"How did dress shopping with the hot boy go?" Alya asked instead of saying hello.
"Good, it's gorgeous. Even the fabric would cost more than I make in 3 months and he told me I can do anything I want to it. I've got an Agreste original sitting on my bed and Adrien tells me I should chop it up and remake it however I like," she said.
"Sounds like fun," Alya said.
"He also told me I have nice hips," Marinette said.
"What the hell kind of compliment is that? First shoe size and now random body compliments. I need to talk to him," Alya asked.
"I don't know. He's so awkward. I always thought he was charming but maybe that's just because I couldn't speak to him without my brain shutting down. Aren't models supposed to be suave? He always seems so put together in interviews but he just sort of bumbles through conversations like he's constantly thinking about ten things all at once," Marinette said.
"And you think it's adorable," Alya said.
"It is adorable," Marinette sighed.
"Should I sing the song for you?" Alya said.
"The song?" Marinette said.
"The 'you've got it so bad' song," Alya said.
"No, that's not a real song and I don't want you to to mock me to music. What's he studying?" Marinette asked.
"Electric something or other. It's all math and if you get it wrong then you blow yourself up, that kind of thing. He's modeling his way through an engineering degree because I think he hates himself. That's the only theory I've come up with that makes any sense," Alya said.
Marinette sighed and remembered the expression on his face when he'd said that he wasn't worth making anyone nervous. Alya was joking but the way that he'd said it had made her think that maybe he really didn't like himself much and that thought made her chest hurt.
"Earth to Marinette!" Alya said through the phone.
"Sorry," she said.
"How are Jackass and Trollface?" Alya asked.
"Adrien told me I can send Elijah after him if I get into any trouble with the dress. I think this proves he's a saint of some sort. No one volunteers to speak to Elijah for any reason. He's the most miserable person I have ever met. If he didn't wear such boring suits, I'd be pretty sure that Ladybug and Chat Noir should be sent after him. Even the Akuma have more interesting outfits than he does. And he's a fashion designer," Marinette said.
The conversation wove its way onto other things. Alya's blog. Marinette's mother's worries. Alya's classes. TV shows. Some internet meme involving cats in bow ties that Marinette hadn't even seen because she spent all her time sewing and worrying about sewing. She wasn't even sure how she was going to find time to spend an hour a day purifying akuma.
"I need some advice," she said, interrupting Alya's explanation of why the bowtie thing was funny.
"Anything," Alya said, "Is this about a certain blonde?"
"Before I tell you anything you need to repeat after me," Marinette said and Alya agreed.
She made Alya repeat: "I swear I will not ask for any names or identifying details and if I do, may lightning strike me down."
"That's ominous but yes, I promise I won't ask for any names, tell me this story," Alya said.
"I kissed a boy I shouldn't have kissed," Marinette said.
"What?! Who… Ok, no names but WHAT?!"
"You know when you think you know someone and they're just a friend. Very much just a friend. But then you see them again and it's been years and they're the same but also different," she said.
"I really want to ask you for names right now," Alya said.
"I know, that's why I made you swear first," Marinette said, "But he was there and he was all warm and so much gentler than I ever thought he could be. He kissed me on the top of the head and it was cute. He's never cute like that. He's the kind of flirty that's just obnoxious."
"So why put up with him at all?" Alya asked.
"Because he's my," she couldn't figure out what word to put in there. Partner was what she wanted to use but that would open up so many questions that she wasn't willing to answer. "He's my friend. I trust him. I like him. I even missed his horrible jokes when I was away. My god, I missed him so much."
She paused, shaking her head and setting her jaw even though Alya wasn't there to see it, "But we're not like that."
"We're not like that either, should I be worried you are going to kiss me?" Alya asked.
"If you cuddle up close like that then yeah, maybe. I can't be trusted! I have idiot lips, they do what they want," Marinette said.
"That sounds dangerous. But I am safe, I don't cuddle. You would be a cuddler. You look like a cuddler," Alya said.
"You say that like it's a bad thing. Lots of people cuddle. That's not the problem. The problem is that I've probably ruined everything forever. I want to go back to being friends. I want things to be like they were where we were together without it being complicated, you know?" Marinette said.
"So not a good kiss then," Alya said.
"What? That's not what this is about," Marinette said.
"Was it a good kiss?" Alya asked.
"Why do I talk to you? I am not dignifying that with a response," she said.
"So a very good kiss," Alya said.
"Ugh," Marinette said instead of answering, "I've got to go."
"Very very good. This is interesting. Just as you're reconnecting with your high school crush. It's all very dramatic. You should probably kiss him again. You need to kiss someone three times to be sure," Alya said.
"You're making that up," Marinette said.
"True facts. Learned it when I moved into the dorms. Never take a boy home until you have had three test kisses," Alya said.
"What kind of school do you go to that they teach you things like that in the dorms? I'm not kissing him again. I am not. I was temporarily insane and he will never forgive me as it is. I am not doing it again. And I am not looking for anyone to take home. Stop," Marinette said.
"And you should probably take Adrien out for a test drive too. He's probably kissed a lot fewer people than the magazines would have you think but inexperience doesn't mean he won't be good. There is a certain innate skill in kissing that people always discount," Alya said.
"We're talking about boys not cars," Marinette said.
"Yes, boys are less predictable than cars which is why you want to do three test kisses and most cars only need one test drive," Alya said.
"I have to go to a thing," Marinette said.
"A kissing thing?" Alya asked.
"No," Marinette said with a little too much force.
"If there is any kissing, I expect details, even if you won't tell me mystery boy's name," Alya said.
"Whoops, bad connection, I'm losing you and never calling you back, bye!" Marinette hung up on Alya's laughter.
