Secrets: a Miraculous Fanfic (hiatus)

Chapter 7- Stress Mess

Previously

"Ugg! I just wish that I could know the part of you that you say isn't there when you're Ladybug: the part of you that's hidden! I just wish.... I love.... I'll come up with something by tonight!" Chat stands up, shaking his hands for emphasis.

"Chat?"

He runs out of the park, leaving me on the wet grass from melted snow. I hope he's okay. That was such a random outburst.

But, he has a point.

Marinette

Even with the fact that I had to get up early for the akuma attack, I still arrive to school late like always. 

Maybe it's because I HAVE NO IDEA HOW I'M GONNA SURVIVE TODAY!

Nino knows that I'm Ladybug. Alya won't stop with her Ladybug theories. I used to think that having a gigantic crush on Adrien was a giant obstacle. I rush into class to find that they were already divided into groups. Chloe stood yelling at poor Sabrina. Nino sat next to where I usually sat, and Adrien and Alya sat in front of us.

Nino was scratching his neck and finally glances at me.

"Oh, thank goodness!" he mutters and relaxes.

"Marinette! I've got a new theory: Ladybug and Chat Noir could be the same age as us! Since we know that Ladybug isn't thousands of years old, we can assume from her voice that she is around our age, maybe she even goes to our school!"

"I dunno Alya..." I start and look at Nino to continue. He gulps as if to say, 'Who, me?'

He finally opens his mouth, but thankfully, Alya unknowingly came to the rescue.

"That's what Nino claims, too! But, don't you remember the Pharaoh? Earlier that same day, Ladybug dropped a tenth grade text book! I originally discarded the lead after discovering that Ladybug was supposedly 50,000 years old."

I don't know how to counter, so I just reply, "You can only assume so much before they become lies."

She nods, but I'm positive that my words entered her ears and flew back out instantly. Nino shifts his position.

"Yeah, Alya. You should listen to Marinette- she has a point. You shouldn't assume so much. Just because the akuma said that she is not thousands of years old, she still could be- I mean, it was an akuma. You can't trust them..."

"But..." Alya starts, finally hearing what we were saying. Her wall was still up though; she wouldn't listen to us entirely. She was just thinking of how to counter.

"And, even if Ladybug dropped a textbook, can you be sure that it's hers? I mean, she could have needed it for defeating the akuma." Nino argues for me. I smile at him gratefully. 

"But, it's still something. It's still a lead." Adrien simply says. I blush for some reason. He's so smart.

"Just don't be disappointed when you don't find anything..." Nino breathes out. Wow, that was a convincing sigh of lies. 

Nino and I eventually fall out of the discussion and get to work on the project. But I can't focus. Too much is on my mind. 

"Marinette?" Nino says, snapping his fingers in front of my eyes, "Marinette! Focus! You've been answering my words with 'yeah' the last few minutes. Is something up?" 

I just sighed at his face and turned away. I'm probably not the person he wanted Ladybug to be. 

"Ah, right. Marinette, ...this shouldn't be something to stress about." he says and leans in a bit, "Your secret is safe with me. Sorry I found out." I melt at that point; he's so kind! As a friend.