"𝖘𝖈𝖊𝖓𝖊 𝖙𝖍𝖎𝖗𝖙𝖊𝖊𝖓.
𝚠𝚑𝚘 𝚠𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞
𝚋𝚎𝚏𝚘𝚛𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚍𝚎𝚌𝚒𝚍𝚎𝚍
𝚝𝚘 𝚕𝚎𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚠𝚘𝚛𝚕𝚍
𝚍𝚒𝚌𝚝𝚊𝚝𝚎 𝚠𝚑𝚘 𝚢𝚘𝚞'𝚍 𝚋𝚎𝚌𝚘𝚖𝚎..."

-𝖗.𝖍. 𝕾𝖎𝖓

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"How was your, more official, first day of school, dear?" Sabine asked, washing dishes from dinner, Marinette worked on her Mandarin, humming a song that had been passed down by her family, and was now passed to her daughter.

"Good," Marinette supplied, her hair down from her usual bun, her last band having snapped after trying to retie it. "Adrien attends my school, he's in my home class."

Sabine stopped, glancing up to her daughter with a knowing look that only mothers can utilise. Assessing Marinette carefully, searching for negative emotions, but as usual, her daughter's face was blank, not giving anything away.

"Oh, really?" she asked, "How is that?"

Marinette was silent, before meeting her mother's worried gaze. She could hide it from her, but but that would add on to the short list of lies that she'll be telling. That list is going to grow with her being Ladybug, and she's never had to hide anything from her before.

"It's not easy," she murmured, setting her pencil down, eyes fluttering down so that her mother wouldn't see the true feelings she felt. She already got over the first initial encounter with the blond at the park, but she hasn't figured out how she's going to continue after what she just did.

She closed her eyes, reminiscing the feeling of him tucking a loose strand behind her ear without a second thought before he realized what he did.

She groaned, dropping her head to the table with a rather loud thud..

Sabine smiled, going back to washing dishes. How nice to see her so out of character, maybe this is a good change.

Oh, and when Luka comes back as well, things will definitely be very interesting.

"Does Mr. Agreste know you attend that school?" Sabine wondered aloud, hit with the sudden thought. Marinette huffed, lifting her head to rest her chin on the surface, her brows furrowed and lips turned down in a scowl.

"Less than likely, if he knew that was my school, he would have never let Adrien go that easily."

Her mother hummed, nodding in agreement.

Marinette was definitely right on that.

"Oh, I'm going to the store to buy more hair bands, my last one broke," Marinette informed, pushing away from the table and retrieving her books and pencil.

"There's a grocery list on the fridge, would you mind picking them up for me, please?" Marinette snatched the list, eyes skimming over it briefly before making her way to her mother.

Leaning over her mother's shoulder, she placed a quick kiss to her cheek then continued to her room, "I won't be too long."

"Have a safe trip, honey."

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Alya sighed as she set another item in her tote, her mother having sent her for groceries since she was busy at work and wouldn't be home until later that night.

Heading down the aisle, she searched for aisle when she saw a familiar face scanning the many brands in front of her with a keen eye before picking up at least four different types of sugars and placing them in her cart, which was quite filled.

"Marinette?" she called out, curiously. The other turned her head over at the sound of her name, and in all honesty, she almost didn't recognize her with her hair down.

She looked like a doll.

"Oh, Alya," she droned, uninterested, "hi."

"Hey, uh, I almost didn't...know it was you," she smiled awkwardly, regretting calling out to her. She had no idea what to say!

"It's the hair, isn't it?" she sighed, tucking the right side behind her ear, not at all bothered by her comment. "I don't typically have it down, my hair tie broke."

"Well, I- uh- I think it looks really p-pretty...down..." Alya cursed herself for stuttering. In front of Marinette, probably the coolest person she's met since, well, ever.

Marinette blinked, lips twitching up ever so slightly.

"Thank you."

Continuing down the aisle, and getting closer to where Alya was, she eyed the flour that she was still standing in front of. Alya scrambled away from her spot, allowing Marinette to grab some flour.

Marinette nodded her head a began walking away.

Alya choked, throat constricting as she opened her mouth to say something, but wasn't able to. She just didn't know what to say.

As she looked on, not able to say anything, she noticed other things.

How Marinette held her- well, herself. Shoulders back, back straight, chin up, yet everything about her screamed relaxed. Calm.

Marinette was-

Was like a calm before the storm.

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After leaving Alya in the aisle, Marinette frowned, not knowing what to do. Alya was quite similar to how she remembers, definitely has spunk.

But, it seems that she has intimidated Alya.

Which is, honestly, fine with her. She does not mean to make additions to her...posse. They just keep flocking towards her.

And staying.

Juleka and Nathaniel have been her friends for years, and if Juleka wants Rose around, who was she to stop the shy girl from making friends. Nathaniel is her art buddy, one of the only few who can follow her more...complex thoughts.

Then, Luka. Her music nerd, as well as her fellow intellectual- and now, her closest friend.

Alya was meant to be her best friend, the original Marinette's best friend, if she remembers correctly. Her older memories were becoming fuzzy, each day proving more difficult to recall.

Though this was expected.

The older she grew, more memories were created, and her life as Marianne was fading. These thoughts drive to another, about the journal (read: diary) she kept in her room, secured with a small little lock and the key...

Reach up to gently brush her fingers on a small key that hung from a chain, closing her eyes, images of her and Marinette standing face-to-face so long ago.

"Please...take care of Tikki when she gets to you, and Alya, she's my best friend-- I know you'll be able to handle her--"

"Take care of them she says," she muttered to herself, tilting her head back with a sigh, eyes fluttering open to meet the tall ceiling of the store. Stray balloons that will never be retrieved and eventually deflate sadly into garbage. "Don't make me regret this. Hey, Alya," she walked backwards, glancing in the aisle where Alya jerked to attention (or shock), "Do you want to shop together?"

Alya sucked in a breath, head jerking to nod but made no move to follow. Marinette tilts her head, amused. "So?" Alya jolts and finally scurries over to her, and they begin their, now, conjoined shopping trip.

Marinette decides, as Alya rambles about superheroes and miscellaneous topics that it isn't that bad.

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