Not the Way it Works

Not the Way it Works - Chapter Three

     "I wonder where Adrien is," Alya commented to Nino.  "His dad better not be giving him home detention or something."

     Marinette cocked her head and leaned her chin on her hand.  She shifted on the bench.  She couldn't help but think that, maybe, Adrien's absence had something to do with the way she had treated Chat Noir.  Maybe Adrien just wasn't feeling well.  Either way, she intended to find out.

     The bell rang signaling the start of first period.  Marinette shifted some more.  She was uncomfortable.  Maybe she'd treated Chat a little harshly.  Maybe she had been more upset than she should've.  But she couldn't let him find out about her!  Or that she liked Adrien...he'd be crushed.

     Aside from the fact that Chat was now snooping into her identity, she had treated him harshly.  But could she really help it?  She was just an awkward teenager who happened to have the biggest secret she was sure any teenager had ever had.  Except for Chat Noir, of course.

     Marinette didn't want to admit it, but she was embarrassed that she could become someone like Ladybug, then go back to being boring old Marinette.  If Chat knew, he'd be disappointed.  If Chat knew, nothing would be the same.

     Not that things would be the same after she had yelled at him, scolded him, treated him so...so horribly.

     She had to get out of the classroom and into her spots.  Then she could go to Adrien's house and see if he was there.  If he was, and if he was okay, then there was nothing worth worrying about.  If he was sick, she would at least know he was okay.  But if she saw Chat...

     She raised her hand and was excused.  She dashed out of the classroom and ran into a Janitor's closet.  It smelled like bleach and ammonia.  She wrinkled her nose and Tikki did the same.

     "I have to go see if Adrien is okay!"  Marinette said to Tikki, her voice echoing around in the closet and sounding louder than she expected.  Tikki sighed but agreed.

     "I'm just kind of mad at Plagg for not telling Chat Noir that you can't know each other's identities,"  Tikki complained.

     "I understand that, but right now we need to check on Adrien!  Maybe he's hurt," she gasped, "or maybe Hawk Moth got to him!"

     Tikki rolled her eyes.  "You're so dramatic.  Hawk Moth has no reason to touch Adrien.  But if it means that much to you, we can go."

     "Thanks.  Tikki, SPOTS ON!"

     With a flash of red light, Ladybug burst out of the closet, running at full speed out of the school.  She knew the way to Adrien's house by heart.  She jumped over the last rooftop and landed on Adrien's front porch.  Finding his window, she opened it slowly and peeked in.

     She looked around for a moment, being completely silent, and then she spotted him - sitting at his desk.  He was sleeping, drooling over a pile of Ladybug photos.  She walked over silently and picked a few up.  She almost shrieked.

     "Where did he get these?"  she thought.  Adrien's eyes opened slowly, and his blurry, half-asleep eyes saw her hair.  Marinette's hair.

     "Marinette?" He was groggy, but he saw enough for his half-asleep mind to identify his friend from school.

     Ladybug almost screamed.  She jumped back, startled, dropping the Ladybug images all over the ground.  Adrien looked embarrassed she had found them.

     "What did you just call me?"  Ladybug asked carefully.  Adrien looked very startled and fumbled over his words.

     "Uhm...well...uh...I only saw your hair and...."  Wait.  Her hair.  Her hair.  Her hair was exactly like Marinette's!  This was interesting.

     "I'm Ladybug.  Don't worry about who I am.  It's better for everyone that way.  I just wanted to see if you were okay, but if you can speak and are awake then clearly, you're fine.  Make sure Chat Noir doesn't try to use this little piece of knowledge, " she flopped her pigtails, "to find out my identity.  I really don't want him to know.  He'd only be disappointed."  With that, she left.