Kitty. (Marichat)

Chapter 13

Marinette

As I walked home away from chat noir, my magic yo-yo buzzed.  It was an old message from chat.

Hey Bugaboo!  Where have you been? We have a lot of catching up to do. Get back to me when you can.
Your Kitty 💚🖤

Was what he wrote, how sweet.  I didn't bother to type back since he knows I'm still around.  I jumped through my trap door, and detransformed.  I laid on my bed thinking this was too much for one day.  I soon fell asleep. 

I slept in until 10am, I needed to though.  Man I don't think I got home until 2am!  I pulled out my sketchbook from my bedside table, and opened up to my most recent drawing.  It was a ladybug and chat noir themed dress.  I felt sad at the thought that the last time I looked at this picture chat was there with me.  I shivered at the memory of last night.  I had nearly kissed Luka and chat was watching!  Still feeling glum, I threw on a black and green hoodie with cat ears and trudged downstairs to the kitchen.  While buttering a croissant, Chats crying trembling face flashed in my head knocking me off balance. 

"Darn it..." I mumbled as I reached to grab the croissant I dropped.  I felt so sorry for the way I acted.  I should have just ran home as soon as I got out of that dumb fountain.  My thoughts are interrupted by my ringtone.  I pull my phone from my pocket and check the caller ID.  It's Alya. 

"Bonjour Alya!"  I said trying my best to sound cheerful, when I felt like moping all day. 

"Salut Marinette!  Did you get home okay last night?"  She said in a caring voice. 

"I guess so..." I replied propping the phone between my shoulder and ear. 

"What do you mean you 'guess' so?  What happened?"  I debated on weather I should lie.  But I couldn't keep a secret from my best friend.  I sighed.

"I don't feel like talking about it over the phone, maybe you could stop by later?" 
""Of course!  Give me 20 minutes." 

And she hung up.  I place my phone on the counter and walk into the living room and plop on the couch.  I reach for the remote and turn the tv on.  I didn't bother to browse channels, because what's the point?

I eat my croissant in silence, then I hear Alya talking to my parents downstairs in the bakery.  Pretty soon she flies in the room bringing her usual flame of joy with her. 

"Explanations please!"  She says in a sing song voice.  I laugh slightly.  She joins me on the couch on foot tucked beneath her.  She looks excited. 

"Hey, well right after you left, I started to walk home, but then Luka came running up to me saying his mom said he shouldn't let me walk home by myself, since it was about to rain....". Alya nodded.

"And?"  She said encouragingly.

"Well... I started walking with him back to my house, and I didn't want to go home yet for some reason.  So we went to the park to see the fountain, you know cause it overflows." 

"What happened next?" She said impatience in her tone. 

"We got there and the fountain was really overflowing, we jumped in for fun since we were soaked already."  She looked amused, then confused.

"Wait... let me get this straight... you jumped into an overflowing fountain with Luka? In the rain?"  She said.

"Well ya..." I took the last bite of my croissant.
"Then what?"  She said curiosity written all over her face. 

"We we're getting up from the water, laughing at ourselves.  And he just stood there holding my hand... then he let go of my hand and wrapped it around my back, and pulled me t-towards h-him."  I was flustered and turning red at the memory. 

"Did you kiss!" Alya shouted.

"N-no!  Keep your voice down."  I said shushing her.

"Sorry..."

"But he did lean in... then I left the fountain to leave because I didn't want to kiss.  So he came up to me kissed my cheek and I ran home."  I finally finished and looked at the floor. 

"Wow... I did not see that coming... did you leave because you felt bad for chat noir?"  She said.

"Actually he saw us..."

"Mari! No way!"

"Shush!"  I whispered. 

"Oops, sorry... wait if you don't mind me asking... why are you wearing a chat noir sweater? Didn't you guys break up?"  She said confused and curious. 

"We did yes... I just... I don't know."  I trailed off. 

"You just feel sad so you want to feel closer to him even when your not?"  She filled in the blanks perfectly.

"How did you know?" I sighed as I leaned into the couch. 

"I'm your friend Marinette. And also... I know what it feels like... sorta." 

"What do you mean?" I sat up again.

"Well when Nino can't come over when I feel like I need him... I just put on the cap he gave me, look at his pictures, or even wear the sweater he forgot at my house.  It's calming..." she had a faraway look in her eyes. 

"You really love Nino? Don't you?" I said smiling.  She blushed.

"Of course I do!  Actually... can I confess something?" She asked looking nervously at me.

"Go ahead." I nodded.

"Sometimes... I take the sweater he left, and I smell it."  She spits it out and covers her red face in her hands.  "It smells so much like him... I just love to pretend he's there with me, and also I sleep with that sweater."  She uncovers her eyes, and I laugh.

"Hey!  Not fair!  I never laughed at you for wearing a chat noir sweater!"  She complained, and I tried to hold it in, clutching my tummy. 

"Sorry Alya, haha...". I sputtered.

"Also it smells like his BO...". She added and laughed too.

"Eww!  Gross!"  I exclaimed and laughed harder. 

We chatted for a while, and I was feeling a lot better.  When she eventually left, my parents came upstairs. 

"Hey honey, did you have a nice time with Alya?  We could here you girls laughing like crazy."  My Dad said. 

"Ya it was nice, I'm kinda tired, is it alright if I go to bed?"  I said and yawned.  I was wiped out. 

"For sure sweetheart, want any supper before you sleep?"  My mom said.

"Sure I'll bring a plate with me."  They handed me a plate of barbecue chicken salad.  My favourite.  "Thanks mom, and dad."  I smiled and went upstairs to my room. 

I put the plate on my desk and climbed up to my balcony.  I leaned against the railing, and sighed.  Why did I have to go through all this?  I'm under the pressure of being Ladybug and for a while I was chats girlfriend sorta... but not anymore.  Why is my life so complicated?