Chapter 9: A Cut

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Marinette's POV...

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I was happy that I actually was having fun in class today. I mean, after all it was art class. Mr. Ramier was too nice for his own good. But I wasn't about to complain. It was nearly like a free class.

I was helping Nino with his science project. He had to make Mars and its moons out of paper mâché. And Nino wasn't the best when it came to crafts. So of course I agreed when Nino asked me to meet him the art room after school. I was happy to help. That is before I found none other Adrien Agreste would be tagging along.

See, Nino told Alya I would be helping him with the project in the art room after school, so Alya being Alya obviously took the opportunity to tell Adrien that it was just a "friendly get together" with the four of us. One day I'll kill her, I swear.

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"Hey, children," Alya spoke as she entered the art room. Ironically she was the last one to arrive. "What'd I miss?"

"Not much," Adrien spoke. "Marinette is pretty much doing the project for Nino, at this point."

"Shut it, dude!" Nino yelled, lightly shoving Adrien by the shoulder, making me and Alya laugh.

"Of course she is," Alya spoke as she approached my side, letting her backpack fall to the ground right next to my pink one. "Marinette is too nice to say no to anyone."

I rolled my eyes at her. She wasn't wrong, but why would I admit that? I was a people pleaser.

"Is that so bad, Alya?" Adrien said in a teasing voice. "I love Marinette's kindness. It's what makes her Marinette."

I didn't even have to feel the heat on my cheeks to know it was there. I felt Alya nudge me (really hard by the way, rude) as soon as Adrien and Nino turned their backs of us to look at Nino's project.

"Stop it!" I hissed quietly to Alya. "It was probably nothing."

"Yeah, right. 'Nothing'." Alya rolled her eyes at me, her voice dripping in sarcasm. "All he said was that he loved something about you. No biggie at all."

"Stop!" I hissed nearly milliseconds before Adrien and Nino turned back around, Nino holding the stand of the project with his two hands. Mars was slightly crooked, but otherwise it was mostly pretty good.

"What do you think?" Nino asked. "I think I did pretty good, dudes!"

"You mean Marinette did pretty good." Adrien teased. Nino shushed him dramatically. I stepped forward and straightened Mars.

"There," I took a step back. "Perfect. You're all set, Nino."

"Thanks, dudette!"

I smiled and nodded. I walked over to the table we had been working at before and began to pick up the supplies and leftover bits of paper mâché. But when I went to pick up the scissors, Alya did as well. I reached fore the blades while she went for the part your fingers go through. And when both our hands made contact, she ended up pushing the blades together and accidentally making my pointer finger get cut.

"Ow!" I hissed, quickly recoiling as I wrapped my hand around my left pointer finger. I opened my hand a little to take a peek. Yep, definitely missing a chunk of skin. And definitely bleeding.

"Jesus!" Alya gasped once she saw that the hand wrapped around my finger was covered in red. It reminded me of my Ladybug suit. "I'm so sorry, Marinette! Nino, go grab the Med-Kit from the nurses office!"

Nino nodded and quickly rushed out while Alya fussed over me. Nino returned, out of breath, not even two minutes later. Also empty handed.

"Nino!? Where is the f-" Alya started to yell, obviously in panic mode. I'd be laughing at Nino's face if I was gushing blood right now. Well maybe "gushing" is a bit over the top.

"I couldn't find it!" Nino panted, cutting Alya off. "I couldn't find it!"

Alya groaned in frustration. "Adrien, take Marinette to bathroom to clean the cut while I go with Nino!"

"But I can't go in the girls bathroom!" Adrien stammered, his cheeks turning pink.

"No one is here! They'll never know!" Alya then shushed really loudly with her fingers over her lips. Again, I'd be laughing right now in any other situation. It was like Alya was drunk on panic. Probably worried I'd be at her.

Adrien swallowed and nodded. We all left the art room, then separated as me and Adrien when to the girls bathroom while Nino and Alya went to get the Med-Kit.

I saw Adrien hesitant going into the girls bathroom, like it was the girls locker room instead of an empty bathroom. It was really the same as the boys. Just no urinals. (Ew.)

I held my finger under some cool water. I didn't dare to use soap. It really wasn't that bad after all the blood washed away. I've always known that I'm a big bleeder (I've poked myself one too many times with sewing needles).

I was missing some skin, but it's not like a chunk of my finger came off. I'd pass out if that happened. And probably Alya too, considering how much she's panting over this. Well, to be fair, it was a lot of blood.

I heard Adrien let out a quiet sigh of relief from behind me.

"It doesn't look as bad now," He said, his voice filled with relief. "Thank goodness."

What did that meannnnn???

Did it mean he was worried about me? Did it mean he was just being a supportive friend? All these questions swirling in brain were killing me so badly that I was tempted to just asked him all of them right now.

"Yeah." Was all I said, my voice cracking a little as I did so. How embarrassing!!!!

Alya then came barging in with Nino trailing shortly behind her, panting even more than he had been before.

"She raided the nurses office." Nino panted like he was on the run and four cop cars were on his tail. "We're felons. That place is destroyed."

"Shush! That was not us!" Alya hissed.

"But-" Nino started to speak. Or, pant.

"That. Wasn't. Us." Alya insisted. Nino finally got the hint and just nodded, still gasping for air. How much did he even run?

I was kind of curious how bad the nurses off looked now. But I also felt like if I tried to walk out without letting Alya bandage my cut she'd body slam me to the ground. Who ever let her have the Mountain Dew earlier, just know that I will be coming for you.

Alya wrapped some gauze around my cut (even though a bandaid would've worked just fine) so tight I thought it would cut off my circulation.

"You know, a bandaid would've-"

"Nope." Alya cut me off, acting like my mother. I couldn't help but laugh a little. Then Nino laughed. Then Adrien. Then soon we were all doubled over laughing, and I couldn't even remember why anymore.

After Alya made me assure that I was fine a million times, we all finally started to leave the girls bathroom.

Right as I stepped outside of the bathroom, I felt someone grab my elbow. It was Adrien. Did I just stop breathing?

"Hey, wait up," Adrien said in a more quiet tone. "Are you really okay?"

I felt my mouth go dry and my stomach turned to mush (also my brain). I felt like suddenly all the oxygen disappeared. The way he was looking at me was with so much intensity it was making me lightheaded.

I finally answered with a hoarse, "Yeah."