"Alya!" I quickly walked to catch up whilst shoving one of my textbooks into my bag.
"There you are Marinette! I feel like you've been M.I.A. All week." She said it in a joking tone, but I couldn't help the wave of guilt that flooded over me. I hadn't seen much of anyone this week, with all that had been happening.
"I know, and I'm sorry. I've just been so busy with detention-"
"Ah, yes." Alya had a huge smirk on her face. "You know who's seemed to miss your attendance in class? Besides me, of course."
We began our trek up the school steps, "Don't tell me Mrs. Medeleiev is already wanting my company back." I managed to roll my eyes.
Alya laughed but shook her head, "Luka won't stop asking about you. Wants to know how you're holding up."
How was I holding up? Between all the bruises and painfully sore muscles, it was a miracle I had shown up to school at all today.
"Well, tell him I'm just peachy. I'm living the high life over in the library."
Now it was my turn to pry, "but enough about me... I heard a certain someone has had eyes for you. Wears headphones and glasses?"
As we turned into our first period, her head snapped towards me. She leaned in and whispered, "Nino? He's interested in me?" Almost reluctantly, a smile covered Alya's features.
"With your reaction, I'd say it goes both ways." I smirked and sat at my desk.
She playfully smacked me with her textbook and sat next to me.
Mrs. Bustier walked around the classroom and handed out paperwork before making her way to the front of the room.
"Today you will be assigned partners for a project. You will present it in three weeks, and it will count as twenty percent of your grade. Make sure you do well on this." The whole class seemed to sink back into their seats simultaneously.
As if I didn't have enough on my plate already.
She started naming off pairs, and Alya leaned towards me. "We could always bribe our partners to switch and let us work together?"
Just as she finished her sentence, Mrs. Bustier finished the pairing: "Alya with Nino, and Marinette... with Adrien."
Alya tried to maintain a neutral expression, but I saw a faint smile when she turned to me.
"About what I said about switching partners..."
I waved her off, "Go, Alya. Save me details for later!" She gave me a last grateful glance before speed-walking over to Nino.
That means I was stuck with-
"This seat taken?" Adrien didn't wait for a response as he put his stuff down next to me.
The room was erupted in chatter. Everyone was frantically making a game plan and starting rough drafts for the project, but I couldn't think of one word to say to Adrien.
How could I explain my injuries if he noticed I was weaker? We were supposed to investigate Chloe tonight at the Musée de Louvre, one of the most famous and heavily secured museums in Paris, France.
What if I can't keep up because I'm hindered? I put makeup on to cover up a slight bruise on my cheek from where the man with the razor teeth had gripped me. A shiver ran down my spine as his features came into view once more.
"Our project has to incorporate something important with the history of France and it's presence in current events." Adrien was reading the directions, but I was only half listening.
At the table in front of us, Luka was partnered with the one and only Chloe. She was focused on a small portable mirror and fixing her hair. Luka turned around and decided to move closer to our table.
"So, Marinette, have any plans tonight?" At this, Chloe did seem to perk up.
I was contemplating what to say when Adrien beat me to the chase:
"Marinette and I have plans."
Very descriptive, Adrien. Maybe I shouldn't have let Alya stick with Nino after all.
Luka seemed to pout as he turned towards me, "what are you guys doing?"
How does one explain that on a Friday night I have nothing better to do than stalk Chloe and follow up on my own conspiracy theories?
"We're... you see... we-"
"Marinette and I are playing tourists for the night. Decided to see the city." Adrien shrugged and finally looked up from his paper.
Luka rolled his eyes at Adrien. "If you want to see the city, Marinette, we could climb the Eiffel Tower together sometime?"
I felt Adrien stiffen by my side. He was taking notes, but his hand now seemed frozen in place. My guess was that he was worried about Luka intervening on our mission tonight.
I was about to respond when the bell rang. Normally that would mean going to Ms. Mendeleiev's, but now I was headed for the library. "Sorry, Luka, detention calls."
Chloe snapped her mirror shut and quickly left the classroom; Luka watched her go with a puzzled expression.
What was she in a rush for?
I grabbed all of my books and started the hike to the library, Adrien followed suit.
All week, I'd been too busy planning and dealing with things as ladybug that I hadn't even had time to get nervous about tonight. With so many things that could go wrong, I started to feel nauseous.
Whilst we were walking, I noticed Adrien was slower than usual. And he was favoring his left leg, which he never did. Something was wrong.
Before I even had the chance to question him, I was being shoved in a janitors closet.
It was dark and an extremely small space. Seriously, they couldn't have allotted any more room?
"Okay, Marinette. Spill."
Adrien turned on the light for the closet, but it was so dim it almost looked like candlelight. He crossed his arms and gave me a pointed look.
"What're you talking about?"
"You're nervous about something, I can tell." We were talking in whispers, though I'm sure that the hallways were empty by now.
"Yeah. You'd be nervous if some random classmate shoved you in a closet, too!" I playfully poked him in the chest, but he grimaced.
Okay, something was definitely wrong.
I scoffed, "you want to talk about me, what's wrong with you?"
He tried to take a step away from me, which wasn't very effective with the size of the closet. "What about me?"
"You're hurt." I took the step towards him to try and get a better look at his features.
"You're just trying to change the subject." Now I was the one taking a step back as he came closer to me.
"Am not."
Great comeback, Marinette. One for the books.
"Are you having second thoughts about the Musée de Louvre?" I leaned against the wall to stable myself. My legs were still recovering from last nights attack.
"Of course not." As I answered, he put one arm out to lean against the wall too. He was tiring just as quickly as I was.
"Why are you denying the fact that you're hurt?" I narrowed my eyes at his torso. Even through the dim lighting, I'm sure I could've seen his injuries if I had a good look.
And suddenly, I was blushing so hard I went to look away.
Adrien shrugged but didn't deny anything. "I can take a punch, Marinette."
Clearly I wasn't going to get anywhere with this, so I decided to change topics.
"If we somehow get caught tonight, what'll we tell Chloe?" A million different scenarios we're playing through my head; all of the ways tonight's inquiry could turn out.
Adrien must've sensed that the bell was about to ring , because he opened the door and was halfway out when he turned towards me.
"If we get caught tonight, make something up. Tell her we're on a date."