Marichat- We're Just Friends

Chapter 8- What would Taylor do?

"Mari and I are gonna head to her place for lunch," Alya said, linking arms with Marinette and smiling at the boys.
"Oh, okay," Adrien said, slightly disappointed that they wouldn't be eating as a group again. He turned to look at Nino, "do you wanna get lunch together?"
Nino looked at Alya and raised an eyebrow, normally, the two of them ate lunch together on Fridays but assumed that there was a reason that she wanted some girl time with her BFF. "Yeah, sure dude, but you're paying."
"Naturally," Adrien said laughing. Alya started to walk away, dragging Marinette with her as they were still linked at the arm.
"Okay spill," Alya said as she pulled them out the front doors of the school.
"Spill what?" Marinette said, confused.
"Who the hell were you texting?" Alya said. "You kept smiling at your phone and you were on it almost the whole class."
"Oh right," Marinette said, racking her brain for a reasonable lie. "Well you can't get mad but I had forgotten to ask my mom if we could hang out tonight so I was asking for permission but you know how she is- she's a super slow texter so it took forever."
"Hmm... and the smile?" Alya asked.
"I'm a happy person?" Marinette said though it sounded more like a question coming out of her mouth.
"Fine, I believe you," Alya said as they approached the bakery, it really wasn't a long walk and Marinette couldn't fully understand why Chat felt the need to take her this morning, it wasn't like it was unsafe for her to walk, she had been doing it every school day since she was nine years old. She checked her phone to see that Chat had texted her an invitation to lunch today. She quickly sent him a text explaining that she couldn't because she was going to have lunch with a friend but that she would see him tonight.
They opened the door and the little bell on the inside rang, alerting the people inside of the visitors. There were only a few people in the bakery, Tom who was at the counter, one customer eating at the table in the corner, and another at the counter talking to Tom about the scones on display.
"Hello, girls!" Tom said waving to the pair, "Sabi is in the back if you want to go say hi."
"We will," Mari said, walking past her father with Alya on her heels, waving to the customer at the counter, who she now recognized as Mr. Basset, a regular at the bakery. They went to the back where, as Tom said, Sabine was filling a pan of pastries with raspberry cream.
"Hello, girls!" Sabine said, "There is some fresh bread if you want to make sandwiches."
"Thanks, mama," Marinette said, grabbing the loaf and cutting some for her and Alya.
"Alya, how is your mother?" Sabine asked.
"She's good," Alya said, "She wanted me to tell you thank you for the macarons from the other day. They were delicious."
"Of course!" Sabine said. "And how are you? How is your blog doing?"
"Oh it's going well Ms. Dupen-Cheng," Alya said. "I got some great footage sent in from the fight the other day."
"Alya please, it's Sabine to you." Sabine said smiling warmly at her, "and I'm glad to hear you got some footage without being at the fight. If you keep running into danger one of these days you're going to get hurt."
Alya laughed, "Maybe but I have full confidence in Ladybug, besides I need to keep my fans up to date, a journalist's job is never done."
"I guess that's true," Sabine said, sighing, "just be careful."
"I will," Alya said smiling.
"Lunch is served," Marinette said, handing Alya a sandwich. "Mama we are gonna head up to my room if that's okay?"
"Of course, just be sure to go back to school on time."
"Thanks, Mama," Marinette said as Alya led the way to Mari's room.
"For this afternoon what's the plan?" Marinette asked as they both sat down on the floor.
"Okay, so ice cream after school, and then we can go to the park and hang out and talk, and then... what time do you need to be home by?"
"Probably about 6:00."
"Okay well, then that's probably all we'll have time for, did you understand the pre-cal lesson today?"  Alya asked, taking a bite out of her sandwich.
"Not even a little bit." Marinette responded, shaking her head, "at this rate, I'm going to fail the test."
"Honestly, me too, but you know what?" Alya asked.
"What?"
"I know someone who did understand the lesson," Alya said, waggling her eyebrows.
"You have a problem."
"Oh, come on, is it so bad that I want to go on double dates with my best friend and my boyfriend's best friend?"
"You are more obsessed with Adrien and I's relationship more than I am, and I have a laminated copy of his schedule." Marinette teased.
"It's laminated now?"
Marinette rolled her eyes, "don't act so surprised."
"I'm not surprised!" Alya said. "I'm disappointed, but I am not surprised. But I think that this weekend could be the perfect time to tell him! I mean come on, think how cute it would be if you two did matching costumes!"
"Are you trying to sabotage the competition?" Marinette asked suspiciously. Alya's eyes went wide.
"What no! Of course not!"
"Oh my god, you are!"
"Okay fine, but it's for your own good!" Alya said, "my favor from Adrien would be for him to ask you out."
"Oh hell no!" Marinette said, glaring at her, "if I'm going to go on a date with him, I want it to be because he likes me and not because you forced him!"
"Fine, I won't!" Alya said, sulking, "I just want you to be happy."
Marinette's face softened, and she smiled at her best friend. Alya may be kind of crazy, but she did always want the best for Marinette. "I am happy," Marinette assured her, "and even if I wasn't, getting a boyfriend isn't going to change that. Don't you always say that happiness comes from the inside?"
Alya sighed dramatically, "it's just that... you seem so stressed all the time, and you deserve this! You deserve to have someone love you!"
"You love me." Marinette pointed out, "otherwise, you wouldn't be here throwing a tantrum because my crush doesn't like me back."
"It's not a tantrum, and you know what I mean."
"I do. Who knows? Maybe it's time for me to move on. I mean if he hasn't figured it out by now, the chances of him ever figuring it out are slim to none."
"Yeah, he's one of my closest friends but God , that boy is dense."
"Period," Marinette said and they both burst into a fit of giggles.
"Okay, hold on, I have an idea!" Alya said, her eyes lighting up.
"That's never a good sign."
Alya glared playfully at Marinette. "Do you want to hear it or not?"
"Do I have a choice?" Marinette asked.
"Nope. Don't know why I acted as if you did." Alya said, "anyways if I have learned anything from Taylor Swift-"
"Not where I thought that was going but okay," Marinette said giggling.
"Will you stop interrupting me?!" Alya said, shoving Marinette.
"Sorry! Continue."
"Thank you. If I have learned anything from Taylor Swift it is that the best way to get over a boy is to 1 shit talk him, and 2 replace him."
"Replace him?" Marinette asked, confused.
"Babe, you need a rebound."
"Do I?" Marinette said, rolling her eyes, she loved Alya but her best friend tended to see their lives like a TV show with dramatic ups and downs. (A/N: I'm sorry I think I'm funny)
"Yes! And I think I have an idea of how to find you one."
"Oh? Do tell." Marinette said leaning forward, while she thought Alya was being dramatic, the idea itself wasn't terrible. She did need to move on and having someone new to obsess over might be nice.
"Well we have a party to prepare for, I think we could probably manage to find someone for you there." Alya said, pausing for a moment to think, "though that does change the goal of your costume."
"What do you mean?" Marinette asked.
"You need to look hot."