Marinette ran over the crossroads into school just as the warning bell rang. She squealed a little as she scurried up the stairs and into the locker room. She'd stayed up most the night talking with Chat Noir on the Eiffel Tower. It had gradually became a regular rendezvous and she looked forward to it immensely each day. It was fair to say their relationship had grow substantially since she had became the Guardian.

Time for her "normal life" had become increasingly awkward, along with relationships. She'd split with Luka after only two weeks and just didn't have time to consider Adrien as an option anymore. He'd made it clear he was in love with someone else, and she believed that to be her good friend Kagami. She didn't even have the time or patience to stutter around him anymore.

Making it worse Hawkmoth had intensified his powers with the unification between the butterfly and peacock Miraculous, meaning their akuma battles changed from finished in a few minutes to lasting a couple hours. Chat had put into place a training schedule to make sure they had the stamina to out last the akuma's and so far it was working.

They'd get up early and run laps around the city and then have regular sparring matches in the evenings to perfect their combats skills. Their lives truly revolved around each other at the moment, and Marinette couldn't be enjoying it more. The cat had finally made his way into her heart and had become solace in her abnormal life.

The bell finally rang and Marinette sprinted to class. As she reached the door she grabbed the frame and swung herself into the classroom, and unfortunately straight onto the floor. She groaned as Nino and Adrien rushed to help her up.

"You ok Marinette?" Adrien asked sympathetically.

"Of course. I'm used to it." She brushed herself off and made it to her seat besides Alya. Her Kitty would enjoy this story later, he loved hearing that his perfect Lady was a clutz under the magical suit.

As she slid onto the bench Alya was grinning at her. "What's put that smile on your face?"

Marinette instinctively placed her hands each side of her mouth and felt the dents that had appeared in her cheeks. Why was that dumb cat suddenly making her heart run wild?

"Oh, just a friend I hung out with last night." She said whilst grabbing her tablet from her bag.

"Hold up!" She tapped Nino on the shoulder. "Have you two heard this? Marinette has a secret friend she hangs with."

"Dudette, that's so not cool!" Nino responded. He knew his girlfriend would want him to respond the same way as she did, where in truth as long as his friend was happy, he was happy.

"It's ok to have other friends Mari, don't listen to these two." Adrien came to her rescue again, maybe because he was also thinking about his secret friend he hangs out with almost every single night. Smart, caring, sophisticated, beautiful, a bug ...

"So who is it?" Nino continues to question.

"Well we know it's not Luka ..." Alya begin before Adrien jumped in.

"How do you know that?"

"Well, me and Luka haven't been together for about three months now." Marinette replied.

"What?" Adrien and Nino exclaimed at the same time.

"If you boys actually spent some time with us you'd know this!" Alya said exasperated. "I mean Adrien you spend more time with Kagami now than you do with Nino."

"Hold up, my man hasn't seen Kagami in months either."

"What?" Marinette shouted louder than she had intended, "I mean ... what happened?"

"We just grew apart. Don't get me wrong she's still one of my best friends but firstly we're not together anymore and secondly its my hectic schedule that's stopping me from seeing you guys as much. Please don't blame Kagami, she really likes you all. Especially you, Marinette."

Marinette couldn't believe what Adrien was saying. They were both single again. Before she would have been ecstatic by this, but now there was Chat. Chat held more of her heart than Adrien did.

"And them breaking up has absolutely nothing to do with you, Marinette." Nino stated as if he was a defence attorney.

"What?" She replied whilst Adrien slapped his hand over Nino's mouth. Marinette was confused by Nino's comment and Adrien's reaction but before she could question any further Ms Bustier entered the classroom.

Whilst the register was being taken Marinette wondered what Nino meant. She'd hardly seen Adrien recently. Neither of them had the time. Yes they messaged occasionally but it was usually random questions about homework, or about a new game or anime programme. It was never anything exciting. So why would she be the reason for them to split up?

Meanwhile Adrien was having a nervous breakdown. He'd told Nino about everything that had happened between him and Kagami, he didn't then expect his best friend to go and spill it to the one girl he was trying damn hard to keep it from.

It all started when Kagami had noticed a change is Adrien's moods. He was always solemn until he'd receive a text from a specific person which ultimately lightened his mood. After a while Kagami noticed that the person messaging was none other than Marinette. Yet every time Kagami had spoken to him, he'd relay the story that she was "just a good friend". It was obvious to Kagami that the girl with the pigtails was a lot more than 'just a good friend'.

The final straw came during an akuma attack. The gang were all out in the park when rays started shooting from an angry babysitter who'd been teased and tested by her charge. Adrien, instead of saving his girlfriend who was standing next to him, told her to run as he ran and dived in front of Marinette, pushing her to the ground before grabbing her hand and running to safety. When he'd been asked his reason why, all he could say was that it was a natural instinct. He wasn't one to lie but he didn't have an answer, it was just something inside him told him to go to Marinette.

In was that moment Kagami knew her battle with the other girl was over. She confronted Adrien about his feelings for Marinette to hear Adrien tell her once more that Marinette was 'just a friend'. At that moment Kagami had snapped. How could be be so oblivious, she thought. They parted as friends and Adrien was left feeling heartbroken - another person had abandoned him.

He transformed and headed for the skies only to end up on Marinette's balcony. Marinette comforted him in her friendly, kind and caring way and that's when he realised ... she's never been just a friend to him. He was just terrified of expanding their friendship in case he lost the one consistent ray of sunshine in his life. He visited her quite often as Chat, she was always happy to be in his company, even if it was for reasons unknown to Adrien.

Another conundrum was the way his Lady had changed towards his alter-ego. They'd been spending a lot of time together recently and he was beginning to see her in a different light. She was a lot more 'ordinary' then he thought. Not in a bad way though. It's just she no longer sat on her pedestal, she was a real person to him with worries and flaws and he adored her all the more for it.

If only his Princess and his Lady could be the same person, it would be his dream come true.

Adrien and Marinette's attention was pulled back to Ms Bustier's lesson as she began to describe their next assignment.

"Ok everyone, I want you to think about the people in this class. Let's say that there are five universal terms to describe everyone? We'll have jock, prom queen, geek, loner, and ... ?" She announced this to the class and a number of faces look up puzzled - wasn't this meant to be French Literature?

"Slut?" Chloé shouted out, whilst adding the finishing touches to her make up by examining her face in her pocket mirror.

"Let's just say 'friendly'" Madame Bustier announced as laughs and whispering filled the classroom.

"Rose, describe Max in one word."

"Errrmmm... I'm not sure. I guess he's nice." Rose thought out loud.

"Well, we could put nice into the friendly category but as friendly doesn't actually mean that, you'd be calling Max a slut." A round of giggles filled the room.

Markov, Max's robot, starting laughing "That is 99.9% inaccurate."

"Rose, you have four more choices."

"I suppose then, geek. I'm so sorry, Max."

"Rose, I cannot be angry at something which is factual. I am aware of the categories, and I agree I am of the geek status." Max turned round and gave a knowing nod to Rose.

Madame Bustier pulled the class back to the lesson in front of them.

"Ok everyone I'm going to give you five seconds to answer ...  Sabrina."

"Geek."

"Chloé"

"Prom Queen"

"Mylène"

"Loner"

"Ivan"

"Loner"

"Rose"

"Friendly"

"Juleka"

"Loner"

"Kim"

"Jock"

"Alix"

"Jock"

"Nathaniel"

"Loner"

"Lila"

"Friendly"

"Slut!" Chloé shouted out, a round of giggles filled the class.

"Alya"

"Prom Queen"

"Marinette"

"Prom Queen"

"Nino"

"Geek"

"Hey ... don't judge me by my glasses." Nino burst out.

"Adrien"

"Jock"

"Like it or not, you are who your classmates see you as. For some of you shaving this image when you leave here will be a great thing. And for some of you, not such a great thing. But what matters is that you know who you really are. And you know how you want the world to see you."

A lot of muttering started up around the room as Madame Bustier handed out slips of paper to one person on each table.

"Those with the paper in front of them - please write your name and fold it in half. Once you've done that hold them in the air, and I will come and collect them."

The tension was growing as the room figured out what was about to happen - a partner project. Partner projects were always the worst when Madame Bustier pulled out the names on paper trick. All Marinette could do is pray that she doesn't get Lila. She'd much prefer Chloé, and that's saying something.

Once all the paper had been collected they were shuffled and handed out to the others.

"Nino and ..."

"Chloé" he announced to the class. This was answered by a groan from Chloé.

"Ivan and ..."

"Alya"

"Sabrina and ..."

"Nathaniel"

"Juleka and ..."

"Alix" even though Marinette and Luka broke up on good terms she breathed a sigh of relief that her partner wouldn't be Juleka. Things were still a little awkward between the two of them.

"Kim and ..."

"Lila" Lila's face was furious.

"I'm sorry but I believe I should be with Adrien."

"I'm sorry Lila but this is how it works. Your partner is Kim." Suddenly she began to cough loud and violently.

"Oh no, I think I might be seriously ill. I wasn't feeling great this morning and my mother thought I needed to be rush to the emergency centre. I'm afraid I'll have to go." With that she picked up her bag and amazingly ran out the classroom door.

"That poor girl looks so sick." Alya said sympathetically to Marinette.

"Whatever." Marinette responded. She knew Lila was a liar, she just wished someone else would feel that way about her too, unbeknownst to her the blonde boy in front was also rolling his eyes at the brunette's crazy actions.

"Kim in that case you'll be with Max."

"Thanks Madame Bustier." Kim seemed thrilled with his decision.

"Rose you'll be with ..."

"Mylène."

"Which leaves Marinette to be with ..." she opened her paper and turned it around to show the class.

"Adrien." She whispered. Her mouth had gone completely dry.