That Day

02 - Adrien and his girlfriend

Adrien was completely unprepared for meeting Marinette that morning. He was still influenced by the dream he had had just before waking up. And the more he tried to forget it, the more memorable it became. He couldn't get rid of that strange feeling in his stomach when he remembered holding Marinette in his arms. It was terrible.

The car was approaching the school inevitably. Adrien felt a squeeze of the stomach, that proved of being stressed. Persuading himself that he had been affected by the dream was pointless. The image of embracing Marinette was like permanent picture in his head and it made him feel weak as if he was about to faint. He called himself to order. He must be a man!

If only he could borrow some Cat Noir's self-confidence now! Or even better – transform to Cat Noir and hide Adrien from Marinette under the mask of the superhero! He wouldn't have to face Marinette!

Wait, wait a moment... Did he just chicken out? Well, what exactly he was afraid of? Marinette? She was still his friend! She had saved him yesterday a few times. He should be grateful for her ideas, because thanks to them he was still alive and not trampled underfoot by his fans!

He took a deep breath to calm down. Think like Cat Noir, think like Cat Noir... he repeated in his mind when the driver slowed down in front of the school. You're a superhero! And Marinette is your friend. Just a friend. A gorgeous friend. No, no, no! Without the last one! Just a friend and that's the end of thinking about her!

So, here they were. It was time to get out of the car.

Adrien took his bag and sighed.

After a while he knew that he shouldn't ask for Cat Noir's features. Because if he counted on any of them, he got the worst one – his bad luck. The first person he met in front of the school was the last one he wanted to meet. Marinette.

She was standing at foot of the stairs and looked as if she hesitated to take the first step. Did she feel the same he did?

"Hey!" he greeted in a whisper, standing just behind her.

She jumped up and turned around. For a moment it was like time stopped, and they gazed on each other.

"H-hi..." she stammered, embarrassed.

"You're wondering whether go there or not, aren't you?" he guessed.

"It will be terrible." She sighed. "Did you check the social media yesterday?"

"Well, I didn't have a chance." He muttered.

"So, you're lucky. Sometimes ignorance is a blessing." She gave him a half-smile.

"But I watched that movie yesterday!" he confessed suddenly, drowning out the strange emotions that her half-smile had woken inside of him. And why he had never seen how incredibly blue her eyes were? No, wait! Come on... Focus, Adrien! She's just a friend!

"Really?" she was happy for him and looked at him with sparkling eyes. "But... how did you manage?"

"Uhm..." he lost the concept. Why she was looking at him like that? Let her stop looking! "It turned out... uhm... my dad still has a DVD in his office. And we watched it together! Can you believe it?!"

"Oh, Adrien! I'm really happy for you!" she said with enthusiasm and to confirm her words she took his hand and squeezed it gently.

"Heeeey people!" someone shouted at the top of the stairs and Adrien turned his fascinated gaze away from Marinette. "Adrien and his girlfriend have come to school!"

"Oh, God..." Marinette whispered in horror, and immediately let go of Adrien's hand. At least she tried to let it go, but Adrien was still holding her hand. Unconsciously, because it would be wiser to pretend that nothing had happened yesterday and there was nothing between them. No, wait. They didn't have to pretend that. There really was nothing between them except friendship!

"Let's go." He said calmly although inside of him there was a cocktail of emotions. "Let's get it over with."

It was terrible.

It was worse than the worst nightmares.

They were walking through the middle of the school courtyard – still holding hands – as if it was a kind of walk of shame. Everyone was staring at them, and both Adrien and Marinette were aware of a huge misunderstanding. It was so terribly unfair! Experience this humiliation resulting from everyone else's attention, having nothing in return – nothing of what was a part of every happy relationship!

"Oh, God... It's just like in those dreams when you're in a public place completely naked and everyone is staring at you..." Marinette muttered, and Adrien closed his eyes. Why did she say such things?! Weren't her pyjamas enough?

"Uhm..." he murmured in response, glad that they managed to reach the opposite end of the courtyard and their walk was over.

"Do you have dreams like that at all?" she asked, unaware of what was happening in his mind.

"No." he whispered, wondering how he got this strange hoarseness in his voice.

"So, you're lucky." She sighed, and he closed his eyes again. It was better for her not to know what kind of dreams he had. Especially the latest one. "I think it depends on self-confidence." She added after a moment.

Right now, he felt completely opposite to what she had said – terribly self-conscious. He even had the feeling that without her he wouldn't manage to stay here, at school, in front of all those people. She gave him support now and she had given it even more yesterday. Especially when she found a hiding place in the fountain or suggested disguises that they could watch the movie. Damn it! He just realised that he had left her in the cinema yesterday and he didn't even apologise for that!

"What happened?" she asked, looking at him with a concern.

"I left you..." he replied before he thought what to answer.

"I don't understand. When did you leave me?"

"Yesterday. In the cinema. And I haven't apologised."

"You were kidnapped by a giant gorilla. How did you imagine apologising to me for that?" she asked with a half-smile. The same half-smile that had already made him uncomfortable today. Definitely this half-smile was too cute...

"But I should call you in the evening."

"You were watching the very important film, and with your dad! You're quite justified here. Besides, I saw you had quite a dangerous fall from a tower block as well." She winked at him. "A lot for one day."

Probably it was the first time she was feeling more comfortable than him. She was easy-going and so charming that Adrien couldn't believe this was his Marinette. No, not his! Just: Marinette!

"Yeah, that fall... I was fortunate that Ladybug caught me at the last moment. She saved my life. I could wind up like..." he hesitated, he almost blurted out 'like a gooey pile of camembert.'

"Like a pancake." She finished for him. "You were lucky that giant gorilla let m... her go just in time."

They looked at each other carefully, as if they both thought about the same – why Gorizilla released Ladybug so that she could save Adrien?