Jerk in Sheep's Clothing

True Colors

Adrien looked through his satchel, gathering his things for class, when Marinette skipped into the classroom, grinning like the cat that got the cream, and humming a happy tune under her breath.  Nino, sitting next to Adrien, saw her upbeat demeanor and smiled back.  "Well, someone's in a good mood today!", he remarked.  Marinette nodded.  "I sure am!  Where's Alya?  I want her to hear this!"  "She's running a lil' late.", said Nino.  "Why?  Whaddaya want her to hear?"

Marinette looked towards the doorway as Henri walked into the classroom, and Adrien had to try and quell his sick stomach once again.  "I have a big announcement!", Marinette cried, facing the whole class, who all responded by scooting to the edge of their seats, watching their class representative with wide eyes to show they were listening.

Adrien's green eyes took on a tinge of shock when Marinette reached over and took Henri's hand, lacing his fingers with her own.  Her eyes were soft as she looked up at him.  Adrien gulped.  He wasn't sure what she would say next, but he had a feeling he wasn't going to like it.  Marinette looked back her friends and declared, "As of yesterday afternoon, Henri and I are an official couple!"

Adrien felt as if the ground had collapsed under him, leaving to fall into a never-ending vortex of darkness.  A black hole opened in his chest, threatening to shallow everything there.  He became numb to everything around him.  The only thing he could feel was his heart pounding heavily, so hard that he could hear it in his ears.

The rest of the class, however, looked surprised.  They had known for a while that Marinette had been in love with Adrien.  How had things changed so fast?  Still, she seemed happy enough, beaming at Henri.  It was best they not come between that.  Nino coughed.  "That's great, Marinette!  Your first boyfriend!  This is a big deal."

"Yeah, Marinette!", added Nathaniel.  "We're really happy for you."  "I think you two make such a cute couple!", Rose swooned romantically.  "I gotta admit, Dupain-Cheng,", said Chloe.  "You picked a good one.  That kid's a real catch."  Marinette smiled as the class showered her and Henri woth sweet words of support.  All but one.

She saw Adrien sitting in the fromt row, his head bowed.  "Adrien?"  He looked up, jolting as if he had just awoken suddenly from a nightmare.  If only this was a nightmare and not reality, he thought.  "Adrien?  You've been awfully quiet."  Adrien hesitated to answer.  Marinette's bluebell eyes were soft, like those of a puppy, silently pleading for his approval of her relationship.  How could he tell Marinette that he didn't like Henri?  That he didn't feel her boyfriend could be trusted?

No, he could not ruin this for her.  He had seen the way she had looked at Henri before she had made the announcement.  Like he was the only boy she had ever seen.  All he had to back him up on his distrust of Henri was a bad feeling in his gut.  That was not enough to convince Adrien to oppose his new relationship with Marinette.

So instead of telling Marinette how he really felt about her new boyfriend, Adrien plastered on a smile, tht fake smile that he had put on so many times, that he had mastered feigning through years of living with his father, and spoke his lines flawlessly, as if they took no effort, when in reality, it was taking everything he had keep up the charade of happiness.  "I'm really glad for you, Marinette.  Henri is...really lucky to have you."

Her bluebell eyes lit up at his answer, giving him that smile, that sweet, gentle smile that made it all worth it.  "Thank you, Adrien.  Coming from you...that means a lot to me."  He kept his smile on as he looked up at her, silently chanting in his head, its for Marinette, its for Marinette.  No one could fake being okay better than Adrien Agreste.