𝒲𝒽𝒶𝓉 𝒯𝒽𝑒 𝐹𝓊𝓉𝓊𝓇𝑒 𝐻𝑜𝓁𝒹𝓈 𝐹𝑜𝓇 𝒰𝓈 *Slow Updates*

Chapter Eighteen

Hello, lovely readers/writers, this Brittany here, I want to say thank you for your wishes. I didn't want to make much of a big deal out of my personal life but losing someone is hard. And I apologize if I've made anyone uncomfortable or agitated because I sprang my grandmother's death out there. Like, strangers don't need to know, right? But anyway, I feel better now, and will most definitely do my best to update as per usual.

I appreciate your support, thank you.

Okay, then. Welcome to Chapter Eighteen!

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"He asked you out?!"

Alya exclaimed not-so-quietly, causing several other students to look at them as if they had second heads sprouting from their necks.

"SHH!" Marinette shot her best friend down quickly, glancing around with her face flushed a healthy red.

"Like, O-M-GOODNESS! Mari, this is wonderful!" Alya laughs gleefully hugging her friend from around the shoulders.

"Ye-yeah..." Marinette ceases to blush when their commotion causes even more eyes to latch onto them. "Alya, we're being loud..."

"My baby is growing up so quickly!" Alya doted more, wiping a faux tear away.

Maybe her reaction is just the tip of the iceberg. Marinette hesitated on telling her parents...and well, Alya reacted the way she expected. An embarrassing, supportive type way. But, this is how Alya shows she cares, she gets a little rambunctious.

It was one time, but she didn't want her father getting Akumatised again. She knows Luka's feelings are genuine and she couldn't dare hurt him, or vice versa. Okay, it's an irrational fear that the mangy power butterfly would just take over her dad again. She could just see it. WereDad coming back.

Whew, she barely was able to be Ladybug that time.

ANYWAY.

They've already met Luka, and both her mother and father seemed to take a shine to him. Not only was he an outstanding helper, but he was also nice, compassionate, charismatic, charming, not to mention thoughtful. Oh yeah, she doesn't doubt her parents have probably thought it up they were already dating...or something.

"Do you know where you're going for the date?" Alya continues on with a grin.

"Uuhhh, I believe we're going to a cat cafe," Marinette says, tapping a finger on her chin, glancing upward for a moment before returning her gaze on Alya. "That's what he told me. He said he'd drop by and then we'd leave."

"Ooh! So juicy! It's 'bout time you got over Adrien! Luka's a real catch!" Alya jeered her friend's side with her elbow.

"Ow, stop that!" Marinette swatted Alya's arm away whilst returning her crimson-stained face. "Besides, it's not like that! We're just...testing our boundaries, for now, that's all. There's no harm in trying something new."

"Oh, you're trying something new alright," Alya smirked suggestively, waggling her eyebrows up and down.

"Alya!" Marinette goes to scold her friend for being so dirty-minded when a familiar face approaches them.

"Why, good morning, girls!" Juleka smiles a polite and nice smile, waving feebly, tiredly.

"Good morning, Juleka!" Greets the two besties.

"So, I heard from my brother he finally grew a pair and asked you out~" Juleka smiled coyly, shifting to Marinette's left side.

"O-oh...he told you?" 

"I'm his sister! Even if he didn't tell me, I'd find out sooner or later, " Juleka pat Marinette's shoulder. "Man, you should've seen him though! When we got home, man! I have never seen him so...disoriented or flustered before! You really do make him into jello, don't you Mari?"

"I-I do?" Flushing a healthy pink, Marinette squirms within her shoes, curling her wrists over her bosom as her fingers tangled with one another.

"Pssh! Girl, you don't even know half of it! He's head over heels." Juleka nudged her elbow into Marinette's side.

"And that's even better! We'll come to your place after school, Mari." Alya grins widely. 

"Oh, okay. Wait, why -- "

"We're gonna doll you up, of course!"

Marinette screws her face up, practically feeling the fear suddenly burn within her.

"Haha ha....you're not."

"We are."

Before anything else is said, the bell screams out, signaling every student to their first period.

"Would you look at that? Bye, girls! Don't wanna be late!" Marinette anxiously leaves her friends behind, zipping through the crowd of students.

"Boy, is she whipped or what?" 

"Totally whipped." Juleka agreed and then shared an identical expression with the ombre-haired girl before leaving for her first class.

And that's the wrap of 18! 

words: 833 (including this A/N)

I do apologize for this extremely short chapter. I've had a lot going on in my personal life. Not only with my grandmother, but my job also is deciding they're gonna screw me over for grievance and making me part-time without telling me. So I'm under a lot of street more than I usually can take. I can't promise when the next chapter will be written or even published, but please know that I am trying to my utmost ability. 

Thank you for your patience and time. 

-Brittany