M'Ladybug | Adrinette//Ladynoir

Chapter Seventeen | Primadonna Girl

The school buzzed with the excitement and anticipation of the school dance in a few short hours. Girls stood in the hallway comparing dress colors while boys tried to play it off like they didn't care and were annoyed by the whole process. But it was no secret, everyone was growing excited.

Marinette smiled, closing her locker as the school day ended. The teachers hadn't even attempted to teach today, knowing the state of the student body.

A red headed boy walked up to her, shyly tucking strands of his quickly growing hair behind his ear.

"Hey Marinette," He greeted warmly, but something seemed to have changed from their last conversation. There was no smitten look in his eye, and he seemed calm and friendly, unlike how he normally was around Marinette.

"Hey Nathanael," Marinette said with a smile, "What's up?"

He shrugged. "Not much, I just wanted to see when you wanted me to pick you up for the dance? My uncle let me rent out his old limousine."

Her jaw dropped to the symmetrical ceramic tile below her. "A limo?"

Nathanael sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck. "Limo is a really strong word. It's not what you're expecting."

She raised an eyebrow at him. and his eyes twinkled in response.

"I'll let you be surprised. Just keep your expectations low, okay? Does seven thirty work for you?"

She nodded, smiling happily. Something had definitely changed in his manner and she loved it. They could finally be friends without all the pressure. "See you then!" She said finally, closing her locker and heading outside.

__:))__

Adrien looked down the hall to see Marinette and Nathanael talking and laughing. He gave a small sigh, figuring he was the only person in the school not excited for the dance.

Shea tapped on his shoulder. "Hey, stop brooding in the hallways." Under her breath she muttered, "And they say girls can't contain their emotions."

Adrien chose to ignore both comments. "I'll pick you up seven thirty. From where exactly?"

"Can you pick me up from the bakery? We're having a makeshift beauty shop to get ready and I don't want to walk home and ruin all my makeup and hair."

Adrien nodded. "See you then."

He turned to walk away but she caught his arm. "I'm just teasing. I think it's refreshing that you like her. I have a good feeling about tonight."

"Really? Because right now I'd rather jump off the highest building in Paris."

Shea shook her head. "That's just the nerves talking." She patted his shoulder gently. "You're going to have fun, I promise. I'm actually the life of the party."

Shea then began to do a terrible version of the robot causing Adrien to laugh he thought his sides would split. She roboted away from him and called, "See you at seven thirty!"

Adrien shook his head. She was a really great friend and she wasn't even obsessive about her crush on Nathanael. Or at least she did a better job hiding it.

The worst part is that he couldn't even hate Nathanael for any of it. Nathanael just saw an opportunity and took it; there was no crime in asking a beautiful girl to the dance.

No, it was solely his fault. He'd realized too late how he felt. But he was willing to wait for her. For her, he would do just about anything.

__((:__

Marinette, Alya and Shea practically sprinted home, dodging hurdles and making to Marinette's room in record time.

They chose to do hair first. Alya and Marinette hovered over Shea, watching hundreds of YouTube videos before finally figuring out how to do the intricate braided updo they had fallen in love with in a picture.