The Miraculous Masquerade

𝖙𝖜𝖔:𝕞𝕠𝕟𝕖𝕪

Adrien waited for the girl with the cute pigtails to return his friendly gesture, but her face scrunched up into an annoyed frown. Her pale face started to dust with pink.

Blushing? No. Anger? a definite yes.

"I'm sorry, sir, but as you can clearly see I'm not as fortunate as you." Her eyebrows narrowed, she gestured at her clothing while spitefully scanning at the expensive couture that covered him with pure disgust. "I can't afford to mess up, especially not on a night like this with such important clients."

She quickly turned to leave, but he reached out to grab her cold wrist. It was exposed, due to the lack of clothing she had. He almost got lost in a trance again.

"Hey, I already said, I'll give you a full refund for your effort, it is Christmas Eve after all." Adrien flashed his award-winning smile again to get her attention positively this time. She just gave him a look of hate, squinting at him in confusion as if she didn't know what she was supposed to be looking at.

She's definitely not like some of the other girls I know. Adrien thought. He was debating mentally whether he should be glad about that or not. After all, other girls literally meant, fangirls.

"Your kidding right, no one is that kind. I'm meant to get paid extra for working on Christmas, I doubt you'd be willing to spend your spare cash on someone as low class as me." She spectated him with distaste.

Adrien was startled. He had never met someone who thought so poorly of themselves, and their self worth. She had a tainted view on the world and also had a horrid opinion on people like him, Adrien could tell just be looking at her expression.

Can't blame her, he thought of some of his associates, such as a certain blonde bimbo who constantly pestered him.

"No! I promise, I just want to help out and do a good deed-" He started, but her bright blue eyes seemed to rage on.

"What am I? A charity case?" She shoved him on the chest with one hand. However, the only thing that hurt was his pride.
"I'm sorry, but I'm pretty sure I can handle this on my own, besides, who are you to say that you can just give me money like your some high and mighty rich guy..."

Adrien took advantage of the rapid situation to slip 100 Euro into her pocket while she was flailing her arms around. A bright colored flier was flipped out as he hurriedly stuck the money in. It was the flyer for the next masquerade ball, planned by the Mayor of Paris.

He and his father had gone for every year for the past 7 years. Adrien found every one of the Masquerade dances boring, but this time he'll finally be expecting someone.

"...I mean, how egotistical are you!" She fumed. Adrien couldn't help but stifle a laugh when her face grew tomato red. Even though he felt like he was meant to be intimidated, it was one of the most adorable sights he had ever come across in his lifetime.

"Could this egotistical maniac at least learn your name?" He asked hopefully, slowly reaching his hand out for the last time. Trying his best to grin at her without making a fool out of himself, Adrien spread his fingers, aiming for a handshake once more.

She inspected it for a quick moment, then stuck her hand out as well. His eyes flashed in excitement as he moved his palm toward.

Then she slapped it. Hard.

"Marinette." She stated abruptly, rushing off with the remains of her box of cinnamon vanilla buns.

Marinette, he pondered, a smile creeping to his face. Her name sounded so good in his mind.
Even though Adrien was wincing in pain, he still grinned, knowing that he had found the color to his black and white life story. He didn't know why he was immediately infatuated to the girl, but he intended to find out.

Adrien thought this was going to be a boring Christmas that he had to spend alone. He now thought otherwise.

"I'll see you again, princess." He told himself, rushing straight back to the mansion.

----

Marinette was still seeing flames when she slammed the door open to the bakery. A bell jingled above her head.

Just like every other day.

Complaints about Adrien Agreste sprinted in her head like a marathon.

How infuriating can a single person get? He simply didn't know his matters. How is he even part of the rich chain of Paris? He surely didn't deserve it.

She groaned, realizing she did not successfully send over the baked goods in the end, and she was left with no money.

Her parents would be so disappointed in her.

Marinette reached in her pocket for the flier to the Masquerade. When the big piece of paper didn't show automatically to her hand, she panicked.

But then she felt something else. A smooth edge brushed against her fingertips. When she pulled it out, a stack of folded ten Euro replaced the flier.

"Oh. My. Goodness." Marinette dramatically said out loud. She yelled for her parents to go down the stairs. It truly was a Christmas miracle to have extra money.

Was it from Mr. Adrien McEgo Douche face? Marinette recalled him feeling at her pockets during her word throw up at his face. She felt mildly guilty for feeling overjoyed from this cash that wasn't rightfully hers. They say that money can't buy happiness, but Marinette would beg to differ.

"What is it, honey." Marinette's tired parents walked down the stairs that led to the bakery.

She beamed like the star on a Christmas tree. "I've got enough money for a better meal tonight!" She skipped in a circle as both parents suddenly joined together in booming laughter.

"That's great news honey, but that wasn't necessary," Her father Tom reassured. Marinette gave him a look of misunderstanding.

"He's right dear, we literally just got a call this morning from mayor Bourgeois saying he'd like to use our finest baked goods at the New Years Masquerade ball." Her mother Sabine commented, rubbing Marinette's shoulders in an encouraging manner. "This could be a breakthrough for us! He already paid us plenty. How nice of him."

Marinette didn't think her happiness could blow up any further, but it did. It was like any thoughts of Adrien had vanished. Things were definitely looking for the better.

"And that means you'll get to keep that money, Marinette, you deserve it." Tom said while holding her hand.

Marinette offered to put it in the bakeries' profit anyway, but her loving parents insisted that she'd hold on to it. She was hyped in every way and almost forgot the fact that she was almost freezing to death.

Marinette didn't even know what to do with the forty euro at first, but then the New Years masquerade suddenly popped into her head like a light bulb. If she really wanted to make a good impression this year, show she wasn't the lame baker girl that blended with the crowd, show that she could rewrite her story without being rich, and maybe find love, although that idea was preposterous to think about.

She had to get creative.

Thanks for reading!