I just had to start a new fic, as if I don't have enough ongoing already. My apologies to my readers, I promise I'll finish them up!

I may add in characters and adjust chapter length as I go along, but not by much. I don't expect this to be a long-running fic at all.

Alya swung by the bakery the next morning to chat with Marinette briefly before school. She claimed in her text that morning that her reason for showing up was because she worried about her friend's attendance record, but it was really because she knew of a surprise that day at school, and wanted to make sure Marinette showed.

"How's Marinette The Compass this morning?" Alya teased first thing.

Marinette rolled her eyes with a small smile. "We talked about this, Alya."

"I know, but I think it's quite possible that two statues can drive you crazy."

Marinette just sighed.

"I saw the way you were looking at Luka, M. And I saw you two after you broke free from those chains... there was chemistry there," Alya hesitated, expecting her friend's response.

"Alya!"

"There's nothing wrong with that, you know," she looked at her friend seriously. "I know you've been feeling down about Adrien lately. That he doesn't show up to gatherings. Even though it's not his fault he hasn't been able to come to them..."

Marinette sighed again. "I know that it's not his fault. But that's not the only reason I've been down, I-"

There was a pause. Alya tilted her head to the side. "Go on, what is it, girl? You know you can tell me."

Marinette swallowed before sitting down. "I overheard him telling... someone... that he thinks of me as 'a very good friend'. I'm just a friend to him, Alya. I know I should be happy with that, but instead it...it bothers me," she admitted. "Then when nothing seems to work out right with him, and I have such a difficult time even getting a few sentences out, it just feels like... like I told you yesterday, maybe we're meant to stay away from each other."

Alya gave her friend a sad smile, and wrapped her arms around her. "What about Luka, then? Why not give him a chance?"

Marinette's eyes widened a moment before they darted away.

"He seems to really like you. I know it might feel wrong right now, but this could be good for you. Why don't you see where things go with him? And maybe Adrien will get some sense knocked into him in the future and see just what he's missing out on?" her tone was teasing as she elbowed Marinette slightly.

Marinette smiled and gave her friend a slight nod.

"Can we go to school now? I promised Nino I'd meet him before class starts."

Her smile grew wider. "Wouldn't want to disappoint your boyfriend."

The girls ran downstairs and Marinette told her parents goodbye.
They were greeted in the front of the school by a crowd of girls who were surrounding someone.

Marinette and Alya glanced at each other in confusion for a moment.

"Are they surrounding Adrien again?" Alya laughed with a slight shake of her head. "That poor boy hates the spotlight."

"Maybe? Though I thought the hype from the fragrance ad had died down a little..."

"We should help him," Alya suggested.

The girls pushed through the crowd.

"Your piercing is so cool!" they heard a girl cry.

Alya and Marinette shot each other a glance. Definitely not Adrien, then.
When they had broken through, they stopped as they saw who was getting all the attention.

Luka was standing there looking slightly uncomfortable down at the girls that were bombarding him.

"Are you a new student here?"
"How do you get your hair to look like that?"
"Do you have a girlfriend?"

"Luka?" he heard a familiar voice say. His head turned towards the sound, and his features relaxed when his eyes confirmed who it was.

"Marinette," he breathed with a smile that touched his eyes.

"Need some help?" she offered with a giggle.

"Please," his tone pleading slightly.

"Everybody clear out!" Alya shouted at the crowd. "Leave the poor guy alone."

Nino and Adrien watched from the stairs as Marinette and Alya broke up the crowd.

"So is Luka going to be attending our school now?" Adrien asked curiously.

"Yeah, for some reason after our concert yesterday, he told his mom he didn't want to be home-schooled anymore and that he wanted to attend school here, with Juleka."

Adrien raised an eyebrow. "He was home-schooled?"

"It was his choice to be. That changed overnight it sounds like. I've gotten to know Luka a little, and he's actually got some things in common with you, dude."

"Hmm," was all he said as he watched the girls disperse.

Marinette walked back up to Luka. "What are you doing here?"

"I go here now," he announced with a grin.

"Y-Y-You do?! Really?"

"Uhh, I'm going to go meet up with Nino, see ya in class, M!" Alya winked before heading up the stairs.

"They seem to be getting along quite well," Nino pointed out once Alya had joined them. He shot a look at his best friend.

"I'd say. I guess he knows that Marinette designed Jagged Stone's album cover. I heard him mention it to her when I walked up here."

All three looked down at the two talking animatedly with each other. Luka then pulled out something, along with a pen and handed it to Marinette, who wrote something on it and handed it back.

"Did she just give him her autograph?" Adrien joined in the conversation.

"Looks like it. That dude sure seems to have it bad for Marinette," Nino whistled. "It's about time somebody paid attention to her."

Alya and Nino both side-glanced at Adrien, who continued to watch the pair at the bottom of the steps.

"What do you mean?" Adrien asked, his eyes not drifting away from their target. "They're just friends, right?"

Nino just pat his friend on the shoulder. "We're going to class, see you."

Adrien had thought Luka was a nice guy when they met, and cool, too. But for some reason, the thought of him, the sight of him, now made him feel irritated. Why this was, he had no idea. But it bothered him.

Luka and Marinette walked up the stairs, still into their conversation.

"Hey Marinette," Adrien greeted her. Marinette turned her head slightly.

"Oh hey, Adrien," she gave him a small smile briefly before her attention was focused back on Luka.

"The more I learn about you, the more amazed I am. You're incredible! You really made that?" Luka chuckled.

Adrien trailed behind them quietly as they walked up the stairs to the classrooms.

"Believe me, it wasn't easy," she laughed.

"You're like a superhero, you know? Ladybug and Chat Noir are great, really. Especially what they did to help my mom out yesterday. But you - there's just something about you that brings you to their level."

Marinette's face went scarlet. "R-R-Really? You're comparing me to Ladybug and Chat Noir?"

Luka chuckled again. "They do incredible things, I know. But it's you who truly amazes me, Marinette."

Marinette couldn't believe her ears. Nobody had ever praised her - as Marinette - so much before.

"This is you, right?" he motioned towards their classroom. "Pretty sure this is my sister's class, anyway."

"Y-Y-Yes, it - it is," Marinette stuttered. "Where's yours?"

"On the other side of the building, I'm a grade ahead," he informed her. "I'll come see you later when I get the chance," he touched her shoulder before walking off.

Marinette wasn't aware that Adrien was lingering behind her. He watched Luka walk off with a scowl on his face.

Slowly, she walked into the classroom, leaving Adrien alone in the now empty hallway.

"Ooh, what's this?" Plagg teased.

"Not now," he ordered, shooing Plagg back into his jacket before following Marinette into the room.

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I admit that I love Luka, and I ship Lukanette. But I also strongly ship Adrienette and the Love Square! I think Luka will be a very good thing for Marinette to experience, to grow, and help her have a healthy relationship with Adrien in the future! Adrien also needs to start recognizing Marinette and let go of Ladybug a little