Guess Again [A Miraculous FanFiction]

Chapter Four: Unexpected Parties and Confusion

"Alya! Mari!"

The voice made the two girls in ankle-length jackets of deep blue turn in unison. A smile split both faces and they paused.

"Bonjour Nino," Alya greeted him, kissing his cheek when he was close enough. She wrapped her arm around his and the three of them started down the windy street.

"You won't believe what I'm going to tell you!" he exclaimed as they ducked the branch of a nearby tree that whipped into their path.

"Oh? Do tell." Alya's grin was conspiring and she winked, quite aware of the content Nino's news.

"Not here," Nino said, glancing around. "It's going to rain, and I can't really tell it right anyway. Come on." He and Alya started off down a different street, Marinette following them in confusion.

"What's going on?" Mari muttered under her breath, glancing into her purse to check on Tikki. Her kwami sat in the bottom of the bag, rolled in the handkerchief Marinette had stuffed there for her comfort. She smiled up at her friend and winked.

"Tikki, do you know what's going on?" Marinette asked in a whisper, staring wide-eyed at her little friend.

"Yep." Tikki squeaked with another wink.

"Well, what is it?" Marinette demanded, glancing up to check that Alya and Nino were still walking and hadn't noticed her absence yet. They hadn't.

"I won't tell you."

"Tikki, I'm really not in the mood. I'm already stressed with everything with the Bakery and my parents. I cannot handle anything else." Mari's voice cracked and she bit her lip to stop the tears from falling. She would not cry. It was not happening. Tikki floated up to the top of the bag and patted the girl's hand comfortingly.

"Don't worry, Marinette. This is a good thing! I promise. Now go on; follow them." Tikki smiled encouragingly and Mari closed the bag with a groan.

"Fine," she said grumpily. She ran to catch up to her friends.

They walked until they reached a massive cream-colored building; Alya and Nino walked through the open gate. Marinette stopped in her tracks, suspicion rising in an instant.

"Alya?" she called, hesitating at the open gate.

"Come on!" Alya said, turning to see her friend was not behind them.

Marinette shook her head and took a step backwards.

"I....don't want to."

"Don't you dare. Stop being a baby. It's fine," Alya retorted, stomping over to grab Mari's arm. Nino, grinning widely, grabbed the other one. The two of them dragged her to the front door of Adrien's giant house.

"Take a breath," Alya coached as Marinette started to hyperventilate. "Stop freaking out. This isn't a big deal. We are just here to hang out with Adrien."

She glared at Marinette until the girl took two large breaths. Alya grinned, patting her on the head. Nino, seeing the situation was handled, reached up and knocked three times on the large door.

The doors swung open almost instantly. As they opened, a cacophony of sound -cheers, chatter, laughter- swarmed them.

Marinette turned bright red (as red as her kwami) and tried to turn and run. Alya laughed and pushed her into the house. It was filled with tons of people; people Marinette knew.

She smiled grimly at Rose and Juleka, who called a greeting. She also waved half-heartedly to more of her classmates, who were dispersed around the very crowded entry room.

"What's going on?" she muttered to Alya, who shook her head and pretended she couldn't hear. She pulled Mari's jacket off and left with Nino; Mari stood awkwardly by the door for a moment before she tried going after them. But they slipped between two larger groups of chattering people and were gone.

With a sigh, Marinette gave up for the moment, inwardly swearing Alya would pay for this later. She wandered further into the room, glancing at the wonderful decorations.

How in the world did Adrien convince Gabriel to let him do this?

The fashion icon was nowhere to be seen, but she saw Adrien standing at the foot of the stairs. He was....talking to her parents?

The three of them saw her before she could fade back into the crowd. They called to her and she walked over to them in a trance.

"Hey guys," she said cautiously as her mom gave her a big hug. "So what's this about? I thought you guys were supposed to be scoping out a place to live? What is going on?"

"Well, well," Mr. Dupain-Cheng said with a hearty laugh, "it seems Alya can keep a secret after all."

"Tom!" Sabine giggled and smacked her husband's arm. "Hush."

Marinette's face scrunched in confusion, even as she felt the first pangs of irritation (coupled with a fear she refused to acknowledge) gurgle in her stomach. Her parents knew how much she hated being out of the loop.

"Guys, come on," she crossed her arms and glared at her smiling parents; she had almost forgotten Adrien's presence completely. Almost.

The two adults exchanged another grin before glancing at Adrien. The blond shrugged.

"Guess I'll take it from here. Thank you and congratulations."

"Thank you, Adrien. We will never repay you for your kindness, but be assured: you eat at the Dupain-Cheng's for free. Forever." Tom said, putting his large arm around his tiny wife and leading her away. Sabine waved and suddenly, Marinette was alone. With Adrien.

Cue internal panic attack.

Maman, Père, I will pay you back for this.

"Come on Mari," Adrien said, a sparkle of mischief in his eyes as he offered his arm to her.

Why must he be such a gentleman? It's not fair. Marinette thought as she took the offer with a shaking hand. She wrapped her own arm around his bicep and he pulled her in next to him as they walked. He led her quickly from the crowded room and up the stairs.

Neither of them spoke as he dragged her along; Marinette found she couldn't speak.

So many emotions were running wild inside her chest and she felt overwhelmed. She felt like her whole world was spinning in the wrong direction. It was all she could do to just hold onto Adrien's arm and breathe as they walked.