After her chat with Cat Noir, Marinette had found her way to ask Adrien to the dance. Without any ideas, Marinette had to call for more drastic measures. She had to call her girlfriends. Who was the only one who can help her complete this mission besides her best friends? After sending an urgent text to all of them, after classes were over, they all arrived at Marinette's to help her come with a plan to successfully ask Adrien to the dance! Alya, Alix, Juleka, Mylène, and Rose were all seated in her room as they watch as Marinette pace back and forth across the room.
"Okay girls," Marinette began. "Operation: Ask Adrien to the Dance will now begin. I need good suggestions on how I can ask Adrien to the dance and he accepts my invitation."
"Maybe you should write a romantic letter!" Rose suggested.
"We all know Marinette tends to forget to write her name on them," Alya teased.
"Er…um…well…" Marinette sighed. "You're right, a letter is out the question."
"What about a card and hand it to him yourself?" Mylène asked.
"Or write him an awesome song," Juleka suggested.
"Give him a beautiful flower and ask him!" Rose added.
"Just dare him to ask you," Alix shrugged.
"You could just boldly ask him," Alya suggested. "Just be straight forward."
Marinette took in every suggestion and written them down in a notebook. She bites her pen as she sighed. Even though they all were good ideas, Marinette doesn't think she can go through any of them. After hours of more bizarre or clever ideas, Marinette put the secession to close. After thanking everyone and seeing them off, Marinette sighed as she is still stressed about asking Adrien to the dance. Tikki hovers near Marinette as she can sense her distressed and decided to offer her advice.
"What's wrong, Marinette?" Tikki asked.
"Tikki, all these ideas are great, but I don't think I can do any of them," She sighed.
"Don't doubt yourself, if you really want to go to the dance with Adrien, you have to be more confident," Tikki told her.
"I know, but what if he rejects me or want to go with someone else?" Marinette mumbled.
"I'm sure everything will be fine," Tikki told her. "Remember what Cat Noir told you. Just be yourself and you're guaranteed success."
"You're right, thanks Tikki." Tikki smiled.
However, asking Adrien to the dance, wasn't really an easy task. There was more akumazation happening lately, she was very busy being Ladybug and saving the day. She barely got any time to get a chance to ask Adrien. When she wasn't asking Adrien, she was planning and getting stuff ready for the dance. A week had already passed by and she only had until Friday to ask him to the dance!
That Monday, Marinette arrived at school early as she staked out to see if she manage to get Adrien alone to ask him to the dance. She had to make sure that she does or she'll regret it. As Marinette lurked around, she did spot Adrien, but there again Lila already trying to claw her way into Adrien once more. Marinette could feel the lingering jealousy build up and decided to go spy on them. She went to hide behind the pole that was closest to the bench where Lila and Adrien were sitting at.
Lila had placed her hands over Adrien's where she was trying to win him over with a puppy like expression. She moved closer, which made Adrien uncomfortable, that she was so close. Adrien had forgotten about Lila and now she was really eager to try and make her move again. Adrien tried to politely move from her grasp.
"Adrien, is your dad allowing to come to the dance?" Lila asked.
"Well, he said if I brush up on my piano, he'd allow me to go," Adrien answered.
"That's great! So, will go with me?" Lila asked.
"Er… well, you see Lila," Adrien began. "Actually, there is someone else I want to go with."
"Someone else?" Lila asked. "Who is she?"
Her eyes narrowed with a glare as he heard he had already had his sights set on another girl. Marinette was surprised as well, but she had to keep her cover, to see if she can find out more. Adrien already had a girl he wanted to ask to the dance? Marinette had to find out who she was, but the feeling itself made her feel down.
"Yes, er… she goes to another school!" Adrien lied. "But she's very busy, so I haven't gotten a chance to ask her yet!"
Marinette could feel her heart shattering into two, Adrien really wanted to take someone else to the dance? Marinette wondered who she was, the only girl who came to mind was Kagami. Marinette felt her chest tightened with an ache, but she decided to stay to listen to see if she can find out more details. Lila, however, wasn't happy about it either.
"I see," Lila seethed. "Well, it's your loss anyway, there are guys begging me to go to the dance with them."
"Well, that's nice, at least you have plenty of options to choose from," Adrien answered.
Lila growled before she stormed off, Marinette has sulked her way into class. She laid her head down on her desk in her despair, Alya wondered what got her best friend so down in the dumps, when she seemed fired up yesterday. It must have something to do with Adrien.
"What got you some down, girl?" Alya asked. "Did you get a chance to ask Adrien to the dance?"
"No… that's because he's going with someone else." Marinette groaned.
"What?" Alya asked surprised. "Are you serious? Who?"
"I don't know, he said a girl from another school, the only girl who fits that is Kagami…" Marinette muttered.
"Are you sure you heard right and not misunderstanding anything?" Alya inquired.
"Yes, I overheard him telling Lila that," Marinette sighed. "I should have asked him the day we were in the library."
"I'm sorry, Marinette," Alya told her. "Want to come over Jukela's later and hang out. We're helping her with a good dress to the dance and she needs Paris best designer's advice and ideas."
"Yeah, I'll come, thanks Alya." Marinette smiled a little.
After school, Marinette arrived at Juleka's where all the girls would chat and help Juleka pic out the perfect dress for the dance. After some time, they found something that suited her style and Marinette gave more ideas on jewelry and other things that will make her stand out. Everyone soon began to talk about who they were going to the dance with.
"Well, Juleka and I are going together!" Rose giggled as she held Juleka's hand.
"I'm not really a big fan of dances, but I'll go because it seems fun…" Juleka shrugged.
"I'm just going a group with Nathan and Marc," Alix said.
"Nino will be DJing mostly, but he promised me a few dances in between," Alya said.
"Ivan and I are wearing eco-friendly outfits, we both excited for the dance!" Mylène beamed.
"What about you Marinette?" Rose asked.
"Well…I'm going by myself." Marinette sighed.
"What? What happened with Adrien?" Ailx asked.
"Well, he's going with another girl not from here, probably Kagami…" Marinette sighed.
"I'm sorry, Marinette." Mylène apologized.
"It's no big deal, I should have asked him at the library, but I chickened out…" Marinette told them.
The girls all tried to console her, but Marinette knew it wasn't anything they could have done to cheer her up. She went on the top of the ship's deck to get some air. There she saw Luka there with his guitar as usual. Luka gave her a calming smile, which it always made her feel better to see.
"Hey, Marinette, just the girl I wanted to see," Luka smiled. "I was inspired by our trip to the ice skating rink, I wrote you a song."
"Oh, really?" Marinette asked surprised. "Well, thank you, Luka…"
"Want to hear it?" Luka asked.
He picked up his guitar pick as he gazed at her as he waited for her response. Marinette nodded as she sat next to him. Luka would then start to strum the guitar with his pick a gentle song for her. Marinette was amazed how he managed to get a melody that she can see Luka thought about her. Marinette closed her eyes as she listened to the song until he was finished. When he was done, he turned to Marinette as he flashed a kind smile.
"What do you think?" Luka asked.
"I love it, Luka," Marinette said softly.
However, Luka can look at her and see she seemed down, Luka began to play another song as he kept his gaze on Marinette. He had a feeling it had something to do with Adrien since it seems like that's the only person that made her feel this way. He wished secretly that things would go well with them, but he also wanted to comfort her and have her for himself.
"Did Adrien get you down again?" Luka asked.
"Well…yeah…kind of…" Marinette sighed. "I really wanted to ask him to the dance, but he already seemed to have someone else in mind that he wanted to ask. So, it looks like I'll be going alone."
"Marinette…" Luka sighed.
He continued to play a lighter, brighter tune to cheer her up. Luka's music seemed to be magical in its own way. Whenever she was down, he always knew what to play to cheer her up. Marinette smiled a bit before Luka had stopped playing for a moment. He gently placed a hand on her shoulder and gazed into her eyes.
"You don't have to go alone, Marinette," Luka told her. "I would love to take an amazing, girl like you to the dance."
"Really?" Marinette asked. "You're just saying that."
"No, I really mean it," Luka told her. "So, Marinette? Will you go to the dance with me?"
Marinette was surprised at his offer. Once again, Luka was there to comfort her when things didn't go well with Adrien. Luka is a really wonderful guy, maybe things aren't meant to work between her and Adrien since nothing ever goes as planned. Marinette took a moment to think. She gave him a smile before she nodded after making her choice.
"Yes, I'll go to the dance with you, Luka," Marinette said.
"Awesome, I look forward to it," Luka told her.
Marinette arrived home later as she was still wondering if going to the dance with Luka was really a good choice. She still loved Adrien, she still wished she can dance with him. But, if Adrien liked someone else, then maybe she should try moving on. However, could she really give up on Adrien after how close they were getting? Marinette sighed as she looked at her ceiling. Tikki appeared as she looked at Marinette with a concerned expression.
"Are you really okay, Marinette?" Tikki asked.
"I really don't know Tikki, I'm really confused right now," Marinette admitted. "I still want to go with Adrien, but he already has his own eyes on someone else. Luka is really nice and sweet, so I'm not sure if I should give up on Adrien or give Luka a chance."
"It's a really hard decision, isn't it?" Tikki asked.
"Yeah… what do I do, Tikki?" Marinette asked.
"Just follow your heart, Marinette, in the end, you must choose what will make you happier," Tikki told her.
"I know…" Marinette groaned. "I just wish that things didn't end up this way…"
Tikki was about to say something, but she heard footsteps and went into hiding. Her mother, Sabrine, had entered her room before giving her daughter a smile.
"Hey, Mom," Marinette greeted.
"Marinette, we need your help in the bakery for a few moments, are you free?" Sabrine asked.
"Yes, I just have a few things for homework, so it won't take me long," Marinette told her.
"Thank you, honey." Sabrine smiled.
Sabrine went back downstairs, Marinette sighed as she went downstairs to help with the bakery, while she was still sorting out her feelings in her mind.