11- Strawberry Waffles

Marinette's POV

One Week Later

I wait for Adrien at the bottom of the staircase in the foyer. This has been our routine for the last week. We eat breakfast together, ride to school together, and come home together. Always together. All of our time is spent with each other. I'm not complaining, of course. I love Adrien. I'm used to being around him so much as Ladybug that I'm not nervous around him anymore. It's killing me, not being Ladybug anymore, and I miss Tikki so much. I always catch myself taking to myself and sometimes even go on for long sentences before I realize. The only thing I miss as much as Tikki is kissing Adrien. I'm having withdrawals and it's driving me crazy. Part of me wants to tell Adrien everything, but I can't.

Not until Hawkmoth is defeated.

Besides, Cat Noir would be mad if he weren't the first person I told my secret identity to.

"Good morning, Marinette," Adrien cheers as he comes downstairs. "Sorry I took so long."

"Busy styling your hair?" I tease, reaching over to mess up his blonde locks. "Trust me, I've been there."

"No," He laughs. "Just finishing up homework."

Adrien and I walk into the dining hall where breakfast waits for us on the table. Today's food: strawberry waffles. I requested that and Adrien's personal chef listened. That makes me feel special. "Yes! I've been craving these."

"Waffles?"

"Not just any waffles. Strawberry waffles," I correct. "My mom makes them every Friday morning before school." I take a bit and sigh at the nostalgia. I haven't seen Mom in over a week. We talk every day on the phone, but it's not the same. I don't want to risk my parents' safety, so I've been keeping my distance. "I guess I'm just feeling a little homesick."

"If you want, we can have strawberry waffles every Friday morning for breakfast," Adrien suggests as he takes a bite with a smile. "Just to make staying here a little more comfortable."

I love that boy. "Thanks, Adrien."

Natalie walks in. "Good morning, Marinette, Adrien. I have your schedule ready for today. After school, you have a two-hour photoshoot for the new perfume ad, an interview with Nadia Chamack, and your piano lessons at six o'clock."

Adrien slouches forward and mumbles, "Thank you, Natalie." He perks up. "Wait—after my piano lessons, I have the rest of the day off?"

"Yes, Adrien," Natalie answers with a nod. "Your father thinks under these circumstances..." She glances at me. I'm the circumstance. "Overdoing your schedule while you have a guest will be a waste of time."

"Do you think we could have dinner later?" He asks as Natalie turns to leave. "All four of us?"

Oh, my heart breaks. He looks so hopeful, but the answer is always the same.

She shakes her head. "Unfortunately, your father is very busy today, Adrien."

"Yeah, yeah. As always," Adrien mutters as he stabs his waffle. "Just forget I asked."

Natalie leaves without saying anything else.

I reach across the table and grab his hand. "I'm sorry, Adrien. But we can still have dinner if you want."

He shakes his head. "No."

My eyes widen and I lean back, taking my hand. "Oh. I get it, you must be sick of me by now. I mean, I'm already over here 24/7, so you probably want to do something else with somebody else."

"What?" Adrien blinks and looks at me. "Wait! No, I didn't mean that! Sorry." He scratches the back of his neck, laughing. "What I meant was we should do something fun. You know, get out of the house and do something."

"Oh." I'm relieved. For a second, I thought Adrien didn't want me around anymore. "What do you wanna do?"

"I don't know." He pouts. "I never have free time. At least, never that early. My schedule isn't usually finished until nine or ten P.M."

I take another bite of my waffle, chewing and asking, "Well, what's something you've always wanted to do, but never can?"

"There are a million things," Adrien jokes. "Literally, though. Umm..." He stops eating, leans back in his chair, and thinks. "I mean, the school is throwing that carnival tonight. I don't think my father would have let me gone if you weren't here."

"Okay. Let's go to the carnival."

Adrien's eyes light up. "Wait, really?"

I nod. "Yeah. Why not? It's something you want to do, right?" Oh no. I hurt Adrien's feelings. He's starting to cry. "I-I'm sorry, Adrien. I don't know what I did. Did I say something wrong?"

Adrien jumps out of his chair and holds me in a hug. "You didn't do anything wrong, Marinette. You're just the best friend I've ever had."

There's that word again. Friend. I wonder if Adrien would still call me that if he knew I was his secret superhero girlfriend.

"It's just, I never get to do what I want to do." Adrien sits back down, wiping under his eyes. "I'm always told what to do, where to go, what to say, and I never get a choice. So, you giving me a choice just made me a little emotional."

Gabriel Agreste is the worst father ever.

"Of course, Adrien. We can do whatever you want." I check the time on my phone. "Uh oh. We're gonna be late! Ugh, I'm bad luck to be around."

"I don't believe that," Adrien says as we race out of the house towards the car. "If anything, you're the complete opposite."

Literally.

Adrien opens the car door. "After you, Marinette."

"Thank you, Adrien." I slide into the backseat, placing my backpack between my legs. "I'm glad people at school haven't found out I'm living with you, but we can't keep it a secret forever. How are we going to keep explaining why I'm riding with you to school?"

"Who cares what people think?"

"I don't, usually," I admit, staring out the window. "But this time is different. If our classmates find out that Hawkmoth is targeting me, it could put them in danger, and that's the last thing I want."

Adrien looks over at me. "What, can't I just give my very good friend a ride to school?"

"Yes, but every single morning?" I ask, ignoring his use of that word again. "People will get suspicious and spread rumors. I know exactly what the first rumor will be."

"What?" Adrien asks, clueless.

I stare at him, speechless. Does he really not know? "You know..." Now I'm blushing. "People will say that we're dating. Boyfriend and girlfriend."

Adrien's eyes widen. "What? Why? Just because we're arriving at school together?"

"I know, it's ridiculous, right?" I shake my head laughing. "The thought of you and me being boyfriend and girlfriend..."

"Not really," Adrien whispers, facing the window. "Maybe that's what we should tell people."

"You wanna tell the whole school we're dating?!" I ask, freaking out. "Are you insane?"

"Well, how else are we going to explain this?" He asks, gesturing between me and the car and the school. I just realized we're here. "I mean, we don't have to say anything if nobody asks. Just like a backup plan."

"I don't know..." Before, I would have been head over heels to be considered Adrien's girlfriend, but after being his literal girlfriend (secret and all), I don't want to throw that word around, like it doesn't have meaning. Like it doesn't matter.

"It's your choice, Marinette." Adrien grabs my hand and smiles. "I won't say anything if it makes you uncomfortable."

"Thanks, Adrien." Grabbing my backpack, I climb out of the car with Adrien, and we race to the classroom. We're five minutes late.

The whole class stares at us as Adrien and I walk in together. Some start smiling, raising eyebrows, and start whispering to each other. Oh no.

Miss Bustier turns to us. "Adrien. Marinette. You're late. Together. At the same time. Again."

"Sorry," We both whisper before taking our seats.

I can already imagine all the questions Alya has ready for me. "Girl, that's the fifth time this week you've been with Adrien," Alya whispers as I slide in behind her. "What is going on?"

"Adrien's just been giving me rides to school. That's all."

She glares at me. "You literally live less than a hundred feet away from the school. Why would he be giving you a ride?"

I ignore her question, pulling out my tablet, and open the online textbook. "Just drop it, Alya..."

"Miss Bustier?" Lila asks from the back of the classroom.

My blood starts to boil. "Not her..." I slam my head on the desk.

"Yes, Lila?"

"I know that class just started, but seeing how it was interrupted by those late Siamese twins, would it be alright if I made my special announcement now?" Miss Bustier nods, and Lila jumps up from her seat. She starts handing out black envelopes to everyone. "As you all should know, my sixteenth birthday is coming up soon, and I can't think of a better way to celebrate than to host my very own Masquerade Ball!" She passes Chloe and hands her an invitation. "I just know you'll have the best dress, Chloe."

"Of course I will," Chloe snaps, holding the envelope by her fingertips like it's contagious. "But don't expect me to come to this thing."

Lila shrugs. "I would never force anyone to come, but the more, the merrier. I just wanted to be surrounded by all my wonderful friends." She stops at Adrien's desk. "Hey, Adrien." She tucks a loose stand of hair behind her ear, grinning.

Adrien waves. "Hi, Lila."

"Here is your invitation." She sets the envelope on his desk. "So, at the Masquerade Ball, there's this big dance number I've been choreographing, but unfortunately I need a dance partner!" Smirking, she rests her arm on his shoulder, and it takes everything in me not to tackle her to the ground. "Would you be my date?"

His eyes widen. "What...?"

"NO!" I scream, standing up. Everyone's eyes are on me. "I..." Should I say it? It's on everyone's minds, anyway. "Adrien can't be your date to your Masquerade Ball because... he'll be my date."

The class gasps.

"I knew it!" Alya shouts, immediately pulling out her phone.

"What?!" Lila asks, wide eyed. "I-I mean. Oh, I didn't know you and Adrien were dating... this must be new." She storms pass me, throwing my envelope on the desk, before sitting back down. "Congrats, you two love birds."

Adrien and I stare at each other as the class erupts into cheers and a million questions I don't want to answer.

What have I done?