Now
"You told me you stopped that a long time ago!" Nathaniel hissed, causing you to screw up your stroke.

Staring begrudgingly at the out of place stroke of purple paint you sighed, ignoring your friend, trying to find a way to incorporate it.

"Y/n!" He snapped.

You sighed as you placed your palette and brush down on the table besides you. You turned and faced your red-haired friend.

"I wouldn't have told you if I knew you were going to get so worked up." You said blandly as you stood, untying your apron.

You walked over to the basket that the painters kept in the corner of the art club room. Nathaniel followed you, still fuming.

"How am I supposed to not get worked up?" He demanded. "You slept with the same guy who-" you quickly placed a hand over his mouth as you saw your friend Marc approach.

"Later." You growled under your breath.

"Hey you two." Marc greeted shakily, noticing how agitated the both of you looked.

"Hello, Marc." You straightened up, removing your hand from his mouth and allowing a small smile to slip across your lips.

"I was just coming to grab Nathan-"

"Y/n slept with Adrien!" His exclamation luckily came across under his breath so he didn't acquire the attention of everyone in the room, just Marc.

"What?" His eyes widened.

The two of them were there with you all of your freshman year in high school. Nathaniel experienced the brunt of it with you, due to the fact you had every class together, but Marc shared the pain of your relationship with Agreste through the stories you all told.

You knew he would be upset, which is exactly why you hoped Nathaniel would keep his stupid big fat mouth closed-

"You heard me." Nathaniel threw his arms up. "Seriously, what are we going to do with her? She's been back for less than three weeks and she's already back under his spell."

"I'm not under any spell." You snapped. "You wouldn't understand, okay? You never did. I told you all you need to know, so butt out."

Nathaniel shook his head, as judging and expressive as ever. "I understand being stressed, Y/n, I really do. I know the art school you want to get into is really tough and your grandfather—" he saw the warning expression on your face and redirected his sentiment.

"I'm worried about you, that's all. Adrien Agreste is not a positive outlet to de-stress. There's too much history there." He sighed as he pulled you into a hesitant hug.

You gripped the back of his shirt and sighed before pulling away just as quickly as you allowed him to hold you close. "I know."

Marc was still standing there shaking his head, unable to grasp the fact that you and Agreste had happened again.

"Marc." You frowned. "Stop making that face please."

He was a bit taken aback by the fact that you had even notice, you were often caught up in your own world. "I'm sorry." He mumbled.

You bit your lip. "Would it make you feel better if I told you that it's never happening again?"

They both stared you dead on with a mirrored look on both their faces that asked, seriously?

"That depends." Nathaniel grumbled. "Is it true?"

You gasped dramatically. "Have I ever lied to you?"

Marc face palmed as he shook his head. "You said last time was the last time. Now you're saying this time is the last time."

Nathaniel blinked. "You said last time too many times, now I'm confused."

You threw your arms up, exasperated. "Geez! I promise it's the last time!" You shook your head. "For real this time."

Nathaniel placed a hand on your shoulder. "Y/n, don't make promises you can't keep."

**
Friday nights have proven to be a busier night at the bakery, so Sabine and Tom asked Marinette to come in to help prep food while you handled customers.

The two of them were out on a date that night so the two of you were running the shop alone.

Though, the moment you saw Adrien walk in with his friends, you immediately begged Marinette to trade spots with you.

Luckily, you found it easy enough to follow a recipe to prep macaroon batter.

Not that you actually prepped anything.

You watched as Marinette flawlessly served her friends, not stumbling over a single word like she used too. Even when Adrien flashed a smile that he now knew was dashing, she remained composed.

Unlike you, who just about melted into the floor when his eyes caught yours, sending you the most aggravating wink.

You didn't have feelings for Adrien Agreste other than complete hatred.

You would never cross that line with him again, the last time you had succumbed to such childish feelings you had been destroyed.

He wouldn't have that power over you again, you refused.

"Marinette." You began as the two of you started to close up the shop, beginning the cleaning regimen.

"Yes?" She responded with a light hum.

"How did you...um." You looked up at her and cleared your throat. "Get over Adrien?"

She blinked, clearly surprised. "You can tell that I don't have feelings for him?"

You nodded softly. "You handle yourself quite well around him now."

She beamed. "Thanks for saying that Y/n!" She then paused as she considered your question. "I really don't know."

Now you were surprised. For someone who was so in love with him, you found it shocking that she suddenly just stopped.

She laughed. "I could never share my secret identity with him, that was an issue." She continued thinking. "He also mentioned being in love with a girl who was definitely not me."

You blinked. "He was in love?" You wrinkled your nose at the thought.

She nodded happily. "Yes!" She turned her head towards you after she finished wiping off counters. "I'm pretty sure the girl he spoke of was you."

You swore you felt your heart stop momentarily. You snorted as you regained your composure. "Definitely not."

Adrien, in love with you? Impossible.

Addicted to you? That was highly more probable.

Marinette kept laughing, as if some secret kept for years was unraveling. "You don't have to hide it from me anymore Y/n. I know you all kept secrets from me since I was in love with him."

"I swear! I'm not hiding any feelings from you." You exclaimed, but you immediately knew that it wasn't true.

You had adored the boy once, a long time ago.

She glanced at you knowingly. "Okay."

Your heart pounded against your chest. "What went on between us," you began because you hated being a liar, "It wasn't something from a fairy tale. The two of us never got along. We wouldn't have worked."

She stared at you for a bit, taking in your words. "Fairy tales are overrated anyways."

Even though you had no desire to have a fairy tale ending with the blonde boy, you couldn't help but admit that she was right.

They are overrated.

The true great loves come from real, messy people.

Marinette deserved that kind of love.

"I hope you find it."

Even though she had no context to your statement, you knew she understood.