Indirect Friendship😸Complete😸

Chapter 22

It started with gym class, which is not a sentence Adrien would've considered saying before.

Admittedly, it was partially his fault. He was pretty oblivious sometimes, having grown up without much interaction with kids his own age. If he had, he probably would have caught himself before throwing himself into such a ridiculous situation.

"Class, line up! Harnesses on, helmets on! Be prepared to go when I call your name!"

For gym, their class was combined with another class. It just so happened that the other class had the top rock-climbing student in the school, and by god, he was haughty about it.

Frankly, everyone found it annoying. He liked to show off when it came to the school climbing wall, but Adrien had not known this.

"Reverse alphabetical by last name, please."

They each took their turn, everybody sighing as the boy with the thirty second record on the ten meter wall tore up and bounded down, grinning as the coach read off a time of twenty nine seconds, a new record.

"Last but certainly not least," the coach said, with a hint of sarcasm. "Adrien Agreste, you're up."

With his gear safely buckled and the carabiner attached to his harness, he put one hand on the wall and waited for his cue. He had noticed the other boy's speed, but had mainly focused on the fact that Marinette barely got thirty two seconds, even being Ladybug.

His goal to go as fast as possible was mainly to beat her out of sheer competitiveness, not the other kid. He climbed the wall in his room regularly, after all. But he had never timed himself.

"Ready, set, go!"

Adrien literally shot up the wall, barely even pausing as he grabbed the next hold. He tapped the bell at the top as soon as he had finished, grappling back down with ease.

When his feet hit the ground and he detached himself from the belay, he was a bit unnerved to see the stares he was getting.

Marinette's eyes were wide with what seemed to be apprehension, and the other boy was practically fuming.

"Twenty six seconds," the coach read off, shocked. "It seems we have a new record, and a new record holder."

There were cheers, and Adrien appreciated them, but he was shaken by his Lady's worried expression. His worry was confirmed when the boy stormed off, straight out of the class.

"Adrien, that was incredible!" Nino called.

"Figures, you do have that wall in your room," Chloe smirked.

"Teach me," came Kim's obligatory whining.

Adrien managed some nervous laughter, happy and worried. Marinette hurried over to whisper in his ear, "You really were amazing, but I'm worried that he'll be akumatized."

Almost as if on cue, a loud laughter echoed into the gym, followed by shrieks of terror. "Man, Hawkmoth wastes no time!" Alya exclaimed, horrified. She turned to Adrien and Marinette. "I'll cover you guys, go transform!"

With a loud crash, the akuma burst in through the doors. "I'm am the Climbing Carnage!" he shouted. "Fear my climbing strength and speed!"

The students screamed as he shot a beam of light from his helmet which hit their coach, sending him skidding against the wall. He struggled, but it seemed he was stuck to it.

Climbing Carnage's narrowed onto Adrien, causing the boy's eyes to widen. "And I will make you pay, Adrien Agreste!"

He turned to make a dash for it, finding Marinette had escaped before the akuma had burst in. A beam directed at him caused him to divert his path, trying to avoid being hit by the well-aimed beams.