Marinette arrived to the first day of school in a good mood.
She was a little nervous (okay, she was very nervous, as in her body was nothing but a bag full of nerves that were screaming anxiously), but incredibly excited and hopeful to see Adrien again. Had he been thinking about her like she had been thinking about him? Was he dying of impatience to see her too? Would he kiss her again?
Probably not. To all three of those questions, but she couldn't help but dream, and it certainly gave her something better to think about other than how miserably cold it was.
Now Christmas was over and it was a new year the whole magic of winter had worn off. It no longer seemed wondrous when the streets glistened with frost or was nice and cosy when it rained heavily outside as Marinette curled under a blanket with a hot chocolate. It was just dull, gloomy, and miserable.
It was so cold Marinette wanted nothing more than to curl back in bed and not come out again until it was spring and everything was pretty and warm again. It made her want to forget all about Adrien in favour of warmth, and that was saying something! January was just plain depressing.
"Morning Marinette!" Alya said cheerfully as she looped an arm through Marinette's. "You're early, New Year's resolution?"
"Something like that," Marinette murmured sleepily. More like it was Tiki's New Year's resolution to ensure Marinette got out of bed on time, and boy, did Tiki put up an excellent fight when she wanted to. "You're chipper," Marinette observed, "why are you so chipper? It's miserable and cold and we have school!" she groaned at that.
"True, its cold," Alya said, "but I've got my lovely warm jumper to keep me toasty. Care to tell me exactly how you got it in my room?"
"I've told you before Alya," Marinette smirked, "Magic."
"Urgh!"
Since Boxing Day, Alya had been determined to find out exactly how Marinette snuck her present into Alya's bedroom. Seeing as Marinette couldn't tell Alya the truth and she couldn't lie simply either because apparently Alya already asked if Marinette had handed it to her parents or sisters to sneak it in (damn Alya for being so thorough!), Marinette had simply played being mysterious.
It was actually quite fun as it wound Alya up to no end.
As soon as they entered the school, Marinette was greeted with thanks and questions on how exactly she got everyone's presents into their rooms. She was able to wave them all off with a sweet smile and a thank you in return for her own presents as she made it to class. Unfortunately the one person she couldn't shake off with a smile and a thank you, was Chloe Bourgeois who stomped up to Marinette's desk with a haughty sniff.
"I suppose I should thank you for the cookies," Chloe said snottily and Marinette was barely able to bite back a snarky retort. She supposes she should thank Marinette? How nice! "They were decent enough being homemade," Chloe sneered and Marinette gritted her teeth. There was nothing wrong with homemade whatsoever. "But I have to know," Chloe carried on oblivious to Marinette's rising temper, "How did you even get that scruffy thing past security?"
"Erm," Marinette said nervously, "I had....one of the maid's take it to your room?"
"Hmm...." Chloe pursued her lips disapprovingly. "I think I will be having words with the hotel staff," she muttered darkly to herself before she stomped right back to her desk with a haughty hair flip.
Marinette had a sinking feeling that she'll be enduring a slew of maid-based Akumas this month....
Goddamnit!
She knew giving Chloe a Christmas present would backfire on her somehow.
"No seriously," Alya said impatiently, "how did you get my present into my room because I certainly don't have maids for you to charm with your sweet, big, baby blues."
