Chapter 2

MONTHS EARLIER FROM PROLOGUE

Marinette stared at the blank piece of paper before her. Class was almost over, and she hadn't got down two words for her open response tests. This was her least favorite, as writing wasn't exactly her thing. She had tried a few times in the last three years, but to no avail. She was pushing her senior year, and the writing assignments only got harder.

She thought for a moment, pushing her lips side to side thoughtfully.

Alya, who had just finished her test simply leaned back against her chair, he arms casually folded. Her glasses rested carefully against her nose.

Nino, seemed to confidently write down the last of his answers, and then pridefully placed down his pencil.

Adrien had finished his own a few minutes prior to Alya and was excused early. He must have had a photo shoot or something. Marinette attempted to clear her head, and with a thick sigh she began to write down as much as she knew. She started with the ones that she knew first, and then spent whatever time she had left to figure out the more challenging ones.

Just as the tip of the pencil began to wear down, and her knuckles began to ache, she wrote the last of her words and dropped the pencil with an exaggerated sigh.

As if one cue, the final bell rang, and she turned her paper over.

Alya slipped out of her seat and grabbed her bag in which Marinette followed suit.

"I think I bombed that test" Marinette chuckled nervously, attempting to create a joke out of the thick space between her and her friend.

"There goes my future."

Alya laughed and rolled her eyes as the two of them walked out of the classroom.

"Marinette, it's just one test. We just turned 17, we still have one more year to go. Don't sweat it." She assured.

Marinette simply giggled softly and then touched her chin.

"You hadn't made any attempt to spend time with Adrien, I noticed" Alya said thoughtfully.

Marinette sighed and then shrugged.

"I don't like it either. He seems a lot more busier now that we've only got one more year to go. I'm sure work has piled up for him too"

Alya nodded and then looked at Marinette with a small smile.

"Next time you see him, you could ask when he's free? You could finally see a movie you've been wanting to see with and ONLY him for that past... What is it...? Three years now?" She teased.

Marinette blushed, and touched her now warm flushed face.

"Alya, now's not the time." She giggled. "It's warm out, and I'm sure we can finally work out the last details of our project due next week." She said.

Alya sighed and then held her hands on her hips.

"You're right... But I'm also right too... You really need to go out there while he's still single." She suggested.

Marinette nodded and grabbed Alya's hand rushing her down the steps.

-Adrien-

Adrien threw his bookbag on the bed and sat at the edge.

He had a pounding headache from a few hours before. He didn't have a problem with the test, and the hundreds of homework assignments and projects he had piling in his bag, it was more about the duties his father pressed on him outside of school.

He ran a hand through his hair and sighed.

Plagg, who had just finished his mound of cheese carefully stumbled out of his bag.

He lye across the bed and hummed while rubbing his belly.

Adrien sighed and rested his elbows on his knees.

His dad had become more expectant of him lately, it was almost if he wasn't human at all.

It was becoming relentless, and nearly impossible for him to keep up.

He would've opted to quit, but that time didn't seem like now.

The only time he actually felt like he was human was when he was around ladybug.

She had that power to ignite every fiber of his being. He only looked forward to see her anymore.

Plagg seemed to notice Adrien's slumped position, but decided to lay low and let him sort things out in his head.

Adrien stood up and grabbed his bag and began to search through it. He figured he'd just start with the easier homework first before Nathalie shows up with another task.

Just as he sat down and placed his pen and paper down, he felt a slight tremble beneath him.

He looked at Plagg who seemed just as confused as he was.

A large gust of wind opened all of his windows and blew his papers all across the room.

Adrien stood up and rushed to his window, his eyes widening as a black mass formed over the Eiffel tower in the distance.

Pressing his lips together he turned back towards Plagg who sighed and knew the drill.