Crushed

2. Reunited At Last

MARINETTE

He's back.

Adrien is back.

Adrien is back and standing a few feet in front of me and all I can do is stare at him like a third eyeball popped out of his forehead.

My legs are aching from the running I partook in minutes before, but I ignore the burning sensation beginning to move up the side of my back.

Then suddenly I realize how much of a mess I probably look.

My hair is frizzy and sticking out all over the place; my hand absentmindedly drifts to it in attempt to pat the craziness down.

I can feel heat rising in my cheeks in embarrassment to my appearance; I try to break my glance from his but I struggle to do so.

Adrien, on the other hand, looks amazingly put together.

I guess that was the point of his leaving, so it'd make sense.

But it still sucks that he looks like a supermodel while I probably look like a sleep-deprived, drug addict who hasn't straightened her hair in three days.

Before I can stop it, my mouth drops open.

Adrien doesn't look too different, his level of attractiveness raised with age, obviously, but he still wore his signature smirk as he glanced down at me.

It appears he grew a few inches as well.

Shit.

"It's nice to see you again, Marinette." Adrien greets me suddenly, breaking the silence.

I shrink I little in my stance, my heart suddenly deciding it would be a great idea to try and burst out of my chest.

If the height difference between us was wide four years ago, it sure as hell was large now.

I pinch the seam of my sleeve. If Adrien was feeling any sort of flusteredness, or shock, he certainly was doing a great job of not showing it.

I close my gaping mouth, knowing well I'd be made fun of for it later.

"It's nice to see you as well, Adrien." I manage to muster out, the words coming shakier than I had wished for them to.

I mentally scream at myself.

The last thing I need is to start stuttering in front of him.

I quickly pull myself together, straightening up to (somewhat) meet his eyes.

They're brighter than they were before.

Good.

Adrien opens his mouth to speak again, but a shriek emitting from behind me interrupts him, startling both of us.

"Oh. My. Gosh!" Aeon suddenly squeals into my ear, grabbing both my shoulders from behind and pulling my back towards her.

"Holy-! Aeon, what the fuck?" I whisper-shout in an angry tone.

Aeon shoots me an apologetic smile, but quickly forgets about her rude interrruption and squeezes my shoulders tighter.

I watch as her eyes shoot up to Adrien, who's still staring at the both of us in confusion.

"Do you know this guy? Holy, shit, I never knew you had connections with people this hot. Fuck the club, bitch you need to start hooking me up with-"  Aeon rambles in an attempted whisper.