Made For Each Other [On Hold]

Chapter 5 - Marinette

In any other circumstance I would have died after Adrien Agreste had kissed my cheek but the fact that we were talking about how to put him together with Lila Rossi made me want to throw up.

"Ugh! I'm an idiot!" I moaned into my arms on the table we should have been eating lunch together at.

"I highly doubt that, even if it were true. All I see is a beautiful woman putting aside her own feelings to help the man she loves find his way."

I glanced up to see the manager, Master Fu, slide into the seat Adrien has just vacated.

I sighed, "When you put it that way, you make me sound like some selfless heroine, but I'm not. I just couldn't say no to him."

He patted my hand affectionately. "Think of this as a bump in the road. If you give up now, things will never turn out the way you want them to."

With that, he stood up. As he was walking away, he added over his shoulder, "Stick this out, and things will turn out."

He tapped the side of his nose and walked away.

I smiled at the familiarity of the old man.

Glacing back at the empty seat, my brow furrowed slightly. Maybe he was right. Maybe I could turn this around to my advantage. The more time I spend with him, the more he'll see me for me. And if it doesn't work, and he chooses Lila, then he's not for me.

I cringed at that last thought. Of course Adrien is the one but...I suppose...if he chooses her in the end, then there's nothing for it.

I stood up with a lifted chin and a plan in mind. I might be helping the guy I was in love with date a soulless beast, but there was still the chance he would fall for me instead. And I will take that chance.

***

Yum, I bit into another croissant. Delicious.

My parents had sent over a plate of them fresh from the oven for Alya and I to share but she had declined on the account of having already eaten.

"Girl, I don't know how you can eat an much and not gain any weight."

Speak of the devil and she will appear.

I grinned back. "Because I was raised in a bakery, plus I take after Mum."

She shook her head. "So what are you working on now?"

I showed her the half design I had come up with on the way back from the restaurant. It was a combination of determination and strong will, with a flair of sass.

"Sweet," she whistled appreciatively. "This'll definitely beat Gabriel Agreste."

"That's the plan."

Last winter, a couple of newspapers had started hinting at a clash between the greatest fashion rivals of France.

A few months later, Gabriel Agreste had accepted the unconventional challenge, forcing me to do the same.

The goal: to design something that the audience loved, and could be worn by the everyday Parisian.

Since I had once been your average Parisian, I had spent the last month flipping through all of my old designs for the spark I needed. 

That was why I had come up with the idea of combining all of them; taking out the best parts and putting them into one. This piece was going to be my best yet. 

"So, since we're on the topic of plans, what's your plan with Adrien?" Alya was not one you could distract. 

I smiled. "I'm going to spend as much time with him as I can." 

"And..." she prompted. 

I raised an eyebrow. 

"That's it?" she slumped onto the couch. "You're a fool...but at least this is better than your plan to watch from the sidelines. What changed your mind?" 

"He kissed me on the cheek," I ignored her squeal and continued. "Although he did it because he thinks I've saved his non-existent relationship, it helped me decide that I don't want to watch him with another woman. Especially this one. I also want more kisses like that, preferably not just on the cheek though."

Alya burst into laughter. "Oh! I love this new you! You go girl!" 

I grinned. "And so begins the plan of making Adrien Agreste fall in love with me!" 

Hi. I know I'm fishing for compliments here, I just need a little more motivation to write this story. I really want to write it and have it finished, but I moreover want to be writing the end, rather than the middle.

So, what I'm asking is, what have you liked so far? That way I can put more of it in.

Thank you so much!