238 reads now whAt ?? tysm you guys!! this is such a huge amount to me, especially bc this is still the seventh chapter i published :o

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[ adrien ]

I barely shut my eyes to sleep.

I sat up on the bed, taking a good, long look at the clock on the bedside table. 2:58 am.

This was too much to process.

It all made sense now. There were no bodyguards needed because there were cameramen filming our every move. I swear I noticed a hidden camera or two from the past days, but I shrugged it off, thinking that I was just seeing things. Apparently, I wasn't.

I was infuriated, to say the least. Chéyenne had deliberately lied to Marinette - ah, well, I surely hoped that the cameramen filmed that, but I highly doubted it. She lied straight to the poor girl's face, and Marinette was left unknowing. And then, she threatened to kill my own father, when she perfectly knew that he was the only family I had left. What a witch.

She really liked using me for money. She really liked threatening me. It had gone on like this for about five years now, ever since I started modelling. I just couldn't defend myself against her - I mean, why believe a teenager? Society always thought teenagers were liars, anyway.

The time on the clock now read 3:35 am. Wow, I was sitting on the bed, thinking, for that long?

I wished I could spend the rest of these days thinking so I wouldn't have to break Marinette's heart and spare my father's life. If only that was possible.

Giving up on sleep, I stood up and made my way down to the kitchen. I made myself a glass of warm milk, hoping that that would help me sleep, even just for a few hours.

I stared at the 'hidden' camera on the farthest corner of the kitchen, filming straight at me. I stared - no, wait, I glared at it for a good five seconds. Sometimes, I just wished I had laser vision, so that I could have destroyed it. So that I could destroy ever goddamned hidden camera in this goddamned mansion.

But, then, I almost jumped at the figure who appeared right outside the doorway.

"Can I come in and join you, Adrien?", she asks timidly, yawning a bit.

She even looked beautiful when she was half-awake.

I nod and let her take a seat beside me. We were quiet for a few moments before I decided to speak up.

"Why are you up so early, Mari?", I ask, trying to pick up a conversation with the girl.

"I just couldn't sleep. Insomnia, I guess. Or homesickness.", she sighs, rubbing her eyes sleepily. Insomnia? But she's so sleepy.

"I miss my parents. I miss my best friend, Alya. I miss my home--", then, she realizes her words and becomes flustered, "I, uh, I mean-- it's actually nice to be here with you and all, but I, uh--"

Pressing my finger to her lips, I put on a lopsided smile. "I get your point. I miss home, too, as much as I hated being trapped in there."

She chuckled.

My heart used to beat faster whenever she chuckled. Now, my heart drops, knowing that she wouldn't be chuckling after these fourteen days were over.

===

[ alya ]

Oh. My. God.

I wasn't informed that this competition thing was going to become a TV show! I knew how Marinette absolutely hated whenever someone would take a video of her - much more a TV show!

I entered the classroom as the bell rang. All I could hear about was my best friend being forced in a TV show without her even knowing, like what they had done to Nino.

Chloé Bourgeois was obviously the first person I heard it from.

I mean, I got all the gossip from the spot, but I never would have thought that the damn competition was a TV show, so I never payed attention to it. Only today, when they aired the first day for the first time, I realized this was bad news.

Chloé had been rambling on and on about something one day - in a very obnoxious way, at that - and when I told her to shut up, she told me everything about the TV show.

I didn't believe her. Well, at first.

I then asked Rose - who was a really big fan of reality shows - to confirm the statement. And she did.

I asked tons of girls in our grade if the TV show actually existed, and there was only one answer I would hear.

"Yes."

I swear, I tried calling Marinette, but the cellular provider had forbidden our contact. When I asked Marinette's parents if I could call her with their phones, I found out that the same thing happened to them as well.

Whoever was in charge of the competition must have organized this.

"I can't do this, Nino!", I whisper-yelled to the boy beside me. I sat with him for now, since Marinette had not yet come back.

She heard Chloé ranting to Sabrina how she should have been picked, and that she was just as worth it to be in the show. According to her, "If I were Marinette, I'd quit the shy persona and go kissy kissy right in front of the camera." I almost gagged at her logic.

"Marinette doesn't even know that there are cameras.", I mutter under my breath, although I had wanted those two pricks the truth.

Nino looks at me, concerned, as he rubbed the back of my palm.

"I didn't know they were making it into a TV show...", Nino apologizes, feeling guilty for telling me about the competition in the first place. "Marinette... I don't know how she'd react when she finds out."

"I didn't know how I'd react when I knew, so there's that.", I state. "Hey, Nino, it's not your fault, really. You didn't know."

"But Marinette is my friend. I shouldn't have put her through this--", he cuts himself off, as if an idea came to his mind.

The bell rang, and we fled out of the classroom for our lunch break.

"I know how to warn Marinette and Adrien!", he exclaims in a hushed tone. "I could call Marinette!"

"Wha--?", I was confused. "Good luck with that. Even I can't contact her."

He held up his phone. He was calling her. "But I can."

I almost jumped in joy at my boyfriend's wit. "But how...?"

"I changed my number, but Marinette's contact is still in my phone. This way, we can still contact her.", he smugly announces. I squeal, almost slapping his back.

It wasn't long until Marinette picked up. I sensed she was in the bathroom, because her voice was echoing when she picked up. "Hello...? Who is this?"

"Marinette, it's Nino and Alya, we--", I was cut off from my statement when the service provider cut off the contact.

"What?", Nino exclaims. "This is harsh, man!"

I sighed.

"Marinette, I hope you'll be okay."

===

[ A/N ]

Oooooooh shít's going doooown

Okay so basically,, this chapter is all about Marinette's friends trying to warn her, and Adrien contemplating what was more important to him - his father, or a girl he had taken interest in?¿?

So likeee the fluff and normal chapters and that kind of shít will prob return in the next chapter. Which is part two of this chapter. But hey!! They're going to the Catacombs. Holy shít I love it there likeee (I've never actually been to Paris but when I was younger I was a huge fan of simulation games so yehhh)

I ship Nino and Alya so hard ok you dont even know like yEs thEy aRe sO mAdE fOr eAch oTher i cAnt !!!!

Vote and comment if you enjoyed! xx

Stay wonderful :)

- Pia <3