The Line Between Love And Hate

Chapter 26: Coffee

"So how do you like your ice cream?" He asks as we sit on a bench. "It's good. How's yours?" "Good." "That's good." I say and he nods.

"So I see Andre still makes you the same order." I nod and gesture to his. "You too." "I'm glad. This ice cream is too good to not have anymore." He takes a bite of his.

A silence hangs over us and he turns to me. "Is it just me or is this kind of awkward?" I laugh as I put a spoon of ice cream in my mouth. "It's a little awkward."

"Do you think it'll always be like this?" I shake my head. "I don't think so. I mean I hope not. I'm pretty sure eventually the ice will break." "Oh I know what we could do to break the ice!" I turn to him and nod my head for him to continue.

"We can mess with Nino and Alya." A smile grows on my face. "How do you plan to do that?" "Well considering that we just decided to try not that long ago, they still think we've moved passed our friendship. We can get along in front of them and the next time they invite us out with them we'll agree."

"And how does that mess with them?" "Let me finish. We'll create this big fight in front of them." "So you mean we'll just behave the way we usually do in front of them." He chuckles and nods. "Yeah exactly."

"I like that idea." "You do?" "Mhm. But what would we even argue about?" "We'll think of something."

~~

~Past~
"Mari?" Adrien knocks on my door. "I've told you before that you don't have to knock." I open the door wide for him to come in. "I know, but it feels rude to just walk in."

I throw myself back on my bed. "What do you want now?" He laughs and sits beside me. "Wanna hang out?" "I thought you had a date." "Nah. I'd rather hang out with you."

I laugh and throw a pillow at him. "You're a liar. She canceled didn't she?" "She's going to go visit her mom in New York."

"Aw I love being your back up option." I say sarcastically. "Shut up. You know you're always my first choice." A small blush creeps it's way onto my cheeks and I divert the conversation back to prevent him from noticing. "So how are things going with Chloe?"

It's been 2 weeks. Adrien and Chloe have been seeing each other for 2 weeks. This is his longest relationship so far. I was hoping that it wouldn't last. That I wouldn't have to see Chloe everyday, but sadly I do. Adrien seems really into her.

He laughs and stands up. "We don't have to talk about her. I know you don't like her and that's fine. Today we'll just focus on us." He grabs my hand. "Wanna go get some ice cream?" "Only if it's from Andre." "Duh where else would we get it?"

~

We're sitting on a bench. My legs are thrown over his as we take bites off our spoons. "Has the school in New York tried to get in contact with you this year?"

"Don't they always?" Adrien laughs. "I don't think they're ever gonna get the hint. You've declined an offer from them how many times?" I place my spoon in my ice cream.

"8." "8 times? Are you serious?" I nod. "And now it's about to be 9." My heart sinks as he looks up at me. "It is going to be 9 right?"

Honestly New York is sounding better and better with each offer. I do think it'd be a good opportunity. And it would make everything so much easier for me. I'd be lying to say I haven't been considering it.

I smile and nod my head. "Yep. It's about to be 9." He smiles. "Did they really think they'd be able to steal you away from us on our last year? We're almost halfway through the year."

"Um so you never answered my question earlier." I say trying to switch topics. He looks up at me with a confused expression on his face. "With you and Chloe. How are things?" "I told you we don't have to talk about her." "But I want to." I lie. That's the last thing I want to hear about.

Adrien smiles. "We're doing good. I really like her." "You do?" He nods. "She's just so easy to be around. It's like with her there's no pretending." And with me there is?

"So when are you guys going out again?" "I think when she gets back. I was talking to her about either going ice skating or star gazing. What do you think?" I think you should do those things with me like always.

I blink back my tears before Adrien notices. "I think she'd really like ice skating." "Yeah? You think so?" I nod and scoop ice cream in my mouth. "Yeah."

~~

~Present~

I make my way inside the office and see Alya sitting down. "So how did it go with Adrien?" I shrug. "You know, same old same old." She sighs and leans back into his seat. "I was really hoping this would fix everything." "I really don't get why you keep trying. It's never gonna happen Al."

"Mari! Guess what I got." Adrien walks in the room and sits on my desk. I look up at him. He's holding 2 cups of coffee in his hand.

"Are one of those for me?" I smile up at him and he places a kiss on my cheek.

I'm taken back. It's been so long since he's done that.

"Here." He hands me a coffee. "I made sure they put 2 pumps of vanilla like you mentioned." I'm staring up at him shocked.

I knew we agreed to get along in front of them, but it's been years since I told him my coffee order. Does this mean he remembered? After all this time does he remember every little detail still?

"Uh- I- Thank you?" Adrien laughs and gets off my desk. "I'll see you in the conference room in 5 minutes. We have a case to solve." He winks at me before walking away.

"Same old same old huh?" Alya looks at me with a smile. "I don't know what you're talking about." "You guys totally talked things out." Woah she is really far from the truth. We didn't even mention things about the past.

"We definitely didn't talk things out." I stand up and start walking towards the conference room. "You're a liar M!"

Adrien opens the door for me with a smile on his face. "How was that?" "How was that? Are you serious? What the hell was that?" "What do you mean?" "You caught me completely off guard!"

"All I did was give you a coffee Mari." He says. "No you gave me my coffee. You gave me my go to order." I place the cup down on the table a little harder than I intended.

He looks skeptically at the cup and back at my face. "I don't get why that's a big deal?" "I didn't tell you my order."

"We used to get coffee all the time together. You didn't need to tell me." "Yeah like years ago. You mean to tell me that you remembered my coffee order?" "You mean to tell me you don't remember mine?" Extra sugar and whipped cream.

"I- well- That's beside the point!" "I think you're just trying to find a reason to argue Mari." "I am not!" "You are." "Oh whatever! Let's just work on the case."