"Lies Resurface"

Author Note:

Super forgot to mention why lila hasn't been in the recent chapter in story from luka's perspective, if you don't already know she went on a "trip" in the show in season 2 it wasn't real of course but she wants people to believe it was. 

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The door to the classroom was just ahead, and I could already feel the anticipation buzzing in my chest. This is it—my grand return. I take a deep breath, smoothing down my perfectly styled hair and adjusting the strap of my designer bag. The faint noises of peoples chatter from inside the classroom reached my ears, and I can't help but smile. They have no idea what's coming.

I pause for a moment, letting the suspense build. Mrs. Bustier's voice filtered through the door, announcing my arrival. "Class, we have a special surprise today. Lila has returned from her trip to Achu and will be joining us again."

I push the door open at just the right moment, stepping inside with the grace of a star making her entrance. All eyes turn to me, and I relished the attention. "Hello, everyone," I say, my voice sweet and melodic. "It's so good to be back."

The class erupts into murmurs of surprise and excitement. I scan the room, noting their reactions. Adrien smiles warmly, always so kind. Alya looks intrigued, already leaning forward in her seat. Max is adjusting his glasses, probably calculating the odds of my dramatic return or something. And Marinette… oh, Marinette. Her skeptical gaze met mine, and I had to suppress a smirk. She's always so suspicious, isn't she? But she's no match for me.

I glide to the front of the room, where a seat has been saved for me—front row, of course. "Thank you so much for remembering my hearing problem," I say, placing a hand over my heart in mock gratitude. "It means so much to me."

Marinette's eyes narrow, and I can practically see the gears turning in her head. She's dying to say something, I know it. But she won't. Not here, not now. I turn to her, my expression innocent. "Oh, Marinette, you look curious. Is something wrong?"

She hesitates, then shakes her head. "No, nothing. I just… didn't know about your hearing problem."

I sigh softly, as if the memory pains me. "It's tinnitus, actually. A constant buzzing in my left ear. It happened when I was saving Jagged Stone's cat. The sound of the airplane motor was so loud, it burst my eardrum. But it was worth it to save that poor little thing."

Out of the corner of my eye, I see Max and Alya glance in someones direction, Luka expectedly. His reaction was non-existent leaning on his palm almost half asleep, giving no hint if it was true or false. Alya looks impressed, while Max seems skeptical but accepting. Good. Let them wonder. I glance at marinette, who also tilted her head slightly in his direction. He hasn't said a word since I walked in, and it's almost… unnerving. But I won't let him ruin this for me.

As I take my seat, I can feel the weight of their attention still on me. Perfect. This is exactly where I want to be—at the center of their world. I pull out my notebook, the gold-plated pen catching the light as I twirl it between my fingers. Mrs. Bustier starts the lesson, but I'm barely listening. Instead, I was simply observing, planning my next attracting charade.

I raise my hand, interrupting the lesson with a practiced ease. "Mrs. Bustier, would it be okay if I shared some souvenirs from my trip? I brought back some traditional Achuian trinkets for everyone."

The class perks up immediately, and Mrs. Bustier nods, her smile warm. "Of course, Lila. That's very thoughtful of you."

I stood, pulling a small velvet bag from my bag. Inside are the bracelets I picked up from a street vendor last week. Cheap, but they look exotic enough to pass as authentic. I move through the room, handing them out one by one, making sure to personalize each interaction.

When I reach Marinette, I held out a bracelet, my smile sweet but laced with challenge. "I picked this one especially for you, Marinette. I hope you like it."

She takes it hesitantly, her fingers brushing mine for the briefest moment. "Thanks," she mutters, her tone flat.

I tilt my head, feigning concern. "Is everything okay? You seem… distracted."

She forces a smile, but it doesn't reach her eyes. "I'm fine. Just… surprised you thought of me."

"Of course I thought of you," I say, my voice dripping with false sincerity. "You're such an important part of the class."

As I move on to the next student, I can feel her eyes on me, burning with suspicion. Good. Let her stew. She thinks she's so clever, always trying to expose me. But she doesn't understand—this is my game, and I always win.

By the time I return to my seat, the class was buzzing with excitement over their new trinkets. I glance around, savoring the moment. Adrien is smiling at me, Alya is already snapping pictures of her bracelet, and even Max looks mildly impressed. Only Marinette and Luka seem immune to my charm, but that's fine. They'll come around eventually.

I lean back in my seat, a satisfied smile playing on my lips. This is just the beginning. They have no idea what's coming next.

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Luka Pov..

I knew exactly what was coming next. 

It was typical of Lila to want the world to fall to her feet, but unfortunately for her I had already claim it as mine. Although I would rather her be a friend rather than foe. Her cunning was both a positive and negative trait for me but as long as I twisted her to my side it shouldn't be a problem. 

The bell rang, signaling the end of class, and the room erupted into chatter as everyone gathered their things. I stretched lazily, watching as Marinette and Alya lingered near their seats, talking quietly. Alya caught my eye and grinned, waving me over.

"Luka! You've been MIA lately," she teased, pulling me into a quick hug. "Too busy with your music—or someone else?"

I chuckled, shaking my head. "Just helping out with a few projects."

Marinette smiled, though her eyes flickered toward the door where Lila had just exited, Adrien trailing behind her like an obedient shadow. Alya followed her gaze and sighed.

"Come on, Marinette, you can't seriously still be suspicious of her," Alya said, crossing her arms. "Lila's been nothing but sweet since she got back."

Marinette's fingers tightened around the strap of her bag. "It's not about her being sweet. It's about the things she says—"

Alya rolled her eyes. "You've had it out for her since day one. Admit it, you're just jealous because she's close with Adrien."

Marinette's face flushed. "That's not—"

"Hey," I cut in smoothly, resting a hand on Marinette's shoulder. "Whether Lila's lying or not, stressing over it isn't going to help. You don't have to like her, but you don't have to make it your mission to expose her either."

Marinette frowned but didn't argue. Alya sighed, looping her arm through mine. "At least someone here is reasonable. Anyway, have you seen the latest Ladyblog update? Queen Bee's got an official account now—@QueenBee_Official. She's really stepping up her game."

I smirked. "Yeah, I heard. She's got a good team behind her." obviously me.

Marinette shot me a curious look, but before she could say anything, Nino called Alya over, and the three of us headed to lunch.

The cafeteria was buzzing, as usual. Lila sat at the center table, surrounded by classmates who eagerly fetched her food, all while she cradled her "sprained" wrist dramatically. Adrien handed her a tray, looking concerned.

Marinette's jaw clenched. "She's lying about her wrist too," she muttered.

Alya groaned. "Not this again."

Marinette grabbed her arm. "I'm serious. Watch."

Before I could stop her, she balled up a napkin and tossed it toward Lila. Quick as a flash, Lila's "injured" hand shot out and caught it midair. A beat of silence passed—then Lila gasped, clutching her wrist like she'd been stabbed.

"Oh no! I—I just reacted! I saw it heading for Max's eye, and after what happened in India, a man lost his vision from a napkin,I couldn't let that happen!" she voiced grunting.

Max adjusted his glasses, alarmed. "That's... statistically improbable, but I appreciate the concern." He said in a grateful tone.

The table erupted in outrage.

"Marinette, what's wrong with you?!" Rose cried.

"You made her hurt herself even more!" Kim added.

Marinette paled, looking around helplessly. I should probably do something before things escalate.

"Easy," I said, voice calm but firm. "Marinette didn't mean any harm. It was just a napkin."

Lila's eyes flicked to me, sharp and assessing—then melted into gratitude. "He's right. Marinette didn't know. I'm sure it was an accident."

The class hesitated, but Lila's act was too convincing. Slowly, the tension faded, though Alya still shot Marinette a disapproving look.

As everyone returned to their meals, I caught Lila watching me again—this time with something calculating in her gaze.

Interesting.

She wanted to play the victim. Fine. But if she thought I'd let my 'get out of jail free card' take the fall, she had another thing coming.

For now, though, I just smiled back.

This game was far from over.