Unfortunately for me, my mother wanted me to have a play date with Mrs. Couffaine's kids while they got to know each other. They had come over to our bakery and mother had me show my two 'new friends' to my room. 

Juleka hid behind her brother the whole time, peeking at me curiously.

"This is my room," I told them blandly, after pushing the hatch open and walking up and inside to my room. It was just as the old Marinette's, but now it was mine. The walls were pink, and I didn't care much for the color, but I also didn't want to trouble anyone with painting the walls.

Not yet, anyways.

I sat down on the floor, and they did the same, looking around. 

"It's nice," Luka commented, nodding to himself, "not as girly as I thought it would me."

"Thanks," my lips quirked up into a small smile. 

"So, this is Juleka, my little sister," he nudged the girl with hair just as raven as his out from behind him and pushed her a little forward. She looked absolutely terrified of me, but I just smiled patiently.

This, this is a child I can work with. 

"Hello," I greeted her, "I'm Marinette Dupain-Cheng. I like your hair."

She blinked, examining me for a moment. Juleka looked over at her brother for a second, who nodded encouragingly, before turning back to me. I waited for her, letting her take her time to do things her way.

Her cheeks flushed pink, sticking out her hand, "I-I'm Juleka Couffaine...nice to m-meet you M-M-Marinette."

I grinned, taking her hand gently.

After that, things went on pretty smoothly. I let my self loose and act like the child I physically am, and never got to be. We played hide and seek, house, marco-polo, and eventually, we calmed down to drawing and coloring. 

Luka had brought a guitar, apparently learning still, and had a book in front of him as he tried to teach himself a song. Juleka and I colored quietly as a gentle lull played in the background. 

Finally, our parents came up, Mrs. Couffaine smiling at her children.

"Alright, munchkins, time to go!" Juleka pouted, not seeming to want to go, but stood up and started picking up her papers. "Did you guys have fun?"

Luka, who was finishing packing up his guitar, smiled lightly, "Yes, we did."

That was enough for Mrs. Couffaine, who seemed relieved.

Then I realized that she must have been worried about her quiet, withdrawn children being able to make friends when they had only just moved here to Paris. That got me thinking- is that how my parents feel?

Are they concerned that I won't be able to befriend other kids my age because of my maturity? Afraid that I'll push people away when they aren't at the same level of intellect? 

I purse my lips, before I smiled up at my parents, "Yeah, I made two new friends. So, I'd say I enjoyed my time."

The bright smiles I received only confirmed my suspicions.

And I didn't want my parents to be afraid.

-

It had been a while since I had gone to see Adrien, so I planted the idea to visit his family in my parents' brains, and not long after, we had set off to visit them. 

Adrien had gotten slightly taller in a year, but I was still taller than him, my legs being surprisingly long, and while my body wasn't disproportionate, it was weird being tall after being a not-so-tall person in my last life.

It's strange.

We walked up to the gates, arriving ten minutes after our departure, and rang their doorbell. Not waiting for too long, the door was answered by Mrs. Agreste, who smiled widely after seeing us.

"Sabine, Tom, Marinette! Hello, oh, it's so good to see you! Come in, come in!" she ushered us in, excitedly. "I haven't seen you all in a long while, how have you been?" She hugged my mother, planted kisses on her cheeks as greeting, and hugging my father as well.

"Marinette?!" I turn to the person who called my name,  and there he was. My best friend. "You're here!" he ran, crashing into me none to gently and wrapped his arms around my body. "I missed you!"

"Miss you too," I mumbled, patting his back. He let go and backed away, grinning. "Your hair got longer."

"Yours did, too!" he reached out, running his hand through my long hair, and pulling it towards him, looking at it in awe. "I've always loved your hair."

"Thanks," I fiddled with my hair, "it has gotten pretty long. It grew really fast..." It was true. It had grown long so suddenly over the course of a couple of months, I was almost concerned. The length had originally been just below my chin, and suddenly it was resting on my collar bones.

I can't be bothered with cutting my hair, no one ever get's it how I want it to be. So, I gave up and decided to let it grow.

"Well, I like it long. So, keep letting it grow!" 

I rolled my eyes.

"Sure, sure."

His vocabulary had grown exponentially as well, and while I was still against him being home schooled, it wasn't doing harm yet.

"Mari, why don't you go with Adrien to the play room, maybe tell him about your knew friends!" my mother suggested, and Mrs. Agreste gasped.

"Mari made new friends?" she clapped her hands together, "I want to hear as well!"

"Yes, their mother is Anarka Couffaine, they recently moved here and when she had walked in our bakery, she had her son, Luka," Adrien's smile suddenly drops, and I tilt my head but pay no mind to it. "He's quite the cut boy! About two years older than Mari and Adrien, and she also has a daughter, Juleka. They came over and they all seem to get along quite well!"

"I'm glad, Marinette! I was worried that Adrien would be your only friend because of that smart brain of yours." 

Emilie's comment made me bristle, rubbing me the wrong way. 

It bothered me to have 'friends' that were physically my age, but not mentally, sure. But I knew there was nothing I could do about unless I wanted to be special.

And I didn't want to more than I already was.

I guess I would have to try harder to blend in, but how? What was the old Marinette in to?

"No!"  Adrien suddenly shouted, making us all look at him. He seemed upset, brows furrowed as he looked at me. 

Now that's a look I'm definitely not used to receiving from him.

"What?" I asked.

"I don't want you to be friends with-with Luka!" he spat the name out, crossing his arms, tilting his chin up.

"Excuse me?" I scowled.

"Now, now, Adrien," Emilie tried to calm him, "Marinette can have as many friends as she wants. Just like you have so many."

"She can have friends! Just- just not Luka!"

My jaw dropped.

Now way.

"Adrien," my mother started, a small smile gracing her lips, "are you jealous?"

"Yes!" he answered, immediately.

Feeling my face heat up, I scoffed. I walked over to him, shoving him. He cried out, looking at me in betrayal, "There's nothing for you to be jealous about, silly. You're my best friend," I shoved him harder, and looked away from him, embarrassed that I have to do this, "not Luka."

It was quiet for a second, so I looked back at him. He was pouting, but seemed to be mulling it over. He looked up, meeting my eyes, "Promise you won't replace me?"

And suddenly, I thought about what Mr. Agreste had told me, oh-so long ago.

"Marinette, don't make me question whether or not you are a threat. I have thought more than once if it is a wise idea to have you stay in Adrien's life, whether you be a good influence, or a bad one; and if I feel that you are no longer needed in his life, I will make sure you will never have contact with him again."

I held out my pinkie finger to him, "Only if you promise to never forget me."

He grinned, hooking his with mine, "I promise!"

I ignored the small 'click' of a camera behind us.