Straight to Video (Completed & Under Renovation)

Chapter Forty-six: The Package

"Nathalie, I'm home."

I waved at Gorilla, who stared solemnly in response -his usual greeting- as I closed the front door behind me.

"Adrien, welcome home."

"Thank you."

She stopped me before I was able to walk past her, and lowered her voice to a whisper.

"..Did you have fun?"

"It was amazing," I answered quietly. "Thank you so much."

She smiled gently before straightening up into her usual cold demeanor.

"Don't forget, you have a photo shoot Sunday afternoon, so please don't stay up too late tonight. Dinner has been prepared for you in the kitchen if you get hungry."

"Thanks, Nathalie."

I made my way up to my room, already full from corndogs and funnel cake at the fair.
I had burned more than enough chasing Carnival Chaos to make up for any of the junk food, so I figured it was alright.

"Aw, man, that was fun." Plagg sighed, stomach full of cheese fries and exhausted from the fight.

"More than I've ever had," I agreed.

I smiled at my phone as it buzzed; Alya had sent us pictures in a group text.

Some of me opening presents, Marinette and I dancing, the view from the ferris wheel, and Nino and I playing carnival games.

I had brought home a few souvenirs as well; a black cat plushie that I won from the squirt gun race, a caricature of Nino and I as Ladybug and Lady Wi-Fi, and a few vintage dress up photos from the antique prop parlor. Even better was all my friends' amazing presents from the night before.

I set my luggage down on the floor and fell back onto my bed, sighing.

"You're going to sleep already? At least open the package first! I'm dying to know!"

"Package?" I startled, sitting up.

I had been so distracted, I hadn't even noticed the small box sitting on my desk. I wandered over to pick it up, but I was surprised by how light it was.

I grabbed a nearby pen and used the point to cut the seal on the package before opening the box. On top, over some white tissue paper, sat a decorative red envelope, and it reminded me of something Alya had mentioned before.

"Save the letter for after the field trip, okay? It's a post-birthday surprise."

Sure enough, I turned it around to find two simple words written neatly on the back.

The Letter.