"If you're going to ask him out, just do it and get it over with." Alya says, poking Marinette in the ribs.
"I don't know, Alya," she begins, "If he hasn't made a move up to this point, he probably doesn't like me like that."
"Girl, you'll never know until you try. You've gotten a lot better at talking to him like a normal human being, you should do it while we're here at school and you have lots of chances."
"Here at school where, if I make a fool of myself, I'll have to be around him for the rest of the day? No thanks." Marinette states, putting her bag in her locker.
"Pleaaaase!" Alya begs, "I will be 10,000 times happier if you do."
"So will I, but..."
"But nothing! Get in there."
Marinette teasingly rolls her eyes in her best friend's direction and makes her way towards Adrien's locker. He's talking to Nino about something she doesn't quite catch. She waits patiently behind Adrien while waiting for them to finish until Nino makes eye contact with her and says, "Oh hi, Marinette!"
Adrien visibly tenses up for a moment before putting his cool demeanor back on and turning to face her.
"I'll just leave you two alone, then." Nino says, smugly nudging Adrien in the shoulder.
The latter makes a brief please stop face to the former.
"Okaaaay..." Marinette raises her eyebrow, "So I was wondering if you were - um - busy...?"
"Busy?" Adrien repeats.
"Oh, uh, like tonight. If you were busy tonight?"
"Today's Tuesday, right?" He checks his watch, "I just have piano lessons after school, why?"
"I was thinking that maybe you cou- or I mean, wondering if you want to go to the ci-cinema tonight?" She finally stutters out.
"Oh." He says surprised, "You mean... go with you?"
Marinette looks at the ground, "Sorry, yeah, I know it's stupid. You can just pretend I never asked." She turns to go, but before she can make it out the door, Adrien grabs her hand, turning her around.
"No, I'd really like to go." He smirks in an almost familiar way, "I'd just have to sneak out, if you don't mind going on a date with someone on the run."
"Y-y-yeah," her knees begin to buckle, but she pulls herself back up, "I don't mind at all."
"Okay. I'll pick you up at 7, then?" He asks, putting down her hand she'd nearly forgotten he was still holding.
She eagerly nods; her words having escaped. Adrien gives one last smile before walking off in the direction of his next class.
Marinette stands in the locker room doorway, almost in a dream. She mutters to herself, "A date... He called it a date."