*Author's note: This part takes place a few minutes after Adrien walks away from Marinette. He left to go get some fresh air and to give her some space.

          Marinette's  POV:

             Marinette stands under the tree stunned. She could not respond well.  She was not sure how to react to Adrien's display of kindness and romance despite how she treated him. She held the broken shell in her hand.  She felt as if it were symbolic of something.

             "What could it mean?" She asks not expecting an answer.

           Marinette felt a chill brush over her even though it was a hot summer day. She felt as if she was the cause of the ruination of something wonderful.  She did not how to feel or how to act. She just stood there in awe of it all.

          Bridgette's  POV:

           Bridgette felt sorry for her sister who now stands alone under the shade of a tree. She spoke to Luka to explain, "I am going to go check up on her, but I will be back soon."

           She was glad when he nodded his head to show he understood.  She saw him watch her as she went to speak to Marinette and waves at him with a grin on her face.  She approaches her sister slowly so as not to startle her.

          "Marinette, What happened with you and Adrien?" Bridgette asks. She spoke gently to her.

          "I do not know," Marinette answers. She gave Bridgette a look that shows she feels so guilty about it all.

           "Marinette, you should try to mend things with him," Bridgette says.

             She could tell Marinette was taken aback by her words since she did not say anything more.  She smiles as she says,  "I believe Adrien is good for you.  I know you might not feel love for him, but I can see he loves you, so at least give him a fair chance."

             "I do not ask much from you, but you at least owe him honesty,"  Bridgette remarks.

            Marinette's POV:

              "It is not that easy, you know," Marinette says.

                 Marinette can tell Bridgette is silent so she is glad her sister listens to her for now. She smiles just a bit as she explains,  "I  thought I was over Luka, but when I saw him all my old feelings came rushing in so I acted on an impulse.  I know now it was wrong, but at the time I was not thinking straight."

              "Then as if that does not confuse me enough, Luka tells me that Adrien loves me.  You do the same and Adrien he seems so far from my reach now. I think I ruined it.  I messed up so much now that I can not see him ever coming back.  It is to late to fix it, he wants me to be happy, but the strange thing is I am not happy. I am miserable, and I am not sure to be honest how I feel about Adrien,"  Marinette blurts out.

            "Sis, it is okay, we all make mistakes sometimes.  The important thing is that we learn from them so we do not repeat them," Bridgette tells her. She hugs Marinette then says,  "I better get back to Luka."

           "You love him, do not you?" Marinette asks with tears in her eyes.

           She sees Bridgette nod her head so she says with a gulp, "Go get him sis, love like the one he gives you only comes around once in a lifetime."

          Marinette waves to Bridgette as she goes back to Luka. She sighs as she realizes she is ready to let go of Luka. She looks up to see Adrien not far off and gasps when she notices how handsome he is now. She blushes at the thought.

          Adrien's POV:

             Adrien takes a walk along the beach shore unsure how to deal with everything now. He got his heartbroken by Marinette again.  He was glad to have her join him for lunch though it was rather awkward and when she got him to dance he was happy.  Then, that slow dance came on and it made him want to kiss her.  Only, he could not when he knew she was ready for his love, so he just let her return the sunglasses the wind blew off.

          He recalls how her skin felt as he gently traced it with his thumb and sighs once more. He almost kissed her but felt he could not follow through.  Not when he was not sure how she felt and not when she kissed Luka this morning.  He felt as if someone's eyes kept watch on him and shook his head. The whole thing was rather silly was it not?

        Adrien knew he came on the trip to try to forget her only to fall deeper for her. He did not understand why life had to be so cruel.  He remembers Luka telling him that there will be fireworks sometime later today.  He did not look back because it would only wound him more.

       "Why can not I be the one she loves?"  Adrien asks himself.  He steps into the ocean just enough to wade.  The cold ocean water soaks his feet and legs.  It feels great to let the saltwater sink into his skin.

         Luka's  POV:  

            Luka feels sorry for Adrien as he can tell the boy struggles to keep his feelings at bay. It must be hard on the guy since the woman he loves appears to want nothing to do with him.  He wishes there was something he could do to cheer him up.  He comes up empty-handed when it comes to ideas though.

          "Bridgette, you are back," Luka says with a grin when he sees her.

        "How did it go with Marinette?" He asks.

          "She admits she is not sure how she feels about Adrien, but I know one thing,"  Bridgette says.

         "Oh, and what is that dear?"  Luka asks.

          "I know she is ready to let you go," Bridgette replies.

             Luka smiles at Bridgette as she places her hands in his.  He leans in and kisses her cheek.  He is glad she does not mind if he takes things slow with her.  He does not want to mess things up since he is sure she is the one for him.  He can tell he loves her even if he is not sure how she feels about him yet.

           Luka's cousin Katharine "Katie"  POV:    

              Katharine or Katie as most people refer to her as notices how close Luka and Bridgette are already. She admits she is glad for them.  It is the first time in years her cousin has been serious about anyone.  She hopes those two draws closer over the years and gets married.

           She can tell Adrien is hurting even with his back towards the shore while he wades. She sees Marinette sits alone unsure how to deal with everything around her.  She knows for sure she is right that Adrien loves the girl with dark blue hair, but the thing is does the girl love him?

           She hopes for the sake of all involved that Marinette somehow ends up with the blonde-haired boy.  Sure she thinks he is cute, but love no.  She knows she has not any love for a boy.  At least not any on the trip so far.  She secretly believes Marinette to be the match for Adrien.

          She also can tell Marinette's parents are having a grand time.  Though she might be the only single girl without a potential boyfriend she does not seem to mind. She rather the others be happy.

         It is no wonder people joke she is a matchmaker, a shipper of sorts, and a kind girl without a care in the world about herself.

          Tom and Sabine's  POV:

            "What do we do about Marinette?" Tom asks.

             "Dear, do not worry so, I am sure things will work out just fine," Sabine remarks.

              "Yes, but she seems so unsure about everything, and she did hurt Adrien," Tom reminds his wife.

              "That might be true dear, but in time I am sure all will be right," Sabine responds.

                  Tom loves his wife and is glad she loves him.  Their marriage is one made strong over the years and feels as if it has withstood many trials in life.  He is glad their girls are both strong women and knows his wife is right. If there is anything he knows about Sabine is that her hunches are rarely ever wrong.  He sits back, relaxes in the sand, grateful for the shade the tree brings and kisses Sabine right on the mouth.

                  Marinette's POV:

                      Marinette removes her sandals, the decides to release herself from the burden of the sundress she wears too. She runs towards the ocean without a care in the world. She stops when she sees Adrien as he wades, then slowly joins him.

                     "I hope you do not feel I am intruding," Marinette says with a grin.

                       Marinette gets no answer as he appears to be deep in thought.  She nods her head and continues to wade right next to him.  She feels a huge wave brush over her and is almost knocked over.  She feels strong arms steady her as a protection against the waters.  She relaxes in his arms feeling safe for a change.

                      She turns just a bit to see her rescuer so she might think them and blushes when she sees herself face to face with Adrien. She reaches out and tucks a loose piece of blonde hair behind his ear.  Then, she whispers in the silence around them, "Thank you, Adrien, for helping me."

                Adrien's POV:

                Adrien recalls how one minute he is wading, then Marinette wades as well. He does not mind the company, but before he can respond a huge wave comes out of now where. It is headed straight towards them.  He reaches out and wraps his arms gently around her to shield her from any harm.  He can not let her drown no matter how much she hurt him.

               He feels her relax then sees her shift so that she faces him and feels her tuck a loose strand of his hair behind his ear.  Then, listens as she whispers thanks to him.   

              "Marinette, as much as it pains me to say it, I can not hate you.  I  know you hurt me, broke me even, but I do not hate you,"  He says softly.  He continues to hold onto her forgetting the angry waves have already brushed over them both.  He does not care how it looks because he loves her.

            Adrien moans when he feels her breath close to him. He stares into her eyes since the ocean stole his sunglasses and feels as if time itself stops. He could be lost in her precious, bluebell eyes.  He blushes, then mutters, "M-Marinette, please stay away from me.  I can not guarantee I will be a gentleman forever if you make me feel this way."  He releases her and hers her laugh. He turns around to go back to the shore but feels an arm as it grabs him.

        *Author's note:  So, owlets, that is what I call my readers for those who do not know.  I decided to make this story at least 12 parts.   Let me know your thoughts on it soon, thanks, and no copycats allowed. -Summer Cheng

           Find out more in Marinette's Fourth of July in America part 11

          bye, bye little owlets!

          _Summer out!