5. Rain

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"the sound of rain."

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"Marinette? Marinette?," I open my eyes fully seeing the teacher in my face with a stern glare.

I sit up quickly looking around seeing everyone has already left except Adrian who was looking at the teacher nervously.

"I'm sorry she wasn't feeling well today Mrs.- uhm we will be going now," Adrian quickly grabs my hand and my bag before we start running to the front entrance.

"Ow Marinette," I heard Tikki mumble in my head.

I grab my bag from Adrian quickly.

"Sorry- I can carry it," I smile.

"O-okay," he stuttered and scratched the back of his neck nervously.

"Do you need a ride home I think the bus already left," Adrian offered.

As we reach the front of the school Kagami was already waiting there, I shake my head at Adrian.

"No thanks I need the run," I sighed and passed Kagami quickly.

I guess I should have something more to eat in the morning.

Adrian's POV

I reach my hand to stop her before she ran off again but failed, I frown and clench my hand.

Marinette has been avoiding me like the plague all last week and finally we had a normal conversation today with Alya and she seemed fine. When did she become so closed off towards me, and it's only me, she's talking to everyone else normally, but once we get in a conversation I can tell by the expression on her face that she doesn't even want to look at me. I thought we were closer than that, but she seems so far away for me to reach her. I sighed and looked up seeing Kagami again.

I don't know what the reason for her to see me today at this time but I need to remind myself that she's my girlfriend and I love her, that I shouldn't complain that I see her so often. But it makes me wonder why I get so annoyed everytime she comes see me so often, shouldn't I want to spend as much time as possible with my girlfriend? Shouldn't I be happy?

"Adrian," Kagami called.

I shake my head and look up to her and put on a fake smile.

"Hey babe," I mumbled and kissed her on the cheek "why are you here... again?"

"Well I missed you and wondered if you want to see a movie with me today?," she asked.

"Uhm I don't know babeee I think I'm busy today," I mumbled.

"drop what your doing and spend time with me," she mumbled.

I sigh heavily and grab my schedule from my backpack and notice I have fencing, and I need to head to the gym for a while since I'm not in shape.

"Sorry babe, but I have fencing and I wanted to workout today."

"I can fence with you!," she said happily, of course I thought.

"Okayyyy then let's go," I cheered fakely.

After our little battle we were in front of the studio when I look across the street in the gym to see if it's hectic and thankfully it isn't.

Kagami was talking about her wins and bragged about many things, like she did often, I nod trying for her to go home so I can release some stress by lifting some weights.

"Anyways that's how I beat him with a single move- can you believe that they thought I would lose," she laughed at her opponent "I'm the best at fencing, like seriously they shouldn't have underestimated me."

I turn to her again and mentally slap my face.

"Adrian I need to talk to you about something," I nod for her to go on.

"So Marinette," my ears perked up at the sudden name.

"What about her?," I asked.

"She changed since I last saw her," I shrug lightly.

"She's still sweet and kind towards people," I mumbled.

"No I mean how she seems more- how do I put this? Self conceited?," my eyes widen at Kagami's comment.

"No."

"I mean come on Adrian she's your suppose friend and every time she past by me she completely ignores me or makes up excuse like she needs to work out, acting like she's so great to talk to me."

"Kagami Marinette IS busy, have you not seen Alya's blog? Marinette is no longer a clumsy girl like we knew, she's pretty famous and keeps up with her daily training. Please don't say rude comments about my close friends because I know them more than you," I mumbled.

"I don't look at nonsense like blogs," she rolled her eyes " and when did you become all buddy buddy with her?," she rolled her eyes.

"We've been good friends since freshman year!," I yelled lightly.

"She's not a good friend," Kagami mumbled.

"Kagami stop please."

"No because if you are such good friends she would've told you why she left and for how long, she would've kept contact with you but she didn't," my face drop, she was right, Kagami is right like always. Marinette left me here without no explanation or reason, she didn't try to stay in touch and left.

I remember I felt abandon when I went to school that entire week wondering where Marinette went and Alya trying to hold back her tears. I remember the week before when Ladybug left me alone here for personal reasons. I remember Alya breaking down the second week and told me Marinette moved, I remember I didn't see anyone for 3 weeks because I lost a good friend. Kagami was the only one there for me, she came the 4th week and told me she was the only one that truly cared and loved me.

She's right though, she really is the only one that cares for me, none of my friends do, not even my own father.

I can feel my eyes water and Kagami pulls me into a hug.

"See Adrian I'm the only one that cares for you, I'm still here after years, I'm perfect for you," she whispered in my ear.

"I'm sorry we can go watch the movie you wanted at my house," I pull away and sniff.

"Really? Then let's go."

The only one.

A few hours later-

Kagami left a few minutes ago after I convinced her that I needed sleep.

"Adrian I think that Kagami chick is bad news," Plagg said with a mouth full of cheese.

"We went over this Plagg she is just looking out for me," I sighed.

"She bad mouthed Marinette in front of you and you didn't really stand up for her."

"I did say that Kagami was being rude-,"

"Oh please! You hugged her in the end and acted like a big baby so technically you didn't," he laughed.

"Whatever-," I stay quiet "but what she said was true, Marinette and I aren't as close as I thought."

"I mean you two were pretty close a years back until someone came into the picture."

"Yeah but still-."

"You can't expect Marinette to open up to you right away when she literally just came back, she doesn't know you Adrian she was gone for a while, you can't automatically think you guys will just connect quickly after not speaking for a year and a half, geez and I thought you were the smart one."

"Shouldn't she at least try to talk to me more? I mean every time I try to speak to her I feel like I'm talking to a brick wall for crying out loud," I yelled lightly.

"Hmm that's true maybe she just hates you secretly," he joked.

"Haha very funny," I stand up from my couch and pace around my room.

"You think it's gonna rain?," Plagg asked and looked out the window.

"I don't know," I grumbled.

Today Marinette seemed completely fine and even fell asleep like old times in our last class, she acted more comfortably around me today. So isn't that a sign of our friendship blooming again? Ugh why is it so hard to read her!

I went out early after realizing that Marinette no longer arrives late to school like she used to, so she's already inside the school at points because instead of Alya talking to Nino and I like she used to, she heads into school grounds to talk to Marinette. So today I thought it'd be good to start heading into school early like I used to. I walked into a store to pick up some junk food since I've been craving candy and when I got in line I noticed Marinette asking the cashier if she can bring her money back from school since she forgot it. I realized that she was working out at our school gym and needed some breakfast fuel so I offered to pay. I wasn't going to ask her to pay me back but she did either way.

I mean she was kind of still talking dry to me but we spoke often throughout the day which really made me happy for some reason. When I'm with Kagami I normally end up crying in her chest or feel annoyed, when I first met her I felt like I can be my true self but she was like my father, she wanted everything to be perfect. She distanced me from my friend by asking me to always hang out with her like she normally does now. However with Marinette I felt free and happy, and even now she still makes me feel this way, is it wrong that I want to always be near her? That I want to see her open herself up like she was before and act the way she did? To see her smile? To be near her? Is this wrong for me to think of about a close friend?

I can feel myself starting to shut down.

"Deep breathes Adrian your losing yourself," Plagg got near me and patted my back.

"I need to let off some steam, open the window please and get out my gloves," I sighed and went into my closet before changing into some workout clothes.

I got a punching bag recently to let out some stress, and since I couldn't go to the gym this was my other option.

I hated being in my house I hate having to pass by my father every once and a while, that's why I prefer the gym then to be using a heavy bag in my home.

I grab the gloves Plagg laid out on my bed and put them in quickly before punching the bag hard, I take out all my anger and frustration on here that I already need a new bag.

"I knew it was going to rain!," I heard Plagg laugh from behind me.

"Ugh!," I yell lightly as knock down the bag from the stand before taking off my gloves revealing my bloody knuckles.

"Geez let me go get the first aid for that booboo," Plagg mumbled.

I let my emotions get the best of me and I start to cry.

"Why? Why? Why? Why? Why do I feel so alone?"

I hate Kagami being right.

I hate my father for everything he has done.

I hate school and all the work.

I hate modeling and always trying to be perfect.

I hate my friends for not caring for me.

I hate Plagg and his nasty smelling cheese.

I hate Ladybug for leaving me.

I hate feeling this way.

I hate it I hate it I hate it.

I hate Mari-

I hate her for making me feel like I'm special to her.

I hate her for making me believe we were close friends.

I hate her for leaving me alone.

I sniff my tears back and start breathing in and out.

"What's wrong Kitty? Are you lost?," I heard Marinettes voice all of sudden.

I quickly look around my room seeing no one.

"Awe your all soaked in rain water," I stand up and head to my window and look down into the street seeing Marinette drenched in water standing in the rain. In her hand she held a kitten close to her body and put it inside her sweater and zipped it up to keep the cat from falling or getting cold.

"Don't worry once we get home you'll be all warmed up," she smiled down.

"Mari-," I whispered.

"Let's get you home Kitten-," she starts to walk off into the street.

"My family runs a bakery it's warm inside and smells so sweet," I heard before she turned a corner and was out of my site.

"Okay! So bad news we have no bandaids only ointment so hurry and sit down so we can treat those bloody knuckles," Plagg came back into the room.

"Way to ruin a moment," I grumbled.

"What?," he widened his eyes.

"No 'thank you Plagg for caring for me' and bringing you ointment! That's it! It's over between us! I can't believe you actually treat me like this!," he started to act dramatically.