Now 10 years in your future Adrien is no longer with us.
Marinette couldn't believe what she was reading. This morning she woke up, got ready for school and was about to head out when she saw the letter on her desk so she grabbed it and started reading more of it but she wasn't expecting to read this.
"Marinette you're going to be late!" Sabine called out from downstairs in the kitchen.
Marinette put the letter in her purse and she rushed downstairs. "I'm leaving now bye!" Marinette said to Sabine before rushing out the door.
"Bye sweetie have a great day!" Sabine called out.
"Bye dad." Marinette said as she rushed out the door of the bakery.
"Bye dear." Tom replied with a smile.
Marinette ran in her classroom just in time and she sat down on her seat. As Mrs. Bustier taught the class Marinette looked at Adrien and thought about the letter… it couldn't be true
…
During lunchtime Luka and Juleka walked over to Marinette Alya and Nino who were still in their seats as everyone was leaving the room. "Should we have lunch at the bakery today?" Luka asked and everyone nodded.
Adrien stood up from his seat. "Hold on guys, I would like to join you."
"Doesn't your mom make you lunch?" Luka asked curiously with a smile.
Adrien shook his head with a smile. "No, that's why I want to join you guys."
"Of course you can come, you are part of our friend group now." Luka stated and everyone else nodded.
On September 27th, Adrien became a temporary member of the soccer team. Adrien says that his mom doesn't make him lunch, so I tell him I'll make one for him and bring it tomorrow. But I changed my mind and didn't make him lunch.
"Your lunch looks so good, Marinette." Alya told Marinette as the three girls were eating their lunches on the bottom steps of the bakery as the boys were buying lunch from the bakery.
"Is that a ladybug?" Juleka asked seeing one of Marinette's cookies and Marinette nodded.
"You know what you do is like art right?" Alya asked and Marinette smiled.
"Luka, why did you buy bread if you have a lunch?" Adrien asked Luka as they walked over to the girls with Nino.
"Because he's a growing boy that's why." Alya said playfully.
"Haha very funny Alya and I know Adrien but it's not enough for me." Luka replied. "Plus it's not like I am the only one that gets lunch from his mom obviously Juleka's lunch is made by our mom too and Nino's mom makes him lunch doesn't she?"
"Sure if you call giving me money making lunch for me." Nino said sarcastically and everyone laughed.
Marinette suddenly stopped laughing when she remembered what she read in the letter earlier.
'Adrien leaves us? But how I can't even imagine it.'
During the rest of the school day Marinette kept glancing at Adrien trying to understand what the letter said.
"Marinette want to go shopping?" Alya asked Marinette as the final bell rang and Marinette nodded as Juleka walked up to them.
"Hey Adrien, are you free today? Want to watch our soccer practice?" Luka asked Adrien as he walked up to him.
"What for?" Adrien asked, confused.
"A little birdie told me that you are really good at soccer." Luka replied with a knowing smile. "Better than me, even right Marinette?"
Marinette looked at them and smiled sheepishly with a blush. "Uh.. Yea um sorry."
Adrien smiled at her. "Marinette you can't keep a secret can you?" Adrien said playfully while patting her head.
"Okay time for soccer everything is all set." Luka said before dragging Adrien out from the room.
"Wait what's all set and where are you taking me?" Adrien asked, trying to get away from Luka's grip.
"Just follow me and the talent my team needs to depend on is you." Luka replied and that was the last thing the girls heard.
Suddenly Alya saw a button on the ground and she picked it up. "Seems like one of the boys lost a button we should go give it back." The girls nodded and they went after the boys. "Hey dorks, someone lost a button."
Luka looked at his sleeve and saw that a button was missing. "It's mine that thing was loose since this morning."
"I can sew it back on." Marinette replied before taking out a needle and thread from her backpack.
"You can?" Adrien asked, surprised.
"Yes I'm always prepared." Marinette said with a smile.
"Its just like her to be prepared for something like this Marinette is great at this stuff you should see her designs." Alya said.
"We have a future celebrity with us." Luka replied.
Marinette blushed. "I'm not that good."
"Well if you don't mind Marinette it would be great if you could fix it." Luka added.
Marinette nodded. "I'm on it." She fixes Luka's sleeve.
"After you're done you should watch us play." Luka stated. "Adrien will be there."
"She can't, she's coming shopping with Alya and I." Juleka replied.
"I'm sure you girls can go shopping another day." Luka stated.
"Sorry but this is a girl's bonding time." Alya replied.
"Well just for a bit?" Luka asked Marinette.
Marinette smiled. "Sure."
"Great, well see you girls there we'll be expecting you." Luka said and walked away with the boys once Marinette was done.
The girls went to see the soccer practice sitting next to Nino and they were impressed to see that Adrien really was good at it even better than Luka and Luka used to be considered as the best in the team.
"Wow he really is good." Alya stated as Marinette and Juleka nodded.
From afar their classmate Kagami Tsurugi also saw the game and she smiled seeing Adrien before walking away.
Once the game was over the girls and Nino went to Adrien and Luka. "Here." Alya said to Adrien, handing him a cold bottle of water.
Adrien took it with a smile. "Thanks."
"Adrien, that was impressive, you really can play." Alya stated.
"I guess I have been playing since elementary school." Adrien replied after he drank some water from his bottle.
"Yea that makes sense." Juleka stated.
"You know guys I was there too and played along with him." Luka replied. "Right."
"It doesn't matter Luka it's the same team." Juleka stated.
"Anyway Adrien is going to join the soccer team." Luka replied.
"What!?" Adrien said in shock. "I didn't say that."
"C'mon your talent will go to waste if you don't play. We can't let that happen." Luka replied.
Adrien smiled. "Nice try but I'm not a morning person so I couldn't do morning practice."
"Everyone wants you in the team. If you want you can start as a temporary member." Luka said, trying to convince him.
Adrien smiled. "Okay but only as a temporary member."
"Great!" Luka cheered.
Adrien walked over to Marinette. "I heard that you make your own lunches and that they are really good. I wouldn't mind if you made me lunch."
Marinette blushed. "Sure I'll make one for you tomorrow."
Adrien chuckles. "No it's fine I was just kidding."
From there Marinette Juleka and Alya went shopping and after shopping Marinette went home just in time for dinner. That night it was her turn to clean up and wash the dishes after dinner so once everyone was done she picked up the dishes and started cleaning them.
As her parents were talking about how Sabine forgot to put up flyers for the new bread rolls, Marinette thought about Adrien.
'Just kidding huh…but I want to make one for him….he said that he was just joking though. I don't want to be weird…I better not.'
That night Marinette couldn't sleep as she was holding the letter in her hands and read what it said about that day.
I regret not making lunch for him. I want you to make Adrien homemade lunch on the 28th
Marinette took a big breath and got up before heading to the kitchen and started making lunch for her and Adrien.
Sabine saw the lights on from the hallway and she walked to the kitchen. "What are you doing sweetie?"
"Oh nothing, I'm just getting tomorrow's lunch ready." Marinette replied.
Sabine looked at all the food. "Do you have a softball game? That's a lot of food." Sabine stated and Marinette blushed as she continued working.
In the morning Sabine saw all the food Marinette made. "Okay that can't all be for you, that's a lot of food."
Marinette blushed. "Uh I'm going to get changed now." She ran up to her room, got changed, then came running back down, put all the food in a bag and ran off. "Bye see you later."
"Bye, have a good day." Sabine called out with a smile. "The signs of her first crush."
Marinette rushed in her class and sat down with plenty of time. Adrien walked in and smiled at her. "Good morning."
Marinette smiled back with a small blush. "Good morning Adrien!"
Adrien sat on his seat and as Mrs. Bustier started class Marinette kept glancing at Adrien with a blush.
'Alright when lunch starts I'll just give it to him and run away.'
The whole morning was a nightmare for Marinette as she kept blushing and glancing at Adrien. Before she knew it the bell for lunch rang.
'I can do this.'
Luka invited Adrien to have lunch with Nino and he and Adrien agreed standing up. This whole time Marinette had her eyes closed trying to find the courage in her.
'Adrien.'
Marinette opened her eyes and stood up. "Hey-" It was too late Adrien already left with Nino and Luka.
'Why couldn't I do it?'
At the end of the day Marinette packed her things and walked out of the classroom. Adrien walked over to her. "Hey where are the other girls?"
"They had things to do so I'm meeting with them in a little while." Marinette replied.
"I see I'm waiting for Luka." Adrien said as they walked down the stairs.
"For soccer practice?" Marinette asked.
"Yup but remember it's just temporary." Adrien replied. "The bag you brought is bigger than usual, is it heavy? I can carry it for you." Adrien reaches for Marinette's bag. Marinette was going to let him when she remembered what was inside.
'The lunch!'
"No, I'm fine!" Marinette exclaimed, pushing Adrien back unintentionally.
Adrien stepped back and looked at her with a frown. "Sorry." He walked away from her.
'No I'm sorry if it wasn't for that stupid letter. It's not like a letter can change someone's personality. There's only so much I'm capable of I wish that I could just give it to him but I can't.'
Marinette waited for Juleka and Alya before they went to hang out.
Meanwhile Luka walked over to Adrien. "Sorry for making you wait so long."
"It's fine." Adrien replied.
After hanging out with the girls, Marinette walked home to find Tikki standing next to the bakery. "You again?"
"You know your future self really regretted not making and giving him that lunch. You already did half of the work by making it so now you should give it to him." Tikki stated.
"Why does it matter? It's not like this is going to change his future." Marinette replied.
Tikki smiled. "Marinette, sometimes small things make big differences. Plus if it wasn't important your future self wouldn't have added it in her letter. Just think about it." Tikki walked away.
Marinette did think about it and she realized that Tikki was right. At that moment she saw Adrien and Luka walk out the doors of the school and she ran across the street. "Adrien!" Adrien stopped walking and looked at her. "I'm sorry about earlier."
Adrien was surprised and speechless. Luka nudged him to say something but by then Marinette was running away to the bakery. "Marinette!" Marinette turned around and looked at him. "Want to walk with me to the park?"
Luka smiled at them. "I expect details tomorrow, see you later Marinette." With that he walked away.
They started walking to the park and Marinette realized something.
'What do I do this wasn't in the letter.'
"You know I always wondered, do you live above the bakery or?" Adrien asked as they walked.
"Yes my house is on top of the bakery." Marinette replied.
They sat down on a bench. "What do you usually do when you go home?"
"Besides homework I design or help my parents at the bakery." Marinette replied.
"Right, I knew that. Do you have other hobbies?" Adrien asked.
"Uh not that I can think of." Marinette replied.
"Are you in any clubs?" Adrien asked her.
"You keep asking questions." Marinette stated.
"I know I'm just curious, you can ask me something if you want." Adrien replied.
"What do you do when you get home?" Marinette asked with a smile.
"Play video games." Adrien replied.
"What did you do during those days when you missed school?" Marinette asked. "Playing video games?" Adrien's smile faded and didn't answer so she changed the question. "Why don't you join the soccer team permanently? You seem to have a lot of fun playing it."
"It's my mom." Adrien finally replied not looking at her. "On my first day here she died from a heart attack. I was absent because of the funeral and then my aunt and cousin came to live with me. I once promised my mom that I wouldn't join a sports' team… I'm sorry this must seem weird to you."
"It's not weird." Marinette said with a soft tone. "And I'm sorry if I pressured you to tell me."
'The letter said not to. Don't invite Adrien on the first day of school. Why did I let him come anyway? The letter was supposed to erase that regret but I failed.'
Adrien stood up. "We should probably get going." Marinette nodded as she stood up and they started walking to the bakery.
Once they reached the bakery Marinette looked at him. "Adrien, I actually did make you lunch today." Marinette took out the lunch she made for him and handed it to him. "I planned to give it to you earlier but I kinda couldn't. I hope you enjoy it."
'As soon as he takes it ran inside and don't look back.'
Adrien took it with a smile. "To be honest I kinda had my hopes up. I was secretly wishing you would do this. Thank you Marinette, you are the best."
Marinette couldn't believe it and she smiled. "Then I'll make lunch for you everyday."
Adrien laughed. "You really are something else Marinette."
'I'll make sure Adrien keeps smiling even 10 years in the future. Forever and ever.'
Marinette and Luka met up with Nino Juleka and Alya who were waiting for them at the parking lot of the park next to a minivan.
"Nino it's kinda weird that you have a minivan you and Alya don't even have kids." Luka told Nino playfully.
"Oh be quiet, it's my brother's he let me borrow it." Nino replied.
"Does he have kids?" Luka asked.
Juleka was making funny faces at LJ who was in Marinette's arms. "He looks just like you, Marinette."
"Thank God that he doesn't look like his dad." Alya said playfully.
Luka glared at her. "Hey I heard that and for your information he looks a lot like me." Everyone laughed.
"By the way Luka what's with the flowers?" Juleka asked him.
"It's for Adrien, he knows what it is for." Luka replied.
Soon everyone got in the van Nino in the driver seat with Luka in the passenger seat. Alya and Juleka were sitting in the middle and Marinette was in the back with LJ. Soon Nino started to drive to their destination.
In the winter of his 17 year Adrien passed away in an accident all the promises he made with his friends were left behind and all of us feel regret knowing that Adrien could've been saved.
Marinette read the letter as a tear fell down her cheek.
'Adrien… I'll save him, I swear I will.'