Chapter 3: Treats and Tricks

General POV

The merry band of friends worked their way through Marinette's neighborhood collecting as many sweet treats as they could. Most of Marinette's neighbors were older merchants in their shops, but they enjoyed seeing the youngsters having fun. Adrien especially.

After his first few houses, the boy was hooked. In his excitement, he often ran ahead of the group to the next house, bouncing eagerly. Marinette loosened up over the course of the evening and even joined the others in playfully chiding Adrien about running off without them. Before long, the only redness on the faces of the young people was from the sting of the cold wind.

They made their way out of Marinette's neighborhood towards the heart of the city. Soon Alya heard the thumping of disco-tech music up ahead. The group had wandered near the Grand Paris Hotel where there appeared to be a party in progress. Adrien started in the direction of the lobby doors before Marinette gently hooked his arm.

"Adrien, wait! Don't you want to keep trick or treating? We're headed to Nino's neighborhood next. He says they have FULL SIZED candy bars." Her eyes flickered uncertainly at the brightly lit building. "Plus, I don't think we're invited."

"Of course, I want to keep trick or treating. I just want to stop in and say hi to Chloe really quick. I'm sure the bouncers will let us inside for a minute. She always came by my father's parties to see me; I want to return the favor." Adrien could not miss the looks on his friends' faces. He knew they had misgivings about Chloe. "I know you guys haven't had the best experiences with Chloe," Adrien heard Alya's snort. "But she's been my friend for years. I'm going in. You're welcome to join me if you'd like."

Adrien turned on his heel and entered the party. Nino and Alya exchanged a questioning look with Marinette. They knew that if this would bother anyone, it would be her. Marinette shrugged and followed Adrien inside. This had been a great night so far and she was determined to not let it be spoiled by the likes of Chloe.

The hotel's lobby had been utterly transformed. The décor seemed to be a mixture of goofy scary and actual scary. A black light illuminated the whites and neons of the various costumes and decorations around the room. Marinette's neon green tutu and hair ribbons lit up like a Christmas tree. Cobwebs adorned the corners and walls. Spiders with glowing red eyes dangled from the ceiling.

Adrien could see his friends glowing in all of their neon as they entered the dance floor. He was glad they decided to come in. He continued to look for Chloe. He had yet to catch a glimpse of her. It seemed like she had yet to make an appearance at her own party. He decided to enjoy himself while he waited. Grabbing Marinette's hand, Adrien pulled her closer as the music pulsed louder. He noticed that her dancing was stiff at first, but she gradually thawed and seemed to be having fun.

"ADRIKINS!" The familiar shrill voice ceased all music and conversation. All eyes turned to the grand staircase as Chloe made her entrance. Alya moved next to Marinette and squeezed her hand reassuringly. Chloe's costume was a black and yellow dress that fit tight at the waist then poofed outward. A starched collar reached high above her head, connected to a glittering gold cape that trailed behind her as she quickly descended the stairs. A tiny bejeweled crown peeked out of the elaborate up do of her hair.

"Adrikins, you came!" Chloe's smile could charm a used car salesman. It faltered slightly when she saw Alya, Marinette, and Nino. "…with them…" Her smile became tighter.

"Well, I wanted to come say hey. You came to Father's parties every year so I decided to come to one of yours." Adrien flashed her a smile, stuffing his hands into the pockets of his onsie.

"I hope you weren't planning on leaving before having a dance with me." Chloe's bottom lip jutted out into a pout.

"Uh… sure. One dance then we got to get back to trick or treating before it gets too late." Adrien turned to his friends, eyes flickering to Marinette's. "It's just once dance. I'll be right back."

Adrien's POV

Adrien did not notice the music change from the usual upbeat tempo to a slower melody right when he and Chloe entered the dance floor. Reluctantly, he placed his hands onto Chloe's waist as she snaked her arms around his neck. He stifled a cough as her excess perfume assaulted his nose.

"So, did you come as Paris's favorite super heroine?" Chloe's voice always softened when it was just the two of them.

"Yeah. I've had this for a while now, so I decided to wear it out my first night trick or treating." As the music swelled, they continued to sway.

Chloe's lips pouted again. "I can't believe you went out begging for cheap candy. You could have been here, dancing with me all night." Adrien cocked an eyebrow.

"I wanted to hang out with my other friends, Chlo. You could have joined us." He hated how he and Chloe had drifted apart these last few years, but lately, he hardly recognized his old friend.

"I would rather wear off the rack than hang with those losers," Chloe sneered. That was too far. Adrien dropped his hands. Chloe's were still around his neck.

"They are my FRIENDS, Chloe. We used to be friends until you changed. And yes, I've noticed how you and Sabrina attack everyone; especially the way you guys treat Marinette. It's not okay, Chloe." Something dangerous flashed in the girl's eyes as she saw Marinette standing on the edge of the dance floor. A malicious look darkened her face.

"Oh. I see how it is." The regal looking heiress tilted her chin. "That blue-haired brat's been trying to woo you away from me. We'll see how much she wants you after this!" Without another word, Chloe smashed her lips on Adrien's; a well-placed hand on the back of his head kept his face in place.

To say Adrien was shocked was an understatement. He stood there, not moving for several seconds before his brain realized what was happening. He yanked his head back, breaking the spell. Chloe's eyes opened triumphantly as she released him. The music returned to its original pounding disco-tech.

Adrien quickly scanned the crowd around him, looking for the neon glow of his friends. They needed to get out of there. He finally located Alya and Nino; Marinette wasn't with them. The crowd was too thick to get to them. Adrien tried to see where Marinette was, but all he could see was a cold look from Alya. He saw that her fists were clenched. Nino simply shook his head. He pushed through the throng of people to get to the door, but Chloe still had a hold of his arm. Her pearly white teeth flashed a Cheshire cat smile. Adrien shook her off and locked eyes so there would be no misunderstandings.

"We're done Chloe."

He ran out of the hotel in the direction Nino and Alya told him Marinette had gone. He had to find her. He didn't know why she had run off, but it was dangerous for her to be out this late by herself.

Oh yeah... That's what could go wrong...