Behind The Mask ~Ladynoir Fanfiction~

Chapter 18

Marinette...

'Face it Marinette - he's not going to come.' 

Night had fallen over Paris and Alya and I stood side by side in front of my parents' bakery, waiting. My eyes watered in the cold chill of the Halloween evening as they stayed fixed on the road, my mind willing Adrien's car to arrive...

It never did.

Clutched tightly in my hand my phone read the time 7:45 - almost an hour since the dance had begun; everything ached inside me.

Alya sighed sadly beside me before taking my hand and guiding me towards the Nino's car. I didn't resist.

Every minute that had passed since 7 o'clock developed the tension; from warm anticipation to slight annoyance to a sudden pain that hurt whenever I drew a breath - because he had ditched me.

Adrien had ditched me completely - not even replying to the many messages I left on his phone or the worried texts I sent. I hadn't heard one word from him since the park, back when I had thought everything was going my way.

I willed myself not to cry as I settled in the back of Nino's car; I looked up to see Alya and Nino exchanging anxious looks. A small measure of guilt mixed in with the anger and deep disappointment that brewed inside me - I was ruining their date.

I sighed to myself in the car as Nino zoomed through the streets of Paris - because of Adrien we were radically late.

Because of Adrien or... because of me?

I shouldn't have got my hopes up that the Adrien Agreste would want to be with me in public - or in private. After all, on the few occasions that we had merely held hands it was where no one could see us.

But I thought I knew Adrien well enough that I could trust him to show up - and here's the abrupt reality:

Adrien ditched me on our first date.

I leaned back my head to stop the tears from escaping and ruining the make up I had on. Why should I even care if I looked good any more anyway? The person I had spent 2 hours of my time getting ready for didn't even show up.

Stop depressing yourself Marinette - for half a semester you've been waiting for this moment; the big Halloween dance. Don't let some boy ruin it for you.

But he's not just some boy - he's Adrien.

'We're here guys!' Nino suddenly said, a grin evident in his voice as the car cruised to a stop. I jerked out of my thoughts and looked out the window only to have my eyes widen at the sight.

The entrance of Le Grand Paris was decorated flamboyantly and elegantly, with black and orange silk circling up large lamps and lanterns, filling the path with a spooky amber glow. Carved pumpkins and paper-mache monsters lined either side of the orange carpeted path that led into the hotel. Golden glows burned in the windows of Le Grand Paris.

Since it was pretty late into the party, the area was deserted.

'Quick Marinette,' Alya whispered as Nino helped me out his car. I thanked him quietly before following Alya's rapid walk into the hotel. We moved as fast as our high heels (and in Nino's case, Egyptian sandals) could let us to the inside the grand building before us.

The inside of Le Grand Paris was decorated in a similar way to the exterior, orange and black covering every surface. But I hastily paced through the hallway, to the large doors at the end of the hallway and led into the dance. I took a step into the hall and felt my mouth drop open.