Promise [Adrienette au]

7

About nine days had past, and I was supposed to be meeting Marinette by the school front. She had Alya with her. "Oh hey, Agreste." Alya fiercely glared at me as she spat out the sentence. "Alya, it's okay. We're good now," Marinette held her back and smiled. I nodded, but her glare never disappeared. "I have my eye on you," she grunted. Alya had known the situation with my mom due to Marinette telling her beforehand. Marinette sighed, and I shrugged it off. "Anyway, mothers day is coming around soon," commented Marinette, and later in that moment Nino began to walk up behind me and join the friend group.

I nodded sadly, and of course Marinette was first to notice. "Adrien! I'm so sorry I wasn't thinking," "It's fine, really,"

But deep down I knew it wasn't fine.

"What's the dealio?" Nino questioned the three, and all glanced at eachother in wondering of who was going to tell him. "Oh it's nothing," I told him, slightly tilting my head. "You sure?" He asked for reassurance, so I tried to voice my words calmly. If not, he'd freak out. "My mom's just been in the hospital lately,"

There they came. The words I truthfully wanted to avoid.

"What? How long has she been like this!?" "About a couple weeks now,"
And boy did I know what was coming. "It's been a couple weeks and me, Nino, aka your best friend, never knew about this?" "Don't worry, it took him a minute before opening up to me too."

I shyly smirked and watched as Nino panicked over the fact.

"How has she been doing?" another thing I didn't want to answer. I knew my mom wasn't doing the best right now, but I tried to convince myself otherwise. "She's doing fine," and from the corner I could see Marinette look at me sadly. That's when I realized, she knew things I didn't. Nino nodded, and all four made way to class. Everyone felt awkward throughout this conversation and nobody wanted to finish it. Good for all of us, the bell was about to ring. And here came another school day.

☂︎

"So from what I can presume, you aren't visiting your mother today?" I shook my head at the question. It was Nathalie who was asking, so she stood in front of me with a blank expression and clipboard as always. "I'll let her know," she walked from my view and left me alone stranded on my bed. School was over, and so was I. After the conversation we had this morning, my mind knew something was up. I'm not sure if it was the way she looked at me, but I knew.

Marinette hadn't come down to the car until shortly after I stormed out. That gives her time to speak with my mom. If she had the time, there's no doubt information was spread. But why? Why wouldn't she tell me? I mean, it's my own mother. But then I sat back to think. I know Marinette cares. She's the type to worry, especially about me. Therefore, I'm not surprised she hadn't said anything. But that also means it must not be anything good.

I felt the familiar vibration of my phone beside me soon after flopping onto my bed. Slowly, I picked up the device and checked the contact.

Marinette✌🏻 is calling...

Hesitantly, I slid my finger across the screen to pick up the call and held it to my ear. "Hello?" someone on the other line spoke to me. "Hey," I greeted them back. "Me, Alya, and Nino are planning on getting dinner sometime this week. Do you plan on coming?" Marinette informed me, but I needed a second to think about this.

Normally I wouldn't hesitate to say yes, but ever since my mom's recent trip to the hospital, I haven't been myself. And neither has my father. "I'll think about it," I told her. I knew from the other line she was probably nodding her head, as if to say yes. But I can't see her, so instead she simply told me. "Okay, sounds fine." And a second later the call had been ended. Unusual, normally she'd be one to make small talk. But it's not like I wanted to talk at the moment, so the situation didn't bother me.

"Adrien, your dinner is done." Natalie stood at the other side of my door and called to me. "Okay," I yelled back as a response, and soon I could hear her footsteps fade. I switched off my phone and made way to my door. Where as of course, I'd do the casual.

I'd open the door.

Walk downstairs.

You see, not much to explain. But when I came to eat downstairs, he wasn't there. I mean I knew he hasn't been himself lately, but we usually ate dinner as a family. "Where's my father?" I asked Natalie, who was standing beside me occasionally looking away to do work on the tablet she was assigned. "Busy," was all she told me. But I knew for a fact that what she was telling me wasn't the truth.

My father always made time for dinner. I nodded and picked at the steak the chefs had given me to eat.

"You going to visit your mom tomorrow?" she suddenly asked me, and I nodded. "Why not today?"
She's right. Why not today? "I'm not sure," I guess I just hadn't felt myself. "I was just calling her. She was sad to hear you weren't coming today, she misses you," and guilt crept up on me again. "She'll see me tomorrow, it's fine," she looked away without saying anything after I said that. "You should spend time with her while you still can, Adrien."

And then that's when I knew exactly what she meant. My heart shattered and my lips trembled. I wasn't hungry anymore. So instead I stormed off to my room, and sobbed once reaching my bed