When Is It Love?

Chapter 3

"Coming!" Marinette called to the bystander who ordered a minute ago, inpatient about the design she wanted over a week ago. The seamstress smiled brightly as she handed the women a designer dress, seeing her snatch it away and stomp out of the store.

An ombré waked in, a phone in hand. As she glanced up she gasped and held out her hands to her best friend. The girls shared a quick hug, the girl, Alya, screaming with delight.

"So, I've already planned everything. First, you're going to need a dress--not to hard." Alya winked as she scrolled through the tool in her hand. It was high-tec, latest model of phones. This didn't surprise Marinette, for Alya wanted to be a blogger for a profession. Rolled eyes is all Marinette gave her whenever Alya retorted it was a fine profession.

"A stay at home mom basically." Marinette had retorted at the time.

"Oh girl, you thought your sixteenth was good, wait for your eighteenth. I'm here to make it spectacular." Alya exclaimed exciditly. Marinette nodded as she tugged her apron down, fixing a rack of clothes.

"By the way, where's your mom? You said she'll come this year." Marinette stiffened as she laughed nervously.

No, Marinette didn't lie, she had merely covered the fact that her parents had been dead for years now. She still couldn't risk everyone knowing she lived alone. Someone was bound to let her secret escape. Marinette just needed to turn eighteen so she'll be a legal adult. She turned to Alya and shook her head, explains business came first. Alya nodded before tapping her phone a few times, feeling bad for her friend. Ever since she's know the tiny girl who walked in on the day back from winter break, she had a weird aura about her parents. Alya, being the new kid, didn't know that Marinette's dad had been dead since she was smaller then one. She quickly found out by the brat of the school--Chloe.

Together, Marinette and Alya formed a pack that they'd help one another out, defeating the queen bee. Their hours of playing imagination at Alya's huge, Marientte might add, house was what Marinette had always wanted in a friend. Why would she give that up and tell her the darkest secret she had? It would ruin everything; her fun, freedom, reputation.

Marinette had never grown out of her pigtails that little girls wore. She thought her cute complexion had a nice touch from her hair behind in twin ponytails. It seemed to go well with her naturally glossed lips and long lashes. She's kept them in memory of someone, although she had forgotten who. Her memories as a child were a blur, trying to forget the haunting memories she endured as a kid.

Marinette was totally a bliss when it came to her work. Alya had watched her work from time to time, weaving thread out and under a newly made dress. It was enchanting to watch her nimble fingers wrap around a piece and blend another color into her work. Alya never knew when an outfit was done, Marinette always added a special touch to her works. Their friendship was what always pushed Marinette to work harder, that and her avenge meant for her mom. Like she had explained to Alya when she first found out about her dad, her father hadn't cared about the well being of Marinette or her sick mother. Alya, being in love with every fairy tale or superhero story, told her millions of times she'd find her knight and shining armor--or superhero.

Alya was the type of girl to be scared of a rat or bug rather then a villain or mugger on the street. Marinette had wondered if she was really a superhero under her invisible mask.

Masks are what Marinette always used to describe someone's outside appearance, or even personality. She had hoped when she met Chloe, that her mask was a pink, dazzling one that would soon diminish into her true colors. However, that dream died when they entered middle school, the brat had the audacity to pester and continuously put gum on Marinette's seat.

Warm wind blew into the shop as Marinette checked the calendar once more. A week till her eighteenth--the day all lies die. April 21st was the day where Alya would know the truth. It's not like it's a big deal or anything, simple words is all Marinette has to do. Then again, those words can break or tear a friendship. It's those words that will either shoot their relationship into a dark pit, or an understanding from the opposite side.

Alya's ringtone sounded as she squinted at her phone. "Oh shoot, Nino's an idiot. I have to go, but I can't wait for next week. Schools almost over too." Alya did a small happy dance, moving her arms together, in sync, as she giggled and pushed the door open. The bell dinged, signaling Alya's departure as she hummed slightly. Marinette giggled as her friends annoyance towards her soon-to-be-boyfriend. Marinette didn't approve at first, due to the fact Nino's was an 'acquaintance' of the Prince of Paris, as the whole school called him.

Adrien Agreste was no normal teenager. He was an almighty pain, self-centered, out to get Marinette's home, pretty boy. Ever since he was five he had a golden spoon hanging from his bottom lip. Rich people were the exact opposite of what Marinette wanted to be. Sure, money would be great, but the characteristics that came with fame was unwanted in Marinette. The blue-haired civilian actually never met the boy, but she's heard some rumors. Not to mention the fact Gabriel Agreste, Adrien's father, was out to get Marinette's store for years now. He's tried contacting her, tried appealing to her with dates and such with his son (Marinette ignoring the emails and letters.)

Marinette sighed as she took off her apron and hung it on a hook she had implanted herself in the wall by the door. She pushed her pigtails to the front as she flipped the sign to 'Closed' as she scurried off to the upstairs room.

Her house was not half bad. The upstairs half had the kitchen attached to the living room, a small tv and couch rested in the corner to the left when you walked up the stairs. The kitchen was directly in front of stairs, while Marinette's room was to the right. When her mother had passed, she took the largest room, moving her stuff out of the living room to the large vacancy. The bathroom was all the way downstairs and Marinette always had to remember to take out her necessities from the bathroom in the morning. It was the only bathroom in the whole two-story apartment.

Marinette slugged her way over to the kitchen, whipping up a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, adding some fruit to the napkin she ate off of. Wasting plates for a small snack like that would be pointless, so using a napkin would be a smarter and less work for her. However, it adds more shopping to her list.

She fiddled with the remote, turning on the television, careful not to get the sticky jam everywhere. The screen flickered to life as she moved the napkin across the counter so she could sit at the high top chair across from her. Marinette plopped down as she turned her attention to the bright entertainment. Her mouth was full of peanut butter as she shoved an already bit sandwich into her mouth. She muffled a laugh when a commercial showed a small kid playing a game, losing to her best friend and getting into an argument of some sort.

"News has it that Ganriel Agreste has been spotted outside his mansion. Seen scoping around a shady neighborhood with some bodyguards." Marinette cocked her head slightly as she brushed her hands together. She realized jam was all over hands and inwardly groaned, walking over to the sink. Her eyes never leaving the screen as she wiped her hands with a towel. Marinette's cheeks were puffed out from the sandwich still lodged in her mouth.

"He was seen around Nighshade Elmore Street, walking about-" Marinette choked on her crust as she stared wide-eyed at the image across the room. She ran over to the couch and leaped over the back of her chair, landing on her face on the couch cushions.

"But that's my street." Marinette mumbled as she saw Gabriel walk along the road, poor quality as the shaking person whispered compliments about the model.

"Reports say he was stalking this building-" an image of Sweet Boutiques flared in high quality, "-for almost an hour."

"What the hell? He's stalking my house?" Marinette scrunched her face with an angry expression. "He will not give up will he? I said I wasn't interested in closing my shop."

The news switched to another lead gossip as Marinette reached for the remote and turned off the tv.

"That's enough for tonight."

Hey guys.

So I finished another chaptee. I'm really tired today so there still might be some spelling errors. I left it sorta on a cliffhanger so be prepared for the next one.

Alrighty, love you guys.

~Author~Chan