Red Strings And Markers

e i g h t

"Just say no. You see the little box that says, 'I do not give my child permission to go on the trip to London, UK'? Just cross that little box with an 'x', sign, then I'll be home for the weekend!"

Sabine laughed. "Marinette, what's so wrong with going to London for the weekend?"

"It's not the London part that I'm dreading Mama. It's the train ride that I will be having next to Adrien Freaking Agreste!" Panic started to seize Marinette as she started to imagine.

"I don't see what the problem is? I know that your room is full with pictures of him. You should consider yourself lucky." Her mama winked and Marinette groaned, draping herself the kitchen counter.

"But Mamaaaaa, you don't understand! We're going to be in the same hotel room. The same room!"

Her mother chuckled. "I trust your judgement and I trust that Adrien Agreste is a fine gentleman that will respect you. Are you telling me that you're going to do something you're not supposed to?" Sabine cocked her eyebrow at her daughter and Marinette flushed, shaking her head and her arms rapidly.

"N-NO, no!"

Her mother smiled and nodded. "Then you're going." She checked the 'yes' box and gave her signature. "I'll have Papa sign it tonight too."

Marinette groaned in defeat and trudged upstairs to her bedroom.

"You sound like you're really dreading this field trip, Marinette." Tikki said once they arrived to the privacy of Marinette's bedroom.

Marinette sighed. "It's not that I'm dreading the field trip, it's just... I'm just so nervous. Riding the train next to Adrien? And not only that, but how am I going to handle sleeping in the same hotel room!" Marinette dropped herself onto the chaise, covering her face. "I will probably die of embarrassment. You're invited to my funeral Tikki. My burial will be next to the London Eye and you're going to write my eulogy for me."

Tikki giggled, sitting on the chaise besides me. "You can't die Marinette! You're Ladybug! What would the world do without Ladybug?" Tikki asked.

Marinette quickly sat up, looking down at Tikki. "Tikki, what am I going to do? I am Ladybug and I'll be going to London for a weekend! What will I tell Chat? I can't just tell Chat that I'm going to London for the weekend. He'll probably want to follow me to the ends of the earth." Marinette began stressing over what she would tell Chat until her thoughts were interrupted by a phone call.

"So what did mama say? Did she sign no?" Marinette could hear Alya's smirk.

"She said she trusts my judgement and that Adrien Agreste is a fine gentleman and that she can trust me unless I'm insinuating that I'm going to be doing something I'm not supposed to with Adrien Agreste." There was a silence on the other end of the phone and then a sudden burst of cackles. Marinette gasped. "Alya Césaire, you knew about this, didn't you!" The laughter in the background grew harder and slowly got farther away. A low chuckle was heard.

"Sorry, we did know."

Another gasp. "Ni-NO! You knew too?" Marinette cried.

Nino laughed. "Alya and I heard it as we got in class early. We planned that after lunch we would sit in the same rows, so that way you and Adrien could be partners."

"But why?"

"Alya told me you have a huge crush on Adrien and I wanted to help you out." She could hear his smile and if she could die of embarrassment, right now would be a good time.

"Alya told you?" Marinette could feel herself dying.

"Mari, I'm sorry, it's just I can't hide things from my boyfriend! He had to know!" Alya said, taking her phone back.