I can't wait for Chat Blanc episode! Are you guys excited?
•●•●•●•●•
I make furtive glances to my surroundings. All right. I think the coast is clear. I tip toe down the stairwell, eyes set at the doors.
"And where do you think you're going, Selene?" Nathalie's voice makes me jump in surprise.
"Nathalie! I didn't see you there! I'm just going to, you know, go out?" I shift under her reproachful expression. I sweat nervously and let out nervous laughter.
"I don't recall any arrangements for you to go out today," she says.
"I know. I just want to buy some ice cream since I haven't had one in a while," I say.
"But didn't you say you visited the ice cream parlor yesterday?" She says. My eyes flit over the blonde-haired boy sneaking away just behind Nathalie's surveillance. He throws me a grateful smile and slips out the door hanging ajar. Oh, he owes me big time.
I feign nervousness by pretending to choke in surprise. "Did I say 'long while' I meant I'm having a craving-"
"Selene," another voice calls, but deeper and more serious. My face falls as I turn to Gabriel Agreste.
"Yes, Mr Agreste?" I say more monotonously.
"I have a new target for you." He climbs down the stairs- feet making ominous echoes on the marble floor.
"Actually, Mr Agreste," I interrupt before he could continue. "I promised Marinette that I would help her bake macarons for a huge order she has."
"Is that so?" He says.
"Why didn't you say so before?" Nathalie asks doubtfully.
I let my head hang low. "I'm really sorry. It was a sudden request and I agreed to help her without considering the consequences. She need all the help she could get," I lie seamlessly. It's true that Marinette has been in a state of panic just recently. I heard her parents took a day off and Marinette offered to hold down the bakery by herself. It's unfortunate she received a difficult order and couldn't find enough helping hands.
"I guess it's an urgent matter for your friends," Gabriel says, grimacing as he comes to a decision. "All right, but you must come to my aid for the next akumatization."
"Yes, I got it. Thank you so much!" I say gleefully. I give him a bow- I sign of respect I learnt as a child and have never really forgotten about. "See you, guys!" I turn heels and made a run for it. To my relief, they didn't hold me back as I exited the gate.
Adrien is right. They are more lenient when it comes to me. Maybe it was because I'm not a daughter of the Agrestes. Mr Agreste may not have high expectations for me as he does for Adrien. I'm not quite sure whether I should feel proud or upset about the notion.
I didn't actually plan to go to Tom & Sabine Boulangerie Patisserie but my feet took me there anyway. Marinette was so surprised that she almost dropped a whole tray of hot macarons. "Selene?!"
"I'm sorry for the unannounced visit but I'm here to help," I say, smiling.
She gasps, hey eyes sparkling like stars. She's takes a step forward and stops. She hastily sets the tray down and drops her mittens on the counter before rushing over to me, tackling me with a grateful hug.
"Thank you thank you! You're a life-saver!" She exclaims in sheer jubilation.
I almost trip over my words in surprise. "Don't thank me yet! I haven't even done anything. Just so you know, I've never eaten- much less baked- macaroons before."
"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."