Chapter 24

479 15 12
                                    

Zoé slammed her lunch tray down on the table and tossed herself into the seat beside me. She was practically vibrating on the spot and there was a very wide smile on her face. This could only mean one thing.  

Something very big had happened in the world of Zoé.  

"Are you normally this excited to eat lunch?" Adrien asked Zoé with an raised eyebrow. 

Zoé shook her head, not even minding Adrien's highly sarcastic tone. "Guess who just asked me to the winter formal, Marinette!" she said, gripping my arm tightly.  

"Hmm... I'm going to take a wild guess and say Luka Couffaine did," I said, giving her a grin.  

Zoé nodded vigorously and let out an excited squeal. "Do you know how long I've had a thing for Luka Couffaine? Since forever! And he finally asked me out! Oh my God, Mari, Saturday is going to be the best night ever!"   

Luka Couffaine is the twin brother of Juleka Couffaine. Zoé had had a thing for Luka since she first laid eyes on him at one year ago. She just never actually talked to him. And I could understand why Adrien would have no interest in listening to this at all.  

"He sure didn't beat around the bush, did he?" I said. "It's Thursday and the dance is on Saturday."  

"Yes, well..." Zoé trailed off. "He told me he'd just been mustering up the courage to ask me."  

"Do you even have a dress?"   

"Yes! Of course I do! I was going to go with Alya and the girls even if I didn't get asked! I found this dress the other weekend, and let me tell you, Mar, it's absolutely gorgeous. It has this—"  

She stopped her rapid babbling for a moment and then stared at Adrien. He was picking at my fries and the look on his face was anything but interested. 

"Can I help you, Zoé?"   

Adrien dropped his fry and leaned forward on his elbows, resting his head in his hands. He gave Zoé such a ridiculous smile I was surprised she didn't say anything about it. It was literally all I could do not to burst out laughing.  

"Aren't you going to ask Marinette to the winter formal?" Zoé demanded.

My jaw dropped as I looked at her in stunned horror. "Zoé!"  

Zoé shrugged off my comment like it was nothing and continued to stare at Adrien demandingly.   

My boyfriend —I was still getting used to calling Adrien my boyfriend, but there was no getting around that fact, since we were dating —and one of my best friends embarked on a stare down of wills. It lasted for a good few moments before Adrien got to his feet, strode around the table, took my hand in his, pulled a look of full desperation on his features. 

"Adrien!" I yelped. "What are you doing? Why do you look like that?""  

He ignored me and immediately said in a serious voice, "Marinette Dupain-Cheng. Will you go to the winter formal with me?"  

"No! I don't want to go to the winter formal!"   

A smirk curled at Adrien's lips, "Thank you, Marinette." he took his seat at the table again and started picking at my steak fires.  

"There," he told Zoé smugly. "I asked her to the winter formal, and she said no. Happy?" 

"Okay," Zoé finally said. And then she rounded on me with an angry look. "Why don't you want to go to the winter formal?"  

"I don't dance," I said at the exact same time Adrien said, "I hate everyone at this school." 

Zoé stared at the two of us with a disbelieving expression, like she could hardly believe what she was hearing. She gave a very dramatic eye roll before huffing out, "Fine. Whatever. You two really are perfect for each other."  

𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐒𝐀𝐕𝐈𝐎𝐑, miraculous auWhere stories live. Discover now