At school, during break, Marlie was nervously walking around the courtyard looking for her friends. She finally spotted Axel, sitting on a bench, engrossed in a book.
She abruptly sat down next to him, which made him jump.
— "Well, hello, my lady. Are you planning to catapult me off the bench? I almost jumped up onto the roof!"
— "Ah, ah... very funny. I'm dying of laughter," she groaned. "I've been looking for you all for ages! I want to know what songs we're going to play for the concert, but there's no one there!"
Axel closed his book with a sigh.
— "Well... you can already cross Gale and Isabella off the list."
— "WHAT?!" Marlie yelled, shocked.
— "My love, just because I love you doesn't mean you can blow my eardrums out."
— "Sorry, but why?"
Axel looked away.
— "Isabella isn't well."
— "You're hiding something from me, Axel. And you know there are many ways to make someone talk. Don't make me use force."
He threw up his hands, defeated.
— "Okay, fine. Klaus tried to... rape Isabella last night."
— "WHAT!!!???," she yelled again. Heads turned around them.
Embarrassed, Marlie stood up abruptly.
— "You! Come on!" she said, grabbing Axel's arm.
They found an empty room. Marlie locked the door.
— "This is all very interesting," Axel said provocatively. "Finding yourself locked in an empty room with such a fiery woman... Are you planning on jumping me?"
— "Save your fantasies for later. Tell me everything that happened."
He did. When he finished, Marlie was livid.
— "That guy is a bastard! I already hated him for dangling lies in front of Diana, but now... trying to take advantage of Isabella?"
She walked over to him and cupped his face in her hands.
— "Why didn't you tell me about what Klaus did to you too?"
— "I was ashamed. I felt guilty. Weak."
— "But you're not. You have a heart. Unlike him."
She hugged him. Then:
"I'd like to go see Isabella, but I have to see Miria. Maybe tomorrow?"
"Okay. Maybe I'll go see her today."
"Okay. Come on, break is almost over."
She stole a quick kiss before leaving with him. They each went their separate ways...
But in the next hallway, hidden in an alcove behind a curtain of school supplies, Diana had heard everything. Silent, her face closed, she clenched her fists. Her eyes shone with suppressed rage.
Wordlessly, she turned on her heel and walked away, determined. The mask had just fallen.