Beatrice Baudelaire II

Chapter the Twelveth

*Btw, in case you were wondering, I looked it up, and twelveth is indeed the right spelling. With that out of the way, let's move to the chapter.

We pulled up at Prufrock Prep. It was the middle of the night, and the moon was high up. Violet, Klaus and Sunny led the way while the rest of us followed them.

We entered the school/training centre and stopped in the hallway. Violet looked at all of us and put a finger to her lips. "We can't wake the other trainees up," she said. "I think Klaus and I should stay here for a while. According to Charlotte and Noah, we're in danger too, and this is a very safe place. Does anyone know a place where we can stay?"

"There's a spare room in the boys' dormitories where Klaus can stay," Evan offered.

"I'm sure Jacquelyn would arrange a place for you," I told Violet. "All of the girls ones are taken."

"Great," said Violet. The boys and girls went in separate directions and went to bed.

***

The next morning, there was a lot of hustle and bustle, as well as a lot of chit chat. Apparently the school got to know Violet and Klaus were staying. Now they were behaving on their best behavior to please them. 

As I walked with Sunny to class, we saw a boy offer to hold Klaus's books for him. The boy staggered under the weight, and eventually dropped the books. Klaus immediately knelt down to help him pick up the books, and together they walked to Klaus's room. 

I snorted. "They're treating them like royalty," I remarked.

"It's probably because we've never had anybody to pay attention entirely to us, except for the teachers," Sunny replied. "Or maybe because the three of us are famous around VFD."

"Maybe," I said.

****

After school, Sunny, Evan, Flynn and I met up in the cafeteria. There were a lot of people there. We sat at our table- Well, it wasn't really our table, but everyone in the school had unofficially marked their seats and tables. 

"Should we start our mission now?" Evan asked. Our mission this week was based on Eavesdropping. We had to choose any person in town and collect enough information to write an essay about them.

"Can we do it later?" I asked. "I hate writing essays."

"Come on, Bee, it'll be fun," Flynn said. "It's just a small essay."

"A small essay?" I repeated. "I have to write a hundred words!"

"Well, you begged Fernald to shorten yours. The rest of us have, like, a thousand words to write!" Sunny said indignantly.

"We have two hundred and fifty," Evan reminded her gently.

"It's still a big number!" Sunny ranted. "Are we in tenth grade or something? We're only ten years old! Someone needs to tell the Volunteers that they're being way too hard on us! This isn't a writing school!" 

Which was the worst time to say those words. Sunny was talking so loudly the entire school heard what she had said.

Sunny saw all of us looking behind her, and she slowly turned her head to Fernald, who was standing right behind her. "Oops," she mumbled.

We all expected Fernald to shout at us, but he merely burst into laughter. He kept laughing and laughing until the rest of the school started laughing too. Sunny blushed, and she started laughing along with the rest of us. 

Then Fernald went serious. "Sunny, to my office. Now."

That was the reaction I was expecting.

Sunny looked up at Fernald, and squeaked out, "Okay."

She followed Fernald out of the cafeteria.

The cafeteria went silent again, then gradually chat and laughter started again. 

"Poor Sunny," said Evan. "Would she get a punishment?"

"Well, Fernald always used to favor Sunny when she was a baby, so maybe she won't," I said, but I wasn't so sure. 

"Let's wait for Sunny to come back," said Flynn. "We can't start out mission without her."

Evan and I nodded, and the three of us ate our sandwiches.

Sometime after, Sunny returned. She looked glum.

"What happened?" I asked.

"The usual, 'you shouldn't talk that way, whatever we're teaching is going to help you when you become an official Volunteer, if you act this way, I will tell Violet and Klaus.'" Sunny replied and sank into her chair.

"Well, that's great!" Flynn said with a sigh of relief. "We thought you were going to be punished."

"You could call that a punishment," Sunny muttered.

"Come on, Sunny, you get scolded at all the time," I said. "Today's no different."

"Yes it is!" Sunny snapped. "Sorry for the outburst. The worst part was threatening to tell Violet and Klaus."

"Why?" Evan asked.

"I just want them to be proud of me, you know? They were all I had, and I really don't want them to feel that I'm bad if Fernald tells," Sunny explained.

"Look, Sunny," I said. "First of all, Violet and Klaus are really, really proud of you. If they weren't, the wouldn't be good siblings. You helped them so much when Count Olaf was after you guys. If it weren't for you, all three of you would be in Count Olaf's clutches. They are really proud of you, I know that." Flynn and Evan nodded fervently.

Sunny smiled at that. "Thanks."

"Also," Evan added, "if Fernald tells them about what happens, I doubt Violet and Klaus would get mad at you or anything. I'm pretty sure that when they were ten years old, they didn't like writing essays either."

Sunny nodded. "Fine, we'll get started on the mission."

***

That night, Sunny and I went to our dorm. We finished up our essay on our desks, then went to bed. 

I must've fell asleep quickly and when I woke up, it was the middle of the night. I looked at the window, which was on Sunny's side of the room. The stars were so beautiful I had the urge to wake up Sunny and show her.

"Sunny?" I said quietly. "Sunny, wake up."

There was no answer. I figured she was still sleeping, so I said louder, "Sunny? Look at the stars!"

No answer.

She had never slept so soundly before to not hear me. I half shouted, "Sunny!"

Still, no answer. 

I was getting a little worried now. I got out of bed to shake Sunny awake, but when I went to her bed, Sunny wasn't there.

Maybe she went to the cafeteria for a glass of water? I thought, but the bedroom door was still locked.

The window was open.

Just then, the puzzle pieces in my head fitted with several clicks.

 "SUNNY!"

********

What do you think happened to Sunny? 

Sorry to let you on a cliffhanger, yet again, but I kinda lost motivation at the end so I decided to write the rest  in the next chapter.

Q. What's your favourite food?

Please vote and comment!