Marinette was going through some papers on the table, not sure why, when Adrien came up to her, telling her he was ready now. Marinette turned around, the papers in her hands. Adrien looked a little surprised and embarrassed to see her holding the papers, because he quickly reached in and grabbed them. Marinette chuckled, amused. "It's a story," She spoke as Adrien started walking away. "You wrote it? I never knew you were an author."

"I'm not," Adrien sighed. "I can't believe I forgot to hide these. I just sometimes. . . I sometimes write stories when I'm bored."

Marinette chuckled again. "I don't think it was that bad. You don't have to be embarrassed by it." Maybe Adrien wasn't who she thought he really was. Through every rich person, Marinette pictured a cold-hearted person, but maybe that was only because of Chloe. Chloe made her think that way of rich people. Not all of them were like her. "Is it horror?"

"Well, I was going to make it horror, but. . . I don't know," Adrien looked away again. "You said you liked it. It's really not that great, I mean-"

"I think it's good." She couldn't believe she was complimenting a person she had promised herself to stay away from. Now here she was, in his room, alone with him, waiting for his father so they could start their project together.

"Thanks."

"I think you should publish it."

Adrien almost choked on his own spit. He looked at Marinette like she was the craziest person ever, and maybe in his mind, she was. She had on a large smile on her face, waiting for Adrien to say something. When he didn't, she spoke up again, "is it because of your father?"

Adrien looked surprised then, before he looked down. "I'm not really sure on how he would feel to hear that his own son writes stories." He made it sound like it was a disgusting habit. Marinette shook her head and walked past him, heading for the door.

"I have a feeling I'm not going to be the only person to like it. Is it finished?" Adrien shook his head, telling her he just needed the ending. Marinette nodded her head again before turning back to the door. "Well, are we still going?"

"Today is such a good day," Adrien grinned as he placed the papers back where he had been hiding them, before following Marinette out of the room. "Marinette is finally talking to me like a real friend would." He chuckled to himself, acting all childish. Marinette shook her head a little, before reminding Adrien that she was only doing this because they were partners in a group project she didn't even want to participate in.

They ended up getting ice-cream, Adrien getting it for the both of them. Then they sat down on a bench in park silently. They didn't talk for a while, almost to the point where they finished most of their ice-cream. And then Adrien looked at her, looking to be curious about something.

"Can I ask you a question?"

Marinette bit into her cone, before turning to look at Adrien. "Yes?"

"Well. . . Chloe gave me a reason why your situation in school ended up like that." As soon he said those words, Marinette frowned, before looking away. She scoffed.

"What, did she tell you that I was the one who attacked her first, started kicking her limo, only because I hated her mother? Did she tell you that she tried to help me, but I refused her help so she started tormenting me?!" Marinette placed her unfinished cone beside her. "Well, if she did, then she was lying."

"I-I know she was lying. Her story didn't make any sense. I just-" Adrien looked at her face. "I don't mean to make you upset. I just want to know the real reason why."

Marinette bit her lip, not looking his way. To tell him how everything started? Why would he even care up to this point? She sighed and looked up. "Okay fine." Maybe the real question was why she was willing to tell him. Maybe it's because he was helping her with the bakery, and she owed him an explanation? No, that didn't make any sense. While they had been coming here, Adrien said she didn't have to pay him back. So then why? "But you have to promise not to interrupt me while I'm explaining. I hate it when that happens."

Adrien chuckled.

"No, I'm being serious," Marinette folded her arms, not looking at him.

"Alright," Adrien raised a hand, "I promise."

Marinette looked back at him, not sure how she felt now that she was about to tell someone one of her secrets, about her past, about her and Chloe. And then in the end, he would know that everything he did, how hard he had tried, had all been a mistake, and he would regret it, and wish he could take everything back.

Just 11 more days.

~

"Marinette! Marinette, we have a new visitor." Marinette awoke at the call of her name. Quickly she removed the cover off of her and got out of her bed. "Marinette!" Her mother yelled out again, and Marinette dashed towards the door.

"I'm coming!" She yelled back. She opened her trapdoor and climbed down the ladder in her pj's. Soon enough she was standing right beside her mother, and in front of her were the new visitors her mother had called her down for.

"Marinette, this is Mr. Bourgeois, the Mayor of Paris," Sabine introduced, "and beside him, is his daughter, Chloe Bourgeois."

"Hi," Marinette lifted her hand up and waved, yet Chloe looked the other way with a huff and folded her arms, busily chewing on her gum with a bored face.

"Now, now, Chloe, that's no way to treat your new friend!" Mr. Bourgeois raised a finger, and Chloe snapped her head towards him.

"Do I really have to do this? I mean, I get that I'm popular and all, but I don't need to befriend everyone," She looked over at Marinette and Marinette could notice the disgust in her eyes, "especially the lousy ones," She muttered.

Marinette looked over at her mother with a confused look. "What's going on?" Yeah, what was going on? Why was this annoying girl talking rudely back to her without even getting to know her even for a minute?

"Marinette, since we're new to Paris, I figured we could use a little help. Luckily Mr. Bourgeois agreed to help show us around," Sabine replied with a wide smile. "You're going to be going to the same school as Chloe, and you two can hopefully. . ." Sabine turned around to face Chloe, her smile slowly fading, ". . .be friends."

"Chloe doesn't have any real friends, and you seem pretty nice, Marinette," Mr. Bourgeois immediately spoke up after Sabine, earning a glare from Chloe. "All the girls that hang around her just want her for money, and that's not a good thing. You won't use her for money, will you, Marinette?"

"No, of course not," Marinette shook her head. She turned her head towards Chloe, but Chloe only growled back at her. Hopefully Chloe was just pretending to be all rude. Maybe it was because she didn't know how to treat new people well, or it could be that she didn't trust people that fast and needed time to get to know her. After getting a few ideas, Marinette cleared her thoughts and only smiled back at Chloe.

"Chloe will show you around Paris, won't you, Chloe?"

Chloe balled her hands into fists, though it didn't really look like she could say no to her father, so she just nodded and looked away again. "Fine, I will, but Marinette better be on her best behavior. I don't tolerate non-behaved people."

Yeah, I'll try my best! "Sure," Marinette shrugged. "I'll just head back to my room now." She turned around and started walking away, climbing up her ladder again and reaching her room. When she got up there, she left her door opened and listened in to the conversation they were now having without her.

"Daddy, I really don't want to do this. I have a friend who's just good enough," Chloe was saying again. "I'm sorry, but Marinette just seems too. . .nice."

"So you'd rather prefer mean girls?" Came her father's voice. "What about Sabrina? She's insanely nice, helps you do everything, doesn't complain at all. . . Is she too nice? Yet you're still friends with her."

The front door opened and Marinette could hear them walking out. Then she closed her door and started heading to her bed. She had always been looking forward to school, but having Chloe there seemed to have just ruined her mood. She jumped on her bed and landed on her back, then she pressed her pillow against her face.

Why did she have a feeling this was going to be the worst mistake of her life?