Chemistry & Timing: A Miraculous Moment

Turning Points (16)

Adrien POV:

"I'm gonna do it," I sit at my desk chair, writing a rough draft of what I'm gonna say later, while I'm on the phone with Nino, "I'm gonna ask her out."

"It's about time, bro," Nino's voice comes in through the speaker, "I made a bet with Alya and Tikki that it was gonna be another month before you finally got up the courage."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence," I roll my eyes.

"I agree with him," Plagg chimes in, "You two have been flirting with each other so much that it's irritating."

"And that is why I keep putting you on mute whenever she's around. Don't need you blurting it out like you tried to before."

"So when are you gonna do it? What are you gonna say to her?" Nino asks.

I write out another line on my paper and respond, "How about this: 'Mari, I really like you and I hope you really like me too. If that's the case, then I was wondering if you'd like to go to the lecture on space-time cosmology being given by Dr. Randall Norton with me at NYU this weekend?' How was that?"

Several moments of silence hang in the air before Plagg chirps out, "Help me, Nino. I can't smack him upside the head."

I drop my head to the table, "Ugh, was it that bad?"

"Dude, you don't ask a girl out on a date to a physics lecture," Nino says, "You go to a movie or dinner or something else. Not everyone thinks science is romantic like you."

"I don't think science is romant–," I take a breath, refocusing on the topic, "Okay, fine. I get it. What do you suggest then?"

"Ask her to a movie. I'm sure she'd like that," Nino suggests.

"Maybe, but we've seen movies at her house too. What if she doesn't think of it as a date?"

"You're overthinking it, bro. Just ask her and lay the moves on the date."

Bewildered by his suggestive tone, I ask, "Moves? What moves?"

"You know, the Adrien Agreste charm. I'm sure you've used it plenty with how many girls that are tripping over themselves to get with you. Just do what you would do on any other date."

When I don't respond after several moments, he follows up, "You have been on dates, right?"

I only half hear his question as I think over what kind of charm he's talking about, but I can't for the life of me think of what he means. Most of the time, girls just flaunt themselves in front of me, desperate for my attention. Most of them are fans who love my work, but the rest are other models I work with. I've never really flirted with any of them, but they've flirted with me plenty. I've had girls (and a few guys) make passes at me like asking me on dates or just grabbing my ass (gross). Except I've never acted on any of their offers.

The only person I've ever dated was Kagami and that felt more like a business deal than a relationship. When we were fourteen, our parents had us go on several dates to increase publicity over her mother's company and spike interest in my father's brand. Any gossip magazine press was good enough press for them. Eventually, Kagami and I found a bit of common ground to make our time together enjoyable. We both had overachieving parents, almost zero friends, and we could actually talk to each other about our problems and actually feel like someone understands us. It was nice, but it wasn't love. At least not for me.

"Not for a while, I mean," I tap my pencil as I try to remember how I was when I dated Kagami, "I don't know what 'charm' you're talking about, or moves."

"What do you mean 'a while'? How long has it been?"

"Two years, give or take?"

"WHAT?!?" Nino screams out the speaker, making me wince, "How the hell has THE Adrien Agreste, teen heartthrob to girls all around the world, not had a date in two years? That's just not possible."