⭐️😊

The next day at school for Marinette started with catastrophe, Chloe, to be exact.

Despite the fact that bluenette went to bad lately, she woke up early and get to school on time. She and Nino were standing on stairs near the school waiting for their friends to come. Soon Alya came rushing to them with the happy smile and shiny eyes.

"Hi, sweetheart" Nino pulled her by her waist and kissed her on the cheek. Marinette smiled at the two, silently fangirling over every cute moment they have.

"What's the news you want to share with us SO much?"

Immediately getting rid of her boyfriend's hands, and pulling out her phone, she opened the video, which Marinette wished was never on the Ladyblog. She knew Alya really well to think that though. It was the video of Ladybug running toward Chat and hugging him. That hug, one they shared when he returned. Bluenette was sure Alya would ship them even more now.

"Can you believe this?! I don't think they'll hug like that if they weren't in love. Don't you guys think so?"

Aaaaaaand she was right.

"Are you sure? Cause they can be just really close friends, you know."

"Yeah, than why would she hug him like that?"

"Oh, I don't know, maybe because she hadn't seen him an entire month?"

"Hey Alya, hey Mari. What are you girls arguing about?"

Two best friends turned to face the model. Both still with slightly annoyed look on their faces.

"Hi Adrien. Marinette just don't want to believe Ladybug and Chat Noir love each other."

"I'm just saying that we can't know for sure. Yes she hugged him after they hadn't seen each other for a long time. But that doesn't mean anything, they can just be really good friends. Like me and Nino, or you and Adrien, or—"

Said blond smiled at his friend. She was right, and he couldn't disagree with her, even though he wanted him and Ladybug to be together. He came closer and put his hand on her shoulder.

"I think Marinette is right, we can't know for sure. Also, why did you even pick this up?"

Alya showed Adrien video, and bluenette could swear she saw a tiny blush on his cheeks. He also asked to send it to him. The bluenette wandered why, but the ring belled and they hurried to class.

Marinette thought that after that it all would go well, but she was wrong.

When they came to class, Alya quickly took Nino by the hand and sat him on Mari's place. When the girl understood that her place was taken, Alya, with the devilish smirk on her face, pointed to the seat near Adrien and sent her an air kiss.

Young designer's face immediately hit up, as she sat down beside her crush. Adrien just smiled warmly at her, of course enjoying another chance to be closer to her. And right there the catastrophe started happening.

Chloe couldn't believe that that trashy girl was sitting next to her Adrikins. But she didn't have a chance to do anything just yet, cause the teacher came and the lesson began. Though she had her revenge at lunch. As she passed the four's table by, she accidentally tripped and all her lunch fell on Marinette.

"Oops" with that, evil blonde went away, laughing.

"How dare she—" Alya started but was stopped by Nino. Bluenette excused herself and run to bathroom to clean her clothes, she wasn't crying but was close to it. It wasn't fair, she didn't understand why Chloe hates her so much.

"Don't worry, Marinette." a tiny kwami peeked from her purse "Chloe's just being jealous, because she didn't get to sit with Adrien"

"I know, it's still not fair, though."

Red kwami flew to Mari's face and rubbed her cheek to comfort her holder.

"Thanks, Tikki. I think I should head back to class."

Checking her look in the mirror she claimed it being usual and went out of girls bathroom. What surprised her was to see Adrien sitting near the door, obviously waiting for her.

As the girl came closer to him, blonde stood up and, placing both hands on her shoulders, looked worriedly into her eyes. Marinette smiled at him, as if saying that she's alright and he has nothing to worry about. As Adrien smiled back, young super heroine found herself drowning into his radiant-green eyes, that were fill with warmth and worry. They were really close friends now, but she couldn't help feeling butterflies in her stomach every time he looked into her eyes like that. Yet she was first to break the silence:

"We already skipped half of the class, should we go?"

"I don't think there's the point in it now."

"Too bad, I probably will have to study it at home to understand at least something.

"If you want, I can tutor you on what we skipped. I already know it due to homeschool program I've passed. Sounds good?" He then smiled with his amazing smile and Marinette, for the second time today, felt butterflies in her stomach. Her cheeks painted in red, but she nodded. How could she possibly say no to that smile? Not that she didn't want him to help her with studying.

"So, in the school library after all lessons are finished?"

"Yeah. But what should we do now?"

He shrugged, but then an idea came to his mind.

"We can wait fo Alya and Nino outside the class. It's just five minutes left till the end of the class"

The bluenette smiled sweetly nodding. They took their bags and went off to class. Chloe's plan didn't work as she wanted it to. Marinette didn't get the detention for skipping the lesson, all because of Alya who explained everything to the teacher. Adrien was the one who came after the young designer so Chloe didn't get to sit with him. That day was a catastrophe for her.

After the lesson finished, Nino and Adrien went away to get ready for PE, and Alya with Marinette spend some time talking while getting to the locker room, as it was farther then boy's one.

"Did you say that he had offered that tutoring?! Girl! It's awesome! Besides you'll be alone with Adrien!"

Sometimes it seemed like Alya was more overjoyed for her best friend and the model to spend more time together, than bluenette herself.

"Now, that you mentioned it, I'm really nervous... Oh no, I don't know how to act around him! What should I do?! Please, help me, Alya!"

"Girl, girl..." dark haired teenager shook her head in response. She loved her best friend. She really did. But sometimes Marinette was a little bit too emotional. "Listen, I know how it feels, but you have nothing to worry about. Adrien's your friend and he wants to help," putting her hands on Mari's shoulders she continued: "Just don't think about the way you look or what he will think about you if you don't know something. I promise, you'll be just fine."

The young designer gave her best friend a smile and hugged her: "What would I do without you?"

"Probably, sit in your room—"

"Ah, no, don't start. It was a rhetorical question."

At that two best friends, laughing and teasing each other, came to their lockers. The day was great, despite the 'Chloe' incident. But it was only the start.

***

Bettie was sitting on the bench in the park, waiting for her best friend to come. They were planning to do it for a long time now. The girl couldn't find herself a place and sometimes she even has lost sleep. But the day has come. Finally. It was their first anniversary since the day they met. Everything was planned and it was going to go perfect. It must be perfect. But her friend was late. Only for a few minutes, nothing serious, but the day has already started ruining. Soon she decided that it would be better to meet her by her way to the meeting spot.

That was the worst idea Bettie had ever had. The girl hadn't even made the forth part of the way, when she heard it. Yeah, her best friend was laughing with some other teenagers. She could see and hear them, but they couldn't see her.

"You were saying something 'bout that girl from your class... your friend?"

"What? Oh, no" what was she talking about? Was she not valuing their friendship? Why... why was she with them? How could she be so nice to people who had bullied her? "I mean... she thinks that we're close friends, but don't worry guys, nothing special".

Nothing special? So after all they have been together through, she is nothing special to her?!

Bettie felt hot tears running down her cheeks. After everything she had done to her, she was nothing special. And she, someone who Bettie thought was her best friend, was actually with the bullies? With her bullies?!

She run away from the park, not minding anymore if anyone would see her. Anger and pain mixed into her soul, creating a storm of rage. She was ready to become another one of Hawk Moth's villains.

***

"So... um... let's go?"

Wow. Now she can make herself the statue for "the most nervous person ever when it comes to their crush". Literally. It wasn't as bad as at the start of a year, but still awful. Marinette has to concentrate and breath. Yeah, especially the second one. She wouldn't want herself to faint in front of Adrien, would she? But then he could carry her to the hospital bridal-style and sit with her until she gets better and then...

The bluenette slightly shook her head, to get rid of the stupid thoughts. She needed to concentrate.

"Yeah, sure. By the way, Mari?"

"Yeah?"

"I... um... Don't mind Chloe. She can be really... impulsive"

He was trying to find right words to say. He knew Chloe was one of a kind, but she was his first and, for the long time, only friend. But he didn't want her to be so hard on his new friends.

Marinette nodded and smiled, saying that it was okay and he had nothing to worry about.

Library wasn't full in that time of a day, so it was quiet and peaceful in there. Adrien said that he will go find the needed book, so Mari took a look around to find the nicest place. She stopped in front of the small table between the window and a bookshelf. That looked just fine.

"Ready to study?"

She jumped a little, not expecting him to be back so fast, and definitely not expecting him to be so close. How didn't she noticed? She also felt her cheeks hitting up a bit, as she could feel his breathes.

Adrien chuckled, she was always making that cute face when he startled her as Chat. Usually he wouldn't let himself do something Chat would do, but he couldn't help himself. She was so lovely when she was blushing.

"What's the matter, Princess? Are you scared?"

"What?.."

Oh no.

"What did you say?"

"I... uh..." he has to think of something quickly. "I was... just asking whether I scared you..?"

It sounded more like a question, and she clearly was still doubting her hearing. Did she heard what she thinks she heard or...

"Sorry if I did. Um... let's start studying?"

Maybe he really just asked her, but for a few seconds she could swear it was Chat standing behind hershe could swear she has felt him smirking, and... Princess... it was only Chat's nickname for her. But then again, she didn't get enough sleep, because she spent half the night talking to him, so it was quite alright that her mind was playing tricks on her.

"Yeah"

For the next half an hour they weren't talking much. Adrien was just explaining her different things and she was asking questions. It was still pretty cool, since he helped her with other subjects she didn't understand too.

A couple of hours later, when they finished and atmosphere between them became light again, they packed up all their thing and Adrien even proposed to walk her home. Though their plans weren't going to become true.

Since it wasn't dark yet, they decided to go through park.

It was a really nice evening, people were hanging out with each other, kids were playing with their parents. Marinette smiled, remembering herself, when she was five.

"Are you a flower?"

They turned to the small girl, with big grey curious eyes, that were looking at the bluenette.

"What?"

"Are you a flower? Cause you look like one."

Marinette find herself smiling uncontrollably, the girl and situation itself was way too cute. Adrien couldn't help but smile himself too. As he was looking at Mari, he find himself wanting to see her with her hairs down at school too. He wanted her dark blue hairs to lose its curl. He wanted to see them patching under the sun and to see the raindrops on them after the rain, like dew-drops on petals of the...

"Yeah, she does look like a flower. Like... forget-me-not flowers"

Her expression changed to slightly shocked, but in a pleasant way, and her cheeks were slowly painting in pink. She looked so pretty in the evening light.

"Are you her boyfriend?" and before any one of them could answer she continued, taking his hand. "You have to protect her, she's too beautiful to be unhappy"

With that, small girl run away to her mother, leaving both teens with tomato-red cheeks.

Situation, if you can say so, was saved by a loud scream coming somewhere from another end of a park. It has immediately returned them back to the normal state.

"Mari, let's go. You'll hide in your house, sit there till the end of a fight and you won't try to help Chat or Ladybug, okay?"

He was worrying about her. Oh gosh, he was even better than she thought he was. But that doesn't mean she can't protect herself, and moreover...

"But what about you? Your house is pretty far from here."

"Don't worry about me. Besides, my driver will be here in a minute. I'll walk you home."

He grabbed her hand and lead her like that all way long. Marinette was so shocked that she didn't even try to protest. She wouldn't do anything if it wasn't for Tikki who reminded her about the akuma.

"Yeah, you're right. Tikki, spots on!"

"Chat!"

He turned around smiling, he was finally seeing Ladybug again. Chat liked akuma attacks. Of course he understood that it's a bad thing. But it also was his excuse to become free, to become someone, who can do or say whatever they want or think, not minding about 'ruining' their reputation. The second positive thing about akumas was Ladybug.

"Cosmy's already there, let's go"

But she was always so serious about that. Well, it is a serious problem, but that doesn't mean they can't talk during the fight. Besides, it's the way they can get to know each other better.

"The last one will patrol for the winner two times, and you're already loosing!"

She shouted from the rooftop of the next building.

"Oh, you're on!"

Cosmy was furious, her day was awful, this stupid little girl, who was turned into akuma, has already hit her two times, and now she was tangled and was hanging upside down from the one of the roofs. It wasn't making her mood any better. Moreover, Chat and Ladybug weren't anywhere near her, they were fighting akuma. Just super.

The super heroine struggled in vain effort to get rid of the rope.

When she said that she wanted some adventure she didn't mean that. Well, at least her life wasn't boring anymore.

The blood was slowly flushing to her head, few more minutes and she will faint. How assuring.

The one thing she knew, was that she had to stay conscious as long as possible.

"Pound it!"

The fist bumped, smiling at each other. Everything was like before. Except...

"What do you think could have possibly happen to Cosmy? You think she's okay?"

"I don't know. But we can search for her, we still have some time"

Ladybug nodded, and pulled out her yo-yo.

"There!" She pointed on the spot on the screen.

"Let's go"

When they found her, she was lying on the ground, unconsciously. Ladybug checked her pulse, and sighed with relief when she felt it.

"We can't take her to the hospital, nor to our homes..."

"I can take her to Master Fu, Plagg recently told me that it'd be great to visit him."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, yes. I'm sure. I'll take care of her, go. I have more time left"

Ladybug sighed, but did as she was told. Chat was right after all. However, she couldn't get rid of this strange feeling in her chest. Was it jealousy? Maybe.