When Adrien entered the building, he really hadn't planned on eavesdropping on his best friend and her friends talking. Really. These things just happened.
Didn't they?
Anyway. Adrien stopped short at his locker, quietly closing the door and leaning againt it as, on the other side of the locker wall, the girls kept talking.
"... It's gonna be amazing! My mom has bought the best tickets!" He was able to detect Alya's voice before he heard Rose answer. "That's perfect! I can finally wear my new dress, it's even in Jagged Stone's colors!"
Ah, the concert.
Jagged Stone was back in Paris and for one night only. Of course he could have gotten tickets somehow, playing the 'I'm rich and famous' card, but he had been too busy with meeting with Marinette to get to know each other better out of the suits and being a superhero in general. Not that he complained.
He was brought back to the present when Mylene spoke. "Oh, my dad can pick us up with his car. I asked yesterday." "Guys," Marinette suddenly spoke up, "what's this all about, anyway?"
"We're going to the Jagged Stone concert tonight!" Alya said, but she sounded distracted, like she was on her phone. "We've been planning for days."
"O-Oh? Uhm, okay, cool!" Adrien felt his heart drop painfully at the sound of her voice. Something was so not right. And he had a sad guess at what it was.
"Yeah. Sorry, you've been so busy, we kinda... planned it without you. We just thought... Well, you didn't have any time the past weeks and..." The ringing of the bell startled eveyone. Marinette inhaled deeply before answering. "No, no, It's fine, really. I- Go on without me, I have to get something from my locker. See you in break?"
Adrien sneaked forward, glancing around the corner at the group now all moving to the door except for Marinette, who was still standing in the middle of the room. Only Alya turned around one more time, sending her best friend an apologetic smile. "Sorry, Mari, but we wanted to go to Juleka's to plan the outfits. Maybe we'll catch you before it ends, though! You have Adrien, right?"
It stuck. Adrien saw the flash pass through his Lady's blue eyes, something alike pain and sadness all mixed together. He wanted to throw something.
"Yeah. Bye, then. See you in class." And then she smiled a beautiful, tragic, fake smile. It physically hurt him. Her lips were tightly pressed together, her eyes shone with tears and were blinking ever so often. Not that either Alya or anyone else really saw at the moment.
He didn't want to pass them off as bad friends because he knew they weren't. Maybe they really were just excited about the evening and all that- but the boy was still pissed. He was angry, hurt and disappointed. And especially Alya would get her fair share of it tomorrow morning. He wasn't gonna let this drop.
The group left and Marinette sighed, sliding down the wall to lean back against the wall. "Come out, Adrien. I really don't wanna be alone right now."
Called boy spluttered as the girl's eyes opened and looked right at him, still poking his head out from behind the locker wall. "I - Uhm, sorry, I -"
"Oh god, Kitty, I was able to feel you look at me from over there. I know my cat." She sighed and patted the space besides her, throwing him a little, but honest, smile. He was by her side in an instant.
They didn't talk. Did they need to? He didn't think so. For now, it was okay with Marinette in her obvious sadness with tears blurring her ocean eyes and Adrien, still angry and sad for his partner, hugging her tightly and resting his head ontop of hers.
And on this day, Adrien swore he'd never let Marinette put on a fake smile ever again.
