Chapter Text
Sunnie Monroe is your average teenager within the walls of Hawkins High. She’s around average height, doesn’t care about the world, and has her small group of friends to hang around. With her freshman year of high school starting only a few months ago back in the plain old month of August, everything had been smooth sailing for her. She had perfect grades, perfect attendance, everything a student could dream of. She, of course, had her own interests too. Sunnie considered herself to be a writer, an author if you must. Writing was her passion, and biggest interest. Which was why she thrived when it came to English class with Mr. Wheeler. Yet somehow, in the glorious world of her freshman English class, sat one of her best friends, Devin.
Devin Corbett was considered to be your average high school jock. And yet he ended up in a group full of ‘outcasts’ and ‘freaks’. At least, that’s what people considered their small, yet seemingly harmless group. Devin never really cared for the jock title as much as all the other boys did. Sure, he was involved in basketball, baseball, cross country, track, and the occasional games of soccer, but that didn’t necessarily mean he had to be involved with all the other sporty guys. He preferred to lay on the low side of things, and hated being in the more widely known crowd. And so, he found himself in the midst of Sunnie Monroe, who was pleased to meet him to say the least. Sunnie invited him along with the group, and he agreed, thanks to one sly fellow called Nicholas Sloane. Or to everyone else, he was more known as Nick.
Nick was the complete opposite of Devin, and yet the only reason Nick sticks around with the girls is because Devin is there with him. Devin had always been fascinated by Nick’s impressive drumming skills, as he spent most of his life jamming out. Nick grew up in a household where yelling was considered normal. So to block out the sounds, he played the drums. He had broken quite a few sticks in the time of his drumming lifespan, but that was the life of a drummer. Because of this, Nick hates any and all kinds of drama and arguments that happen, and tends to stray away from that stuff. Nick is also the kind of guy to chip in at the right moment to roast someone or crack the most hilarious joke that shouldn’t even be considered funny. Even if he doesn’t speak much and keeps to himself, the girls and Devin love to have him around. Nick especially enjoys it when he gets to tease Devin every moment he gets. Thankfully though, Autumn is always there to lighten the mood after a bit too much teasing.
Autumn Finch was as her name suggests. She was an autumn kind of girl, and dressed with all different kinds of browns, oranges, and reds. She wore the warmest of colors that matched with her personality perfectly. Autumn was the problem solver of the group and always calmed everyone down when they got into disagreements. Even if they were the simplest of arguments, Autumn was always there to help them cool their steam. Autumn’s love for music, especially the piano, relates to her aesthetic in every way. She can be seen with headsets in at least one ear at all times, thanks to her deep and essential love for the rhythm and rhyme of songs. When she’s not listening to music though, she’s either diving right into Sunnie’s creative and fun stories, or exploring her artistic abilities with Novah. Because Novah was known as the artist of the group and always knew exactly what and how to draw.
Novah Owens is known for her fashion sense and creative mind. She is always found either drawing, coloring, painting, you name it. When she first entered high school, she found peace and comfort within Mr. Byers art classroom. He was always so fascinated with her work and enjoyed watching her thrive with every art piece she created. Novah though, was known for her vanilla blonde hair and choice of pink outfits on the daily. She can almost always be seen wearing denim skirts that highlight her light blue eyes, and any pair of fluffy boots she can get her hands on.
With this, the group was complete. They had all known each other for several years and stayed friends despite the difficulties and differences between them. They always refused to let anything get between them, even as they continued to get older and their styles and personalities changed. Within the school, everyone knew these five were all a group, as they were always seen with each other inside and outside of school hours. Their main meeting spot had always been Sunnie’s house, which is where they found themselves most of the time after school had ended. Since Sunnie’s house was only a walking distance away from the school, everyone would walk home together and get picked up hours later by their parents. That was always how this group had worked.
Mr. Wheeler had certainly known this, especially after having seen one of his favorite students, Sunnie Monroe, always wandering the halls with them. Mr. Wheeler, a thirty-seven year old freshman English teacher at Hawkins High School who taught in room 316, never really had favorites. Until Sunnie that was. He was so intrigued to find someone so interested in writing and storytelling just as much as he was. In all of his thirteen years of teaching, he had never found someone as fascinated in the world of literature like Sunnie was. Because of this, Mr. Wheeler was more than happy to have her in his class, and to share any story or information she was interested in.
Just down the hall from Mr. Wheeler’s English classroom was room 320, Mr. Byers art classroom, which was an art class for all ages. Mr. Byers had a simple bond with one of his very artistic students, Novah Owens, and appreciated her love for art. Novah was always thrilled to show Mr. Byers her new piece of artwork because he had always been so proud of her excellent work due to the fact that he admired the dedication she had and that it had also reminded him a bit of himself. He could see himself within Novah and that is why he valued every piece of art she showed him. Although Mr. Byers himself was the exact same age as Mr. Wheeler, he acted more lively when it came to teaching. He connected to the students in a way Mr. Wheeler had been trying to for years. It also explained Mr. Wheeler’s appreciation toward Sunnie.
Which is exactly where Sunnie found herself on one fateful Monday morning. It was early November with a light breeze that could be felt with one step outside, to the point where a sweater was only slightly necessary. Mr. Wheeler was in the middle of reading Romeo and Juliet, with a little bit of popcorn reading here and there to get the class active with one of his favorite lessons. They were currently on the part where Benvolio is talking to Romeo about his unforsaken love for a girl named Rosaline. Although the girl’s name is never mentioned within the script, Mr. Wheeler tells the class that he is not yet in love with Juliet.
“Good morrow, cousin.” Mr. Wheeler speaks in place of Benvolio.
He replies to himself as Romeo. “Is the day so young?”
“But new struck nine.” The words of Benvolio chatter once more.
Mr. Wheeler makes a motion with his hands. “Ay me, sad hours seem long. Was that my father that went hence so fast?”
Benvolio is next to speak. “It was. What sadness lengthens Romeo’s hours?”
“Not having that which, having, makes them short.” Romeo, as Mr. Wheeler, replies.
“In love?” Benvolio now questions Romeo.
“Out.” Sunnie turns to the door as she sees someone standing at the frame. It takes Mr. Wheeler a second to notice, but his face lights up as he stops reading. “Why, to what do I owe this pleasurable surprise Mr. Byers?” He asks, setting down the book on his desk and leaning against it.
“Very sorry to interrupt your class,” he waves toward a few students he recognizes who are more than delighted to see him, “but I need to have a word with you. Do you mind?”
Mr. Wheeler glances from his class and back to Mr. Byers. “Not at all.” He turns toward the class. “You guys can talk amongst yourselves, I have a matter I must deal with immediately.” He finishes as Sunnie can see Mr. Byers visibly roll his eyes and take their leave. The class immediately erupts into a cacophony of laughter as Sunnie sits dumbfounded in her seat. Sunnie had been so immersed in the world of Shakespeare that when Mr. Wheeler suddenly stopped, she couldn’t help but notice. But why was her teacher so intent on stopping his favorite lesson for Mr. Byers? Was it really that important to disturb the work of Shakespeare?
Unless…
Sunnie wanted answers. So she turned to Devin, who had apparently been dozing off, and shook him awake.
“Devin!” She whisper shouted at him.
He jumped up. “I’m awake!”
“Gosh Devin. We’re only going over one of the best lessons in this class and you can’t help but fall asleep.” Devin shrugs. “Well, if you hadn’t dozed off, you would have realized that Mr. Wheeler isn’t in the class anymore.”
Devin looks around and back toward Sunnie. “Huh. You’re right. Where did he go?” He looks down at Sunnie’s page number and turns to the page himself.
Sunnie groans. “He left with Mr. Byers. The art teacher that Novah and Autumn both have.” Sunnie looks up at the door before speaking again. “I mean, don’t you think it’s strange how Mr. Wheeler was so persistent when it came to talking with Mr. Byers? You should at least know how much Mr. Wheeler cares about Romeo and Juliet to the point where nothing could distract him. I mean, remember when Mr. Sinclair came in to ask a question one time, but Mr. Wheeler was too into Shakespeare to even spare him a glance?” Devin nods slowly. “This makes no sense! And come to think of it… those two are awfully close aren’t they?”
Devin shrugs. “I mean, yeah. I agree with you on that one. Those two are always together, but they’re probably just really good friends.”
“But you see, that’s what we thought with Mr. Sinclair and Ms. Mayfield. Everyone thought the two were only friends until they announced they were getting married.” Sunnie reminds him.
“Yeah I guess. But Mr. Wheeler is obviously already married. I mean, he wears his wedding ring every day.”
Sunnie ponders for a moment. “Devin, think about it. Have we ever actually heard Mr. Wheeler talk about any sort of wife? No. Shouldn’t that mean something?”
He sighs. “That’s true. But Sunnie, you’re forgetting the most crucial part. Wouldn’t they have the same last name?”
“Yes they would. But you know how queer people are treated nowadays. Wouldn’t they feel the need to keep their marriage to themselves? Especially when they’re in a classroom on a daily basis with very judgy kids.”
Devin seems to wonder. “You have a point, Sunnie. But why are we arguing about our teachers' relationships anyways? So what if they’re married? Why should we care? I mean, we don’t even know Mr. Byers on a personal level.”
Sunnie grunts. “Well, I just happen to be very interested in Mr. Wheeler’s personal life right now.” Just then, Mr. Wheeler is walking back into the classroom and attempting to get everyone back on the same wavelength to continue to the current lesson. Sunnie turns to Devin before he can put his head back down. “I am going to figure out this timely mystery even if it takes me months.”
Devin grins. “Sure, Sunnie. Whatever you want. Just stop bothering me about our teacher’s love life and get back to your Romeo and Juliet already.” Sunnie rolls her eyes and turns her attention back to Mr. Wheeler, who is attempting to get the class back together. Once he does, Sunnie can’t help but allow her mind to wander back to the topic in her mind. Were Mr. Wheeler and Mr. Byers more than just friends, or were they just God awfully close? Despite her best efforts, she couldn’t shake the thought from her mind. So when the bell rang for class to be finished and for lunch to start, she had a hard time processing Devin leaping from his seat and out of the classroom. Sunnie knew Devin was serious when it came to lunch, so she didn’t mind him not waiting for her to pick her things up. She sighs as she packs up her papers and swings her backpack over her shoulder and heads for the door.
“Ah, Sunnie?” Mr. Wheeler calls over her shoulder before she can exit the room. She’s confused at first, but ultimately turns around to face Mr. Wheeler who was now cleaning up the whiteboard. “You doing okay kid? As soon as I walked back into the classroom you seemed distracted.”
Sunnie shrugs. “Um. Yeah, I just have something on my mind.” Mr. Wheeler arches his brow in question. “Well, um… I just have one question. I mean… you’re always wearing a ring, so I would assume you’re married, so umm… not to pry into your personal life but do you have a wife? I mean, you never talk about her or anything so… do you have a Juliet to your Romeo Mr. Wheeler?” Sunnie fidgets with her rings, twisting and turning it on her finger as she waits for Mr. Wheeler to reply.
He chuckles a little as he finishes wiping down the board. “Good way to interpret Romeo and Juliet in the real world.” He sets down his cleaning materials and leans against his desk, crossing his arms and legs. “I like you kid. You’re fun to have in my class cause you’re always so interested in my lessons. So to answer your question, yes I am actually married. I just never talk about my marriage because I don’t think my students need to know about that, much less do they even care about my personal life. But good to know someone wants to know more about me.”
She nods. “That makes sense. Is your wife pretty?”
Mr. Wheeler grins. “Oh, absolutely. The prettiest person you’ll ever meet actually.” He releases his crossed arms and holds his weight by placing them on the desk underneath him.
Sunnie smiles as she turns to look at the doorway again, a new figure now standing there. It wasn’t Devin coming to drag her away from her favorite class. Instead, it was Mr. Byers seemingly waiting for Mr. Wheeler to be finished with his last student. “I should probably head to lunch now. My friends are definitely waiting for me, so uh, thank you Mr. Wheeler. See you tomorrow!” She giddily walks away and gives a slight smile and nod to Mr. Byers as she exits the room.
As she makes her way down to the lunchroom, she can’t help but think back to her conversation with her teacher. He seemed like he was being genuine about having a wife, but there was something that stuck out to Sunnie. It was the fact that he didn’t mention a gender or use any gender related terms. He kept them very neutral even when Sunnie made the assumption that he was married to a woman.
Turning the corner and entering the obnoxiously loud room, Sunnie finds her friends at their usual table and sets herself down in the empty seat next to Novah and Devin. As she slams her bookbag on the table, Devin jumps as if startled by the sudden gesture and turns to look at her with a mouth full of food. “Gosh Sunnie, what’s up with you?” Except the words came out in a sort of mumble. Nick, who is currently sitting on the other side of Devin, chuckles at his unsuccessful attempt at getting words out.
“I think what Devin is trying to say is what’s up Sun? You’re not as sunny as you usually are. You’re making the sky pretty gloomy today.” He checks his phone as a joke and looks back up at her. “I guess the forecast did call for a little bit of rain.”
Sunnie squints her eyes at him. “Haha Nick. Very funny.”
Autumn chimes in. “Seriously though Sunnie, what’s wrong?”
She glances over at Autumn and Novah. “I’m a bit stumped right now and I need your guys help.”
“If it’s any sort of homework then you’ve come to the wrong guy.” Nick announces, attempting to steal an orange piece off of Devin’s lunch tray.
“It’s not actually.” She looks back over at the girls who are listening intently. “You two have Mr. Byers as your art teacher right?” The girls nod in unison. “Have you guys ever thought how weird it is that he and Mr. Wheeler, me and Devin’s English teacher, are so close? I mean, I didn’t think of it until now, but Mr. Wheeler has never mentioned his wife before, even though he just told me he’s married. And he used gender neutral terms, which could easily mean his ‘wife’ could be any gender.”
Autumn nods along as Novah goes into a quick thought and gives a response almost immediately. “Honestly, I see your point Sunnie. One time Mr. Wheeler walked into our class while Mr. Byers was teaching to ask him a question about the school assembly. Which may I point out wasn’t even until next week.”
“Guys. Are you thinking what I’m thinking?” Autumn asks looking around. “We need to make this a full fledged investigation. What’s stopping us from having a little fun and snooping around at our teacher’s personal lives?” She mentions with a smirk as Sunnie grins widely and pulls out a spare notebook from her bag. Flipping to the first page, she writes at the top ‘Top Secret Investigation’ and the girls nod in agreement at the title.
Nick chuckles from the other end of the table. “This is actually starting to sound interesting. Good find Sun, you’ve actually brought some sunshine into our lives this time.” He weakly applauds as Sunnie sticks her tongue out at him. “Just kidding. But honestly, let me get in on some of this action. Life is so dull right now, this is the perfect opportunity to add some extra spice.”
“Awesome. You’ll be a part of the operation as well then.” Sunnie says, jotting down Nick’s name onto the paper. “We all need roles in this investigation, so let's divvy out those shall we?” The group, except Devin, nods. “Obviously Novah and Autumn should be the spies for Mr. Byers, so let me write that down.”
Sunnie starts writing as Autumn asks, “Wait. We’re not actually spying on him are we? Because if we are, I'm going to have to seriously start questioning this whole operation.”
“Oh, no! Not at all. That would just be stalkerish…” Sunnie shivers at the thought. “I mean spying as in gathering information within the classroom. And if we just happen to see them out of school grounds, then why not take a glance or two of what they’re doing.” Sunnie confirms before going on. “Okay. So I have Novah and Autumn down for Mr. Byers, which means I should probably take Mr. Wheeler—”
“Devin could help you out Sunnie, can’t you Devin?” Nick chimes in while patting Devin on the back. Devin was currently chewing on whatever crap they were serving today at lunch and couldn’t chew fast enough to respond.
“Perfect!” Sunnie gleams, writing down his name next to her’s. Devin groans in response as Nick chuckles from beside. “Now Nick. What are we going to do with you? You don’t have either of our teachers, do you?” Nick shakes his head while she thinks for a moment. “A-hah! I know. You can be the planner of our operation. You’ll be the one in charge of documenting every incident the spies report back to you with, and you’ll be the one to analyze all of it. Of course we’ll help, but you’ll be the one with the organized notebook of evidence.”
Nick nods in agreement as Sunnie jots down a few more side notes, such as the evidence she has already gathered just from her class today. She looks over it a couple of times before turning it towards the group. “Anything else I should add?” She asks, looking at everyone.
“I don’t have anything at the moment, but you could put a small section for me and Autumn since we have Mr. Byers class next. We could definitely get something out of him.” Novah mentions as Sunnie nods her head, turning the notebook back to her and adding a section titled, ‘Mr. Byers — Novah and Autumn’.
Just then, the bell rings indicating that lunch is over. Devin stuffs the last bit of food into his mouth before grabbing his bag and hanging it over his shoulder. He grabs his tray and waits for Nick to follow him. “Well, fill me in after your guys’ classes. Devin and I are headed to the gym.” Nick says as he grabs his bag and follows after Devin, who is now giving a big wave to the girls before turning to follow the crowd out of the lunch room.
Sunnie turns to Novah and Autumn. “Yeah, fill me in on all the information you get after class. I have to get to biology now so good luck guys!” She picks up her bag and waves goodbye to Novah and Autumn.
“Looks like we better go find out if our teacher is gay for his coworker or not.” Novah giggles as the words fall from her mouth and Autumn chuckles in response. The two of them pack up their things and follow suit of the rest of the crowd, going into their respective classrooms. As Novah and Autumn approach their class, they see Mr. Byers standing outside the classroom greeting students as they walk in.
When the two finally reached the class, Novah spoke up. “Hey Mr. Byers!” He glances over to see Novah nearing and he smiles.
“Hey there Novah, nice to see you Autumn. Are you two girls having a good day?” He asks, crossing his arms as the two move from the doorway to talk with him.
“Oh the best.” Novah says, looking over at Autumn who nods along.
“That’s lovely to hear then. Why don’t you two head inside and I’ll get the class started in a couple of minutes?” He suggests, motioning for them to go in with his head. “Today is mostly going to be a work day for our current project, so no need to stress about any lesson.” Novah and Autumn smile at him as they enter the class to take their seats next to each other. The bell rings shortly after and Mr. Byers walks into the class.
“Good afternoon guys! Today is going to be a pretty easy day as we are continuing to work on our projects from last time. I’ll be walking around the room to check in on how you guys are doing, so if any of you have any questions, feel free to ask them.” He smiles as he walks over to his desk and turns on his computer to start up some music for the class. Novah watches as Mr. Byers starts to fidget with something on his finger, and after a little bit of evaluating, she realizes exactly what he’s messing with.
Novah taps Autumn on the arm to get her attention. Once she glances up from her work, Novah points over to Mr. Byers. “Look. I never noticed before but he has a ring on his finger too. Do you think he’s married?”
Autumn looks over for a few seconds before looking back. “He probably is. It’s the same situation with Sunnie’s teacher. Mr. Byers has never mentioned a wife, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t have one.” Novah nods as Mr. Byers starts approaching their table, seemingly interested in some small talk.
“Hey girls, how are your projects going?” He asks, leaning against the empty desk next to them.
“Pretty well, I love how this part of my sketch is looking.” Novah points toward a certain part of her paper as Mr. Byers nods in approval. “Autumn’s sketch is coming along really well too, like look at how pretty it is!” She motions toward Autumn’s paper and Autumn herself smiles in response.
“Wow, it’s certainly lovely you guys.” Mr. Byers says with a grin.
Mr. Byers is about to leave when Novah calls him back. “Oh wait. Mr. Byers?” He turns around. “I know this is like super off topic, but do you have a girlfriend? Or like, maybe a wife?” She pauses before adding on, “I’m just curious cause I need some advice on asking someone out. And you’re the teacher I’m closest to, so I mean, do you?” She places her pencil down and stares intently into Mr. Byers eyes. Autumn is across from her, acting as if she isn’t listening in on the conversation.
He lets out a soft laugh as he crosses his arms, a similar mannerism to Mr. Wheeler. “I am married. Been happily married for fifteen years actually.” He thinks for a moment before continuing. “I’m not the best when it comes to romance though. My wife is the one who asked me out in the first place. She had actually been dating my s—” he stops in his tracks and rephrases his words. “She had been dating my brother until they realized that it ultimately wasn’t working out and they were better off as friends. It wasn’t until later that she realized she loved me instead. I mean, we were childhood best friends, so maybe it was bound to happen. It took her a while to realize it herself, but eventually she asked me out and I said yes. I had always had some sort of feelings for her.” He chuckles as he places a hand on the backside of his neck. “Anyways, enough about that. Novah, if you’re wanting to ask someone out, I say go for it. Even if they end up rejecting you, it’s the thought that counts. And at least you’ll have some closure in the end.”
Mr. Byers went on for a minute longer, talking all about ways to ask someone out, and the after thought of how to handle a rejection. Meanwhile, Autumn had discretely taken out her notebook and had been writing notes about what Mr. Byers was mentioning. Once Mr. Byers is done giving life advice, Novah thanks him for his help.
“That was really helpful. Thank you!” She hesitates for a second before asking, “You talk so highly of your wife. What’s her name? I bet she has a really pretty name.”
Mr. Byers seems to stutter at this question. “Her name? M-Michelle. Very pretty name indeed.” He smiles and after realizing that Novah was done asking questions, moves on to the next table. “Good luck with the rest of your project girls.” He grins politely and moves over to the next set of kids.
As soon as he leaves, Novah turns to Autumn. “Did you get all of that?” Autumn nods in response and Novah slumps down in her chair. “That was so awkward.” The two continue their projects throughout the rest of the class.
~˙⋆ 𝜗ৎ ⋆˙~
It was now 3:36 and the group was all over at Sunnie’s place, spread out across her room. Sunnie was on her bed with Autumn sitting next to her, while the boys were on the ground and Novah was sitting at Sunnie’s desk. Sunnie’s house was the main place where the group hung out after school, since her home was only a walk away from the high school. Nick and Devin were currently laying on the floor, looking at something on Devin’s phone. Novah on the other hand had her sketchbook open on the desk, and was currently sketching something.
Sunnie and Autumn were sitting on Sunnie’s bed, notebook open between them. After a few minutes of time to themselves, Sunnie tossed the notebook at Nick’s head, missing him and hitting Devin instead.
Nick laughed as Sunnie spoke up. “Sorry Devin. Nick, take the notebook and start writing notes. I want to get this investigation started.” Now Nick is the one groaning, placing his phone to the side and sitting up. Devin reaches over Nick and takes the phone for himself, turning it back on and looking at whatever thing they were staring at before.
“Alright, start talking people. What evidence do you have?”
Autumn pulls out her own notebook as Novah speaks. “Well I have some great evidence actually.” She smiles as she looks up from her sketchbook. “Me and Autumn had Mr. Byers right after lunch, and so I awkwardly got to ask him a few questions about his love life. From what I found out he’s been married for fifteen years, his wife’s name is Michelle, and the two of them are childhood friends who fell in love and got married.” She shrugs as she puts down her pencil to allow herself to be more intent in the conversation.
Sunnie looks over at Autumn. “What do you have Autumn?”
Autumn looks down at her notebook. “I have everything written down that Novah just mentioned. But I did find something strange when Mr. Byers was mentioning his wife’s name.” The group was now listening, even Devin who had decided that whatever was on the phone could wait. “He hesitated quite a bit before he ultimately ended up saying Michelle. It’s like he was thinking of some alternative name for her because Michelle isn’t her actual name.”
“Okay, now that’s just weird.” Nick says while writing down all the newfound evidence. “What do we do about it?”
“It is weird. But I have an idea.” Sunnie looks at both Novah and Autumn. “You guys mentioned that Mr. Byers has been married for fifteen years right?” They both nod. “Well what if me and Devin ask Mr. Wheeler how long he’s been married and see if the numbers line up?”
Devin tries to interject. “Wait I never agreed to—”
Nick cuts him off. “Perfect! Love the plan Sunnie.” He glances over at Devin and gives him a devious smirk before writing down in the notebook Sunnie handed him. “Is there anything else I need to add?”
Novah shakes her head. “I don’t have any more evidence. But I do have another plan alongside Sunnie.” She looks in her direction. “Why don’t you and Devin ask Mr. Wheeler about his childhood friends? If we’re correct, that means Mr. Wheeler would have married his childhood best friend, or at least have one.”
“Brilliant idea!” Sunnie looks toward Nick who is already writing the plan down. “Everyone also keep an eye out for similar wedding rings. I know that doesn’t necessarily mean that they’re married if their rings are similar, but it’s still worth a shot.” Sunnie smiles widely as the group continues to discuss anything that comes to mind. By the time the group is worn out, it’s already 5:24 P.M. and everyone is picked up by their parents.
Sunnie waves goodbye as her last friend leaves the house. She shuts the door behind their departure and turns to sigh.
“Are you okay honey?” Sunnie’s mom asks, walking by with freshly laundered clothes. Sunnie turns to smile at her.
“Yeah. Just a lot of detective work.” Her mom chuckles and leaves her alone, going up the stairs and into her own bedroom. After doing so, Sunnie heads to her room and ultimately decides to get dressed into her pajamas for the night. She sits on her bed for a little while before coming up with a grand idea.
Bending down, she reaches for her pin board which is stored underneath her bed. Once retrieved she opens her desk drawer to find red string and sticky notes. She places the pin board on her bed as she starts writing words all across the sticky notes, placing them carefully on the board with a pin. Upon finishing writing, she wraps all the pins with red string, connecting them together like a puzzle piece.
She steps back after minutes of working on the board and stares at it for a solid few seconds. “Why am I so invested in my teacher’s love life-?”