It Takes Time

Chapter 3

It was bothering her. She wanted to be with Ladybeetle, but he didn't want to be with the her that was really her and that bothered her. He wanted to be with the side of her that was completely forced and anything but who she really was. He fell for the invisible mask she wears as Adrienne.

Plagg swallowed the large piece of Camembert whole, hesitating before he answered her rhetorical due to this fact. "He's creepily obsessed with you, that's not love. Besides, who needs love when you have cheese?" He dug through her bag and found the Camembert that was hidden in her bag.

"Plagg, you don't understand what he means to me." Adrienne sighed, shaking her head. "Can I ask you something, and I need you to be serious for once? I know that's so difficult, but please?" She knew that the chances of him being serious was not very likely, but she really needed someone else's input, and Plagg was the only person she could go to for this topic.

"Maybe." Plagg answered, shoving another piece of Camembert into his mouth before popping his head out of the bag to look at Adrienne.

"Do you think he's the same way as Ladybeetle as his true self? Or is he like me, just the other way around? Do you think I've fallen in love with his mask, just like he's fallen in love with mine?" She was honestly curious now that she had spoken these words out loud. What if that was the case? What if the person she thought she loved wasn't who he seemed to be? She was beyond worried.

"You need to know who he is when he's not with you. Isn't he friends with that one kid, Marin? The one in your class? Why don't you ask him for some answers?" Plagg offered his idea before making his way back into the bag.

"That's a great idea!" She closed her bag up and stood up to leave towards the bakery. It was true that Marin and Ladybeetle knew a lot about each other, seeing as they both talk about the other, but more commonly Marin talks about Ladybeetle when she actually gets a chance to talk to him. Not that it's too common. Usually he just avoids her at all costs when she tries to talk to him. That thought brought a frown to her face. She wondered why he was so reluctant to even talk to her. She didn't think she was that scary. Was he still mad about the first day incident? She really was only trying to help. She sighed as she stood outside the bakery doors. "I guess he'll never see me as more than some pretentious model..." She mumbled to herself, opening the door and walking in.

She was greeted by Marin's parents. His father welcomed her in. "Adrienne! Always a pleasure to see you. What can I get for you today?" He asked in a sweet tone.

She waved her hands in front of her and shook her head. "Oh, uh, I'm not here to buy anything. I'm actually here to see Marin. If that's alright with you, of course." She smiled at the bakery owner as Marin's mother came in.

"Adrienne, what are you doing here?" She asked with a wide smile.

"She's here to see Marin, honey." Marin's father could hardly keep the grin off his face as he looked over at his wife. The excitement was clearly written all over their faces.

But the excited look didn't last long, and his mother's smile was soon replaced with a frown. "I don't think he's home yet. He might be with Alyn. I'll call him and tell him you're here." She smiled and pulled out her phone, dialling Marin's number.

"There's no need for that, Mrs. Dupain-Cheng. I can always come back later." Adrienne frantically tried to stop them. She didn't want to bother Marin if he was busy with his best friend. That would only make him hate her more, she thought.

"Nonsense." She held the phone to her ear and waited for the boy to answer,

~~~

Ladybeetle detransformed near the Eiffel Tower, he was out of sight when he did of course. He had been looking for Adrienne for the past couple of minutes, but she was nowhere to be found. "Did she lie about where she was going?"