A/N: Ahhh! This story is coming closer to an end!

Chapter 40

~Marinette's POV~

Rose and I sat together on the living room couch as we waited for Alya and Nino to come back. They had left not long after Adrien did to go get the next four scenes of the film for us while we waited for Rose to show up because Alya had forgotten them earlier, and Nino wanted to tag along.

"I really like how the Christmas tree turned out." She said to me with a smile. The two of us turned and looked at the tree and I smiled to myself as I remembered what happened as it was being decorated.

"Thank you." I said with a happy tone. "Adrien and I decorated it earlier this evening before our latest scene together."

"Just the two of you?" Rose asked, and I giggled at how impressed she sounded.

"Well, when you have the taste of an aspiring designer and a model in charge of decoration—"

"That's not what I was getting at." Rose interrupted with a slight laugh. "I had no doubt that it would look great. I was just thinking about how Alya, Nino and Alix weren't there to help you."

"They said that they couldn't make it." I said, shaking my head to myself as I thought about the most probable reason why. "I know it's because they were wanting Adrien and I to spend more time alone, and I know you're in on it too."

Rose had given me a look of surprise that was so obviously forced that I knew my suspicions were all confirmed. She let out a sigh then slowly nodded, accepting that I figured it out. "So, you know the plan Alya had to get you and Adrien together through this movie." She then gave me a small, hopeful smile. "Is it working?"

I felt my heart sink as I knew the plan wasn't working as well as they all would have hoped, so I just shrugged. "I don't think the movie will bring him and I together."

"Wait, really?" Asked Rose, shocked by my assumption. "Why would you say that? You two have spent so much more time together than you have all school-year!"

I gave her a weak smile and slowly shook my head. "Yeah, we have, but it's not what you think. Instead of us growing closer and him falling for me, we're just better friends than we were before. We are closer, but there's nothing I can do to make him see me as more than just a friend."

"But I've heard from Alya that the two of you are so happy when you spend time together." Rose argued, her tone giving away her confusion. "Are you really so sure that he doesn't see you as more than a friend?"

"He seemed uncomfortable when he mentioned the ending of the movie." I said with a sigh. "I'm positive that he was thinking about the kiss and that we have to have one for this movie."

"Well, I think that he's just nervous about it." Rose countered thoughtfully.

I scoffed lightly and shook my head. "What would he be nervous for?"

Rose looked at me and her thoughtful look slowly changed to a wide grin. "He wants to kiss you!"

I quickly shook my head, though there was nothing I could do that would stop my cheeks from heating up or the hope I felt rising in my chest. "No, that's not it. That can't be it."

Rose rolled her eyes at me playfully. "Fine. Be in denial if you want, but I think that he likes you." When I opened my mouth to object, she quickly added, "And there's nothing you can do to change my mind!"

My mouth closed and I shook my head in amusement. I knew there was nothing I could say to get my friends to stop hoping that one day Adrien and I would be together, and a part of me desperately hoped for the same.

But I also couldn't let myself get my hopes too high. I knew there would only be disappointment and heartache in the end, because I knew that I would always be only a friend to Adrien.

It was about twenty minutes later when Alya and Nino joined us in the living room. When I saw them, I looked at my wrist, though I wasn't wearing a watch, and gave them a teasingly stern look. "What took you guys so long?"

Alya dismissed my tease as she handed over the next scenes to me and to Rose. "Adrien left early, and I had to get these to him too." Alya explained. "So, Nino and I made a stop on the way back."

"You changed scenes fifty-four and fifty-five?" Rose asked with a frown. "Why? I liked those scenes!"

"I didn't think that a kiss under the mistletoe was necessary." I argued, feeling a little uncomfortable. It wasn't so much that I didn't think there should be a kiss for the movie, it was that I didn't think I could handle kissing Adrien. "Besides, there's going to be one at the end, so you'll still get the satisfaction of seeing a kiss between the characters."

"That's not why I wanted there to be a kiss…" Rose muttered. I felt my cheeks burn because I knew exactly the reason: they all wanted Adrien and I to kiss, and I had to admit, a kiss under mistletoe would be adorable.

"Anyway," Alya spoke up, nudging Nino to go get his camera. "Are you to ready to film this scene?"

Eight takes later, Rose and I once again walked up the stairs to my bedroom, what we were using as the place Marilee was staying while she lived with Zachary. "Nothing's happening." I said insistently as I followed Rose up the stairs. I had that light blue and white zip-up sweater on that I wore when putting up the Christmas lights, and black back hanging off my shoulder, and a plate of Christmas cookies on a plate. "You know, we're just roommates."

Rose nodded before speaking. "But you're both single, and you like each other."

I scoffed with an amused smile. "It's not like that." I argued. "He's not even looking for a serious relationship." I paused as I set the plate of cookies at my desk, then walked to my chaise where Rose had sat down. "And he dates models!" I paused again as I sat down and gestured to myself. "And I'm… I-I-I don't have time to date because I'm busy."

"But you live together, and you spend all your free time together." Rose put in and I just smiled and shook my head.

"It's not like that." I insisted again, my smile fading.

"That's crazy!" Rose exclaimed. "I mean, you're perfect together! You enjoy each other's company, you get along great, and your cats are best friends! I mean, how many more clues do you need?"

"I—We're not going down that road." I said dismissively. "I'm not going to fall for somebody who's clearly not interested in a serious relationship."

"You can't decide not to fall in love with someone." Rose told me with a small smile and a gentler tone. "It just happens. Do you want to know how he feels about you? You know, test the waters?"

Rose's smile grew to a grin as she saw my interest in what she said then leaned over to a small bouquet of white flowers that I had on a small table near my chaise and took out a small green stem with a few leaves and green berries on it then showed it to me. We broke it off during the third take, and kept reusing it ever since.

"Use this." She told me, looking proud of her idea.

"What is that?" I asked, looking at the stem skeptically.

"Mistletoe." Rose said as if it were obvious and raised it above her head, holding it upside down for emphasis.

"That's not mistletoe." I told her, shaking my head and crossing my arms.

"It's a metaphor." Rose said exasperatingly, then smiled at me in amusement as she put the stem down on my lap for me to look at. "Go get some mistletoe. Put it in the house. If he stands underneath it and gives you a kiss on the cheek, then he just wants to be friends. But if he kisses you on the lips, then he really likes you."

I looked away from her and scoffed in amusement. "That—" I cut myself off as I chuckled softly. "That is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard." My expression suddenly turned very serious and I looked at Rose. "I would never do that. Not in a million years."

"And that's scene!" Alya called happily. "Nine total tries, but you did it. There are now officially eleven more scenes to film."

"Then why do we only have the scripts for the next six scenes to record?" I asked curiously as I picked up the stem and stood with Rose from my chaise. "That leaves five more that aren't written yet. How do you know there won't be more?"

"Because I've already written them out." Alya explained. "I just haven't quite finished looking over all of them yet to make sure they're perfect."

Rose and I nodded slowly before Rose's phone went off in her pocket. She took it out, glanced at it, then gave Alya and I an apologetic smile. "Sorry, but I need to go now. I'm glad we got our scene finished, Marinette, and I can't wait to see what we'll be doing in our last one together!"

"Me too." I agreed with a smile before my eyes suddenly widened. "Wait, before you go—"

I quickly walked over to my desk, throwing away the stem in a wastebasket on the way, and picked up a Christmas cookie. "Here, take one with you." I told her with a smile.

"Thank you!" Rose said happily as she took the cookie I offered her. "Your family makes the best sweets."

"You're very welcome." I said with a smile. "We'll see you tomorrow at school."

"Yeah." Alya, Nino and Alix each added their agreement, then said their farewells.

We spent the next ten minutes finishing off the cookies that my parents had baked for us to use in the scene, talking and joking around about the possible directions this specific scene that was just filmed could take us.

"I was really hoping for a kiss." Alix said, shooting me a teasing look.

"I bet Adrien wouldn't have minded." Nino added, causing me to quickly look at him in surprise. He noticed my look and chuckled before he clarified. "I mean, he had to kiss Chloe earlier, and he didn't seem very happy about it. I'm sure he'd consider you a total upgrade."

I smiled along with the others in amusement, but mine felt forced. Nino had a point, and I had to admit it to myself: it probably was the only reason why Adrien wouldn't mind kissing me. My heart sunk as I thought about the last time we almost kissed, though that was also for a school film.

Mylene and Adrien played the leading roles, but Chloe made Mylene upset to the point it took a lot of convincing to get her to come back and take her part. Adrien almost had to kiss Chloe when she tried filling in for Mylene, but he wasn't happy about it at all. Later Alya told me to fill in for Mylene instead when she sent Chloe away on an errand, so he and I almost kissed.

Alya swore to me that he seemed happy to be kissing me, but I was sure it was only because it meant he wouldn't have to kiss Chloe. Besides, that kiss was entirely for the film just like the one at the end of this movie would be. It wouldn't mean anything.

"Marinette, are you okay?" I heard Alya ask, bringing me out of my thoughts. I focused on her before I realized it was only her and I left in my room.

"Where's everyone else?" I asked curiously, looking around my room just to confirm that they were all gone. I looked back at Alya when I heard her laughter.

"Really?" She asked with a chuckle. "We just said 'goodbye' to them not even a minute ago! Are you that lost in thought?"

"I guess so." I shrugged and smiled slightly in amusement, but I didn't say anything else.

Alya looked at me with a concerned expression. "Are you okay, Girl? What's on your mind?"

"Is there really no kiss under the mistletoe?" I asked, evading her question. She gave me a curious look.

"Why, have you suddenly changed your mind again and want there to be a kiss?"

"No." I said quickly. "No, I don't want there to be a kiss. I don't want there to be any kiss, actually, but I know we need at least one for the romance."

"What's changed?" Alya asked, concern for me obvious in her tone. "Just a month ago, you would have been over the moon with happiness at the thought of being able to kiss Adrien."

I shrugged and forced a smile in response. "I've thought a lot more about it all." I answered. "It's just… Hard seeing that our characters are growing closer romantically while we're only growing closer as friends. None of what's happening in the movie is real. All the conversations and fun we've had together has mostly been just for the film. There's no real growing romance between Adrien and I."

Alya looked like she wanted to disagree, and I know that she did, but she held it in and slowly nodded instead. She didn't say anything, so I let out a shaky breath and continued, trying really hard not to start crying over this.

"I just know… That if he and I kiss… It won't really mean anything. It will be for the movie, and nothing more. I want it all to mean something in reality so bad, Alya, but it won't. This plan of yours isn't working."

"I'm so sorry, Marinette." Alya told me with a frown and gave me a hug, which I returned. "If I had known… Do you want me to take out that last kiss too? You don't have to worry about kissing him at all if you don't want to."

"No, it's okay." I said, forcing a smile. "I'll be okay. As long as I keep reminding myself not to think of it as meaning anything, I'll be okay."

Alya looked at me, obviously skeptical of my claim. But she let it go and didn't make another comment about Adrien or a kiss for the rest of the time she was there with me. She looked over the next couple scenes with me before she had to leave, and I smiled to myself as I read the lines.

I knew I would be okay. It might hurt, but I'd rather feel pain and hurt over this than not feel anything at all. I would put aside my feelings for Adrien and get over him overtime. He and I would have a great friendship, I just knew it.

Even if it hurts now, I'll be okay…