Chapter 5: Missed opportunity

The rest of the day went past in a blur. Marinette went to her classes, trying to concentrate on the lessons. Does he miss me? She walked in a haze in the corridors, stopping only to help Kim pick up his books when someone knocked them all out of his hands. Does he miss me? Physics was a complete write off as she spent the whole lesson staring at Adrien asking herself for the millionth time, Does he really miss me?

"Are you lost somewhere in there?"

"Emm," was the only response Marinette could vocalize.

"Hello? Marinette? Would you like to come out and play?" something tapped on Marinette's forehead.

Marinette slowly shifted her eyes from the blue sky and attempted to focus on the bothersome mane of red hair floating next to her, pulling her away from her pleasant dreaming. The grass pressing on her back and legs was soft while the trees swinging above them as the wind flowed through the park. She wanted to stay in her little bubble of goodness and enjoy her fantasies in which Adrien was lying beside her. Their hands curled together as they watched the clouds in the sky pass over their little heaven. Her little world where she was lucky and loved and everything was wonderful. Could it be a reality? Was there even such a reality for Marinette? Did he genuinely miss her?

The mane of red formed into a shape, a round face sporting a wide grin. Large hazel eyes, covered by wide glasses, glaring at her. "Hey? Anyone there?"

"He misses me," Marinette whispered with a smile.

"Who? What? What are you on about? You've been in a daze the whole day and now you've been lying here for half an hour, dead to the world. I've been telling you what Ladybug did yesterday, but I don't think you heard a single word I've said." Alya wasn't upset. The tips of her lips twitch in her very obvious struggle not to laugh. "Judging by your behavior, I can only assume you are talking about Adrien. So, apparently, he misses you? How did you come to that conclusion?"

Marinette was not sure. The day was a haze, with the butterflies fluttering in her stomach laying eggs which grew to larva, pupa and then even more butterflies flying around inside her. Where did this come from? She knew this. There was a thought somewhere lying dormant in the back of her mind, pushed aside to the corner by the wonderful thoughts and dreams spreading like wildfire to every recess of her mind. He said he missed her. Well, he did not actually say it. Not him. Someone else. It was still true, right?

The smile faded from her face as her eyes came into focus on Alya's.

"Nino." The name came out before she even recognized the thought flying through her mind. Alya's smile disappeared and her lips tilted in a slight frown.

"Nino misses you?"

"No," Marinette quickly replied. "Yes. I mean me, not me, Adrien."

"Nino misses Adrien? Now I'm lost."

"You know what, I think he does," Marinette realized the truth of that. "But no, that is not what he said. Nino said he missed us. He wanted to hang out. He said Adrien would too. That Adrien misses me." She could not stop the big smile spread across her face.

Alya stared at Marinette for a long time before she asked, "he missed us?"

Marinette scrambled to a seating position, worried her best friend was going to get her hopes up and get disappointed.

"Em, those were not his exact words. He just said we should hang out sometime. The four of us, him, me, you and Adrien. It was more of a thing he said in passing. I am sure he meant it, but not, you know, more than that."

"The four of us? He didn't mention Cheriss?" It was obvious she was trying hard to keep her voice level and lacking in emotion.

"About Cheriss. I need to speak to you. I want to help Nino out, but I want to make sure that you are ok with it." She left out that Nino wanted to make sure, because that will just get Alya's hopes up again.

"Help him?"

"With Cheriss. He's having communication issues with her and I want to help him, he's my friend. But you're my best friend and I don't want to do something which will make you think I betrayed you or something."

"Marinette Dupain-Cheng! You are my BFF and I don't think there's anything in this world you can do that I will make me feel you betrayed me." Alya's smile belied her stern voice. "Unless you knew Ladybug's secret identity and you didn't tell me. Then you've crossed the line."

"If I found out you'll be the first to know," Marinette assured her. Curiously, those words made her feel uneasy. "Anyway, I wanted to help him and I don't want you to be upset because I'm helping him with, you know, his girlfriend."

"She's been his girlfriend for a long time and I'm quite used to it. I still think of Nino as a friend, and I want him to be happy, even if I don't think she's for him. You should help him if you can."

"Great," Marinette sighed.

"Back to Ladybug." Alya's excitement was overflowing. "Did you see the video I posted? Those two look good together."

Marinette rolled her eyes.

"Stop that. What do you have against them being together?"

"I can't explain it to you. I can't even explain it to myself. It just feels fake. I don't believe they're really together. I've seen your videos of them kissing and it gives me cramps."

"Seriously? I think you're just jealous. They belong together and it has been good for Paris. People are loving them. There are more people subscribing to her 'Positive Emotions' campaign than ever. I was doing some statistics and there has been a major drop in akumas in the last few months. Besides, it's so romantic. Did you see that kiss? It was so amazing. I'm not sure if I'm more jealous of Ladybug or of Chat."

"Alya!"

"What? I'm just saying. Ladybug looks like a fantastic kisser."

"I wonder if Adrien is a fantastic kisser." Marinette sighed and flopped back onto her back.

"You're impossible!"

By the time they sat for supper, enough of Marinette's butterflies hibernated to allow a pleasant meal with her parents. They were telling her about getting the biggest order ever this Saturday, so they were planning on working through the night.

"You want me to stay up with you and help?" Marinette offered.

"Thank you dear, but I'd rather you had a good night's sleep," her mother replied. "We are going to be exhausted and we'll need sleep. You'll have to run the bakery during the day. Could you do that?"

"Of course I will," she promptly agreed.

"I know we can count on you," her mom gave her a warm smile.

The bakery was doing very well. So well that her parents were considering opening a branch in another arrondissements. It will not be easy, especially being apart. They will hire help for both places, but her mother would spend most of her time managing the other place.

Marinette worried about them. They have worked together since before she was born. The bakery was their first child, and they poured all their love into it. After Marinette came around their love for the place did not diminish, it just grew to include Marinette. They always did it together. Every day, all day, hardly apart. It was the most beautiful love Marinette has ever seen. She prayed she'll merit such a loving married life.

She volunteered to run the new branch, but for now she had school in the morning. Instead, she will run the main bakery after school so her father will spend quality time with her mother at the other place.

"We haven't decided until what time the new branch will be open," Sabine said. "I want to close early so I can come home. What do you think, Marinette?"

Her parents are kind, asking her opinion. They knew not to trust her opinion, everything she touches falls apart. Still, they ask to make her feel better.

"It would be nice to have you home," Marinette humored them, continuing the charade. "On the other hand, it isn't located in a quiet residential neighbourhood like here. Over there they go out in the evening and hot bakery food would be appealing. With the food menu you planned there'll be have lots of customers. Once I'm back from school, papa can join you and it will feel like you're at home."

"She makes a good point," Tom said to his wife. "We chose that area because of the different clientele. Doesn't make sense not to cater for them."

Marinette loved her parents. They even managed to put a good spin on her nonsense, just to make her feel appreciated. It felt good to be loved.

Back in her room, Marinette's head was hurting. She looked up at her phone plugged into her media system, soft music playing. Nine o'clock. As much as she wanted Jagged Stone, she did not want to disturb her parent's relaxation time. And Jagged needed volume. Instead, she concentrated on the one and only thing she was not useless at - fashion design.

She spends hours designing clothes. Most were terrible and got trashed while the few who survived her criticism made it to her production line. A single sawing machine and a dedicated Marinette working late nights. She was proud of the final products, but they never left her room. Only Alya ever saw them, but not often. It usually resulted in a fight with Alya insisting Marinette wear them out of the house.

She was working on a new outfit to not wear when she won't go out with Adrien. Adrien, who missed her. It was a blue strapless dress reaching down to the knees, a black top with a gold pattern flowing down the arms. It was mostly done, but she could not concentrate on the small details. The headache would not go away, even with the painkillers.

She should stop, do something else. She could check out the Ladyblog, read Alya's latest post. Alya would appreciate that. No. She haven't looked at the Ladyblog for months. It made her feel uncomfortable.

Her headache got worse.

They've been coming more often. She couldn't recall when they started, sometime in the last year, since Alya broke up with Nino. These were real painful migraines, worsening weekly. She would go to sleep with the pain and wake up groggy and tired like she hasn't slept enough.

Ten o'clock. It has been almost two hours since she took the painkillers. Could she take more? She did not want to take too much, her parents already questioning what happened to the pills. She did not want them to know she was suffering.

She felt dizzy and light-headed, supporting her head with both her hands to keep it from falling off. The room was getting foggy. She should go to bed.

The room was becoming darker and her eyes drooped. Marinette pulled herself up the stairs to her bed. She laid her head on the pillow, wincing at the hammer pounding on her brain.

She was seeing red. Her eyes closed, but everything was red. Not just red she could see spots. Black spots.

Black spots on red.

Then everything went black.

A/N Next Chapter: "Partners no more"