Chapter 2
Well hey there! Y'all are crazy! Your outpour and support for just the first chapter of this story is amazing, thank you all so much! It means a lot to me! I've had to do some research, since I know almost nothing about ballet, but it's been fun, a good learning experience for sure. Personally, I'm not very happy with this chapter, I feel like it's a little awkward and maybe not my best writing, but as the readers I'll leave that up for you to decide. Hope you enjoy it reviews are always appreciated.
Hugs'n'shit
lil-fledgling
A temporary divider. Who ever thought of that was a genius and Marinette could kiss them. The entire length of the gym had been divided in half with what appeared to be a long, cloth curtain, similar to the dividers used in hospitals. In no way was it ideal but never the less it would effectively keep the fencing class on one side and, hopefully, 20 rowdy little children on the other. But, to Marinette, nothing was more beautiful than that temporary divider. No one would see her at the ballet class and her secret would be safe. She hoped.
And everything was going fine, really, it was nearly perfect until the last five minutes of class when Manon, that crazy, curious kid, got bored and peaked around the curtain.
"Adrian!" The young model looked up, his fencing mask in his hand as he took a long drink of water. A tiny girl bounded at him, the curtain fluttering behind her as a familiar voice cried,
"Manon, no!"
Adrian easily caught the child, who wrapped her arms around his neck, giggling.
"Hello there," Adrian said, chuckling, returning Manon's hug. "It's been a while since I've seen you, hasn't it."
"Yep!" Manon leaned back, grinning at the older boy. "I've missed you!" Sure the kid was loud and impulsive and she really sucked at listening, but Adrian found he had a soft spot for the little girl, especially after the Puppet Master incident.
"Manon, what did we tell you about leaving our side of the room-" Marinette froze when she saw who was holding her young student.
No, no, no, no, no, this is not happening!
"Mari?" Adrian was startled to see his classmate in a pink leotard and slippers, her hair out of its usual pigtails and tied up in a neat bun. She looked…. different, in a good way.
"What are you doing here?" Marinette's face flamed red, ignoring Adrian's question as she stomped up to him, keeping her eyes firmly on the ground, and took Manon from his hold. Setting her on the ground, Marinette took Manon's hand and pulled her away from the fencing class, who were all watching the encounter curiously.
"But Adrian-!"
"We told you, you can't disturb the fencing class," Marinette said quietly, not breaking stride. "You need to use your listening ears. We'll have to tell your Mama about this."
"Noooooooooo! Marinette, S'il vous plait, don't do that!" The two of them disappeared around the curtain, Manon's whining muffled by the cloth, leaving Adrian to wonder,
What was Marinette doing at the ballet class?
LB&CN
So maybe she was a little hard on the kid, Marinette conceded as she hugged Manon goodbye, reminding the little hellion that she wasn't mad, just disappointed. Manon hadn't done any real harm, only damaging Marinette's pride, peace of mind and the little shred of self-esteem she had, but hey, the kid hadn't meant to.
In any case, Marinette explained the school project to Mme. Lucette who immediately took the project in stride.
"You will be dancing a piece from Don Quixote, the Kitri Variation. It will be difficult, undoubtedly, and you will have to work hard, but I think you are completely capable of this piece." The dance teacher turned on her heel, ignoring the shocked look on her pupil's face. "Now, first position!"
The fencing class had ended a few minutes earlier than the ballet class and despite the fact that Adrian Agrest was a very busy teenager, he couldn't help but wait around after everyone else had gone home, hoping to catch Marinette and ask her why he had never heard that she helped out with the dance classes.
And maybe walk home together…
Adrian shook his head at that. What was his problem; he was in love with Ladybug, wasn't he? Yes, he knew undoubtedly that Ladybug was the one for him, but there was also something about Marinette, something recognizable that pulled him towards her.
Patiently he watched the children leave one by one with their parents, each of them talking excitedly about what they had done in class that day. Soon all the kids had left and still Adrian waited. Five, ten, fifteen minutes, and still Marinette hadn't appeared. There was no way she could have gone out another way, he was standing outside the only door.
With no other ideas, Adrian wandered back into the empty gymnasium, listening to his feet echo on the hard ground, wracking his brain for a possible solution as to where Marinette had disappeared.
"One and two and one and two, point your toes, more Marinette!" Adrian stopped, his head swinging over to look at the divider still in place, watching the silhouette of a familiar form bend down low in a perfect plié. Of course, if she had never left in the first place, it would explain why Adrian couldn't find her.
She was so graceful, so incredibly lithe and nimble and talented. Adrian found him self sitting silently behind the curtain, unbeknownst to Mme. Lucette and Marinette, and just watching the usually clumsy, bumbling girl transform into something elegant and ethereal. Something… oddly familiar.