Warped Reality

Chapter One

Marinette

She erased the design she had been drawing, glaring down at the now blank paper. Why was designing so hard for her lately? Everything she created was bland. Boring. Made a million times over. Nothing unique.

"Girl, are you okay?"

Alya nudged her, and Marinette faked a smile. Everything was getting harder and harder. Hawkmoth was getting stronger, her parents constantly needed her help in the bakery, and Ladybug was barely getting any sleep, since hawkmoth had taken to mostly attacking at night.

"We're going to get some hot chocolate after school. Wanna come? Adrien is."

Alya shot her a wink, and Marinette glanced in front of her, just as Adrien turned around. Her heart kickstarted frantically, and she immediately looked back to Alya, giving a small nod.

"Awesome. Because the bell rang like five minutes ago. We've basically been sitting here waiting for you to realize it." Alya giggled, and Marinette looked around the classroom in embarrassment.

Yep, they were the only four in there. She sheepishly grinned, getting up and heading towards the door.

"I need to stop by the locker room. My coat is in there."

"Nino and I will wait for you on the front steps then. Adrien, do you mind accompanying Marinette to make sure she doesn't run off?"

She clenched her jaw, her eyes wide and filled with horror at Alya's request. She didn't need to be alone with Adrien. Not when she was already so scatter-brained.

"Sure. I think I left my history book in my locker anyway."

He grabbed his bag, quickly moving to walk beside her as they exited the classroom.

"So... how's everything going Marinette? You seem pretty distracted lately."

He smiled softly, and warmth flooded her cheeks.

"Oh! Me? Distracted? Pfft. What would be distracting you? Certainly not me."

Wait what? He cocked his head to the side, and she clenched the strap of her purse, silently begging Tiki, her kwami, for strength. Or at least common sense.

"Nothings distracting me!" She blurted, her face starting to burn.

He nodded, pulling his phone out.

"Well, you know if you ever need to talk to anyone we're here for you."

She nodded, her pulse slowing only slightly as she glanced at his phone. He was replying to someone's message, saying he'd see them later. A girlfriend?

"Hot date?"

She stopped in her tracks, her jaw dropping. What the hell just came out of her mouth? Is that what sleep deprivation was doing to her? Completely destroying her filter? He laughed loudly, the beautiful sound echoing down the empty hall.

"Hell no. I was texting Natalie to let her know I'd be home later than planned."

He grinned, and she shook her head, forcing her feet forward. That was so, so stupid.

"What about you? Got any hot dates lined up?"

Not unless we made plans that I forgot about.

She paused, relief flooding through her at the knowledge that she hadn't said that out loud.

"N-no. No hot dates for me."

"Ah. Still waiting on your prince charming?"

"Still waiting on your princess?" She retorted, much to her own suprise.