The princess, the cat and the tomato [COMPLETED]

The Plan

    "I left your room, heard what he said to you and got mad... I planned to confront him after he left but then I saw how depressed he was and noticed there was a bit of fear in his eyes... so I watched him through his bedroom window, he sat on his bed, then a guy with his same red hair. probably his dad, walked in, yelled at him and slapped him across the face." Chat explained as he moved his hands around to suit the words.

Marinette had hugged her knees to her chest. "Now I'd feel even worse if I tried to dump him..." She sighed looking at the floor.

Chat regretted telling her, he didn't mind keeping their partnership together in secret...but it was growing harder for them to sneak around behind Nathanael's back. Then he sparked an idea.

"I know this kid Adrian pretty closely, we're practically best friends, what if I asked him to help you with Nathanael?" Chat asked.

"How?" Marinette dropped her legs and tilted her head.

"I'll tell him the plan, he'll tell you tomorrow at school ok?" Chat nodded to her.

"Ok." Marinette smiled. She pecked Chat on the cheek and he leapt out the window, his cheeks the color of raspberries.

                                                                                                ~~~~

"Hey Marinette!" Adrian waved to the bluenette from across the courtyard. She waved goodbye to Alya and jogged over to him.

Adrian flinched, hoping she wouldn't knock him down today like she did yesterday. He stayed in the position, waiting for the impact, but none came. A sharp nail tapped his shoulder. He opened his eyes and saw a very confused Marinette staring at him with curiosity and a small hint of hurt was tinting her blue-belle eyes. Adrian rubbed his shoulder and chuckled a bit. Marinette noticed the gesture and was a little bit hurt.

"So...Chat visited you right?" Marinette wanted to distract her from the painfully obvious reason why Adrian rubbed his shoulder but also didn't want to look like an idiot.

"Y-yeah...he told me about you guys and...Oh! Congratulations on...getting back together!" Adrian chuckled still rubbing his shoulder.

"H-he told you the p-plan right?" Marinette blushed in embarrassment because if he didn't, she would be the definition of idiocy.

"Yeah...," Adrian looked around for Nathanael and grabbed her hand. "Come with me."

He pulled her under the stairs and they sat against the wall, hidden from anyone on the other side but there were students on the steps so they had to whisper.

"Ok, so you ask Nathanael to the park before class starts, smile if he said yes but frown if he says no, so when I come in, I can tell, I'll ask one of our female classmates without a love interest to go to the park with me to help study for the English test next week, hopefully someone will say yes...then, we both bail out after they get to the park, then help the two properly meet each other and then hopefully sparks will fly and they'll develop a crush on each other...or...at least Nathanael will..." Adrian explained. 

"But how can we make sure they actually see and say hello to each other?" Marinette questioned, rubbing her chin as if she were thinking. "Oh! I've got it!" She smiled and her eyes sparkled.

"Here take this." Adrian handed Marinette a earpiece and a small box to clip on a belt.

"Ok, so you don't have to do anything, I'll do the work, you just keep watch for me," Marinette said to Adrian outside of the classroom. "Oh! He's here! Go talk to Nino!"

Nathanael entered the classroom and Marinette gave him a bright smile and a wave. He smiled softly back and raised his hand a little bit. Marinette could tell he was down.

"What's wrong Nath?" Marinette put her hand on his back.

"N-nothing Marinette...I'm ok." He lied staring at the tabletop.

"I know what'll make you feel better! How about we meet in the park after school and hang out! We can throw Frisbees and do hopscotch like little 7 year olds!" Marinette suggested and rubbed his back.

"Ok...that sounds like fun...what time?" Nathanael finally made eye contact.

"How about...," Marinette paused, Adrian didn't tell her the time. "5:30?"

Nathanael smiled and nodded.

Marinette smiled as well and kept her smile on, Alya walked in and gave her a look like she thought she was retarded. Nino walked in and was confused, he sat down and Alya told him something Marinette couldn't hear. Finally, Adrian walked in, locked eyes with her and smiled.

                                                                                                 ~~~~

"Ok so I got Juleka to come to the park and I told her 5:30." Adrian told Marinette after school.

"That's perfect! I asked Nathanael for the same time!" Marinette exclaimed, her eyes sparkled and she giggled afterwards.

"Great minds think alike!" Adrian shrugged smiling. He couldn't fit a cat pun into anything he said really which was disappointing him and lowering his ego.

"Now, we just have to get ready!" Marinette exclaimed nodding to Adrian and ran off with a big smile on her face.