A few weeks went by, with the occasional challenge at the club, but my main focus was on the upcoming event on my schedule...

The annual Valentine's day dance class at the studio!!!!

Every year the teachers let the boys pick their partners for a special lesson on ballroom dancing, they decorate the studio with hearts and special lights and it's... It's like, my favorite dance lesson don't judge me.

I woke up bright and early, putting on my ballet clothes and placing my breakdance outfit in the bottom of my bag, though I hoped I wouldn't need it.

I grabbed my phone and texted Alya, "You ready for today?!?!" I asked.

She texted back almost immediately, "You know I am! Promise you won't go all shy if someone asks you to dance?"

"No one is going to ask me Alya."

"You don't know that!"

"And what makes you so optimistic?"

"A little birdy told me that a certain blond boy has been writing poetry about a girl with blue eyes and black hair in our class." She said, adding a few winking emojis next to the message.

"NO FLIPPING WAY."

"Yes way."

"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE"

"Okay okay just come over before he changes his mind!" She finished with a bunch of the laugh-cry emoji.

I shoved my phone into my bag and, now dressed in a leotard and tights, put on my grey sweatpants, my pink bedazzled tiara sweatshirt, and my street shoes over top. I slung my bag over my shoulder and ran out the door.

-----

The studio was covered in decorations. There were pink stringed lights adorning the walls along with cute paper hearts the kids in the younger classes had made.

All the girls were talking to each other in their respective friend-groups, occasionally looking over their shoulders to look at the boys, who were talking to each other in their own groups.

I was looking at Adrien.

He was alone on the other side of the room, leaning against the barre and staring at himself in the mirror. He was talking to himself, occasionally wincing and shaking his head in disappointment. I wondered what he was practicing....

"Just go over there and let him ask you." Alya told me.

"Alya no. Nope nope nope. What if he's not thinking about me?" I asked, panicking, "What if he's talking about another girl?!"

"Marinette, look." Alya said, grabbing my shoulders and looking me in the eyes, "What kind of girl did Nino say he was talking about?"

"Wait, you got this information from Nino?"

"Not important, now answer the question."

"...A girl with black hair and blue eyes."

"And how many girls in this class have black hair and blue eyes?"

"...One...."

"And that girl is?"

"...Me."

"So what are you so scared about?!?!"

"...You're right."

"Of course I am." Alya said, letting go of my shoulders and pushing me off the bench we were sitting on, "Now go talk to him!"

With my confidence boosted, I stood up in a scramble. I dusted myself off and took a deep breath. I took one step forward...

Then turned back around and looked at Alya. "Come back me up?"

"Marinette...."

"Come on! I need a wing-woman!"

Alya rolled her eyes at me, but got up. We started walking over to Adrien, when we heard a conversation similar to our own, being spoken by Kim and Max.

"Just go up and ask her!" Max said, having to look up to meet Kim in the eye.

"But what if I mess up?" Kim replied with a panicky voice.

"The worse thing she can do is say no." Max retorted.

I looked at Alya and she nodded at me, we both wanted to know what was going on.

"What's the problem boys?" I asked as Alya and I walked over to the pair.

"Kim's too much of a chicken to ask the girl he likes to be his partner." Max explained, crossing his arms.

"I AM NOT A CHICKEN!" Kim exclaimed.

"Then go ask her!" Max said.

"Yeah Kim!" Alya said, giving me a side glance, "You shouldn't be afraid to talk to a crush."

"You can do it Kim!" I said, ignoring Alya's look, "What's the worse that could happen?"

"...You know what? You're right!" Kim said cheerfully, "I'm gonna go ask her!" And with that he ran across the room to whatever girl he was talking about.

"You should take your own advice Marinette," Alya said, laughing at me, "Now go talk to Adrien!"

"I-I would, but... Class is about to start so...." I said, casually backing away back to my bag.

Alya shook her head and followed.

-----

Kim walked over with his head held high. This was it. He was going to ask his dream girl to be his dance partner.

There she was.

Chloé Bourgeois.

She was standing next to Sabrina with her hands on her hips. Kim could hear her talking about how "he" hasn't asked her yet. She must have been talking about him! This reassured Kim, she must return his feelings.

He lifted his chin up high and walked over to Chloé.

The blonde girl turned and looked up to meet Kim's eyes. She glared at him, "What do you want?" she asked, crossing her arms.

Kim's words escaped him, he hadn't planned out what to say. "I-um, I wanted, I mean, I want-"

"Let me stop you there," Chloé said, holding up a hand, "You aren't asking me to be your dance partner, are you?"

"I-um-yes I wanted-"

Chloé laughed. "As if!" she said haughtily, "Go away, I'm waiting for someone much better to ask me." She turned her back to Kim.

Kim took a step back, rejected. He slowly step away until he was at a full blown run out of the classroom.

He ran into the bathroom and locked the door behind him. He groaned and put his face in his hands, sliding his back down the wall.

Soon sadness turned into anger. Kim slammed his fist into the wall. He breathed heavily.

Suddenly he heard a slip sound. He turned around, someone had slid a purple envelope underneath the doorway.

Curious, Kim picked it up. He turned it over in his hand, it was addressed to him. He ripped it open. It said...

"Dark Cupid,

Yes, that is your new identity. My name is Hawkmoth, and I can help you get revenge on all of the couple at this studio. All I ask of you is to defeat the greatest breakdancing power couple, Ladybug and Chat Noir. Go to the back of the storage room and you will find a bag full of all the supplies you need next to a door, leading to Club Miraculous."

"I will destroy all love. If I can't have it, no one can." Kim said.

He unlocked the bathroom door and ran to the storage closet.

-----

Alya and I were sitting on the bench, waiting for class to start, when Max came up to us.

"Great job guys." he said sarcastically folding his arms.

Alya and I looked at each other, confused, then looked back at Max.

"What did we do?" I asked.

"You got Kim's hopes up about asking Chloé, and now he's missing."

"WHAT?!? HE WAS ASKING CHLOÉ?!"

"Duh. And now he's missing."

"If I knew he was asking her I would have never let him go through with it!"

"You wanted him to ask her too." Alya interjected.

"Whatever," Max said, turning and walking away, "I hope you're happy."

I had a bad feeling about this, and just as I expected, I heard my pager buzzing in my bag. I picked up my bag and ran across the room to Ms. Bustier and asked to get a drink of water, and left. I was disappointed that I wouldn't be there for Adrien to ask me to be his dance partner, but my title at the club was at stake.

-----

I changed in the bathroom and ran into the storage closet, throwing open the door to the club. I ran down the stairs and as soon as I reached the bottom DJ N announced my arrival, "And here is one of amazing champions, Ladybug!" The crowd cheered in response, "Today she is facing her latest challenger, going by the perfect name for today's holiday... Dark Cupid!"

The crowd booed. I pushed my way onto the dance floor and saw my challenger, Kim, I mean, Dark Cupid. He was wearing black jeans and black combat boots, and a red tank top with a picture of a white, broken heart on the front, and a picture of black angel wings on the back.

"You are going down! I will destroy all love!" Dark Cupid said like a trash talking football player.

DJ N gave the guy a weird look at that last part, but shook his head, "Okay dude, you do you." He said. He picked up the microphone and shouted, "CLUB MIRACULOUS! Are you ready for a dance off? Because HERE. WE. GO! Dark Cupid, you're up!" The DJ cranked up the music.

Dark Cupid jumped up into a high flying toe touch and landed on the floor in a coffee grinder, moving out of that into a six-step. He span out of it and stood up, doing chest pumps gesturing towards his heart. It probably meant something symbolic about how his heart was broken by Chloé and stuff, but I couldn't think about that now.

Now it was my turn, and before I could even start dancing, someone grabbed my hand and span me around, next thing I know I'm in a dip. I look up and see no other then Chat Noir.

"Chat-" I started to say before he put a finger to my lips.

"Shh..." He said, "I have something important to say, and I promised myself I'd say it as soon as I saw you."

I moved his finger away and stood up, "Chat we're in the middle of a challenge-"

"Hey are you two dancing or not?! We're on a schedule here!" DJ N said.

"Yeah!" Dark Cupid shouted, "Quit rubbing in the fact that you've found love!"

"What?" I said, confused, "We are not in love-"

"I am." Chat said quietly.

"What?"

Chat grabbed my hand gently, rubbing my knuckles with his thumb. He didn't look at me, his bright green eyes were aimed at the floor, "I... I love you... Ladybug."

I stared across the dance floor, into the crowd, eyes wide. People were starting to whisper, since they couldn't hear our conversation.

"What do you mean...." I said under my breath.

"Exactly what I said." He looked up to meet my gaze.

I was in shock.

Slowly, I pulled my hand out of his grip.

"You don't love me," I told him, looking into those luminous green eyes, "You love Ladybug. You wouldn't like who I am behind this mask."

"I do, Ladybug. Whoever's behind the mask, I love you."

"No you don't!" I snapped, "I barely like the person behind the mask! She's cowardly a-and clumsy... You don't love me."

Chat fell silent.

He looked at the ground and clenched his fists, "Maybe I should join the guy with a broken heart like mine then." He said.

He walked across the dance floor and stood next to Dark Cupid.

"Chat no." I said, "Don't. Please I-"

"It's too late for that Ladybug." Dark Cupid said, leaning his arm on Chat's shoulder, "I told you I would destroy all love."

"OH SNAP!" DJ N shouted into the mic, "Looks like we have a team switch up! Chat Noir, you're up!"

Chat glared at me with darkness in his eyes.

"Chat Noir! Take off her mask!" Dark Cupid commanded.

Chat Noir nodded. He dragged a hand through his wild hair. Then he did a turn towards me and did a cartwheel into an aerial straight at me. He landed and grabbed my shoulders, pushing me to the ground.

"Chat please don't!"

"Now everyone will know who you are."

I panicked. What could I do that would change his mind?

Okay what I did next was totally for Chat's sake and I didn't enjoy it, at all.

I kissed him.

What?! I panicked okay! Don't judge me! It's not that I like him better then Adrien, (honestly I was kind of pretending it was Adrien) it was a friend-kiss okay?!

When I let go he looked shocked. He shook his head and blinked his wide eyes.

"My Lady... I-I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have... I... I... I'm so sorry."

I patted him on the cheek. "Just get off of me and dance with me already you silly kitty."

He smiled.

He helped me up and the crowd cheered louder than I've ever heard.

DJ N looked confused, but then he looked at the crowd's response and shrugged, "Ladybug and Chat Noir are back ladies and gentlemen!" he said, "Now will you two dance already?!"

Chat turned to me and held out his hand, "Shall we My Lady?"

I took his hand, "Of course, Kitty."

He span me around and caught me in his arms, picking me up and spinning me around, then tossing me up so I could do a toe touch in the air. He caught me and set me on the ground, spinning me out of his arms. We then did top-rocks in prefect sync until we span back towards each other, going back to back for our ending pose.

The crowd exploded into applause.

"Looks like Ladybug and Chat Noir win again!" DJ N shouted into the mic.

Dark Cupid stomped his foot on the ground angrily as the crowd started to head up the stairs. He stomped up the stairs, back up to class.

I was about to go back up to class when Chat Noir touched my shoulder. I turned around, "What is it Chat."

"I'm really sorry. I shouldn't have left you. I was just... upset... and..."

"Don't worry about it Chat. I forgive you."

"I just wish I could get to know you beneath your strong disguise...."

"I wear a mask for a reason, Chat."

"I know, I know." Chat said with a sad laugh.

"Maybe someday though."

Chat looked into my eyes, "Really?"

"Someday."

"Can you at least give me a hint to who you are?" He asked with puppy dog eyes.

I put a finger to his lips, "No spoilers." I said with sass, "Now come on, we're late for class."

And I ran up the stairs.

-----

I changed quickly and ran back into class, only to find that everyone had been paired up for the Valentine's day dance class already! Even Chloé had settles for someone besides Adrien, since he had left class. I panicked, I didn't want to be alone!

Everyone was paired and we were about to start class, I was sitting on the bench, when the door opened. Adrien walked in.

"Well Mr. Agreste," Ms. Bustier said, crossing her arms, "I'm glad you could make it. You're lucky we still have one girl without a partner." She motioned to me on the bench.

I blushed when Adrien looked at me. He smiled that dazzling smile and walked to me. He held his hand out and bowed, "My Lady, will you do me the pleasure of being my partner?"

On the inside, I was screaming YES YES YES OH MY GOD YES!

On the outside, I stuttered, "Y-yes yes, of course, thank you...." And I took his hand.

The rest of class was a dream come true. We practiced lifts and partner combos, and (oh my god) Adrien touch was so gentle and calming and familiar, like an old friend.

When class was over me and Alya were giggling like crazy. As we packed our bags Alya whispered in my ear, "Oh my god you and Adrien were so in sync! It's like you've been partners for months!"

I whispered back, "Look at yourself, Alya! You and Nino were perfect partners."

She giggled, "I know right! Ugh he's so adorable...."

"WHAT WAS THAT LAST PART?!"

"What? Nothing!"

We both went into a fit of giggles. We finished packing our stuff and swung our bags over our shoulders, leaving the studio and starting to walk home.

"Guess what I heard happened at the club today!" Alya said once we were out of the studio.

"What?"

"I heard that Ladybug KISSED Chat Noir!"

"Really?" I said with fake suprise.

"Oh my god I heard it was adorable! I wish I was there! But noooooo I had to be at class." She did a dramatic sigh, "UGH I SHIP THEM SO HARD!"

I laughed.

"Quit laughing!" She said.

"Quit being weird!" I replied.

We parted ways with a fit of laughter as I walked back into my house. I walked straight upstairs to my bed, exhausted from this VERY eventful day.