Just my Luck -Book 1

Chapter 7: A Gilded Cage

The next morning when her alarm went off Mari was still putting on the final touches on the costumes. She turned off the alarm, scrambled to put all of the outfits and sketches into her bag, and ran downstairs. She grabbed a croissant, said goodbye to her parents, and then ran out the door.

Just as she planned, she got to class ten minutes early where she met Nino and Alya. She usually would have been out of breath when she ran all the way to school, but thanks to Master Fu's additional training, she wasn't. "Here are your outfits." She handed Nino and Alya, the costumes for Carapace and Rena Rouge. "I hope you don't mind, I threw in some complementary colors to make you guys look more like a couple."

Alya gave her best friend a hug. "Oh, you've got to get pictures of us in these so we could put them up on the blog."

"Just wait till you see me in my shell, foxy lady," Nino said to Alya. She giggled and they both went out of the classroom to change. 

There were only two outfits left-- Ladybug and Chat Noir's. Normally she would have spent every last ounce of her energy worrying over Adrien and if he'd like her design, but this time she was too exhausted from training and lack of sleep.

But that's when the clasps on her purse popped open and Tikki stuck out her head. "Oh, no Marinette. Please tell me you didn't make the Ladybug costume for yourself."

Mari panicked. She had made the costumes according to the measurement she did last project, which included her own measurements. She had been too tired to think twice about it and Tikki had already fallen asleep before she could notice. "I was in such a hurry. Oh no, Tikki. Class starts in just a few minutes, and this project is a huge part of my grade. What do I do now?"

"There has to be someone else."

Mari looked around quickly at her classmates. Julika? No, too tall. Rose? No, too short. That's when her thoughts were interrupted by Chloe's unmistakable laughter. Oh, no. Not her!

"Chloe's the same size as you." Tikki reminded her. "And she really did make a good Ladybug last time she dressed up as you."

Mari inwardly groaned but then realized her kwami was right and got a hold of herself. If you can save Paris from Hawk Moth, you can face Chloe. She walked over to her, and her best friend Sabrina. "Chloe, would you wear my Ladybug costume for my Senior Project?"

"Chloe's so over Ladybug," Sabrina said haughtily.

But Chloe hushed Sabrina and then held up the costume to examine it from all angles. "This is different. Who's going to be Chat Noir?"

Mari lowered her voice. "Adrien is going to be Chat Noir."

Chloe squealed and looked at the outfit again. "My Adrikin's is going to be Chat. Oh, this outfit is so cute. Of course, I will wear it!" She pulled Sabrina alone with her as she headed off to the bathroom.

"I guess that one is for me?" Adrien said behind her. She spun around quickly and accidentally knocked into his head. They both rubbed their foreheads and laughed. "Yes, Here's your Cat-stume."

Adrien paused and looked at her curiously. "Did... did you just make a cat pun?"

And a really bad cat pun at that. Mari reddened as she put the costume into Adrien's hands. Oh no, Chat was starting to rub off on her. She giggled nervously and, unable to think of anything intelligent to say in Adrien's presence, she muttered a goodbye before running into the classroom.

That's when she met up with Alya, who's crossed arms and sour look told Mari that she had slipped up. "Girl, I don't understand why you chose Chloe to be Ladybug. It should have been you. This would have been the perfect opportunity for you to flirt with Adrien."