Chapter 118

Marinette's P.O.V:

"Just a heads up, Cupcake" Dick spoke up from the other side of the limo as they were driving to the gala. "There will be a lot of media personnel just outside the venue. Try not to look too overwhelmed when we get there."

"It won't be so bad when we get inside though." Tim added. "Only a select group of the media are allowed inside like Clark and Lois."

"And we promise not to ask too many questions." Lois laughed. "I do have a feeling that you and Damian will find yourself in the spotlight tonight whether you want to or not."

"Yeah." I nod. "I've been expecting that."

"I won't let anyone bother you too much." Damian gently squeezed my hand.

"What, you aren't excited to be questioned by a bunch of strangers?" I joked.

"We are pulling in now." Alfred spoke up from the driver's seat.

"Everyone, please behave and remember..." Bruce said.

"Eyes will be everywhere." All of Bruce's family spoke in lackluster unison like he has said it a million times before.

"We know, Bruce." Dick laughed. "We'll be on our best behavior."

"As you should be." Alfred said before putting the car in park and exiting the vehicle.

I heard the trunk open and close and then a second later, Alfred opens up the door. I can just barely see out the door as everyone in front of her exits, starting with Clark and his family. The cacophony of sounds just outside reminded me of the times I would save the day back in Paris and I only had minutes to talk to the flashing cameras and crowds before I had to run off to go detransform. The only real difference this time was that I was now Marinette and not Ladybug and instead of saving a city, I was dating the son of a billionaire. It was strange to me how quickly life had changed.

"Remember to smile." Selina said to me before she and Bruce stepped out.

The crowd outside seemed to get even louder. I was hoping that was as loud as it gets because it was now Damian and I's turn to get out of the limo. I looked over to Damian who seemed completely unbothered by it all, but instead only smiled at me.

"You ready?" He asks.

"Yep." I take a deep breath before smiling too.

Damian gets out first and quickly turns around to help me out behind him. I was wrong. The crowd got exponentially louder the minute I was free from the limo. I couldn't even single out one question from the next. Everyone was trying their hardest to speak over each other. I kept smiling though, per Selina's advice.

"They are quite loud today." Damian whispered into my ear as we walked away from the limo to go stand next to his father and Selina on the long red carpet. The crowd seemed to move with them, not really caring about the rest of the group still in the limo.

"So, they are usually not like this?" I whispered back with a smile. I catch a glimpse of the rest of Damian's family heading their way with Tim pushing Barbara along.

"No. But you are new to most of them though." He smirked back down at me. "You would catch my attention too if I were them."

"You've got quite the fan club, Sunshine." Jason said the minute he was close enough for me to hear.

I smiled at Jason and then looked around at my surroundings. Anyone with any sort of stage fright would run away screaming at this situation. Nobody even seemed to care that the person who was running this gala was just a few feet away from me. Instead, all eyes were on me and maybe a few here and there were on Damian. I could tell people were screaming at me, asking me questions but nothing seemed to make sense so I turned my attention back to Damian.

"Do you have any idea what they are asking us?" I giggled to my boyfriend.

"No clue." He laughs. "Just smile at the cameras. Maybe they will eventually quiet down enough so we can hear what they are saying."

I looked back to the crowd and I smiled even brighter. It was quiet for half a second before all I could hear was the constant loud hum of people screaming and all I could see were bright flashing lights that seemed to never end. They were all going to run out of room on their cameras at this rate. I decided to look away so I wouldn't be seeing spots all night.

"I don't think that will work, Damian." I laughed.

"What?" He says, not able to hear me over the crowd.

I just laugh at our predicament while Damian smiled back at my joy filled face.

Bruce decides to step forward and he points to a face in the crowd. This seems to quiet everyone down but the camera flashes never stop.

"Mr. Wayne." The man he pointed to speaks up. "Who is this young lady in red?"

"This is Marinette Dupain-Cheng. She is the winner of this year's Thomas and Martha Wayne Scholarship Foundation." Bruce said matter of factly.

"Is she dating your youngest, Damian Wayne?" A reporter on the other side of the crowd asked.

"We will have an announcement later tonight regarding Miss Dupain-Cheng. All questions about her will be answered then. Now we must be heading inside." The billionaire looks over to a new limo that had just pulled up. "Have a good night." He smiles before leading us inside.

I never really had the chance to get a good look at the building we were entering. I was too preoccupied by the media. The inside however, was a different story. The camera flashes inside were much more tolerable. I found that I could look around the lavish room with ease. There was a live band playing on a stage at the far end of the room and a sizable dance floor in the very center. There were many large circular tables on the outskirts of the dance floor with name tags on each seat. Waiters and waitresses were walking around with platters of drinks and finger foods that were offered to anyone in passing.

I looked around the room at the people already here and was surprised to see that my classmates and teacher were already seated at a table, but then I realized that the guests of honor usually showed up last so it would make sense they would be here first. They were a high school class, after all.

"You want to go say hi to them?" Damian asks. "We are free to walk around and 'mingle'." He smiles at me.

"Uh, sure." I nod when I see everyone walk off to do their own thing.

"You mind if I tag along?" Jon asks.

"Sure. You want to meet my friends? They are just over there." I point to a table filled with teens.

"Absolutely. It's got to be better than talking with the 'socially elite'." He jokes.

"You are probably right, Jon." I laugh. "Let me introduce you."

"Wow, Mari. That dress is stunning." Chloe says when she sees me approach.

"Thanks, Chlo." I smile before looking to the rest of the class. "Hey, guys. You all look great."

"You say that but you have clearly upstaged us." Alix gestures to my dress.

I roll my eyes and laugh at my friends. "Anyways. I want you all to meet Jonathan Kent. This is Damian's best friend."

"I'm his only friend." Jon laughs. "You can call me Jon."

"Hey, Jon. I'm Chloe." She waves. "This is Alix, Kim, Max, Nino, Alya, Adrien, Rose and Juleka." She points each of them out. "But I'm sure you will forget. There are way too many of us."

"No, I think I got it." Jon smiles. "I have a good memory."

"You said you last name is Kent?" Alya asked and Jon quickly nods. "Your father wouldn't happen to be Clark Kent, would he?"

"Yep." Jon pointed towards his father and mother talking with an important couple who plan on donating. "That's my Mom and Dad over there."

"No way!" Alya said excitedly. "They are like, my role models."

"Oh, here we go..." Chloe rolls her eyes.

"What?" Jon looks at Chloe questioningly. "Is she a mega fan or something?"

"I've always wanted to be a journalist." Alya says. "What are they like? Do they ever take their work home with them?"

"Unfortunately." Jon shakes his head. "I guarantee that any questions you want to ask them, their answer will be to 'Always ask questions and never stop until you find the truth.' And 'Don't take everything for face value. Always dig deeper'. I've heard it all."

"That's it?" Alya asks. "I'm sure they would have so much more to say."

"What else could they say?" Jon shrugs. "Those are the qualities that make a good journalist. I've heard them say it all my life."

"I... guess that's true." Alya sat back down to think about that.

"So, how was it out there?" Adrien asked me. "When we arrived, there weren't many people out there and they were mainly setting up. We heard the screaming from in here though when you arrived."

"Uh, it was overwhelming." I giggled. "I think I almost went blind and deaf; the lights were so bright and they were so loud."

"They loved you." Damian grinned at me.

"Hey, I saw some eyes on you too." I couldn't help but grin back.

"Yeah." Jon laughs. "That's only because you two are practically joined at the hip."