A/N: Two minutes and five seconds left, one scene, and ONE CHAPTER LEFT!

Chapter 49

~Adrien's POV~

"I can't do this." I heard her voice and stopped in my tracks as I turned around instantly. I saw the tear rolling down her cheek just before she turned away and started to walk away. Her steps were quick and instantly I took steps after her.

I have to stop her. Just trying to tell her how I feel about her through these lines isn't enough!

I had a feeling that she wouldn't just stop and give me a chance to talk to her by just calling her name, so my eyes searched everywhere as I tried to look for something I could use to start conversation with her. Then my eyes landed on something near Nino's camera.

I jogged over quickly, bent down, then stood again, holding her cup of hot chocolate that she was leaving behind. "Marinette, wait!" I called after her as my feet carried me over to her in a jog. My spirits lifted with hope when she slowed to a stop and turned around.

I slowed to a stop in front of her and our eyes met. She was looking at me questioningly and I felt even more hopeful that this was it. This was when I could finally tell her that I loved her and that I was really sorry for lying to her.

"You forgot to take your hot chocolate with you." I said awkwardly, and instantly mentally cursed myself for it.

Marinette's eyes briefly showed confusion, realization, and then hurt. "Thanks." She said dryly, took the cup from my hand, and turned and started jogging away from me. I opened my mouth to call out to her again, but any words I could have said caught in my throat. I watched her leave, feeling completely helpless.

"All you say is you forgot your hot chocolate?! Really?!" I didn't have to turn around to know that Alya was glaring daggers at me. I was busy watching Marinette disappear inside the bakery. "Adrien, that was your chance to talk to her!"

"I couldn't say anything…" I said dejectedly as I stared towards the bakery for a moment longer then slowly turned towards Alya. "I panicked."

"That's obvious." Alya said, rolling her eyes at me. "So apparently confessing your feelings through the lines didn't work and trying to talk about what happened obviously failed." She paused and let out a long sigh. "Plan B it is, then."

"And you're sure it will work?" I asked hopefully.

"If it doesn't work," Alya paused and shook her head. "Nothing will."

"It has to work." I said, desperation in my voice as I looked towards the bakery again. "I can't lose her. Not like this."

~Marinette's POV~

"Marinette?" I heard my mother's gentle voice speak from behind the counter in the bakery. I looked up towards her and smiled sadly without saying a word. "Are you already, Sweetheart?"

I slowly shook my head. "Not really." I said, walking over to her. "But I'll be okay."

"Was it Adrien again?" She asked gently, her eyes showing her deep concern for me. I slowly nodded my answer. "Oh, I'm really sorry… Will you just talk to him and sort things out?"

I shook my head slowly again. "I'll talk with him again later after I'm over him. Then maybe we can go back to being friends."

"Marinette, Honey, I'm sorry to say this, but I don't think you and Adrien will ever be 'just' friends." My mother said with a small, sympathetic smile as she walked around the counter towards me. She stopped in front of me and leaned towards me, wrapping her arms around me in a comforting hug. "I'm really sorry… I know this is hard. But you are a strong young lady, and I know you'll get through this."

"Thanks, Mom…" I said back quietly as I hugged her back. I have always loved her warm, comforting hugs, and I knew I'd always need and rely on them when I was down.

We slowly pulled away from each other and she placed a loving kiss on my forehead. "Why don't you head upstairs and rest? I'm sure that scene you have to film can wait until tomorrow."

I nodded slightly and smiled at my mother, suddenly feeling all of my emotional exhaustion overwhelm me. "Okay…"

"Okay…" She repeated quietly and gave me another quick kiss on my forehead.

I slowly trudged up the stairs to our apartment and gave a long, sad look towards the Christmas tree in the living room. Memories filled my head as I remembered Adrien and I decorating the beautiful tree together.

"You've seen me get angry with Chloe."

"Right, I do remember that." I said after a second of thinking, then laughed a little more. "The look on her face was priceless. You took everyone by surprise when you stood up to her like that."

"She was talking down to you." He said, lowering his arm from the branch he just hung an ornament and looked at me. "She was bringing you down and insulting you, and I couldn't let her do that."

I looked at him for a moment before shaking my head to dismiss my illusion of the absolute seriousness I thought I heard in his voice. "She's been doing that to everyone for years." I said. "Long before you started coming to school. We're all used to it."

"That's no excuse for her rude behavior." Adrien argued, and I was taken aback by the sudden change of his tone. There was no mistaking that serious tone now as he looked at me intently. "She shouldn't be talking to you like that, Marinette. You're an amazing girl, and you don't deserve being treated how she treats you. You deserve so much better."

The memory caused me to smile to myself sadly. I remembered how happy it had made me to hear him say those words to me. It felt like such a long time ago now… and even longer ago the memories I had from us painting the walls together.

"Our clothes." I said, looking at him. "We need to change first."

I was confused for a few seconds when Adrien turned to me with an amused grin but didn't say anything. "Oh!" I said suddenly. "Right! Umm, maybe my dad will have something you can wear?"

"I seriously doubt his clothes would fit me." Adrien said, still smiling in amusement as he crossed his arms.

I let out a long breath of exasperation, trying to think of something that could be done to ensure he didn't get paint on his designer clothing. I was kind of annoyed that he offered no help to come up with a situation, but rather watched me try to work something out with that amused smirk of his.

He's lucky he's cute.

That was before we changed. The imagery I now had from remembering that smirk of Adrien's sent a fresh wave of pain to my heart. He really was cute when he did that. I still thought it, and I was afraid I always would. I remembered that was also the time when I realized that he could annoy me, and I realized he really wasn't as perfect as everyone assumed he was. I had loved him so much more after that, but now it only hurt more to remember.

"Hmm… I think you missed a spot."

"What?" I asked, my smile vanishing as my eyes scanned the wall. "Really? Where?"

"May I?" He asked, holding out a hand for the brush I held. I gave him the brush without looking, still looking for the spot I missed.

"Marinette." He said my name, causing me to turn to look at him and looked at him curiously, expecting he was going to point the spot out to me. Instead, the moment I turned towards him, he moved the brush towards my face and painted a vertical line on my nose.

My expression immediately changed to surprise and amusement. "Adrien!" I scolded, causing him to laugh while quickly backing away from me.

I was suddenly aware of tears leaking out of my eyes and silently running down my cheeks. I missed him so much and I knew our relationship could never be the same again. I was barely conscious of my actions as my feet led me up the stairs to my room.

All of it… Everything he said to me was just for the movie. The way it felt when he touched my hands, his smile when he told me he thought I was smart and beautiful, and all those times saying that he loved something else about me… but it wasn't really me. It was Marilee. And those weren't really his words. They were Zachary's.

My phone started ringing and I saw Adrien's name appear on the screen for what had to be the fifth or sixth time since I left. I sniffed and declined the call. I couldn't put on this act anymore. I was going to get over him. It would take time, I knew it would, but I had to do it.

I didn't want to feel hurt over this anymore. I wanted Adrien and I to be able to be friends since it was obvious we wouldn't be anything more. But to save our friendship, I need to get over him.

My phone went off from a notification. Another voicemail left by Adrien. I shook my head to myself and sighed. "I can't…" I muttered to myself.

My phone started to ring suddenly, and I groaned again, instantly assuming it was Adrien calling again. It wasn't that I was mad he was calling me, or that I didn't actually want to talk to him. I did want to talk to him really badly, but I couldn't bring myself to. I hated having to decline his calls.

But when I picked up my phone I was surprised to see Alya's name and contact photo instead of Adrien's.

"Hi, Alya." I answered quietly.

"Oh, so you answer me, do you?" She asked immediately. "Haven't you been getting any of Adrien's calls?"

"Yes." I answered shortly and I heard Alya sighing heavily on her end.

"Will you please answer him?"

"No." I said firmly. "No. Why should I?"

"He really wants to talk to you." Alya answered and I could hear the desperation in her voice. But I'd already made up my mind.

"Well, I don't want to talk to him." I retorted stubbornly. "He can keep leaving me all the messages he wants. I'll listen to them later when I'm over him."

"Marinette…" Alya whined, but I knew that she knew that she couldn't change my mind. "You know what? Fine. You don't have to talk to him. But will you do something for me?"

"What is it?" I asked with a sigh.

"No questions." Alya added quickly.

I hesitated before rolling my eyes and sighing heavily. "Fine."

"Go to the Eiffel Tower." She told me. "Go up the elevator to the highest platform."

"Why?" I immediately asked curiously.

"No questions!" She reminded me. "Just go! Please?"

I hesitated again for a long moment before sighing again in defeat. "Fine, I'll go. I'll go up there."

"Great!" Alya said happily. "See you there!"

"Okay…" I answered and heard a click that signaled the end of the call. I felt curious because of Alya's instruction but was still very reluctant to get up from where I had been lounging on my chaise. I knew that if I didn't go soon, Alya would just call me again, and again until I finally gave in.

So, I left my house and went to the Eiffel Tower like Alya told me too. I took the elevator to the third platform. I had no idea what to expect. It really didn't make any sense why I had to come up here.

What exactly am I here for…?

When the elevator opened, I instantly realized that there was nothing at all that could have prepared me for this. And I suddenly understood why Alya had been so secretive about coming up here.

"Adrien…?"