Alya looked at Marinette as though she knew what was about to come.

"Is this about Adrien?" she asked with a knowing smile.

It was nearly always about Adrien. About not being good enough, or not knowing what to say, or what to do. Jealousy over her crush was natural enough, and Alya was sure she could help her friend deal with it.

So one can imagine the look of surprise that came onto Alya's face when Marinette shook her head. "No. Not this time."

Marinette was jealous. Of that, Alya could tell by her friend's own words.

This jealousy was bothering her. Also obvious.

She was, however, NOT jealous over Adrien. And that strange little fact is what pushed Alya straight into reporter mode.

"Really? Then who are you jealous over? Who are you jealous of?" When it came to Marinette the intrepid reporter always tried to keep her curiosity under control. But this was so out of the blue that she couldn't help but insist.

Marinette drew invisible circles on the bench with her forefinger. She was immediately regretting asking Alya for advice. Alya was a great and reliable friend, but her natural curiosity often made things difficult.

However, her experience with talking to her best friend had helped her learn how to dodge questions. "It's just… I have this friend…" she began.

Alya was quite sure this 'friend' was Marinette herself, but in the interest of getting more information she remained silent.

"And he, I mean, he came to me for advice."

He? Okay, maybe this friend wasn't Marinette. "Uh-huh, and this advice was about?"

Marinette took a deep breath. "W-well… Okay, he has this friend who's a girl who he really really wants to like him, but they've been having a difficult time getting along because they got a rough start. But recently she invited him to this big special event and he wants to go so he can get her to like him but he can't go so he came to me to ask me what he should do. And I just blurted out the first thing that came to my mind!"

"Ooookay." Alya had learned through experience how to interpret Marinette's rapid-fire gibberish. "So you gave this guy some advice. So what? You give great advice, even if you aren't so good at following it."

"I know! That's why I started freaking out. But then this OTHER friend told me I shouldn't worry so much, and I took her advice and thought I'd feel better afterward."

Alya was beginning to wonder who all these nameless 'friends' of Marinette's were and why she had never met them. But she also knew that it would be pointless to ask her friend directly. In all likelihood they were just people in their class and Marinette, the ever thoughtful girl that she was, didn't want to embarrass them.

Not that that mattered. Alya would find out who she was talking about in no time.

But there was still something that was bugging her.

"Okay, I get all that. But what does any of this have to do with jealousy?"

Marinette bit her lower lip and stared hard at the asphalt beneath her feet.

"I-It's just… After following my other friend's advice, I did feel better. But not completely. I still have this weird feeling. And when I thought about, I realized that I might be jealous."

"Jealous? Of what?"

"That's just IT Alya I don't know!" Marinette gave out a loud irritated groan. "All I know is that whenever I think of this guy friend of mine going off and hanging out with other people I start to feel like maybe he doesn't like me as much as I think he does. But then I start to wonder why that matters so much. Because it's not like I LIKE him, not in the same way I like Adrien, but somehow I'm still feeling jealous even if it's not with the same intensity! Which doesn't make ANY sense because while we ARE friends we barely ever see one another! He has a whole life outside of me!"

Finally stopping Marinette huffed, out of breath.

Alya let her sit there hyperventilating for a few moments while she thought the whole thing out.

"So you're saying you barely ever see this friend of yours?"

"Yeah, it's not really something either of us can control much."

"And this feeling started after he told you about how much he wanted to impress this OTHER friend?" she asked before adding. "His other friend not your's."

"Yeah."

Alya gave her a sad little smile. "Girl you are definitely jelling."

Marinette gaped at her. "B-But WHY?! What do I have to be jealous of?!"

"Well, no offense girl but you do over think things. Like, all of the time." Alya shook her head. "Let me guess, you're afraid he likes the friends he see's all the time more than he likes you."

The red flush on Marinette's cheeks was a dead giveaway.

"Ha! I knew it!"

"B-but… what do I DO about it?!" Marinette grabbed Alya's arm in desperation. "I-I've never felt this way before!"

Raising her eyebrow Alya simply asked, "What about all those times you got jealous over Adrien?"

"Those were different!" Marinette reasoned. "Adriens… well ADRIEN. Cha- I mean, this friend of mine is a completely different case! It's like, a different kind of jealousy."

Marinette looked about ready to tear her hair out in frustration.

"Well, yeah, that makes sense." Alya shrugged.

Blinking her best friend looked at her and gave her a, "What?"

"It makes sense." Alya gestured towards Kim who was going up the stairs. "I mean THINK about it girl. If Kim went off and started flirting with some random girl, who would get jealous? Alix or Max?"

"Uhm, Alix? I think?"

"And why is that?"

"Because she likes him?"

"Okay now, if Kim went off and started hanging out with new people, THEN who would get jealous?"

Marinette blinked uncomprehendingly.

Alya groaned. The things I go through for this girl. Honestly.

"Max, Marinette. The answer is Max."

"But why would Max get jealous? He and Kim are best friends."

"EXACTLY girl." Gently taking her friend by the shoulders Alya looked her in the eyes as she explained. "Look, I realize that jealousy probably isn't something all that common for you. But you CAN'T tell me you don't understand the difference between romantic jealousy and platonic jealousy."

Eyes going wide, it took the raven haired girl a moment to simply say, "Oh."

"Yeah." Alya sighed. "Oh."

Jealousy really wasn't anything common for Marinette.

She had no real desire for things, so she never got jealous over worldly possessions or monetary wealth. And when she met someone who was more skilled than her in a subject, she was more likely to admire them for it than be jealous.

For a long while, Marinette had thought she was incapable of being jealous. After all, there was no point in being angry over not having something or lacking a skill. It was her own fault she lacked those things, and if she really wanted them she could work until she had them.

But looking back on it, she realized that she did have something she had gotten jealous over growing up.

Relationships.

It was so strange to finally have a word to fit with what she had felt growing up all those years. Watching as other girls had best friends who they whispered their secrets to. It wasn't that she was friendless, but before Alya she had never really clicked with anyone before.

Describing it was so difficult. Marinette supposed the best way she could possibly explain it to herself was that she had always longed to have a bond with someone else. Not just hang out from time to time, not just be classmates or peers, but really feel a connection.

Marinette realized that she had finally gotten that with Alya at the beginning of the school year. What it was about the other girl that caused them to instantly hit it off, she couldn't be sure. Perhaps it was her bold confidence, her tireless determination to seek out the truth, her utter dedication to doing what was right.

Whatever it was she was grateful for it. That bond.

It was something she had developed with Chat Noir too.

Even if she had no clue what his real identity was, she had still somehow bonded with him. Connected with him on an emotional level in a way she hadn't with anyone else.

In all likelihood, it was their roles as superheroes that had nurtured this connection. Once you fought a horde of giant rock golem men on the top of the Eiffel Tower with someone you were pretty much friends for life.

Except, Chat Noir wasn't friends with Marinette.

He was partners with Ladybug.

And that made a whole world of difference.

Marinette didn't know Chat Noir the way she knew Alya. She didn't know what his family life was like, what he liked to do day to day, what his hobbies were or his interests. She didn't know what kind of foods he liked, what his favorite music was, or even if his terrible pun humor carried on into day to day life.

And Chat Noir didn't know Marinette. He didn't know the clumsy insecure everyday daughter of a baker. The person he saw was Ladybug. A confident, clever, superheroine who everyone adored.

If he were ever confronted with Marinette, ever really introduced to her, what would he think?

It was a thought she had entertained before, but it carried with it new meaning now that she realized what her feelings were.

Chat likely had friends outside of Ladybug. Lots of friends. He had a charming, likable, personality. One that Marinette was sure people would be drawn to.

People wouldn't fawn over him and his dorkiness, but they would like him. They'd probably laugh or groan at all those terrible puns he made. Or they would play games, and hang out with him.

Her partner had a whole other life that she wasn't a part of and that she knew nothing about.

He liked Ladybug because she was cool, and graceful, and confident. Were those the kind of people he liked? The kind of friends he was drawn to?

If so he would be horribly disappointed in lackluster Marinette.

She wasn't really all that 'cool'. She was more dorky than anything else.

And graceful? Please! She was the class klutz! If you wanted some fragile piece of antiquity broken you gave it to Marinette to carry.

As for confident well… She wasn't exactly feeling all that confident now was she?

Here she was, worrying herself silly, and all because she had realized that Chat Noir was just as human as she was. He probably had homework, and friends, and family troubles just the same as she did. And it was strange how unnatural that thought was.

Whenever she thought of him, she saw him as the black leather clad half of the crime fighting duo of Paris. Not a teenager like herself.

What WAS he like without the mask?

He wasn't anything like Ladybug. So in all likelihood, he was the same in costume as he was out of it. After all what reason could someone have for acting like a complete goofball in a catsuit if that wasn't how they always acted.

Quickly, Marinette shoved that thought out of her head.

No! She wouldn't start thinking about Chat Noir's secret identity. It wouldn't be fair. Marinette fully expected Chat to not pry into her real identity, the least she could do in return was not pry into his.

Letting out another sigh (that won yet another look of sympathy from Alya) Marinette realized exactly what the issue was.

Marinette had bonded with Chat Noir over the course of their adventures.

But she didn't know if he had bonded with her, Marinette. Or with Ladybug.

So distracted, was she, by her own thoughts that she failed to notice the open locker door until she ran face first into it.

The lunch break was almost over and Adrien had successfully managed to evade Marinette, head home for lunch, and then get back into the school without being seen. Now he just had to get back to class and get out of the school before Marinette could confront him.

Banging his head against the metal door of his locker Adrien once again felt a feeling of deep remorse. Avoiding Marinette like this was wrong. And he knew it.

He was a coward plain and simple. The idea of facing the inevitable confrontation with Marinette terrified him completely.

As Chat Noir, he had the boldness to say things he could never say as Adrien. Once the cat's mask was gone all of the freedom and expression went along with it. The anonymity that went along with his secret identity made him comfortable enough to speak up against anyone. Even his father.

But once he transformed back, he was the ever obedient Adrien once more.

That was why this whole business with Marinette terrified him so much. If he were Chat Noir, he'd probably be able to tell the raven haired girl point blank that he couldn't go, but that he'd be sure to send her a gift to show her he was thinking her. Then he'd probably give a stellar pun and leave with a showy flair.

Adrien however, didn't have Chat's self-assured confidence when it came to telling people things they didn't want to hear. He'd freeze up and stumble through as best he could, but he could never address someone with the same force that his alter ego could.

Putting in his combination, Adrien opened his locker and retrieved the textbooks he would need for his next period.

Just as he was putting his history book into his messenger bag, someone ran into his open locker door. The force of the hit had sent whoever it was flailing backward.

His body moved and his voice came before Adrien could even process what was going on.

Closing the locker door, his hand shot out and grasped the other person wrist pulling them back onto stable feet. "Are you alright? You need to watch where you're going you almost-"

He stopped as he stared into the blue eyes of Marinette Dupain-Cheng.

Crap.

The two stared at each other in stunned silence.

Glancing down at his hand around her thin wrist, Marinette immediately jerked it out of his grasp and brought it to her chest. "A-ah… Th-Thank you A-Adrien."

Aaaaand the stuttering was back. Great.

"Uh, no problem."

The boy immediately began slowly scooting back away from the girl. Trying to retreat in the most inconspicuous way possible. The door was right behind him. All he had to do was hurry out some excuse and make a break for it.

"Hi there Adrien."

Whirling around at the voice, Adrien found his only opening of escape blocked.

Alya stood between him and the door, leaning with her hand against the row of lockers in the most over the top act at being casual that Adrien had ever seen. Her eyes were narrow and piercing. Ironically like a cat who had cornered the canary.

But I'm supposed to be the cat. He thought ruefully.

She gave him a knowing smile. "So where are you going? Don't you have time to chat?"

"A-ah," Adrien stumbled through his words. "A-actually I need to be getting to class."

Glancing up at the clock on the wall Alya smiled and said, "Oh you've still got ten minutes. Plenty of time."

"R-really?" he replied in a voice that did not at all hide his displeasure. "Lucky me."

Marinette failed to pick up on his sarcasm. Instead, she smiled and sighed in relief, "Oh good. We won't be late."

Poor Mari was always late. And judging by the look on Alya's face, this would be no exception.

"So Adrien," the young reporters eyes were remorseless. "Did you get the invitation to Marinette's birthday party?"

He gripped the strap of his bag so tightly that his knuckles turned white. Swallowing, he found that his mouth was growing dry.

"Ah, I-I uh," he stumbled.

He could claim he had never received the note. Or at least he would if it had been sent through the mail. But the invitation had been handed to him by Nino who had undoubtedly told Alya about it. So there was no way he could lie his way out of this.

"Y-yeah. I got it."

"Really?!" Marinette's giddy voice cut him like a dagger.

Adrien felt himself breaking out into a sweat as Marinette leaned in excitedly.

"So uh, w-will you," she began awkwardly. "I-I mean c-can you- That is to say, um…"

As she stumbled through her words Adrien tried to look anywhere but her face.

Why did she have to look so happy?!

If she had just looked a little more casual or uncaring he was sure this whole thing would have been easier. But as it was she was in too good of a mood. Something that Adrien was sure would lead to her inevitable disappointment hitting her especially hard.

"C-can you…" Marinette finally seemed to wrestle back control of her tongue as she stared down at her shoes. Her cheeks growing pink. "M-make it?"

That was it. It was out in the open now. All exits were slammed in Adrien's face.

There was no running away from this anymore.

His mind seemed to fail him as he tried to come up with what to say. What few things he could shamble together to say all seemed insufficient. There didn't seem to exist words that could properly soften the blow.

Marinette's wide expectant eyes stared up at him.

"I-I…" he began carefully.

She was smiling at him now. Dear god, why did she have to smile at him?! The memory of that sweet smile devolving into a look of broken disappointment was going to haunt him.

But there was nothing else he could do.

Adrien decided he was just going to have to live with it.

"I-I'm uh, I'm sorry but-"

Already the smile was beginning to disappear.

Adrien braced himself for the worst.

CRASH!

The sound of smashing glass caused all their eyes to be cast towards the door.

Screams reverberated through the hallway as students raced past the locker room in terror.

"An akuma attack!" Alya screamed.

"Right now?!" Marinette screamed in horror.

Adrien stared blankly at the door in shock.

He could never ask for better timing.

((Whew, it's a day late but here's chapter 5!

Yes, Marinette's jealousy does not arise from the fact that she is in love with Chat Noir. I honestly interpret their relationship as being much more complicated than that.

But don't worry readers! They ARE in love with each other. They just don't know it yet XD ))