, She will be getting evaluated for a mental illness, under my orders, by her doctor's the minute I get back to the hospital!"

The board quickly agreed.

Mr. Rossi turned to Marinette and sighed, "If not for you, I wouldn't have known that all of this was happening. Layla getting her nose broken….is a punishment she deserves. I won't be pressing any charges and I will be having a stern talk….with all of my daughters."

Give your heart a break

Let me give your heart a break

Your heart a break

There's just so much you can take

"The school board immediately turned on my principal and teacher; they were fired." Marinette explained, "She begged me to prove she was a good teacher."

"The Caline's of the world need you to be a better example. You are showing all teachers how much they can hurt a student by believing every word they say. You are not our friend; you were suppose be our example of an adult and what we should strive to become. All I have learned, is that I never want to be like you. Kindness is a weakness and standing up for myself is the greatest thing I could have ever done." Mari declared, then smirked, "But what will happen to everyone who believed in Lila's bullshit? All the money that the class donated? All the days they gave up on doing what they love because she 'knew someone in the industry'? If anything, you destroyed your students' futures."

"The look of horror on her face was something else. It was like I had scolded a child and told her that her actions had consequences and now she couldn't have cake." Marinette smiled, "I still relish in that look of despair she had. When she realized her words were thrown back in her face ; how little they meant."

"The school board apologized for their staffs' behavior and called my parents to let them know, that given the circumstances, I was neither suspended or expelled and I had properly defended myself. " she stated, "Her little followers hated me, even more, when they found out she was removed from the school. I got called names and teachers reported it as bullying, so they got detention."

"What lie did you tell them that made Lila get expelled?" shouted Kim.

Mari laughed, "I didn't lie. That's Lila's job."

"You had to!" screamed Sabrina.

"I brought a binder full of every lie, every charity case, every 'relative', every day she missed school." Marinette answered.

"I can't believe how obsessed you are with her!" cried out Nathaniel.

"I can." Alya huffed, "She's obsessed with Adrien, the same way. It's why she's jealous of Lila. Lila can stand next to Adrien and she can't!"

"I handed the binder over to the school board and her father." Mari spoke, calmly, "He called it bullshit."

"Yeah, well her mom-" Began Adrien, embarassed.

"Has been dead since she was eight." shot down Marinette.

"Huh?" Alix questioned.

"No. She took her to visit Achu last month." Rose defended.

"Her dad told the school board that he's a pilot and leaves her in Paris, with her older sisters when he works. That she has never been hospitalized, until now, when I broke her nose. He asked for copies of all my notes, as proof, to get her tested for a mental illness. How is her lying habit my fault?" Marinette demanded.

"They had a hard time believing me, but then she got sued for fraud from the modeling company she signed with, and the son is in our class. He had to tell everyone that what I said was true because her dad found out about the modeling and she forged her mother's name. She has to give all the money she earned back and was blacklisted by that company. They didn't take it well when they found out their beloved golden ticket, with connections, to jump start their future was fake. Some apologized, some wouldn't look at me, some just avoided me all together, but the bullying did stop." she concluded.

Give your heart a break

Let me give your heart a break (your heart)

Your heart a break (a break)

Oh yeah, yeah

Marinette sighed, "My parents apologized for not believing me. The school board gave them a refund for the year and said I could change teachers or schools. I asked them about foreign exchange programs, instead."

"And ended up here." Damian stated.

She nodded, "I need time away from Paris, people, and my parents. I love them; they mean well, but…..even they were quick to judge me. They never asked for my side of the story. I was just a problem for them."

Marinette gave a half-hearted laugh, "This is the first real conversation I have had since I got here and I said I didn’t want friends."

"Respect does not equal friendship, just tolerance." Damian countered.

"I like that." she giggled, "Damian Wayne, I tolerate you."

Damian quickly looked away, hiding his heated face, "I cannot promise a good conversation, but I can listen."

"Thanks, Wayne." Mari smiled, leaning against his shoulder.

"You are welcome…..Marinette." he whispered.

The day I first met you

You told me you never fall in love

-"Give Your Heart A Break" By Demi Lovato

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