My new Mandarin Teacher

All good things come in threes

"Pick up, pick up," Alya hastily urged me, and I dropped my cell phone in shock. But this stupid thing kept ringing incessantly. I quickly picked it up and with shaking hands answered the call.

 "Hello?" my voice was quieter than the beating of a ladybug's wings. 

"Hello, Marinette? It's Adrien," I heard him saying from the other side of the phone line. I wonder what he would think about me at that moment, that it was necessary to call. What did he want to talk about? I was scared.

"Are you feeling better? When you passed out, I was extremely worried," he continued and I heard his voice shaking. So he really was worried about me. My heart warmed and my muscles relaxed. 

"Yes, thank you so much for catching me. Without your help, I don't know what I should do.", and there again is that inexplicable courage I've been having lately. When did I start having these fluctuations? It's also funny how absolutely nothing in my life can stay consistent. Not even my identity is consistent. 

Anyway, Adrien laughed lightly and replied. 

"I'm not the only one you should thank. Alya helped me too.", after a short pause Adrien continued, not giving me a chance to answer. 

"Actually, what I'm calling about is that I talked to Nathalie. She said I could meet with you twice a week for 90 minutes each time plus the last class we have left from Monday. Guess that should be enough for our work, right?"

I looked at Alya, who had overheard the whole conversation. Joyfully, she looked at me and held her thumbs up as a sign for me to agree. I nodded and turned my attention back to the conversation with Adrien.

"That's cool that you were able to find time after all. I think the time will be enough for sure. I'm looking forward to it.", I replied so professionally that I didn't recognize myself anymore and was already looking forward to the upcoming time together with Adrien. It's going to be bombastic.

 "I'm looking forward too. I'll hang up then, still have to do something. Take care of yourself, Marinette. I'll see you tomorrow," and he ended the call. He wants me to take care of myself. His kindness really knocks me out every time. I still had my phone to my ear, even though it had been beeping for a while. Yet I felt like I could still hear Adrien with his loving words. Those words that were directed only to me. 

I woke up from my trance and put my phone away. Then I turned to Alya and together we screamed and danced like maniacs again, looking forward to the renewed triumph because of Adrien. Who would have thought that a simple trip to Shanghai would improve so many things between me and Adrien? That I would have the opportunity to meet with him three times (!!!) a week? This is going to be so cool, I said what I said.

~~**~~

I was sleeping when I felt a strong tremor. I had the feeling that everything around me was swallowed by the deep earth. I ascended to my balcony and could not believe my eyes. The city was literally swallowed by quicksand. This phenomenon could not be any other work except Hawk Moth's. I immediately transformed into Ladybug and searched for the source of the disaster. 

The city represented nothing but a barren, lifeless desert. Something in which life could never happen. I was wondering what the reason of the poor person's akumatization was. What did this person have to suffer? The strong autumn wind hurled the fine grains of sand into my eyes, making my vision difficult even with my Ladybug abilities. I had to see to it that I quickly found the source of the doom, otherwise it may become really difficult for me to move in this blinding desert sand. Frantically I swung myself over the visible roofs, but I would not last long. Eventually there will be nothing left and I will be swallowed up by this quicksand like everyone else. I just hoped that Cat Noir had it easier than I did. Because if I don't make it, then he's our only hope. 

Finally, I caught sight of something in the sky. A man with a flying carpet. That had to be the akumatized victim. I was about to swing in his direction when my yoyo lost its grip on the last standing building and I fell into quicksand. Shit, what was I supposed to do? As much as I tried to escape the quicksand, the more it engulfed me in its oppressive darkness. The grains of sand scratched my eyes. I couldn't utter my lucky charm because nothing else but sand came out of my mouth. I was lost. A superhero that the people of Paris counted on was lost. Dejected, I reached out my hand from the quicksand, although I already suspected it was useless. But as they say. Hope dies last. 

The sand had blocked all my senses and I knew that these would be my last moments of life, before Hawk Moth feasted on my earrings, but then came enlightenment in the dark. Something grabbed my fingers and pulled me out with tremendous force. Cat Noir moved across the quicksand extending his staff and dropping forward. This boy gets some really brilliant ideas in situations like this.

"Sit on my back. I'll carry you piggyback.", Cat Noir said and I held onto his neck. I smiled. "Thank you, Cat Noir. You saved me."

"Always at your service, M'lady."I told him that the akumatized victim was moving on a flying carpet. Not too long later, we spotted him and immediately pounced on him. A few minutes later, the enemy was defeated and the old order was restored. Cat Noir and I gave each other a fist bump as usual and stayed at the scene for a while. 

"Thanks again, Cat Noir. We'd all be lost without you," I thanked him sincerely and really meant it. Cat Noir smiled broadly and gawked at me expectantly with his bright cat eyes. 

"If you're really so grateful, then where's my gift?"I squinted my eyes. This guy really can never stay serious. There must be something that can scare that grin off his face. So I did nothing other than what was right. I stood on my tiptoes and got really close to his face. I quickly kissed his cheek and swung away even faster. 

"See you next time!", I shouted meanwhile, and I knew I had won. Cat Noir had to sort out his thoughts for now, while I was peacefully on my way home to spend the remaining hours of the night sleeping. 

Tomorrow, however, I have to do my Chinese assignments, because tomorrow I expect my already second visit of the week. And of course I want to shine with my performance in front of him, what else.