Chapter 5

Our little secret

She sat there, heart racing in her chest, threatening to burst out, eyes shaking in their sockets, and mouth was as dry as the desert. No, it wasn't real, she was dreaming. Marinette's hand quicken to her arm pinched it. Nothing. She pinched harder. Nothing. Her fingers enclosed on the skin between them, her nails dug deep, leaving marks. Over and over, her skin got redder.

"Miss, are you alright?" she heard a man's voice in front of her. Her eyes adjusted and there he was. Smiling to her like he had since she met him. She immediately took her hand away from her arm. Only to go back and cover the skin. Marinette shook her head in confirmation to tell him that she was okay. He nodded his head in return and walked back to the front. Adrien pulled up his computer and sat in the chair behind him.

"Alright I'm only going to do this once. There are 24 of you here, wherever you're at now is your seat so keep it like that." Adrien had said sternly to the class. Marinette was shaking, god what was she going to do? Date her professor? Adrien could lose his job if he did that, she couldn't do that to him. Her hand tighten around her arm. Her mind felt like a roller coaster, she could barely think straight. She had been going on dates with her professor. Did he know that whole time? He looked as shocked as she was. Maybe he didn't know, but was he as nerve wrecked as she was. Marinette glanced at him quickly, only 3 seconds. Then placed her eyes back down at the table. She clenched her hands, tightening her hands together. Don't look. Don't look. Don't look.

"Miss Dupain-Cheng." A man's voice pierced through her ears.

"Huh?" Marinette gasped, her breathing unsteadily, desperately having and wanting the need to escape the room.

"Just making sure that you're paying attention. That will be your seat from now on, so don't move." Adrien had looked at her and back down to his computer, continuing to call off last names. She had to find a way to talk to him. After class? No, he might have another class. Text him now? She quickly pulled out her phone and fiercely started typing on the screen.

We need to talk…

She pressed the screen harder than she should have. She was upset. Someone she had a real interest in her and it had to end up being her professor. Her heart pounded against her chest in pain. Marinette questioned if she did anything horrible for God to treat her this way. What was she to do? She never had admitted it to him but, she loved him. As much as her heart ached at the moment, she didn't even want to think about losing him.

Adrien had moved from his desk and leaned against the front of it. His chin held high, but deep down he knew he was feeling the same pain as Marinette. He could see it in her eyes and how see had acted towards him. He had seen the red skin on her arm, knowing that she must have done something to make it like that. He was shaking, but since his hands were placed in his pockets no one really noticed. His eyes were focused on Marinette. Oh, how he wanted to run over and hug her. Only to apologize that this should have never happened.

"Alright, let's start off with what we will be doing in this class." Adrien's voice was heavy. He wanted to wrap his arms around her so badly. He wanted to whisper in her ear that it was okay and that everything would be okay. His heart screamed for her warmth. In the last month, he had no idea how many times he had hugged her and put soft kisses on her forehead. He wanted to scream and tell her how much he loved her. The pain increased every time he looked at her wary eyes. He spoke about what they would do, but to him it felt like he was a whole other person. His words came out as a teacher, but his mind was only on Marinette.

She looked at him with sad eyes, her hands covering most of her beautiful face. Her eyes had a glossy look over them. He knew that she wanted to cry and he wanted to cry along with her just as much. His heart dropped every minute he couldn't speak to her. He glanced at her once more before looking at the whole class.

"I want everyone to grab out a piece of paper or sketchbook and come up with a hat. Something that when everyone sees it they will be blown away." Adrien looked at Marinette, now was his time to go speak to her. Each student after the next pulled out a paper to sketch on. Marinette pulled out her pink flowered sketch book, Adrien's eyes stared down the book. Thinking back to the day when they first met. He giggled at the thought. His legs moved on his own, walking around the class. Glancing at each sketch that was being started. Adrien noticed a hand being raised in the front of the room. Now seeing that it was Marinette, his pace quickened. He leaned over, acting like he was speaking to her about the sketch. He had seen nothing on the paper.

"Adrien, this can't be happening." She whispered harshly to him. Adrien recoiled from her, thinking that he had to be in trouble. After leaning back in, he put his hand on the table.

"Well it is, Marinette. I'm just as freaked out as you are. I don't know what to do. Listen, I'm free after this. My apartment." He took her pencil and wrote down his address. After writing it, he put a heart after it. He smirked and put her pencil down. He glanced around the room, seeing everyone to busy paying attention to the paper in front of them. He swiftly grabbed her hand, placed a gentle kiss on it and stood back up.

"Now, I hope you understand the assignment, Miss Dupain-Cheng." Adrien had walked away smiling to himself, while seeing how everyone else was doing.

Marinette's face a beet red. Her eyes stuck on the hand he had kissed. Her eyes didn't move, nor did her body. She didn't know what to think. Her body felt like her soul was pulled from it. Adrien's voice was heard around her, but to her it wasn't him speaking to other students. Lines that he told her for the past couple of weeks kept repeating in her mind like a broken record player.

"You're beautiful."

"You're a great artist."

"Would love to get to know you more, Marinette."

"You made my whole day better."

"Thank you."

The way he held her while they were on the boat. She thought about his eyes, they were every hue of the forest, rimmed cooly with moss. Their lightness reminded her of summertime, when the sun-rays warmed each extended leaf. Everytime she looked at them, she felt lost. Only in the best way possible. His laugh, his smile, his kindness. Everything to her was perfect about him.

Did all those things mean anything now? Could they even be together now? Now that Marinette was alone again, questions flowed through her mind that were difficult for her to answer anytime soon. She wanted to feel Adrien's touch. Anything to free her mind from thinking the terrible thoughts she had going through her stubborn head. Clenching her hands tight, her nails digging into the palms. Everything was going to okay, right? She had no idea. At the moment, she wanted to scream and find out if things were even going to work out for either of them.

She pulled out her phone and texted Alya once more.

Going to have to cancel on lunch. Something important came up. Tell the

details later.

There she was, standing in front Adrien's house. His car parked in the driveway. It had been an hour since class had ended. Her breath was stiff, it hitched heavily after every exhale. She clenched her fists tightly, until her nails dug into the palm of her hand, but she barely noticed. The only thing she was really aware of, was the sound of her heart throbbing against the cage of her chest. Her feet moved slowly to the door, her mind screaming at her to stop.

Marinette halted violently. She didn't breath, not a single breath of air had been released. The birch door was bright due to the sun. Her hand raised, knocking slightly. Time seem to have dragged on. Marinette felt the steady breeze on her back, lifting her jacket off her back. She knocked again, was he even home? Minutes had passed and she decided for the best it was to leave. Her time wasn't needed if he wasn't willing to speak.

"Thanks for nothing, Adrien." Her voice let out. As she turned to walk away, the door had been open swiftly. A pair of arms wrapped around her small body and she was held in place.

"I'm sorry I took so long," A male voice reached her ears. Marinette was spun around and there she faced Adrien. His hair soaking wet with a white towel that laid upon his shoulders. He looked at her blue eyes and opened his mouth, "Please. Come in."

Marinette's mouth was left open, then it turned into a smile. With her hand in his, she followed him into the house, the door closing behind them. While her eyes adjusted to the light, a small black cat came up to her. Adrien rolled his eyes and picked the cat up.

"Sorry, he is a bit… needy. Marinette, this is Plagg." He cooed. Marinette's hands lifted up to pet the cat.

"He's so adorable!" She said excitedly, moving her hands over Plagg's soft fur. Adrien cleared his throat and looked at Marinette.

"Should we uhh… talk about today?" He gulped, his eyes stare heavily onto her. Marinette's faced wavered before nodding to him. Adrien grabbed her hand and led her to the living room.

The room was like a perfect magazine cover. The white curtains are linen, the kind of white that is untouched by hands and devoid of dust. Over the mantle on the right side, have pictures of a woman that looks just like Adrien, it was his mother. Marinette remembered Adrien showing her pictures of her. Around the picture are smaller ones of the two of them, vacations and the likes. Every single picture has his mother in it, but no father. Marinette's head tilted, looking at Adrien. He moves and sits on the couch. He pats the empty spot next to him to signal her to sit next to him.

Marinette nods walking over. Sitting down next to him, she glances over to him. A small smile is plastered on his face. It slowly fades and his mouth opens.

"I'm sorry," He started, feeling a frog in his throat, "I am not sure what to do now…"

Marinette's eyes shifted to the side again and became glazed with a glassy layer of tears. As she blinked, they dripped from her eyelids and slid down her cheeks. She bit her lip tightly in attempt to hide any sound that wanted to escape from her mouth; her heart sank. Something had grazed against her hand that was resting on her leg. Marinette quickly moved her eyes to see that Adrien had grabbed her hand.

"It's okay, Marinette. Everything will be okay I promise. Let's just get you through college and I can quit and find another job. Simple as that." Adrien said sternly. Marinette was positive that's what he wanted to do no matter what.

"Adrien, I can't do that. I'm sorry, but I cannot take you away from your job. Worst of all, you could get fired because our relationship." Her eyes lay on the floor.

"We never said we were official, Marinette. So if someone just asks, we can just say we were friends before I got the job." Adrien replied to her. His eyes stuck in their sockets. Never wavering away from Marinette. His grip on her hand had gotten tighter. Not wanting to let go.

"Listen Marinette, I have to confess. I really do like you. You're amazing. For me to feel this way, I cannot just give up on us. The last three months have been amazing. I just can't give up on you. Please, try with me at least… it will be our little secret…" Adrien felt defeated. The weight on his shoulder had gotten heavier. Like a thousands had been sitting on his back. His head now down looking at the floor.

Marinette sat there. She loved him. Her heart yelling at her to hug him. Her arms didn't move. Her body quivering, unable for her to stop it. She couldn't do that to him. She couldn't risk his job or career. Or even her own.

The hand got tighter around Adrien's. He suddenly found himself staring at Marinette. Her face was inches away from his own. His mouth opened to say something only to shut back in a second. His eyes closing and he moved slowly towards her.

Marinette's body moved on its own. Her eyes closing along with his. Hearts skip a beat as heat goes up to their lips. The world fell away. It was soft and comforting in ways that words would never be. Adrien's hand brushed up against her jaw. His hand now resting below her ear, his thumb caressing her cheek. She ran her fingers down his spine, pulling him closer until there was no space left between them and she could feel the beating of his heart against her chest.

Long seconds had passed. Both the blonde and the bluenette pulled away. Shocked at what had just happened. Marinette's face beet red, she stood and dashed out of the room. Adrien followed after her.

"Wait, Marinette! Where are you going?" Tripping over himself to follow her. Turning the corner, the door slamming as he saw it come into view. He ran to it and opened it. Marinette was out of view. No longer seen.

He stood in the doorway, he sighed closing the door and sliding his back down it, hitting the floor hard.

"What did I do wrong…?" He wrapped his arms around himself. Tears falling from his fragile face.