A/N: I know it's been a few days longer than usual since I've updated, and although I love receiving comments saying that y'all really enjoy and love reading this story, I at times feel as if I'm rushed to complete a chapter just to satisfy the request to "update!"
(I'm not quoting anyone in specific, as I've gotten many of these comments. Not just from FFN, but also Wattpad, AO3, and Amino)

Anyway, my main point of this note is that I'd like to explain why my updates will fall behind occasionally for a while. I recently had a few projects I had to finish for classes, which took time away from my writing time, and my English college class also just started.

I am still a junior in high school, taking a dual credit English class. Although this normally shouldn't be a big deal since dual credit classes are normally taken in place of the core class, but I am taking it in place of an elective instead, so instead of only one English class, I'm taking two.

I also despise English class, which doesn't help really, since I tend to lose my motivation for a while because of writing assignments. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love reading and writing, but I hate having to do it the way a teacher expects me to write.

Anyway, I'm not getting into that. This is my reasoning though, to why my updates might not be so frequent. On a different note, a huge plus side to this busy schedule of mine is that I won't have an English class next year, which means I'll have more free time and motivation to write.

I wasn't planning on doing this, but I've actually written two more chapters today when I sat down to write one. Actually, what I had planned for just one chapter is going to turn into three, maybe four. What I think are fun, entertaining and adorable moments between our two lovebirds were completely unplanned and included as I wrote that part of the chapter.

Anyway, I'll end this long note so you all can enjoy what I've written so far.

Chapter 33

~Marinette's POV~

My face burned with embarrassment as Alya tried to get all the details about what happened between Adrien and me. We were currently in the bathroom while Alya helped me clean up from the painting war I had.

"Alya, all we did was paint the room." I told her again as I had to wash some paint out of my hair. "We didn't do anything else."

"Then why were both of you wearing about as much paint on yourselves as was put on the walls?" Alya retorted, that smirk still not leaving her face.

"That is a complete overstatement." I told her as I rolled my eyes, but I still smiled dreamily to myself as I remembered how it felt to do that with Adrien.

Alya noticed my smile, of course, and it only caused her smirk to grow into a grin. "So… Who started it?"

"Adrien." I answered with a bright smile and looked at Alya. "He purposefully got paint on my nose, so I had to get him back!"

"And naturally it turned into a paint battle." Alya chuckled.

"Yes!" I said with a laugh. When it died down, I was still smiling happily. "It was so much fun, Alya. I haven't heard him laugh like that in a really long time."

Alya took the rag from the spot she was cleaning on my overalls and rinsed it in the sink before going to another bit of paint on me. "Was it that same magical laugh of his that you heard when that umbrella closed on you forever ago?"

I nodded quickly and grinned. "Yes, but this was so much better." I let out a sigh of contentment before saying, "I really like him, Alya."

"I know." Alya chuckled. "I know you do, and you know what? I think he likes you too."

"What?" I asked quickly, my eyes snapping onto her from the daydream I was having, lost in the most recent memory I made with him.

Alya still didn't look at me as she smirked. "I think you should ask him on a date. I'm positive he'll accept."

"No, no, no." I said quickly, feeling my cheeks heat up again. "He and I are just friends! At least, that's how he sees us. I know I was one of his first friends, and I really don't want to ruin it for him."

She gave me a skeptical look, but I looked away from her again quickly and continued to wash out my hair. "He was about to kiss you when Nino and I walked in, and I bet he would've if we didn't interrupt."

I shook my head in response, but I couldn't bring myself to verbally deny it. Part of me hoped and wanted her to be right, but I knew she wasn't. I know Adrien doesn't see me as more than a friend, and I can't get my hopes up and think he really does.

"I don't mind being just his friend, Alya, really." I told her. "Besides, I really like being his friend."

"I know you do." Alya said with a smile. "And I guarantee that he likes being your friend too. I mean, who else could get Mr. Perfect willing to be coated with paint?"

I chuckled to myself and shook my head at her statement. "He is far from perfect."

I looked at Alya when I sensed her freezing and saw her staring at me in shock. "Who are you and what have you done with Marinette?"

I rolled my eyes and shook my head again. "I know I've always thought he was perfect, Alya, but I've realized he isn't."

"And what happened to make you think that?" Alya questioned, clearly intrigued.

"He annoyed me." I said with a happy smile. "He made me kind of mad at him, and it was wonderful."

Alya looked at me for a few more seconds then started laughing. "What did he do that made you finally realize the boy is far from perfect?"

"I was trying to think of a way to make sure his clothes weren't going to get paint on them." I started explaining. "And I was really worrying because they're designers, of course, and I doubt his father would be happy if he got paint on them, but all he could do was stand there and look at me as if it amused him to see me so distressed!"

"Girl, I do that, yet you don't swoon over me." Alya said with a small chuckle.

"That is very different, and you know it." I retorted, and though I tried to appear annoyed, I still gave her a small amused smile.

"I can't believe that you were annoyed with the boy for smiling at you." Alya said with a snicker. "I would have though you would have fainted."

"It was mocking." I said defensively. "Cute, yes, but still mocking."

Alya rolled her eyes at me playfully as she washed off the rag again. We finally seemed to be able to get all the paint off. "You think everything about Adrien is cute."

I only smiled to myself in response. Alya was very right, and I wasn't about to deny it. I was so in love with him, that I only felt intense happiness at the smallest thought of Adrien Agreste.

We finished filming the next scenes easily. The thing that took longest was moving around to each location, and to change into new clothes for each scene. Though, it was a lot of fun, filled with lots of times with Adrien teasing me. He seemed to really enjoy it when I'd squeal from surprise when he'd randomly poke me, or when I jumped when he spoke behind me suddenly in between scenes.

The truth is, I really enjoyed it too. Each time he did something that he must have thought would have bothered me, I smiled at him, unable to hide my happiness from even him. I love spending time with him, and it made me very happy at the thought that he liked spending time with me too.

Though, the evening of filming and fun had to come to an end. There was one last thing left on the to-do list before we all separated, and that was to head back to my house to watch and be proud of what we got done that day.

"I think that was the most scenes we've filmed in a day." Nino said with a smile as everyone took a seat around my living room. He had connected his camera footage to the television so the four of us, Alix, and my parents, could watch the scenes.

Alix nodded in agreement and laughed from the place she chose to sit on the floor next to Alya below where I sat on the couch. "And the least amount of takes we've gone through."

I scoffed in response. "But that's only because the majority of the scenes were super short."

"I don't think that was the only reason though." Adrien spoke up, and I instantly blushed when I realized he had taken a seat next to me of the couch. "It seems like Marinette and I are getting a lot better at filming together, especially when it's only the two of us in a scene."

I barely acknowledged his statement as I looked past him to see Nino on his other side. If I remember right, Nino had just been sitting next to me, in between Adrien and I. Did that mean they had switched seats, or was I mistaken earlier? And if they had changed seats, how did they do it without me noticing and why?

My eyes traveled to Alya instantly at my last thought and I saw her smirking at me. That's when it all made sense. Alya must have somehow silently told Nino to switch seats with Adrien so I'd be sitting next to him. Apparently there was no way she'd except my resolution to just be Adrien's friend.

"You two seem to have a lot of fun together." I heard Alix say, so I turned my attention to her to see her looking at Adrien and I. "It was a good choice to make the two of you the leads."

I smiled to myself and looked at my hands in my laps as I blushed softly, but I quickly looked to my side when I felt an elbow lightly prod me.

"I agree." Adrien said as he gave me a smile, then lowered his voice and moved a little closer to me so I was the only one to hear him continue. "I'd really like it if we could spend more time together outside of school, aside from this project."

I felt my heart beating faster in my chest, and I froze for a few seconds before I choked out an answer. "Okay." I said quietly, then took a light breath to collect my thoughts enough to continue. "Yeah, I'd like that too."

Adrien seemed to light up even more by my response and moved away to his previous position. "So, are we ready to watch the next scenes?"

"Sure are." Nino said with a smile. "Everyone ready?" When no one else said another word for a few seconds and turned to the screen, Nino started to play what we just recorded on my family's television.

First, the outside of the house was shown from a short couple seconds of film that Nino got a few nights ago for this scene. Then, I was seen smiling with satisfaction and as I tiled my head to the side, Adrien was seen walking through the door in the background. He put down a duffle bag then started my way.

"It's perfect." He said, looking around the room with a smile. I turned and smiled at him in surprise.

"It's a layer of eggshell over ecru." I told him then turned back to look at the newly painted wall with a smile. "It's really the only way to get pearl."

"It's the exact shade of white that I wanted, but couldn't find." Adrien said and I turned around again to look at him. He looked very surprised and almost confused. "How did you do all this?"

"Well, school's on Christmas break, and…" I trailed off as I smiled at him in amusement. "I don't have a job."

"Huh." Adrien smiled, though he acknowledged the fact once again that he, or rather his character, was the reason Marilee had been fired, even though that wasn't even true that it was him. It was Blair, Chloe's character, or ex-character since she was finished with the film completely.

"It's the least I could do for you rescuing Queenie and me." I said with a smile then put the paint roller I had been holding onto a red painting tray at the top of a small ladder.

"Thank you." Adrien said. "It looks really great."

"I'm used to having so much to do." I explained when I turned to him again. "I'm—uh… I'm not very good at doing nothing."

"Well, I appreciate it." He said with a smile, then I turned and picked up other painting tools that were laid out as if I had been using them.

"Look at those two." Adrien said after letting out a breath of amusement. We both looked over to see Ambrose and Queenie sitting next to each other on a covered chair.

"They haven't left each other's side since they met." I commented.

"I'm glad they're getting along so well." Adrien said.

As soon as he finished speaking, I started to walk in the direction of where the cats were. "There's chicken and potatoes on the stove if you're hungry."

"Oh, smells great." He commented as I picked up Queenie. "Where'd you get it from?"

"Oh, I cooked." I replied, turning to him. "I hope you don't mind; I connected the stove."

Adrien gave me a shocked look then glanced towards the kitchen. "You—Really?"

"Yeah." I answered simply.

"Wow." Adrien said, obviously very surprised. "That's…"

"Well, I'll um… I'll see you later." I said with a small smile when it was obvious he was having a hard time thinking of what to say. His eyes followed me when I turned away from him and walked past towards the doorway.

"Uh, it—" Adrien spoke up, seeming to be struggling to come up with something quick to say. "It was pretty quiet at the station, so I'm not tired… uh… If you wanted to… stay and eat with me?" He offered me a small hopeful smile then glanced briefly at Ambrose. "Us?"

I stood there just looking at him for a moment before I quickly shook my head. "Thanks, but well—uh—I already ate."

"Okay." Adrien said with a small nod and what looked like a disappointed smile.

We were both quiet for a moment before I broke the silence with a small awkward wave with the free arm that wasn't holding Queenie. "Bye."

"Bye." He responded, then I turned and walked away to the stairs. Adrien dropped the smile instantly when I was out of sight and let out a disappointed sigh. The camera changed to show Ambrose looking up with a disappointed look as well and there was a small meow heard.

"Don't look at me like that." Adrien told him defensively. "It's not my fault they left. I asked them both to stay."

Another shot of Ambrose looking at Adrien with another small meow, then Adrien was shown again. "Oh, sure blame me." He said then rolled his eyes at the cat and walked away.

There was a change of scene when I was shown walking up the stairs holding Queenie in my arms. There was a small meow right before I paused as if lost in thought. "Of course I shouldn't have stayed for dinner." I told myself. "He was only offering to be nice. He probably has a girl coming over later. Yeah…"

I looked away from the scene as soon as I was shown, since I knew the scene and what it would look like, and listened to myself speak on screen as I looked at Adrien. I couldn't help but feel surprised because of how he was watching the scene.

There was a small, amused smile on his face as he sat back against the back cushion of the couch. I smiled as well, unable to help myself since him smiling always made me feel so happy. His smile was so contagious.

My eyes widened a couple seconds later when I realized he had turned his attention from the television screen to me and gave me a confused, yet amused smile. My cheeks slowly started burning and my smile completely disappeared as one terrible thought ran through my mind.

Did I just say that out loud?!