Marinette could barely sleep when she got back home, but when she did she dreamt of Chat Noir. The next day she woke up in a pleasant sunbeam, and couldn't help feel a little "Chat-like" herself, arching her back with a satisfying stretch. The had the rest of the day to relax at home and recharge for the week ahead. Her parents even closed the bakery early and they just spent a lazy day together as a family. Marinette hadn't realized that the older and more independent she became, the harder it was on her parents sometimes. It was nice to feel that closeness that she had always treasured between them. But as wonderful and relaxing as Sunday was...all too soon it was followed by Monday morning.
It was the first day back at school since the bizarre attack, and also the first time she had to face Adrien again after everything that had happened between them.
"Hey dude!" Nino glanced back at Marinette who was tapping her pencil against the desk nervously. "You okay?!"
Startled out of her own thoughts, Nino's query made her snap her pencil in half, and the eraser half flew across the floor.
"Uhh you seem a little on edge..ARE you okay?" Nino leaned over the back of his chair concerned.
"Nah..nope...nothing at all...Hows it with you...how are you doing?" Marinette reshuffled her books and tablet distractedly, and acted like she was trying to hide behind them.
""Uh...good..." Nino adjusted his red cap confused. He figured whatever it was, Alya would surely get to the bottom of it. Although Nino suspected her actions somehow connected to...
"Andrikenz!" they heard an obnoxiously perky voice sing out from the hallway. It was altogether much too energetic for first block at the start of a week!
"Chloe," Nino heard Marinette mutter under her breath. "Chloe is the Monday of my life!"
Nino couldn't help stifle a snicker.
"Adrien wait up! You forgot your textbook in the car!" Chloe apparently caught up to Adrien at the doorway of the class. "What would you do without me?!" she flipped her ponytail, and gave him a wink, before sauntering in to her seat.
Adrien's eager green eyes instantly locked onto Marinette's. "Hi Mari!" Adrien greeted which a touch of nervous excitement.
"Oh hi Adrien,"'Marinette returned lamely as if she hadn't been trying to figure out how to bring herself to face him all morning.
Adrien practically bounced into his seat in front of her, and spun around on his seat, so that his elbows rested on the desk in front of Marinette.
"Uh...Adrien...do you...could we...maybe after...?!" Marinette whispered urgently, internally cursing the returning stutter she just couldn't shake.
"Sure!" Adrien beamed happily at her. Then leaned in closer with a whisper. "Want to after Chemistry, or...do you want me right now?"
Marinette wasn't quite sure if Adrien meant some casually implied innuendo or not...but wether intentional or not, it immediately flustered her, and she barely managed to squeak, "naw, nope...laters good...to talk, to talk later!"
Adrien smiled innocently at her, and popped back down into his chair, as their teacher arrived and started roll call. Halfway through the names, Alya skidded into class, plunking herself next to Marinette.
"Usually, I'm the one coming in late!" Marinette whispered.
"Ladybug update!" was all the explanation her best friend provided, flashing a photo of Chat Noir and Ladybug on the streets of Mexico City under her nose.
"Ms Cesare!" warned their teacher, "this isn't the first time I've had to warn you about having your phone out in class!"
"Sorry miss," Alya quickly tucked her phone into her pocket, and got out a notebook, and pen.
No sooner had the teacher's back turned, had Alya passed a note scribbled over to Marinette: A heart with M and A.
Marinette pushed it back to Alya, who looked concerned from Marinette to the back of Adrien's head. Then Alya scribbled again, and shot the notebook toward Marinette.
All it said was: You and Adrien? The date?
Marinette shook her head, and wrote in tiny letters, "triple chocolate cookies tonight" with a stick figure (who vaguely resembled Alya) eating a cookie.
"Come on girl! You're seriously not going to tell me till after school!" Alya hissed under her breath towards her bff.
Marinette wordlessly took her pencil and violently scribbled out the picture of the stick figure (Alya) getting a cookie.
"Fine! Fine!" Alya recanted, receiving a warning glance from the teacher again, that made her actually start copying out the chemical formula on the board.
Marinette on the other hand might as well have skipped the whole lesson and slept in. On this particular day Formulas, chemicals, and equations went in one ear and out the other.
As class ended,and the other students filed out of the room, Adrien lost no time in plunking himself into the empty chair next to Marinette, but his perky smile turned to concerned surprise when tears started brimming in his love's eyes.
"Adrien..."Marinette bit her lip, which quivered with nervousness. "...About Friday...I...I...I'm so sorry! I guess I kindda thought the tickets were for a touristy boat tour...I didn't realize you had put together...well...everything! I don't know if you can ever forgive me...or what I could do to make it up to you?!" she rambled emotionally, wracked with the guilt of the happiness she had felt with Chat. After all these years it felt like she had betrayed Adrien.
"Mari!" Adrien took up both her hands, squeezing them encouraging. "Don't be upset! I told you they were meant for you! After all the times Ladybug has saved my life, I'm glad the tickets went to her," Adrien grinned, "She...ah..seemed to enjoy her night!"
"Wha...I mean...How did you..." Marinette went straight to panic-mode.
"I saw the picture of her kissing Chat Noir on the Ladyblog," Adrien shrugged, watching Marinette squirm with a touch of Chat-like glee. "I guess Chat Noir is taken now! I've always had quite the crush on Ladybug!"
"I...I...you have...you do...I um...that is...I still wanted to make it up to you. I um...got you these," Marinette dug in her pale pink backpack, and pulled out a bent envelope, attached to a box of croissants.
"You really didn't have to!" Adrien assured her, peaking into the box. Overwhelmed by the mouth watering aroma released from the freshly baked pastry, he couldn't help but bite into a buttery corner. "Ummmhh!" he moaned sinfully as his teeth sunk into the croissant, making Marinette blush. "Have I told you how amazing you are recently!" Adrien said enthusiastically polishing off the first few bites, and taking another.
"Maybe I should've just got you a second box of croissants instead of the tickets!" Marinette commented, relieved to see Adrien enjoying them.
"Tickets?" Adrien asked, and Marinette nodded to to envelope still attached to the box.
"Two train tickets?!" Adrien asked in surprise, and glancing up confused to Marinette.
"For you to take a friend...maybe Nino...or that girl you work with... for a weekend to Nice! My Nona got talked into a timeshare at a hotel there, that she let me borrow! You deserve a getaway and some fun...You deserve so much Adrien...I hope you like it!" Marinette rushed breathlessly.
"You!" Adrien said staring lovingly at her.
"Uh..um...me what?" Marinette twisted one of her pony tails nervously.
"I want to take you," Adrien said as if it should be painfully obvious.
"Me?! But...I'm not...I...couldn't..." Marinette got her finger caught up in a tangle in her ponytail, and frantically started pulling.
"We are still friends aren't we?" Adrien leaned in closer. "You said I could take a 'friend,' and I want to take you!"
"Of course we're still friends!" Marinette said quickly. "But it doesn't seem fair to you...you know...if you're getting your hopes up that you and me..."
"Mari!" Adrien said jovially, bringing her into a tight side-hug, "I just want to spend a super awesome weekend with one of my very best friends..."
Sensing Marinette's resisting hesitance, and noticing Alya and Nino poking their heads back into the classroom (no doubt curious what was taking Adrien and Marinette so long), Adrien quickly added, "heck! We should all go! Nino, Alya, me...and you! That would be fun wouldn't it?!"
"What's This now?!" Nino asked bewildered at suddenly hearing his name attached to unknown plans. Whatever the venue though he was always up for some fun times with his best buds!
"Im trying to convince Mari to come to Nice this weekend! You guys in?!" Adrien called.
"That sounds amazing, as long as you two didn't...want to be alone!" Alya shot a indiscreet wink to Marinette.
"No, its not like that..psh...that we want to be alone...together...on our own...I'm not even sure I am going anyway..." Marinette sputtered.
"Come on Marinette! You've got to come! It will be so totally awesome They have a rad beach scene!" Nino cheered, followed by this girlfriend who was suddenly furiously typing away on her phone.
"What did you say your train departure number was?" Alya asked without looking up from her screen.
Adrien held up the tickets for her to see.
"Got it!" Alya declared triumphantly.
"Got what?!" Marinette stood stunned.
"Tickets!" Alya held up her phone, displaying her confirmation number for the trip. "Well Marinette! You're not going to make poor Adrien have to be a third wheel are you!" Alya nudged her best friend encouragingly.
"I guess...not..." Marinette hesitated.
"This will be the best trip ever!" Cheered Adrien, who excitedly pecked Marinette on the cheek, and grabbed Nino out the door to start making plans before Marinette could change her mind.
Marinette just stood frozen in place, with her mouth gaping, and Alya eyeing her smugly.
"How oh how I get myself in deeper than ever?!" Marrinette muttered miserably.