The Line Between Love And Hate

Chapter 22: The Start Of A Beautiful Friendship

~Senior Year Of High School~

Adrien's coming over to my house today. I'm nervous. He's only ever been here in a group setting.

I rush to fix my hair before laying back down on the bed when I hear the front door open. There's a knock on my door and I rush to open the notebook.

"Come in." Adrien walks into my room and I immediately feel my heartbeat quicken.

"You're studying? It's Saturday." He motions to my notebook and I nod. "Don't you know I'm studying for 2?" Oh my god that was so lame.

Adrien flashes me a teasing smile. "You're pregnant?" It's a smile I'm so used to. I've seen it a thousand times. But this is one of the first times where it's directed at me.

The only thing I can think of saying is,"Haha very funny." I say with a sarcastic tone. "I hope you know that you make me do double the work."

"I'm sorry. It's hard for me to comprehend certain things. You don't have to do this." "No it's fine Adrien. I don't mind." He gives me a smile. "And besides if I don't take the notes for you, then Alya will. And she's already doing hers and Nino's. I couldn't add on to it."

"You're a good friend Mari." There's that nickname again. Adrien and I aren't that close, but that nickname makes me feel like we are. We have a little joke that only he can call me that. And everytime he uses it, my heart skips a beat.

"Um are you ready to go? My dad will kill me if I'm late again." I stand up and put on my shoes. "I thought you had agreed to not model for him anymore?" I grab my purse and sling the strap across my body. Adrien holds the door open for me as we walk out.

"It's complicated. You know how it is with him." I nod my head. I don't really know how it is with him. Nino and Alya have told me Adrien feels so much pressure from his father, but I've never heard it from Adrien. We don't really confide in each other about anything.

"I still think you should stand your ground. If you don't feel like doing it don't let him force you. Soon we're gonna be applying for colleges. You'll be out in the real world. You can't let him control you anymore." "You always know what to say."

Adrien smiles and places a kiss on my cheek. Such a small, normal gesture from him, but it means so much to me. My heart always skips a beat whenever I get to feel his lips on my skin for that split second. I wish with every fiber of my bones that he'd see me as more than a friend. But with us that's just not the case.

Oh my god I'm so down bad for this guy.

~~

I'm making small talk with the photographer as Adrien gets changed into his outfit. I spot Gabriel from across the room. The only times I've talked to him are when we all get together to hang out at Adrien's house. I get along with both of his parents.

His dad and I talk about designs and his mom and I love to gossip. As weird as it sounds, I'm closer to his parents than I am to him. Gabriel sees me and he approaches me with a smile.

Pause! I know what you're thinking. Gabriel smiling? NO WAY!

But this was before everything happened with Emilie. Everything was so much easier then. Everyone was so much happier.

"Marinette? I wasn't expecting to see you here." "I needed her here for moral support." Adrien walks over to my side and places his hand on my waist. Another small gesture, but very meaningful.

"What he means is Nino was busy so he settled for me." Adrien squeezes my waist. It tickles and I fight to squirm away. What I said was a joke, but it was partially true. Adrien and I were close but not in a way that would make me his first choice to do anything with. I wasn't even his second choice. That spot fell to Alya. Adrien and I weren't even close enough for us to hang out alone.

Not yet at least.

Gabriel nods and turns to the photographer. "Let's get started." Adrien turns to me with a nervous smile. "I haven't done this in a while." "You'll be fine Adrien. You got this. You always do." He smiles down at me.

He smiles and kisses my cheek for the second time that day. "See? You always know what to say. I knew you were the right choice." "Alya and Nino had a date. I was your only choice." He laughs and says, "That's not true." Before getting to his mark. But it was true. We both know it.

I can remember everything from that day so clearly. That day made a huge impact on all of our lives.

The room lights up and I immediately know that Emilie has just walked in. She had that magic in her. She could light up a room just by being in it. She had this radiant, carefree energy to her. Much like Adrien. They share many similarities. The hair, their eyes, their smile, their laugh.

Our eyes meet and I wave at her. She was wearing a white suit with her hair pulled to the side. She looked beautiful.

She plasters a big smile on her face as she walks over to me. "Marinette! You look gorgeous. How long has it been?" I laugh as she pulls me into a hug. "2 days." She came into the bakery and bought everything just so I can have the day off to go shopping with her.

Even though Adrien and I aren't that close, I somehow still managed to be Emilie's favorite out of the group.

"2 days is too long. We have to get together! Tonight! We can have snacks, watch movies, you can talk to me about the boys your interested in, I'll complain to you about Gabriel. It'll be our girls day. How does that sound hun?"

She made sure to never look or talk down to anyone. She had this way of making everyone feel important. She was not only a great mother for Adrien, she was a great person for me to confide in. I would talk for hours to Emilie about the boy problems I had. But never in a million years would I tell her that that boy I would cry about to her was her son.

She already wants us together so bad. Adrien told me she once said, "Marinettes the love of your life. I know it. You just haven't realized it yet."

A part of me hoped she was right, but the other part, the much bigger part knew how far from the truth that was. All we had was friendship, and that's all we would ever have.

"I'd love that Emilie." She claps her hands together. "Great! I'll get everything prepared right away!" She walks away with a skip in her step.

It never occurred to me that that would be the last time I would see her.

~~

~Adrien~
So much happened from the photo shoot to the next day. So much. And each detail is engraved in my memory.

One moment, Mari was happily talking to my mom, the next... My heart stopped when I heard her scream.

I looked at Mari and she looked at me. Both of our eyes were filled with fear. We both ran outside to see what had happened. I broke out into tears when I saw her ring sitting on the floor.

The ring meant the world to her. It fit hers a little loose, but she made sure that it never fell off. She would never leave it behind. Never.

My father was freaking out. He didn't let it show, but I know he was. He picked up the ring and put it in his pocket before he got into the car, gave the driver directions, and took off. Without saying a word to me.

I remember Mari pulling me into a hug. "It's okay Adrien. Maybe she just didn't realize it came off." "No. She never takes it off. She never lets it fall off." I told her. But Mari knew that already. She was close to my mom. She knew how much everything meant to her.

"We'll find her. Okay? I promise." She let her hand flow into my hair.

I found myself relaxing as much as anyone would be able to relax in that moment. But it wasn't her words that calmed me down. It was her presence. Just her being there, holding me in her arms, brought me all the comfort I needed.

From that point on Mari and I were inseparable.