Adrien's POV:
          "Mari, must we lie to each other as well?" Adrien asks.

          "Adrien, I do not know what you mean," Marinette replies.

           "Oh, but I think you do," Adrien says. He cups her chin his hands like he did when they were stuck in the mud together.

             Adrien leans in and is about to kiss her when the doorbell rings.  He thinks great just great every time I start to kiss her someone or something gets in the way.  He sighs as he feels her pulls away.

           "Mari, please do not go," Adrien says.

       Marinette's POV:

         Marinette feels Adrien's hands cup her chin as they did earlier that day. She looks into his eyes and can feel all the love he has for her.  She blushes but does not move.

          As Adrien is about to kiss her she hears the doorbell ring.  She notices he looks down as he says, "Mari, please do not go."

         "Adrien, I am sure it is nothing.  I will be right back," She says.

           Marinette stands up to answer the door.  Adrien follows her and holds onto her arm.

           Alya's  POV:

           Alya arrives outside the place Alix and Marinette share and rings the doorbell. She thinks goodness that the girl takes a while to answer it. She wonders what is with her as they have seen each other in years.

          She grins when Marinette pulls open the door. She sees Adrien as he stands behind Marinette.  She wonders what is this all about now?
 

        "Hi, Marinette!  I  thought I would drop by as I did stop in for a quick visit,"  Alya says.

         "Hi, Alya!  Do come inside," Marinette says.

           Alya steps inside with a grin as she shuts the door. 

           "GIrl, why did not you tell me?"  Alya squeals.

               "Tell, you what Alya?"  Marinette says with her hands on her hips.

                  Alya looks at Marinette, then Adrien, and back to Marinette again with an amused look on her face.

               Marinette's POV:

                 Marinette thinks wow it is Alya!  She has not been here in years. She is glad to see her best friend for the first time in a long time.  She notices Alya acts like she knows something no one else does right now.

                "Tell you what Alya?" Marinette says with her hands on her hips.

               Marinette can tell Alya looks thrilled about something but has no idea what it could be anyway.  It is not like anything happened between her and Adrien.  Not yet, anyway.

              "Girl, you know about you and Adrien?" Alya says as she nudges her.

          "Me and Adrien?  Whatever gave you that idea?" Marinette asks.

           "Come on Marinette, it is rather obvious by the way he looks at you and you at him that you are in love,"  Alya says teasingly.

            "Pff, me in love with Adrien, as if," Marinette says. She laughs.

     Adrien's POV:

      Adrien thinks, wow Alya knows.  He wonders how she could know how he feels?  It is not like he said as much in so many words.  He does wish she did not have to show up when he was about to kiss Marinette.   

       "Oh, come on Mari, you know you love me," Adrien says softly.  

         Adrien only meant to tease her, but when Marinette looks at him with a blush across her face he knows he is right. He thinks so she does try to lie about how she feels?  He wonders why she will not say it.

       He decides if the only way to kiss her is in front of Alya then so be it. He has had enough of interruptions that keep him from kissing Marinette.  Besides, how else is he to know if she feels the same way or not when she refuses to say as much?

      Adrien spins Marinette around so she faces him. He places his hands on her chin again, so that she has to look into his eyes. He feels his heart flutter right along with hers.

     "I repeat, Mari, must we lie to each other as well?" Adrien asks.

      "Adrien, let me go," Marinette blurts out.

      "Not until you tell me you love someone else," Adrien remarks.

          Adrien grins when she does not answer, leans in and without any more hesitation he kisses Marinette. He holds her close and continues to kiss her as if they were the only ones in the room or in the world for that matter.

        Marinette's  POV:

         Marinette feels Adrien's lips touch hers. She can not pull away. She feels him deepen the kiss and hears Alya gasp as if she approves. She thanks, great Agreste why did you kiss me in front of Alya?  She kisses him and thinks, do not ever love anyone other than me.

       She pulls away and says, "I can not say it."

      "Oh, and why is that Mari?"  Adrien asks with a smirk.

        "Yes, Mari, why?" Alya teases her.

           "I c-can not because I -I..."  Marinette mutters.

          "You what?" Adrien asks. his hands now on her waist.

           "I  love you, Adrien!"  Marinette blurts out. She blushes from embarrassment.

             Adrien grins as he thinks yes, she loves me. He kisses her cheek this time, then says,  "Marinette, will you be my girlfriend?"
 
          "Oh, I do not know, Agreste," Marinette teases him.

Adrien's  POV:

  Adrien grins since he knows she loves him.  He even heard her say as much.

     "Marinette Dupain-Cheng, tell me one good reason you can not date me?" Adrien asks.

    "I will go out with you!" Marinette says.

      Adrien laughs as he tickles her and she tickles him back. Then, they sit down to talk.

     Alya's  POV:
      "Ha, I knew it," Alya says.

        "Yeah, yeah," Marinette remarks.

        "She is not wrong you know,"  Adrien says.

          "Girl, you know this causes for a celebration," Alya responds.

          "Alya you are onto something," Adrien replies.

       "She is?"  Marinette asks.

       "I am?"  Alya asks.

          Alya gives Adrien a puzzled look as she has no idea what he is going on about anyway.

Adrien's POV:
   "Sure Alya, it means Marinette and I have a date," Adrien says with a grin.

      Adrien smiles as he holds Marinette's hand and squeezes it.  He chuckles as Alya stands up and says,  "Well, I hate to cut my visit short, but I must be going.  I would not want to interrupt your date now, would I?"

     "We will be seeing you, Alya," Marinette says as she closes the door after her.

         Marinette grins as Adrien asks, "Now where were we?"

         "I believe we are about to have our date, darling," Marinette says.

          "Sure thing, honey, "Adrien says.

Find out more in Chapter  12

-Summer out!