Avoiding people who care about you is hard. Avoiding Alya is harder.

Marinette had managed, very well actually. It was last period, and luckily, none of the people in her "friend group" were in the same class.

Usually, that would suck, but today, it was a blessing.

Was a blessing.

The dismissal bell rang, and Marinette was rushing to shove her work into her bag. If there was a chance to leave before Alya caught up to her, it was now.

She basically bolted out of the classroom, making her way down the stairs to the first floor.

She jumped to the ground from the bottom step, landing swiftly on her feet....for once.

Tikki let out a squeal as she jolted up and down. Marinette mumbled a quick, but sincere apology.

She walked at a fast pace, not really running, but it was clear she was in a rush.

She made it outside, and began letting her guard down, sighing as she slowed her path down the steps.

Bad choice.

Just then, her well-known head shaking best friend came stomping over.

The ombre hair on her head bounced against her shoulders, a stern glare piercing into Marinette's very soul.

"Marinette Dupain-Cheng!!! It's one thing to run off like that, it's another to ignore us for the rest of the day!!!" Alya yelled, not too loudly, but able to be heard clearly.

Marinette hadn't even noticed the rest of the gang slide up, since Alya was yelling at her as if she were a worried mother to her child.

Nino and Adrien stood behind Alya, not really knowing what to focus on.

Worrying about Marinette for running off, or worrying about Marinette against the rath of Alya.

Either way, it wasn't good.

Alya rambled on to Marinette, who was awkardly shuffling and not making eye contact with any of her friends.

Marinette wanted to tell Alya what was wrong. But not with the guys around. Especially not with Adrien around.

But at the same time, she really wanted Adrien to know what was wrong. And Nino as well.

Did she want him....to feel....guilty?

Why would she think that?

What?

She wanted to tell them....

But she couldn't do it. So she lied straight through her teeth.

"I'm sorry Alya....I...I uh wasn't feeling too well...and I didn't want to get you guys sick." She quickly managed to spit out.

"Why were you crying?" Alya asked, looking concerned for her best friend.

Marinette stood still.

How was she supposed to answer that? Was she suppose to answer that? Her mouth grew dry, but she coughed out an excuse just in time.

"Migraine....?"

Her words came out as more of a question.

She silently began accepting her fate. Alya clearly knew she was lying.

"Marinette...." Alya's brown eyes pierced straight into the very depths of her soul.

Marinette's eyes pleaded to Alya, glancing between her and the boys. Hoping she would understand what she was trying to say without saying it.

Not with the guys around Alya....

Alya sighed, before she silently and barely noticeably nodded. But Marinette noticed.

And the guys didn't.

Marinette gave her a soft smile, before standing up straighter, not realizing she had been slouching in the first place.

Then she realized something else.

While she was glancing between Alya and the boys, she must've went to lean down in attempt to reach her head closer to Alya.

Almost as if she was trying to get her to read her mind.

I must have looked like an idiot....

Marinette looked up, to find all three of her good friends staring at her, as if they had just seen an alien or something.

Wait, did I just say that out loud?

"Yes. Yes you did." Adrien's voice came out as slightly uncomfortable, but also amused.

"Oh I......you......." Marinette couldn't form a sentence, barely able to mutter a single word. She looked down to her shoes, which she was akwardly shifting in.

He doesn't want you Marinette. Why do you keep letting him effect you?

She quickly looked up.

Good. She at least said that in her head. There would be no way to explain that to the group.

Marinette swallowed a breath, and bit her tongue. Now was not the time to say something stupid. Not now.

Every other time wasn't either. But now.....

"Marinette can I talk to you for a moment?" Adrien spoke up.

Marinette looked shocked, unintentionally. She tried to hide it, she really did. But she couldn't.

And since Alya didn't know the entire situation, she misinterpreted Marinette's emotion.

So she flashed her a wink, before dragging Nino away by his wrist.

No Alya. For once.....I don't want to talk to him....

But she had no choice now, it was just her and Adrien.

"Umm....shall we?" Adrien asked, gesturing away from the crowd that was walking down the stairs.

Marinette crossed her arms.

What am I doing?

"We?" she asked, letting out a shallow, and sarcastic chuckle.

The voice barely sounded like her own. The sour tone masked over her usual sweetness. Adrien stared at her. She was never like this. Never.

"Well yeah....." he answered, not really knowing what response was appropriate here.

Marinette wanted to say sorry, for having such a rude tone. But something was stopping her.

"Fine. We can talk. But I'm not moving. You don't want to be alone with me anyways." Marinette snarled.

Oh my gosh....

Marinette couldn't believe herself. She was talking to Adrien, like this. Adrien's face flashed with realization.

That's what this is about....

"Oh...... That's what's wrong...." he sighed. Why did it matter if he didn't like her?

Wait.....but he did like her....but.....

But there were plenty of other guys.....

"Great observation Sherlock. Now could you get out of my way?" Marinette was scaring herself.

She knew she wasn't like this....

But being mad at Adrien kept her from crying.

"Woah. Marinette, Why are you acting like this?" Adrien asked, he felt almost offended. Why was he the only person she seemed to act like this to? This strange, unpredictable way she acted around him.

He liked her....but just as a friend, because he really liked ladybug.

Marinette gulped.

"Ask yourself that, Agreste." she finished, before running off down the stairs, and darting down the sidewalk.

His first thought was

Dang, she's fast

But his second was

Did I do something wrong?

Marinette

Marinette ran home. She ran as fast as her feet could take her.

Which was pretty fast.

She ran to her bakery.

She didn't know if she was truly running to anything at all.

Maybe she was running from something.

Running away from Adrien

Her school

Alya

Nino

Her emotions.

But no matter how far or fast she ran....

There was one thing she couldn't seen to get rid of.

Herself.