17. You Don't Know Me(2)

“Alright, if you insist…” Tom sighed softly, opening the door to let Adrien through. “Just whatever happens… don’t take it to heart.”

Adrien gulped at the foreboding warning and nodded his head, allowing his nurse to wheel him forward.

“ Please Marinette, you need to eat… ”

Adrien heard Madame Cheng’s voice say as he came in. He saw Madame Cheng pleading to Marinette, holding a bowl of what looked like porridge and a spoon in her hands in front of Marinette, who was lying on her side again, her back to him. She didn’t move.

Madame Cheng looked up, noticing Adrien enter the room, and her face scrunched in worry. Tom seemed to gesture something behind Adrien and Madame Cheng sighed, standing up to greet him.

“Good morning, Madam Cheng,” Adrien greeted her with a smile, trying to lighten the mood.

“Good morning, Adrien,” Sabine said with a half hearted smile, which quickly fell as she approached him, laying a hand on his, “Look, about Marinette…”

“I know Madame, don’t worry,” Adrien reassured her, laying his other hand on hers. “I just want to see her, that’s all.”

Sabine nodded, placing a hand on the side of his head to caress his hair before moving away to give him access.  As Adrien was wheeled around the bed, he finally had a chance to look at her face for the first time after that morning almost two weeks ago.

He hardly recognized her.

She was looking wistfully out the window, her expression vacant, her eyes looking dull and lifeless. She looked thinner than he remembered, her long, midnight hair laying unkempt around her face, her bangs obscuring part of her eyes. She blinked slowly, tiredly, though she didn’t seem to be paying attention to whatever was beyond the window.

She looked utterly defeated, and Adrien realized with a pang of sorrow that he could recognize the emptiness in her eyes...

It was the face of someone who had already given up.

Adrien swallowed, quiet. Even though he had been placed just in front of her, Marinette didn’t seem to notice he was there.

“There’s someone here to see you, sweetheart,” Sabine told her softly, but Marinette didn’t stir nor react, her eyes staring unflinchingly out the window.

“Hello, Marinette.” Adrien tried instead, smiling at her.

She glanced at him for the briefest moment, then turned back to look at the window beyond his head, giving a morose sigh.

That hurt Adrien more than he was willing to admit, but in a way, he understood her apathy. She couldn’t remember him. He was but another blank face, a face that teased memories she had no recollection of… why bother acknowledging them? It was pointless to even pursue it, and would only bring her pain to be reminded again that she had lost everything.

“I know....it feels like you don’t know me right now, but we… we used to go to school together.” Adrien continued slowly, trying not to choke on his own voice, knowing she needed time to process whatever she was told. “My name is Adrien Agreste, and I sat in front of you in Madame Bustier’s class....” he repeated Longuevie’s words in an attempt to jog her memory.

There was the slightest reaction, a subtle furrowing of her brows as she glanced at him again. She stared at him for a moment before she looked up at her mother, as if asking for confirmation.

“Yes dear, you were friends,”  Sabine confirmed, “He’s the son of Gabriel Agreste. You met him last year at school. You’re in the same class...”

Her mouth parted slightly, mouthing the word “ Gabriel ?” before she looked at him again in slight interest as if saying ‘I was friends with Gabriel Agreste’s son? ’

Adrien knew Gabriel was Marinette’s favorite designer, thus he knew her surprise came from the brand attached to his name and not from recognition of him, but he couldn’t help but get elated at the smallest hint of acknowledgement he had received. She remembered something !

“I know that you can’t remember anything we did together,” Adrien continued, trying to keep the tremor out of his voice. “But I was wondering if you’d like to start over and… make new memories? Can we be friends again, Marinette?” Adrien kept his voice composed as much as he could as he reached out to cup her hand with his.

He was thrown back to the past, to a rainy day after school, where he had faced a just-as-bewildered Marinette, giving her his umbrella to shield her from the rain on her walk home. Their hands had brushed the slightest bit as she had taken it from him and it was right at that moment that something had changed between them.

It had been on that same day that Adrien realized he had gotten a new friend .

But now…even the word hurt. He had expected to gain one step forward with her when she woke up but now… he had gone two steps back. But there was no other choice. He had to remind himself that this was a better outcome than the alternative, which as Tikki had mentioned the night of the accident, could have been Marinette's untimely death.

At least, he still had the opportunity to earn her love again.

She looked quietly at him, like processing what he had said, furrowing her brows. She hesitated before slowly removing her hand from under his, tucking it against her chest.  She looked away, closing her eyes and hiding her face against the pillow.

A chill overtook him, his stomach bottoming out at her response, and he blinked in bewilderment.

Her face...

He remembered the very first time he saw her, coming into the room, angry at finding him at her seat. He had tried to explain the accident with the bubblegum, but Marinette had brushed him aside, using his connection to Chloé to assume he was just out to hurt her as well. Even if she no longer knew he was friends with Chloé, she had made that same face, the same face of distrust and uncertainty she had done back then...

When she had rejected him…

His heart got stuck in his throat, thumping haphazardly as he numbly removed his hand. He swallowed thickly, feeling cold, his head swirling with the same thought over and over.

Marinette didn’t want him anymore.

She couldn’t even stand to see him...

Trying to keep the hurt out of his face, to keep himself as composed as he could so as to not worry the Dupain-Chengs, Adrien swallowed again and turned away from her. Although his heart now ached terribly, his insides going cold at her rejection, he kept his voice steady as he spoke.

“I understand. I’m sorry,” Adrien said softly.

His eyes connected with Sabine, who seemed to want to apologize to him on Marinette’s behalf, but Adrien threw her a gentle smile and shook his head.  She understood and backed away, her face lowering in sadness as Adrien was wheeled away.

“Have a good day, Marinette,” Adrien said gently before leaving. “I hope you feel better soon.”

“Adrien…” Tom began, his face regretful.

“Thank you for letting me see her,” Adrien said politely, smiling at him. “Have a good day, too, monsieur .”

“You too, Adrien…”

As he came upon the door, Adrien glanced back at her, only to see her hide her face further in her pillow, but not before he could spot the look of regret on her face.

He heard the door close behind him and he paused to collect himself, letting out a breath he didn’t know he had been holding, blinking rapidly to get rid of the moisture in his eyes. He felt so cold and numb, his hands unmoving on his lap.

He had had no idea how bad Marinette’s situation really was. What had he been thinking?

This was what Longuevie had meant… Why he didn’t want anyone to see her...

“Mr. Agreste? Are you okay?” the nurse asked him, concerned about his silence.

“I… I will be,” Adrien croaked, emotionless. “Thanks for worrying.”

“Come on. Let’s fix you for a spot of breakfast before you start your first therapy session,” the nurse said gently, starting to wheel him to his room. “Oh look, it’s your friends! They’re here early, aren’t they?”

Adrien looked up, seeing Nino and Alya walking towards him, waving at him, holding a gift basket with a few decorative flowers and a ‘get better soon’  balloon for Marinette. His stomach did a somersault at seeing their happy faces, a stark comparison to his current mood. He forced himself to smile at them.

“Hey guys,”Adrien said.

“Gee, you sure sound excited to see us.” Alya said sarcastically as they came upon him.

“Sorry Alya, it’s been a long day,” Adrien said apologetically.

“How you been, bro?” Nino asked, clapping a hand on Adrien’s shoulder. Adrien barely managed to stifle a grimace of pain that thankfully went unnoticed by his friend. “Long time no see!”

“I know huh? I’m doing a little better, thanks,” Adrien said, laughing awkwardly. “How about you?”

“Bit nervous, but good.” Nino asked, “Alya has been super restless, right?”

“Yeah, it’s been a bit nerve wracking… it’s been so long,” Alya said, sheepish. “How is she doing?”

“I... uh…” Adrien hesitated, avoiding Alya’s gaze.

“Ah, Nino, Miss Alya, you’re here.” They all jumped as Longuevie’s voice came suddenly from down the hallway. They turned to find him walking towards them. “Right on time, too.”

Adrien let out a breath, grateful for the interruption of a very uncomfortable moment, quickly pretending to smile to not raise suspicions. Longuevie had told him to give Marinette space and in his excitement, he had sort of breached that arrangement.

“Hi, doctor!” Alya and Nino greeted. “It’s good to see you!”

“It’s good to see you both, too. Are those plastic?” He pointed at the small floral arrangement in Alya’s arms.

“Of course.” Alya said proudly. “Memorized the rules to a tee!”

“Very good, “ Longuevie said, impressed. “Did you bring what I asked?”

Alya patted Nino’s backpack.

“Sure did.”

“Good. Well then, let's not dawdle.” He then turned to Adrien and his nurse. “Better take Adrien to his room for the time being, his therapist is meeting him soon.”

“Yes, Dr. Longuevie,” Nurse Lisa said before addressing Adrien. “You will see your friends right after they finish with Miss Marinette, don’t worry.”

“Yes, thank you,” Adrien said, then turned to his friends. “I’ll see you guys later. Good luck.” he finished with a smile as he was wheeled away.

“See ya soon, bro!” Nino called as Longuevie lead them in the opposite direction. Adrien waved halfheartedly at them as his nurse opened the door to his own room.

“Oh my, looks like your therapist is already here,” Nurse Lisa commented suddenly.

Adrien turned around but froze in his seat the moment his eyes connected with the person now sitting calmly on the sofa of his room, looking intently at him.

“Pardon me for being so early, but I just couldn’t wait to meet my new patient,” Master Fu said with a bow of his head, smiling at Adrien. “Nice to meet you, Mr. Agreste .”