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“Hey Dude, you good?” Nino was staring at me with an odd look on his face. “You look like just ate something sour.”
I sighed, letting out a long breath. “Yeah bro, I’m fine.” What else could I really say, ‘No, no I’m not okay, I’m a complete idiot whose been in love with one of your best friends for years and never realised and yet she seems to hate me’. Not exactly Monday morning conversation was it?
“Whoa, I know that look, what’s your old man done this time?” It was no secret that Nino was not Gabriel Agreste’s biggest fan. At all.
“What? Nothing. It’s not my father.” I responded. Why were feelings even a thing? I spend years getting over one amazing girl who didn’t see me like that, only to fall head of heels for another girl who doesn’t even like me. I mean Marinette barely spoke to me. She’d just stutter out a response to whatever I asked and rush off. Granted she spoke to me a lot more nowadays, but not like she would with Nino and Alya. No one else had the same problem either, everyone else held decent conversations with her and voted her one of the best people to talk to if you had issues. Or they did, before Lila came along.
“Then what is it Dude, we’re best bros you know you can tell me anything, right?”
“Yeah, yeah of course I do.” I paused, not really sure how best to broach the topic. “It’s just that I’ve been an idiot, like a complete moron and there’s nothing I can do.” Really what could I do. I’d fallen for Marinette without even realising it, and then left her alone to face Lila all because my father wanted me to keep the liar happy. At least she knew I supported her and that I knew the truth I guess.
“What’ve you done now, Adrien?” Alya laughed walking in, before bending to kiss Nino good morning and handing him a thermos of what smelt like coffee.
“Thanks babe,” he greeted taking a sip. I couldn’t help looking on in envy, coffee was not permitted in my diet, something about becoming addicted and reliant on the stuff and developing under eye bags or some other nonsense that made it inappropriate for Gabriel’s top young model and face of the brand to consume.
“Nothing,” I started before sighing. Maybe Alya could tell me what I’d done to offend Marinette. “I just don’t know what I did to offend Marinette. I mean, I apologised for the whole gum incident and she seemed to forgive me at the time, but maybe not. But then she’s the kindest person I know and has a literal heart of gold and forgives literally everyone no matter how much they offend her. It’s just she’s so kind and loving and beautiful, but she hates me and I don’t know what to do because I like her a lot and really value her time and friendship but if I ever want her to like me like I lo- like her then I need to know what I did so I can make it up to her, right? So you see that’s the problem and I don’t know what to do so I guess I’m just doomed to be miserable.” I rambled, taking a breath and looking up at my two best friends, bar Ladybug of course. Only then did I notice the shock on their faces, Alya had her mouth hanging open as she gaped at me.
“Hang on Dude, do you like, like Marinette?” Nino questioned, still looking absolutely gobsmacked.
“Christ, is that so hard to believe. Yes, I like, like Marinette. I have for a while. I guess I just never fully noticed how I didn’t feel for her what I feel for you guys. Like it was never just friendship, it was totally more than that, and now I feel like a complete idiot. Once again falling for a girl who just doesn’t like me like that, or at all in this case.”
“Oh my god, this is that best day ever!” Alya shrieked, I looked up in shock, was she serious? I just spilled my guts about my feelings and she was rejoicing in my pain. Looking at me and apparently noticing my shock, she quickly interrupted my confusion.
“Adrien,” she started slowly. “Marinette doesn’t hate you. She’s been in love with you since the first day you gave her your umbrella. Do you know how many times I’ve watched my girl try to confess? Too many.”
“She loves me?” I’m pretty sure my brain had stopped working. I actually had a chance? More than a chance if Alya was to be believed. “Since the first day?”
“Yes Adrien since the first day,” Alya giggled. “This means my ship can finally sail, Adrienette is a go. I can’t wait to tell the girls about- oh God, you can’t tell Marinette I told you, she swore me to secrecy. You can’t tell her Adrien; she can be ruthless.” Alya shuddered, actually shuddered.
“Huh, Marinette? Ruthless? Are we on about the same Marinette? She doesn’t have a single ruthless bone in her body. She’s all sunshine and kindness.” I sighed lovingly, she really was incredible.
“She withholds food Adrien, food. As in Dupain-Cheng bakery food. Ring any bells?”
“Oh.” I realised the issue, her croissants were heaven in a bite. “So I should tell her how I feel then?”
“Yeah Dude!”
“Yes!” Both yelled.
“Alright, I’ll tell her today.” I resolved. Marinette could be my girlfriend by the end of the day. I could take her out for Andre’s sweethearts ice-cream and take her fabric shopping. I know how much she loves designing. I could buy her all the fabric she wanted and then walk with her in the Luxembourg Gardens as we shared ice-cream and held hands. Maybe I could even kiss her at the end of the night. I dreamily let out a breath. I couldn’t wait for her to arrive. It would be prefect.
“You can take her on a date tonight, ooh ooh, how about a picnic in the park, that’d be so romantic. Or the cinema. Or even the ice rink, you could teach her to skate, I bet she’d love that.” Alya continued to suggest date ideas as the warning bell rang.
Marinette stumbled in holding coffee in one hand and a pale green bakery box in the other. Her hair was down, and she was wearing a cute crop top that showed off her toned stomach. God she was so perfect. My eyes followed her to the back of the room as she took her seat while everyone shuffled into the right seats so that Mme Bustier could start her lesson.
Mme Bustier was discussing the themes present in Victor Hugo’s Les Misérables, but all I could focus on was how I was going to ask Marinette out later on. Alya said she was quite the romantic, so I could wait till tomorrow so I could pick up some chocolates and flowers. Then on the other hand, I really loved her and Alya said she loved me too so why wait? I could get her flowers for the date instead.
I continued to plan our date for the first three hours barely paying attention to geography and physics. Even my favourite subject couldn’t hold my attention when Marinette was sat behind me looking so perfect. Mme Mendeleiev was in the middle of explaining simple harmonic motion when the lunch bell rang.
“Alright class, it seems I lost track of time. Please hand in your homework as you leave, we will finish this discussion tomorrow morning in your lesson.” Mme Mendeleiev announced as the class began to shuffle towards the door. For once Marinette seemed to spring up and was racing out the classroom, not waiting even for Alya. Shoving my notes into my bag, I chased after her passing Nino, Alya and Lila on the way out. “See you guys in a bit, wish me luck.” I yelled as I ran past them. Distantly I heard Lila ask Alya what was happening, not wanting to hear what she would say about the situation I was out the door and after Marinette.
Rounding the corner to the courtyard I could see Marinette racing down the steps towards the entrance. “Marinette, wait up!” I yelled trying to catch her up. Where could she be going in such a rush? Hearing me, she paused turning towards me.
“Oh hi Adrien, I’m kind of in a rush at the moment. I have to help my parents at the bakery, there’s a huge order we have to deliver as well as the lunchtime rush. Could this wait till later I really must be off, sorry?” She apologised quickly, before turning around and hasting out the door.
“Oh, sure,” I mumbled dejectedly after her retreating figure. I guess I’d have to ask her later. Heading back to the cafeteria in slightly lower spirits, I headed over to our table.
“So, how’d it go?” Ally questioned, noticing me arrive.
“She had to head off,” I mumbled. “I’ll have to ask her later.” Sitting down I dug into my lunch and focused on later, more specifically on my conversation with Marinette later. I was brought out of my musings by Lila’s rather loud exclamations about her dating life. Obviously hearing about my feelings for Marinette she’d focused on someone else for once, not clinging to my arm as I sat down which was a pleasant change.
“I mean I shouldn’t tell you guys this, but you’re my best friends so I know you’ll keep it quiet, but you guys know how when I was in Gotham earlier this year I reconnected with my childhood friend Damian Wayne. Well we’ve been face timing all the time, and yesterday he asked me out.” She squealed. I mean, was she serious? Dating Damian Wayne, she’d been hanging off my arm for weeks and now she was in a relationship with the youngest Wayne? I had to fight to hide my scoff.
“Girl seriously?” Alya yelled. “This is the juiciest gossip in forever. Don’t worry though girl, we can all keep a secret.”
I tuned out the rest of the conversation, waiting for Marinette to arrive for our afternoon lessons. Turns out I was waiting in anticipation for nothing because Marinette only arrived back in time for the warning bell, slipping back into her seat at the back ready for our afternoon lectures.
The rest of the day dragged, from art, to French and finally arriving at maths to finish the day. I was counting down the minutes as Mme Mendeleiev droned on about finding integrating factors and the reverse chain rule. I kept looking at Marinette, watching her focus solely on the problem in front of her. Her tongue stuck out in concentration as she scribbled her answers down. Maybe I could appreciate maths more if Marinette always looked this cute in the lessons.
By the time the lesson was over I was practically bouncing in my seat in nerves and excitement. Packing up my stuff I headed out the door to wait for Marinette in the corridor. Coming out the classroom she smiled at me.
“Hey Adrien, sorry about earlier, the bakery just gets super hectic when we have big orders. What did you want to talk about?” She explained as we walked together towards the entrance.
“Oh yeah, no stress Marinette. It’s so kind of you to help your parents out when they need it. It’s just that, well,” I started, suddenly feeling quite nervous. “Well, it’s just we’ve always been good friends right?”
“Of course,” she responded, but her smile looked a bit more forced. It must have meant she really did feel differently about me if friendship wasn’t quite what she felt. Alya must have been right. My confidence boosted, I carried on.
“Well, I’ve been thinking a lot lately and I realised that I really appreciate your friendship, but then how I feel about your friendship isn’t like what I feel about Nino’s friendship, right?”
“Of course, Nino is your best friend. I get that Adrien, don’t worry.” She smiled at me as we walked out the entrance. The sound of traffic reaching our ears, as a motorbike came roaring down the road.
“No, yeah of course. It’s just that I’ve realised that I actually like you as more than-” I was cut off as she squealed and went racing down the steps. Shocked I watched as a tall, dark haired guy climbed off the bike and removed his helmet. Marinette was flying towards him as she ran down the steps and launched herself into his arms. He caught her as she wrapped her legs around his waist.
My heart dropped to my stomach as he buried his face in her hair and mumbled, “Hello Angel.” His voice tender as she clung to him. Letting her down, she stepped away from him and smiled widely, looking like the sun lit up from within her.
“Dami,” she grinned. “I had no idea you were coming. Why didn’t you tell me?”
“That’s because I wanted to surprise you Angel.” He smiled widely at her. My heart ached as I watched, surely they were just friends. Alya said Marinette had been in love with me for years and she was her best friend. Alya would have known about this guy if he was important to Marinette.
“Marinette,” Speak of the devil, Alya appeared beside me at the top of the stairs. “Who is that?” She questioned, confusion clear in her voice.
Marinette spun around her smile dropping slightly as she looked at us. She grabbed ‘Dami’s’ hand and tugged him forward to stand beside her. His grin dropped as he looked at us in what looked a lot like disgust, but that made no sense, we’d never even met this guy.
“Alya, Adrien, this is Damian,” she introduced him lovingly. This wasn’t good, she clearly liked this guy even if he didn’t feel the same way.
“Okay, but how do you even know the guy and why don’t I know about him?” Alya questioned, clearly confused as her voice took on her reporter’s intrigued lilt.
“We met when I went to Gotham a couple of years ago with my uncle. We’ve stayed in contact ever since. I mean, we don’t really talk as much anymore Alya, so I guess it never came up.” Marinette trailed off, her smile disappearing completely as she finished. Damian still looked disgusted. I could feel my hackles raising as I stared at the guy. I had no reason to like him either.
“What do you mean, Marinette? Of course we’re best friends. I’d know about this guy,” she gestured to Damian, “if he was important to you. Anyway, what about Adrien? You’ve loved him for years, since that first day.”
“What? No, Alya. I used to think I loved Adrien. Yeah I had a huge crush on him, but that was years ago now.” I swear my heart clean stopped as she spoke. She used to love me. Used to being the key words. How had I missed such an amazing girl loving me?
“No, Marinette. That’s crazy you obviously must still have feelings for Adrien. We’ve been planning for you guys to get together for years. I’d know if you stopped loving him. This is ridiculous.”
“No Alya. If you stopped hanging out with Lila all the time and actually took the time to ask me, you’d know I stopped liking Adrien ages ago. Years ago to be exact, ever since Lila arrived to be honest.” Mari’s eyes were hard as she spoke and she clung to Damian’s hand. Internally I was having a meltdown. Marinette didn’t like me, like at all. How had this happened without anyone realising? We would have been perfect together. There was still hope. She had loved me before she could love me again, right?
“Don’t blame this on Lila, Marinette,” Alya snapped. “I get that you’re jealous of her feelings for Adrien, but you still love him. I know you do, you have to. You and Adrien are end game. Adrienette remember?” Alya seemed almost frantic at this point. The need in her voice almost matching the distress I was feeling.
“I certainly hope not,” Damian spoke for the first time, addressing Alya. He was scowling at us both intensely. “Especially considering Marinette is my fiancé,” he announced proudly, holding up Marinette’s hand to showcase the simple band on her finger none of us had noticed.
“No,” I breathed as Marinette flushed. This couldn’t be happening. My chest ached, and I felt slightly numb. How had I lost her before I ever knew I had her?
“What!” Screeched Alya as she stormed down the steps and grabbed Mari’s hand to look at the ring, a look of sheer shock on her face. Damian wrapped an arm around Marinette’s shoulders, tucking her snuggly into his side.
“Now that we’ve cleared that up, you can stop forcing feelings Angel doesn’t have onto her just because it’s what you want.” Damian growled. Turning to me, he added firmly, “If you had appreciated my Angel when you had her, instead of abandoning her to a lying harpy and enabling her bully, you might have had the chance Marinette gifted you when she went out of her way to make you feel welcome and gain your attention. As it is, you were blind to her by choice when she needed you most, so you will never deserve her. Ever.”
I looked at him in shock. Enabling her bully? Lila wasn’t a bully. Sure she lied a lot but that didn’t make her a bully.
“Lila stretching the truth doesn’t make her a bully.” I defended, feeling the numbness in my chest spread. Damian looked at me looking absolutely murderous.
“Dami,” Marinette murmured, “Don’t. Please. You can’t hurt everyone who’s ever hurt me.” Hang on, hurt me? Who was this guy? He better not be dangerous.
“Not a bully,” he snarled and I felt a chill go down my spine at the hatred in his tone. “Then what do you call isolating Marinette from her friends, some of whom she has known since she was a baby. Or threatening her? Or trying to get her expelled repeatedly? Not to mention the physical stuff. If that’s not bullying, you pathetic, ignorant whelp I don’t know what is.”
“Damian,” Marinette murmured and the same time as I questioned, “What? She threatened you? And hurt you physically?” and Alya just stared on in shock.
“Yes, she did.” Marinette answered coldly before turning to Damian and tugging him away from us. “Can we please just go now Dami. I want to enjoy my time with you while you’re here not argue this pointless discussion. Please?”
“Of course, Habibti.” He smiled at her, his face losing its murderous intent as soon as he faced her. Turning around he led her to his bike, passing Marinette the spare helmet. Looking over his shoulder he glared at us. “I’d say it’s been a pleasure, but that would be a lie. And I hate liars.”
He sung his leg over the bike and Mari climbed on behind him sparing us a small, tight smile and she turned from us and climbed on, clinging to his waist as Damian kicked the bike into gear and drove off. Leaving me staring desperately after them, my heart broken and aching in my chest. I missed the best thing I could ever have had and screwed up to the extent that Mari had gotten engaged without any of her so called friends noticing, and said fiancé hated my guts. And for good reason too if I really had stood around allowing Lila to bully her, and I’d never even noticed after promising her that I was on her side. How had I screwed up so badly? I guess Damian was right, I’d never deserve Mari. I really was ignorant.