The Line Between Love And Hate

Chapter 41: The Beginning of the End

~8/27/16: One Month Before Marinette Leaves~
I make my way towards the men dorms. I stop in front of Luka's door and raise my fist to knock.

I've decided to end things with him. He deserves someone who will love him the way he deserves to be loved. And I can't be that person. Not when I'm in love with someone else. I can't keep him for my own selfish reasons. I can't hold him back from finding someone else.

Luka opens the door and smiles. He leans down to give me a kiss, but I lean away. "Can we talk?" His smile falls. "Yeah. Come in." He opens the door wider for me and I step inside.

"I think we should break up." "I figured this was coming." He sighs and sits on his bed. He pats the spot beside him and I take a seat. "This is because of Adrien right?" "I'm sorry Luka. I really did think that I could fall for you." He places a kiss on the side of my head.

"It's okay. I'm glad I got some time with you." "I'm really sorry." He shakes his head. "Don't be. I knew what I was getting myself into." He smiles and nudges my shoulder. "We can still be friends right?" I smile and pull him into a hug. "Of course we can."

~9/3/16: The Month Marinette Leaves~
"Mari you ready? The movies gonna start soon." Adrien sticks his head in my dorm room. "Yeah just about." He nods and walks over to my side. He holds up my eyelash curler in front of his eyes.

"I still don't understand how this doesn't gauge your eye out." I laugh and shake my head. "You're ridiculous." "No I'm serious Mari. It looks like a torture device."

I playfully roll my eyes and take it from him. He smiles and greets me with a kiss on my cheek. He lays on my bed while he waits for me to finish up.

"Where's my lipgloss?" I mumble to myself as I look under my vanity. "What are you looking for?" He asks with a smirk. "You have it don't you?" "Have what?" "My lipgloss." He pulls it out of his pocket with a laugh.

I reach over to grab it from him but he holds it up and pulls me on top of him. "Agreste give it." He smiles as he reads the label. "Strawberry scented? I wonder how that tastes." His eyes flicker from my eyes to my lips. I feel my face heat up.

With a smile I say. "If you give it to me I'll let you get a taste." His smile grows wider and hands it back to me. I open the tube and apply some gloss to my lips.

Adrien's eyes are on my mouth the whole time I apply it. "Are you ready?" I ask. He nods. In a quick motion I turn the stick and apply it to his lips. I laugh as Adrien rolls me off of him.

He jumps off and goes to the vanity to wipe it off. "Why the hell does it burn?" He asks and I laugh even harder. "It's a lip plumper." "Oh I'm so going to kill you." He gets on top of me and starts tickling me.

"Agreste get off! You way a ton!" "Apologize!" "No!" We're both laughing as he tickles me. Adrien stops and lowers himself so his face is inches apart from mine.

"I think you owe me a proper apology." His eyes are on my lips as he says that. "Is that so?" He looks back at my eyes and nods. I slide my hand into his hair. "Maybe if you're lucky you'll get a proper apology." "And what do you think? Am I lucky?" I slowly start to lean in and he does the same.

"Hurry up guys! Nino and I want to see the previews!" Alya says as she walks into my room. Adrien and I quickly separate and stand up. Luckily we were fast enough for her not to see.

"Okay. I just need to grab my purse." Alya grabs it off the chair and holds it out for me. I walk over to her and grab it. Alya locks her arms with mine and tosses Adrien the keys she grabbed from my purse. "Lock the door."

Adrien and I make eye contact and I quickly break it. Alya starts walking, tugging me with her. She's talking but my mind is a million miles away. I'm so out of focus.

If she didn't walk in we would've kissed. We would've kissed. Right? He's not just playing me like he did with the other girls?

I turn my head back to look at Adrien but he's deep in conversation with Nino. He's able to focus. Im over here losing my shit and he's focused on whatever Nino is talking about. There's no way he feels the same.

He was just messing with me. Same old Adrien with his same old jokes. Nothing for me to even stress over.

"M!" I turn to look at Alya. "Hm? What'd you say?" "I asked if you're excited about the movie?" We've been dying to see this movie since we saw the trailer. "Oh yeah. I'm so excited." I say in an unconvincing tone.

"What's up with you girl? You seem distant." "I just had stressful class today." "Was it Ms. Mendeleiev? I heard she's a bitch and gives crazy amounts of homework." I nod my head. "Don't worry. This is our last year here. Once we graduate you'll never have to see her face again."

We get to the car and Alya gets shotgun since Nino is driving. I stare out my window the whole ride. I'm too scared to make eye contact with him.

"Mari." Adrien whispers. "We should talk about what happened back there."

I look up at Alya and Nino to see if they're paying attention. "Nino you missed the turn! You were supposed to go left." "The GPS said to turn right." "Who are you going to listen to your girlfriend or some dumb GPS?"

I turn back to look at Adrien. "What's there to talk about." "We almost kissed." "But we didn't." "Mari-" "I don't think we should talk about something that didn't happen." "But-" "Just drop it Adrien."

Adrien sighs and grabs my face. He pulls mine to his and soon my mouth is connected to his. His lips are soft and the kiss is gentle. Adrien pulls away and leaves his hands on my face. "Can we talk about it now?"

I'm sure my cheeks are flushed. I hope the car is too dark for him to notice. "I- You- We-" I stammer as the car comes to a stop. "I told you Nino! Next time listen to me or I'll break your precious GPS." Alya says as she gets out. Nino sighs as he follows after her.

"Mari?" Adrien's eyes are focused on me. My heart is pounding so fast. I'm almost certain he can hear it.

"You dudes coming or what?" Nino asks sticking his head in the car. "Yeah just give us a moment." Adrien holds his hand out for the keys and Nino hands them over without any questions. Adrien's eyes stay on me the whole time.

"I-" He smiles and grabs my hand. "You what?" "I think we're going to miss the movie." I move my hand out of his and remove my seatbelt.

"Are you serious?" I look up at him and hurt is written all in his eyes. "What?" "I just kissed you and what? All you can think about is the movie?"

"What do you want me to say Adrien?" "I don't know. I just want something- anything from you!" "What do you mean?" He stares at me saying nothing.

Then he rolls his eyes and takes off his seatbelt. "Nothing. Never mind. Just forget it." "But-" He gets out of the car and slams the door. "I don't want to forget it." I whisper to myself.

~~

We spent the rest of the night not talking to each other. I couldn't even get Adrien to look at me.

~~

That was the beginning of our end.