A/N: Greetings, readers! Thank you for your patience as I try to overcome my writers block. I promised that I have ideas waiting in the wings - I'm just trying to figure out how to get them down in story format.

As always, I appreciate your constructive reviews.

Chapter 2

Alya tried multiple times to console Marinette throughout the class, but Marinette was either gazing dreamily at the teen supermodel in front of her or seeming depressed. Probably over what she said happened last night. It couldn't go on. Alya decided to enlist some help.

Alya: Hey, Babe! Will you meet me after school? I need your help with something.

It wasn't long before she got Nino's reply. No prob, Beautiful. I need your help with something, too.

Well, that's interesting, thought Alya. She looked up at her boyfriend, who seemed to be trying to console the boy next to him.

Alya: Something up with Adrien?

Nino: I'll tell you later. Right now he needs his bro.

Alya: 4:00 at my place?

Nino: See you then!

Now that her plans were in place, Alya looked up … directly into the stern gaze of M. Bustier. "As important as I'm sure the latest Ladybug video is, Alya, we are in school. If I have to tell you one more time to put your phone away, I'll confiscate it until the end of class."

"Yes, M. Bustier," Alya grumbled as she placed her phone in her bag.

"Now, let's talk about your next assignment…"

This is it, Marinette thought. I've only been trying to do this for three years. Today is the day! Besides, I promised Tikki.

Marinette waited until morning classes had ended and they were headed for the lunch break. "Hey, A-Ad-Adrien!"

The handsome blond stopped and turned in her direction. "Hey, Marinette," he smiled - and Marinette nearly melted right there.

"I-I-I was wah-wondering. Ahem." Come ON girl! Get a grip. It's only Adrien. The love of your life. And... SLOW DOWN… "I.." she took a deep breath. "Would you like to …"

"Adrikens!" yelled Chloe from across the room. Oh, great, Marinette thought. Once more, Chloe "the brat" Bourgeois interrupts my attempt at a heartfelt love confession. Marinette rolled her eyes.

"Hey, Chloe," Adrien politely greeted his childhood friend.

"Adrikens," Chloe draped her arms around his neck. "I was wondering if you'd like to come and get ice cream with me after school."

"Oh. Thanks, Chloe. Maybe another time, though," Adrien said as he removed her arms. "I've got a Chinese language class right after school."

Chloe was obviously disappointed, though the look she directed at Marinette seemed to suggest that she had achieved her goad.

Oh, that's rich, thought Marinette. She definitely doesn't deserve to keep the Queen Bee miraculous.

"Ad-drien?" Marinette tried one more time.

"Yes?"

… and she just couldn't do it. "Have a good day. OK?"

Adrien smiled his million Euro smile. "Thanks, Marinette. You, too."

As he left, a brunette poked her head from behind the classroom door.

It was painful to watch, Alya decided. Marinette's experience with unrequited love was from both ends. But no matter how hard she tried, Alya couldn't get Marinette to divulge the name of the boy she rejected.

There's definitely something going on there, Alya thought. Something Marinette is keeping hidden from me. I've got to help her let it out before she gets hurt even more.

Thank God for Nino.

Alya couldn't wait until school let out today.

"Hey, Babe!" Nino smiled as Alya opened her door. "Ready for our 'study date'?"

"Come on in, Nino." Alya chuckled as she led him to her computer, where she had been working on her next post.

"Anything new on the Ladybug front?"

"Not really. I'm just trying to figure out the best way to post the story after that latest Akuma attack. Ginger Snaps? Really? Sometimes I think Hawkmoth is trying to wear down Ladybug and Chat Noir's resistance just by the stupidity of the Adumas he sends."

"Lady WiFi," Nino reminded her. "And Bubbler." He started to laugh a little. "Come on, Beautiful, you asked for my help. What's up?"

"Did you see how distracted Marinette was today?"

"Yeah. Not her normal 'can't-say-two-words-in-front-of-Adrien' distracted, either. Something's going on with her."

"She told me a boy confessed his love to her yesterday, and she turned him down. You know how she feels about Adrien."

"Really? Did she say who?"

"No, and it's driving me crazy! I'll figure it out, though. She's my best friend, and she deserves happiness."

"So does Adrien. Did you know he was rejected yesterday?"

"What?!"

"Yeah. He confessed his love to someone - he won't say who. She let him down easy."

"We've got to help them, Nino. You KNOW they're perfect for each other."

"My boy is blind, that's for sure. You and I both know he's crushing on Marinette. He just doesn't seem to believe it. I wonder who he confessed to yesterday? It's not Marinette, though."

"As if Marinette would reject a confession from Adrien." Alya put a photo of Marinette and Adrien on the right side of her computer screen, leaving the Ladyblog up on the left.

"I really think that if Marinette would let us know who confessed to her, if she could let it out, it would help her for sure. But since she's not telling us, we may need to figure it out on our own.

"Same with Adrien, Babe," said Nino. "You know, I once thought he had a thing for Ladybug. Wouldn't it be a trip if he'd tried to confess to her?"

"That would definitely be trippy," she agreed. Alya looked at her monitor, thinking. She happened to glance at the photo she was using for the Ladyblog. It showed Chat and Ladybug in what appeared to be an intense conversation. You could see the longing in Chat's eyes.

Then she looked at the photo of Adrien and Marinette. No way! No freaking way!

"Nino! Check this out!" she whisper-yelled as she pointed to Marinette and Ladybug. She pulled up a photo editing program and played with the Marinette & Adrien photo. She put masks on her two friends, plus black cat ears on Adrien. She compared the new photo with the one on the Ladyblog.

… the resemblance was uncanny.

"Nino? Um… what do you think?"

Nino just stared at the photos for a minute. "What if…" he stopped, then started again. "What if it was Chat Noir that confessed to Ladybug last night?" he mused. "But we can't jump to conclusions. We'd need proof."

"You're right. The last time I jumped to a conclusion like that it definitely wasn't a good experience. So… how do we get proof?"

"Hmm…" Nino thought for a minute. "Let's start by watching them when Akumas attack.

"There is that. I know Marinette always seems to disappear when an Akuma shows up. She says she hides in the bathroom."

"Adrien disappears, too, though he says it's because his father wants him safe. Safe! More like cocooned. That boy has very little freedom to be a teenager."

Alya thought for a minute. There was something else bugging her. "Nino, have you noticed how our class has almost all been Akumatized?"

"Let's see. You were Lady WiFi and I was Bubbler. Plus together we were Oblivio. Ivan was Stoneheart. Alix was Timebreaker," said Nino.

"Nathan ended up being Evillustrator. Kim was Dark Cupid, and Mylène was Horrificator."

"Max was Gamer. Sabrina was Vanisher and Chloe was Antibug...and Queen Wasp. Juleka was Reflekta and Rose was Princess Fragrance.'

"Lila was Volpina… and Chameleon, Marc was Reverser. And even Ms. Bustier was Akumatized into Zombizou," said Alya.

"That's everyone in the class."

Alya thought for a minute. And another minute. Then her face lit up, "No, it isn't. It's ALMOST everyone in our class. You know who hasn't been Akumatized?"

Nino thought for a minute, then he an Alya spoke together. "Marinette and Adrien!"

Nino looked at Alya. "We need proof."

A/N: And that's the end of this chapter. Until next time, valued readers!