A/N: here is a little present for you guys! i haven't drawn in a few months, but I hope you guys like it!

-

The year I was eleven, I lost my support system.

"You're leaving?" I asked, leaning my back against his, and he sighed. 

"Mom wants to go on this trip, Juleka doesn't want to go so she's staying here with dad. I don't want her to be upset if neither of us want to go..."

"I understand," I nod, "I'm just going to miss you."

He turned, making me lose my balance at him moving out of the way. Regaining my balance, I sat up and looked over at him, and saw his face flushed as he looked at me with surprise.

"What?"

"I don't think I've ever heard you say something so caring before."

"I have no idea what you're talking about, I'm the most caring person in the world."

He laughed, shaking his head, his black hair ruffling with the motion, before smiling at me, "I'll miss you too, Marinette."

"How long are you going to be gone?"

"Three years, give or take."

"Three years?!" I echoed, furrowing my brows, "When do you leave? What are you going to do about school?"

"I leave in a week, and I'll be home schooled."

"That's...that's still a long time."

"Yes...I hope that when I return," he leans closer, resting his forehead on mine, "you're hearts' song will not be as sad."

I closed my eyes, "I hope so, too, Luka."

-

I easily threw my hair into a low bun, as it reached down to my shoulder blades when let down, I was determined to let it grow out. I didn't want to be like the original Marinette, and while I was already well on the way of straying from how she was, having short hair was something she had, having them in two pig tails constantly-

And I didn't want that.

Looking in the mirror, I frowned at my preteen body, I was definitely getting taller, my baby fat slowly turning into muscle from dance. I squinted, and brought my hands up to squeeze-

"Crap, I'm getting boobs," I groaned, and hit my head against the mirror. "Which means I'm closer to starting my menstrual cycle. This sucks."

"What does, sweetie?" my mother asks and I look at her reflection in the mirror.

"I'm growing fat sacks on my chest and I'm not prepared to wear a bra." Dropping what she was holding, which happened to be a tray of food, and I hiss, "Aish! Mama!" Turning in despair at the mess of cookies and milk on the floor.

"My baby girl is growing up," she sobbed and suddenly, my face was being squashed into her bosom.

"Mom, mom, calm down. Breathe," I soothed, patting her back, "It was bound to happen, no matter how much I dread the day I start my period."

She wailed harder, and dad came running up the stairs.

"What's going on?! Why is Mama crying?!"

"She's crying because I'm growing boobs and am closing in on the arrival of my period."

His eyes widened, before he starting crying as well, and scooping both of us up into his arms. I sighed, patting both of them.

"She's only eleven!" Papa wailed, "Stop growing, please!"

"Don't ask for the impossible, papa."

"Mari!"

"This family moment is nice and everything, but can it end?"

Dad cried harder.

-

"Marinette, did you hear?" Rose bounced, her long hair flopping around with her, "There's a new student! It's a girl!"

"Whoopee," I droned with disinterest, flipping through my Korean Learning book. I already new French, English, and Chinese, so why not add on, right?

"It's no secret who it is, Rose," Juleka droned, "it's only been broadcast on every channel for the past week."

"Wait," I paused, glancing up at them, "why would a kid transferring to our school be so important as to be on every channel?"

"You mean you haven't seen it?" Rose asked, tilting her head. My mind goes through memories of playing video games with dad, but never actually watching TV. Huh, I guess I was always doing something to preoccupy my attention to pay attention that.

"I don't watch much television."

"I'm no surprised, with how many books you have your nose stuck in," Juleka teased, and I pursed my lips. "It's the mayor's daughter."

My eyes widened, "Chloe Bourgeois is coming to our school."

"Yeah, she's actually in our-"

"Mary-netty?" I scowled at the familiar voice, turning around to meet a disgusted blonde. "What are you doing here?"

"Getting an education," I crossed my arms, carefully keeping my place in my book with my finger, "which I can see you haven't been getting, since you pronounced my name incorrectly- again."

Her face flushed, in what I'm guessing is both embarrassment and anger, "Just wait until I tell my father about this!"

"Go ahead," I shrugged, turning away and going back to my book, "he usually doesn't last long with my arguments."

"You-"

"Oh, Miss Bourgeois, you're here! Good, let's get you to a seat so we can start class!" Miss Bustier greeted as she walked in, and rushed everyone to their seats. I sat at the way back, next to Nathaniel who doodled on the top corner of his paper before Miss Bustier started her lesson.

"Alright, class, as you all may know, Chloe is our new classmate! I expect everyone to be a friendly neighbor- yes, Marinette, I'm looking at you-" I huffed, looking away and out the window, "and welcome her to our class."

"Do you know her?" Nathaniel leaned over to ask, very quietly as Miss Bustier was started talking about- about something. 

"Unfortunately," I mumbled, "we've never gotten along."

"I can tell," he chuckled before going quiet, attentively listening to the lecture, and I leaned my cheek on my palm, deciding to put in an effort to at least make it look like I care about the lesson.

I bit my lip as I thought about how Chloe and I met, all those years ago, when my parents had taken a trip and leaving me in the care of the Agreste family. Being taken to a sophisticated day care and Adrien choosing me over Chloe was something I shouldn't have been so smug about back then.

Closing my eyes, feeling the sting of tears.

I had accepted what happened, but it didn't make it hurt less.