Adrien stared at Alya. Her arms were crossed, her eyes were closed, and she was mumbling. "You see how her eyebrow is twitching?" Nino nudged him with a whisper. "That's how you know she's really mad." Adrien took a few deep breaths to calm himself and Alya seemed to be doing the same. Then Alya opened her eyes and glared at him sharply. She pointed to him while here eyes were blazing.

"I wasn't told that he," She paused to glare at him again like the would emphasize her point. "Would be here." Alya was practically seething. The fire in her eyes told Adrien that she despised him. He was feeling the same, especially when it came to meeting his own eyes in the mirror that morning. He hurt Marinette. He didn't even forgive himself.

Adrien sighed quietly. "I'm not Voldemort... I have a name." Adrien mumbled from across the table. Nino elbowed him harshly and Adrien knew he shouldn't have said anything.

Alya laughed but Adrien could hear the undertones of rage hidden beneath the light sound. It wasn't a normal laugh. It was one full of sarcasm and anger. The sound stopped just as soon as it had started. She narrowed her eyes in his direction. "I have a few interesting names I could call you right now." Alya glared.

Nino clapped his hands as to settle the conversation. "Okay..." His voice trailed off. "This is the part where you explain the situation to Alya and then we talk over breakfast." Nino hit him again and Adrien was starting to feel like a punching bag.

This time Adrien took a deep breath and rubbed his already sore arm. "It's a bit more complicated than you think." He said.

Alya let out a frustrated sound. "Do you know what's complicated?" Alya mused. "The fact that I haven't punched you in the face several times for what you did to my best friend." He could only listen because he deserved every single word. Adrien didn't have the heart to stop her. "Marinette felt like she was a pawn in your game! She cried until she was sure she couldn't anymore. You used her and you broke her! Now I have to pick up the pieces that you left her in. Do you know what you did to her? She was a mess! So unless you have a reason that you ripped my best friend's heart out of her chest and then proceeded to stomp on it," She paused as to catch her breath. "Then I don't want to talk to you."

Nino sighed and crossed his arms, leaning back into the red cushions of the booth. "Alya you need to hear him out." Alya turned to Adrien, her dark eyes seemed to compel him to talk.

"I'm being forced to marry Chloe against my will." Adrien gushed out.

It was quiet as Adrien held his breath. A blank look washed over Alya's face. "What?" It looked like she was still trying to process what he had said. "Could you repeat that again?"

Adrien could see the anger melting in her eyes. He didn't want to repeat it but he did. "My father has arranged my engagement to Chloe. I'm being forced to marry her."

Nino played with the sugar packets. "It's an arranged marriage."

"That sucks." She said blankly. She blinked a few times like she couldn't quite believe that this would be the reason that her friend's heart was broken. "I'm going to need way more coffee for this conversation."

"Agreed." Nino raised his hand to signal the waitress. They ordered their drinks. Two coffees and a strawberry milk. The waitress smiled and wrote down their order. Alya began to flip through the menu.

"Who's buying?" Alya asked. She glanced over at the two men.

"He is." Nino said. Alya nodded and closed the menu.

"So let's start from the beginning..." Alya cleared her throat. "This doesn't mean I forgive you. I still hate your guts but I'm willing to listen and try," She paused. "Sincerely try, to understand."

Nino played with his spoon as Adrien tried to think of where to start. "A few months ago I guess... Right before the first audition." He clarified. "My father called me in and told me that I would be playing in his ballet and that Chloe was my fiancé." He waited to see any reaction but didn't get anything from her.

Alya seemed to think for a moment. "I think I remember that day. Mari and I were walking to work when we passed you. She was bummed because she wanted to talk to you but because you seemed upset she left you alone." Adrien blinked as he took in the information. He didn't want to think about how close she had been to him. How close he could have been to her.

He sipped his milk but didn't taste the sweet mixture. He stared at the pink bubbles that sat on top of the milk. "I went to Nino and we talked about it. Then the first audition came around. She was so beautiful and elegant that I was just so..." Adrien couldn't think of the word.

Alya's eyes softened for a moment. "Taken with her?" She cleared her throat. "She kinda has that effect on everyone."

Adrien nodded numbly. He was foolish to think that he was the only one. He was pretty sure that Nathanaël had also felt the same way he did. He tapped his fingers on the tabletop. The beat was off, it didn't feel natural. "I met you and her after one of the shows. I wanted to forget Chloe. I was going to break off our engagement anyway. I would never marry her." He sighed. "I went to the concert hall one night and she was practicing. That's when we started our friendship. I just wanted to be close to her. You probably know the rest. I took her out to dinner. Proceeded to ask for a date, kiss her on said date... All the way up to now. Months later. Days later."  Adrien didn't want to think about it but images of her flooded his mind.

"So that time when I tried to eavesdropping on the conversation you two were having after hours was about Chloe?" Alya mused.

"You were eavesdropping?" Nino sounded shocked.

"Key word being tried." Alya stuck out her tongue. "So this whole time, even before you decided you liked Marinette, you were planning on breaking it off with Chloe?" Alya's expression and voice had softened.

Adrien nodded but felt like it wasn't enough. "I was. I never wanted to hurt Marinette. I was going to tell her about Chloe but..."

"He didn't want to scare her away." Nino finished for him. A big weight was lifted off of his chest and he felt like he could breathe again.

Alya cleared her throat. "So... Why was I invited to this breakfast?"

Nino grinned. "Obviously it's because you're part of operation 'Get Marinette back aboard Team Agreste.' duh."

Adrien almost choked on his strawberry milk. He held up his hands. "Just to be clear I did not come up with that name." Adrien blurted out and Alya nodded slowly.

Their waitress approached them and Nino ordered the house special before she even asked. Adrien just ordered a stack of pancakes with the promise to share with Nino.

Alya winked at Adrien and ordered one of everything off the menu to go. Nino started laughing and Adrien did too. "I'm going to have three very hungry ballerinas in my apartment... They need the food so now I forgive you." Adrien nodded. "Also one more thing...." Alya trailed off. Adrien nodded for her to keep going. "I've always wanted one of those really expensive flower arrangements." She crossed her arms and Nino laughed again.

"You're really something you know that?" Nino teased.

"I tend to get that a lot."