The Big Reveal

20 - Daytime nightmare

There was so noisy in the classroom, that they knew the teacher hadn't come yet. However, all conversations died immediately, when Adrien and Marinette appeared at the door. The "news-of-the-day" pair felt uncomfortably, but well... They expected it would look like that. After all, Adrien was the most popular boy at school. It was obvious that if he finally found a girlfriend, it would be the news that everyone would talk about.

Marinette and Adrien felt even more embarrassed when they noticed that Alya and Nino were sitting together and left the first desk for them.

"Don't you think you go too far?" Adrien asked.

"Nope, dude." Nino answered with a grin on his face.

"We've wanted to sit together for months." Alya added. "But... It was impossible because of someone's behaviour." She looked meaningfully at Marinette.

"What do you mean?" Marinette frowned.

"How do you think?" Alya answered with a question and winked. "Imagine that you had to sit next to Adrien, let's say... last week. What sounds would you utter?"

"Alya, Alya..." Adrien muttered in disapproval. "That's not nice..."

"No, Adrien." Marinette cut in. "She's right. If they sat together last week, or earlier, I would be probably so embarrassed that I wouldn't say even a word to you. Or I would start giggling or stuttering, as usual, or even worse than usual..."

Adrien smiled lightly and hugged her. She was so cute when she was embarrassed.

"Exactly." Alya confirmed. "But today you're both finally ready to sit together and let me sit with Nino."

"So... you're not so noble-minded as we thought." Adrien summed-up with a half-smile and sat at the desk.

Marinette sat next to him, still embarrassed by the whole situation. She heard an annoyed snort from her right side. Chloe. She pretended she didn't want to have anything in common with them, but at the same time she was observing them sideways.

At last the teacher came in, apologised for being late, looked in surprise at some changes in two first desks, and then came to the logical conclusion that youth ruled its own rights, and finally began the lesson.

***

Marinette felt like in a dream all day. But she wasn't sure if it was a nice dream or a nightmare. She never liked to be in the centre of attention, and that day she and Adrien couldn't find even five minutes for each other, because there was always someone who approached them, talked to them, joked or congratulated. They couldn't get rid of all those people.

Alya and Nino were the worst. They wanted to know all details about Friday, the weekend dates and plans. Marinette wanted to spend some time with Adrien and talk to him about all that had happened today at school. The scale of interest exceeded all their expectations and they needed to deal with it somehow.

"Do you have any plans for this afternoon?" Alya asked after the last lesson.

Marinette and Adrien looked at each other very quickly. They hadn't a chance to plan anything, because in the morning they were focused on the sketchbook, then they dealt with all people fascinated with them.

"I hope to introduce Marinette to my father today." Adrien said the first thing that came into his mind. Marinette stared at him frightened.

"But he's already known her." Alya replied. "You know... during the contest."

"But this time I'm going to introduce him my girlfriend. That might be... uhm... quite stressful. For both of us." Adrien muttered and clenched Marinette's hand.

"You worry that your father will mind?" Nino asked.

"Even if, that won't change anything." Adrien said firmly.

"Good luck, dude." Nino patted him on the back. "I hope we'll see you alive tomorrow..."

"Very funny..." Adrien wasn't amused with that joke.

"Good luck, girl." Alya whispered to Marinette and walked away with Nino.

"Seriously? Are you going to introduce me to your father today?" Marinette asked in a faint voice. "Or was it only an excuse to get rid of them?" she added with a hope.

"I'd like to get over with it. I'm worried too much that Chloe will ask her father to talk to mine. I prefer him to get known from me. Unless he's already known... From Nathalie..."

"I'm afraid that your dad will be disappointed with your choice." Marinette whispered sadly.

"Shh... He won't be. He's not so bad."

"Except he's been terrorising Paris for a year..." she mumbled.

"Marinette..." Adrien sighed. "It's not easy for me."

"I know. I'm sorry..." she smiled warmly at him. "I'll try to stop joking. Are we going?" she took his hand.

"By car." He answered with a half-smile. "Have you forgotten I have a driver-bodyguard?"

"Yeah... My poor boy from a gilded cage..."

"Let's do it." Adrien sighed and clenched her hand, as if it added him courage.

The bodyguard didn't even blink when he saw Adrien with his girlfriend. He ignored their holding hands during a drive home, as well. Adrien felt like kissing Marinette, because they hadn't had a chance to do that for all day at school. After the weekend full of such occasions that was a torture for him. Yet, he felt self-conscious with a driver in the car. And he knew that Marinette felt the same.