#oh yeah and for their projects one of my friends redecorated the entryway to their house

[shy-sapphic-ace]

I want to talk about my day yesterday presenting my pride flag bracelet project at school! :D (if you're not interested feel free to scroll by)

So yesterday at school was the day where the students graduating from my school in my program (International Baccalaureate, or IB) have to present their end-of-year project, that they create themselves and set their own criteria and use to learn new skills and gain new experiences and such. I had all year to work on it with the help of my personal project mentor, my old science teacher who helped me set my schedules and organize my stuff. The presentations lasted the whole day with IB students of the other grade levels coming during the day and in the evening, we presented to our parents, some graduates of the program, and the parents of kids who possibly want to join the IB program at our school.

So my project was to make a total of 315 bracelets with the colours of 21 different pride flags (rainbow, gay, lesbian, bisexual, pansexual, polysexual, omnisexual, aromantic, asexual, aroace, abrosexual, trans, nonbinary, genderfluid, genderqueer, agender, bigender, trigender, demiboy, demigirl, and demigender) to sell this summer at the pride parade happening in Montreal. All the money I would make is going to Jag, an lgbtqia+ organization. I also sold some bracelets to students at my school on Valentine's Day and I was offering some during the presentations as well. This was my poster:

I got to stand beside my friends for the presentation, so that was fun. Anyway, here are a few nice things that happened during the day:

One of my friends bought like ten bracelets for herself and her friends, and she'd invited over some more of her friends to see her presentation and they bought some too!

One of her friends had a really nice colourful button-up shirt and I wanted to compliment it but I was too shy, but when they asked to buy an asexual bracelet they complimented me on my shirt and my hair!! So I told them I liked their shirt as well.

A bunch of adults (and some students) said while reading my display "wow, I never knew there were so many flags! I only knew about the rainbow one!" and most of them looked genuinely interested to learn about the different flags and their meanings. A lady also told me "oh my gosh, more people should know this! This is important!"

A young kid, maybe 10-11 years old here with his mom, listened to my presentation and told me it was cool, and asked me if I was lgbtq myself. I said yes, lesbian and asexual, and I pointed at the corresponding flags on my display, and he gave me a thumbs-up and said "Awesome! I support you". (Seriously it was so cute)

I got complimented a lot on how nice the bracelets looked, and how much time it must've taken to make them.

There was also this retired teacher who used to work at this school and who always came back for the project fair, the first openly gay teacher in the school and the former leader of the school's Rainbow Alliance Club, who came by to compliment me on my project, he bought two bracelets and gave me five dollars and told me to have a happy Pride this summer.

And there was this really nice old man who came to see my project, listened really attentively when I explained it, asked me questions about the organization the money was going to, and then took me by the shoulder and said "I think it's wonderful that in this generation, you can do a project like this and present it. Back when I was your age, you couldn't do something like this, and it's just amazing that it exists now. Who are we to judge others, right? Good job on the project." and he called his wife over to show her all the bracelets I'd made and she said they were beautiful.

So anyway I had a really god time even though I was exhausted by the end of the day. It was so nice to have people genuinely interested in my project and the pride flags, and I can't wait to sell them at the Pride Parade this summer! (:

[beccalovesdarling]

Reach for the Stars Part 2

So yes. I'm continuing this. I've had this chapter sitting around gathering dust since I posted the first. I've had some people call me out on Mari's behavior in the first chapter and that's kinda why I started this chapter. While I was writing the first chapter, I knew Mari's intentions, but I didn't explain them. Mainly because I was afraid it would grew from a one shot to a multi chapter and those scare me.

Previous

The next morning when Gorilla dropped him off at school, Adrien was not surprised to see Nino holding back a practically rabid Alya. Groaning, he exited the car and slammed the door. He never showed back at school after the fight yesterday and no doubt caused Alya to miss her scoop. The press had been held off at his own home and they had never followed him to school before. Alya, on the other hand, would not let up until he gave her something to go by.

As he approached his friends, Nino shot him an apologetic look. “I tried to warn you, dude.”

Adrien waved him off. “My phone died last night,” he lied. Really, he had turned the thing off because he knew they would be blowing it up. He had sent damage control texts first, however.

Alya grinned as she waved her phone; her ladybug charm danced around the sleek plastic. “Mine’s not. Fully charged. Even have a portable charger with me.”

“Oh,” Adrien was unsure of what to say. “That’s…thoughtful.”

She advanced like a panther. He very much felt like rabbit in rabbit season. “I want—“

“Alya,” the soft voice of Marinette called from the foot of the entryway staircase. Adrien felt himself blush as she walked up behind him. “Let’s get to class first,” she reasoned. As he turned to thank her, he noticed how very pointedly she was not looking at him.

The blogger sighed and relented. “Fine. Besides, the road isn’t the best background for my exclusive interview with Adrien Agreste.” Marinette smiled and the two girls linked arms, but not before Alya pointed to her eyes with two fingers and then pointed them towards Adrien.

The boys were left at the doors as the girls headed away. Adrien mentally noted to thank Marinette later. Nino bumped his fist into Adrien’s shoulder gently and the blonde directed his attention to him. “So, I heard that Lila transferred schools.”

One of the tensions on his shoulders eased off. “I kinda feel sorry for her,” Adrien admitted. “What about the stuff on the Ladyblog?”

Nino shrugged. “Alya deleted it off, but stuff on the internet is forever. It could resurface later. But, Alya flat out refused to delete the stuff about Volpina. A possible third hero? She’s digging it.”

“But she was a fake?” Adrien reminded his friend.

They were cut short when the warning bell sounded. With a shrug, Nino told him to take it up with Alya later during her exclusive interview. An exclusive interview that Adrien needed to worm his way out of doing.

XXX

When they got to class, he noticed Marinette drawing in her portfolio while Alya rattled off the questions she was surely dying to ask him. Her vulture eyes latched onto him the moment he dropped his bag to the floor. The soft grunt from Plagg caused a smile to quirk his lips.

“Nuh-uh. Don’t think you can charm me, mister!” Alya mistook his grin. “I’m getting my interview.” She slung an arm around Marinette’s shoulders and pulled the girl closer. Marinette’s pencil darted across the page and ruined the design she was working on. But, Alya didn’t apologize or seem to notice. “And my girl Mari is totes gonna be there.”

Green eyes went to the designer. She was? But, last night Marinette had said she was letting Adrien him go? She had kissed him as Chat. They were still friends, right?

Marinette blinked once slowly. “Adrien probably doesn’t have time, Alya,” she gently reminded her friend. “He probably has a shoot or lessons or—“

“I’ll be there,” he blurted. The three teens looked at him with as much shock as he felt. He did have a shoot and a Chinese lesson, but would his father say no to free publicity? Mentally, he winced at the thought of that. “Ok, maybe after six?”

Alya whooped and fist bumped the air. “Alright, we’ll meet up at Mari’s house!”

Adrien could not stop the grin as Marinette’s stutter came back. “But I’ve not roomed my clean. Wet cat smell!” She slapped her hands over her mouth. The model had to turn away from her to keep himself in check before Chat made a comment. He most certainly did not smell like wet cat.

The blogger grinned slyly, “Chill out, girl. I’ll be there before hand to help clean. Maybe even help redecorate.”

If she was referring to Adrien’s pictures, there was no point in it. Adrien himself knew they were gone. It would make sense that Alya, Marinette’s best friend, would know about them. But, how long had they been there? How long had this sweet girl in his class harbored feelings for him while he pinned after Ladybug?

Marinette turned back to her design. “Actually…I was redecorating last night. And, I’ve got plans this afternoon.” She rushed the last part. Adrien was immediately intrigued. Despite being friends with this girl for a year, he didn’t know much about her. What did she do in her spare time? “I’m meeting someone,” she answered the unspoken question before Alya could even voice it.

Was she expecting Chat to show up? Adrien racked his brain. Had he promised to come back tonight? He didn’t think he had, but if she wanted him to, he would be there. Never mind it would be totally wrong for Chat to show up since she had feelings for him and he had vowed to leave her for her own safety. But, when had Chat ever thought anything through? He was the spontaneous one. Ladybug was the brains. And Ladybug never explicitly said “no civilian friends.” And he was certain that Mari could be trusted.

Alya opened her mouth to dig, but the class was called to order. Taking his seat, Adrien directed his attention to the front. Assuming his role as the perfect student, Adrien opened his textbook.

XXX

Marinette focused more attentively on the lectures before the lunch break. She didn’t want to think about Chat, Adrien, or Master Fu. As much as she hated physics, she wanted to think about Newton, his laws, and that worksheet she never finished last night. But every time Mlle Mendeleiev mentioned moving forward, she couldn’t help but think of Chat.

Master Fu had been so cryptic in their meeting. She had thought he would help her uncover the clues, but she only left with a million more questions. Tikki had simply encouraged her to keep going back. Though, Marinette secretly thought Tikki enjoyed being with Fu’s own kwami, Wayz.

When the bell indicating the lunch break rang, Marinette quickly shoved her books into her bag; vaguely hearing Mlle Mendeleiev telling the class to finish chapter four tonight and hinting on a test for Friday. Shouldering her bag, Marinette had every intention of running for the door as fast as she could. Chloe, on the other hand, had other plans.

The blonde delicately approached her and Marinette noticed the new heels Chloe was sporting. From a design perspective, Marinette knew they must hurt. The front had no lift to them and the heel was entirely too long and skinny. Chloe’s feet were no doubt being held at an unnatural angle and the material was certain to blister her skin. “Hello, Marinette,” she greeted nasally.

Holding back her grimace, Marinette returned the greeting. She glanced at Alya and attempted to walk around Chloe so the two could exit the room without a scene.

Chloe was having none of that.

“I didn’t see you at the student council meeting last night,” Chloe declared loudly. Marinette felt her face heat as a few students turned to watch the opening act. “As president, you should have been there! Was there something more important?”

Marinette chewed her lip for a moment. “Something did come up…”

“Like when you totally ditched Sabrina and me during that psychics project?” More than half the class was watching now.

“Chloe, I’ll be at the next one,” Marinette reasoned. “I had to meet with someone, but next week I’ll be there.”

“Ooh,” Chloe gushed. “You skipped out on the meeting for a date!”

Her heart fluttered as Adrien moved closer. Her face flushed and she tried to stutter out a denial, but all she could think about was how later she did kind of have a date? But, the meeting with Fu wasn’t a date at all; but how could she explain that to Chloe?

Well, you see. I’m Ladybug and I was meeting with the guy that chose me to be her. And he was basically telling me my destiny. Oh yeah, and that Chat Noir and I are soul mates.

That would go over so well.

Eyeing Adrien, Marinette thought over how to respond as Chloe and a few others laughed at her stuttering.

Tearing her attention away from the model, she quickly made her decision. Fu told her to focus on her Miraculous. To believe in it and Chat. And if she was going to totally go for the superhero thing one-hundred percent, then she needed to crush her crush, so to speak.

She needed to let Adrien go for good.

“Yes!” She blurted. “I was on a date!”

Buy me a coffee??