Chapter Text
Nino was buzzing. He was so anxious. He needed to call her now. Should he call her now? Home time is in 5 minutes even if he sprinted as soon as the bell went he could make it to her house in one minute tops. Would Ms Bustier even let him leave early or on time?
DING… DING… DING
Nino was already almost out the door before someone yanked him back.
“Hey Nino. You ok? You’ve seemed really anxious recently?” Adrien's face was covered with concern.
“Oh. I’m fine, don't worry about it. I got to go though or I’ll be late” Nino all but sprinted off and let his mind wander to other, more pressing thoughts.‘She’s starting a new school next monday and still refuses to tell me where? She accused him of and he quotes,
“I’m not telling you. You would follow me there. Leaving your girlfriend and best friend.” Which is ridiculous because- who was he kidding he totally would.
After another strange interaction from Nino, Adrien knew something was up. Last month Nino missed an entire week. Two things make it incredibly suspicious; one: Nino can’t keep secrets to save his life and two: Nino barely misses school unless he’s violently sick (usually 2-3 days) or a family member’s died (1-2 days depending on the family member) and he knows for a fact it was neither because he and Alya went to his house to give him homework, his Father answered (who should’ve been at work right now considering he works a 9-5 and it’s only 3:30) and said Nino was out visiting someone with his Mother and brother.
“Hey Alya.” Adrien found Alya by the front steps on her phone. “Is Nino okay?” Considering Alya was Nino’s girlfriend, she should know right?
“Ask him yourself.He doesn’t seem to want to talk to me.” Alya grumbled out sadly. If Adrien looked closely he could see the glimmer of tears. Adrien plopped himself a respectful distance from Alya and awkwardly patted her back, he had never been a good comforter; partly due to the fact he was homeschool until he was 13; he was 16 now (he has known both Nino and Alya for around 3 years now which was mind blowing but now was not the time to think of that.) Alya sniffled “I’m sorry. I know he has a right to his privacy. But all he does is check his phone or run off after school for an ‘emergency’. It’s so frustrating he won’t talk to me.” Alya all but cried.
“It’s okay. Just give him time, he’s obviously still processing and we both have to accept that. I’m sorry for asking you.” Adrien comforted. “How about we go back to yours or mine and watch sad movies and cry.” Adrien suggested. Watching sad movies while he was sad always made him feel better.
After Adrien snuck out of his house and binged watched all the ‘How to Train Your Dragons' movies and cried over ‘The hidden World’ with Alya on Friday. Adrien walked into school expecting to see Nino and Alya in their normal spot by the back bench, near the stairs on the right side. Alya was there, but normally Nino is there as well because Alya and Nino are almost attached to the hip; they walk to school together everyday. Adrien continued his walk, “Hey Alya. Where’s Nino?”
Alya looked up from her phone. And sighed, “Apparently we have a new student and they looked familiar so he went to check it out. I offered to go with him, but he insisted I stay here and wait for you.”
“Oh that-“ the bell interrupted Adrien’s attempt at sympathising, which was great because he had no idea what he would say.
He and Alya walked into class half expecting him to either be there in he and Adrien’s seat waiting for them or still absent. But it was neither. Nino was in class, not in he and Adrien’s normal spot, but in the back of the class with an unfamiliar asian girl, laughing. The only emotion Nino showed in the past month since he got back from his week-long ditch was; anxiousness, stress, sadness and random bouts of rage. Seeing Nino laughing was relieving and hurtful all at once, watching him laugh with someone he just met (?) knowing he couldn’t do that. Both Adrien and Alya scowled at the girl, even though she was paying no attention to them. Adrien swore he heard Alya mutter “Fucking Hussy.” Adrien almost snorted with laughter but followed Alya and sat down in front of her.
“Hey. You sure you don’t want to sit with your friends?” Marinette nervously asked Nino. She was anxious at first but after seeing two people Nino spoke so highly of openly scowling at her, tipped her over the edge.
“Nope I’m good. Unless you want me too?” Nino was obviously hurt at her trying to push her away. Marinette ignored it though.
“How else will I make friends other than you?”
Nino nodded enthusiastically; obviously tricked by her blatant lie, collected his things and stepped out of the desk
“Okay, have fun then, remember no pills.” Nino jokes in a hushed tone. Marinette chuckler a little. At first when she used humour and puns to cope Nino was horrified now he was joining in, it made her feel so much better.
Looking around the class Marinette noticed a familiar jock sitting with a smaller, darker boy with glasses, across the aisle from her, Marientte smiled, got up and slid into the desk behind them. Tapping the tall jock, who turned around revealing his face to Marinette. He was pretty handsome, with the tips of his hair blond.
“Hey Kim.”
Just as Marinette spoke, an older ginger women walked in, who was their home room teacher she assumed.
“Okay class today we have a new student joining us.” The teacher looked up at her expectantly and gestured to the front, “Would you like to introduce yourself.”
Marinette smiled, slipped out of her seat and stumbled a bit on her way to the front.
“My names Ms Bustier, Marinette correct?”
“Yep. I’m Marinette,” smiling and turning back to the class Marinette started
“My name is Marinette Dupain Cheng and I like fashion.
‘Bingo.’ Adrien thought. ‘I knew she was bad news.’ He turned to look at Alya who had already been looking at him. They shared a look and knew the other had a similar thought. This ‘Marinette’ girl was NOT good news. And they were not gonna let her get comfy with Nino.