La Magie est Perdue à Minuit

Part Two, Chapter Four

  "Wait! Marinette!" 

Marinette spun around to look up in Adrien's grass green eyes coming towards her as he ran in her direction. Does he know? "Y-yes?"

Adrien scratched the back of his neck, looking at the ground. He felt his face grow hot for no reason as he answered her. "Uh, I guess... there's this girl I'm looking for. If you see her, make sure to tell me, okay?" And with that, he turned away, leaving her alone

Marinette's heart sank. Alya came up behind her and placed her hand on her shoulder. "Girl, did he really just blow you off like that?!" I am not good with that boy treating you like - something that was thrown in the trash and crushed over and over again!" She tried to run after him, but Marinette held her back.

"Alya, it's alright. He's not my type anyway. The dance was just a one-time thing. I'm not his 'princess'."

Adrien adjusted the collar of his black button-down and straightened his lime green and black tie. He rolled down the window of the limo, listening to the loud beats of the music playing inside the Bourgeois' place. Large spotlights flashed around the place, lighting up the night and a huge yellow and pink banner over the porch that said Happy Birthday Chloe. The whole scene was overkill. His best bud Nino opened the car door, allowing him to get out of the car. Adrien stubbornly remained in the limo. "Hey bro, are you gonna get out? The party's just starting. The whole school must be here! Plus I was going to hit the DJ booth!"

Adrien sighed, staring off into space. "I was just thinking... if the whole school is here, does that mean she might be here?"

Nino facepalmed. "Yes. She most likely is here, just like everybody else. C'mon. Let's just go in!"

The two boys entered the crowded building. Hundreds of people were dancing, eating, talking over the music. Suddenly, Chloe Bourgeois ran over to Adrien and wrapped her fake-tanned arms around his neck, trying to kiss his cheek. "AAAADRIIIIKINNNS!!!"

Adrien repulsively pushed Chloe off of him, as he scanned the heated room packed full of people. Odd enough, it seemed that everyone was forming a circle around Chloe, possibly avoiding her. As he was trying to think about who his princess might be, a short girl crashed into him, spilling the crab cakes she was balancing on a plate all over his neat shirt.

He looked down to see Marinette, serving food to guests. She was tomato red and apologizing to him, stuttering as she used her hand to try and hastily wipe it off. "Adrien! I-I'm sorry. I wasn't paying attention, again, this must be a nice shirt a-and I just ruined it! I am so sorry. Here, I'll try and clean it off or something..."

But all Adrien did was smile and put his hand on hers, motioning to stop trying to clean it up. "Hey, don't worry about it. There's probably something in the laundry room that will get it off. Do you mind showing me where it is?"

Something about his smile made Marinette relax and stop attempting to clean it up. "Okay, I'll find something in the laundry room." And she left the crowded party scene to go to the laundry room, Adrien right on her heels. Marinette's face was burning up as she remembered the dance from forever ago. Pushing it to the back of her mind, she remembered her job as "maid" (Chloe's words) and how the guests come first. She trudged upstairs and up her ladder, expecting Adrien to wait down at the nice Bourgeois' section of the house.

On the contrary, the blonde-haired model climbed up the ladder, dirt and all. He didn't seem to mind the lack of expensive decor, and admired the extensive interior design Marinette did in her almost nonexistent free time. Marinette heard footsteps and quickly wheeled around to see Adrien looking around an alcove that contained her bookshelf and a French chaise couch. "Here, just sit... on the couch. I'll be there in a second with something for your shirt." Adrien obediently sat on the couch.

He noticed a drawer in the side table next to him was slightly open. Adrien leaned over to close it, but something was stuck in the opening. Curiously wondering what it could be, he pried it open just a bit to peek inside. 

Adrien's eyes widened as he pulled out something leather and black. Both of his gloves, from the Winter Formal as Chat Noir. How could she have gotten these? Unless... No.