Part 4: Secret identities.

                                    

                                          


Since the attack had been focused on Alya, Marinette had insisted she stayed the night with her. Confused about her discovery she couldn't think, she couldn't process at all. So, she just accepted.
A second later the penny dropped and she figured out Marinette was Ladybug. Everybody knew Ladybug and Chat Noir were a couple. And the way Chat Noir and Marinette had talked and kissed left little doubts about their relationship.
How could she had missed all the signs? Little wonder Marinette had wanted Alya to drop her investigation!
With thoughts swirling around her head, she stayed up most of the night.
                          
The next morning she managed to leave the Dupain-Cheng house before anyone had gotten up. It was an unusually cold and cloudy morning. Walking slowly she made her way to their school. 
                          
Nino, on his side, had experienced a similar night. Adrien had him sleeping over at the Agreste mansion. Nino too had been up all night, wondering about his best friends powers. Was Adrien an alien? A wizard? More than once he almost woke Adrien up to ask him. Even though he completely understood Adrien, he couldn't help feeling hurt about not having been trusted with such secret. Secrets like that could be such a burden if not shared with someone and it's not as if they hadn't shared secrets before. 
                          
It was still dark when he sneaked out. He wondered if Marinette knew. He wanted to respect his friend's privacy, but at the same time he wanted to let him know he was cool with it and that he could be trusted, he would never tell a soul. He sat on his seat at their classroom, thinking about ways to approach the subject when he noticed Chloé on her seat, working on her hair. He rolled his eyes and went back to his thoughts. 
                          
An instant later he saw what looked like a zombie slowly entering the classroom. For a second he felt fear, but then his mouth dropped open. Hair all made a big mess, glasses tilted, arms hanging down and a school bag being dragged behind her. Even Chloé stopped grooming herself to stare in disbelief at the sight of Alya. She made it to her seat and dropped herself hard on it. Slowly she turned her head towards Nino.
                          
"Mmmhh... You look just about the way I feel." She said. 
                          
He was flabbergasted, he just nodded. She then noticed his attention shift besides her. She turned and saw Chloé studying her.
                          
"Oh no Cesaire. This," She said moving her open hand all over in front of Alya. "can't be allowed to happen. Let me work my magic on you." She said starting to work on Alya's hair.
                          
Alya groaned. "You spend your free time figuring out ways to annoy me, right Chloé?" 
                          
Not feeling strong enough, she just let Chloé continue what she was doing.
                          
"What?" Chloé laughed out loud. "Do you really believe that from this... this goddess of beauty and love? Come on. That's ridiculous, utterly... ridiculous." 
                          
"Ugh! Heaven, give me patience." She muttered to herself and then added in normal voice. "Chloé, beauty is subjective and temporal, ok? And, goddess of love? A. Who do you think you're kidding? And B. Love doesn't exist girl. It's just human chemistry. Hormones."
                          
"Oh, Nino. You lucky boy." Chloé said, spraying some product on her hands and combing Alya's hair with it.
                          
Alya turned and saw him with a sad expression on his face. 
                          
"Cheer up honey shell. You know my hormones flow only for you." Alya said, making him smile with a peak on his cheek. 
                          
"Ew." Chloé said. "Ok, done. But, do come to my place this afternoon. Your hair could use some highlights." And she went back to her seat without waiting for an answer.
                          
Alya rolled her eyes and chuckled. 
                          
"I won't admit it to her, or i would never be able to take her out of my hair, but... she didn't do a bad job at all." She whispered to Nino, looking at her reflection in her mirror.