The Artist and the Flower

Part 2: chapter 3

I woke up the next morning tired, I was so tired after yesterday. The worst part is I barely got any of the project done before I fell asleep. I don't usually spend time with others outside of school (Mari is an a exception), so just that hour or so at Chloe's house really drained my energy. I kept falling asleep in class, and I did not want to get another detention for it. When the bell rang for lunch break, I didn't hear it. It was Mari who woke me up and told me we were on break.
"Wake up Nath, we're on lunch break now! Aren't you hungry?" She asked. "Also, you seem sleepy, let's go get some coffee." She smiled at me. Mari's so kind! I thought.
"Coffee sounds great, actually." I said with a drowsy smile. Mari and I held hands and walked to the cafe. When we came back, we sat under a tree on a bench with our coffee and our lunch from the cafe.
   The coffee wasn't kicking in yet, and I was still a little sleepy. I leaned against the tree and closed my eyes. Then I reseted my head on Mari's shoulder to rest. She smelled sweet; like bread and frosting. I closed my eyes for only a moment when Mari was softly shaking me to wake me up.
   "Nath, it's time to go back to class. You didn't even get to eat anything since you slept the whole time. Are you okay?" Mari asked.
"Yea, yea I'm fine." I said as I massaged my forehead. I got up and balanced myself against Mari. "I'm just a little tired, but I should be okay." I assured her. We gave each other a quick kiss before going back to class. I felt much better after that. I wasn't tired anymore and I was happy that I spent time with my Flower.
Throughout the lesson, I could feel someone's icy eyes on me. I tried to distract myself from the awkward feeling by drawing that city scene from Chloe's window. When class was over, I was waiting next to Mari with Alya, Adrien, Nino, Sabrina, and Chloé. I wasn't exactly friends with Adrien after the "who gets to be with Mari" thing, but we weren't out to kill each other either. At least I hope not, I don't want to get into a messy fight between the three of us.
I could see Chloé staring at me and Mari intensely. Then she whispered something to Sabrina and pointed at us. I was getting a little worried.
Sabrina then walked towards us and asked, "Sorry if I'm mistaken or late on the news, but are you two going out?"
The room became silent. My face turned red and I tried to hide it with my hand and bangs. I couldn't say anything, that came out of no where. I took a deep breath. I don't want to look weak in front of Mari. "Y-yes. We are. Going out, I mean." I said, my voice was a little shaky, but I managed to say it. This is so embarrassing!
The silence remained, no one was able to break it. I looked at Mari and she seemed embarrassed too. I wanted to hold her hand to make her feel better but I didn't know if that would cause an uproar of some kind, so I just stood there.
   Mari seemed to be thinking the same as me because she grabbed my hand and said, "That's right, we're going out!" Her hand felt warm and I could see she was blushing down to her neck. I softly tugged her closer to me and she held onto my arm. Then, slowly people started politely clapping for us.
"Congratulations you two!" Someone yelled.
"Congrats my dudes!"
"You guys are so cute together!"
"I want a girlfriend too!"
   People were encouraging us, and it felt good. I smiled at Mari and she smiled back at me.
Then Chloé pushed her way to the front. "Is that so? Well sorry Marinette, but I'm going to have to steal Nathaniel for a while. At least until this project is done." Chloé grabbed my other hand and pulled me away from Mari. "Let's go already! School is over and we need to work on the project at my place!"
   "At Chloe's house? The two of them together? Alone? What's up with that, are you really serious about Mari at all?" Adrien asked. The room became silent again, but was then broken by my classmates.
   "That's true, I did see him go to Chloe's house yesterday." Someone said.
   "But I saw him and Marinette going on a date of some kind before." Said someone else.
   "He has been spending lots of time with both of them recently, is he just messing with them or can he not choose between them?"
   "Maybe he likes both of them."
   People were whispering bizarre rumors to each other and assuming that I was a cheating boyfriend or something. My head was spinning and I didn't feel good. I snatched my hand away from Chloe's.
   "You guys have it all wrong! Yes, I went to Chloe's house, but Chloé and I were only working on the project together. Nothing more than that. The person I like is Mari, I would never do anything to hurt her or betray her, so please don't say those things about us!" I said angrily. I did not recognize myself at that moment. I could feel everyone's gaze on me as I turned to Chloé. "Don't worry about the project, I'll work on it myself. Let's go, Mari." I took Mari's hand and we ran outside.
   We ran to the library entrance and tried to catch our breath. I looked up at Mari.
   "I'm sorry about all that Mari. Honestly I don't care what they think about me, but I don't want you to be troubled because of me. So if something is ever bothering you, you can tell me and I'll be there to help you." I said as I stated at her bluebell eyes to make sure she knew I was serious.
   She stared right back at me. "Thanks Nath, but what they say about you does bother me a little because I don't want them to think wrongly of you. You aren't the person they say you are at all, I know there's nothing between you and Chloé." She assured me.
   I sighed. "This is not good. What do you suggest we do about it? I can do the project myself and slap her name on it too. Or I can ask her to come to the library instead." I suggested.
   Mari shook her head. "It's not fair for you to work on the project all by yourself, that's the same thing that happened with me and Sabrina when I was in Chloé's group. I think you should just stay at the library instead, maybe even the school library just to make things clear that it's all business." Mari said.
   I though about it before answering, "Okay, that sounds fair to me. But if you're ever mistreated by anyone or someone makes you cry, you have to tell me so I can- you know- sort things out?" I wanted to sound tough, but I don't believe in violence and I'm not much of a fighter. I just don't want anything bad to happen to her. I mostly want Mari to rely on me and know I'll be there for her just as she was for me.
   She smiled softly. "Thanks Nath, I promise I'll let you know." I gave her a hug and she hugged me back.
   "Tomorrow, wanna go to the art gallery together? There's a new exhibit being opened at the art gallery, and I think you'd really like it." I tugged on my bangs, I was a little nervous if she would agree or not.
   "That-that sounds fun, though anywhere can be fun if I'm with you." Mari blushed and looked down at her feet. My heart started to beat a little faster, I was really happy she had agreed.
   "Th-then I'll see you at your house around 1pm?" I said. Mari nodded. She's so cute, I feel like every day I fall more and more in love with you.

~~~~~~~~back at the classroom~~~~~~~~

   "There they go, what exactly are those two?" Adrien asked as he leaned back against the wall at school.
   "Annoying. I think we both have something to gain from them being apart, no?" An evil grin spread across Chloé's face as she tugged on Adrien's shirt so she could whisper in his ear. "I know you like Marinette and I hate both of them, so let's make turn this situation towards our favor."
Adrien folded his arms. "I do not like Marinette." He held a poker face.
"Please Adrien, I know you better than anyone else so you can't lie to me. Also, why can't you like me? I'm much better than Marinette." She said as she fixed her hair.
"... I don't know." Adrien said as he looked out a window. "There's just something about them being together that pisses me off."
Chloé didn't speak after that, she smiled and sashayed out of the classroom. Sabrina was waiting for her outside, then Chloé took her limousine home.
Adrien sighed and walked out of the classroom and sat in his limousine. Is this really the right thing to do? He thought. I know Chloé is a bad person and them being together annoys me, but maybe we should just leave them alone. They just look so happy, plus I have Ladybug-
His thoughts were interrupted when he felt something warm drip down his face onto his hands. Why am I... crying? Do I like Marinette or not? I know what the right thing is to do, but I don't want to do the right thing. Adrien sat in his room and he laid on his bed.
"What's up pretty boy? Why are you feeling so down?" Asked Plagg.
"I don't know, my feelings are mixed and I don't know what I want." Adrien said as he stared up at the ceiling.
"Wanna know what that sounds a lot like?"
"Like what?" Adrien asked.
"A you problem. Do you have any Camembert cheese?" Plagg said with his stomach grumbling.
"Really Plagg? I'm not getting you cheese." Adrien sounded annoyed.
"Just leave them alone, they make a good couple. Besides, I thought your heart belonged to Ladybug or something lame like that."
Adrien didn't respond. Do I like Ladybug? Do I like Marinette? Do I like both of them? What should I do to find out the truth? He closed his eyes, hugged his pillow, and fell asleep.