Smiles Hide Everything

Chapter 4

*In Marinette's room*

"Hey, Tikki?" I asked

"Yes, Marinette?"

"Did I make the right decisions today?"

Tikki hesitated, which made me nervous. "Well, some of them I wouldn't agree with, but you did alright."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, it was wrong to be rude and ignore Adrien."

"I suppose I should apologize to him tomorrow, right?"

"Yes, you should."

"Ok." I should go to sleep, but my thoughts are racing. "Hey, Tikki?"

"Marinette, you need to go to sleep. It is already 9 o'clock, and you were supposed to go to sleep at 8:30!"

"Ok, fine. Good night!"

"Good night, Marinette." As soon as I heard Tikki's snores, I got up and walked to my balcony, standing against the railing and watching the city. Paris is so beautiful at night, with the Eiffel Tower lit up and the flowers growing in the park right by the bakery. If only my feelings could be as calm and beautiful as my hometown. Poke. Someone touched my shoulder and because of my Ladybug reflexes, turned and immediately put this mystery person into a guillotine. "I-it's just me!" Chat Noir croaked out.

"Oh my god, I'm so sorry! I didn't know it was you, I thought it was an intruder and I thought they were trying to hurt me and-"

"Hey, it's fine. You look purrfect tonight, Purrincess." I saw Chat staring at me in my Ladybug PJs and with my hair down and blushed. Hard."Th-thanks."

"You're welcome. Why do you look so sad, Mari?" Chat asked, concerned. I blushed even harder at the nickname if that's even possible.

"Just because."

*Adrien/Chat Noir's POV*

"You know you can trust me, right? Please, tell me what's wrong." I pleaded.

"Well, it has to do with a boy." Dread filled my stomach as I imagined what she would say next.

"What about a boy?"

"Are you sure you won't tell anyone?"

"Of course! Cat's honor."

"Okay. You see, yesterday at lunch, I confessed my feelings to this boy that I've had an embarrassingly huge crush on for about a year now named Adrien, but he doesn't like me. He likes Ladybug. That, and before I tried to confess, I caught my best friend Chloe, who specifically promised me that she wouldn't confess her feelings to him until I did, confessing her feelings and asking him out. And then today, when I tried to apologize to Chloe, she called me Maritrash! I just want to start over, maybe move to a new city, change schools, all that."

"I'm sorry that you feel that way, but please don't move away! I'd miss you a lot, Purrincess! Anyway, that's enough furr now. I think you should go to bed."

"Alright. Good night, Kitty!" I could feel my face heat up at her nickname. Kitty. It sounded like heaven coming off of her lips. Her beautiful, pi- What the hell am I thinking?!?! Mari's just a friend! I need to get some help if I'm thinking about Marinette like that. "Good night, Purrincess."

*In the morning at Mari's house*

Yawn. I checked the time and it was 7 o'clock. Holy crap, I woke up early! And Tikki's still asleep, for Pete's sake! Oh, well. I got up and went to my closet. It's Friday, which means that it's Pajama Day! Thank goodness for the last month of school! I go to my dresser and pick out my Chat Noir-themed PJs. I don't want Alya to think I'm full of myself by wearing Ladybug pajamas.

After I get dressed, I go into the bathroom to do my hair. I brush it gently and when the snarls are gone, I put my hair in two braids. Then I go sit at my desk and turn on my computer, which instantly brings up hundreds of pictures of Adrien. Taking one look at those pictures makes me curl up into a ball and cry.

"Marinette, what's wrong?" I hear a small and high-pitched voice say."Oh, Adrien. It'll be okay, Mari. Just try not to think of Adrien. "

"I can't, Tikki! Everywhere I look, all I see is Adrien, Adrien, Adrien! Everyone's talking about him all the time! The only thing that can stop me from thinking about Adrien is working in the bakery. Too bad I can't miss school today. I check the time. 7:58. CRAP! I had better get to school! "C'mon, Tikki, let's go!"

I grabbed my purse and backpack, went downstairs, grabbed what I thought was some yogurt, said my goodbyes, and bolted into the school as I stuffed my face with the so-called yogurt, once again making it just before the bell rang.

"Marinette, you need to learn a lesson on punctuality! Please come to school sooner."

"Yes ma'am."

"Alright. Everyone, please pay attention." Ms. Bustier droned on and on about how math is important because it's used in almost everything we do, while I was busy listening to some music using my AirPods and hiding them with my bangs. I was listening to Mad World by Roland Orzabal. I used to wonder who in the world would agree with him, but now I'm starting to understand and side with Roland. After all, how can't you say your death dreams are the best you've ever had if they're the only dreams you've been having lately? I might have softened up to Mr. Orzabal, but I would never lie to myself, would I? I don't think I would. I'm starting to get a bit tired, so I'm going to just rest my head on my desk and listen to Ms. Busti-

"MARINETTE!!!!! You must get to the principal's office this instant!"

"Huh?" I slowly lifted my head from my desk and wiped the drool from my face.

"Just because it's Pajama Day doesn't give you the right to sleep in class! Go to the principal's office!"

"Yes ma'am." I lowered my head in shame as I picked up my stuff and started walking out the door when, suddenly, I collapsed. I saw the entire class except for Chloe and Lila rush towards me as I fell unconscious.

+ + + + + + +

I opened my eyes only to close them again because of a harsh white light. I squinted my eyes as I slowly sat up and examined my surroundings. I was sitting on a white hospital bed and a few white chairs were lining the white wall next to the white door, there were a few machines keeping track of my vitals, and there was a pole with an IV attached to it and the IV was inside my arm. This room had far too much white in it. "Oh, you're awake! I was getting worried you wouldn't wake up!" I look over and see a nurse with short brown hair, green eyes, and tanned skin walk over to me and remove the IV.