"Check it boys, these are our uniforms for the cheer off." Alya stated as the three girls stood in front of the three boys still eating their lunch. "Are we cute or what?"
The three boys looked up at the girls as Luka smiled at them while Adrien and Nino were frozen staring wide eyes at their respective girlfriends. "You three are beautiful girls." Luka stated while giving them a thumbs up.
The girls had their hair up in a ponytail with a bow hair tie and they were wearing a red and white short sleeve shirt with the school symbol in the middle. The mini skirt was matching with the red and white colors and they had white socks with white shoes. They were also holding red and white pom poms.
"Thanks Luka." Alya said with a smile as Juleka nodded and Marinette blushed. "Maybe you should teach the two boys next to you how to be polite. You know boys you could at least say that we look cute even if you don't mean it." Alya said playfully at the two boys who were still speechless. "C'mon girls let's get our cheer on!"
The girls walked away and once they were out of earshot Luka bursted out in laughter. "Oh your looks were priceless. I wish that I took a picture and can I just say that you two are great complimenting your girlfriends."
Nino glared at him as Adrien just chuckled awkwardly. "Oh be quiet Luka I can't wait to see your reaction when you get a girlfriend and she wears an outfit like that."
"Sure I might be starstruck but I'm sure I would complement her and not just look at her like a goofball." Luka stated playfully as the two boys just stuck out their tongues at him. "Anyway let's go, the cheer off is about to start." The two nodded as the three boys stood up and they walked to the bleachers and sat down on the front row. The red team was up first so all the girls of the class Chloe. Sabrina, Alix. Marinette, Juleka, Alya, Mylene, Rose, and Kagami did their routine. "My mom said that she would take pictures of this. I can give you one of Alya Nino."
Nino blushed. "Thanks but I don't need it. I already have a lot of pictures of her."
Luka chuckles before looking at Adrien. "And I can give you one of Marinette."
"Thanks." Adrien replied though he was too busy looking at Marinette that he didn't really pay attention to what Luka said. During the whole cheer off Adrien kept rubbing his ankle and Nino noticed.
After the cheer off the girls went to get changed back to their normal clothes before joining the boys again. Juleka was first to join them then it was Marinette. Marinette looked over at Adrien and he smiled at her so she smiled back.
Adrien walked over to her. "Mari-"
"Adrien Marinette, can you two help me with something?" Mrs Bustier called out to them and they nodded before going over to her.
"So where are the lovebirds?" Alya asked once she joined the group and saw that Marinette and Adrien weren't there.
"Running errands." Juleka replied.
"What why right now?" Alya asked. "We need to talk about Marinette's letter. After he falls, which makes us lose, Adrien blames himself right?"
"So what do we do? Tell him to not worry if he falls before the race even starts?" Juleka asked.
"So what if we did tell him to be really careful it's not like that will change anything." Luka stated.
"So uh I think Adrien hurted his ankle." Nino replied.
"What do you mean, you think? Did he say anything to you?" Luka asked him.
"No, I read about it in my letter." Nino replied showing his letter and Alya quickly took it from him. "Apparently my future self noticed it but Adrien said he was fine so I didn't say anything about it. He asked me to not tell anyone because he wanted to keep it a secret for some reason."
"Why didn't you say anything!?" Alya exclaimed. "You were with us at the first aid tent."
"Yes I know but-" Nino explained everything.
Adrien and Marinette were asked to bring a big mattress for an activity and they both grabbed it from a handle on opposite sides but it was really heavy. It was so heavy that they could barely walk at a normal pace.
"Are you doing okay?" Adrien asked Marinette, seeing how much she was struggling. "It's heavy for me too."
Adrien suddenly moves a bit too quickly that Marinette almost falls. "Ah?!"
"Sorry… how about we take a break for a while?" Adrien suggested and Marinette nodded. They put the mattress down and they sit on it next to each other. "Tough job just for two people huh?" Marinette nodded. "So I accidentally heard what your mom said to you earlier. I wouldn't mind taking a picture with you." Adrien said with a smile.
Marinette blushed. "Well maybe after the race."
"So I kinda have a feeling that you're asked to do errands a lot." Adrien stated.
"I can't say no." Marinette mumbled. "That's how I ended up being the babysitter for Etta and Ella Alya's younger twin sisters. Chris Nino's younger brother, and Manon one of my mom's friend's daughter."
Adrien nodded and after a while Adrien stood up. "Shall we?" Marinette nodded standing up and they picked the mattress back up but doing so Adrien groaned in pain from his ankle and Marinette noticed. Adrien noticed her looking at him with concern and he smiled. "I'm alright let's go."
Suddenly footsteps are heard and the mattress feels lighter as Alya and Juleka took it from one side as Nino and Luka took it from the other side.
"Don't be dumb Adrien if your ankle hurts just tell us." Luka stated.
"You're hurt?" Marinette asked, surprised.
"How did you know?" Adrien asked Luka.
"We're sorry we should have noticed before." Alya stated.
"Adrien do you think this celebration is boring?" Juleka suddenly asked.
Adrien looked surprised. "No, not at all, why?"
"Because we all think that you look a little bit down today." Alya replied. "We just worried that something happened."
"Remember talk to us, that's why we're here for." Marinette said with a smile.
Adrien slowly nodded. "I'm sorry I have been lying. The truth is I have lost my mother. She passed away."
"So the reason you're down is because your mother couldn't be here today?" Juleka asked.
"No, I feel guilty for having fun." Adrien replied looking down.
"What do you mean?" Alya asked.
"I always thought when I'm with you guys I want to laugh and have fun but today I just don't feel like I can do it because my mom…she would've been here but… if she was still alive she would be here today. She never should have died. I feel like wherever she is she must be so sad yet here I am laughing like I don't have a care in the world." Adrien replied.
"She would be happy wherever she is if you do laugh." Alya stated.
"If you don't have fun don't you think your mother would worry about you?" Juleka asked with a smile.
"Would worry about what?" Adrien asked, confused.
"Well look how freaked out we are about you. I think a mother would worry even more." Nino stated. "Look at Marinette who has been worried about you all day. Didn't you promise that you wouldn't make her worry on purpose?"
Adrien looked at Marinette. "Yes I did."
Marinette blushed. "I have been worried all day about you, Adrien. I'm not the only one though. I know that I'm not worried alone."
"Don't feel like we're forcing you to have a good time. We just want you to know when you are it's okay." Luka stated. "C'mon you were excited about this race so go get your ankle looked at."
"No, I'm fine, don't worry about it." Adrien replied with a smile.
"No you're not fine now go get it looked at." Nino said sternly.
"We can handle carrying this mattress." Alya stated.
"Sometimes things are too heavy to carry by yourself." Luka added. "We're here for you okay? It's no big deal, it's not that heavy with all of us holding it."
Adrien slowly let it go and he saw everyone of his friends and girlfriend smiling at him and he smiled back.
'I know erasing Adrien's regret isn't really realistic but I hope we at least make it easier for him.'
"It's spained? So you won't be able to run in the race?" Luka asked Adrien after he came back to the group with Marinette after going to see the nurse.
Adrien asked Marinette to go with him and she gladly accepted and went with him as the four friends took the mattress where it had to go.
"Oh I'm going to run." Adrien said with confidence.
Marinette crosses her arms. "He says that but the nurse said he shouldn't run so-"
"Hey don't tell them that!" Adrien playfully exclaimed. "Besides it doesn't hurt now that it's bandaged I can run all I want."
"You would still say that if your leg was cut off." Nino said sarcastically.
"I won't push it too hard." Adrien replied.
"And if this makes it worse. You're taking a break from soccer." Luka stated.
"I'll be fine." Adrien repeated.
"Are you sure it doesn't hurt?" Marinette asked concern.
Adrien smiled at her. "Yes princess, I swear no regrets."
"Then I guess we're going to run. I'm so excited about this race!" Alya cheered while hugging one of Nino's arms. "Aren't you Nino?"
"Sure but I think I sprained my ankle too." Nino said dramatically.
"Deal with it." Luka replied knowing as everyone else that he was lying.
The relay race was the last activity of the day and it was about to start so the team was warming up.
'I hope finally Adrien will be able to sincerely smile.'
"We put a lot of effort in training for this day so there's nothing to be afraid of." Luka stated to motivate the whole team. "What matters is that we have fun."
"Adrien you should ask for a reward from Marinette if you pass the finish line first. Like a kiss!" Alya said teasingly.
Marinette and Adrien both blushed. "Yea Marinette if Adrien passes the finish line first kiss him." Juleka agreed with a smirk.
Marinette blushed even harder. "Woah hold on, chill out guys." Adrien quickly said.
"There's no turning back Adrien." Luka said playfully.
"You guys are cruel." Adrien said then looked at Marinette and smiled. "Fine I'll finish first."
"Go for the kiss!" Alya cheered.
'They were just kidding… weren't they?'
The race was going to start so everyone went to their spots. Marinette looked at Adrien and he smiled at her with a wink and Marinette blushed, smiling back.
'Whatever happens it won't be your fault Adrien and no one is going to blame you. You're not alone, not anymore.'
"Ready… go!" The teacher responsible for the race shouted and the first six racers started running. Luka was really fast and he was in the lead.
"Wow." Marinette said impressed.
"Yea go Luka!" Alya exclaimed from her spot.
Luka was in the lead the whole time up to when he handed the baton to Juleka and she started running. "Juleka give Adrien a message, don't lose!"
Juleka ran, repeating those words in her head.
"You can do it!" Nino shouted from his spot.
"Go Juleka!" Adrien shouted from his spot.
Juleka wasn't in the lead but she was close as she handed the baton to Alya and she started running. "Give Adrien a message, don't lose promise me!"
Alya ran, repeating those words in her head.
"Go Alya!" Marinette shouted from her spot.
Alya was in the middle of the runners as she gave Nino the baton and he started running. "Give Adrien a message, don't lose, promise me we'll always be together!"
At first Nino was running slow he was in last place but suddenly there was a new determination in his eyes and he started running faster to the point that he was in first place.
The whole team looked at him in surprise. "Yea that's my man!" Alya cheered.
"Keep running!" Marinette cheered.
Nino was in the lead as he handed the baton to Marinette. "Give Adrien a message don't lose promise me we'll always be together even 10 years from now!"
Marinette smiled as she glanced at her friends as she started running.
'You guys thank you I couldn't have done this alone.'
"Go Mari!" Adrien cheered from his spot.
'Let's change the future!'
Marinette was close to the lead as she handed the baton to Adrien. "Adrien we have a message for you, don't lose promise me we'll always be together even 10 years from now we'll all be waiting for you!"
Adrien started running and he was at first in last place but then he thought about all his friends always being there for him and at the finish line he saw them there cheering him on but the person he noticed the more was Marinette and he smiled as he looked at her blue eyes and he ran faster going in lead and finished the race in first place.
"Mrs. Bustier's class wins!" the teacher called out.
The group cheered as they went over to him and Marinette smiled as she hugged him and he hugged her back.
"You did it!" Alya cheered.
"That was awesome!" Nino exclaimed.
"You won way to go." Luka stated with a smile.
'This time the red team won.'
Amelie walked over to them. "Congratulations."
Adrien smiled as he broke the hug with Marinette. "Thanks aunt Amelie but it's all thanks to them."
"Reminds me of the last time." Amelie stated with a smile.
Adrien looked at her confused. "What do you mean?"
"In kindergarten you were also in a race. You were so sad the whole time because of your parents divorce no matter how much your mom tried to cheer you up but you won the race and you smiled brightly. Your mom was so happy and I'm sure that she's happy now." Amelie replied.
Adrien smiled sadly as some tears came out but he wiped them off. "Yea I really hope so."
'What the letter says isn't the only right answer. I'm glad I learned that. However, that doesn't necessarily mean the letter was wrong.'
Just like the other students the group stayed to clean up after the activities of the day. Adrien was helping Marinette clean up the nursery tent. "You know we still need to take that picture together."
Marinette nodded and she was going to respond when Sabine walked up to them. "I can help with that." Adrien and Marinette stood next to each other smiling at the camera as Sabine took the picture. "There you go."
"Thanks mom." Marinette replied.
"Sure thing I'll send it to you later." Sabine stated and Marinette nodded before Sabine headed back to the other families who were helping to clean up too.
Marinette was about to continue cleaning up when Adrien suddenly kissed her cheek and Marinette froze in her spot as she blushed hard. "I had to get my reward thanks princess for everything."
"Y-you're welcome." Marinette said with a smile but still blushing.
From afar Luka was watching them and he smiled softly. "Great job Luka I know this is hard on you." Sazz said, walking over to him. "Especially with what you know about the future of the letters.
"It's a little hard but it's all worth it seeing her happy… seeing both of them happy." Luka replied.
After they were done Marinette and Adrien headed to where the group agreed to meet up while holding hands.
'Seems like the future sure is changing a lot.'