A Secret

What just happened?

Marinette's POV

I heard a loud ringing sound. An alarm? Did I set an alarm? Without even thinking about it, I turned it off and went back to sleep. What feels like a few seconds later, another alarm goes off. Did I accidentally hit snooze? I opened my eyes long enough to turn it off and to see Tiki shake her head as I went back to sleep. This happened a couple more times before I gave up and started grabbing clothes. I looked outside and saw the sun up and thought "Crud. I'm late again!" I almost ran out the door without my shoes on. I made it to school and I ran up the stairs past Alya and Nino. Wait, why are they outside? Am I not late? At that moment I tripped on the stairs and see Alya try to hide a chuckle. 

They came over and helped me up. Alya had set the alarms last night after our Princess Diaries marathon. We went over to a bench and I hear Nino say "Hey, Dude." And my mind goes crazy. Adrien. My crush. My soulmate. The person that I will marry. Oh, I'm getting ahead of myself. I would be lucky enough to just get a date with him or speak a sentence in his direction without stuttering. 

Alya moved my arms so I wouldn't pull my hair out and fixed my pigtails. She is great but she is planning something. She is going to pull something. To try to get Adrien and I to hang out alone?  Something with Adrien and myself...

Adrien made his way over to us and Nino suggested truth or dare to pass the time. I stared at him thinking "Yep. Alya planned this and pulled Nino in too.". But when I heard him say we might uncover some secrets, I started to freak out. I could feel Alya staring at me. Studying my reaction.  She wasn't doing this entirely to get us together. No she thinks that I know something. Something about what though? Does she know that I'm Ladybug and wants me to admit it?

Next thing I know, we found out that Adrien has a crush on someone. Then Nino kissed Alya! I mean she has had a crush on him almost as long as I have with Adrien. My mind was freaking out with all the information going through it when Alya asked me those simple three words.

"Truth or dare?"

"Truth" I always go with truth because who knows what Alya would dare me to do. But her question came unexpectedly.

"Do you know who Ladybug is?"

I didn't know what to say. I can't tell her that I'm Ladybug. I started looking at the exits trying to find an escape.

"W-W-What? N-No. I have no idea." I tried to say as convincingly as possible but ultimately failing. The look on their faces went from interested to surprised. They started saying something but I couldn't hear them. I could feel my heart racing. All of a sudden, Adrien stood up, grabbed my hand and took me into an empty classroom. He closed the door and said he saw me checking all of the exits and how he knows me well enough to know when I'm lying. And that he could tell that Alya wouldn't stop and that I would be overwhelmed soon. I couldn't even look at him. I just stared at my bag knowing Tiki was there. He eventually said that he understood why I wouldn't tell him. What? Does he think that I think so lowly of him? He started to walk out of the room and I stared at the back of his head.

"Adrien..." Is all I could bring myself to say. He looked back but left anyway. I fell to my knees, covering my face with my hands. Trying to calm myself down. I had every class with him and then auditions after school. I had all of them in every class. Nino is directing thee play and Alya is trying out as one of the Darling's children. I decided on trying for Wendy even though Chloe is too. My point is that I will be surrounded by them all day. I almost wished an alumna would show up. Not just to get away from them and maybe clear my mind while fighting, but to talk to chat afterwards. He doesn't know about this whole fiasco and it would be nice to cave a conversation today that won't be riddled with questions about what I won't say.

All throghout the day, I couldn't stop thinking about Alya's glances and Adrien keeping his head down. Nino was freaked out for a while because he didn't really think I knew something but realized why I couldn't say anything. It could jeopardize her identity and stuff like that. He promised to try to hold Alya back. Art class came around and some people wanted Adrien to wear an outfit so they could make sure it fit. Nino was playing music for everyone and helped Alix with her spray painting. Alya was sitting across from me painting a flower but ultimately staring at me. Chloe was going on and on about how her project was better than everyone else's and I could see out of the corner of my eye, the Art teacher was rolling his eyes at her. He just ignored her and continued to give advice to the sculptors. 

Alya then asked me "Why won't you tell me? Do you not trust me? Is it because you think I'll put it on my blog?"

I simply said "The more people who know her identity, the greater the chance of Hawkmoth finding her before they find him. And of course I want to tell you. I trust you with my life, but this is a secret that I have to keep." She went back to painting and for a split second I made eye contact with Adrien. He looked sad and let down. That's when we heard a huge crash outside. We all rushed to the windows, seeing a lady sitting on a flower with vines destroying everything in it's path.

She screamed "HOW COULD YOU DESTROY THOSE FLOWERS? WELL NOW, THESE FLOWERS ARE GOING TO DESTROY YOU!". I saw Adrien looking at his ring and then inside his jacket. Why would he be doing that? He ran out of the room and I followed him. I should go transform but there is something off with what he is doing. He ran into an empty classroom. Man, why is there so many empty classrooms here? He left the door open and I think I heard him say Plagg? What? But another voice came out, asking for cheese.

"Hey" I thought, "That's kind of like how I give Tiki cookies and hides in my bag.".

All of a sudden, I see a bright green light and Chat Noir is hopping out the window. That was an empty room... Adrien was the only one in there... Adrien is Chat Noir??