My new Mandarin Teacher

Passion

I spent the entire Saturday with Alya and made my way home again at nightfall. Without any hurry, I walked through the narrow streets and enjoyed the light drizzle that soothed my skin. The sun spread out on the horizon and gifted me with the remaining light of the day before it disappeared.

Spending time together with Alya did my soul a world of good, allowing me to switch off at will. With Alya it was again a completely unusually different atmosphere. When you have three sisters around you all the time, you were in a completely different mood than someone who spent their entire life as an only child.

I arrived home and entered our house through the back door. The bakery was already closed. I walked up the stairs, dug out my keys, and opened the door. My parents were watching a program on TV when they turned around and greeted me at the same time. I set my things down by the door, stepped over to the couch and gave my parents a big hug in greeting. Then I sat down between them and together we continued to watch the show.

"Did you eat something?" my mother asked me meanwhile. I nodded. Alya always had super delicious food, precisely because her mother was the chef at Le Grand Paris, Chloé's father's hotel.

Chloé, that stupid rat. Even if they gave me a million euros to befriend Chloé, I'd decline thankfully. That girl is wickedness in person. But what I understand even less is how Adrien can always be so nice to her. I really don't want such a selfish and heartless person in my life. I shook my head and shooed away my negative thoughts. There was no point in thinking about unimportant people anyway, so I turned my attention back to the TV show.

~~**~~

I spent a few wonderful hours with my parents before we all went to our rooms. With the things from the sleepover, I walked up the stairs and opened my room door. I set the stuff down in a corner and looked around when my eyes fell on something I should have long since blocked out.

The wall behind my desk. It was full of pictures of Adrien. I stepped closer and looked closely at each picture. There were pictures of all kinds represented. Pictures that I had taken from fashion magazines, pictures that I had taken myself, pictures that were exchanged among friends at parties.

One picture constantly caught my attention. It was more contrasting than the other pictures. Adrien was wearing the scarf I gave him for his birthday. I tilted my head and thought. What would have happened if Adrien had found out that I, not his father, had given him the scarf?

I squinted my eyes and shook my head. Such thoughts no longer had any added value anyway. I was no longer in love with Adrien, so it wasn't in my best interest to imagine such scenarios. I looked at the wall again and reached my hand toward it. I grabbed the picture with the blue scarf, removed it from the wall and threw it far away.

~~**~~

I was awakened much earlier than I had intended, because a mission for Ladybug was pending. Without being able to get ready much, I immediately transformed and sought out the sources of mischief. I was already starting to fight the villain when Cat Noir joined me a short moment later. The enemy was quickly defeated and we both stood at the scene for a short while, as usual.

"Seems like Hawk Moth picked up night shifts too," Cat Noir quipped. He yawned at full length and infected me with it. I suppressed it and replied.

"Hawk Moth never begrudges anyone a peaceful night's sleep.", I relaxed my shoulders and yawned unabashedly in front of Cat Noir this time after all. He laughed and I forced myself to roll my eyes.

"I'll be going then, have to get up early tomorrow.", I mentioned briefly and got ready to leave."Me too, this feline beauty just needs his legitimate beauty sleep."We both left the place as quickly as we got here.