Miraculous Chat Noir and Ladybug does not belong to me.

This story was inspired by the song "Cage of Lies" by SDMS & Bran.

Cage Of Lies:

People tend to eat up negative things about others than positives. That was always known about humankind. What I didn't expect was my friends eating up all the fake trash thrown about me.

And that's how I'm like this. Akumatized. Alone. Which leads me to say this. Did they deserve what they were going to get? Of course they did. But you probably don't believe me like most of the other people in my life. Perhaps it would help if I started close to the beginning. What really happened.

"Wake up, Marinette! It's time for school!" Tikki shouted in my ear. She was trying to be happy and normal for me. The past few days have been quite hard. I rolled over in my bed.

"Oh, Marinette. I know school is tough these days, but look on the brighter side. I'm sure a few people know the truth about this" Tikki assured.

"Yah. None of which, who want to help me expose her or help me stand up to her" I muttered.

"I'm sure they have the best interest at heart"

It was obvious we were both talking about Adrien. And Tikki was right. Adrien was truly trying to help me. Adrien doesn't mean any harm. But perhaps he was giving her too much credit? Sometimes he acts like he completely understands what I'm going through. Other times, he acts like I'm so strong and I have to keep up the facade. I'm human, though. One day, I have to tell him that I can't keep living like this.

I slowly got up from my bed and started my day. I thought back to the time before this:

Lila has been keeping her promise. It was subtle changes at first. First, she would tell them things that would enrapture them. Then she would drop little noticeable negative things about me. Like how clumsy I am. Or how I overreacted over simple things. It doesn't seem mean at first, just attentive. It still hurts when my friends agree so blatantly.

It's gotten worse, however. They invite us Lila to come hangout with us. Which would have been fine if it weren't for them listening to Lila all day long. The hangouts stopped being fun for the group. Or for just me.

So perhaps, it was my fault for starting to act distant and missing some of the hangouts. I started to leave early for every hangout that Lila came to. Except for the ones that we would help the community. It was those times which I stayed over for the whole entire time. No one really seemed to think anything about me leaving early. That, however, was more than enough time for Lila to cast spells on my friends' minds.

Or people who I used to call my friends.

Abruptly, I stopped getting invites to spend time with them. When I texted all of them (even Lila), to talk or do something at a place, they always said that they were busy. It seemed like a reasonable excuse.

But that's all it was.

An excuse.

Some days later, I went to the Eiffel Tower for inspiration. When I was going back home, that was when I noticed them.

There they were. Rose, Juleka, Mylene, Alix, Alya, and Lila. They were all there (minus Chloe and Sabrina). They were at a cafe that we all had once gone to. Enraptured by what Lila was saying, they never noticed when I passed by them. I hid by an apartment building. At first, I was mad. No. FURIOUS. But then the anger dispelled as another thought invaded her brain.

Maybe the idea was hope. After all, Lila was not one to be underestimated. Perhaps, Lila had somehow gotten ahold of their phones and she was the one who never invited her over. Or maybe the girls were told that she was busy by the nasty little liar. Yes. That was it. They weren't ditching her.

But just to be sure…

I texted Rose on the spot. As the text was being delivered, I looked up from my phone to watch Rose's reaction to my message. I watched as Rose took out her phone to check the incoming text. She paled. My heart dropped. Rose announced "Guys, she texted me again". They all stopped talking. Alya looked between them and nodded.

"Do what you have to do," she said.

I checked my texts as she replied back saying that she couldn't arrive to my house to hang out because she was at Juleka's. I had to cover my mouth to prevent sobbing out loud. How long had this been going on? Talking behind her back? Acting like they were still her friends? Going out without her? Lying right to her? Was Alya seriously taking Lila's side?

I wanted to run away as far as I could and never return. Turn invisible so that I could finally see the truth of how they actually were. I shook myself. No. I had run away from the problem for far too long. I would tell them the cold, hard truth. Right to their face.

I smoothed my clothes. I wiped my face. I took a deep breath and strolled out from my hiding spot. It wasn't until I pulled up a chair to the table and sat down that they finally realized that I was there. Everyone at the table started.

"Marinette! W-what are you doing here?" Rose asked.

"Oh. Nothing much. I went to the Eiffel Tower to get some inspiration. I have to ask the same question to you, Rose. What are you doing here? I thought you were hanging out at Juleka's?"

Rose looked away. Trying to hide her discomfort from the confrontation. With what? Telling a lie? Talking to me?

"Unless you guys met by accident, which I would find hard to believe, I don't understand why you would all be here" I said, while trying to act oblivious to the situation.

"Wait," I gasped, dramatically, "Don't tell me you all lied to me?"

While others looked away shamefully, Alya looked straight at my face.

"Yes," she replied.

"Why? Why did you lie to me? How long have you lied to my face?" I asked everyone, but mostly to Alya since she seems to be brave enough to answer me.

"We've been lying to you since you've started leaving early from our hangouts. And you have the nerve to ask why? Because you've been avoiding us. You've been avoiding us ever since Lila joined us" Alya said.

"That's a lie. I haven't been avoiding you at all. I have asked all of you to come over multiple times. It seems like you all are avoiding me instead" I growled.

"That's because you aren't accepting Lila as a friend. You need to start treating her as an equal, Marinette"

"I will NEVER accept her as a friend, until she stops lying" I retorted.

"Again with the lies. How can you be so sure that she lies? Would you just start looking over the fact that you like Adrien and Lila seems like a potential rival?" Alya asked.

"I have evidence that she lies, Alya. And Adrien has nothing to do with this"

"Oh really? Adrien has nothing to do with it?,"Alya said, obviously looking over the fact that Marinette had said that she had evidence

"Yes"

Alya stared at me, glaring at my very soul. Waiting for me to break.

I don't.

Alya talks first, "Look Marinette, you are over need to let this go"

"I'm sorry? What did you say? I'm "overreacting"? Are you serious, Alya? You know what. I don't care. I just need to know who's side you are on right now. Who do you believe? Who do you trust? Me or Lila? Your best friend or the girl you met a few months ago?" I asked, not able to wait any longer. I needed to know if she even had the benefit of the doubt over me.

Without even a moment's hesitation, Alya picked up a macaron from the table and gave it to me. For a happy second, I thought she was choosing me, but then…

"Maybe after you apologize to Lila, I'll become your friend again, Marinette"

I saw Lila's twisted smile from my peripheral vision.

The memory of me sharing a macaron with Alya flashed in my brain. This time it was tinted yellow. As if to say that it's part of history now. That this chapter of my story was over.

And it was.