When I Knew You

Chapter Three: A New Challenge

"Claws in..."Chat noir said as he got home detransforming himself back to Adrien. He and Marinette talked a bit more before she kicked him telling him she had plans with her friends the next morning.

"Aw, come on! You didn't even get me any delicious bread for my cheese!" Plagg whined heading straight to his cheese stash. Plus I didn't get to see my sugarcube

"Is Marinette talking about me?" Adrien wondered aloud recalling their conversation, "why didn't I realize any of this, I thought... she hated me."

"Took you a while to find out," Plagg cackled flying over to Adrien. "Pigtail girl always had the hots for you."

"You knew too?" Adrien gasped. "why didn't you say anything?"

"Oh please," Plagg groaned, "everyone knew, you were just too dense to see it. Anyway enough of this mushy gushy stuff, I'm heading to bed."

Adrien laid on his bed thinking about all his interactions with Marinette, was it true that she is really in love with me? He thought about all the times Marinette was nervous around him

*****

Marinette woke up thinking about her conversation with Chat Noir. Why was it so easy for me to open up to him as Marinette? Maybe because he's my, well Ladybug's best friend and partner in fighting crime, was there something else?

"Marinette, come on you're going to be late... again," Tikki squeaked holding up her phone to show her the time.

"Oh no! Ahhh!' Marinette screamed beginning to panic as she quickly changed before rushing out the door, "hurry Tikki!" she whispered gesturing for the red kwami to hide in her red purse.

"Bye Sweetie," Marinette's mother Sabine said cheerfully, "have fun!"

"Thanks, Maman," Marinette replied hugging her mother and giving her a peck on the cheek before sprinting out.

"That girl," Sabine laughed, with a soft smile on her face, "she never changes..."

With the girls---

"Whew! Barely made it," Marinette panted as she reached the bistro she and her friends agreed to meet up at.

"Hey girl!" Marinette heard Alya waving at her from the table she and their other friends were sitting at

"Hi everyone!" Marinette chirped as she sat down next to her friend, "Sorry, I overslept... again."

"And we expect nothing else out of you..." Alix, the pink-haired jock grinned teasing her.

"So..." Alya began, eyes widened and full of curiosity, "how are you and Luka?"

"What?!" Marinette screamed almost choking on her water

"Guys... that's my brother," Juleka mumbled "don't talk about him while I'm here," she added before putting her earbuds in.

"Oh come on!" Rose squealed, "I want to hear all about it!"

"It's nothing really," Marinette replied nervously, "you know I'm still trying to get over Adrien and it wouldn't be fair to use Luka and lead him on like that..."

"Awwwww," the girls cooed

"That's really sweet of you Marinette," Mylène said taking Marinette's hands, as Marinette squeezed them back

"So you're really giving up on Adrien huh?" Alix asked

"I have to..." Marinette began looking down at her hands with a sad expression on her face "At least I have to try..."