EIGHT - sneak out with friends

Right after the pep rally, Carmelita, Robyn, and Marigold gossiped in Robyn's dormitory. She opened her notebook from Mr. Remora's class, the tedious, boring lessons written in neat, slightly messy handwriting. The sky was still dark and gloomy as it was during the pep rally. Robyn wanted to check on the Baudelaires, but Marigold and Carmelita wouldn't let her.

"You wanna be with those cakesniffers?" Carmelita spat.

"She's right. You can't just leave us for a bunch of orphans," Marigold complained. She adjusted the sleeve of her plaid pajamas. Robyn sighed.

"I guess you're right," Robyn mumbled.

"That's the spirit. Hey, we should sneak out of the dorms and go walk around!" Marigold suggested. Robyn and Carmelita looked at each other.

"I mean, it wouldn't hurt. We have Carm, who can manipulate any teacher to let us stay," Robyn pointed out. "C'mon guys, let's head out." So, Robyn quickly changed into a cardigan and plaid skirt and followed her friends out of her dorm. She locked her room and quietly walked down a flight of stairs. The girls tried not to make a sound, which worked. They walked out of the dormitory house and looked at the flowers. Carmelita was in front of Marigold and Robyn when Marigold whispered to Robyn.

"Pick one of those flowers and give it to Duncan," Marigold suggested.

"You're very funny," Robyn laughed. She giggled until she saw Marigold's face. "Oh, you're being serious?"

"Why would I be joking?" Marigold whispered. Robyn huffed and plucked a daisy. She put it in her hair.

"Fine. Next time I see him, I'll give this to him," Robyn reasoned. Marigold grinned after finally getting her way. The three girls got to the front entrance of the school. They sauntered in, looking around for anything interesting.

"Nothing so far. Let's go by the athletics field!" Carmelita recommended. Marigold raised an eyebrow.

"Aren't they having Special Orphan Running Exercises there?" Marigold questioned. Robyn realized that if they could get to the athletics field, Robyn could take more notes. She had a gut feeling that this SORE program was to torture the poor children. If she got more notes on Count Olaf, then maybe she could secretly let her mom know.

"It's fine, we just won't get in their way," Robyn said. Carmelita started towards the field, the other two girls right behind her. Robyn wished that she could visit the broom closet to say hi to the Quagmires, but at least she would see the Baudelaires. When they finally made it to the field, they saw three children running around in a circle. They looked exhausted and parched.

"That's harsh," Marigold noted. Robyn turned around and noticed two people walking towards them.

"Guys, someone's coming!" Robyn whisper-shouted. Carmelita walked up to them while Marigold and Robyn hid behind a trash can and bench.

"Who are these cakesniffers...oh, it's you guys," Carmelita exclaimed, until her voice lowered.

"Is Robyn here?" A girl asked.

"Depends on why you want her," Carmelita replied sassily.

"We, mainly him, want to talk to her," the girl answered. Carmelita huffed and tapped away. Marigold and Robyn stepped out of their hiding place and saw the two Quagmire triplets. Marigold smirked at Robyn and got plucked in the arm by her. Marigold winced.

"Hi guys!" Robyn said enthusiastically.

"Hello, Robyn," Duncan responded. "Where'd you go after the pep rally?" Robyn felt her heart beat louder and her stomach flutter with butterflies. She looked at Marigold, who sighed.

"I went with Marigold," Robyn finally said after she relaxed her nerves. "This is Marigold, well, obviously..."

"Nice to meet you guys. Don't worry, I'm not as insufferable as a Robyn depicts me," Marigold joked. Robyn rolled her eyes at Marigold and giggled with her.

"Well, you seem like a lovely person," Isadora responded. "I'm Isadora, and that's my triplet brother Duncan. Our other brother died in a fire." Marigold's eyes widened and her jaw dropped.

"I'm so sorry for your loss!" Marigold exclaimed.

"It's alright. We've learned how to deal with it."  Marigold looked at Robyn and elbowed her. Oh right, Robyn thought. The flower.

"Uh, this flower is for you, Duncan," Robyn said, giving the daisy from her hair to Duncan. He grinned at her and embraced her. The silhouette of the two children could be seen from afar, including the athletics field. It was a quiet night, besides the whistles blown from Count Olaf and the talking from one of his employees. The four heard footsteps coming their way, so they stopped embracing and hid.

"Children? You should be in your dorms," an evil man called out. It was Count Olaf.

"Is that Coach-"

"Shh!" Isadora whispered to Marigold.

"Get out of your hiding spots, orphans. It's too late," Count Olaf shouted. The four stayed in their spot. "That's it. I'll come get you myself, then." Count Olaf started approaching the bench Marigold was hiding in earlier. He inspected the bench, not seeing anyone. He looked up and noticed the four children running away. He huffed and walked back to the athletics field. The four children had ran to the broom closet and hid quietly. For a few minutes, Robyn spent time jotting down notes. She noticed his unibrow slightly poking out of his unibrow. With all of her current information, she knew it was time to contact her mom with the updated information. She was going to help the Baudelaires catch Count Olaf. But at what cost?