Past Tense

Chapter 5

Adrien's POV

I walked with Nino towards the school, after I ushered Felix towards the school, I had told him to stay in the front lobby/gym, while I explained to Nino who he was. I walked in to see Felix frozen staring at something while Alya was asking him questions, addressing him as Adrien. Nino looked more confused than me, "Hey Alya!" He said cutting her off, she looked at him then at me, then back at Felix. Nino walked faster and closer to her.

 "What the actually fー" Nino cut her off by placing his hand over her mouth before she could continue that phrase. She kept looking between me and Felix and back again. "Would you..." I started to talk but trailed off when Felix started to walk snapping out of his shocked state, "Whoa whoa whoa, Felー" I tried grabbing his arm to stop him from going but he yanked his arm out of my grasp and started walking faster. "Where is he going? What happened Alya!" I asked now extremely confused and nervous. Alya explained "Well, I thought he was you, but not. Anyways I and Marinette were coming to say "Hi" to you but Marinette stopped walking and I didn't notice until after I called him "Adrien" Then he looked confused and I looked to asked Marinette why he looked confused but realized she wasn't there and then I looked at her and so did he.. then Marinette dropped her things," Alya pointed to the pile of books that Rose was starting to pick up "And sprinted away and he just stood there frozen in place and shocked."

 I had no idea what any of this meant, but I realized that Alya said that she and Marinette were coming to say "Hi" to me. "Wait, Marinette was going to say hi?" I paused looking at her "to me?" she nodded, knowing what I was getting on about. Hmm... I looked towards where Felix went and saw Alix coming out from behind the stairs talking to someone then leaving giving a mock salute to them, she then started walking towards Mylene, Juleka, and Rose who now had Marinette's books.

                                                                             Marinette's POV

I watched as Alix told me to do. I turned back to hide when I saw Felix looking this way, Alix grabbed me and turned me back around "He's zoned out, don't worry, just watch." I watch the scene unfold as Adrien and Nino come in, Alya is saying something and moving her hands, making gestures, Nino walks over and covers her mouth, and then Adrien says something but that's when he starts walking towards us. I flinch back, but then Adrien tries to grab his arm. But he yanks it out of his grasp. This time Alix is the one to hide knowing that he is coming, I want to hide but then I see Alya talking to Adrien and him looking at her. Then it hits me.. Adrien isn't going to stop him from coming over here. I duck down and start to fake a conversation with Alix, she catches on quickly. "Marinette?" I hear his voice and flinch and slowly turn to look at him he looks... Scared? I suddenly realize I have absolutely no reason to be scared or hide. I suppose I acted on natural reflexes and shock. "Uh, Alix? Could you uh..?" I looked at Alix with desperate eyes, she seemed to understand. She put her hands up in surrender.

 "Bye M," she said walking away hands to her forehead in mock salute. I sighed and waved at her turning back to him. He started to speak but I cut him off. "Don't say anything," I looked at him with a stern face I've learned to master when hanging out with Alya. He nodded looking a bit confused at the atmosphere change. "I'll listen to you when I know your name." I straightened up, crossing my arms in the process. He sighed and smirked at me, relaxing, noting that what I wanted wasn't as serious as he made it out to be. "Felix, I'm Felix," he said holding out his hand, I grabbed it my grip weak compared to his. I slipped my hand out of his, remembering the last time we shook hands. "Nice to meet you," I paused. "Mr. Felix Graham de Vanily" he opened his mouth to say something, with a pure look of surprise on his face, I giggled at the sight. Grabbing my stomach in mock defeat as I gave in the more impractical side of me. 

That's when Felix looks out from behind the stairs and makes a gesture with his hand, motioning for someone to come towards us. I don't know who he could be talking or gesturing to since he must be new, I would know if he went here before today. I hear footsteps nearing and I start to get nervous at the suspense and the unknown person is coming towards us. I flinch when I see Adrien's face, I start cursing under my breath, Felix notices and raises an eyebrow at me in question. "Uh, Marinette this is my cousin Adrien," Felix looks at me ushering Adrien forward with one hand behind his back and one in front of him, gesturing towards me "Adrien, this is Marinette, the girl I was talking about," Felix looks at me and quickly fixes what he said, something about my expression seeming to frighten him for a moment "The girl that I met in London." Felix looks back at me sheepishly rubbing the back of his neck shyly. Adrien looks at him shocked, Oh? So is the 'hot' girl you were talking about all night?" He smiled slyly at Felix watching him flush red and taking an extra step to hit Adrien on the back of the head which, he successfully evaded. I smirked making a joke at it, hiding my shock that Felix thought that I was "hot" in the state I was in when he met me, surprised that he found me 'hot' period.

 "Oh? So you were talking about me" I smirked leaning forward, arms still crossed. Felix flushed a deep shade of rose once again, I looked back at Adrien he looked at me amused. "Sorry Marinette, my cousin here can be kind of dense sometimes." he laughed looking at Felix who was now confused about Adrien's behavior. I laughed knowing that he probably had picked it up from Adrien. "It's okay. Sorry about the past few weeks, I just wasn't myself I guess." Adrien nods solemnly, I now see how hurt he must have been so I pull him in for a hug feeling guilty. He laughs and hugs my back, his grip tightening by the second. I look at Felix who seems stunned and partially embarrassed at the fact that he introduced two people who already knew each other. He also looks a bit... jealous? Just to make him feel better I wink at him, he chuckles and starts to speak as I start patting Adrien's back trying to pry him off me. "Hey, Adrien?" Felix starts "You might want to release Marinette." I giggle at the choice of words, still patting Adrien on the back awkwardly. He immediately straightens up, standing awkwardly with his hands at his sides. He mumbles an apology under his breath.

 "Uh well nice seeing you again Mr. Graham de Vanily" I laugh at my joke, he smiles but then swiftly quirks his eyebrows down, turning his face into a pout. My smile drops for a moment until he says "Your not going to let that go are you?". I smile again thinking about how it would be fun to joke around with this boy I barely know, yet feel so comfortable with. Way more comfortable than I have ever felt with Adrien "hmm..Yes. Well I've got to go I don't want to be late, plus I need to talk to Alya." I sigh thinking about how Alya will be bombarding me with questions, Adrien nods knowing my dismay.