Strike At Midnight || Luka Couffaine

Chapter 3 ❧ Baking Buddies

"I'm definitely going to make you try some after we're done. And no worries- just follow my instructions. You'll find it easy!" She assures and takes me into the kitchen.

She hands me a pair of mittens and gestures to some trays. "Place those in the oven please."

I put on the mittens. "So where's everyone else?"

She make a frustrated noise. "Everyone's so busy lately. No one was free to lend help today so, I'm really glad you're here- can you sort those boxes after you're done?"

I carefully insert the trays into the oven one at a time. "Really? Not even Alya?"

"Nope, she's on a date with Nino," she answers. If Nino's with Alya, I wonder what Adrien wanted to sneak out for that he couldn't even ask for Mr Agreste's permission. It's the little things I wish he'd tell me.

"It's pretty weird isn't it? That you don't see your best friend as much as you used to because of a boy..."

"Alya? I can't be too selfish since Nino is a nice guy. I wouldn't want anyone else for my best friend," Marinette says, but it seemed rather lonely. "Well, sometimes you're right. We don't hang out as much as we used to."

A saddening silence appears in between us. I look up with a start, mentally slapping myself. What am I doing? Am I trying to get people akumatized?

"But that's okay!" I exclaim unexpectedly. "You and me both. I feel the same way when Rose and Juleka started dating."

"Third-wheelers, am I right?" Marinette says, giggling. I laugh genuinely for the first time in a while.

We continued baking macaron- her actually baking and me helping with anything else. I realised making macarons is extremely tedious that a single mistake could change a macaron for the worst. However, Marinette has a flair for baking despite assuming she was gravely clumsy. By the time we finished, we made a complete mess of the kitchen but had successfully baked 500 perfect macarons- all packed and ready to be delivered.

"Pound it!" Marinette says instinctively, holding out her fist. She freezes, realising what she said. "Oh, I- uh-"

"Pound it!" I repeat jovially. Bumping my fist with hers. "No pun intended."

To be honest, I initially didn't like Marinette since I could tell from the get-go she harbours a huge crush for the same boy I liked since I was a child. But I realised she was good-natured and honest. She wears her heart on her sleeve. They're qualities I absolutely adore.

"Oh yeah! As my gift to you for your help today. I couldn't have completed this order without you." She gives me a thinner and narrower box from the ones we packed the macarons in. I open it curiously and see a neat row of pale green macarons.

"This is too much!" I say.

"Really though. I want you to have them."

I close the lid and give her a grateful smile. "Thanks."

"No, thank you."

It's sunset by the time I left the bakery. There is a spring in my step as I made my way home. I feel as light as cloud and overly happy for such a little thing.

I thought nothing could soil my good mood, but the world seemed keen to prove me wrong.

My phone rings. I have no choice but to pick it up. "Selene, here."

"Mr Agreste is calling for you. You have an assignment for tomorrow," Nathalie's ominous tone sows fear into my heart.

•●•●•●•●•

I take a deep breath to settle my nerves. It's okay Selene. It's just one job and you can return it back the deep, dark drawer you kept it in. Do this one assignment right and you won't have to use it anymore.

I promised myself that I'd never touch the bat miraculous ever again. It's his fault that I lost my dad. His fault that my mom went missing. For all I knew she's already dead. She never returned for me. That miraculous ruined my life.

I'm back at the mansion- in my room. I stare at the bottom drawer of my wardrobe, mentally preparing myself for a trivial matter.

"Okay," I whisper to myself. I climb down my bed and pull out the drawer. I push away all the junk before fishing out a single box in the shape of a hexagon. I wipe away the dust on its lid before finally opening the damn thing. An orb of light emerges. It circles around me before it takes the shape of a small bat the colour of red velvet.

Its dark voice rattles my insides. "Well if it isn't the little princess. You've grown a little taller from the midget I've last seen you." He didn't spare greetings and went straight for the kill.

I say nothing, refusing to take his bait.

"What's the matter? Getting sick and tired of me already? Why don't you shove me back into a dark drawer. Let me rot like how you've been wasting away all these years. "

"Silence," I say. I tie the ribbon around my collar. It light pulsates as if it has its own heartbeat. "You will obey and respect your holder."

He scoffs, infuriating me. "Don't act so tough. You know deep down, you're just the scared little girl that blames the world for her troubles-"

"I said that's enough!" I command. He shuts his mouth, grimacing as he did. His yellow eyes gleam darkly. "Spare me your stupidity. I have other matters to focus on."