Losing Identities

Chapter 2

Marinette's POV

Adrien's house isn't that far away.  Still, the walk seems to take forever, as Adrien's right.  Next. To. Me!

"What sort of snacks will you have?" Nino asks him.

Adrien laughs.  "He hasn't even said yes yet!"

"I'll cater," I offer.

He turns to me and grins.  "That'll be perfect."

Oh, my heart!  It's melting!

"What do you have?  Macaroons? Croissants?"

"Anything you want."

His grin has transformed.  Now he's full-on beaming. And I am too.

"Amazing," he says.

"Yes, she is," Alya interjects.

"Alya..." I mumble, embarrassed.

But Adrien replies, "Agreed," and winks at me.

He winked at me!

How much longer until I swoon?

Well, I made it a full morning with him and didn't faint that day when the cologne ad came out.  What's a few minutes?

Still a challenge.

"We're here!"  Nino gestures to the mansion.

As we turn, Adrien's arm brushes mine.

I stumble.

"Marinette, be careful!" Alya yells.  "Don't break your gorgeous self!"

But I can't focus on her, because right now, Adrien's actually scooped me up bridal-style, and now he's looking at me with his perfect emerald eyes, brows creased in worry.

"You okay?"

To be honest, my ankle does hurt a little, but I don't think it's major.  "I..."

"That looks pretty swollen," Alya says.

What?

I look down at my ankle, and all I see is a bruise.  Just like I thought. Nothing too bad.

"I don't think it's swelling that much, Alya," Adrien says.

"Maybe it just hasn't started yet," Nino says.  "I still think you should carry her, just in case."

Adrien glances down at me.  Smiling gently, he holds me a bit tighter.

I blush.

Nino presses the doorbell, and the freaky camera flings itself out of the wall and gets really close to his nose.  "State your reason for being here."

"Hey.  We were just..." he mutters to the lens.

As soon as he says "we," the camera zooms out to show all four of us.

"Hello, Adrien," the voice greets him.  "What are your friends doing here?"

"We have to ask Father something."

"Why are you carrying Marinette?"

Suddenly, there's a red tint to his cheeks.  Does he...?

"S-she got hurt," he says.

"Very well.  Come inside, then."

The gates open, and we head inside and into the mansion, where Nathalie approaches us.  This place is so dismal. I can't believe Adrien has to live here.

"Mr. Agreste," Nathalie calls out.

Adrien's father appears at the top of the stairs, arms folded behind his back, glaring at us like a hawk.

Or Hawk Moth.

I still haven't abandoned my suspicions, but I don't think now's the time.

"They have a question for you," Nathalie informs him.

He looks us over sternly.  I don't think he's ever seen this many teenagers in his foyer before.  Four, wow!

"Before you ask, I would like to know why you're holding Marinette like that, Adrien."

Again, Adrien blushes.  Why? "She hurt her ankle.  We don't know if she can walk."

Mr. Agreste's silver eyes soften a little.  "Hmm. So what's the question?"

Adrien takes a deep breath.  I can feel it against my side.  "Can I have a party?"

The words echo through the foyer, and afterwards, the silence lasts for a long time.  We can all see the wheels turning in Mr. Agreste's head, the thoughts processing. Just no one knows what he's going to say.

And then we get our answer.

Okay.  Here's another chapter.