Accident of the Evening

It's not that

Adrien couldn't concentrate. Madame Mendeliev was lecturing on sub-atomic particles, but his attention just kept wandering to the window and the raindrops that raced down the glass.

Granted, he was sitting in on a different lecture, but his photoshoot had been cancelled due to unpredictable weather, and the tailors had no modifications to make to his suit, so he had just wandered around campus before deciding to sit in on a first year class.

He was sure he would fall asleep soon, but as he stared out the window something finally caught his full attention. A familiar girl with dark pigtails and a pink umbrella was practically skipping through the rain. He saw her meet up with a tall boy with red hair who she tried to share the umbrella with, but had to stretch on her tiptoes to cover his head. He ducked down to her height and she laughed before she let him hold the umbrella and they walked off.

Adrien felt something surge through him.

It was not jealousy, he told himself.

Maybe it was envy because he was in a class, yeah, that made sense. He was listening to this boring lecture and that boy was out with Marinette making her laugh and walking through the rain with her.

But he wasn't jealous. He couldn't be.

He excused himself and the left the lecture, his bag stuffed under his arm, not bothering to slide it over his shoulder. He pushed the door to the building open and looked around but he saw no one. Adrien stepped forward and let the door close behind him before leaning against the other one.

What was up with him? He found himself thinking of Marinette before he fell asleep the night before and in his dreams he danced with her, only when she spun away, his Ladybug spun back in her place. Adrien had woken up feeling conflicted and somehow, guilty.

Maybe he needed coffee. Yeah, caffeine would help him.

Adrien pulled his bag over his shoulder and pulled out his black umbrella, snapping it open and heading towards the coffee shop on campus.

"Adrien!" A voice rang. His heart sped up as he turned, only for it to slow back down when he realised it was only Alya.

Get a grip, he told himself.

"Alya, what's up?" he asked as the girl huddled under his umbrella and tightened her velvet jacket around her.

"So, you know how Marinette is designing for those mystery dancers?"

"She's entering the competition, yeah," Adrien nodded.

"No, that's the thing, there is no competition," Alya told him.

"What?"

"Marinette is the only one designing for the dancers. I just spoke to a girl from her class and Madame Bustier didn't say anything about it to any of her classes. Either Marinette knows something we don't, or..."

"Or what?" Adrien asked as they reached the coffee shop. He shut his umbrella and followed Alya in, only to walk right into her. "Alya?"

"Or she's on a date," Alya hissed as she pointed to the red haired boy and the dark haired girl. They sat a small table together in the corner, take away coffee cups in their hands, laughing at something. Alya tugged Adrien to the nearest table, which was at the complete opposite end of the shop. Adrien had his back to them, but Alya made sure she could see.

"Who is that she's with?" Adrien asked after a moment, struggling to keep his voice neutral. It was just envy, he told himself.

"That's Nathanaél, you know, the guy who had a crush on her?"