The protecter

The New Guy? Part 3

"Thanks Zack." She says sighing with relief. I make eye contact with him and he winks. Ugh! You know what this dude is acting like a freaking child. I'm done.

"Marinette, as much as I want to do as you say and forgive him, I can't let you be around a guy like him. He lies and hurts people, he could hurt you. You wouldn't be safe." I say the last part slowly to aware of my own voice shacking.

She takes a step back. Her eye brows furrowed in confusion and concern. "W-What do you mean Adrien?" Her voice crakes. I try to stay calm for her sake.

"He was threatening me when you left. Said he wanted to be your boyfriend again. That I was in his way. Then he lied saying I punched him when he was the one attacking me. He was gonna punch me, but he saw you coming and changed the situation."

He growls under his breath. "Marinette he's lying, please you've got to believe me." He reaches out to grasp her hand but she smacks it away. "I just don't know anymore!" She starts yelling. I've never seen her this worked up.

She looks down and takes a deep breath trying to calm herself. "I can't imagine either of you doing such a thing. I know both of you are good people, at least I think I do." She looks down again thinking.....

Then all of a sudden she looks up, and walks over to me. "But I believe Adrien."   Yes!   His face get's a dark shade of red his jaw clenched. But he doesn't do anything, instead he listens to what she has to say.

"Adrien's never lied to me before, pretty much everyone likes him...." She stops her self for a second. "Well almost everyone, But that's not the point. I've known him for over a year and all he does is help people, he's nice to everyone. So I know that he wouldn't do this. But you Zack you've always been pretty over protective of me, your competitive. It would make sense why you would think my good friend Adrien was bad for me....."

She looks to both of us taking our expressions in.
"I know neither of you punched each other. Zack was just upset and I understand you okay, sometimes its hard to control your emotions when it's someone you truly care about." She smiles slightly looking at him. She's incredible, how does she do that. She really has a way with words.

It's silent for a bit, awkwardly quiet. We're all just waiting for someone to say something.
"You know what!"  Perfect way to start the conversation yelling..... "I was trying to protect you, remember what happened last time!" His voice gets softer almost a whisper. "I can't let that happen again." Why did his voice all of a sudden get concerningly serious "Wait what happened last time?!"

They both look at me for a moment but then continue taking.

"It almost took you a full two month to recover, sure everyone was worried about you, but no one was as sleepless and scared as I was. I messed up I know I did. But we forgave each other.." his voice still quiet almost pleading. "I'm seriously confused, what happened?" I say it quietly this time, the way they were acting whatever happened must have been serious...

"I know it wasn't your fault, it was neither of ours. But that's in the past Zack, time to move to the things going on right now." She looks at him really locking on him trying to make him understand.

"You know what!" Great back to the yelling, he's going full circle. "Fine be with this stupid dork." I arch my neck to look at him really he shouldn't be talking, has he looked in the mirror recently?
"You know I'm the only one for you, and when you finally remember that I'll be here!" He storm's off leaving Marinette in shock.

She walks over to the end of the stairs and sits down gripping to the side railing like she was about to fall over. She Beres her head down into her knees.
I walk over to her and sit down next to her, but sitting far enough away to still give her space she needs to cool down.

Five minutes pass, she still hasn't said anything I start to worry a little so I ask. "Are you alright Mari?"
I hear her sniffle, she looks up to me with eyes and face, soaked with tears. She wiped her tears with the back of her hand clearing her throat. "Y-Yeah I'm fine, I'm sorry I somehow got you into this." Her voice comes out shaky uncertain. Pained.

No matter what situation she always thinks about others, doesn't she realize it's okay to think about yourself from time to time.

I take one of her arms gently and wrap it in mine. And she lays her head on my shoulder. we just stay like that for awhile. But I'm definitely not complaining.

"Zack has this thing." She starts talking suddenly and I listen. "-In his mind where he thinks that every boy wants me. It doesn't make much sense." She sighs. Actually it's makes perfect sense maybe not everyone but I'd say most people who come across Marinette would fall in love. like really she has everything. She's sweet, dependable, caring, considerate, gorgeous, humble. She's the whole package. Wait I think she's waiting for me to say something, what am I supposed to say to that?

"Oh yeah Mari, it's not your fault. So what if everyone likes you, that doesn't mean he can just go after people."

Gosh why is talking to her so complicated, I was always able to tell ladybug exactly how I felt like literally I used to flirt with her a lot. But with Marinette it feels real and it's terrifying like one wrong move and I'd lose her forever, not that I think Mari's judgmental but still.