Chloe enters Adrien's room. She has a look of satisfaction on her face.  She walks over to him and tries to kiss him.

         Adrien shoves her away.  "No, Chloe!"  Adrien remarks.

          "What?  Why?" Chloe scowls. She thinks, ugh, what does someone else that I do not?

          "It is because of Marinette," Adrien says. He speaks as if in a daze.

           "Wait, what does that little ugly face girl have to do with anything?" Chloe says angrily.

           "Everything!"  Adrien says.  He picks up his phone to text Marinette.

          "Ha, that will do no good!  None at all!"  Chloe says with a smirk.

         "Oh, yeah!"  Adrien says with annoyance at once.

         "She uh, will not respond. Not anymore."  Chloe says. She looks a bit too happy.

        "What?  Why not? " Adrien says.  He looks at Chloe in confusion.

        "It is because Ugly is no longer nearby.  She is gone!   Well, we all say good riddance!  She was in the way!  She is hideous and does not need to be here. "  Chloe remarks.

           "Gone?  How?  Where?  When?"  Adrien asks.

          "Hmm, no one knows where she went, or when she left.  Let alone the how, we just know she left town!"  Chloe brags. She walks away with a smug look on her face.

        Adrien waits until Chloe has left, then he pulls out his phone and text Marinette.  He does believe that ridiculous story that Marinette really left town.  Why should he?  It is obvious, that Chole does not like Marinette.  He sends a text to the bluenette.  He only hopes that Chloe will never find out.  Not that it matters anyway, since he does not date her.

        Meanwhile, Marinette wakes up in some small space. She cannot figure out where she is, how she got wherever here is, or anything else. The last she recalls is she went home after Chloe made fun of her again today.  She does not remember much after this.  It is hard to remember since she has a headache.   She has no idea who to turn to in a situation like this.  She does not see any lights left on, so she cannot make out the shape or size at all. She feels around and can tell that she is inside some kind of crate.  Great she thinks, what if I  never get out of here?

        Marinette hears a funny vibration beside her. She looks to see what the source behind it could be and sees her cell phone. She frowns, looks at it, and sees it says, she has a text message from Adrien!   She frowns again.  She does not know how to explain where she is anyway!

          Marinette's text to Adrien

          Do not worry.  There is no chance for a girl who is stuck inside a crate.  Sorry, for any inconvenience... Just try not to forget the fun times we have gotten to have over the years.

       Marinette feels a tear hit her cheek now that she has sent him the message. She thinks, perhaps, she will die sooner than she ever thought possible.  Maybe she will never grow old.  

         Adrien sees the text from Marinette and gasp!  He thinks this can only mean one thing!  He believes it means Marinette is in danger, great danger.   He looks to see if their any crates still at the harbor in town.  Much to his relief, he sees three are there.  He opens the first one with a crowbar, but only sees an entire box of glue, and glitter inside it.  He opens the second box to see socks all over the place.  He sighs, He pries open the third box just as Marinette is about to suffocate to death.

       "A-Adrien?"   Marinette manages to call out, despite the claustrophobia, the coldness and dampness of the crate, and the lack of memories when it comes to how she can come to be inside it in the first place.

      "Marinette, Chloe said you left town, but she seems to be a bit too eager to tell me this.  So, I knew right then and there it was a lie."  Adrien says.

       "Wait, the clue was helpful then, I take it?"  Marinette ask.

       "Yes, it sure was Marinette!"  Adrien says.  He pulls Marinette out of the storage crate.  He picks her up before she can protest and carries her in his arms back to her place.   

      "There, good as new,"  Adrien says as he gently sets her back down.  He is glad no one else knows about this.  It is already awkward enough that he has to deal with the knowledge that she almost died again.

        "Adrien, listen to me there is no way you could predict she would pull something like this,"  Marinette responds.

       "The only thing that still makes no sense is why would she do it?  It is not like she likes me, right?"  Adrien asks but raises an eyebrow just the same.

       "Adrien, she uh, she has always been out to get others as long as we can recall.  She is just that rude of a person.  She has no regrets!  She feels no guilt."  Marinette answers.

     "Just for the record, we are all glad that you did not really  leave town!"  Adrien blurts out.  He feels his cheeks burn from embarrassment.  He thinks man we were this close to our confession to her.

    "Yeah, same here!  Same here!"  Marinette responds. She also reaches up and hugs him.

       Adrien responds to her hug with one of his very own.   He is glad to be this close to her for a change if only for a short while.  He still does not have the guts to confess.  Not yet anyway.

       Marinette laughs at the look Adrien gives her!  She finds it be quite amusing!  They go to the park for a bit. 

        Alya sends Marinette a text...

         Marinette, is it true girl?  Is our best friend really far away in some other country now?   Why did no one else say a thing about this trip? Hmm, well?  What is it?  Did you think you could get away with it?

       Marinette sends Alya a text back...

     Alya, there is no way this girl would leave town without telling you, Nino, or Adrien.   Also, next time check the facts before you give the person with them so much trouble.

       Alya breathes a sigh of relief when she sees the text from Marinette.   She smiles even!  She thinks, yes, that is my friend!  My best friend!  

     to be continued in Chapter  10   Ha, Ugly, We will show  Her!

July 23, 2019, Published, October 28, 2020, Edited