Can you guys guess who the two other members are?

Marinette had no idea how many more hugs she could take before her own skeleton ejects from her skin. For the whole morning, she had been power-arms-wrapped by Alya and, though it was nice in a few ways, she really needed oxygen.

Untangling herself for the tenth time, Marinette crossed her arms in front of her. "I get it, I get it, you're excited -"

"Hell yeah, I am!"

"But we really need to talk about the competition." At this, Alya's brain snapped to life and she nodded, completely serious. "First… why hide who we are? It's a competition, not a mafia party."

"Nino told me about that." Alya said. "They want to make it a point that all they're gonna see is our dance and notwho we are as a person. The judges also want to be fair so they're not gonna know who their friends are in the dance off."

Marinette nodded, the gears in her head turning with every word.

"If we reveal our identities in any way, the whole team will be disqualified. So, just for that, I thought of a way we can hide our faces!"

"Which is?"

"Paint. Or make-up. I prefer the latter, but greasepaint works too and you won't waste too much time applying it."

"Gotcha. I'll get the paint on my way home. What else?"

"Just wear anything that you can move freely in. They don't have a dress code so feel free to come in nude." Marinette pinched her. "Kidding! And… oh yeah, before I forget, we're gonna need some place to train. I found this wicked dance studio online." She tapped her phone a few times before showing it to her. "It says that a lot of Paris's famous dancers were born there! We gotta check it out."

Scrolling through the article, she saw pictures of the huge building. It was tall and grand, the walls decorated with bright colors and splashes of white that reflected the sun's light over the street. The studio's name, Miraculous Steps, glittered at the top in blue and red streaks. "How are we going to afford this?"

"Well, according to the FAQ, it's downright cheap. Are you game?"

"Yeah. Yeah, totally. This place seriously rocks, Alya. Great work at surfing the internet." She gave her a brief fist-bump. "When are we gonna swing by?"

"Maybe the night after auditions? The first night at the club is a breeze, as Nino had put it. We should do just fine with our current jams."

"And who will be the third and fourth members?"

Alya opened her mouth, paused, and closed it again.

"You didn't even think about it?" She asked incredulously.

"It's a small thing to worry about! I forgot!"

"Uh, for your info, it's an important thing!" She sighed and worried her bottom lip. "How are we going to find two more people to join by the end of the day?"

"Relax, it's an easy task!" Alya shrugged. "Look, we're having P.E today. We'll just scan the crowd for anyone worthy and then bam,we welcome them aboard!"

The bell rang at the same as she grumbled, "Easier said than done, genius."

Time flew and they soon found themselves in the girls' changing room. Marinette tried to keep her eyes opened, but honestly, it was like finding a needle in a haystack. Alya's earlier instructions were just, "Keep calm and find us some potential dancers."

Said girl was standing at the far end of the room, talking to Mylene. They looked like they were in a heated discussion by the way Alya kept waving her arms in the air like she was trying to play an overly-energized game of charades. Mylene just stared at her, dumbfounded.

Marinette let a breath out and gave each girl a once over. Nothing really stood out. She sometimes saw a flattering bra that caught her interest and she mentally noted down the colors and shape for future purchases, but other than that she didn't see anyone who could have a hint of interest in break dancing. At least, not visibly.

Giving up on the sneaky approach, she decided to adopt her friend's method and walked over to Alix. She was her first guess because the short girl had amazing speed and fluent moves on the skates. Maybe she applied that to dances? "Hey," Marinette smiled.

"Yo, whatup?" Alix raised her head in greeting. She placed her cap on her head and fixed her hair. "I've noticed that you and Alya have been stalking us all day."

She blanched but kept her composure. "Oh! That, umm… we were just… n-no, really?" She giggled nervously. Yup, her smooth composure sure was strong.

Alix laughed, entirely amused. "Hey, gotta have our bisexual days, am I right?"

"Err, totally."

"Alright, so, ya got something to talk about?"

She swallowed before blurting out, "Can you dance?"

A pause. A blink. "Seriously?"

She nodded stiffly.

"Huh." She leaned her back on the metal locker behind her, deep in thought.

"I-I'm so sorry if that came out too bold."

"Nahh, not that, pigtails." She adjusted her cap, paused, and continued, "Just that another person asked me the same thing earlier."

"Really?"

"Yeah. And now you're askin' me. Is this about tonight's dancing competition at the Akuma joint?"

"Yes!" Marinette couldn't help but bounce from one foot to the other, giddy. "Are you thinking of participating?"

"Yup."

"Fantastic!"

"But, I already have a team."

Marinette froze. Her face must've looked pathetic because Alix was frantically waving her hands in front of her like she had made a kid cry in the playground. "Sorry, man, but someone asked me first! If you'd offered an hour ago, I'd be all to help you out."

"Thanks anyways, Alix." Marinette slumped her shoulders. "See you tonight, I suppose?"

"If you can see through my disguise." She punched her shoulder lightly and saluted.

It was too bad. The girl might've been a big influence on the team. Shaking out of her disappointment, Marinette looked out for any other girls who could be an option. When it was time to go to the gym, she fell into step with Alya and asked, "How'd your search go?"

"Bad." She mumbled. "Mylene dances, but the little cotton ball doesn't do it competitively."

"Ouch. Well, my end turned kinda sour, too. Alix joined another team a little while ago. We didn't ask her fast enough."

Alya winced. "Damn. She's a tough rival. I've seen her floorwork. She's good."

The gym was vast and smelled of wet socks. The little squeaks that the sleek floor and their sneakers made was the only sound that distracted her. Half of the day had flown out of the window faster than she had anticipated. If they couldn't find anyone before school ended, then it'd all be for nothing. The rules were crystal clear that the members had to be whole and present tonight for the sign-up and auditions. She even considered getting her dad into it if things got exceedingly desperate. And her dad could barely do the wave.

She pinched the bridge of her nose, willing her mind to calm down and stop making horrific scenes of Tom in spandex. They had to find members fast.Peering across the group of teens huddled together, she measured them up and thought about the possibilities. Nino was the DJ and hence one of the judges. His name was the first one to be crossed in their list. Mylene and Alix weren't available anymore.

Like magnets to metal, her eyes locked on Adrien sitting on one of the long benches. He was immersed in a conversation with Nino.

Blood exploded into her head. Turning away quickly, she struggled to keep her heartbeat steady. He was good. Extremely good. In fact, he might be the best dancer in the entire school. He had the right education, technique, and skill to pull off any routine thrown at him.

She dug her nail into her thigh in attempt to pull herself back to reality. They wouldn't be able to practice, not with her tripping over and acting like a fool around him. He had that effect on her and she cursed at whatever force that gave it to him. Maybe, just maybe, if she could keep her feelings in check, she could go up to him and ask him to join. Maybe, just maybe, he might even say yes.

Adrien and Marinette, King and Queen of the Dance Floor. It had a nice ring to it.

Again, the bitter truth that that would never happen drowned her as if someone had poured a tub of ice water on her head.

She slapped both cheeks and concentrated. Members. Members. Gotta find them.

The teacher blew on his whistle and ordered them to do laps. Groaning, the class started jogging around the court sluggishly. Ivan was threading behind a little with Mylene a few feet away from him, encouraging him on. She figured that Ivan wouldn't be the dancing type. Chloe was even more behind, pampering her nails while she walked and having Sabrina fan her with a book. Marinette glared for a second. Those two were impossible to work with. Besides, Chloe had made it evident that she loathed their 'vulgar dancing'. She scoffed and tried to get away from the growing flame of anger that abruptly sparked.

Unconsciously, she turned to Adrien again. He was ahead of them by a few meters, his forehead coated with a thin layer of sweat and his chest heaving evenly with each inhale and exhale. His body was clearly well-shaped. There was abundant proof that he was nimble too - she could see it from the way he lifted his foot off the ground like an eagle taking flight. His arms were muscular, probably from all the work outs he always did. Could it be possible that Adrien Agreste also break danced? She had only ever watched him do the slow dances that Chloe was so fond of. But with that kind of physique, it wouldn't be so difficult for him to change course.

She ran into someone and stumbled backwards. Expecting a harsh impact, she screwed her eyes shut and waited. The fall never came. A gloved hand held on tight to her wrist. Her savior returned her balance with a light wrench. Juleka offered a small smile. "Careful." She said.

"Thanks." Marinette sighed in relief. "For a second there I thought I was gonna timber."

"Were you spacing out?"

"Something like that. It's just a dilemma me and Alya are having."

"Oh? Is there anything I can do to help?"

"I can handle it. Hopefully."

Out of the blue, Rose stepped out from behind the emo girl. "You okay, Marinette? Should I get an energy drink for you?"

"No, no, that's fine, Rose. I'm feeling better. Thanks." From the space between the two girls, she saw Alya eyeing her with a raised eyebrow. "I gotta go. Talk to you guys later."

After exchanging quick nods, she hopped over to her best friend and sat down, legs crossed and arms dangling. "Progress?" She inquired.

Alya shook her head in dismay.

Sighing, she propped her chin in her palms. Two more hours before school was out. It sucked, but the end was approaching and their hands were tied behind their backs. Maybe Tom wouldn't look too bad in shorts?

"Should we just go tonight and pick out any random guy off the unwanted crowd?" Alya suggested, already forlorn.

"There's no guarantee that there'll be one. It's a wild goose chase."

"I'm sorry, girl. I should've been more prepared."

"Hey, we still have time. Maybe Nathaneal? Or we could ask one of your sisters?"

"Nathaneal has the dorkiest crush on you. It'd be a miracle if he could shuffle right in the same room with you."

Marinette made a crude noise at her.

"And my little sisters have two left feet. They're not even in to hip-hop."

Whimpering, she lowered her head into her palms, cradling both cheeks.

"I say we still go anyways. They can't say no to the two divas of Paris."

"I wish you could stop joking for a second, Alya." She didn't mean to, but her tone came out a little too sharp.

Just her luck, Alya picked it up with a scowl. "Excuse me? I'm not interested in being a sulky mess. I'm trying to lighten the mood here and if you don't appreciate that-"

"Hey, I didn't say-"

"Yeah, but you clearly implied that. Just so you know, I'm just as stressed as you are but I'm still thinking positive! Can't you do the same?"

Silence descended on them as they looked away from each other. The dark-haired girl exhaled through her nose and laid back on her hands. Perfect. Not only were they short on members, they were also arguing.

When was the last time they had a predicament like this? She had a vague memory of them sitting back to back, arms crossed stubornly as they debated about who would get the last piece of cake. It ended pretty horribly, with Marinette's dress bearing stripes of mustard and Alya's glasses sinking at the bottom of the mini chocolate fountain. And they had a sleepover the same night. She remembered how hard they had guffawed at each others' appearance, snapping pictures and uploading it on their Instagrams. It was as if the fight had never happened and they moved on as soon as they realized how much they needed each other.

Although, with this kind of strain, would it be fitting if they just stayed quiet? They were a team, in more ways than one now. Working together, sharing ideas, splitting the jobs - it was necessary. They can't fall apart. But she felt like the earth underneath her was already cracking and was trying to swallow her whole.

"Hey," Alya nudged her with her sneaker, a shock running through with the contact, but it didn't do much for her enthusiasm. "Girl. Look."

"What?" Marinette murmured, her life slipping through her body.

With not-so-gentle hands, Alya repositioned her head so she was looking at Rosa and Juleka at the far left. They were talking and laughing while Juleka balanced precariously at the edge of the wood and Rose another level higher than her. She was about to ask what was so important until it happened.

Juleka's body tipped sideways. Her feet left the surface of the bench. A shout was trapped in Marinette's throat.

The other girl, though, blew the alarm out from her as she did something extremely unexpected. She landed on both hands, laughed at a clapping Rose, and fell forward. Her right leg extended first and the other one to the opposite direction, body lowering, with such lithe and grace that she rivaled a ballerina, into a jaw-dropping split.

Alya's hands were firm on either side of her head, but she doubted that she could look away.

Rose giggled before doubling over. Marinette thought that she was going to touch her toes, but instead her fingers went lower, right on the bench that Juleka had previously stood. She barely had time to process before the petite girl bended backwards so far that she made it look like she didn't have a single bone inside her and then with the same beauty that Juleka had performed, she landed soundlessly beside the taller girl. Juleka said something to her and the two girls laughed again.

"Tell me that wasn't my imagination." Marinette murmured, still transfixed.

"That wasn't your imagination."

They shared a distraught look with one another before they bolted forward.

It was an understatement to say that they had startled Juleka and Rose with their sudden outburst. They kept pushing each other back and trying to get out words like:

"Get off, I saw them first-"

"I got here first, bitch, now let me-"

"Ow, my foot!"

"Jesus, move or I'll-"

Juleka and Rose backed away to avoid their floundering limbs. "Um," Rose gulped. "C-Can we help you?"

" Yes!"

"Okay…" Rose hid behind her taller friend, more than a little abashed, and in turn Juleka patted her head.

Marinette elbowed Alya in the cheek. "Will you guys-"

Alya pulled one of her pigtails. "-Join our dance team?"

A full ten seconds passed. Ten seconds. And no reply.

Alya let go of Marinette's hair. Marinette lowered her arm. The both of them coughed sheepishly, toeing the floor and keeping their hands tight in front of them. "Is that a no?" Alya asked, a nervous grin plastered on.

Juleka and Rose locked eyes for a second, a silent conversation underway. Juleka broke out into an excited jump, pumping her fist in the air and whooping. Rose squealed in pure delight and hopped around like a bunny getting carrots. "Of course we'll join!"

Screaming. Lots of screaming happened.

And because of the ruckus that the four of them made, the teacher had them do fifty push-ups. And it was amazing. Alya kept falling on her boobs from laughing so hard. Rose couldn't even raise herself off the floor because her arms shook with each giggle. Juleka was so galvanized that she didn't even notice that she had done sixty-something push-ups already. Marinette was in the middle of helping Alya breathe when her eyes caught green ones.

Adrien was staring at them, his lips forming a distant chuckle. Their gazes were glued to each other for a few seconds, but it felt like years for Marinette. He offered a kind smile and a wave.

Slowly, as if she was zapped with a slow motion gun, she waved back, a furious blush forming from her ears to her neck.

She still wondered about what it could be like, dancing with him. If they hadn't found Rose and Juleka, would he be willing to join? A rational part of her chided that he was a high-class boy and seeing him in a grimy club would be close to absurd. Crazy, even. He couldn't possibly be interested in the dance competition. As much as she wanted to, she couldn't really comprehend why her mind kept wandering over to him. He was a dancer, yes, but he was in the same zone with Chloe. Elite. Upper crust. The dances he did was unfortunately too far out of their league.

Though, it didn't break her happiness. Smiling all the way home, red greasepaint tucked safely in her bag, she worked harder at the bakery than she usually did. It was the least she could do. She was about to tell the biggest lie to her parents tonight, after all. They deserved her utmost dedication, if only during her shift. She even left her iPod back in her room. Music free, no distractions. No dancing between breaks. Customers were so smitten with her that they had tipped her so handsomely to the point she physically couldn't pocket all the change anymore. Tom tried to avoid her money, saying that the customers had given it to her,but she insisted and dropped every last penny into his hand. They were the ones who deserved it, not her.

When it was time to close up the shop, she lingered for a moment with them on the stairs, kissing them with extra affection. "I love you," She breathed, utterly sincere.

She fought back the tears that threatened to spill as she clambered up to her room, locking it securely behind her.