M'Ladybug | Adrinette//Ladynoir

Chapter Fifteen | Head Over Heels

Marinette walked into the school, eyes searching for Alya and Shea. As she saw the pair, she ran over.

"Hey guys, guess what tomorrow is?"

Alya rolled her eyes. "Maybe it would've come as more of a surprise if you wouldn't have asked us this same question for the past six days."

Marinette gave her a mock slap. "Come Alya, get excited. There's only one Valentines dance."

"I hate to correct you but it's kind of an annual thing..." Shea said, smiling softly.

"Where is your school spirit? What's there not to love about school dances?" Marinette said, twirling in a fantasy world.

Alya and Shea exchanged knowing glances.

"The music, for one, is terrible." Alya started, counting on one hand.

"The dancing, if you could call it that, is nauseating." She continued.

"And the food is incredibly over priced." Shea chimed in, nodding in agreement.

"You guys, that's the fun in it! It's so lame that you end up enjoying it!" Marinette said, laughing.

"Now come on, we're going to get in the spirit tonight at my place with the help of ice cream and chick flicks. I'll finish with your dresses then too."

"Sounds good. We can also discuss the details of your little date." Alya said.

"Don't think we've forgotten. We need full disclosure." Shea said, crossing her arms across her chest.

Marinette put her hands up. "Okay okay, I promise, you'll hear about every second."

The bell rang and the trio went into school, oblivious to the stares that followed them up the steps from three helpless boys.

__((:__

"Split up into partners for this assignment! Boys and girls please." Mrs DuPont, their history teacher said, her large voice echoing around the room.

Marinette and Alya gave each other a sad goodbye and both set off to find a suitable partner.

Alya and Nino joined together with ease and Marinette feigned nonchalance as she secretly hoped that Adrien would approach her.

She caught sight of his green eyes and her heart leapt as he walked towards her, only to be distracted by a tap on her shoulder.

She turned to meet Nathanael's blue eyes, as he pushed a lock of his red hair from them.

"Hey, wanna be partners? I haven't seen much of date recently." He asked good-naturedly but seemingly more out of obligation.

"Sure." She said, forcing a smile and stealing a longing look at a dismayed Adrien, missing Nathanael giving the same look Shea's direction.

The pair sat down at a table near the window and Adrien grabbed Shea's arm and sat her down near the couple, but not too near that it would raise suspicion.

Chloë sashayed up to them, smiling sinisterly. "Hey Adrien, want to be partners?"

Adrien looked from Shea to Chloë awkwardly. "Sorry Cloë but I found a partner already."

"I'm sure she wouldn't mind, right Shea?" Chloë said, drumming a perfectly manicured finger threateningly on the desktop.

Shea turned white, remembering her sketchbook. Until she got it back, Chloë would have the upper hand. "It's fine with me."

"No, I already told her I'd do it." Adrien smiled at Shea softly.

"No really, Adrien, it's fine. I'll find someone else." The pair communicated with their eyes and decided it would be more painless just to let Chloë have her fun.

"Sorry Shea, better luck next time," Chloë said in a candy covered voice, linking arms with Adrien and sitting them at a table next to Marinette and Nathanael who had already  started working.

"Let's see what type of project do you want to do?" Nathanael asked, looking at the directions carefully.

"Preferably one that doesn't involve public speaking. That's like my biggest fear ever," Marinette said as she smiled nervously.

Nathanael breathed a sigh of relief. "I was hoping you would say that. It freaks me out, feeling everyone's eyes on me."

However, Nathanael was oblivious to Adrien's eyes on him and his partner. Adrien gritted his teeth in irritation as he heard Marinette give a tinkling laugh at something he said.

No one is that funny, he said bitterly, zoning out completely as Chloë droned on about something pointless, it's probably just a pity laugh.

His heart ached. And it was a weird sensation. His heart never ached. He had never even thought about a girl this much until this past week had hit him like a train wreck. Now he couldn't stop imagining her blue eyes twinkling or her--

"Are you listening to a word I'm saying?" Chloë snapped angrily, despising not being the center of attention.

"Sorry, I haven't gotten much sleep. I've been staying up..." Stalking Marinette on Social media, "playing video games or something."

"Awe you poor thing," Chloë said, running a hand along his frame. "I never would've guessed."

Now it was Marinette's turn to be jealous. She bit her lip and turned away from the sight she saw. Their yogurt trip hadn't meant much to him so it wouldn't mean much to her anyway.

She snuck one more glance and caught his eye and they exchanged a knowing glance. She then heard her phone vibrate in her pocket.

Adrien: Sorry we weren't partners. Next project I call dibs (:

Marinette smiled softly and hastily replied.

Marinette: I'll see if I can move you up in the line (:

Maybe the yogurt had meant something after all. She got back to work with Nathanael, unable to keep the smile off her face.

__((:__

After the day was over, Marinette and Alya met Shea outside of the school.

"Ready for some girl time?" Marinette said excitedly, linking arms with the pair.

"Not quite yet. There's a certain blonde boy in his way over here." Shea said, a smile lighting up her face.

"You have five minutes." Alya said making hand motions that clearly said I'm watching you before walking away slowly and happily.

"Hey," Adrien said, shoving his hands in his pockets.

"Hey," she replied softly, smiling in the warm light.

"I just wanted to say that I had a great time yesterday with you and that I'm sorry I wasn't your partner today."

"Me too. It was a lot of fun. And it's alright, Chloë can be kind of persistent."

"Yeah...anyway, I just wanted to give you this as a thank you for everything," Adrien pulled a light pink shoelace bracelet out of his pocket. "I made it Art today."

"Well aren't you just modern day DaVinci." Marinette said, taking it from his hand and slipping it on her wrist.

He rubbed the back of his neck as his face changed into fifty shades of pink. "It's not the best but--"

"I love it. It's perfect. Thank you Adrien." She gave him a small and tentative hug making his heart turn to play dough in her arms.

"Now I have to go have some girl time. I'll see you later Adrien. Text me or something." She said as she walked away, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

Adrien smiled as she left, soaking in her words. There was no doubt about it. He was falling into her blue eyes. He just hoped she would catch him.

__((:__

I AM SO SO SO SORRY FOR THE WAIT! I am back though from a month break and I am writing again! Get pumped for the dance because it's coming quick and I don't think anyone's prepared for what I have in store (: thanks for reading and thanks for the motivational comments! Y'all keep my going ((: