My Good Friend (a miraculous ladybug story)

Chapter 2: The Cat's Meow

"You never mentioned you had a crush on Chat Noir!" Alix shouted, standing up to move onto the coffee table in the center.

She fidgeted with her fingers "I uh didn't."

"You didn't?"

"I didn't."

Luka came back into the room with various snacks and Mylene. "Hey, look who I found on the top deck." He saw everyone had moved closer to Marinette and Adrien and quirked his brow. "What did I miss?"

Adrien chuckled and answered for the group. "Marinette did and didn't have a crush on the ever-charming Chat Noir."

The older boy froze and stared blankly at Marinette. "You had a crush on Chat Noir?"

Her face turned a deep shade of pink, and she scrunched more into her seat. "Is it so hard to believe?"

He opened and closed his mouth a few times before joining the group and setting the snacks around Alix. Marinette snatched a bottle of water from the table and desperately sipped it while attempting to avoid the gaze of everyone. When she finally calmed down a bit, she paused and turned toward the boy on her right.

"Wait a minute Adrien. How did you even know about that? I never told anyone."

"Oh! I uhh... actually your mother told me a while ago in passing."Everyone shared a mutual look of confusion."I stopped by your family's bakery the day after your father had been akumatized. They were giving away slices of a heart-shaped cake and macaroons. I asked your mother what the occasion was; she said your date with the hero didn't go exactly as planned."

"You went on a date with him?" Rose's squeaky voice chimed in.

Marinette scratched her head and looked down at the ground. "I'm not sure what to say. It's a bit of a long story and some miscommunication. Let's just say my crush was not long-lived and that I would consider him just a good friend."

Adrien gave a small smile while the rest of the group sighed in disappointment.

"I guess it makes sense why the date wouldn't have gone well, he is in love with Ladybug. And those two are a match made in heaven." Mylene said from her spot on the armrest.

"Yeah, there's no way they aren't together," Alix added.

"Ladybug and Chat Noir aren't together." Marinette scoffed.

"Did Chat Noir tell you that?"

"No"

"Then how do you know?"

"The Lady blog of course! Alya has said that that's just rumors so she's probably right."

Everyone murmured in agreement. Adrien's phone rang; he got up to take the call in the hallway. When he came back, he apologized to the group that he had to leave so soon. Marinette looked at her phone and noticed the time too. She didn't tell her parents she would be out this long.

"I think I should start going too."She said as she got up from the couch.

"Perfect! Adrien, you should give her a ride to her house! That would be so nice of you. It's getting dark so she shouldn't walk alone." Alix pushed Marinette toward Adrien and motioned for them to head out the door.

"Of course, I wouldn't mind Marinette." He offered her a hand to help her get down from the boat.

"I uh"

Alix cut her off. "She would love to."

Marinette nodded her head not trusting herself to speak. "Great, my nanny is on his way. I'll just tell him we have to drop you off first."