Forced Marriage

Chapter 1: Meeting Him

Marinette watched her tears plop against the white wood that made her dresser. Silently crying, she looked at the mirror in front of her as her eyes glossed over her reflection.

She was to be married next week, to a man she had never met. An arranged marriage planned by her parents, Tom and Sabine. She had come of age, and it was time. She was twenty one years old.

She stared at the reflection of packed boxes and the moving van outside the window. She heard a soft knock against the door, blinking her eyes. "C-come in..." She said softly. A tear running down her cheek.

She saw her mother walk in as she lightly closed the door, walking over to her with a small smile. She grabbed the brush beside her, and began combing her daughter's hair.

Marinette blinked the tears away, seeing her mother smile as she brushed her hair. "Why are you smiling mom?" She asked, considering the fact that she was being forced to marry a stranger next week.

Her mother remained calm, softly running the bristles of the brush through her daughters silky midnight locks of hair. "I've always wanted to see you in a white dress..." Sabine admitted, perking her brow.

"Walking down the isle with a flower girl behind you, holding your fathers arm." She chuckled at her own words, "Just... Not like this." Marinette sighed, "Then why can't you stop it?" She asked, her eyes watery.

"Mom... Why can't you stop it?" She asked again, crying.

Sabine narrowed her eyebrows, "It wasn't my decision. It was a settlement between our two families, it was an agreement- a representation of peace. Of friendship between enemies."

"You were the first great granddaughter since two generations. Marinette, you will make your great grandfather proud." Marinette looked back at the mirror, a frenzy of anger boiling in her veins.

"I couldn't care less about making him proud." She spoke in obstructive, standing up as she took her sketchbook, phone, and headphones. Deciding a walk in the park could sooth her anger.

***

Adrien stared at the ceiling, laying flaccid in his bed. "You do as I tell you." His father had said, "You're nothing to me." His father had told him, "You are to be married next week." His father had demanded. "Now get out!"

Adrien allowed a silent tear to run down his apple crisped cheek. His eyes red and puffy from how much he had cried. He wordlessly walked to the bathroom and washed his tear stained face.

He looked in the mirror, his hands gripping the sides of the sink. Water dripped off his chin and into the drain, as he dried his face with a towel. It was as if his life belonged to his father.

It was as if his actions were controlled by his father. He walked to the window on the side of the room, watching his things that were packed in boxes, new furniture and plants, being brought into a moving van.

He sighed and grabbed his wallet, his keys, and his phone, deciding to go out for a walk. Maybe a simple stroll could calm his mind, sooth his heart.

He walked down the empty halls, his footsteps echoing throughout the mansion. He trudged down the stairs and out the door, practically speed walking out the gate. He just needed to get out of there.

He walked a couple of blocks, getting a couple of glances and gasps as people began to recognize his face that spread across the billboards of Paris. He saw a couple girls stop to get a look at him.

He couldn't care less for all of the attention, in fact, he hated it. He sighed and took out his phone, as he wasn't looking where he was going.

Only a block away, Marinette jogged and counted her steps on her watch. She kept her breath steady as her ponytail swayed back and fourth, a couple of guys getting a good look at the back of her running shorts...

She ignored them and just listened to the music that played through her headphones, turning to the next block. Her playlist had ended so she grabbed her phone to switch her playlist when her head hit something hard.

She was sent back as she fell down, placing her hand on her forehead. She looked up to see what she had hit, or... In this case, it was particularly who, she had hit.

Her lips parted as her eyes glossed over the person, her freckled cheeks blooming with a rosy pink. "S-sorry." He apologized, offering her his hand. She hesitantly took it, the moment their fingers brushed she slightly pulled back.

She squinted her eyes to get a better look at him as she took his hand and allowed him to help her up. His eyes were beautiful, a vibrant emerald green that contrasted the color of his smooth tan skin.

His chest was big and defined, she could see the outline of his collarbone with just one glance. She could tell his arms were muscular with definition even through his loosely clothing.

She recognized his face from somewhere when she suddenly saw the billboard behind him. "That's okay." She said, dusting herself off, "I didn't pay too much attention either." She admitted.

He smiled, offering her his hand once again, "I'm--" she cut him off, "Adrien Agreste. I know." She shook his hand, "Pleasure to meet you. But I should get going." He perked a brow.

He had never met a girl who didn't want to stay longer, or get his number. She didn't even tell him her name, she began to walk off but before she could he grabbed her wrist.

"W-wait! W-what's your name?" He asked as she furrowed a brow, "If I told you... Would you remember?" His lips parted as she had caught him off guard. She smiled, "Marinette. Marinette Dupain-Cheng."

She released her hand from his grip, her lavender scent driving him towards her. He was curious and wanted to know more about her, when he had suddenly realized he was going to be married to a stranger next week.

Who he had never met before.

Marinette kept jogging as she realized she had just spoken to Adrien Agreste. She could cross that off her bucket list, when she remembered that she was forced to marry a stranger next week.

And maybe, Meeting Him... Wasn't going to be as bad as she expected.