"Are you sure I can't punch him in the face?"

"I'm quite sure."

"What if I just break his nose a little?"

"Alya!"

"Alright, fine, I'll leave him alone," she relented, glancing over at her friend. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"I'm fine, honestly," assured Marinette, taking a deep breath and drawing up her shoulders. "Who needs him, anyway? If he wants to go to the dance with Chloe, let him. Who are we to tell him what he can or can't do?"

Just as she convinced herself that she was fine, just fine, Chloe brushed passed them and ran into Marinette's shoulder – hard.

"Look out!" said the blonde. "We're in a hurry to get to the mall – we just have to find him the PERFECT outfit for the dance. Right Adrikins?"

Marinette ducked her head to avoid his gaze, and rushed out the doors and down the steps. He'd better not start feeling SORRY for me…it's him who has to spend the whole night with her, not me!

Once in the safety of her room, Marinette dropped her bag with a loud sigh, then started to think. Alya had been worried that she was upset. Ladybug? Upset? Impossible. Marinette attempted a laugh, then shook her head and waved her hands as she paced. Why would I be upset? It's not like the guy of my dreams just turned me down in front of the whole class or anything…OH WAIT. The more she moved, the more riled up she got. I cannot BELIVE him, letting Chloe play him like that. What was he thinking? Was he even thinking at all? She paused, realizing what was happening. She wasn't upset at all…she was MAD. Mad at Chloe for manipulating him, mad at Adrien for falling for it, mad at herself for not seeing what was happening before it was too late. She had to get out of here – out of her room, out of these shoes, out of her own head.

"Tikki, spots on!"

She flew out the window and into the bright afternoon sun.


"Marinette, are you feeling alright? You look a little pink. Do you have a fever?"

"I'm fine, Mom, really. I think I might turn in early – get some extra sleep for my growing brain and all."

"Alright, dear. Call us if you need anything okay?"

"I will. Goodnight, Mom. Night Papa."

Marinette trudged up the stairs. No wonder I'm pink in the face, she fumed. Even flying through the city, saving a cat from a tree, and eating dinner with her parents hadn't been enough to distract her. I can't believe she did that, I can't believe he let her…


"Do you think I should go talk to her?"

"What are you going to say? Just show up at the door and tell her it wasn't what it looked like? Great plan, kid."

"Plagg, I'm serious," Adrien sighed, flicking his kwami off the keyboard. "She wouldn't even look at me after school."

"Why did you say no, anyway? I though you liked her."

"I do, it's just…" he groaned, giving up on his homework. "I thought Marinette was asking me to help her PLAN the dance, not go to it!" He ran his hands through his hair, then dropped them in his lap. The poor girl had been stuttering so much he could barely understand her, and then Chloe had swooped in and put her arm around his shoulders, pulling him away and announcing that he was going to the dance with HER. Marinette had gaped at him in shock, and spent the rest of the day staring at her desk. Adrien had finally managed to track down Alya after school to figure out what had happened, but she wouldn't listen when he had insisted that it was all a misunderstanding. Even worse, he had spent 4 hours with Chloe that afternoon, who made him try on over a dozen suits, none of which she liked and all of which looked the same to him.

"Plagg, we're going over."

"We? But I just got comfortable!"

"Plagg – claws out!"

The moon was full, and his shadow raced beside him as he ran. As Chat approached the bakery, he saw a lone figure on the rooftop. Moving closer, he realized it was Marinette, who was…kickboxing? Kung Fu fighting? Warding off a swarm of bees? Intrigued, he jumped onto the railing as she turned her back to punch at the air behind her.

"Ahem!"

"Woah!" Marinette's leg swung out behind her, sending her crashing to the ground. "Who ar- oh, it's you," she said, easing back to her feet. "What are you doing?"

He smiled and dropped down onto the rooftop. "I was just about to ask you that myself. Are there ghosts up here or have you taken up a weird form of yoga?"

"Yoga, no. Stress relief, yes," she replied, irritated, for the first time, that he was there. Doesn't he have a damsel to save of something? Geez.

"Someone seems…different than usual," Chat remarked, staring curiously at her defensive stance. "Is it something I said?"

"No, it's just…" she relaxed slightly, and gave in to the conversation. "Some days, it's like you're holding a stick and everyone around you looks like a piñata. You know?"

"Uhhhh…" Whatever he had been expecting her to say, that clearly wasn't it.

"Sorry, I'm just… frustrated at this boy in my class." Marinette said, missing his startled expression (She's MAD at me?).

"Wha – what… what happened?" Chat stuttered, sitting on the railing behind him. He crossed his legs, put his elbow on his knee, and propped his head on his fist in awkward, jerky movements.

What the heck is wrong with him? It's like I offended him or something.

Marinette sighed and sat cross-legged on the ground. "It's nothing, really." She took a deep breath. "I tried to ask the guy I like to a school dance and he left while I was talking and said he was going with another girl instead of me and completely ignored me for the rest of the day."

"So you aren't…upset?"

She looked at him like he had just sprouted an extra ear. "Why on earth would I be upset? It's not my fault he was such a jerk."

Chat stared at her, trying to register what she said. Mad…jerk…my fault…

"Chat…are you…okay?"

He snapped back to reality to find her looking at him with concern. "Do you…do you need help?"

"No, I'm – I'm fine," he said unconvincingly, rubbing the back of his neck. "Did ever think that maybe…maybe it wasn't his fault?"

"That what wasn't whose fault?" she asked, her eyebrows scrunched in confusion.

"That maybe this…boy…you're talking about…actually wanted to go to the dance with you? Maybe he just…misunderstood what you meant!"

"Maybe…" Marinette trailed off. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine, really! I was just thinking that maybe you should…give this boy a second chance?"

"I don't know, Chat," she said, looking past him at the moon. "What if I mess it up again? Then he'll really think I'm strange."

"You? Strange? No way! Any guy would be crazy to turn you down, Marinette. He just needs another chance," he said quickly, dropping down to sit on the ground across from her.

Please, please ask me again, Mari! Please, please…

"I guess you could be right…" she replied, turning back to him. "But if he turns me down again, I'm blaming you!"

"Trust me, Marinette," said the Chat as he stood up and stretched out his legs. "I'm sure he'll say yes – all you have to do is ask."