Marinette's  POV:

               Marinette holds her sketchbook tighter this time so the wind can not blow it away again. She thinks has Adrien always been so handsome?  She blushes at where her silly thoughts take her.  She does not like him.  She can not like him. 

              So, why does her heart feel complete when he is around?

               Marinette walks back to her towel with a sigh. She places the artbook inside her bag and zips it back. Now, she takes a few photos of the ocean, the sand, a crab, a few seagulls as they fight over a fish, and a hermit crab with her camera. She wonders what it would be like to get a photo with Adrien.  She shakes her head at the silliness of it all.

              "Marinette?"  She hears a voice call.

            Marinette looks up in surprise to see who spoke to her.

          Luka's POV:

            Luka sets down his book without a word to Adrien. He walks off only to see a girl he met long ago walking around on the beach shore taking pictures. He did not know she would be here.  He smiles when he sees her and decides to say hello.

         "Marinette?  Hi,"  Luka says with a grin.

           He can tell she does not appear to be happy to see him.

            It is as clear as the frown on her face.  "Now, what is with the long face?" Luka asks in a teasing manner.

           Marinette's  POV:

                Marinette thinks great first I run into Adrien and now Luka. She wonders what is with this happening to her.  It is almost like someone has a cruel trick up there sleeves in store for her.

                "Luka, do not touch me," Marinette says. She looks rather angry.

              "Oh, come on Marinette is that any way to greet an old friend?" Luka asks.

             "Old friend, ha as if you did not remember?  We use to go out until you broke my heart and the worst thing about it all was that you did not care," Marinette blurts out.

                Marinette sees Luka give her a pouty face, but just rolls her eyes at him. She believes it to be rather ironic that she should see her old crush today right after she saw the boy who used to stalk her.

                Luka's POV:

                 "Now, Look, Marinette we were great together, but you have to admit that you were not that affectionate," Luka scoffs.

                 "Not affectionate, oh no you are not blaming this on me, boy," Marinette blurts out.

                "Well, then tell me why did you refuse to kiss me?" Luka asks.

                 "You did not want that or so I thought," Marinette retorts.

                "I think you need to be nicer to me since I am going out with your sister later," Luka tells her.

              Marinette's POV:
                 Marinette's jaw drops as if she did not realize what was happening until he said it.  She can not believe the nerve of this guy.  She can tell he acts as if the break-up in the past was her fault and as if that is not bad enough now he claims he intends to date her sister.  

              "Luka, you can forget any relationship with me ever again, and as for my twin sister, it is up to her to decide rather she waste time with you. However, if you hurt her there will much to pay for it you hopeless loser," Marinette spits out.

              She hears him laugh at her, so she bends down scoops some sand up with her hands, and throws it at him.  She smirks as he attempts to pay her back with a wade of the same stuff only to miss.

            "Ha, ha, you missed," Marinette brags.

         Adrien's POV:

            Adrien stands up when he hears Marinette's voice again. He slowly walks closer to Luka and Marinette.  His jaw drops when he sees them having a sand tossing fight. He takes his shovel and scoops up some sand with it.  He tries to hit Luka with it for what looks like a sad attempt to take Marinette from him.  Only, he misses and hits Marinette instead.

          He sees the look of fury in Marinette's eyes and knows he messed up now. He starts to run but can feel her angry eyes on him.

        "Marinette, it was an accident, I promise," Adrien states.

     Marinette's POV:

      "Uh, huh, sure, Adrien tell that to the judge," Marinette says. She smirks as she tosses sand towards him and it hits in the chest.

       She watches as Adrien pretends to be hurt and lays down.  She laughs at the silliness of the situation. She does not notice when Luka walks off.  She just snaps a photo, then tosses more of the dirt his way.

      Marinette gasps as the next wade misses her once more. 

     "Ha, miss me, miss me, now you got to kiss me," She says in a mocking tone.

       "I would be careful with what I say if I were you," Adrien says softly.

          Marinette sees him step closer to her and blushes. She thinks why am not running away this time?

         Narrator's  POV:

           Adrien does not know it yet, but he and Marinette seem to have drawn a crowd. 

         Luka, Brigette, Tom, Sabine, Katharine "Katie", and a few other beachgoers are watching them now.  It is like they wonder what is about to take place with Adrien and Marinette.

       The others watch and smile the whole time. It almost as if they think those two would be great for each other.

     Adrien's  POV:

        Adrien places a hand on Marinette's cheek, and says, "Mari, I do want to kiss you, but only if you want me too."  

      He gets no answer, so he pulls away. He feels as if she still sees him as the pest he once was and turns around.

      "I-I better g-go, M-Marinette,"  Adrien remarks. He walks away with his head down.

       Adrien thinks I should have known she will never see me as a love interest. He sighs.

         Marinette's POV:

             Marinette feels Adrien as he touches her cheek with a hand. She can tell he is gentle, but suddenly he pulls away. She watches him walk away and sighs. She wishes he would stay and maybe even...She shakes her head, no, she is not...she cannot be, right?

          "There is nothing to see here people, so go away," Marinette says.

        Marinette sees the disapproving look her parents give her.  It is the same look she receives from Brigette, Katharine, and Luka.  

        "Wh-what?  I was just having a fun time," Marinette blurts out.

          She can see the others shake their heads at her as if she does not get it.

     Tom and Sabine's  POV:

      "Marinette, you might not have meant anything by it, but you did lead someone on," Tom says.

      "Yes, Marinette, it looks like Adrien is well into you," Sabine remarks.

        "Your mother is right he does seem to have taken an interest in you," Tom says.

           "Do not tell us the thought that he likes has not crossed your mind, " Sabine adds.

            Sabine and Tom shake their heads once more then go back to the shade tree.

      "Luka's cousin Katharine "Katie"  POV:

         "Marinette, Adrien loves you, so until you are ready to take him seriously, I suggest you be careful,"  Katie says.

       "L-Love, what?  Adrien does not see me this way.  He cannot. He is just a silly boy," Marinette responds.

        "Say what you will, but I believe he does love you," Katie says.

           Katie sees Marinette frown so she shows Marinette the photo on her phone she got of Marinette and Adrien together.  "See, he could have kissed you, but he chose not to because he thought you did not see him this way,"  Katie explains.

          Luka's  POV:

         "Earlier you told me that you did not approve of my pursuing your sister," Luka points out.

        "Yet you toy with Adrien's feelings," Luka states.

       "Do you know how hard it was to convince him to come?" Luka asks.

           Luka can tell he has gotten her attention now.  "Well, Adrien was not sure at first because he did not want to see you.  He gave me the impression he likes you, but now I see he loves you. Marinette, he will treat you better way better than I ever could," Luka says.

         "You better be good to him, or who knows what might happen," Luka scoffs.

          Marinette's POV:

             Marinette feels tears form in her eyes.  "It is not that easy you know. I mean you were the boy I first dated and loved.  Now, I-I do not even know anymore,"  Marinette says.

            She sees Adrien on the shore all alone. She can tell he looks hurt as he refuses to even look at her. She shakes her head, as she asks, " How can you expect me to move on from you?" 

             "Tell me Luka, I know I should hate you right now after what you did to me, but the trouble is that I do not,"  She says with a small grin.

             Marinette looks at Luka as if to say come on can not you give us another chance?  She wraps her arms around him. She does not even think about the consequences of what she is about to do. She just leans in, closes her eyes, and kisses him. She kisses Luka her old flame right on the lips.

       Adrien's POV:

          Adrien looks up as Luka tells Marinette off. He gasps when she hugs Luka in front of him, then kisses the guy. He feels his heartbreak again. He should be the one she kisses right?  Why does she kiss Luka?  How can this be happening?

       "No," Adrien calls out.  He clutches his chest in pain and suddenly falls over. He thinks Marinette why do you do this to me?

       "Mari, please, I-I..." Adrien says with tears in his eyes. He pulls out the necklace he made from her and throws it into the sand. 

       Adrien walks off with only two thoughts on his mind, I lost her and she still loves Luka.  He runs back to the place where he stays during this trip and stops only to grab up the beach towel and his beach bag. Once in the room, he lays face down on the bed, and sobs.  

       "Mari, why?  Why him?  Why did it have to be him?" Adrien asks. He knows she can not answer, but he feels so hurt.

          Narrator's  POV:

            Marinette does not notice when Adrien runs off in tears. She is to busy kissing Luka. She thinks she can win him back this way. 

          Little does she know how wrong she is right now.

            Luka pulls away and yells at her, "Marinette, stop!  Stop it, right now!  Goodness, we can be friends, but nothing more.  Sorry, I hurt you, but I can not do this. Not to Adrien."

         "Marinette, I like Bridgette and besides, Adrien loves you," Luka says.

           "Luka, no!  Please, hear me out," Marinette whines.

            "Sorry, Marinette, but no," Luka says. He walks away and grabs onto Bridgette's hand.

     Find out more in Marinette's Fourth of July in America part 9

    *Author's note:  I know it is silly as I wrote this, but I felt bad for Adrien in this part.  Anyway, what do you think will become of Marinette and Adrien?  Will Marinette ever discover the discarded shell necklace he made for her?  As for Luka, and Bridgette do you think they will ever get along?

     bye, bye little owlets!

   -Summer out!