Marinette gets up and faces the day with a frown.  She looks outside. She sees the sunshine's rays shine its lovely head across the sky.  She thinks, why couldn't it rain instead?  Why is the world so cruel?  Why is it on this day of all days does it have to be such a nice day outside?   

       "Ugh, it just is not right, Mom!"  Marinette says as she ties her shoe lace.

    "Sweetheart, I know today is a rough day for you, but try to make the most of it dear,"  Sabine says. 

  " It is not right, how could there not be a single gray cloud in the sky to match my mood right now?  I feel as if all my world feel apart the day my best friend died!  To make matters worse, Adrien still was gone far away in the states at the time," Marinette whines.

    "Don't whine dear, it is not very becoming!"  Tom says.

  "Dad, why did Alya died a year ago on this day anyway?"  Marinette says.

   "I don't know.  I am afraid I don't have the answers to this," Tom says.

   "I can tell you though that life is full of ups and downs,"  Tom says.

    "Your father is right!  You know we love you very much!" Sabine says. She kisses Marinette on her cheek.

   "Thanks, Mom and Dad!" Marinette says.

        Marinette hurries off to school.  She walks alone. She thinks, why did life have to be so cruel?  I mean here I am in my last year of high school and I have to walk alone. 

        Alone, as it solo, with no one to talk too and ask how things are none!  This stinks.  I know the counselor in Grief Share said to focus on my "new normal," but how can I when all the things in my life remind me of her? The empty seat next to me in homeroom and all my other classes, the empty seat across from me in the cafeteria, the lack of laughter in the lab room when Nino gets his chemicals mixed up again and everyone has to exit in a hurry, the weekends when Alya and I use to stay up all night talking about our crushes together, and our plans for the future.  

      The funny thing,  I never once imagined my life without her in it, and now that she is gone that is all I think about.  I know it is not healthy emotionally, mentally, or physically.  How can I just make new memories without her?  How?  She was my first friend from day one in a school school aside from Nino, and Adrien.  

       As  Marinette struggles with her memories of Alya both the good ones and bad alike, she feels a tear fall down her cheeks.  She heads towards her locker in silence.  She hopes no one notices if she rarely says much in class expect to answer the roll call and to ask what is on today's lunch menu?   She bumps into someone. She looks up and sees Adrien Agreste!  She blushes in spite of her sadness.  

     "Marinette, it is so great to see you again!  I am sorry, that I was away for so long!" Adrien says.

    When she does not respond right away, Adrien senses something is wrong.  He figures why else is she so very quiet.

       In the past she was nervous around him, would stutter, and so on. He had to admit at first he thought it was strange, but once he got to know her he did not mind so much.  He became friends with her over time and would like to think she saw him as her best friend.  That is if a guy could be best friends with a girl and if that girl wouldn't mind his saying so.  

        Adrien notices as she turns towards him that she is sad.  No that is not it, she is very sad!  He does not know what made her feel this way.  He decides not to ask what is it because he rather not risk the lecture he might get the latter for bothering her.  He stands closer and hugs her. He can hear her sigh. He blushes a bit and thinks, what is the strange feeling I have just now?  

    Marinette's POV: 

      I can't believe it!  He hugged me!  My crush Adrien Agreste actually hugged me.  I admit this was a nice surprise.  I wish I could have spoken to him, but I could not say a word.  I was too hurt about the past.  I can never fix it. I wish there was some way to go back to and stop Alya's death from being a reality!  Only there was not, and never will be!  Sadly enough this is my reality!  A reality where my best friend is dead, Adrien has no idea, and Nino is hurt as well.  I can see it in his eyes.  Any person who has to deal with such grief as I do knows what it looks like.  I can tell you it is no pretty picture.  

 Adrien's POV:  

    I wish I knew, what it is that bothers Marinette. What could it be?  Did I say something to offend her?  Was it because I was gone for, so long she thought something might have happened to me?  Whatever it was I  hope to find out soon, so I can know, how to make it right.  I continue to hug her until Lila comes over.  I release her, but rather continue the hug to be honest.  I blush. I wonder since when have I cared, so deeply for Marinette?

  "Adrien, why even bother to give her a hug?  You know you are better with me!"  Lila says.

   "Lila, everyone knows that Adrien wants nothing to do with you!"  Chloe says.

  "This does not concern you, Chloe!  This is between me and Adrien," Lila says.

  "Oh, yeah, well for your information anything that concerns Adrikins does concern me,"  Chloe says.

   "Well, you better watch it Miss Bougerious and Miss Dupain-Cheng because Adrien is meant to be with me!"  Lila sneers

    "I think that should be up to Adrien to decide!"  Marinette says much to the surprise of the others.

   " Ugh, just stay out of it!"  Lila yells.

    "Hey, calm down girls, or I will send both of you to the principal's office!  Is that clear, Chloe and Lila?"  Miss Bustier asks.

   "Yes, Miss Bustier," both girls respond at the same time.

      The rest of the school day went by as normal.  That is as normal as it could be without Alya there!  When the teacher calls the roll, she starts to tear up a bit as well.  

             "Class, as I am sure most of you are aware, one of the students, Alya Cesaire is no longer with us!  Her passing last year was very hard on us all, but it especially has a special impact on Nino Lahiffe who was her boyfriend at the time, and on Marinette Dupain-Cheng, the young teen's best friend.  With that in mind, I do suggest all of you try to get along and keep from doing or saying anything that could make matters worse for both Nino and Marinette,"  Miss Bustier announces. 

           When she finishes the announcement, she prays for Alya's parents, for Nino, for Marinette and everyone else who struggles with the one year anniversary of Alya's death.  She teaches the lesson.

          Marinette does her best to concentrate in class, but can not seem to focus. She notices Nino seems to have the same problem.  Adrien who still sits next to Nino as usual, mouths the words, "I am so sorry, man!  I didn't know!"  He turns around, gently touches Marinette's shoulder and whispers, "Look, I will be here for you if you need me! "  He turns back around to take notes.  Marinette blushes at the small and thoughtful gesture. She thinks that maybe today isn't so bad after all.

         Little did she know how far from the truth she was that day. After school let out, Chloe was nowhere in sight much to Marinette's relief which was nice for a change. The only thing is that Lila sees her at the lockers and follows her.  She follows her all the way out the door.  

    "Hey, Dupain-Cheng!  Look, I must admit it is really too bad about your friend!  Who am I kidding, she was a nerd, and probably better off dead anyway!"  Lila laughs.

    Marinette stands their stunned. She can't believe Lila just made fun of her friend's memory. As if being a bully to Marinette herself were not bad enough already.

   Adrien overhears the whole thing. He is not too happy about it either!

   "Lila, how could you do this to Alya's memory?  How could say such horrible things to Marinette?"  Adrien says.

  "Adrien, I am sure I have no idea what you are talking about here!" Lila says.

  "Lila, I have enough of your lies!  Now, leave Marinette alone!  Leave her be! " Adrien says.

              Lila walks off angry. She mutters something under her breath about how someday, Adrien might not be there to help Marinette out. Then where will that clumsy, blue-haired, baker's daughter be then, huh?  She goes home angry. She can't believe Adrien called her out and for what putting Marinette her place that is what.

           After Lila, left, Adrien looks at Marinette.  Marinette says nothing. She looks at him and cries again.

           "Oh, Adrien!  Why?  Why did Alya die?  What took you so long to come back?" Marinette says.

        "Nino was hurt when you were not here to come to the funeral," Marinette says.

         "I know and I wish there was something I could do to make it up to both of you!" Adrien says.

          Adrien thinks, how can she be, so beautiful when she is sad?  He thinks,  When have I  felt like this?  He sighs.

       "Adrien, there is nothing you can do not really.  I mean besides, being there for us!" Marinette says.

         "What exactly did happen to her?" Adrien asks.

        "The police found her dead, or rather Sabrina's father did. She drowned!  No one knows if it was murder or suicide.  Oh, Adrien, it was so horrible!  My best friend, she is never coming back!" Marinette says.

          "I am sorry, I never should have asked.  I never meant to make you cry,"  Adrien says.

         "Believe me, I would cry no matter what!  Today is the first year anniversary since her death. Sometimes the whole thing still seems like a nightmare, except in a nightmare you wake up and everything is the same as it always has been.  In this situation, everything is anything, but normal!" Marinette says through tears.

     " I feel so bad my father made me go to those stupid photoshoots that kept me away. I never wanted to go!  I didn't want to leave Nino, Alya, or you!  I  didn't want to leave any of you!  Now, I am back, but a year too late!  Alya was my friend too, and I will never see her again!"  Adrien cries.

     "Look, let me walk you home!" Adrien says.

     "Ok," Marinette says.

       True to his word, Adrien walks her home.  He watches to make sure she gets inside safe and sound. He heads on home. He sighs. His thoughts run away with him as he enters his room.  All his best memories of the past were of the foursome together, that is to say, Alya and Nino, Marinette, and himself. 

       He couldn't believe the buddy system they had formed was gone just like that.  He knew most of it was still there, but it would never be the same without Alya!  I felt sorry for Nino, the poor guy must have it rough since the only girl he ever loved was dead.  He tried to think of what it would be like if ever lost Marinette.  I would go insane, he thought.  I must do what I can to see to it that never happens.  Marinette must never die not on my watch anyway!

       Late that evening, as Marinette struggles to sleep, she hears a tap of the balcony window. When she goes to open it, she sees no one. Strange, who could it have been and why did they leave in such a hurry?  She is about to close the window back when she sees something laying on the ground. Curious, she exits her room through the trap door. 

      Once on the balcony, she looks at the object in surprise!  It's, it's a rose!  A single purple rose!  She looks to see if there is a note to say who it came from, but there is none.  Wow, it seems I have a mystery flower sender!  But who could it be that sent the flower?  Why did they send it now?  Why today of all days?  Why to me?  I am not exactly a girl who boys just line up to give flowers away as gifts.  She takes the rose inside, puts it in a vase, and fills the vase with water.  She makes sure to close and lock the trapdoor behind her. She closes the window and bolts it too.

      The next morning, Marinette wakes up and thinks the gift of the rose was just a dream!  Why it was too good to be true, wasn't it?  She gets up and ready for school. She almost passes out when she sees the flower inside a vase that sits on her computer desk.  It is now she realizes the rose is not a dream, but a reality!  It is as real as anything else in life both visible and invisible.  Wow, to think the flower really is there!  Amazing!  Amazing indeed!

       Marinette asks everyone at school if any of them has ever heard of a person that gets a flower out of the blew from an unknown source. They all said it was possible, but none of them personally had this happen to them.  Marinette blushes now that she realizes she is the only one to have gotten a rose like this recently.

   "Marinette, what is with all the questions about the rose?"  Adrien asks.

   "Oh, it is just one appears out of nowhere on my balcony last night!  I  have no idea who sent it to me. There was no card, and no clues as to who the sender could be!" Marinette says.

  "Wow, Marinette how romantic!" Rose says.

   "Yeah, almost sounds like someone likes you!"  Alix says.

   "Someone gave you a rose and not me?"  Chloe says.

   "It certainly appears to be that way Chloe," Marinette mumbles.

   "What was that Marinette?"  Chloe says.

   "Nothing,"  Marinette says.

  "That is what I thought," Chloe says. Chloe sits at her desk.

   "  I think it is was nice of whoever left it for you,"  Nino says.

    "Yes, I agree with Nino," the new girl says.

   "Who are you?"  Nino asks.

   "I am new to this school, and it's my first day. I am Stacey, Stacey Banks,"  the new girl says.

   "Glad, to meet you dudette," Nino says.

   Miss Bustier enters the classroom and introduces the class to the new girl, Stacey.  After class, Adrien walks Marinette home once again. Miss Bustier notices and thinks, yes, my ship will sail!  

  When Adrien arrives outside the bakery with Marinette he has a silly grin on his face.  Marinette does not seem to notice because of how sad she still is. 

   "Adrien, do you know anything about the rose?"  Marinette says.

   "No, should I?"  Adrien says.

"Oh, I kinda hoped it was from you!" Marinette says in a disappointed tone and blushes.

       Adrien leaves and heads on home. Once in his room, he thinks, great just great now why did I have to go and lie like that to her!  Oh, yeah that is right, I can't let her know I know who left it or it will blow my cover.  Besides, what if she decides she hates me if she finds out.  I must not let her find out the truth about the flower.  

     Luka laughs when he hears Adrien lie to Marinette. He thinks man talk about digging a hole deep and putting yourself in it.  He only knows the truth because, in this story, Adrien was overheard by Luka talking to himself about it between classes when he thought no one was paying attention.

to be continued in Chapter 2  Another Rose?