Adrien's POV:

        Adrien finds he can scarcely pay attention to the baseball game. It was no wonder since a certain bluenette was on his mind.  He did not know how to find her.  Sure he knew she was friends with his best friend's girlfriend, but somehow this did not make a difference. He was never given the slightest hint that she wants anything to do with him after the failure of a date.

         He shakes his head in dismay.  He should know that his life was meant to be a lonely one.  It was not meant to be anything different.  His father told him as much, but did he listen no.

          He struggles with past and current thoughts alike as he waits for the game to end.  Once it is over he breathes a sigh of relief.  He decides it is best he can clean up with no interruptions now.  As he does his nightly rounds of sweeping around the bases, then the pitcher's mound, he sighs.   He discovers he has to find her even if it is a lost cause.

              Adrien calls Nino to speak to him for a moment.

          "Nino, do you have any idea where she could have gone after she was done singing?" Adrien asks.

       Nino's  POV:
          Nino was slight on the other end for a moment.

                "Dude you do not mean to tell me you knew about this?"  Nino asks.

                 "Not exactly," Adrien answers.

                  "What do you mean, man?" Nino inquiries.

                    "I mean I did mention we could use a new singer at the games, but I did not expect her to show up," Adrien replies.

                   "Yes, well by the sound of it she did way better than Kagami ever did," Nino points out the obvious.

                        "Yes, she did," Adrien says.

     Adrien's  POV:                   
       "Listen, Nino, I hope you are not mad I did not tell you," Adrien states.

                   "It is just she told me she did not want anyone to know," Adrien explains.

                     "So, why should that matter?"  Nino asks.

                      "She thinks she is not any good," Adrien responds.

                           "We both know that is not true," Adrien says into the receiver.

                             "Dude, you got that right, she is great at it," Nino remarks.

                          "I got to go, see you," Adrien says, right before he hangs up.

                  Adrien thinks well that does it I am done for the day.  He heads home with a huge grin on his face as he goes about to set his plan into action.

       Narrator's  POV:

         Nino wonders what it is Adrien has in mind to make him ask about Marinette?  His buddy still has not said a word about the blind date.  He sure hopes this means things are okay between him and Marinette.  This does not explain why she was in a rush to leave though.

      Then again, according to Alya, Marinette has always been the shy sort and had a rough time of it.  He can not help but think Adrien is just the guy to help her come out of her shell or whatever it is she appears to be hiding these days.

       Alya wishes Marinette would have given Adrien a chance. To bad too she was sure those two would have hit it off.    She wonders where it could have gone wrong. Perhaps, it was a mistake on her part to assume her best friend was the one for him.  Who is to say?  
    

    Adrien wonders why Nino was so quick to avoid the issue.  He believes it is a good thing he can think for himself or elsewhere would be now. He shutters to think what would happen if he always did what his father wants.  He figures the fact he left home at a young age has a lot to do with where he is in life right now.

   Marinette felt awkward as ever when she heard all the fans clap for her as her song came to a close. Goodness, she did not think the turn out would be so big.  She thought for sure the whole thing was rather amazing itself. To think this crowd, was here for the game but got to her pregame entertainment.  She shook her head in defeat when she came to the conclusion she was never to do this again. She just did not know how to explain it to Adrien.

Marinette's  POV:

  Marinette paces back in forth in her home. She does not know how to face anyone ever again.

     Least of all Adrien, knowing he was the one who put her up to it in the first place. She supposes she should thank him since it was her first time in front of a crowd.  Yet, somehow she was not so sure she could.  It was not like she stood any chance to see him again.     

    Not with the way she had behaved.  She did run out of him on their date two nights ago, after all.    She shook her head in defeat and sorrow.  It was as if everything was against her happiness.

    "Why can not I do anything, right?"  Marinette asks herself.

        As if right on cue the doorbell rang, so she flung it open thinking it was probably Alya on the other side.  Who else could it be?

     "Hi, so are you alright?" Adrien asks with a grin.

      "Adrien, listen now is not a good time," Marinette states.

    Adrien's POV:  

    "Oh, come on Marinette hear me out," Adrien replies.

         Marinette gives him a look as if to say fine if I have too. She does not appear to be too happy to see him.

       "Marinette, I want you to know I am sorry about the other night," Adrien says. 

       "Oh, about that it is my fault, after all, I was the one to rudely walk off on you," Marinette states.

      "Yes, but I saw the creep put a gag over a face, and did not step in until he tied you up," Adrien confesses.

       "None of that is on you," Marinette protest.

      "Well, I could say the same for you," Adrien replies with a gleam in his eyes.

           Adrien reaches out and touches her knuckles with the tip of his thumb. He hears her give off small, sighs in response to his touch.  He sees her lick her lips and grins. He whispers,  "The singing was the best I heard in years, princess."

         Marinette's POV:

            Marinette does not try to pull away as Adrien gently touches her knuckles with his thumb. She sighs and licks her lips as she grins.  She blushes as he whispers, " The singing was the best I heard in years, princess."

          "Adrien, you know something, that is one of the nicest things anyone has ever said to me," Marinette tells him.

        "Good, because it is true, Mari," Adrien says.

          Marinette feels as if she barely think straight with him around.  Why should his presence call all this when she is never even had a boyfriend?

         "It is okay to be nervous, I admit it scares me too," Adrien says softly.

           Marinette refuses to speak she finds the words wasted due to the emerald eyes that seem to speak volumes. She wonders just what on earth Adrien Agreste has in mind?

        Adrien's  POV:

          "Come on Marinette, let us go out again," Adrien says.

              Marinette is about to shake her head no to protest but feels her heart flutter in response. She looks at his pleading eyes and hears herself respond, "Yes, let us do so, A-Adrien."

            "Good, then tomorrow night you meet me at the pitcher's mound," Adrien says.

           "Why the pitcher's mound?" Marinette asks.

             "You will see, princess," Adrien whispers in her ear, then walks away.

        He chuckles to himself as she blushes and waves to him. He can tell he is to blame for her sudden demeanor.  He finds it to be rather amusing.

           As Adrien whistles a tune to himself on the way home, he thinks, yes nailed it.  He grins as he thinks about his big date with Marinette tomorrow.  He can only hope it goes as planned.

         Find out more in Chapter  10  Pitcher's Mound Surprise

        -Summer out