February 14th
Dear diary:
Today was both the worst day of my life, and the best. Perhaps I should start at the beginning.
I awoke to find a message on my phone from Alya.
A: Hey, Girl! Nino is taking me on a Valentine's Day date! He won't tell me where we're going, only that I cannot have my phone with me, for some reason. So you won't be able to get ahold of me. Sorry! Maybe you should take the advantage and finally tell a certain someone how you feel about him ;-) You'll have to tell me how it goes when I get back! Love you, girl!
I decided she was right. It was Valentine's Day, after all. What better way to profess your love for somebody.
So I went to the park where I knew he would be.
When I saw him near the statue of me and Cat Noir, looking up with a adoring look on his face, I froze.
"Okay, Marinette. You can do this. Just breathe. Relax. You can do it. Just go tell him how you feel!" I tell myself.
Going up to him, my nerves get the better of me, as usual.
"H-he-hey, Adrian. H-how are you doing?"
"Oh, hey, Marinette! I'm doing great. Just thinking about the holiday and who I'd love to see," he said, blushing slightly.
"Oh. So you already have a girlfriend, then?"
"Well, no. Not really. But there is a girl that I do like, and I hope someday we can be together."
"Adrian, I feel the same way. I love you!" I blurt out, before I can stop myself.
Adrian paused for a moment, then looked at me sadly.
"Um. I don't know what to say, Marinette. I'm flattered, but it's not you that I love. I'm sorry. You're a great friend, but I'm in love with somebody else." He looked back at the statue, but I didn't even think about it properly.
I ran. It was all I could do. I ran, and cried. I wanted to keep running, forever. I wanted to never be seen again. I couldn't show my face at school again, especially not around Adrian. I wanted…
And I saw it. The Akuma. I knew it was after me. For just a moment, the slightest moment, I wanted to let it have me. To make others feel my pain.
But I knew that would not have a good turnout. I knew it wouldn't actually help me. I would be gone, and an Akumatized me would take my place. I would be, for all intents and purposes, dead. And with no Ladybug to de-evilize me, I'd stay that way forever. My friends, my family, Adrian, would suffer.
So I took a calming breath, tried to relax my mind, and ran away from it.
I looked around, making sure there was nobody around, and transformed into Ladybug.
Immediately, I took out my yoyo and caught the Akuma before it, or I, could do any harm to the city.
"I can't do this anymore," I say to myself.
I take out my Ladybug phone and call Cat Noir. No answer, so I leave a voicemail for him.
"Cat, it's Ladybug. Well, of course it's Ladybug. Nobody else could call you. Anyway, I've had a really rough day, and I need to talk to a friend. Can you please meet me atop the Eiffel Tower tonight at sunset? I hope I'll see you there."
Now all that was left for me to do was to go to the Eiffel Tower, wait, and hope he would show up. But I know my Cat. He'll show.
A few hours later, I was waiting in Gustave Eiffel's office, waiting for my Cat to show.
Suddenly, I heard a very quiet noise, and a call.
"Ladybug? I came. Are you here? Are you okay? You have me worried. Ladybug?"
"I'm here, Cat. But, please, don't come in just yet. Just let me talk."
"Talk away, M'lady. I could talk to you all night."
"Well, I've been having a rough day. My best friend is out of Paris right now with her boyfriend, but she suggested to me to confess my feelings for a boy I like."
"I remember. You told me you liked a boy, and that's why you can't be with me, but you won't tell me who it is," he said sadly.
"Yes, I'm sorry about that. So anyway, I went to see him, and kind of blurted out that I was in love with him, but he told me he didn't love me back. It was an awful feeling, to be rejected like that."
"Again, I know what you mean," he interrupted.
"Again, I'm sorry. Can I just finish telling you the story?" I snapped at him.
"Sorry."
"I ran out of there crying, and was almost Akumatized, when it occurred to me that if I let the Akuma take me, the whole of Paris, maybe the world, would never be safe again, since I'm the only one who can de-evilize someone.
"And a thought occurred to me then and there. If I hadn't kept the secret from him for so long, I might not have been so upset. Maybe he and I could have been together. Maybe not. But the pain wouldn't be so great, because the love I had for him wouldn't be festering for so long, growing exponentially. So I decided I'm done."
"What are you saying, Ladybug? I know this may not be what you want to hear right now, but you know I love you. I couldn't stand not being your partner. Seeing you every day."
"Not done being Ladybug. No, I'm done hiding myself from the people I care most about. And that is why,"
I stepped out from the office, not as Ladybug, but as Marinette.
"I've decided to tell you who I am. I care about you, Cat, and I want there to be no secrets between us. Cat?"
"Marinette…"
"Yes, it's me. You've saved me time and again, but only as Ladybug did you really know me."
"Marinette, I've known you for years. As Marinette, not just Ladybug. I'm sorry Adrian made you feel this way."
"Thank you, Cat I… Wait, I didn't tell you his name. How'd you know?"
"Because I…"
He paused for a few seconds, as though debating with himself.
"Plagg, claws in."
I gasped as I saw him revert back to his human form.
"Because I'm Cat Noir."
I stared. It was the only thing I could do.
"Adrian? But you…"
"I told you I was in love with somebody else. Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought that she was you, though. Ladyb… Marinette."
"Adrian!" I cried, tears coming down my face.
I couldn't help it. I ran to him, jumped onto him, and was kissing him with all my might. And to my surprise, he kissed me back.
"Adrian, I love you so much. I've had a crush on you since the day we met, and that crush has grown into love as I've gotten to know you better."
"I love you, too. Marinette. I loved you as Ladybug, but you are Ladybug. You're the same person. Ladybug just gave you more confidence, I believe. But inside, you're the same."
And we kissed again. Much lighter of a kiss this time, but just as much love.
"Alya's never going to believe this!" I say, laughing.
"Happy Valentine's Day, Marinette," Adrian grinned.
