I Remember

Sabotage

The next day at school, Sunny entered the building when Beebe stopped her.

"Hi, Sunny," Beebe smirked. "I have to say it's great you're auditioning for the AJO."

"Thanks, Beebe," Sunny smiled. "This is my first time auditioning for an orchestra outside of my hometown."

"Oh, well, don't feel so bad when you don't make first chair," Beebe smirked. "Pretty much every time I've auditioned for the ABO, I've made first chair."

"The ABO?" Sunny asked.

"The Albuquerque Beginner Orchestra," Beebe declared. "I've also made first chair every time I auditioned for the AJO."

"Wow, that's great," Sunny grinned.

"I bet you never did anything like that in Tulsa," Beebe smirked.

"I'm from Hugo, and I've auditioned for the Hugo Junior Orchestra a few times," Sunny recalled. "I mostly made second chair, but I made first chair last year. Even if I don't make first chair, I'll be happy to get in anyway because it's my first time auditioning for an orchestra outside of my hometown."

Beebe was disappointed that Sunny isn't feeling inferior at all. "Well, that's good," she said.

"I'll see you in class, and good luck with your audition," Sunny smiled. She went off to class, leaving Beebe disgusted.

As soon as Sunny was gone, Cusco went up to his sister. "What did she say?" he asked.

"She told me how she auditioned for the Hugo Junior Orchestra, and I can't seem to make her feel bad," Beebe replied. "Mother says that Lucia was always optimistic when things don't go her way, and Sunny takes after her."

"Well, there has to be something that'll keep her from auditioning, let alone landing the first chair position," Cusco said. "We'll have to keep thinking."

After school, Sunny was on her way to her father's car when Beebe, Cusco, and Lorelei stopped her.

"Sunny, good to see you," Lorelei smirked.

"Hi, Lorelei," Sunny said awkwardly.

"I hear the AJO is holding auditions," Lorelei said. "Are you thinking of auditioning, too?"

Sunny didn't understand why Lorelei was like this. "Actually, yes, I am," she nodded.

Suddenly, Derek came up and asked, "What's going on, Lorelei?"

"Oh, hi, Mr. Bishop," Beebe smiled nervously.

"Why are you interrogating my daughter?" Derek frowned. "I insist you stay away from her."

"Yes, sir," Lorelei gulped.

"Good day to you all," Derek said, escorting his daughter to his car. When they were in the car, they were on their way. "Was Lorelei bothering you, sunshine?"

"It felt like it," Sunny replied. "I don't know why she wants to know so badly if I'm auditioning for the orchestra."

"Whatever the reason, she and that bratty daughter of hers better not do anything to cheat and sabotage you," Derek said.

Later, Sunny was with Bernardo and Lucia in Music to My Ears, telling them about her encounter with Lorelei. "I swear, if Daddy didn't come when he did, she would've threatened me," she declared.

"What is it with Lorelei?" Lucia frowned.

"She'd better not be up to something, let alone take after her mother by encouraging Beebe to sabotage my nieta," Bernardo frowned.

Meanwhile, in the Chowdhry household, Lorelei, Valerie, Beebe, and Cusco were fretting about what had happened today.

"I couldn't get her to feel miserable enough to decide not to audition for the AJO," Beebe declared.

"She takes after her mother too much," Lorelei said. "What are we going to do?"

"Here's an idea: stop fretting about Sunny and focus on your own life—she's not worth wasting your time," Mr. Chowdhry declared. "Jealousy is an ugly thing."

"Again, I love you, dear, but Mother, Beebe, and I know exactly what we're doing," Lorelei insisted.

Then Cusco got an idea. "I think I know a little something," he declared. "We know the difference between a violin and a viola, right? But maybe Sunny doesn't, so what if we swap her violin with a viola in the store? She'll mistake it for her violin, and when she plays at auditions, she'll sound bad and never make the cut."

"That's perfect, my boy," Valerie smiled.

"But how would she even fall for that?" Beebe asked. "Her violin is purple."

"You know, I saw a purple viola in the shop when we were in there," Cusco said. "We can use that to fool Sunny."

"Great idea," Beebe declared.

That Saturday, Beebe and Cusco were at Music to My Ears, and they tried very hard not to get caught by the staff. Beebe nabbed a red violet viola, and she and Cusco ran into the staff area. They reached the practice room, and there was Sunny's violin next to its case.

"Are you ready for tryouts, mija?" Bernardo's voice rang out.

"Just about, Abuelo," Sunny replied.

"Hurry," Cusco urged.

Beebe ran in, grabbed the violin and put the viola in its place.

"I'd better get a move on," Sunny's voice rang out.

"We'd better go," Beebe said frantically.

Beebe placed the violin on the floor under the table, and she and Cusco ran out of the shop as fast as they could.

"That was close," Cusco sighed. "Well, it was worth it."

"Not just yet," Beebe smirked. "When Sunny plays that viola and humiliates herself, it'll all be worth it. Now we'd better get to auditions fast." She and Cusco took off to Mesa Grande.

Meanwhile, in the shop, Sunny went to get her violin, but she saw the viola next to the case. "Where did this viola come from?" she asked. Then she saw the violin on the floor. "And how did my violin get down there?" She was starting to get suspicious.

"Something wrong, my lucecita del sol?" Bernardo asked.

"Isn't this viola supposed to be on display in the shop?" Sunny asked. "Not only did it somehow end up in here, but my violin was on the floor."

"How can that be?" Bernardo asked. "Well, there's no time to worry about it—we need to get you to Mesa Grande for auditions."

"Okay," Sunny said, putting the violin in its case. She grabbed the case and went with her grandfather to Mesa Grande.