Breaking The Rules (Under Editing)

Eighteen

The words stung more than he thought it would, but he finally decided - he definitely did not like Marinette. If she thought he was a horrible partner, then so be it. All his goal was for her to fall for him anyway, and that was the only reason he ever walked up to her. Nothing else.

Right after Marinette left, Chloe walked in. "Hey Adrien, you okay?"

Adrien just turned away. "Why are you even here? And why do you care?"

Chloe looked down. "Adrien... I saw Marinette walking out of your room, and you looking all sad. I thought she might have maybe...rejected you or something."

"Really?" Adrien rolled his eyes. "And..?"

"I just came to make you feel better," Chloe shrugged. She didn't really think Marinette had rejected him, after all Marinette was supposed to feel upset because Adrien rejected her, but maybe she wasn't wrong either. Maybe Adrien really did like Marinette.

"If you want to make me feel better," Adrien looked up at her. "Then the door's that way." He pointed at the door and Chloe rolled her eyes, before she huffed and walked out of the room. "Huh," Adrien smiled. "That really did make me feel better."

----------

"Alright," Gabriel walked up to the front of the room, while everyone else waited for him to continue. "It's time we get on with our next design to make. Pants!" Everyone looked at each other. "The thing is, you'll partner up with the same person you partnered up with the last time..."

Marinette groaned silently to herself.

"You both will work on the bottom clothes; could be skirts, or pants, shorts, whatever you want," Gabriel continued. "You'll also be given three days, same rules as before. Gotta make cool designs. Once three days is over, you and your partner will decide who will wear the shirt, and who will wear the bottom to the party. After that's decided, go to the party, and see how many compliments you get. After the party, you all will meet back here, and I'll decide who gets eliminated. Everyone clear on that?"

Everyone started cheering and clapping, besides Marinette. She was so bummed about this whole thing. What was the point of partnering up with someone when you two didn't even work great together? And it would also be awkward because of what she had told Adrien the last time. She hadn't meant it; all she had thought was, if she said it, Adrien wouldn't think she liked him.

"Hey," Nathaniel walked up to her. "Telling by your face, I see that you don't want to work with Adrien again." He chuckled.

"I don't know, I guess..." Marinette sighed. Before she had joined this whole competition thing, she had made a promise that she wouldn't come in the way of Adrien, but now she was even getting partnered with him.

"Well..." Nathaniel smirked. "I was thinking, me and you would make a pretty good team. Why don't we ask Mr. Agreste and see if we can switch."

"Really?" Marinette loved the idea. Nathaniel would be great to work with, after all he was all creative and stuff like that. "Alright, lets give it a shot."

Chloe and Lydia close y looked at each other.

"I doubt that she actually likes Adrien," Lydia watched as the two walked off to ask Gabriel. "Listen, I think Marinette likes Nathaniel. I mean, she chose him over Adrien, so..."

"Yeah, I think so too..." Chloe was glad to confirm that. "That means Marinette won't be in my way of getting Adrien to myself anymore."

"Well, actually..." Lydia pointed towards Adrien. "Look at how he's looking at Marinette and Nathaniel walk away. I think... I'm pretty sure he likes Marinette."

Chloe huffed. "Well he told me he didn't, and I believe him, so shut up!"

Nathaniel and Marinette reached Gabriel's office, and knocked. Gabriel opened the door and let them in. "Is anything the matter?"

"Um, well..." Nathaniel started. "Marinette doesn't really want to work with Adrien anymore, so I was wondering if Adrien and I could switch, and I can be partners with Marinette."

Gabriel turned from Nathaniel to Marinette. "No! See look, I understand your problem, but for this, you need to be partnered up with the same partners from last time, otherwise that would be a huge loss of points. When the next teamwork design comes up, then don't partner up with Adrien."

Marinette was disappointed by the answer. When she turned around, she saw Adrien, who glared at her, before walking away.