A Miraculous Mother's Day Special by Summer Cheng

Chapter 7 More Tatoos Go?

        A  few days later,  Adrien is at his next to last class for his junior year in the college.  He is not sure why, but he is not happy with his life now anymore than he was in the past.  He is not sure what to do about it though.  It is not like he can ask anyone!

       He sighs as class finishes. He sees Marinette walk past and blushes. He feels his heart race fast as she speaks to the red head boy, Nathaniel and his face falls.  Adrien looks on in anger.  He sees the other guy touch her leg!  What?  How dare he do this to the innocent, blue hair woman, Marinette?  

    Marinette does not seem to like it. She looks at him in horror!  "Let go, of me!  Now, do not touch me!" She calls out. 

    Nathaniel pins her against the locker and tries to force his lips on hers. Adrien goes over to him and pulls him off her!  He punches him and yells at him,  "The lady here, says let go!  How dare you try to hurt her!  No one does this and gets by with it!  You hear me!"

     The artist runs off  with annoyance and pain.  He can not believe that Adrien did this.  He  thought the guy should understand if he were to put a move on someone.  It is not  like Adrien himself has not done so on more than one occasion with multiple girls.  He goes home and decides tomorrow he must find some way to keep the blonde guy away from his girl!

      Adrien sees the look Marinette gives him.  He can not quite figure out what this means.  He just knows that she seems to be unsure how to react to what he just told that other guy, or to his actions towards him as well.  

      Marinette notices the behavior Adrien has towards the boy who attempts to kiss her.  She can not understand.  She thinks, why?  why did he protect me?  He does not care about anyone, right?

     "Marinette, are you okay?"  Adrien ask.

     "Yes, thanks!  I mean you came out of no where, and if you had not I -I..."  Marinette remarks, but sobs.  She looks at the ground.  She thinks, perhaps she better go.

     "Look, I will tell the teacher you are ill, if you want!  I  mean, I am sorry about what he did too you."  Adrien says. He touches her arm gently.  He sees her shudder.  He looks closer at it and sees a bruise.  He notices it is much like the one from his dream.

    "Please, do not tell anyone!"  Marinette says.

     "Tell anyone, what?"  Adrien ask.

     "Do not tell anyone about the mark.  It is from my father!  He is out of  a job, and he drinks a lot.  He never means to hurt me.  I am sure of it.  It is just he can not help it."  Marinette says.

      "What?  He abuses you!  How dare he!"  Adrien's smile goes away and now he looks angry again.

     "I have to go!"  Marinette says.

    "No, wait!  I mean you could stay with me.  At least until he finds a job, if you want to I would never make you do anything you do not want. I promise you that Marinette."  Adrien remarks.

     "Why are there less ink smudges on you?"  Marinette ask with a grin.

     "Oh, I uh, hope you will not say anything about it." Adrien says.

      "Fine, I promise to not say."  Marinette says.

       "Good, because  I  take one away the more I get to know this girl.  You see she is special, and pretty!  Also, she is kind.  Only she is not into me.  It is okay because I am use to disappointments."  Adrien remarks.  He realizes he still has his hand on her arm.  He lets go.

       "Wow, she is sounds great !   Hope to meet whoever it is that steals the heart of the Adrien Agreste!"  Marinette teases him.

     "Yeah, that would be something! " Adrien jokes.  He does not want her to know who it is he has in mind.  He does not think she is ready yet.  He smiles, and walks away.

     Marinette stares at him as he leaves. She sees him differently somehow now.  She feels her heart flutter a bit.  What could it mean?  She is not sure.  She sighs as she heads into class.

     Adrien heads into class too. He is glad to see the rude boy is  not there.  What a relief?  This way he does not have to watch her back for now at least.  How long he will be able to keep this up is beyond him.  

     Later after class, he goes to the parlor.  He has another one taken off.  This time it is a small one on his face that reads,  "Love is for the Weak!"  He might as well as he no longer believes this.  He whinces as it hurts when the removal happens.  It must be because it was the fourth one he got put on and now that it is gone it feels hurt. He goes home and to his room.  Adrien sees the blood gush from it.  He washes it off and puts a bandage over it.

      Meanwhile, Marinette wonders who is this girl Adrien likes?  Not that she cares to know!  What good what it do to find out?  It is not like he means a thing to her!  Why they are not even friends!  Not really!  Yet, he went out of the way to help her!  Why?  Is this what Nino meant?  Does this mean he is about to change?  Does this mean he has kindness hidden by that rough attitude, the tattoos, and wild hair, and clothes?  Is this why he no longer has the nose ring, or eyebrow ring?  Is this why he was upset about the bruise on her arm?

    Marinette smiles as she arrives home.  She continues to until he approaches her.  Her father hits her and knocks her down.  She barely stands up and he slaps her across the face.  She hobbles upstairs, closes and locks the door.  She enters the bathroom, applies makeup to her face, arms and the leg.  She changes her clothes, packs a few things into  bags, and leaves through the window.  That is to say she climbs out of it into the tree outside.  She slowly climbs down it with the duffel bags over her shoulders.  

      Once on the ground, she runs and does not look back. She continues on until she reaches the Agreste house.  She does not bother to knock.  She pushes against the door and it opens.  She goes inside. She hides under the stair case and sobs.  She is not even sure why she came here!  She is unaware of what she is to do.

     Adrien is in his room and has no idea Marinette is here.  He just does his homework.  He finishes and thinks more about her.  He does this more often than he will admit.  He thinks, I can not tell her she is the girl I like !   If I did she would laugh, and turn me away!  I  shall never confess.  Never!

   to be continued in Chapter  8  Natalie Shows Marinette to the Guest Area?