Listen Instead of Lie

This is based off a prompt by @miraculousfanworks that I was tagged in by @vixen-uchiha a while back. Sorry it took so long for me to get to it! Hope this was worth the wait!

What happens if Lila tries to lie about MDC, when the class already knows who MDC is? The end of the liar’s reign happens.

Marinette had been making quite the name for herself in the fashion world. Ever since she made the sunglasses for Jagged, he kept asking her for more pieces every few months. He also made sure to brag on Marinette every chance he got, using her pseudonym, MDC. Soon other major celebrities had commissioned her work and were also raving about the talented young designer. She was quickly becoming a household name, or at least her pseudonym was. Marinette wanted to stay relatively anonymous for now, for a few reasons, Lila being chief among them. She worried that if the liar knew about her success, she would try to destroy it. She also didn’t want to be hounded for her work for now. So she resolved to use the name MDC until she graduated at least.

As the whole world was talking about her designs, no one knew who MDC actually was. That is, except for her class. Marinette had been using MDC for all of her designs for years, ever since they had known her. So naturally, they all knew who this ‘mysterious new designer’ was. They were very happy for their friend and her success. While they didn’t get why Marinette didn’t tell the world who she was (after all, who wouldn’t want to have this kind of spotlight), they did respect her wishes, and made sure not to slip up and mention her actual name in public. However, when it was just the class, they would gush about Marinette and her latest designs, always impressed with their friend’s work. Maybe if Lila had listened to her friends talk, instead of always make the conversation about her lies, then maybe she wouldn’t have made such a stupid mistake.

MDC was now a major player in the fashion industry and was even going to be featured at the next Paris Fashion Week and the class couldn’t be happier for their friend. The class decided that they wanted to throw Marinette a small party, nothing too crazy, but they wanted to congratulate her. The next morning, they arrived at school and when they went in the classroom, they saw Lila walking from the back of the classroom where Marinette was sitting towards the front to her desk. Lila went to greet the class with a sweet smile plastered on her face, but the class just continued towards Marinette. Lila hated the class even looking at Marinette. And she would put a stop to it. As Lila approached the group, she heard Alya say, “Marinette! We saw the latest news about MDC and we wanted to tell you-” But before Alya could finish her thought, Lila jumped in. If she had listened to what Alya was saying, she may have thought again about what she was going to say. But she was so focused on getting the attention off Marinette and back on to her, that she went to her usual plan. Lie. But this time that was the worst thing she could have done.

“Oh Alya! You all are talking about MDC?” Alya turned back to Lila with a smile, slightly irritated though that she had been interrupted. “Oh yeah, we were just going to tell Marinette-” Lila cut her off again. “Oh MDC is such a sweetheart. We actually met at the Milan Fashion Week, before she used MDC as her name. MDC are the initials of her mother who got her into fashion. Its her way of honoring her mother. I was so happy to hear she will be at the Paris Fashion Week, maybe I could introduce you all and get us tickets to her show? And Marinette, maybe she could give you some pointers on how to break into the fashion world?” Lila put on her best shy smile and waited for the class to gush about how awesome that would be, and how sweet Lila is. But that never came. Instead the class was staring at her in shock and anger.

“Lila? What are you talking about? Why are you lying?” Alya asked, hoping maybe she had misunderstood Lila, though she didn’t see how she could have. “What are you talking about? I’m not lying! I’ve known MDC for years, we are very good friends.” Lila immediately got defensive. Nino spoke up, saying “That isn’t possible.” Lila, forgetting to appear sweet and nice, snapped at Nino. “And why is that Nino?” Marinette stood up from her desk. “Because I am MDC.” Lila scoffed. “Do you guys actually believe her? She is obviously lying for attention since her fashion business isn’t doing as well. You should be ashamed Marinette, taking credit from a hard working designer! I thought you were better than that!” Lila expected the class to drop the conversation. They always did when this happened, if only to keep the peace. But they just doubled down. Alya walked towards Lila, furious that this girl had been lying to them, likely since she joined the class. “Marinette isn’t lying. She is MDC. And if you hadn’t interrupted me earlier, and listened, you would have heard us congratulate her for her success. She has used those initials for years for her fashion. MDC stands for Marinette Dupain-Cheng. You haven’t been friends with her for years, and you certainly haven’t been friends since you got here!” Lila was backed into a corner. She had no way out of this.

The class started yelling as they realized that not only did Lila try to lie about Marinette as MDC, but had likely been lying to them the whole time. Lila couldn’t lie her way out of this one. So she ran. She ran out of the school and all the way home. The class continued with the celebration, congratulating Marinette and then treating her to a picnic in the park after school to celebrate. They had a great time, and went their separate ways that night, glad to not only have congratulated their friend, but defended her from a liar.

Later that night, Lila would convince her mother to send her back to Italy, saying that she was scared of the akumas and didn’t want to stay in Paris. Lila wished she didn’t have to leave Paris, but her mother wouldn’t just let her transfer to another school in Paris. And she couldn’t risk transferring to a new school in the city and then Mrs. Bustier’s class spreading the word that she is a liar. Lila knew that if she just asked her mom to transfer because she didn’t like her school, her mom would say to tough it out and not let her transfer. But if she was too scared to stay in Paris entirely? Her mother would listen. So, Lila reluctantly left Paris behind and returned to Italy. She would be living with her grandparents until a new school, likely a boarding school since her grandparents couldn’t care for her long term, could be found. Lila sat on the plane to Italy, lamenting her mistakes in Mrs. Bustier’s class. If only she had listened more than she lied.