It is so early in the morning. My alarm clock rings and I hit it off. I get up, not without difficulty. Next thing I know is that I took a shower, got dressed and I sit at a long table to have breakfast, all alone.

"A new day, how exciting" I say, ironically.

"It's not that bad, kid, look at all this food" My Kwami answers, floating around me.

"Of course, the meal is wholesome and stuff, I just wish my father shared it with me" I sigh, feeling a pain I'm too familiar with burning my chest.

I barely eat anything, I see a maid clear up an almost untouched toast, along with a half full cup of coffee.

"Your schedule for today, Adrien. Don't forget you must make an appearance at an important (...)" I am so tired of all this. I think as my father's assistant keeps talking about my obligations for the day.

"Morning, Nathalie. Thank you" I say, politely.

I walk to the door entrance, where my bodyguard awaits me. Nathalie follows.

She opens the door of my father's car for me.

"Goodbye" She says in a cold way. I wish someone wished me a good day. I think, hopeless. Some drops start to fall from the sky and the Gorilla, as I call him, rolls up the car windscreen. It's cold outside and I didn't bring any coat with me. I groan.

My bodyguard stops the car by the school. I get off it and run to get some shelter. Hair wet, I walk into the school and into my classroom. It's early, as usual, so I wait for my friend Nino to arrive. I feel so down and this gloomy weather is not helping me.

I sit down on my usual place wishing I could send my father a text, then he'd come with an umbrella and a coat.

As if! I'm such a dreamer. I think, letting pain rain over me, just like the drops outside the window. I put my arms on the desk and let my head rest over them. What else can I do?

"Adrien Agreste, good morning dear" I lift my head to see who just greeted me. It's Mrs Bustier. I put on my model smile.

"Good morning Mrs" I say politely. The door swings open and it stays like that for some minutes. Many of my classmates arrive. Nino between them. "Hi, dude" He says. I nod my head and look, absently, at the people around us. They talk to each other and some of them even laugh. I wonder what makes them happy and I'm glad, well, I'm glad they're not me. Nino seems worried about me, but he respects my "I want to be alone" mood. The class starts. I greet everybody with a nod of my head and try to write down some notes, but I know it's a lost cause when I end up doodling ladybugs all over the page without realising it.

Around fifteen minutes later, someone else comes to the class. It's Marinette. She always manages to cheer the people up and she is always late. I smile and wave at her. She smiles shyly and takes her seat right behind mine.

Break time starts. I feel my phone vibrating inside my pants pocket. It's a message. From my father? I open it with growing excitement, he rarely texts me.

"I've been told you forgot to pack a jacket and an umbrella. You could get sick (...)" My eyes bright. Is he actually showing me he cares? I keep reading. My face falls. "(...) if you get sick, then who is going to represent the family brand today? Your level of irresponsibility is utterly disappointing, Adrien" I read. Here it is once more, this breaking pain. I don't understand why he is like this to me.

"Dude, you coming?" Nino asks me, standing up.

"I rather be alone for now, Nino" I say.

He nods throwing me a sad glance and walks to the door, followed by Alya, his girlfriend.

"Adrien!" He shouts from the open door.

I look at him, tear-filled eyes.

"If you need me, you know I'm here" He says and the corners of my mouth get to rise a little.

"Thank you, bro" I reply. Then I'm alone in the empty classroom. I sigh and let my head rest on the desk once more. I feel like dying. I can't stop thinking about how my father objectifies me. He cares about the brand which has his name, not about his only son.

"Adrien?" A sweet and insecure voice calls me. I think I'm not alone after all.

"Hey, Marinette" I say, my voice a little muffled because my face is still against the desk. I can feel how some tears are falling down my cheeks.

"Are you alright?" She asks and I know she cares. She always cares about the people around her. That numbs the pain, at least as long as the conversation lasts.

"No, not really" I decide to be honest with her.

"What happened? What's wrong?" She wants to know.

"It's a long story" I say, lifting my head to look into her eyes while speaking.

"I have time" she says kindly. "Oh no. Adrien, are you crying?" Now she is really concerned.

I nod my head, smiling sadly.

"Why did you stay here, anyway?" I ask her, I want to draw her attention from me. I never meant to make her worry.

"Uh? Oh, yes!" She runs to her backpack. I give her a tenderness-filled look. She is so oblivious sometimes. It's cute.

"I er, I remember you said how much you liked croissants, so I-I baked a few yesterday, just for you" She smiles and I manage to do the same between tears.

Just for me? I'm not used to that term. I think. At home, nobody do things for me.

"That's lovely. Thank you, Marinette!" I say and grab a croissant from its paper bag. The first time I want to eat that day. "Oh, it's perfect" I compliment her, after giving it a bite. Marinette's cheeks tint a nice tone of pink. Cute again.

"I hope you don't cry anymore" She says. Taking out a tissue of the pocket of her blouse, Marinette leans down to me and she carefully wipes my tears away with it. She does it so gently and sweetly. I am speechless. Suddenly I am the one who blushes the most.

"Sorry if I got a little carried away, would you rather be alone?" She asks me.

"No!" I say abruptly and hold her hand when she turns around. "Please, don't leave me. Your company is really nice to me" I confess. She smiles.

"Anytime, Adrien" Next thing she sits next to me and remains there until school is over.

We pick up our backpacks and go outside. It's still raining. Marinette takes out a black umbrella. I look at her, awestruck as she opens it.

"All these years and you kept it?" I say.

"What? Oh, this umbrella! You remember? You entangled it to me, I mean gifted it to me, I mean! You lent it to me" She says at last.

"Of course I remember, it was the day we first met" I say, smiling. Amazed of how real my smile feels.

"Yeah, you're awesome. I mean it was awesome, you know, making new friends and stuff" She says, blushing a lot. She looks more than cute now, she looks adorable.

"Yes..." I agree, scratching my scrub.

"Well, I can take it from you now" She says and I look at her in confusion.

"I mean, I can give it back to you now" She rectifies, handing me the umbrella. Is her hand trembling?

"It's okay, Marinette. Besides, you need it to get home" So do I, but I won't let her leave without it. She could catch a cold. I think.

"Well, thank you, Adrien. What about you? Leaving by car?" She asks.

"Not today. My father wants to punish me for being oblivious" I tell her, avoiding her blue eyes.

"And what's your punishment? Walking home under the rain? No way I'm letting you do that! You're my crush, I mean you could get crushed by a car, or you could be kidnapped by a crazed fan or, or what If you get a cold?" She rambles. Sometimes her words doesn't make any sense, but she really do cares about me.

"And what can I do?" I ask her.

"Well, I have your umbrella, we could just dance home, er, walk home" She suggests, putting her arm around mine.

"I... er, sure! Why not?" I tell her. We smile at each other and then the black umbrella closes itself trapping us under it for some seconds. Once it's back to normal, we laugh briefly.

"Seems like you're saving me again, come on super Marinette, lead the way"

She smiles sheepishly and we start walking together. For a few minutes none of us both say a word. It's a nice silence. I feel something strangely familiar. Then It hits me. Marinette is holding on to my arm the same way Ladybug does sometimes. What a coincidence.

"So uh, how are you feeling, Adrien?" She asks as we stroll down the street together.

"Feeling? What?" I ask, suddenly nervous.

"A-about you?" I ask, stupidly. She's not Ladybug. I remember myself.

"What? No! A-about everything. You were so sad today at school"

"Oh, yes, I'm feeling better. I'm kind of used to sadness, anyway. You know how demanding my father is"

"Yup..." She says with a sad expression in her pretty face. Wait, pretty?

"But you shouldn't" She adds after some minutes.

"What do you mean?" I ask, we stop walking at a red light, waiting while cars pass by.

"You shouldn't get used to sadness. Life is meant to be something beautiful, just like you... Like you should feel"

"I should feel beautiful?" I ask her, puzzled by her words.

"No, that's not what I meant. You should feel how beautiful life is, Adrien, each and every single day" She goes on as we cross the street. It's still raining.

"How? How could I do that? My father (...)" She cuts me off.

"Well, don't listen to him. Until the storm passes, you can dance under the rain. Pretend that he's not there so you can go and just, just be happy, enjoy the simplest, the smallest things.

"Like what?" I ask her, really interested in what she's saying so passionately.

"It can be anything. A flower sprout, a sunny morning, a sweet melody, a good advice or the smile of a friend" She explains and that makes me smile.

I see her house at a close distance and start walking slower, Marinette matches my pace with ease. I just don't want this moment to be over. Not yet.

"Like you, you're making me happy now, Marinette" I tell her.

"I-I'm glad to hear that, Adrien"

"But you're not a simple or a small thing. You're really special to me" I say. Her face turns tomato red for some reason.

"You're special to me too" She says. "You have no idea how much" She adds whispering, but I hear it. I feel loved at last. Her friendship means the world to me. We eventually get to her house.

"I better hurry before my father starts wondering where I am" I say, she untangles her arm from around mine and I walk away some steps, leaving the protection of the umbrella. Marinette runs to me, holding it open so the rain doesn't even touch a hair of mine.

"Take it with you, I can buy another one" She says and that sounds horrible to me. I wonder why I want her to keep it.

"No! Er, you don't have to. I'll give it back to you at school tomorrow" I assure her.

"Thanks for everything, Marinette" I wave her goodbye and she sheepishly but determinately gives me a kiss on the cheek. Her lips are warm and soft. I start wondering how they'd feel if she actually kissed me. What's wrong with me? I ask myself as I see Marinette running home. I walk alone under our umbrella. Both mine and hers, after all these years. Our umbrella. That sounds so nice to me that I smile. I'll focus on the nice things life can give me and her friendship and company is one of them. I'll learn how to enjoy life. I'm glad I have her to teach me. Just like Marinette said. Until the storm passes, I will dance under the rain.