"Classe, je veux que tu rencontres [U/N]. Elle est une étudiante étrangère d'Amérique qui se joindra à notre classe pendant quelques semaines, alors s'il vous plaît, bienvenue. » 

" Class, I want you to meet [U/N]. She's a foreign exchange student from America. She will be joining our class for a few weeks so please welcome her." Adrian translated quietly. He was so close I could smell the fresh scent of Adrian body spray on him.

 "It's a little embarrassing." He'd admitted, when I caught him trying to put it on in the bathroom without me noticing. "But it looks good for my Dad's company if I wear it, especially since I star in a commercial for the product."

 "What would you prefer to smell like?" I'd asked. He thought about it for a moment.

"Sort of spicy, I think, maybe mixed with peach or a little musk."

"Maybe you should suggest your Dad make something like that that you can wear."Adrian had scoffed slightly and started brushing his teeth. 

"Yeah, he's not good at listening to anyone," he said around globs of toothpaste. I tried not smirk when I saw he was brushing with Agreste Tooth Whitener. He leaned forward to spit and winced when he put weight on one foot.

"What happened to your foot?" I asked and he tried to smile. "Accidentally tripped over some stuff in my room, last night. Serves me right for not keeping it clean."

 "Speaking of last night, I can't believe you didn't hear me calling for you. Chat Noir tried to 'apologize'" I made air quotes, "but it was just an excuse to attack me." Adrian started to spit and ended up getting half on his shirt.

"Are you sure he was attacking you? Maybe he really wanted to talk."

"How would you know?" I asked, tying my hair back in a ponytail.

"Uh-it just goes against everything I know about Chat Noir. I mean, he's a hero, he doesn't attack people." Adrian insisted. I turned side to side, trying to decide how I looked in the mirror. It didn't help I looked like a cod next to Hottie McHotHot.

 "Look, it's easy to say sorry and tell the cameras you're a good guy. When I see him act like a hero, then I'll believe you." I retort. 

 I felt a poke on my shoulder and jumped, bringing myself back to the present. "[U/N], she asked you to tell the class about yourself." Adrian whispered. Ack. It was hard to think with all those pairs of eyes looking at me. 

"Uhh, hello, my name is...uh [U/N], I'm a foreign exchange student from America...which you know already because Miss Bustier just told you that..." I finished lamely.

 A girl in yellow sitting in the front row smirked. Could she understand me? Faintly, I could hear Adrian translating for me over the sound of my heart beating a cha-cha. Could everyone else hear it? Or was it just me? Once again I was unable to use A.L.F.I. to assist with translation as the Principal, Mr. Damocles had confiscated during assembly, thinking I was listening to music. 

Suddenly I realized everyone was looking at me expectantly."Oh? W-what else?" I stammered. "Umm, I live with umm-" I tried to remember the information that was on my fake bio. I'd skimmed it on the plane, but hadn't found the folder included in my recovered possessions. "My aunt," I recalled with relief, than continued with what I remembered of my fake past. "She's a school teacher so education is pretty big in my house." There was a murmur of what sounded like sympathy around the class. I'd chosen not to have any fake parents in my mission cover stories; it was easier to remember covers that were closest to the truth. If anyone asked, I would say I had lost them both when I was a baby, in a car accident. I wouldn't mention that I had never known my mother, and my Dad...I shook my head as it was filled with visions of crumbling walls, sand...and terrifying, eternal darkness."I think I'm pretty normal," I say, (except I'm not) I think. "I play video games, sports, I like to read and watch movies..." The girl in yellow fakes a yawn and starts buffing her nails. Could she be any more cliché mean girl? "That's pretty much it..." I finish.

"Bien, [U/N]," Miss Bustier said, clapping her hands, "merci beaucoup. Est-ce que quelqu'un a des questions pour elle?"

"Good, [U/N] thank you very much." Adrian translated. "Does anyone have questions for her?"

A kid with a blue shirt and red baseball cap raised his hand.

"Avez-vous rencontré des stars de cinéma?"

"That's Nino," said Adrian, "he's my bro. He's asking if you've met any movie stars."

"Oh, sorry no," I replied, "Most movie stars don't walk around the streets where I live." Or join secret agencies, I thought to myself as Adrian translated. Nino looked disappointed.

"Miss Bustier?"

The girl in yellow raised her hand.

"Peut-elle parler français?" She asked, smiling nastily.

"That's Chloe," said Adrian, looking resigned. "She wants to know if you speak any French."

I don't have to know French to know I don't like how you're looking at me, I thought.

"Il semble juste stupide de venir en France si vous ne parlez pas la langue. Va-t-elle avoir besoin d'Adrien pour traduire tout le temps qu'elle est là?" The girl in yellow asked. I saw one or two kids glare at Chloe while others looked somewhat uncomfortable. What was she saying?

"Elle est là pour apprendre, Chloé, comme tout le monde." Miss Bustier seemed to say firmly.

"Et je serai heureux de traduire pour elle tant qu'elle étudie à Paris" Adrian added. I looked back and forth between the three of them, but Adrian was not translating what was being said. Chloe did not seem to like Adrian's response – whatever it was – but Miss Bustier smiled.

"Merci Adrian, c'est très gentil" she said. "Maintenant, si vous deux preniez vos places, j'aimerais commencer notre leçon d'histoire."

I tapped Adrian on the shoulder as we took our seats.

"Mind telling me what was going on back there?" I asked. Adrian looked embarrassed.

"Oh...Chloe doesn't mean any harm...she just doesn't understand how someone could come here without knowing French."

I glanced in Chloe's direction. She sent me a stink eye that would put a skunk to shame. I was pretty sure some of that animosity was not because of my language barrier.

"Well, it's lucky you're here, Adrian." I put a hand briefly on Adrian's shoulder, knowing Chloe was watching and pretty sure it would make her even angrier. (It didn't hurt he also had some decent muscle hidden under that shirt.) "I would've been lost without you."

"Adrian Agreste, translator at your service," he said with a smile and a half bow. Something about the smile seemed familiar, but I couldn't place it.

The day went smoothly until lunchtime, when Natalie came to pick up Adrian for a photo shoot.

"Don't worry," he said, "I'll be back before classes start again."

Unfortunately, he wasn't.

As I sat at my lunch table, waiting for Adrian and watching the students file into their classrooms, Chloe and a girl with red hair approached me.

"Aww, poor stupid American girl doesn't have Adrikins to help her understand French?" Chloe asked in a sing-song voice. I glared at her. I knew she could understand me!

"You know, if the stupid American girl is nice to Chloe and does her bidding for the whole day, maybe Chloe will help with translations so she understands what's going on around her."

"Do you always refer to yourself in the third person?" I ask, and she looks irritated.

"Stupid American shouldn't talk to Chloe like that unless she wants to pack up and go home. Which would be wise, since she doesn't belong here, taking up time with Adrikins that should be spent with me." She dumped a large stack of books on the table. "Here, I'll forgive you speaking out of place if you carry my books all day."

I smiled sweetly at Chloe and shoved everything off the table onto the ground.

"Carry your books yourself, you bi***, I'll never be your slave."

"How dare you!" Chloe shrieks, stamping her foot. "Wait until my father hears about this!" She says, pulling out her phone and hitting speed dial.

"Arrête, Chloé!" says a voice from behind me.

I turn and see a slight girl with dark pigtails and pink pants. Chloe stops dialing and scowls, hands on her hips.

"Marinette Dupain-Cheng, occupe-toi de tes oignons!"

"En tant que représentant de classe, ceci est mon affaire." Marinette says, folding her arms across her chest. "Laissez-la tranquille, Chloé, je prends la responsabilité pour elle maintenant." Marinette says in a firm voice. Chloe looks like she wants to throw a tantrum but she finally tosses her head and stomps away, her minion in tow.

The girl, Marinette smiled at me and held out her phone. Speaking clearly into the phone, she says, "Bonjour, je m'appelle Marinette. Je vais aider à traduire jusqu'à ce qu'Adrien revienne."

The phone makes a noise, then an automated voice says:

"Hello, My name is Marinette. I will help with translating until Adrien comes back."

I regarded her cautiously. She seemed nice, I remember she'd sat behind me class, and looked at Adrian with a mix of awe and hero worship that was really obvious to everyone (except Adrian) but other than that, I hadn't really noticed her. On the other hand, I still had my student ID with the diamond edging and card reader in my pocket. I could wait until the Principal left his office, break in and get A.L.F.I. back.

"I'm sorry about Chloe." Translated the automated voice. "I know I can't translate like Adrien, but you can sit next to Alya and I during class and use my phone as long as you use headphones."

I pick up the phone and switch the translation to English to French.

"Are you doing this to be nice or because you have a crush on Adrian and want to get on his good side?" I ask. Marinette turns bright pink when the phone translates and shakes her head vigorously in denial.

"Look," I continue, "you seem cool, but I don't want you doing me any favors just so you look good to Adrian, I can manage on my own." I hand the phone back to her and start to walk away.

"[U/N]!!!" Marinette calls after me. I turn as she runs up.

"My personal feelings for Adrian are..." She turns bright red but continues, "not why I want to help. Chloe was being rude and you don't deserve that. Adrian is not here, it is my job as class representative to make you feel welcome."

"Swinging in like a superhero to save me, are you?" I ask, teasing. The phone beeps.

"Unclear. Please repeat."

"Never mind." I mutter.

"So, do you agree to come to class with me?" Marinette asks. "We should hurry, we are already late."

I hesitate, than nod. Worse case scenario, I could always sneak out and break into the Principal's office later.

Marinette gestured to me to follow, and we run to the classroom. As we reach the door, Marinette hesitates.

"What's wrong?" I start to ask but she shakes her head and puts a finger to her lips, pointing at the doorknob. I touch it gingerly, the knob seems to be covered with a sticky substance.

Marinette quietly turns the knob and eases the door open. The classroom is covered with the same sticky substance as the doorknob, but it is spun into ropes as well that criss-cross over the ceiling.

Something catches my eye and I nudge Marinette, pointing upwards. We take a few steps into the room. The entire class is hanging from the ceiling in cocoons like giant caterpillars!

I take a look around. There's nothing and no one in sight, whoever did this must be looking for more victims. I gesture to Marinette and we move toward the closest cocoon and start tearing at the sticky webbing.

A shadow blocks the light coming in through the door and we spin around in panic. A giant insect/person smiles at us rubbing two of her hands together in anticipation; her hairy body blocking the only exit. Marinette's phone must've still been in translation mode because her grating voice is translated a second after she speaks and I hear:

"I see two more subjects to be added to my Swarm. Don't worry my darlings, there's plenty of room for both of you."