Quarantine In Prague

Chapter 8: Bad Day

The room fell silent.

Marinette stood, shaking, exposed. The few seconds of pure silence felt like an eternity. Even Adrien stared at her, shocked and frozen as a perfect statue.

No. I coughed. I ruined everything. She wasn't able to hold her tears this time.

I ruined it all. I am sick. I ruined it... I ruined Adrien's stay. He will never forgive me. In the brief moment, she thought she had the plague it self. Overwhelmed, she slid to the ground, her hand still on wall.

The staff looked at her as if she was a bio weapon or something, their eyes twitching slightly.

Blinded by tears, she started sobbing.

Adrien shook the shocked reaction off. No time for panic, I have a friend to help.

He turned to the staff and found them in a similar state of shock.

They are looking at her as if she was a monster. He furiously snapped his fingers, bringing them to their senses and walked between them and Marinette, shielding her from their piercing eyes. The staff members regained a bit of their composure, but their faces betrayed them just a little, still glancing over Adrien's shoulder every now and then.

Adrien clenched his teeth and put hands on his hips, chasing away the mean things that came to his mind from their judging glares.

"She doesn't have it." Adrien said, in English. The staff looked at him as if he was transparent, not really realizing his presence. "She doesn't have the virus."

A man standing at the door, furthest away from Marinette, was the least shocked. He looked Adrien in the eyes.

"How can you know?"

"She is just sick from the cold. She nearly froze today."

The man frowned. "That doesn't really matter. I still need to report it."

"Fine." Adrien nodded. "I will go with you."

"No, you will stay here."

"As you wish. Call the manager here."

"With all my excuses, the manager will not come here any day soon." the staff member shot a glance at Marinette. She was sobbing on the ground, lost in a different world, tears over her whole face. Really, what a poor thing. I can't imagine how she is feeling.

"I will not come where?" a smiling voice said, entering the room with curiosity written in his eyes, hands stuffed deep in the pockets of his expensive suit. The manager...

The staff members, who were moving away from Marinette in slow steps were now stuck against the walls like little spiders, glancing at the manager who happened to be taking a walk through his establishment.

The rich man's smiling eyes were growing more and more confused as he glanced from one to the other. When he saw Marinette, he frowned. "What is going on here?"

Marinette coughed-sobbed. The manager stepped back from the room, finally understanding.

Adrien sighed. "Shall we discuss the terms of the quarantine, then?"

I ruined everything.

Gabriel Agreste will detest me. And you thought you could make it just because he liked your one stupid creation? How could he let such a confused wreck as me get away with ruining his son's stay?