Cinnamon and Vanilla

Chapter 10

Trying to get ready in her room, Marinette's mind was all a daze. Not only was she going to be Adrien's official date at a major social event in a few weeks, but now the dress she had designed could potentially be in an advertising campaign for Gabriel! Or of course this whole dinner might be a massive failure where Mr Agreste hates her and the dress and thinks she isn't worthy of an internship or being around his son and he will throw her out and she will never be in fashion, or marry Adrien or...

"Marinette, calm down." Came Tikki's reassuring voice as she floated up and pressed a calming hand on Marinette's nose. "Everything will be fine."

"How do you know that Tikki? I could ruin everything tonight." Marientte muttered between her hyperventilating. Tikki shook her head.

"No you won't. You're a very talented designer and Adrien's friend. Just think of it as a job interview." Marinette stared at Tikki, her heart suddenly pounding fast.

"Interview for what job exactly Tikki?" She said, looking at one of her pictures of Adrien on her pin board. "I seriously doubt that Mr Agreste is having a private dinner with his son for all the internship candidates. Why me?" Tikki smiled at her.

"Because you're different Marinette, and Mr Agreste can see that." Marinette sat down on her chaise, Tikki taking a spot next to her on a pillow.

"You heard Alya talking to me at school earlier didn't you?" Tikki nodded. It was a bit hard not to hear everything when you are someone's bag all day.

"I think she's right Marinette.I think Adrien thinks of you a lot more than just a friend to him and I'm sure his father would know that. You saw the pictures Alya had from that magazine of you and Adrien at the fair." Marinette flushed pink. There had been a lot of speculation in the tabloids about the exact nature of her relationship with Adrien ever since their rescue of Manon hit the headlines. He hadn't exactly hid the fact that he was holding her hand all of Saturday, and she had to admit that the looks he was giving her in a lot of those photos would lead most people to believe that they were a couple on a date. She had to admit that it felt a lot like a date, and with Adrien being away during the week, no one had seen them together since.

"You know I think he was trying to tell me something on Saturday before we ran in to save Manon. Do you think maybe he was trying to tell me he...like me?" Tikki knew for a fact that he was because Plagg came to her that night frustrated at what had happened. Apparently Adrien had spent over an hour moping over the lost opportunity. Not that she could tell Marinette any of this.

"I'm sure he was Marientte." She was trying her best to be reassuring.

"Oh Tikki, I want to believe that. It's been wonderful these last few weeks feeling so much closer to him. But what if I lose him over this? What if his father thinks I'm not good enough for Adrien? What is this is all just one big test and I fail it?" Right then she almost wished she was out on patrol with Chat instead. Her sweet silly Kitty always knew how to make her feel better. But then she remembered he had said he was falling for another girl, a girl that reminded him of her - Ladybug. Besides, he had sent a message that he was unavailable for patrol tonight anyway. Funny about that she pondered, looking back over at her picture of Adrien on the wall.

"Marinette... Adrien is here." She heard her mother call from downstairs. Picking up the dress in its bag and her sketchbook, she checked her hair in the mirror. She decided to wear it in a bun with a pretty decorative comb and it complemented the simple lavender and black cocktail dress Alya suggested she should wear. Modest but stylish, at least she hoped that's how it looked.

"Come on then Tikki, on to the slaughter." She said, opening her clutch for Tikki to fly into.

As she walked down the stairs she saw Adrien casually talking to her parents. She watched him for a moment, trading those god awful puns with her father and throwing his head back with a carefree laugh. His laugh and smile, she always thought, was one of the most beautiful things about him. That and the beautiful heart she discovered he had after that unfortunate first day she met him. He was wearing a simple black collared shirt, no tie and black slacks. His hair was styled, but she noted he had let it grow out a bit over the last year. Plus, Marientte was starting to find she liked him in his glasses.