Don't Call It A Love Song
Alvin was walking down a hallway at his school. The Chipmunks had a rehearsal for a concert they were going to be putting on, and Alvin and Theo showed up, but no Simon.
So Alvin volunteered himself to go look for their missing brother. And here he was, calling out into the long hallways. "Sii-Mon!" he called, hoping his younger brother would hear and come. "The rehearsal is about to start!" Then Alvin rounded a corner. "Are you-!"
"I'm here," a small voice said. Alvin looked towards the voice. Then he stopped dead. Just ahead of him was a long hallway. Lining the walls were long rows of lockers. But what bothered Alvin the most was that one locker was open, its contents scattered all over the floor. Some papers on one side, open books and binders on the other. And leaning against the lockers, knees pulled up to his chin, was Simon.
"SIMON!" Alvin cried, his eyes growing wider as he saw the multiple bruises lining his face.
Simon looked up at Alvin, an expression of pain and hurting clearly visible there. "You-" Alvin stuttered; he couldn't think of anything to say. "Are you okay? What happened?" He ended up asking, quickly walking up to his brother while avoiding the school supplies scattered everywhere.
Simon stayed on the floor and looked away sadly. "What does it look like?" He asked his older brother.
Alvin was once again at a loss for words. Someone had beaten up Simon? "... But... Who? Why?"
"It doesn't matter," Simon said, sighing sadly. "They're long gone by now."
Alvin felt completely helpless. Here was his smart, A+ average, usually genial younger brother, sitting, hurt, on the floor of the school, having just been beat by bullies. Alvin felt his rage overtake him.
"Like HELL it doesn't matter," Alvin swore, which was a first for him. But he didn't care. Alvin pushed up his sleeve and looked at the door of the school. "Nobody hits my brother and gets away with it. I'm gonna find 'em and give 'em a piece of my-!"
"Alvin, you're not going to solve anything with violence," Simon pleaded. All he really wanted was his older brother to be with him while he still felt vulnerable.
Alvin wasn't listening. "They might still be in the parking lot," he said, more to himself.
"Alvin," Simon said, trying to make his brother listen.
Alvin pointed at Simon. "Stay here, I'm gonna go and look for-!"
"ALVIN!" Simon yelled desperately, grabbing Alvin's wrist so he couldn't leave.
"WHAT?" Alvin said loudly, turning on his brother, a look of anger and a bit of annoyance on his face.
But Simon wasn't fazed. He looked imploringly at Alvin, tears starting to form in the corners if his eyes. "Don't... Don't leave me,"
Alvin was a bit startled to hear that sad, scared voice come from his brother, and Alvin was sure it showed on his face. But then Alvin felt his heart melt as he knew that all Simon really needed right now was support.
Alvin felt so bad for his brother. He knelt down in front of him so they were the same height now, and Simon didn't have to look up at Alvin. "Si..." Alvin said, calling his brother by his endeared nickname. Simon didn't say anything, but just looked at Alvin, more tears in his eyes.
After a minute or two, Alvin scooted next to Simon, so they were both sitting next to each other.
Alvin felt bad for not only trying to leave to go find the bullies, but for also not being there for Simon at the moment when Simon needed him: during the fight. "I didn't mean to... Ditch you, or anything," Alvin apologized.
Simon spoke to him, but didn't look at him. "No, Alvin. It's not your fault. Don't be an idiot."
Alvin didn't know how to respond, so he just sat by Simon, hoping his presence would cheer him up. Instead, Alvin heard Simon sniffle, and when he looked at him, he saw tears in Simon's eyes again.
Alvin looked down. Then after a second of thinking, he put his arm around Simon protectively, pulled him closer, and said gently, "Well, I'm not going anywhere, okay?"
Simon's heart, which felt like it was being weighed down by a ton, found itself feeling so much lighter. He looked at Alvin, almost seeming to ask, 'Really? Do you mean it?'
Alvin noticed his hopeful gaze, and quickly felt uncomfortable. "What? What'd I say?"
Suddenly, Simon leaned over and hugged Alvin tightly, which surprised the older chipmunk. Simon said so himself: he wasn't really a hugger. Yet here he was, hugging his older brother.
"Woah! S-Simon!" Alvin cried, leaning back slightly. Simon stayed latched onto him and nuzzled his face into Alvin's shirt, not caring that all his tears were leaking out and getting drops on Alvin's red sweater.
"Don't you think you're going a bit overboard here?" Alvin pressed, although he secretly felt proud that Simon, though usually so tough, was hugging him for support and brotherly love.
Simon didn't want to hear it. "Shut up, Alvin," he said, but not angrily. It almost seemed more like he was asking him to be quiet. Simon didn't care he was hugging his brother, he didn't care that his stuff was still scattered all over the place, and he didn't care that he had just gotten beaten by bullies. All that mattered was that when he needed Alvin the most, he was right there for him.
(Ten minutes earlier)
Simon was rummaging through his locker, looking for the books he needed for homework. He knew he had to get to the rehearsal with his brothers, so he was trying to hurry.
Suddenly, he heard loud, obnoxious voices coming down the hallway. Simon turned and saw Nathan and a few of his friends walking around. Simon gulped and turned back to his locker, hoping that they would leave him alone, at least for today.
But of course, they didn't.
"Hey, look, it's the fat rat's big brother!" Nathan taunted at Simon, strutting over and leaning "cooly" against the lockers.
Simon turned and glared at Nathan. "Theodore is NOT fat, and you have no right to call him that," Simon seethed. He hated it when someone insulted his younger brother.
"Oh! Look who's getting braver!" Nathan said, pretending to be shocked. "Men, I think it's time we gave this rat a recap of where his place is," Nathan grinned evilly. "Joe, Chris, grab him."
Simon tried to run, but they caught him anyway and held him tight. He struggled immensely, and even called out for help, but he had a rag shoved in his mouth to keep him quiet.
"Help! Help me!" Simon cried behind the rag. "Alvin! Alvin, help m- Oof!" Simon grunted as a fist flew into his stomach, knocking the wind from him.
Then another, to his side. Eventually, all the bullies were pounding on Simon. His whole body was crying for it to stop, but his mouth had gone quiet a long time ago.
He was taking it silently, save for a moan or cry whenever he would get severely hurt or they delivered a particularly hard hit.
Eventually, his face, stomach, sides, and back all sore, Simon was shoved against the lockers. The locks dug into his back, making him wince. He was held up by his collar and smelt the sour, stale breath of the bully tormenting him. Simon clutched at the bully's hands, trying to make him let go, since his voice was tired from screaming for help earlier.
The bully took no heed and pushed Simon into his own locker. Simon struggled so hard, most if his stuff was knocked out of it and onto the floor. Luckily, they didn't close the door, but instead pulled him out again after a minute. He thought they were done.
Boy was he wrong.
"Hey, men! Let's play Nerdball!" Nathan suggested, grinning maniacally.
The bullies split into two teams, each team going to one side of the hallway. Then Simon felt himself being lifted off the floor. He tried to get down, but the guy had an iron grip.
Simon cried out in fright as the bully threw him across the hallway, and he landed on the floor in front of Nathan. Simon trembled as he tried to push himself off the floor. But Nathan grabbed him and threw him again.
This went on for what felt like forever to Simon. Finally, with one final throw, Simon crashed into the lockers and slid down, landing in a heap on the floor, unmoving.
The bullies laughed. "Well, I think he got the message," Nathan said, and strode from the school, his buds following him.
At first, Simon couldn't feel his body; it had gotten so beaten up. After a second, though, he was able to shakily sit up and lean against the lockers. It hurt so badly to do so, but he couldn't exactly lay on the floor all day. He pulled his knees in, and prayed that the bullies wouldn't come back. But he also prayed that he wouldn't be alone; he needed company and someone for support.
Just then, he heard his brother, Alvin's, voice. It sounded somewhat far away, but it was getting closer. "Simon? Simon! Sii-Mon!"
Simon relaxed a bit. He couldn't talk yet, but Alvin's voice sounded closer with each call, telling Simon he wouldn't be alone for long.
This story is the property of Duiker, from DeviantArt. I have his permission to write this, and all credit goes to him.
I OWN NOTHING!
If you want to see the comic, page one is here: duiker. deviantart. com/gallery/#/d3dytgw (But take out the spaces)
...and page two is here: duiker. deviantart. com/gallery/#/d3ed5fe (But take out the spaces)
