Hello! So this is my first contribution to the ML fandom and I hope everyone likes it! I wrote this for my Creative Writing class, so it was just based on ML but I changed it so I could post it. But we aren't allowed to write fantasy in that class so there are no powers, or anything like that in this AU. But I really proud of it so ENJOY!

Disclaimer: I am not Thomas.

-Ash

Coffee Shop

The polished wood brightly sparkled as the sun beamed in through the large, rectangular windows that read "Tom and Sabine's Coffee." Multicolored bricks decorated the walls which gave the shop a modern, homey feeling. The black boards with the menu scribbled onto them hung above my head as I stood nervously behind the register. Anyone would think that being a barista at my parent's cute little coffee shop would be fine—except for the fact that I was one of the most socially inept people that could ever exist.

My best friend Alya was given a job here too, courtesy of my dad. She backed me up whenever my social awkwardness got too out of control. I wasn't a terrible employee, but if I wasn't the owners' daughter then I probably would have gotten fired. It had been a slow day that day, so I hadn't been able to get my daily dose of Vitamin E—AKA Vitamin embarrassment. I groaned with boredom as I plopped my head down onto the smooth, wooden counter and the brunette patted me on the head with a small smile.

"C'mon girl, cheer up. It's a Thursday and your dad is going to let us off early. There's nothing to be mopey about," Alya chimed with a bob of her head.

I moaned into the counter top. "I'm just indifferent on days like this. I'm glad I don't have to talk to people, but at the same time it's so painfully boring to do absolutely nothing. All we're doing is watching people eat who we've already taken orders for. Can't I just clean the tables or something?"

Suddenly, as if on que, I heard the tiny bell ring as the front door opened. Well my boredom was cured, but instead my panicky nature was now the problem. I immediately jumped to attention while plastering my shoes to the floor as I dug my toes dug into the soles. I spun on my heel away from the front door as my anxiety slapped me in the face, and I yanked a raven shaded pigtail into my mouth to chew on with nervousness. To my disgust (and Alya's) the hair began to entangle itself within my braces. It seemed I always had the correct formula to embarrass myself in front of customers.

"Uh oh, hottie alert," Alya murmured as she blocked her mouth with her hand to shield her words from the new comer.

Hottie alert? This could mean only one thing…

I spat my soiled pigtail out of my mouth and squeezed my eyes tightly in response. "Oh God, don't tell me it's-"

"Yup, it's Adrien."

"I hate my life."

"He's coming this way," she spat in a harsh whisper, "Okay girl, just take his order and be natural. He's going to fall in love with you someday."

"In my dreams," I retorted with a groan.

Frantically, I yanked the stray fragments of hair away from the metal in my mouth before Alya spun me around so quickly that my head almost twisted off of my neck. I turned to face the beautiful boy before me as he approached the counter. Oh God. Oh Jesus. Somebody save me from the tragedy that is about to occur.

He beamed his pearly whites at me. "M-Marinette! I didn't know you worked here," he greeted with surprise. Adrien shifted his weight from foot to foot before sucking in a breath.

I stared at the boy for a moment before regaining my composer around him. "Y-Yeah. That's me: the working girl who is working here. Did you know my parents own it? Yup, they do ahahaaa…" I sputtered. There went all human contact. Goodbye world. The universe stuck a fork in me. I was already done before it began. How does one do the English?

He cocked a brow at me before ruffling a hand through his golden mane. "Is everything alright?"

"Yes, everything is perfect. You're perfect," I paused in panic before making an attempt to recover, "-at being a customer. What would you like, Adrien?"

"Actually Alya," he gave a nod in her direction, "told me that this store had the best hot chocolate in town and with the weather getting colder I figured I might as well try it out, ya know?" Adrien explained with a slight shrug.

"Oh she did, did she?" I asked through gritted teeth. I shot a glare towards my best friend who was spying on me from the coffee machine behind the other side of the counter. She gave me a thumbs up with a mischievous grin.

She did this.

"Well, she's completely right! We certainly do have the best! Is that all you'd like Adrien?" I asked with the least amount of shakiness I could. I couldn't help but stare at his gorgeous face. I took in all of his features every time I could, like his golden blonde locks that shined like the sun, his lime colored eyes that were so bright they shouldn't have been human, the rosy hue that always seemed to fall across his cheeks whenever he was around me, and those cute dimples when he kindly laughed at my stupidity. He was like a perfect angel.

Alya snapped me back to reality when she shook my shoulder lightly. "Mari? Did you hear Adrien?"

I swung my head as if to clear my thoughts. "What? No. Sorry. I completely spaced out. What else did you need Adrien?"

The blonde shook his head 'no' before he beamed at me. "No that's everything for right now."

My best friend suddenly had me by the shoulders, and she pushed me over towards the coffee machine. She grinned at me. "I can't believe he's actually here! You have to make his hot chocolate for him."

"But I'm no good with machinery," I stated with a shrug. "Last time I tried to make a drink my dad had to cough out more money for a new machine. This is why they put me behind the counter. A cash register is the only thing I can work with."

"Alright then, the plan is that I will take care of the drink and you go entertain pretty boy until I finish. Got it?"

"Me? Talking to Adrien alone? Are you crazy!?" I cried in response. I must have gotten louder than I had intended because there were customer faces staring at me as if I had grown a second head. My neck recoiled and my shoulders hunched as I eyed Alya. Pointing towards the blonde, I gave a nod. "I'll be over there with him."

I scampered away from the coffee machine and darted back over to Adrien. I slid behind the counter before resting my elbows onto the mahogany.

"Sup," I choked out. Kill me now. Someone. Please.

"Um—hi?"

Oh, my God. I want to marry him.

"Alya's making your drink," I blurted out loudly.

He grinned. "Thanks."

Alya pranced onto the scene with the chocolate drink in her hand. She began the process of plopping in marshmallows and reached towards the cup tops. She smiled at the male before us. "Adrien, I see that you took my advice. I'm glad you're here. It's really nice of you to come support one of your classmate's parents. I knew you were such a nice guy."

Adrien waved his hand in denial. "No, it's nothing really. Oh by the way Marinette, shouldn't I pay for the drink?"

My best friend let out a chuckle. "Oh Mari, did you forget to take the customer's money again? Silly girl!" Alya pinched my cheeks as she continued to speak, "She is being such a great daughter coming to work to help out her dad. He does so much and she can't help but try to repay him. Right, Marinette?"

I nodded swiftly. "Yup that's me! Daughter of the year!"

The blonde's eyes widened slightly, "Really? You said your dad owned it, but I didn't know you were working here to help out. That's really cool of you, Marinette."

I sighed dreamily. "Yeah. Cool…"

"Oh and here," he told Alya as he handed her the money from his pocket. "Keep the change."

"Thanks Adrien, that's cool of you too. You know what? Since you and Marinette are such cool people why don't you two hang out somewhere together? You two obviously have a lot in common," Alya stated sweetly.

I cut an icy blue stare in her direction. "What?" I growled.

Adrien rubbed his arm awkwardly. I noticed the subtle action, and five hundred thoughts jumped into my head. Was he getting nervous around me?

The blonde boy gave a nod with a grin. "I'd love to hang out with you, Marinette. If, you know, t-that's okay?" he jumbled his words out.

Blinking rapidly I allowed my mind to truly begin to processing the events that had just occurred. I shook my head as if I were going to clear all of my confusing thoughts.

"Hang out? With you? Yes! I'd love t—I mean. Sure. That'd be cool, I guess."

His emerald eyes shined. "That'd be great. Sooo, Saturday?"

I was smiling so hard I couldn't feel my cheeks anymore. I bobbed my head in agreement quickly, if not spastically.

Alya smirked as she handed Adrien the warm chocolatey drink. He took the drink from Alya's hand and gave me a tiny wave with his fingers as he spun from the counter. I noticed his shoulders shift slightly as if he were letting out a sigh of relief. I watched as his back began to retreat, and the bell chimed its song as he exited the facility. The blonde made a fist and flung it down in a celebratory fashion.

He was excited to hang out with me!

"Well, well, looks like Princess Awkward has a date with the hottest guy in school on Saturday," Alya sang as she nudged my shoulder lightly.

I snorted at her. "It's not a date," I argued. I paused in thought and chewed my lip. "Is it a date?"

"Girl, it's totally a date! He is so into you!" she insisted before giving a sigh. "No wonder Adrien needed my hel-" Alya cut herself off before glancing over at me. She knew the damage had been done. There were no "take-backs" on this one.

My suspicion rose immediately. "Adrien needed your help?"

"Nooo…" her eyes flickered to the side before regaining eye contact with me.

While squinting my eyes at her I leaned in towards her and took notice of the worried expression etched into her face. "Your help with what, exactly?"

"Nothing!"

"Oh no. Nuh uh. You are not going to do this to me! When have you been talking to Adrien behind my back, huh?" I could feel my blood beginning to boil.

"Um—when he asked what was the best way to ask you out?" she squeaked.

"What!?"

Alya swung an arm around my shoulder for reassurance. "Girl, listen to me carefully: Adrien. Likes. You. He saw me the other day at school and asked me some questions about you. You two dorks have been secretly crushing on each other for months! It's about time something happened!"

"Adrien—likes me?"

"Really? You didn't hear anything else I said did you?"

"Adrien likes me!"

"Yes, Adrien likes you."

"Oh, my God," I whimpered.

Alya scooted me away from the counter as my emotional break down ensued. Hyperventilating was on the menu for me as of that moment. My best friend took napkins and fanned my face with them. My cheeks were flushed with embarrassment from the discovery of my crush actually liking me, and the fact that half of the coffee shop customers were staring at me oddly. Alya petted my hair and helped me regain what little composer I actually had.

She handed me the mop. "Here, why don't you clean? That's your favorite thing that helps calm you down, right?"

I nodded weakly as I took the cleaning utensil from her hands. In all honesty, everyone should have seen clumsy actions in my future from a mile away. After accidently tripping over to mop bucket I slipped right onto the newly polished floor while smacking my face onto the floor in the process. The worst part about it wasn't the fall, or the stares from customers that were a mix of concern and "try not to laugh." The worst part was the black eye I had on my date with Adrien that Saturday. He didn't seem to mind though.