Adrien's  POV:

          Adrien feels upset that his crush caught him red-handed.   He thought this was not part of the plan.  He sighs as she reaches up and places a hand on his cheek. He wonders why she is being so nice to him.  It is not like he deserves it.  He was the one to break into her place after all.

         "Marinette, I..." Adrien begins.

       Marinette's  POV:
          " Adrien just tell me why?  Why did you break into my bedroom and try to remove the note and vase?"  Marinette asks.

            She can tell he looks hurt as he continues to cry. 

            "I just had too, " Adrien says through his tears.

           "You had too, but I do not understand," Marinette says.

             "I thought we were friends," She replies sadly.

          Adrien's POV:

          "Marinette, I can not come between you and him," Adrien tells her. 

              Adrien looks serious as he speaks though it is obvious to her he struggles with his words.  

                "This is bad, I know, but I do not ruin anything for you," Adrien blurts out.

               Narrator's  POV:
               Marinette looks at him in surprise.  She never would have guessed he felt bad about the gift.  She feels as if the piece she glued on it was all in vain.  Does he regret coming to my birthday, and what about the photo she thought to herself?

             Adrien sighs as he feels like he put himself into the worse scenario ever.  Somehow the whole thing did not seem that awful before he got around to it.  Now that she is face to face with him giving him that look of disapproval he wishes he could stop it from happening.  Besides, how bad is that she knows it was him that gave them anyway.

           Adrien's  POV:

             "Marinette, say something," Adrien pleads with her.  

               "Adrien Agreste, there is no relationship for you to wreck," Marinette blurt out as the old memories came flooding in.

                "Mari, you are with Nathaniel and I can not come between you and him," Adrien remarks. He thinks perhaps she misheard me at first.  He reasons within himself yes that must be it due to the shock.

                "Do not you see he left me," Marinette says with tears in her eyes this time.

                Adrien stands there wide-eyed for never thought to hear her say this.  He was not sure if he should be relieved or angry.  Right now he could barely think straight let alone respond to her sudden outburst.  

                He reaches up and places a hand on her chin. He wishes he were a better man. He knows now that he can never be right for her. 

                "Mari, I am sorry," Adrien replies. He pulls away from her as he speaks.

           Marinette's  POV:          

            Marinette looks at him in surprise.  "Do not be he was a bad boyfriend anyway," She says.

              She sees Adrien stare at her as he wishes for her to continue.

                  "Mari, I never meant any harm,"   Adrien blurts out. Then, runs to the window, opens it back up, and without another word starts to leave.

                    Marinette watches him hop on his bike with the bag on his back, and realizes he took the wallet and flashlight, along with a screwdriver. To her surprise, he left the other things there, the very things he came to take back.

                  She does not even take time to think straight. She grabs up the old photograph and stuffs it inside her pocket. She climbs out the window and runs over to him.

                  Marinette pulls him off the bicycle and refuses to let him leave. She feels as if there is more to it then this. She needs answers ones only he can give her.

                  "I found this too," She tells him. She pulls out the picture to show him.

               Narrator's  POV:

                Adrien takes the duffel bag off and sets it down. He pulls out the flashlight so he can get a better look at the photo. He blushes as he recalls the day it was taken how he wished he was the one to wrap his arm around Marinette.  He was just a friend though along with the others while the redhead got the girl.  

              Marinette notices a raindrop as it falls on her nose.  Adrien feels the rainfall around them as well. He feels as if everything is against them.  

            Marinette's  POV:

             "Come on Adrien, let us get out of the rain before we get all drenched," Marinette says. She grabs his hand without thinking as he grabs up the duffel bag with his other hand he stuffs the bike back inside the shrubs.

          Marinette runs to the house with Adrien beside her. She is glad the window is open this way they can get inside faster.  Once to the window, she watches as Adrien places the bag inside, then hesitates.

           "Come, on silly head go," Marinette says and shoves him forward.

             Marinette climbs in after him and falls on something hard. She thinks what was that my floor is not hardwood.

              Adrien's POV:

              Adrien looks at her in surprise when she lands on top of him. He gently shoves her off, then closes the window.  His clothes and hers are all soaked.  He thinks great I do not have anything else to wear.

            Just when he thought things could not get more awkward he hears her say, "Adrien, go take those off in the bathroom and shower while you are at it."
 
           "Mari, I do not have any spare things," He protests.

           "Nonsense, Nathaniel left his hoodie here, along with an old pair of jeans," Marinette says.

             Adrien cringes at the sound of her ex's name on her lips. He steps into the bathroom, closes and locks the door, and peels off his clothes. Next, he takes a shower grateful for the clean feel of the warm water, and the soap.   Now he wonders what he will dry off with as he did ask her about a towel.  He blushes.

             Marinette's POV:

                "Adrien, I hung a towel on the door for you, and I promise I will not look," Marinette says.

                      Adrien finishes, gets out, and slowly opens the door, he grabs the towel and steps back inside.

               "Here, take these,"  Marinette says with one hand over her eyes.

                Adrien takes the clothes and closes the door once more. He dries off, and changes into the fresh outfit, then dries his hair and steps into her room again. He sits on the chair by the desk.

              Marinette smiles when she sees him. She thinks wow he looks better in the jeans and hoodie than Nathaniel ever did.  She grabs up her spare clothes, and a towel, and enters the bathroom this time. She closes the door and locks it. She removes her clothes, showers, and hums to herself.  She finishes a few minutes later, dries off, and changes into the spare clothes. She dries her hair and exits the room.

             "Adrien, you are still here?" Marinette says in surprise.

             "Well, yeah, it is still raining," Adrien points out.

           "Yes, you are right about that then," Marinette replies.

    Adrien's POV:

     "Marinette, I am sorry things did not work out for you and Nathaniel," Adrien tells her.

        "It is okay like I said before he was a horrible boyfriend, and he did not love me," She says.

         "Who could not love you?" Adrien asks. 

             Adrien sees her blush and smiles at her.  He thinks at least I have her attention for now.

           "Marinette, the day I gave you the vase for your birthday it was silly,"  Adrien says.

            "No, it was nice and romantic,"  Marinette replies.

              "Nah, it was not all that Mari," Adrien scoffs.

       Marinette's  POV:

      Marinette thinks, think what you will Agreste, but it was and is romantic. She wonders though why he feels like a stranger to her. She sighs as she realizes it has been years since she last saw him.  Now, she sees him again, but not in quite the way she thought she might.

       "Adrien, it was and is all that to me," Marinette says softly.

       Marinette sees him frown. She thinks whatever it that troubles you let me help.

   find out more in Chapter  9  

    -Summer out!