Adrienette

Chapter 7

Adrien 

"I already told you, Adrien, I don't know why she wasn't at school yesterday, she's been AWOL since Tuesday. Knowing her she probably overslept again." Alya was on her phone texting Marinette. 

"Okay, thanks anyway." Disappointed, I started walking up the school steps to my locker. 

"Wait, why do you wanna know anyway?" She gave me a sly look.

Nervously I turned around to answer, "Oh uh you know, for the fashion show on Saturday, just updates on the new hat... hehe." 

"Alright then, I'll let you know if or when she comes to school today." I turned around and started walking again and suddenly I remembered Alya's blog. "Oh actually, so you know your Ladyblog?"

"Um yes, what about it?"

"Have you found out anything new, about who she is?" Could you be any more obvious, Adrien?

"No actually, she had to cancel the interview. But I get it, being a superhero and all keeps you super busy!" She smiled. What did she know about being a superhero?

"Yeah cool, I guess I'll see you in class, later." 

Was Marinette avoiding me? Did she know too? Why wasn't she at school yesterday? My mind was racing with all the different possibilities. I opened my locker and grabbed my books for class. Hopefully, I can talk to her about it today. That is if she shows up... "OH ADRIKENS!" my thoughts were interrupted as soon as Chloe slammed my locker shut. "Oh, hey Chloe, what's up?"

"I just wanted to check on you. You haven't really been paying attention to me lately, what's happening to you? Anyways, daddy wanted me to ask you something" Suddenly my attention was brought elsewhere. Chloe kept rambling on to me about something but my eyes were locked on Marinette walking through the school door. "So, what do you say Adrikens?" 

"Uh yeah sure Chloe, whatever. Sorry, I gotta go." I walked past Chloe and made my way towards Marinette. What if I'm totally wrong about this? What if she actually hates me? As I grew closer and closer I gathered up the courage to say something. "Hey Marine-" I waved and smiled at her but her but she was too focused on writing in her journal, oblivious to my existence. Now I'm sure she hates me. She closed the journal and put it in between her arm and torso and opened her locker. Stupidly, I decided to try again. "Uhh, hi Marinette." 

She looked up at me suddenly very shocked. "AH, uh hi Adrien." She dropped the book to the ground and sheepishly waved at me.

"I don't know if you noticed but I said hi a little earlier?" 

She thought for a second than facepalmed. "Ugh, I'm so sorry. I've kind of been a little scatter brained lately." I kneeled down to pick up her journal, she did the same and we bumped heads. "Sorry! I didn't mean to." She blushed and put her journal in her locker quickly and shut it. 

"It's fine, and I get it. With the making the hat and everything. I'm sorry I had to spring that on you last minute." 

"Oh that... I don't care about that- I MEAN. I uh do care it's just, that's not it. BUT it's definitely still on my mind, I didn't forget! ehhh." If that's not what she was worried about it, then what was it? The kiss? I had a little glimmer of hope. 

"Oh ok. So, um, if you don't mind me asking, what is it?" 

"Uhhhh what is it? It's... Just balancing a large plate of responsibilities! That's all."

"Oh, I get that." Guess I'll try being a bit more forward. "So, did you hear what happened with Ladybug?"

She looked at me with sort of a fearful look. "WHAT?! Um I mean, what happened?"

"Alya had that interview planned but Ladybug canceled, she must be a really busy girl."

"Oh yeah, totally, Ladybugs so cool. Being a superhero and everything." Marinette giggled nervously. 

"Yeah, her and Chat... I wonder what they're doing right now." Please, give me something...

Marinette was looking more nervous. "Well-" Suddenly the bell rang and everyone in the hallways started rushing to their classes. "Sorry, gotta go." She rushed off to her first period.

I peeked into my jacket as I started walking to class. "Well, that was a bust. But she did seem kind of off!" 

Plagg looked up at me from inside my jacket. "Well, we both know she's one of your admirers. She acts super shy around you, that's nothing like Ladybug."

"I'm telling you Plagg, It's her. I just need to find a way to prove it." 

... 

Marinette 

Multitasking while writing was hurting my brain. "Alya, something weird happened today." Alya was laying on my bed with her laptop making a post for her Ladyblog. She looked up at me, "What's up, girl?"

"Adrien was like, weirdly interested in me today, not that I'm complaining. But how is that possible? did he hit his head or something?"

"Oh yeah! I forgot to tell you but he was definitely asking about you today." 

"REALLY?" Adrien was asking about me!?" Did I hit my head?

"Yeah, he was wondering why you weren't at school yesterday, which I'm still waiting on an explanation for."

Quickly, I came up with an excuse, "I'm sorry Alya, I was feeling sick so I just took the day off. I was barely on my phone yesterday." Which wasn't entirely a lie.

"Really? Marinette Dupain-Cheng doesn't just 'take the day off'. Is there something you're not telling me?" Alya was using her usual interrogating tone again.

"No, really. I've just been overworking myself so much. Ya know?" Please believe it...

Alya shrugged. "If you say so. But yeah, he definitely was trying to check up on you, if you know what I mean."

I squealed. "I can't believe it. I must be dreaming." Alya came close to me and pinched me. "Ow!"

Alya laughed "Guess not." I giggled and grabbed out my sewing kit. "Alright, Alright. I need to stay on task. This hat has to be perfect." I started examing the hat for any minor mistakes. Alya continued to conversation, "He was also asking about Ladybug too." 

"What!?" I dropped the hat on the ground. 

"I know right? He kept on bugging me for any deets on her secret identity, sadly I haven't even cracked the code yet." 

Why was he asking about me? "Maybe he just wants to know what everybody else does?" I don't know if I was trying to convince Alya or myself.

"Maybe. But it's okay, one day I'm gonna figure it out."

I picked up the hat from the ground and remembered what Master Fu said to me. "Do you think that if everyone knew who she was... then Paris would be safer?" 

Alya looked over at me. "I mean, I haven't really thought about that, I'm just curious about who she is. It's just so interesting! Is she 5,000 years old or 16 like us? That's bound to be one amazing scoop." 

"Yeah, I guess you're right." I grabbed hold of my earring and rubbed it. "she definitely has an interesting story..."