Don't Remember Me Like This

Chapter 3

The bell rang deafening the loud voices of the eager students. Constant conversations and laughter between friends made their way through the corridor and Adrien crossed all of them with his head nailed to the floor. He couldn't help it but feel empty, a constant awareness towards the world around him. Was it the conversation with his father? Or could it be something more? Was it possible that Adrien could perceive what was coming? The heavy darkness that was just about to soak up the bright morning in Paris...

Marinette watched him take each and every step with curiosity. It was such an appealing thing to do, to see Adrien by himself consumed by his own thoughts, a total mystery to decipher. How his golden blonde hair moved with every motion, how his eyes wandered through the room guided by the unknown pieces of his mind. He was after all a beautiful riddle. Should she talk to him? Did she have the courage today? Adrien by himself, a perfect opportunity.

Marinette started to take some careful steps towards his direction. Each one with an increasing feeling of regret trying to take control over her actions. But with all the determination she could gather she made her way through the crowd around her. She was now there, right in front of him. Surprisingly, he did not notice. Adrien's face was still glued to the ground and couldn't even perceive the figure of the girl just centimeters away from his body.

Was he ok?, she wondered.
"A-"

Before she could even dare to make an impression or lift up her words, a loud energetic voice made its entrance. "Adrien! Dude, here you are!"

It was Nino.

"Hey, I didn't see you! What's up? How did it go with Alya yesterday...?"

Adrien had rapidly lifted his head up by an impulse created from his friend's voice. Without even giving it a thought he had jumped into the conversation with Nino with no signs of the discomfort Marinette had noticed, just the usual glad and friendly Adrien. The smiling, the delicate laughing. The two boys walked away towards the classroom while Marinette was planted in the middle of the corridor speechless. He hadn't even noticed her presence and she felt like a fool with an open mouth and words still trapped in her tongue.

Suddenly she noticed Alya looking straight to her with a grin, "Girl, you are really a total disaster when it comes to boys"

"But-"

"No buts, next time you'll have more luck. We still have like half a semester for you to conquer Adrien's beautiful but totally oblivious heart". Alya's eyes suddenly started sprinkling with emotion, "I've had a breakthrough! I know what we'll do!" she screamed while taking her hand abruptly and dragging her into class, "I'll explain later!". And the two girls walked eagerly in and sat in their respective benches.

Nevertheless, Marinette was not totally convinced. Her thoughts were still focused on that unusual dull face of his. She couldn't recognise it from before, Adrien was always so good at only being driven by positive emotions, or so she thought. What if she was wrong? Suddenly and without warning pure sadness overwhelmed her. His green eyes... so sorrowful, dejected... Something was really bothering him, she just knew, and it broke her heart to even assume that he had to keep it trapped within himself. Yes, she was totally going to talk to him. But just as a friend of course! Because that was all they were, she thought. No, she had no other intentions than trying to help a really good classmate. He was after all the best friend of her best friend's boyfriend. Right? That was reason enough for her to go and talk to him!

"A-"

"Adrien! Dude, here you are!"

Adrien looked back up when he noticed Nino's loud voice reaching him from behind. He was standing in the corridor just a minute before entering the classroom.

"Hey, I didn't see you! What's up? How did it go with Alya yesterday? Was it a date? Did you kiss?" he said while continuing the conversation with his friend.

"Dude!"

"Nino, I'm your best friend, I would be totally disappointed if you refused to tell me that kind of stuff" he teased.

"Why so nosey?"

"Why so mysterious?"

Adrien had gone to school with the intentions to escape, try to act normal and smile as he always forces himself to do, to see the bright side. He wanted to escape the pain that grew harder and harder, the emptiness that consumed him without him being able to put into words why. He was so tired of trying. And when he got to school he didn't manage to put on a mask, to look up at all those people with smiles in their faces, to try to convince himself and the rest of them that he was the same, that he wasn't broken. And it felt good, to be able to mourn in his own misery. Still, when Nino suddenly appeared out of nowhere the mask was on once again. Automatically. Without him being able to stop it or refuse it. 

"Ok, you win, I give up... We kissed and it went amazing. Alya is just the best".

"That's better. See? It was not that difficult. I'm so happy for you to, like really, I am. But if you guys start to be the overly sweet couple that can't get their hands off each other in front of me, I'm going to puke" he joked.

"Don't be silly. You and Marinette can keep each other company..." he said in a teasing voice, obviously containing a clear second intention, while moving towards the classroom. Nino knew about Marinette's little interest thanks to Alya, who had basically forced him to work as an accomplice for her great matchmaking plan.

"Marinette? Nah, she is just a friend" he said with a little glimpse of a smile without even noticing walking in behind Nino.

But before Adrien could pass through the door a dark shadow caught his eye. He sent a glance towards the faint figure in the distance of the hall. Tall. Dim. Obscure. But too far away to define, totally undistinguishable. Was it staring at him? A chill went through his body. And before he was able to take a better look, it was gone. Vanished. Like if it had never actually been there in the first place. Adrien blinked, shook his head and had to make up his mind for a couple of seconds before finally entering the classroom. Still having a shiver climbing up his spine.