Chloe was in such a state of anger that everyone around gave her a wide berth. However, that didn't stop everyone from watching her as she passed. She raged unimpeded towards Marinette and Adrien. Her clacking high heels alerted the two to her arrival, and they both turned to face her. She glared at Marinette.
"Didn't you get the message already, Marinette? Stay away from him! If you keep this up, I might need to find another way to get it into your thick head."
Adrien stepped forward, and Chloe's mood did a 180. Suddenly, she was sweet as can be, smiling at him like she was in a beauty pageant.
"Hey, Adrien. I just know you'll understand! I was wondering if…"
He cut Chloe off before he could continue.
"What are you talking about Chloe? Stay away from who? I was the one who wanted to talk to Marinette anyways-"
"-what?" Chloe shouted, turning all the head in the cafeteria. "You wanted to talk to her?"
"Yeah, that's what I just said," Adrien continued, oblivious to Chloe's darkening mood. "I needed to apologize for what happened because of the filming."
In retrospect, what he said next probably wasn't a very good idea.
"I think that you took things a little far. I mean, it was just going to be a kiss."
This ignited Chloe's flames of rage. "Just a kiss? JUST a kiss? I can't believe you are being so cavalier about this, Adrien." Chloe turned heel and strutted away down the hallway. Adrien looked torn, wanting to continue his conversation with Marinette but knowing that Chloe's volatile emotions would invite a visit from an akuma. He looked at Marinette again.
"This could have gone better… um, maybe we can find a different time to talk about it?"
Against her own will, Marinette nodded. It would be best if someone managed to calm Chloe down before something bad happened. A spark of hope bloomed within her at Adrien's words. Talk with him another time? Of course. Perhaps Adrien could explain and Chloe would leave her alone again, but Marinette doubted that the other girl had truly gotten over the filming.
Adrien wavered on his feet before hastening down the hallway, calling after Chloe. Before turning the corner, he turned back to Marinette, who had yet to move. In an action so quick that Marinette would later dreamily ponder if she had imagined it, he winked at her before disappearing from sight.
Marinette's mind was still buzzing by the time she returned to classes. Much to her chagrin, the teacher had to call her name three times before Marinette responded. But she couldn't stop analyzing her conversation with Adrien. Did he really mean what he said? What a gentleman…
And with that thought, Marinette had an entirely new inspiration for her collection! She could create a modern suit, elegant but still wearable. New cuts on clothing could reflect on an era of suits and other trappings. Would a pocket square be too much? How about a tie?
Marinette floated through the rest of her classes, barely paying any attention at all to those around her. It was a miracle that she didn't knock into anyone on the way home. Marinette dumped her books on the desk and sat down to attempt her homework. No assignment could capture her attention for long. A pile of half-completed worksheets sat around her when she gave in and let her temptations win. Suddenly energized, Marinette pulled out her sketchbook. A line of fashionable, elegant clothing, just perfect for the modern Prince Charming! This would be absolutely perfect with the hat she had been working on a week ago.
As Marinette drew more and more ideas, reality began to sink in. She would be certain to need a job now that her designs called for higher-quality fabrics. Marinette wracked her brain for solutions. Where did people her age work? She would help out at the bakery, except her parents already paid more that enough to help her pursue her passions. Some kids worked at the ice cream parlor, but the shifts there went late at night, and she needed to have flexibility in case she had to meet up with Chat Noir. Grabbing her sketchbook and purse, Marinette set off for the fabric store again.
Inside, the scene was quite contrary to the last time she had been there. The fabrics, though still organized, could be seen in disarray the further she went into the store. Bolts of fabrics were piled on the counter, as though someone hadn't had the time to pick them up. Most telling were the two frenzied employees desperately trying to serve a growing line of customers. In order to finish the shirt she had started, she needed some add-ons, so she turned away from the spectacle and began her search. Marinette hunted through an aisle of trimmings and decorations. Grabbing the package of buttons and the thread that she thought would give the shirt a more elegant feel, Marinette hopped in line to wait her turn. After nearly twenty minutes she had reached the front, and couldn't help but ask after the state of the store.
"Excuse me, but has something happened? The last time I was here I was sure there were more people working here."
The cashier looked at her blankly. "There were. However, Mrs. Guinebertiere fired some of them because they were slacking off during store hours. It's a shame, though. Their work was substandard but some is better than none, and we are truly beginning to feel the difference."
Marinette grew excited. "So there are job openings here?"
The cashier handed her a bag as she paid. "I suppose. You'll have to take it up with her though. Check the back room; she's doing inventory now."
Looking around the store, Marinette spotted a nondescript door nearly hidden by a display of dress patterns. She strolled over and knocked. When she got no response, she cracked the door open.
Inside, there was a woman with greying hair and her back turned to the door, muttering as she looked at a list. Marinette shut the door behind her, causing the woman to turn around.
"Hello," she greeted, "is this Mrs. Guinebertiere? I was told to come here to inquire about a potential job."
The woman looked up and smiled pleasantly. "That's me. I've run this store for the last twenty years. As long as you've got a strong work ethic, I'm sure that I can find a task for you."
She paused, rummaging through a stack of papers that sat next to her, pulling out a packet and a pen before handing them to Marinette. The girl gratefully accepted them. She might just have found a job!