Chapter 18 – How Did You Get Here?!

….The Next Day at School

Marinette

"Oh Tikki" I said, my voice coming out softly as I looked at the large whole in the roof of the school, "If only I could've stopped her, and fixed this mess…."

"Marinette" Tikki replied, cuddling up into the side of my face, "There was nothing you could've done, Identity Thief didn't give you chance to even attack her. It happened too fast."

"That doesn't matter Tikki," I said, more disappointed in myself than anything else. "It doesn't matter; it was still my responsibility to make sure everyone was safe, and that the lucky charm fixed everything but it didn't." I gestured up to the roof, "And now look where we are."

Before Tikki could say anything I interrupted her, "C'mon Tikki," I gestured to my backpack, "I need to get to class; we'll talk about this later."

Tikki sighed defeated, and went into my backpack.

I felt bad that I was blocking her out, but I just wasn't ready to talk about it yet.

I quickly pulled out my phone and looked at the time, five minutes to spare.

I didn't have anything else to do I just walked to class, hoping the rest of the day would be better.

Hours Later….

"Hey Marinette!" Alya called to me, "You want to go grab a bite?" She asks, "Nino, Adrien, and I have all agreed after what happened today we need to spend some quality time together." She says, sneakily.

I just kind of gave her this look, what was she planning? Quality time? I don't think so, we see each other every day!

"Where?" I ask her, I didn't know what she was planning but that didn't mean I wasn't hungry.

"You know, just going to grab some donuts, tea, coffee, or something like that and then just go chill at the park. It's basically whatever you want, because we're just going to end up taking it to the park." Alya says, her voice cheerful but still suspicious.

I narrow my eyes at her, and she just gives me a challenging look. We've been doing this a lot lately, we just start at each other until the other gives in….it's usually me; just like it is this time.

"Fine, I'll come," I say, "But you're buying my food."

She gives me a look that says 'really' I just respond right back with my own look.

"Well c'mon then girl!" Alya says surprisingly excited for…lunch? Now I'm worried.

"Coming!" I reply, then we walk together towards the car.

Minutes Later…

"Where are you even parker?" I ask, looking for her Chevy.

"Oh we're not taking my car." Alya says, giving me a smirk.

"Then who's are we taking?!" I ask, panicked. Please don't say what I think you're going to say.

"We'll I'm riding with Nino is his Ford." She gestures to a blue Ford Focus parked in front of us. You, however, will be right in that sexy beast!" Alya says, pointing to a black Ford F-150 that was parked next to Nino's Ford.

That truck looks suspiciously familiar, I think it belongs too…..Adrien!

"Alya no!" I say, looking at her, "What am I supposed to do?!" I ask worriedly.

"Girl, you'll be fine. Just talk to him like you normally would, just with actual words." She says cheekily.

"Yah…sureee," I say without confidence, "Because I can totally talk to him without looking like a fool. Of course, why hadn't I thought of that for the past four years?" I say sarcastically.

She just smirks at me.

"Hey dudettes!" I look over to the Ford focus to see Nino and Adrien leaning against it smirking, "You ready to go?"

Oh Lord, how long have they been there? Did they hear me? I feel my cheeks heat up at the sudden realization of how hot Adrien was at the moment, my gosh, no wonder he's a freakin' model. Those magazines don't do him justice!

"We're ready!" Alya replies, walking over to her boyfriend and places a quick kiss on his lips.

I just look at them, filled with awe. How did they do it so easy? I could never kiss Adrien like that, heck I can barely even talk to him!

My thoughts were broken when I realized Alya and Nino were now walking away from us, and then getting in Nino's car, leaving me and Adrien…alone.

Adrien

I rub the back of my neck nervously, "So are you ready to go Marinette?" I ask the beautiful blunette who's watching her friend drive off with her boyfriend in shock.

Oh no, did she not agree to riding with me? Did she not want to ride with me?

"Huh?" Marinette says, in a tone that says she's not really listening. I find it rather adorable.

I chuckle, which snaps her out of her thoughts, "Are you ready to go?"

"Oh, yah," She says, blushing, "Sorry, let's go."

Then we walk over to my truck, I hope it's not intimidating.

Based on my mother's lessons of being a gentleman, I open Marinette's door for her and help her in. By now her cheeks are beet red, so I helped her in as quickly as I could and shut her door thinking it made her uncomfortable.

Once her door was shut, I walked around the truck while doing the usual; I scolded myself.

"Gosh dangit Adrien!" I say to myself, "What were you thinking! She probably thinks you're some kind of weird preppy person!"

Then I get in the truck, and the awkward silence begins. This will be…fun.

Alya

I look over at my boyfriend with a knowing look to which he returns, and almost immediately we start laughing.

"Oh you should've seen her face Nino!" I say during laughing, "It was priceless!" I say in a sing-song voice.

Nino nods, laughing as well, "Adrien's was as well. There was no time for him to say no because I told the second I saw you girls. It was hilarious!"

"How do you think it's going?" I ask him, pausing my laughter for a moment.

He looks at me, "Probably terrible."

"We're goners aren't we?" I ask him, smiling.

"Yah, but at least we know love!" He says, then intertwines his hand with mine. He gently lifts my hand to his lips, kisses it sweetly, and then lays are intertwined hands on the console between us.

This was becoming a usual thing, and I loved it. Marinette might want to kill when we get to the park, but I would do it over a hundred times for this outcome.

Marinette

I just looked over at Adrien awkwardly, wishing I had my phone with me. I had put my phone in my backpack, and my backpack was currently in the backseat of the truck next to Adrien's. Perfect. Now I have to sit in a truck with my crush—no highschool crush—now normally that would be amazing! But…..now it's awkward…..lovely.

Snapped out of my thoughts, I noticed that Adrien was smirking. I was curious so I voiced my thoughts.

"What are you smirking about?" I ask Adrien, my voice edged with suspicious. He just smiled at me.

"Nothing, why would you ask?" He said, his smile in full force.

"Something tells me you know why." I said.

"Just enjoy the ride Mari." He said softly, and that's exactly what I did.

Meanwhile…

Tikki was peacefully sleeping in Marinette's backpack in the backseat of Adrien's truck, and she was perfectly happy until she felt an unwelcomed weight on her. Tikki opened her eyes to find bright green eyes looking at her that she loved so much, and a bright smile to greet her.

"Hey Tiks," Plagg said enthusiastically.

Tikki glared at him, "What are you doing here?" She demanded, "What happens if Marinette reached for her backpack!"

"Oh c'mon Tiks," Plagg whined, "We both know you girl can barely get out a sentence let alone actually move, besides I just wanted to see you." He said.

Tikki raised her eyebrow, knowing that he was not finished.

"Also," Plagg said, "Have you sensed anything weird lately?"

"You mean like another kwami?" Tikki asked immediately, she'd been wanting to ask Plagg but she couldn't, not in front of everyone else.

Plagg looked up at her, somewhat shocked, "I thought it might've been my imagination." He said softly, then added under his breath, "I thought the kid's dad had it."

"Plagg," Tikki said, unaware to what her friend said, "Do you really think he's been activated?" She asked, her blue eyes sparkling with hope.

"I certainly hope not." Plagg muttered.

"Plagg!" Tikki shouted at him, then covered her mouth praying their chosen's didn't hear her.

"What?" Plagg asked, irritated, "He annoying and so emotional that it comes off as cute."

At that Tikki started giggling, "Oh Plagg," She said, then gave him a soft hug, "You know he's just getting on your nerves."

"I know." Plagg said, "That doesn't mean I can't claw him does it?"

"Plagg!" Tikki said giggling again, "We still have to see if we're right, "Now get back into Adrien's backpack before they notice."

Plagg looked at Tikki and smirked, "Ok Tiks," then just as he was about out of the bag he said, "By bugaboo!" He said, a smile on his face.

"Silly kitty," Tikki said, then returned to her peaceful slumber.

Minutes Later At the Park…..

Marinette

I gently laid the blanket down on the grass while waiting for Adrien, Nino, and Alya to get back. They were at the little ice cream stand getting some for us. Alya was just going to get it but we all realized she wouldn't have enough hands, so Adrien and Nino offered to help her while I set up the blanket.

I looked at our backpacks thoughtfully, trying to figure out where to put them. Hmmmmm….ah! Right there! I gently placed all our backpacks on a tree, so they were all leaning on the tree, next to our blanket, and then I waited for my friends to return.

"Marinette!" I looked over to see Alya calling my name, carrying to ice creams. Then seconds later she was sitting down on the blanket, Adrien and Nino as well.

"Here ya go," Adrien said, handing me a cone with one two scoops of strawberry ice cream.

"T-th-thanks." I said softly, taking the cone from him. Dangit! Most of the time I could handle my nervous stuttering speech, but he got me off guard by handing me the cone. I thought Alya would've gotten me one.

"So how ya dudes been doing lately?" Nino asked, and then we all began to talk.

Meanwhile…..

"Psssst, Tikki?" Plagg called out from his chosen's backpack.

"Yah Plagg?" Tikki called back.

"Do you think they're here?" Plagg asked.

"I don't know." Tikki responded.

"Well c'mon then, there's only one way to find out." Plagg said, then the next second he was pulling Tikki out of Marinette's backpack and into Alya's, which was next to Marinette's.

"Hello, anyone in here?" Plagg called loudly.

Almost immediately there was groan and a voice that followed, "You know, you think for not seeing you two for a while, you would wake me up a lot more pleasantly."

Tikki smiled, she'd recognize that voice anywhere, "Trixx!" Tikki shouted, then tackled her friend in a hug.

"Hey Tikki," The fox kwami said, a smile on her face, "Is the grumpy cat still at it?" She asked her friend.

Plagg cleared his throat, "That grumpy cat is standing right here." He said, annoyed.

"Would ya look at that, so he is, hey Plagg!" Trixx said, then gave her friend an unwanted hug.

Once she was done "hugging" Plagg he said, "Alright, alright, that's enough." Then he added under his breath, "I liked it better when it was just me and Tikki."

"I heard that!" Trixx said.

"Darnit!" Plagg said, "Now I can't even mutter?"

"Oh c'mon Plagg, we both know you're happy to see her!" Tikki said.

"No I'm not, now c'mon. Let's see if Mr. moody is here." Plagg said, then quickly all three kwami's went into Nino's backpack.

Honestly, Tikki was kind of surprised their chosen hadn't noticed them, but then again they were with the ones they loved. Tikki shook her head smiling. Master Fu always did choose lovers, Tikki thought remembering her last chosen.

All of a sudden Tikki was tackled by a blue blur, and felt tears, "Tikki!" The peacock kwami said, crying.

Tikki just smiled, "Hi Emo," She said softly, hugging her friend back.

They continued hugging until a certain kitty got jealous.

"Ok, ok, that's enough." Plagg said, grumpily, separating the two kwamis. "First thing's first, how did you get here and what are you doing here?" Plagg asked Emo seriously.

"I see you haven't changed Plagg." Emo said, thoughtfully.

"Never." Plagg said, smirking.

"Well, to answer your questions. I'm Nino's kwami." Emo said, surprisingly he stopped crying.

"You only answered second question." Plagg said.

"Hm? What do you mean?" Emo asked, feigning innocence.

Plagg just sighed, this guy has always been difficult, "Ok, let me make it simple. How. Did. You. Get. Here?" Plagg said, he had little patience for this particular kwami.

"Plagg, I don't think you want to know." Emo replied solemnly.

"Just tell me Emo." Plagg said, already having an idea of who brought him.

Emo sighed defeated, he knew Plagg would never give up, "Viper."

Tikki tensed up at that name, she had not been expecting that.

"And?" Tikki asked.

"Kitty."