A week had passed since the miraculous has magically placed itself upon Marinette's desk. And she thought she would never get a break! Because akumas were out constantly, leaving Marinette no choice but to skip school sometimes to save Paris! But... was it even worth it?

Well, she had grown quite enamored of Chat Noir. To enamored to be precise. Just seeing him made Marinette's heart soar! His charming goofy persona and suave smile! Marinette wanted to wrap her arms around him and hug the sweet kitten!

But there was also Adrien who she'd become kinda bland or indifferent towards. He hung out with Chloe... regularly! Every day it would be, "Adriekins sit with me!" "Adrien be my lab partner!" And he simply went with it. Poor Sabrina was left as a third wheel.

Marinette's crush she thought she'd once had on the blonde boy had quickly faded. Chloe was a disgusting witch and Adrien was her laborer it seemed. Plus he was an aggravating rich kid from Marinette's perspective.

But still, maybe she wasn't looking deep enough. She simply sat at the shore and saw the tide pools, thinking they were the ocean. So Marinette decided to make him a birthday gift. Chloe has made it obvious that Adrien's birthday was coming up next week and that she was inviting him to her house with no one else should come. 

Marinette and Tikki worked together to make a wool coat that complimented his wings. It was a light baby blue color and made of tightly knit sheep wool. It had a zipper she currently was sewing to the front, and holes cut out for forthcoming pockets. Marinette was used to making such special gifts, she simply liked showing off her aesthetic ability.

The dark-haired girl let out a long yawn and stretched her creamy pink wings. She laid her head down on the project as her eyes grew heavier and heavier. She was exhausted from staying up last night studying for her important biology test today. Last-minute studying doesn't work, I don't recommend it. Bad experiences. So little time.

Tikki flew on top of the girl's head and gave her a tiny adorable kick to keep her awake. "Marinette you can't sleep now!" She said with annoyance in her tiny voice.

"I'm tired!" Marinette said in response and let her eyes shut.

"I know you are but your going to regret it later when you don't have a gift for Adrien!" Tikki put her little nubs for arms on Marinette's forehead and picked it up off the coat.

"It doesn't matter, he hardly even talks to me." Marinette groaned and put her head back down.

"Yes, it does! But you just don't realize it yet!" Tikki pushes her body against Marinette's cheek.

"It won't make a difference. Trust me." Marinette grumbled.

"Marinette, please. It's nowhere near time for bed, it's your fault you stayed up all night!" Tikki snapped coming off as orderly and in charge.

"Fine. Just five more minutes though!" Marinette sat up and began seeing the super to the coat while Tikki grinned in the background.

———

Marinette spent way more than five minutes on that gift. She poured her heart into it with deep passion. It was a simple design, really, but it felt good to share something like this. And maybe part of Marinette hoped she could befriend the bizarre boy, who heald to many secrets than she was serene with. 

She delicately had encased the coat in a small box, neatly folded into. It had a simple green and blue wrapping paper tightly hugged around the box, topped with an emerald bow. She made sure to sign it and fit it carefully into her backpack. 

She traveled across her room and got ready for school that day. It was 7:00 am, or at least her clock said so. She adorned her self in clothing and dressed her face up with a modest amount of makeup. She checked her phone and saw all her notifications as she grabbed her backpack and walked downstairs. 

Her heart practically plunged into the deepest pit of the ocean, then soared back to the stratosphere, and did a triple backflip to return to her chest. Figuratively of course. 

For she saw what Alya had been spamming her about for the past two hours. Written in bold letters across the screen was. "WHERE ARE YOU!" Along with many other messages, dying to be answered. At first, Marinette was confused, then she saw the time.

It was 9:26 am, and she was late for school by an entire hour. 

Marinette ran like a chicken with its head off at inhuman speed out the bakery door of her home. She didn't even wait for a red light to cross the street, she just ran. Above her, she saw many people flying to where they needed to go, or just hanging out in the sky. Jealousy churned within her. Why couldn't she fly? God had blessed her with life but cursed her to be stuck at the earth, watching the sky in hopefulness. 

Tikki must have read Marinette's mind because she poked her head out the purse with heed to speak. "Marinette, you are glorified. Trust me, you have many things to be grateful for, so don't look up at the sky in hatred, but look ahead at your wonderful life. Ignore what others have been blessed with because they never got the chance to be Marinette Dupan Cheng! They should be jealous of you." She motivated.

"I don't understand what your saying." Marinette looked at the pink kwami in her purse as she neared the steps of the school.

"I'm saying, they are lacking qualities that you have! Marinette, your life may be hard, but everyone is created differently. So what everyone else can fly, they don't have as great of a fashion sense as you! They don't have a pretty face as you do, and they don't have as great of a  personality as you! Marinette, your unique, but it's your choice to make that a bad thing or not." Tikki elucidated. Marinette studied the creature's face for a small moment.

"Thanks, Tikki. I guess I never thought of it like that." Marinette let out a shallow breath as she entered the school.

"Girl where were you!" Alya exasperated as she saw her best friend sneak inside the classroom, embarrassment flushing over her face.

"Sorry, my alarm clock stopped working." She giggled nervously. 

"Seems like that." Alya patted the seat beside her, and Marinette sat down. Marinette had successfully entered the class in Nija mode, and the Teacher didn't even notice. A weight seemed to lift off of Marinette's chest in alleviation. 

"Shh, I can't let Mrs. Bustier notice yet." Marinette shrunk in her seat. 

"Ok. But did you bring the gift?" Alya nudged her friend playfully.

"Well duh. But I'm not too sure about this." Marinette mumbled.

"Trust me, girl, from what I've seen, you've got a stellar sized crush on that boy. Might as well get it over with." Alya chuckled, whispering.

"Alya. I'm not sure a have a crush on him. There's nothing between us." Marinette tried to tell her friend, but it seemed Alya wouldn't take no for an answer.

"Nuh-uh, I can see it from a mile away. It's so obvious!" Alya teased.

"If that what you want to believe, then go ahead." Marinette rolled her eyes.

------

"Come on Marinette you've got this!" Alya shoved Marinette in lead. Marinette started blushing deeply and covered her flustered face with the wrapped gift for Adrien. 

"No, I can't Alya! I... I'll send it in the mail!" She ran and hid behind Alya. Alya rolled her eyes.

"No, you can Come on! He's right there!" Alya gestured te glowing boy across the school court.

"B-but Chloe's RIGHT THERE!" Marinette crept backward but Alya grabbed her shirt and pulled her ahead again.

"Oh get over it. Chloe can go suck a toe." She shoved Marinette even harder this time. Marinette sprawled forward, trying to keep her balance, but she kept toppling over. Chloe looked over her shoulder and saw the mess of Marinette falling over, but getting closer. She knew what she was doing. Marinette held a gift in her hand, a gift for Adrien.

Chloe sneered and grabbed Adrien's wrist. She wasn't gonna let that happen. Come on Adrien." She said in a catfishing voice, spreading her ivory swan wings broadly. With one tippet of her extended feathery display, she pulled Adrien and herself off the floor. 

Marinette caught herself and finally was able to stand up. Only to see both Chloe and Adrien flying away, without looking back. 

She felt her heart sink and she dropped to the floor,  sitting on her knees. Alya ran to her friend's side and placed a hand on her shoulder. Marinette had her head hung low, with a lip outed. She felt tears welling up in her eyes.

"That wretched Chloe did that on purpose!" Alya said through gritted teeth. Marinette just sunk lower. "Hey, it's ok. Let's go after them!" Alya raised a fist heroicly.

"I can't." Marinette sighed.

"Sure you can!"

"I can't fly." She rubbed her eyes to keep from crying.

"So? We can go on foot!" Alya picked her friend up.

"Thanks, Alya, but I'm just gonna go home. I'll do it tomorrow." Marinette walked away. "See you later. Alya decided not to push it. It was best to give her friend some space.

As Marinette exited the school, Tikki emerged from the bag. "Marinette!"

"What Tikki?!" Marinette carried irritation in her voice. Tikki folded her nubby arms.

"There's still a chance! You need to give that gift to Adrien TODAY!" She bubbled.

"How?"

"Well think of it. Marinette can't fly.. but who else can?" Tikki nudged her playfully.

"LadyBug?" 

"You've got this!" Tikki elated.

"Ok." Marinette took a deep breath and hid in an alley behind the school. "Tikki, Spots on!"