I Want You to be Mine

Chapter 26: Daunting Green

It was calm in Marinette's office. Perks of having an office on a floor shared by only one other person was a huge on-growing list that Marinette could never thank Adrien enough for.

Here she sat surrounded by her favorite calm music while she sketched away. There was a month left from now. She would be sure to make this show her best. Tikki sat in front of her sketchbook munching on some cookies.

She must have really been into those rough sketches because she did not notice tikki flying to her hiding place, the door opening or someone approaching her work space.

"Hey Ms. Marinette! I knocked on the door but you didn't respond so I let my self in if you don't mind." Lucy, Marinette's personal secretary, Adrien assigned her said.

"Oh no problem Lucy. I must of have completely forgotten that I was supposed to expect someone at this time." Lucy was very sweet. She knew how to get the stuff done right away as Marinette liked it.

She had invited her out for a coffee one day to get to know her better and now Marinette was kind of grateful that she had a friend she can rely on at work. It turns out she had a child of her own older by a year than Hugo.

"The models have arrived for you to meet. Would you like to meet them here or in the lounge area?" Lucy smiled.

"I think i'll go with the lounge area." Lucy nodded along to her answer. "Perfect, come down when you're ready, they will be ready for you."

She waited for five minutes before gathering her files together in a stack and leaving the office towards the lounge area.

It was on the floor below this one so she had to take the elevator. As the elevator doors opened to the lounge floor Marinette took a right to the end of the hall but suddenly her clumsy old self returned. She bumped into another person coming from the opposite direction.

———
Marinette's perspective

"Ugh, watch where you are going! Do you know who I am?" A voice snarled. It was somewhat familiar to my ears.

I immediately knew why I recognized it because when I lifted my head to apologize, I was met with the daunting green eyes of the one and only.

Can you guess my bad luck? It was Lila Rossi. My number one enemy from back at high school.

She haven't yet seemed to see me as she was still fixing her clothes and looking at her face to check her makeup through her phone mirror.

When she looked up, it was a different reaction tho. A series of memories of Lila threatening me and lying flashed at me. "Marinette Dupain-Cheng"

Her mouth grit out my name in hatred. "What are you doing here at the Agreste company?" She looked me up and down in disgust.

"I'm the top designer here. What are you going here?" I crossed my arms looking back at her.

She flipped her hair casually and answered smirking "I'm one of the models for the fashion show." oh no. That was bad.

"Hey marinette" Someone called out behind me. It was Adrien. "Everything okay here?"

Before I can answer, Lila was already pushing past me and in front of him smiling. "Hey Adrien." She was even worst than Chloe.

"How are you doing? You are the ceo now?" It was obvious how his position made her mouth water for claiming him this instant.

"Hello Lila, yes I took over here. What are you doing here?" Lila looked back at me smirking back. "Well I was telling Marinette here, I am actually coming to model."

"Oh really." Adrien looked at me. I knew he saw deep down how I was about to strangle her so he quickly tried to end the conversation.

"That's great, we will be picking out who will make it to the show shortly, me and Mari will be in the judging room. Good luck on your entry, get ready with the other models."

He quickly put his hand on my lower back, guiding me to the studio.

Hit touch sent electricity up my back, making me blush lightly and forget about Rossi. I looked back at her, she was glaring back at me.

We each took our seats ready to begin judging. We had pictures of each model along with their information spread out on the table. All of the girls and men looked perfect. Sharp jaws and striking curves.

Each girl came up on the small demonstration stage and gave us a round around the catwalk. Of course I didn't miss the wink Lila threw Adrien and the smug look she threw me on her turn.

Adrien sat beside me looking at the pictures laid in front of us intently. Most of the girls chosen were perfect for the show. We agreed on almost every single girl until it came to the last choice.

It was a picture of Lila and another girl that were left to decide between. "It's our final choice now." Adrien chuckled beside me.

"Yea" I was probably looking nervous right now. "Who do you think we should pick?"

"Both girls were good, although I think we need to choose different body types and shapes. I think Lila would be better since she is different than the other girls we chose." And oh man I couldn't disagree more.

"I don't think I can trust Lila on a fashion show I'm designing. She literally hates me!" I tried to reason. I would do anything to change his mind at this point.

"If this is about what happens in high school Marinette than that's biased. It was a long time ago. She learnt her lesson and she probably changed."

"But-" before I can get any words out Adrien looked at me dissatisfied. The same look he gave me back in high school when he made me take the high road. Oh god how hard my life had been because of that. I was not about to experience or take my chances again. Thank god Lila's father had decided to move them to Switzerland.

"No buts Marinette, we all changed. We should give a chance for redemption." There was no way out of this now.

When Adrien called out the names of the models going to stage two, Lila of course didn't miss the chance to show me her victory. She had shook my hand, looking straight into my eyes like a challenge.

I loved me a challenge, and she was gonna regret it.