Dear Bugaboo

Shock

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He could remember the day like it was yesterday. In fact, it was yesterday.

   The day his father was arrested.

   Adrien Agreste found out his own father was none other than one of Paris's top drug dealers. Gabriel Agreste is Hawkmoth. Hawkmoth is Gabriel Agreste. That single thought has been spinning in his head since yesterday.

   His father was a rich but cold and mysterious man that locks himself in his office. Gabriel has distanced himself farther and farther away from his own son, treating him as a mere worker, a model to be more precise, than family since the disappearance of his wife.

   Adrien wondered if any of the staff knew about his father before the man was caught. The maids, chefs, his bodyguard that's nicknamed Gorilla? The blonde didn't know who to trust anymore after yesterday. For all he knew, someone under the same roof as he could have been helping Hawkmoth with the schemes.

   The only suspect Adrien could really point fingers at was his father's assistant, Natalie. She was like the feminine version of Gabriel except Adrien sees more of her than the world-renown fashion designer. Natalie had the same blank look but was never once cold to the teen.

   It almost made it hard to wonder if Natalie helped his father or not. Still, he couldn't let his guard down.

Especially, since he was the one who discovered Gabriel talking to another dealer on the phone. Adrien was the one who called the police, who came and arrested the cold man. No one knew it was him that ratted out the criminal.

   To think, the teen went to merely ask his father to take a break for a bit and eat lunch with him before going to a photoshoot.

Now, Adrien lied on his bed in the dark and was still in shock from those events. It all happened so quickly and in those moments, he didn't know who to trust anymore. He felt alone and used, blinded by the wanting of his father's praise.

   It left a bad taste in Adrien's mouth just thinking about getting a ruthless man's approval and attention. He didn't even go to that photoshoot or do anything else scheduled yesterday.

"The reason you are being homeschooled is that it is dangerous for you out there in Paris or anywhere for that matter, alone without your bodyguard and my knowledge of where you are at all times. The world is a cruel place, and you'll be safer in here than out there," Adrien remembered his father's strict speech.

The model was trying to escape the house to explore Paris for a bit, keeping a mental map from being taken to photoshoots and whatnot. His plan failed when Natalie caught him sneaking out the back door.

Adrien scoffed at the memory before checking to see what time it was. Green eyes scanned the digital numbers on his alarm clock, which was on the stand next to his bed. The red numbers blinked at 10:12 A.M.

   Adrien was a little surprised that Natalie hadn't knocked on his bedroom door yet. The house seemed more quiet and empty than usual. He didn't like it and wondered what was going to happen to him. With his father in jail and his mother disappeared off of the face of the Earth, he still needed a legal guardian.

   The fourteen-year-old rolled out of bed and changed into his everyday clothes. A knock on the door finally came and opened up to reveal Natalie with her usual iPad in hand and a blank face.

"If you've just come to give me my schedule for today, then you might as well just leave," Adrien coolly stated, crossing his arms and glaring at the woman. To his surprise, Natalie's blank stare melted into concern.

"I wanted to know how you were doing with everything that's been going on," the woman said, looking away. Adrien felt a twinge of guilt settle in his chest and sighed, uncrossing his arms.

"Sorry, and thank you for your concern. I think...I'll be alright," the teen apologized, hesitatingly. Who could he trust?

"It's alright. I understand that it's a lot to take in," Natalie said, giving a small smile. Adrien tried to return the gesture but came out more of a grimace. A question still lingered within his mind.

"Who's going to take care of me while my father is in jail for..." Adrien paused and pondered over how many years his old man would be behind bars.

"Your father will be in jail for ten years. I'll be your guardian until he gets out," the assistant explained. Adrien nodded, understandingly. He was a bit surprised by how long his father would be in jail for but didn't show it.

   "So...what's today's schedule?" He asked, dully. Natalie readjusted her glasses and scanned the schedule before rethinking the day's plan. She met with miserable, green eyes and folded her arms behind her back.

"I'll let you decide on that," Natalie answered the shocked teen. "What would you like to do today?"

Adrien thought over the many possibilities of what he always wanted to do. Go to the park without having to work at a photoshoot, get some sweets from the best bakery in Paris (since being kept on a model diet didn't allow junk food), or finally make some friends aside from-

The blonde's mind instantly froze once remembering something he forgot to do yesterday with everything that went on. Since his photoshoot was canceled, Adrien never replied to Ladybug, the only real friend he's ever had.

He wasn't alone. Ladybug was someone he could trust and talk with without having to fake anything. Adrien could be his true self when talking to his pen pal instead of model boy, Adrien Agreste.

If only he knew what wonderful person lay on the other side of those letters.

"Could we go to the park then stop at the nearest bakery?" Adrien asked, still feeling the need for permission even if it was his decision. Natalie nodded in approval before leaving to get the limo ready for departure.

Adrien grabbed a sheet of paper, glasses, a hat, and a jacket before heading outside to the limo, ready to leave. His bodyguard, dubbed the Gorilla for his ape-like appearance, opened up the door for him.

The model slid into the back seat of the car and his bodyguard closed the door. He put on the hat, glasses and jacket for a disguise in case any of his fans recognized him.

   Adrien wondered where his life would go with this new, unexpected twist in his life. Whatever lied ahead on the road to his future...

The Gorilla sat in the driver's seat and drove off, leaving the mansion behind.

...he was willing to move forward to figure this road out, even if life was going to put some bumps on it.

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