Viscous Cycle

• How Did You Know •

"What?!" Alya screeched. Mari leaned away from the close proximity of her best friend. "Are you trying to bust my eardrums?" Alya's jaw went slack, soaking in all of the information that had just been bestowed upon her. She already knew that Mari and Adrien had slept together. That was old news. But knowing that she loved him and that they were dating in a handprint on wet cement type of permanent way, she went ballistic.

Initially, Mari sat on the edge of her friend's bed, picking at her polished nails, waiting on Alya to finish up. The bespectacled girl was calling everyone she knew, even distant family that had last seen her at a funeral four years ago. "When will you be done?"

"Girl! Let me have my moment! I thought you would never find the perfect guy, let alone fall in love with him! Well, I knew you and Adrien were destined for each other, I just thought you would never come to the same realization. This is news, girl. Absolute news." Rolling her eyes, Mari laid down, relishing the plushy mattress. "Wake me up when you've finished."

"Should I call Uncle John?"

"The one you found smoking illegal substances?"

"Yeah."

"Nope. He's probably still pissed about the charges you pressed. I'd pass."

"But I feel like he'd want to know."

"Why? So he can tell you that he doesn't give a rip, turn around and punch an inmate over the fact that the most unlovable girl in the world found a boyfriend? No thanks."

"You're right. Dang it, I hate when that happens," Alya said, plopping next to Marinette. She shrugged in response.

"I bet I'm right about this though. I've been thinking and while your new look is something out of a dream, it's not you, it's more my fantasy. So, I want you to dress however the heck you want."

Marinette snapped her attention to Alya. "Really?" She nodded. Giddily, the dark haired girl pranced about, before drawing the conclusion that she was freaking Alya out again. "Then prepare for grunge Mari to return, Punk," she sauntered.

The very next school day, Mari shocked them all, save Alya, with her ensemble. She sported a leather jacket, a dark red t-shirt tucked into a black velvet miniskirt and black heeled booties. In her hair was a blood red bandana with a loose ballerina bun to match. The look was a mixture of her past self and the self she pretended to be. It was everything and more.

"Ladies and gents, may I present to you, the sexiest bombshell to ever walk our hallowed halls, Ms. Marinette Ellabelle Dupain-Chang." Adrien announced, catching the attention of all who were in the area. Strutting like a model down a catwalk, Mari swayed her hips and pushed her shoulders back, feeling the most amount of confidence she had yet to feel thus far.

Stopping once she reached the side of her adoring boyfriend, Marinette lightly pecked Adrien's lips, leaving behind a smudge of berry naughty lipstick. The blonde didn't even bother to wipe it off until much, much later. In a dorkish, sentimental way, he wanted everyone to know that he had, most importantly, been kissed and that he had a girlfriend worthy to show off. Not that he would exploit her or anything brash, just normal (or not) boyfriend behavior.

"Hey, Baby," Mari whispered, watching as his face grew red at the nickname before placing a sweet kiss on his neck. "Not fair. I'll get you back later," Adrien spoke back to her, wrapping his arms around her into an embrace. "I will be looking forward to it," she said, patting his butt sneakily and softly before linking arms with Alya and sauntering off toward her first period.

Nino glanced at his best pal, spotting a dopey grin on his face, and a layer of seashell pink smudged on the apples of his cheeks. "Dude, you got it bad."

Adrien sighed. "Yeah. I know."

Across the hallway, Mari and Alya chortled, loving how easily flustered the poor boy was. "Man, I can't even get Nino to blush," she said. Mari furrowed her dark brow. "What? I thought y'all were an item now."

"We went on like, two dates and then he just... I don't know."

"Got amnesia?"

"No."

"Got hit in the head really hard?"

"Nope."

"Was brainwashed by aliens?"

"Nada."

Harrumphing, Mari stood still, making Alya stop too and look at her best friend. "It shall be mine, and possibly Adrien's, goal to get you two back together. Understood?"

"I don't know if that's the-"

"Don't care. You guys are so cute together. Deal with it."

"Remember the days when you didn't want to take part in my love life? Why did I take that time for granted?"

"Do you want my help or not?"

After all of the fuss over acting like she didn't want any help, Alya rolled her eyes, then gave Marinette a thankful facial expression. It warmed her barely moved heart to see her friend so grateful for something so minuscule. When the two were finished sharing nonverbal exchanges, they walked into their class, taking their seats and waiting for further instruction.

Somewhere in the middle of notes, Adrien creeped in. The teacher was busy chalking up the board with information, completely distracted and none the wiser. Several students were curious, wondering why the esteemed Mr. Motorcycle came to visit Mari of all people.  "What are you doing?" Mari asked, hushed as to not alert the busy instructor. "I couldn't wait to kiss you again, so I had to sneak in."

"How did you get out of P.E.?"

"How did you know I was in P.E.?"

She shifted her eyes from his goofy face to his snugly fit attire. When she had made her point, Mari regained eye contact with emerald irises. "Valid answer," he whispered. Being an absolute toddler, he leaned closer to her, slamming his eyelids closed, puckering his lips obnoxiously forward, apparently expecting a kiss or something. Mari shook her head, smiling as she gifted Adrien with a light peck. He pouted, obviously wanting more than the girl was willing to give at the moment.

"Not in class, you Psycho, later. Okay?"

Viciously nodding his head, Adrien snuck out the door without so much as a glance in his direction. How the boy managed to pull such animosities off was way beyond her understanding.

Alya shot her wiggly eyebrows throughout the rest of the day, rubbing the new romance in her friend's face as much as possible.

Mari would mumble for her to stop, cheeks displaying the color of pink bubble gum, as she hid in her hands.

Nino was multitasking, what with rolling his eyes at Adrien and sneaking in glances at the goddess he had no chance with, known as Alya.

Adrien was humming to himself, keeping his appearance in top shape for his lady, and taking time to shimmy his shoulders in between bites of food. He was a happy guy, to say the least.

What none of them could, nor would, expect would be just what lied ahead.

•••••••••

So. Any thoughts, ideas or theories on what they think will happen to our sweet four would be appreciated! Also, I began another book, so go check it out! Feel free to leave a vote, too. Until next time! ❤️ Bubbles.