17 Nice Try

Felix POV

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Such an unnecessary hassle for just one notebook! If she had paid more attention to her own belongings I wouldn't have to walk the completely wrong direction to return it!

Walking briskly to catch up with her, I could see Marinette's pigtails bouncing with every step she took.

And her hair! Does she think she's still a child? For her own sake, someone needs to remind her that she's in high school!

Gripping her notebook harder, I tried to think of more things to complain about, but none came to mind. She's not as insufferable as other girls I've met. The others throw themselves at me for their own gain, but she seems to genuinely want to help me.

Preposterous! There's no one in this wretched city that's ever wanted to help, not even--!

I cut that thought off right there not wanting to even think of that man. He has no right to invade my mind when he has done nothing to deserve to!

Focussing back on the annoying girl, I saw that she was slowing down and looking at a building a small way ahead. Taking this as an accidentally kind gesture, I picked up my pace and called out to her, "Marinette!"

She froze in her tracks and slowly turned around and smiled at me, "oh! It was just you Felix, how are you?" She waited for me to catch up and catch my breath. Not losing our gazes for a moment, I lifted the notebook to her.

"You left this in the classroom." She looked down at the book then back at me.

Suddenly, she burst out laughing and said through giggles, "so you ran all the way to my house to return it? You could've kept it for the night, I know that you need to catch up!"

As her laughter subsided, I bet she noticed that my face was still straight as a plank, "I could never take something that didn't belong to me especially if you let me borrow it out of kindness." I turned to walk away, but I heard her giggle again.

Turning around, her face was red as she held her notebook up to cover her smile. "Felix," she began slowly, "you don't have to be so formal with me. We're friends aren't we?"

Friends?

I looked down at her and felt my cheeks slightly burn. Shaking it off, I took her up on her offer, "fine, then I'd like to informally tell you how irresponsible you are for having so many 'doodles' all over your notes!" I snatched the book from her and flipped through every page and muttered, "this is just excessive!"

I could hear her trying to stifle a laugh as she cleared her throat saying, "I uhm, have a separate book for all of my actual designs. Those are just ideas that escape my fingers during class..."

I looked back at her and ask curiously, "then why not pull that out during class if you have a new idea?"

She looked down at the pavement and said a little annoyed, "well I used to until one of the girls in our class tried to steal it!" She huffed then looked to the bakery next to us. "If you want to come inside right now and see my real designs you can!" Her face lit up within seconds of explaining her different outfits she's made herself.

I didn't want to say no, but as I was walking over, I could feel a pair of eyes drilling a hole in the back of my head. "I'd love to, but I'd like to catch up on my classes first before I begin to socialize. Thank you for the offer, but I must decline." Out of habit, I bowed to her, making her laugh uncontrollably.

"Jeez Felix, good habits die hard huh?" I chuckled at this realizing that I do have a habit of being too formal around people. Opening my eyes again, I saw her staring up at me.

"S-sorry, you just remind me of someone..." She trailed off but before I could say anything, her phone went off.

Almost dropping her phone in surprise, Marinette took a long deep breath before saying, "hello?" I guess she forgot that we were talking because she did a huge 180 and said to me "hold on, this will only be a second I promise!" She smiled and waited patiently for the other person to answer.

She didn't turn away from me though. For some reason, seeing her like this reminded me of my sister all those years ago.

"Uhm...y'know" she twirled her hair as she thought of something to say. Looking back at me she smiled and said, "Just getting home, but my mom is waiting for me so I have to go soon."

She's rushing the call!

"I'll call you later though, Luka!"

Not just that...She's rushing a call with another man!

I began tapping my foot in annoyance. Just knowing that she picked up a phone call from another guy while talking to me was annoying!

But why should I care?!

That's right, why should I care?

At that moment, looking down at her, I remembered that she's not my sister, nor my partner and that she's not a child. Stepping up to her, I saw that she noticed my movement and looked up to me. I reached up both of my hands to her hair and gently pulled out her hair ties letting her hair fall down a little past her shoulders.

"You're not a child anymore," I muttered this under my breath without knowing, now praying that she didn't hear me.

She snapped out of her trance just the slightest to whisper to the boy named Luka on the other side, "thank you, I'll keep that in mind." Without another word she hung up the phone, keeping her eyes trained on me. "At least let me send you home with some sweets for walking all the way over here," she blushed the tiniest bit then grabbed my hand leading me into the store saying, "I wouldn't want you to go back empty-handed."

Without answering, I followed her being the gentleman I am. As I walked in though, I could feel someone staring at the two of us from behind.

"Oh, it looks like mom and dad aren't home." She went behind the counter and pulled out a small white box then turned to me, "anything in particular?"

"Uh, no whatever is leftover is fine." I don't want to trouble her family with this especially because she's just giving them to me.

She laughed and jeered, "oh come on~! I'm not giving you scraps after what you just did for me!" Pulling out different pastries and macaroons, she filled the box to the top then tied it with a small red bow. Coming back from around the counter she smiled at me again, "come on, I'll walk you out!"

"That's really not nec--" Before I could refuse, she was already pulling my arm outside.

With a chime from the door, we were outside again, "here are your pastries," she handed me the box and I awkwardly accepted. "It was really nice of you to walk all the to my home, I really didn't expect you to do this..."

"Thank you, this really isn't necessary Marinette, We're classmates after all." I chuckled a little at the weight of the box.

She looked up at me with earnest eyes and said, "no...thank you, Felix. Sometimes I'm really clumsy around others and forget the small things so," she stepped forward and gave me a hug. "Thank you for being a great friend today!" Pulling away she smiled again.

Why do I feel so hot all of a sudden? Maybe it's the warm pastries in my hands, I was fine just before.

"Have a nice night Felix, I'll see you in class tomorrow!" With one more small wave, she was gone from my sight.

Looking down at the box, I felt a heavy weight on my chest. Looking across the street I saw a swift movement disappear into an alley.

Walking across the street, I place the box down before grabbing my nosy cousin by the collar and pinning him against the wall. Through his bated breath, I slowly but menacingly asked, "why, pray, are you following me with this--!"

Before I could finish my interrogation though, he pushed me off of him and yelled, "STAY AWAY FROM HER!"

I stared him up and down.

He looks like hell.

"Have you been trying to sleep on the wrong side of the bed, my dear cousin?" I walked past him to lean against the wall and continued, "you of all people should know that a model needs to keep up his appearances, what with fashion week quickly approaching.

Checking my watch in disinterest, I could feel the anger radiating off of him. "You have no right..." He mumbled so low I almost didn't catch it.

Giving him a little laugh I tacked on, "I think you should go home and get some rest, Adrien. You seem like you're too tired to be thinking straight, your father would be disappointed." Pushing myself up off of the wall, I watched him trying to think of what to say. But all he did was stomp away.

For a moment, I had almost forgotten about the other rat following me, "you can come out now. I won't bite." I looked to the darker part of the alley to see the one boy I knew would follow me the second he saw me tailing Marinette.

"What a good friend you seem to be, returning her notebook to her by following her all the way home." He looked me up and down not knowing what else to say besides sneering.

I scoffed and followed up with, "of course. That's what friends are for, they help each other catch up and class and make sure the other doesn't fall behind." Picking up the box of pastries from the ground I dusted them off and offered one to him, "I heard they're the best in town. Care to taste one?"

"I already have. I know they're amazing, stop trying to sway the conversation!" He pushed the box aside and came too close for comfort to my face, "don't you dare try and get close to her! You have no idea what's happened this past year!"

I looked him up and down. Covering my chuckle I calmly explained, "how could I fall for her? She's clumsy, irresponsible yet can be so caring, sweet and responsible for others around her." I realized too late that I was thinking of her smile again.

My glazed eyes were obviously seen by him because he shoved me back making the pastries fall to the floor. "You know nothing! I've been there for her and haven't said anything about her decisions, but not anymore!" He stepped back a whispered, "I won't stand by and watch her get hurt again..." A shadow came down on his face as he looked at his shoes.

Straightening my attire I looked at him straight and said without hesitating, "I have no intention of pursuing her. She's a nice girl, but too nice for my personality."

He began to leave the alley but stopped when he was in the street to say, "yeah. That's what I said too."

Before I could ask him anything more, he walked off leaving the spilled pastries and myself in the alley alone.

Picking up each baked good, I left the alleyway and began to walk back home. For a moment, I stopped to see a flash of something pink in the Dupan-Cheng Bakery. Looking closer, I saw Marinette standing at the front counter leafing through a pink notebook with a smile on her face.

'That's what I said too.'

Looking down, I chuckled to myself and kept walking until I made it all the way back to the Agreste mansion. Slinging my jacket over my shoulder I thought to myself, I won't repeat the past anymore.