Detention (ASOUE)

Chapter Fifteen

The next day, I was back in the library again but this time I had Lily with me. At first I had been skeptical when she said she wanted to come along, simply because Lily was loud and libraries were not.  But once we had got there and she had settled down opposite me with some books on marine life, she was quiet, save for when she was pointing out an interesting fish. 

I, on the other hand, had been writing more couplets. My parents had seen the last few I had done, so I figured it was due time to write some more in case anyone decided to go snooping. 

I had filled about half a page when I noticed Klaus walk in. He did the exact same thing as yesterday, giving a book back and then picking a new book to check out but, instead of leaving straight away, he decided to sit down on the table next to the one Lily and I were at.

Lily noticed, of course, and seemed to be amused by it. She rummaged around in her bag for a while before pulling out her sketchbook and I rolled my eyes. I couldn't believe she was about to shamelessly sketch Klaus when he was sitting so close. Somehow, he didn't seem to notice as she completely unsubtly stared him out and sent her pencil flying across the page. Either that or he knew what she was up to and was purposely ignoring her.

But while Lily was enjoying whatever this was, I was suspicious. The library was like a ghost town but he had taken it upon himself to sit on the only table that bordered ours. Maybe he enjoyed getting his portrait drawn? That must've been it. 

I was in the library again the following day and, despite it being fun with Lily, she had other plans so I was left alone. That gave me a chance to do some homework and get it over and done with so I wouldn't be bombarded on the weekend. It was nice and peaceful and I was genuinely enjoying my time in the library until Klaus came in. But this time, instead of him doing his usual trick, he checked a new book out and then approached me.

I half couldn't believe it so I didn't bother looking up until he had already paused opposite me, and by the time I decided to open my mouth to question it, he was already speaking. 

"What's that?"

I glanced between my work and him slightly. What sort of question was that?

"Science homework," I said and he gave a small nod.

"I did that in ten minutes."

I frowned. Had he really come over just to brag about how academically gifted he was? "Good for you."

Klaus gestured to the paper. "Want some help?"

"No thanks?"

I'd figured that was the end of the conversation but Klaus didn't seem to think so, as he instead decided to sit down in the seat opposite me and open up the book he had just checked out. I waited half a beat, just in case he decided to offer me an explanation for his actions, before talking again.

"What are you doing?" I asked quietly.

"Sitting."

I narrowed my eyes at him even though he was too focused on his book to notice.  "The whole library is empty..."

Klaus glanced around before nodding. "Yes."

"So why are you sat here opposed to literally any other, free table in here?" I continued.

Klaus shrugged. "I figured you might be lonely."

"I'm not."

"Not anymore."

I rolled my eyes and was about to throw a retort back at him, but it didn't get any further than my brain before Mr Olaf threw the library doors open with a bang. His deathly expression was enough to tell me that someone was in trouble and, considering I hadn't done anything detention-worthy in a while, I guessed that someone was Klaus.

"Mr Baudelaire!" he boomed, seeming to completely forget the concept of libraries, "I allowed you to change your book, not come here to socialise!"

Klaus reluctantly got up, tucking the book under his arm. "Sorry, got distracted."

Then, without another word, he followed Mr Olaf out and I was left alone again. I glanced towards the librarian to see if she was equally as confused but she was too busy tapping away at her computer to notice. 

It had been a genuinely weird interaction between Klaus and I. At least, that's what I thought anyway. Before I got a detention, we would barely acknowledge each other's existence, let alone be sitting together and making awkward small talk. I couldn't make sense of it so I messaged the details to Lily and let her figure it out while I went back to my work. There was no point in me thinking it over when I didn't have any answers to offer myself. 

Lily, of course, came back with some ridiculous statements and I couldn't help but simultaneously smile and roll my eyes. Really, I should've expected it. Either way, I left her to it to think whatever she wanted and focused on my work.

And that's how it was for about another two weeks. I was doing well in my classes as I had all of this extra time surrounded by all of these extra resources to help me along the way. And of course it was nice to know I always had an hour of guaranteed time I could set aside for homework everyday. Sometimes there were other students in there doing the same, other times I was completely alone. Occasionally, Lily would tag along too, as long as she had something to entertain herself with, and as for Klaus, he would pop in and out most days but he never approached me after the time he sat down and got caught by Mr Olaf. 

I wasn't sure if it was because he got in trouble, although that had never stopped him before, or if he was simply busy, but he completely left me alone. I wasn't disappointed per se, it was just a little confusing to me that you could run into someone everywhere you went for a while and then all of a sudden never see them at all. 

In a way, things felt like they had gone back to normal. That was, until Klaus ran full pelt into the empty library one day, stopped in front of me puffing and panting, and said, "don't go out the main door!"