When the class starts for the day, Miss Bustier says she has something special to announce.  Alya, Nino, Chloe, Timothy and the others look on in anticipation!  Marinette could care less what it is about.  As for Adrien he looks on with a glum look on his face as usual. 

     "Class there is to be a special Valentine's Dance!  It will take place right here  in the school gymnasium at 3 pm!  Everyone must participate in it.  Dates are are a requirement!  Any who show up without a date will be assigned one."  Miss Bustier says.

    "Are you serious, about the whole date thing?"  Kim ask.

   "Yes, Kim I sure am!"  Miss Bustier says.

  "I think it sounds rather romantic!"  Rose remarks.

 "I think it sounds like some crazy propaganda!"  Marinette says.

 "Oh, how so?"  Max asks as he raises one eyebrow.

 "It is just a ploy to get us to ask out someone only to risk rejection.  Why even bother?"  Marinette scoffs.

 "Hey, now!  Just because you hate it, doesn't mean everyone else has too!"  Luka responds.

 "Here,here, my brother is so right!" Juleka states.

 "I think it is an awesome idea!"  Kagami adds.

 "It is just another reminder of how unloved I actually am!"  Adrien blurts out.

 "Oh, I am sure it can't really be all that bad, dude!"  Nino protests.

 "Yes, I am sure there is even a special someone for you!" Alya tells him.

  "Oh, but it is!"  Adrien says.

   "It is just another excuse to shove us all together in an uncomfortable spot!"  Marinette shouts.

   "Girl, you need to calm down!" Alya rebukes her.

   "I think it's a lovely idea,"  Ondine gushes.

   "Same here!" Marc adds.

  "I for one have no intentions to show up!" Marinette brags.

  "For any of you who plan to stay home, I would suggest you reconsider as this dance is a requirement to graduate!  It goes a long way towards social skills!"  Miss Bustier explains.

 "Miss Bustier is right, and she is my date to the dance, so you all back off from her!"  Principal Damocles brags.

  "Ugh!" Marinette pouts. She puts her head down on her desk and thinks, what kind of crazy school do my parents send me to anyway.

 "I think the idea is splendid!"  Lila agrees.

     Everyone returns to their seats as Miss Bustier begins the lesson. Finally, the bell rings to signal the end of school. 

    Alya rushes towards the exit. She can't wait to go home and prepare for the dance. She only wishes a certain someone would ask her to the dance.

  "Hi, Alya!"  Nino says.

 "Hi, Nino!"  Alya blushes.

  "Alya, want to go with me to the dance?"  Nino ask.

  "Sure, Nino!  I would love too!"  Alya responds.

  "Great, see ya later!"  

       Alya walks off with an excitement to her step!  She looks forward to her date to the dance with Nino!  

     "Sabrina, you have a date yet?"  Max ask.

    "No!"  Sabrina shrugs her shoulders.

   "Will you go with me then?"  Max inquiries.

   "Sure!"  Sabrina says with enthusiasm.

   "Good, I will pick you up at 2:45 pm!  See you then!"  

   "Ok, see ya!" 

      Sabrina and Max leave next.  

      Marinette shakes her head, she thinks this whole dance thing is nothing, but a cruel joke.  She laughs at how silly everyone else is about the whole thing. Why if someone asks her to the dance she will refuse to go with them!  She does not want a date, nor need one.  Why the very idea that a date should be a requirement makes her feel ticked off.  She walks home before anyone can ask her.

      Luka sees Kagami and smiles. "Kagami, wait up!"  Luka states.  "Oh, hi, Luka!"  Kagami says.

   "Kagami, will you be my date to the dance?"  Luka asks.

    "Sure, Luka!  I like you!"  Kagami says.

    "Good, I like you too!  See ya!" 

     "Juleka, you have a date?"  Nathaniel ask.

     "Not, yet!  why you want to know?"  

     "Will you be my date?"

    "Sure!" Juleka smiles. She can't hardly wait to dance with the artist boy as she has had a crush on him for a long time now.

    "Rose, will you accompany me to the dance?"  Marc ask.

     "Sure, it will fun!'  Rose says.

    "Good, see you later then!" 

         Kim feels a bit nervous about the idea of  walking up to a girl and asking her to the dance. It turns out he didn't  need to worry about it.  As he was about to go home dateless, Ondine walks up to him.  "Hey, Kim!"  Ondine says.  

"Hey, Ondine!"   

 "Kim, will you go with me to the dance?'  Ondine ask.  

"Yes!"   He can't believe it.  His crush asked him out.  

        "Chloe, you know what?"  TImothy ask.

      "No, but I am sure you will tell me." 

      "You are the only girl, I see myself at the dance with, so what do you say?   Will you go with me?"  Timothy ask.

       "Yes, I  would be happy to go with you to the dance!"  

      "Good, see you when I pick you up at 2:45 pm!"  Timothy gushes.

      "Y-yeah, s-see you, T-Timothy!"  Chloe says.

       Adrien looks around and sees that everyone else has a date.  Everyone that is except for him. He sighs. He goes home without a date. He thinks, it figures that even on a day like today, everyone else has someone special in their life.  Everyone but me!  

       Once Adrien, gets to his room, he changes into a nice outfit.  He is not happy about the prom.  He still intends to go for the sake of his grade.  He dares not risk failure no matter how awkward the entire thing may be. 

        "Adrien, that is a nice suit!"  Plagg remarks.

     "Yes, well it is for the silly school dance! "  Adrien explains.

      "Well, you don't have a date!"  Plagg says.

       "I know, and I would appreciate it if you would not remind me."  Adrien says gloomily.

      "I am sorry, it is just even you deserve happiness."  Plagg reminds him.

         Meanwhile, Marinette puts on some makeup, a light amount at the insistence of her mother, and pulls a dress over her head.  She puts on some black sandals, and brushes her hair.  She looks at herself.  She thinks, all this work for some stupid class graduation requirement.  She shrugs her shoulders, grabs up her purse, and heads out the door.  Tikki hides in her usual spot inside Marinette's purse.  Tikki keeps quiet so as not to give away the secret about who Ladybug really is in civilian form.

         Later at the dance itself, everyone seems to enjoy themselves!   The couples dance!  Even Miss Bustier and Mr. Damocles, the principal dance!  The only ones who hesitate when it comes to this are Adrien and Marinette.  These two are the only ones who arrive at the event by themselves.  

     "Come on you two, dance!"  Miss Bustier tries to encourage them.

    "I would rather not!"  Adrien shakes his head.

   "Same here!"  Marinette scowls.

   "Nonsense, I insist, you two dance with each other as you are the only ones without a date!" Miss Bustier adds/

    "Fine, but it is only for the grade!  It means nothing more!"  Marinette remarks.

    "Yeah, it is nothing!" Adrien says sadly.

    Adrien dances with Marinette.  He can tell she is good at this. He feels like he is not that good at it.  He feels rather silly.  He thinks, goodness, she is like a angel who sores above and I am just a clumsy boy.  He blushes as his thoughts take him where he never expected them to go.

     Marinette does not notice Adrien blush. She just sees everyone else eyes on them. She thinks, good grief why can't they find something better to do?  I don't even like him!  I mean it.  We are not even friends, let alone anything else!  

     The dance draws to a close!  Chloe and Timothy get the Queen and King nomotions at the event.  Everyone cheers!  Even Adrien and Marinette thinks this couple deserves it for their dance moves are great, and because of how it is obvious that Chloe and Timothy like each other a lot.  

   Adrien leaves the dance sad as usual.  He thinks, why can't I just have someone to love me?  He hides somewhere and whispers, Plagg, claws out!  He goes home as Chat Noir and enters his room through the open window.  He detransforms and sighs.  He thinks about Marinette.  He can't seem to get his mind off of her ever since the school dance.  

    Adrien thinks about what took place.  

    "Plagg,  Marinette dances well!  I wish I had known this sooner.  If I had perhaps, I would have asked her to attend the dance with me!  Who am I kidding?  She would have turned me down. She did make it clear she only danced with me due to it being a requirement for our grade and to graduate on time. "

   I sigh, as I realize that I have a hopeless one-sided crush on the girl!  It is true then, I like Marinette!  It will never get me anywhere because she does not feel the same.  I can tell.  It figures I would fall for a girl who will never love me.  Why does love have to be so cruel?

  Plagg feels bad for Adrien who loves this girl who appears to hate him.  The poor lad would fall for the rudest girl in the school.

    In Marinette's mind,  I can not see why everyone else looks at me as if I did something wrong.  Good grief, people!  I  am not the type of girl to fall in love at first sight!  At least not anymore!  Not ever again!  Not since he hurt me!  I mean it.  Mark was my boyfriend and his betrayal made me hate to love.

        "Marinette's  Flashback..."

  "Marinette you have been crying. What is it, babe?  Tell me, what is wrong?"

   "Mark, I have to move to Paris, France. I do not want to go."

     "Wait, you are leaving me?" Mark scolds her.

       "Hey, it is not like I have a choice about it."

       "Mark, she is right, you know," Jessica remarks.

       A week later, Marinette arrives at school for the last time. She sees Mark kissing Jessica by the lockers. She is heartbroken. She feels the betrayal of both her boyfriend whom she thought loved her and her best friend. How could they do this to her?

       "Mark, Jessica?  How dare you!"  Marinette shouts at them.

       Marinette slaps Jessica. She gives Mark a black eye.

        "Look, Mari, it is for the best that we are over. I mean Jessica is not going anywhere, unlike you. Besides, she is so much prettier than you. I love her."

           "You know what?  I hate you!  Both of you!  You hear me!"

             "Flashback ends..."

    " Tikki,  I suppose this is the real reason why I hate Valentine's Day and everything associated with it.   It is also why I did not enjoy the get together at the school the same as the others.  I can't help it.  I am a broken girl.  Mark was my everything, so now I do not love anyone. Well, other than my parents. What can I say? "

    "Adrien dances well, but he also seems to be a bit clumsy on his feet. He left as soon as Timothy and Chloe were crowned the King and Queen of the Prom.  I am not sure why and I could care less to find out. It is non of my business anyway.  Besides, my heart is in ruins!  So there!  "

  This Chapter was first published on January 1, 2019, and edited on January 8, 2019.  More editions made to the chapter on February 5, 2021. 

   to be continued in Chapter 3  Adrien Refuses to Talk?