Crumbling Down

Hidden Amidst Friends

It's been nearly two weeks since I've last seen Luka; school has just started and my father has piled things into my schedule. Thankfully I was able to convince Natalie to speak with my father about the value I would get out of being in a band with others my age. Surprisingly he agreed that it wasn't too much of a waste of time since I'd be playing the keyboard, and now I'm allowed to go over to Liberty, for about two hours every Friday to play with Kitty section. 

Though Kitty Section'spractices only last an hour, then they all hang out together afterwards. Luka and I worked out that I would get there an hour early so that we could be together, rather than having to be so close yet too far away from one another if I were to stay afterwards. That and my Chinese lessons right after, usually followed by a photoshoot of some kind. 

School itself hasn't been too difficult as of late, since it's only the beginning of tenth grade,  assignments haven't picked up because Miss. Bustier doesn't believe in essays right at the beginning of the year. 

As of right now, I'm making my way to class, Nino walking beside me in silence, which isn't usually what happens. I wonder if something happened with him and Alya?

"Nino? You alright?"

"Yeah, dude, just tired today, I stayed up late trying to figure out the best songs to play at my next gig."

"Oh okay, what songs are you thinking of playing? And wheres your next gig?"

"I was thinking some by Jagged Stone, and some other rock artists. The gig is at this small restaurant, club-type thing." 

"That's pretty cool Nino, I'm happy for you." 

"Thanks, dude, oh hey look, there's Marinette and Alya," he says waving them over.

"Hey Mari, babe," he says that last part with a smile and a playful bow.

"Hey Nino," they say in sync.

"Hey guys," I say.

"Oh hey Adrien, so how was your summer, meet anyone?" 

Stuttering through her greeting, Marinette says, "H-hey A-ad-drien." 

Honestly, I wish that she'd stop stuttering around me, am I really that scary? She only gets nervous around me, it wasn't like that when we first met and she had thought I'd stuck gum to her chair.  I have no idea what happened, but even though she seems nervous, she's always blushing, it's rather odd. maybe she likes me? I've had some fangirls do roughly the same thing when I'm swarmed or when my father makes me sign autographs. 

"No Alya, I didn't meet anyone, barely went sightseeing, my father had me at photoshoots every couple of days and on the days that we were at the chateaux, we were both tired from all the people present we just stayed there for the majority of the time."

"Wait someone was with you? who was it!" she says excitedly.

 "Alya, don't you remember he went with Luka cause non of us could go with him," Nino explains.

"Oh, right. Luka meet anyone during your short excursions then?"

"No, he didn't either." I catch Alya elbowing Marinette in the ribs and wiggling her eyebrows. Honestly, I have no idea what that's about, I'm just going to choose to ignore it... for the most part anyway.

 Classes had been boring as we weren't allowed to talk to one another as it would be too distracting for our young scientific minds. Ms. Mendeleive is an odd teacher, strict but not, at the same time. 

Class with Miss. Bustier was much more pleasant she even let us pick our own seats, which meant that NIno and I sat beside each other with Alya and Marinette behind us; Though Alya was directly behind him so that they could better pass love notes.