Adrien could feel Marinette's gaze linger on him a bit longer. He thought his eyes were playing tricks on him but he could clearly feel her piercing stare. He wasn't sure if she was angry or not but under her gaze he still felt like he was back at his apartment.

God Adrien missed her. Every fiber of his being wanted to run to her and tell her his plan. He just wanted so badly for her to be his again. Adrien would do anything for one minute alone with her. He still hadn't figured out what he would say to explain everything to her. He just didn't know how to convey it to her. He wanted to say so many things to her and everything seem to mix in his head and create an even bigger mess. He wasn't sure what he'd say. He could say so many things like how much he had missed in the last few weeks or how much he thought about her. He shook the thoughts from his head. He had to focus. No, he needed to focus.

He practiced part of the second piece again because it was tricker. After awhile it sounded like the song was supposed to. Just being in the same room as Marinette made him okay.

Adrien tried to get his father's attention because he saw a pained look cross Marinette's face. "Hey maybe you can give them a short break... She's been dancing for hours." He froze when he realized what he said. "They have been dancing for hours."

His father looked at him from his spot in front of the piano. The way Gabriel looked at him made him think that he saw nothing but the instrument. "Do you and Ms. Dupain-Cheng have something you want to tell me?" Adrien played a nervous rhythm and shook his head. "You are to be married to Chloe." He reminded.

Adrien scoffed. "I will never marry her." That seemed to spark something in the older male.

"Adrien not here, not now. We will talk in private." Gabriel's voice was sharp and his reply was curt.

"I'll start screaming it if you don't give them a break." The blond male challenged. Gabriel seemed to weigh his options. Adrien saw the reluctance that shone in his eyes when he called the break.

All the dancers sighed in relief and Adrien watched as Marinette simply went down. For a frightening moment he thought that the dancer had collapsed but saw she was just stretching and rolling her ankle. He breathed a sigh of relief but that was soon washed away. Adrien began to worry that she hadn't healed yet. The last time he spoke to Alya was days ago when she had told him that she'd be at the first showing, Marinette hurt herself while performing, and that she couldn't talk to Adrien again. He had no idea what had happened between them but he didn't question it. If she said she was coming then he knew Alya would be there.

He couldn't rush over to her and make sure she was okay. The thought began to eat away at him. Adrien ran his hand down the ivory keys to distract himself. They once seemed like a piece of him but now they felt so mundane. He was sure it was because Marinette completed him the way his piano once did. He didn't need the instrument the way he used to.

Adrien continued to play through the break because he didn't think he deserved it. Maybe if he pushed himself hard enough he could forget about the heartache in his chest. It didn't help that Marinette was always in his line of sight. It made missing her a thousand times worse.

Adrien tried to focus on the piano for the rest of practice but found it difficult. He hated the second act with a passion. It was because Ladybug and Chat were beginning to realize their feelings for each other and Nathanaël's hands were all over Marinette. He understood the red hair male but some part of him wanted Marinette to push him away. Things never seemed to work in his favor because Gabriel made them practice the first song a few more times. The jealousy seemed to boil his blood. At this point he was sure that his father was doing it on purpose.

Marinette looked amazing in her costume. The abstract of red and black created a perfect contrast on her porcelain skin. She was far more beautiful than Chloe would ever be. Adrien wanted to compliment her but didn't know what to say. There was so many beautiful things about her he wouldn't know what to compliment first.

They played through the rest of the second act without a problem. Adrien watched as Chloe got up from her spot where she was still studying the choreography. He had to stifle his laughter as she passed. He could see the condescending glare that reflected the icy blue of her eyes. He stuck his tongue out at her and heard her scoff before turning around completely and walking away.

Adrien was putting his music in order when someone stopped him. He wanted it to be Marinette but he had already saw her walk off with the designers. She was talking about some alterations that needed to be made to accommodate her solo. Adrien knew that it couldn't be her but still he hoped. Gabriel cleared his throat and Adrien was forced back into reality.

"Yes?" Adrien spoke as politely as he could for someone in his predicament.

"Chloe will be stopping by later to work on her solo. I just approved it." Gabriel Agreste looked too stiff and Adrien barley nodded.

"So I'm assuming your approved of Marinette's solo as well?" He said hopefully. He couldn't wait to work with Marinette alone again. Maybe that would be the time he told her everything.

"Yes." Gabriel paused for a moment. "She will receive a recording of your song instead of being forced to come over and practice one-on-one." Adrien froze for a moment. He wasn't sure what to think. He wouldn't get to work with Marinette again. The thought saddened him.

"Why?" He blurted out. Adrien wanted to cover his own mouth but Gabriel only stared down on him. Adrien tried not to flinch under his glare.

"Chloe said you were attracted to Ms. Dupain-Cheng and I'm beginning to think that perhaps she's right..." Gabriel talked dully but the glimmer in his eyes had changed. "Either way... Marinette teaches at another ballet studio so I'm just trying to make it easier on her." The older man ran a hand along the side of the piano in a practiced motion.

"You're just tying to keep me away from her." Adrien said, shoving his notes and music into his bag.

"Maybe I'm right to do so. Love and lust are two completely different concepts and you seem to have them confused." Adrien wanted to scream at his father's words. He didn't feel lust toward Marinette. He would never use her. Adrien was so angry that he began to see red. He slung his bag over his shoulder and turned.

"Marriage and work are two completely different concepts and you seem to have confused them." Adrien snapped back. "Maybe if you weren't you, Mom wouldn't have left, I wouldn't be in an engagement that I don't want and I would be happy!"

"Adrien..." There was pain hidden in the older mans voice.

"It's my life! I'm going to marry who I want. I told you I don't love Chloe, I despise her with everything I am!" Adrien gripped the strap of his bag but he didn't want to stop. "I'm going to take charge of my life and you aren't going to stop me." He breathed out. It was silent. Adrien stared down at his shoes as he waited for his father's reply. He wanted to yell. He wanted it to end badly.

"We'll talk about this later." The coldness that was present in his father's voice seemed to seep through his clothes and into his bones.

"We're not going to talk about this later and Chloe will not be coming over to my place. She'll get a recording just like Marinette. She doesn't get special treatment." Adrien hissed.

Gabriel had a blank look in his eyes as he stared at his son but said nothing. His frustration towards his father only made Adrien glare at him. "Just listen to me, I'm your father."

Adrien laughed at the statement. "You haven't been my father for a long time." The words escaped his lips and Adrien didn't even blink. He meant every syllable. The silence and distance seem to grow between the two with every passing moment. Adrien sighed because he knew his father wouldn't say anything back. "Don't get too comfortable in that high tower of yours because I'll tear it down brick by brick in order to get what I want and no one is going to stop me." The corners of his mouth twitched into an almost smile.

Adrien left without another word and slammed the door to the concert hall loudly not knowing that a certain understudy was listening the whole time.