I am beyond surprised how many reads and votes this book has gotten! I'll have to have a special chapter when it gets over 100 (It won't be smut because there's actual rules for the fandom now. o.o), but I figured i can use it to back track before back tracking during the big plot of the whole book. Where the book is at, it's not even half way before reaching Adrien's downward spiral.

Thank you guys for reading and voting! let me know what your favorite parts are because Adrien is somewhat of a dork in this chapter. I sort of let up the hate on Gabriel in this chapter so...nya...

Enjoy the chapter!

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The first week of being a freshman is apparently frustrating to the new class, including Marinette. Even though she had picked out, or handmade, her look of "Hello, I am a brand new student from Paris!" simply looked "I'm one of you now". As much as she missed her middle school and high school look, she reverted to her simple pink capris, white t-shirt, and her black blazer, complete with her pink flats and mini purse. She trimmed her navy hair an inch or so before she pulled them up into pigtails. When she looked in the mirror while applying jewelry, she couldn't help but admire her younger self. The shine of her promise ring made her come back and think that she's in a relationship with the fashion model. She has matured, sure, but she wished she can hold onto her teenage years just a little longer before turning 19.

Not only people stopped her on the walk to school or in the meal lines, everyone notices her ring. Both men and women asked if she was engaged or married, and the thought of marriage would turn Marinette's face really red. She would casually say no and tell them the ring is a promise ring given to her before her boyfriend left the campus the morning after. They adored the ruby and diamonds, but few people would notice the engraving. After a couple days of only two classes, by Wednesday she needed the encouraging words from her Chat Noir.

"Hello, it's nice to meet you! My name's Marinette Dupain-Cheng!" Marinette said proudly as she bowed in the third class she had to give an introduction. This time, it was in front of the entire art room. She held the slip of paper firmly as she read the words she wrote.

"I was born and raised in Paris, and I'm known as the baker's daughter." She started. "I enjoy designing my own fashion pieces, rather I'm in the park, at the Eiffel Tower, or sitting on a rooftop. Lastly, I am in a relationship with a fashion model who doesn't go to this school." With that, she held the paper in one hand, placing the other hand on her arm, and waited for the professor's guidance to the class. The professor was allowing students to ask their classmate questions for a few minutes at a time. Oh how Marinette felt uncomfortable. It was only seconds before they asked:

"Who is the model you're dating, Marinette?!" asked a girl.

Marinette nervously said his name. "Adrien Agreste. He models for his father who is Gabriel Agreste." she answered. "You can say that he's my high school sweetheart back in Paris."

"How many outfits have you designed? Are you well known at home for fashion desgin?" asked a man.

She nodded and had to think back a moment. "I designed tons of outfits for different occasions, even though I haven't designed every body type or age just yet. I have made a few things for contests and even made glasses for a rock star." Her fangirl smile coming through as she thought about it. "So you can say I am well known just for...um...well, my fashion skills!" She stopped to think about it. Even though she's not active as Ladybug right now, she still kept Tikki in her bag as extra encouragement. She didn't want the secret to spill over by telling them Ladybug was at their campus.

"Is that an engagement ring!" yelled a girl who looked like she was still in high school. "You're wearing such a beautiful ring, Marinette."

Marinette smiled and looked down at her ring, guessing that the ruby really does stand out to everyone rather than diamonds. She replied to the question with a shake of her hear. "No, it's not an engagement ring. It's a promise ring between Adrien and I. He lives back at Paris, so this college thing is different on both of us. We promised to hold onto our love even though we're very far apart."

"Aw! How sweet!!" the girl smiled as she settled down.

Marinette thought so too before returning to her desk.

As the routine stuck into her head, Marinette decided to obtain a part time job when she wasn't working on her studies. She looked into the cafes and a few boutiques, but her first interview was from the café she enjoyed before the first day. The interview went so well, that they offered her weekend only hours with study hours after her shift every night. All they asked is for her GPA to be average and supply her own jeans, tennis shoes, and a black shirt. Marinette was excited about it, that she called home to coax her parents to start sending her $50 less out of the $100 they put in her bank account every other week. Her parents had agreed and told her she had to keep up GPA and communication with them. She agreed to that as well like it was no problem.

Her parents called Adrien about it before he went by to visit them one day, to warn him that there will be some nights that Marinette cannot email or skype with him as often they did in the beginning...which was every other night during her homework time in her dorm. Adrien didn't find it a problem at all and emailed Marinette to congratulate her on her first job in college. He received a reply three hours later after she had walked out of class. By Thursdays, they set up dates and times of when to video chat on skype or facetime in the café or the dorm. This set up worked efficiently for a few more weeks and he was perfectly content.

One night, when it was nearing the nine week mark of the semester, Marinette finished cleaning the café and setting up opening for the next day after closing for the evening. She was allowed until midnight—three hours after closing at 9 pm—to work in the back room with her laptop and load of homework. Her music was asked to be minimal since it was nearing curfew and didn't want to draw noise to the café. This routine stuck with her for a while to the point she was excited to work closings on most nights. Sure it wasn't safe, like Adrien kept saying, but Marinette always kept pepper spray in her tiny purse and knew where to kick someone five different ways before running to a security call box or thinking about calling the campus police. She could transform into Ladybug if she wanted to, but she wanted to be "normal" for a little while longer. She actually felt safe on campus so she never really worried about the walk between the café and her dorm.

After she had sat down in her favorite spot in the café, a corner booth, she situated herself, but by the time she pulled the hair ties out of her pigtails, Adrien was already calling her on Skype. This made her laugh as she shook out her hair and turned the camera on. "Well good evening, kitty." She smiled, while letting her hair down.

"Ah! What a beautiful evening it is, Buggintte." He smiled through the silly nickname he came up a while ago.

Marinette rolled her eyes and combed her hair with her figures.

"How was work?" he asked as he laid down on his stomach on his bed. He held his fuzzy ladybug pillow under his chest as he watched her.

"Pretty good, but slow today." She said as she rested her head in her hand. She adored his content look that sometimes they just stare at each other.

"Any homework tonight?" he asked.

"I'm planning on writing a paragraph or two of my paper before passing out in my dorm tonight." She said. She wasn't tired, but she didn't want to look rude in front of him during the video chat. Of course, he understands that she has homework, but it never bothered their video chat. He actually enjoy watching her become frustrated over homework, it was somewhat attractive in a way.

"Oh, right! Your paper on...what? Fabric?" he chuckled at his joke.

She rolled eyes and laughed. "No, just a boring English composition class I have to take before public speaking."

"I read online that registration for spring opened up."

She groaned and lowered her head. "Where has this semester gone, to be honest." She said. "It can't be that time already...I feel like it's still the first month."

"It happens, my lady." He said. "I'm sure you'll make it through. I can see you during finals now." He laughed.

She didn't want to know how college finals went. She cringed at the thought and turned the conversation back to him. "What about you?" she asked. "Your dad haven't killed you yet about college?"

"Nah, he helped me enrolled into a trade school for modeling and fashion design. Secretly, I think it's for business, but it's not as near complicated than being on campus. It's just a bunch of online courses and modules I can do in between stuff." He said.

"Wow, your dad actually helped you enrolled into college?"

"Nyan, it's the least he could do. He cares, I know he does, just not enough people give him credit." He shrugged. "But I am doing fairly well. It's different, but it's not difficult." He said.

"Well that's great." She smiled at him. "How's my parents?" she asked curiously.

"Actually, their business is busier than ever." He smiled. "They won their first award for being one of the best family owned bakeries in Paris. Ever sense then, it's been very busy." He said, then a thought came to him that caused his eyes to wonder off the screen. "That reminds me...I still have to talk to them about something important."

"Important?" she questioned.

"A-Ah! It's nothing, Mari! It's just between me and them." he gave a toothy grin that makes her laugh.

"Well tell them tomorrow that I miss them very much." She said with a small smile.

"Anything for you, my lady." He smirked. "You closed up the café pretty late, are you sure you want to keep hanging out in the café? You look tired."

"Me, tired?" Marinette asked. "Not really. I don't want to take time away from talking to you, Adrien."

"Suit yourself." He said as he rolled over onto his back and looked at the screen upside down. He was trying to stretch, but it fails after her giggling.

"If you need to stretch or change, just turn off the camera!" she laughed.

"But then I couldn't see your reaction, princess." He laughed with her. He grabbed a blanket and rolled himself into a burrito.

"You're such a cat." She shook her head at him.

"Meow~!" He winked at her. He tried to free his hands to grab the pillow but stopped. "I'm stuck..."

"That isn't the first time you were wrapped up." she tried to hold her laughter.

"But I can't kiss you this time!" he struggled again.

She lost it, laughing as she remembered one of their adventures as super heroes, and put her head on the table while laughing. Gosh, her boyfriend is such a dork!

After about 45 minutes, Marinette noticed how quiet the call gotten while listening to music in the background. She saved her work and clicked the video icon. Once it appeared, she saw a sleeping Adrien not too far from the screen.

He must've moved himself to his pillows because the screen was towards his face and the lights were already out behind him. The glow of the screen wasn't bothering him as he lightly snored. The sound of the heater tower in the corner next to his desk made a small audible humming sound that was probably helping him sleep.

Marinette smiled at him, watching him sleep for what seemed like three minutes. She noticed the time and began packing her stuff away. When her laptop was the last to be packed away, she turned back to Adrien who haven't really moved much besides the sign of breathing.

"A-Adrien..." she said softly. No reaction from him though.

"Adrien...I'm going to log off and go to bed now." She tried again but no luck. It's not like this doesn't happen between the two.

After calling out to him, she turned off the call and typed "Good night Kitty" before shutting down her laptop.

The next morning, her laptop made a ding sound on her nightstand that woke up Marinette right away. She woke up a bit to log into her laptop and noticed it was from Skype. What she read made her smile and it started her day in a good mood.

"Good morning, Bugaboo. Did my lady sleep well?"