A/N: I'm back!
I started writing this story over a year ago sitting my boring Astronomy class. I wouldn't let myself post it until I was done with my last multi-chapter story. As with all my stories, don't expect regular updates. I'll do what I can, but I've never been one to write and post consistently.
Anyway, this story takes place during the summer of 1993 (assuming the Chipmunks and Chipettes were 8/9 in 1983 when the series premiered). My goal is to make this feel like a teen comedy/romance/adventure movie of the time. So… we'll see.
The title "Two for the Road" is from a 1967 road trip movie starred Audrey Hepburn. I haven't seen the movie; it just appeared when I typed it into Google to see if anything else had the same name, which there is. So yeah, just wanted to tell you that.
This is rated T for language and adult themes.
Enough of my blabbing. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own the Chipmunks or Chipettes.
Brittany decided she was done. There were officially no more tears to cry.
She left her room hours ago to get a change of scenery. She wasn't sure what time it was. 4 AM? Maybe 5? But Brittany did know that she was supposed to be lying in the strong arms of Bart Fairington right now. Instead, she was curled up under her tattered lavender blanket on the hard porch swing that had made her butt go numb.
A warm wind tickled her nose and stung her swollen eyes. She shifted her body so that she was lying down sideways, the wooden swing rough against her wet face. She let out a shaky sigh and wondered, for the hundredth time, how her perfect life had gotten so horrible within a single night.
Brittany had been attracted to Bart for years. He had it all. Sexy tousled hair? Check. Flawless movie star face? Check. The body of a star athlete? Check. Awesome car and huge brick house in a fenced in community? Check. Outrageous popularity? Double check. As far as Brittany was concerned, Bart was as amazing as she was. It was obvious they belonged together. So when he asked her out at the start of senior year, she didn't even bother playing her usual game of hard-to-get. She said yes instantly.
Being with Bart made her last year of high school incredible. They had so much fun together, sneaking kisses between classes and holding hands down the hallway. Brittany adored being half of the "It" couple at school. Brittany was the queen of that school, and Bart was her king. They ruled together. They were unstoppable. Brittany was probably the only girl in her class who didn't want to graduate in June; she wanted to run that school forever.
However, there was one little glitch in the fairy tale. Bart wanted something Brittany just couldn't give him.
Despite rumors, speculations, and the fact that she could have any guy she wanted, Brittany Miller was still a virgin. She wanted so badly to give herself to Bart, but… she just couldn't. Every time things got hot and heavy, Brittany would come up with a lame excuse to kill the mood ("I'm too tired." "I have homework." "I have to pick up Miss Miller's foot cream at the drugstore before it closes.").
If they planned ahead of time, she would find a way out. They planned to hook up on Valentine's Day at Bart's house when his parents were out of town, but Brittany took a last minute baby-sitting job to get out of it, despite her severe lack of patience for children. Then they planned to try on prom night. Bart rented a hotel room and bought expensive champagne. But after only a sip of champagne and a minute of kissing, Brittany had faked a stomachache and asked to go home. She hadn't even taken her heels off.
Brittany wasn't sure why she wasn't able to give it up. It wasn't like she was a prude; she had to listen to her friends talk about their sexual experiences all the time, and it never bothered her. And she was good at pretty much everything she tried, so why would sex be any different? But something was just holding her back. She couldn't explain it, and whenever she tried, she just got a headache. So Brittany had just learned to live with the fact that she, for whatever reason, wasn't ready to have sex.
Bart said he was okay with not getting to "do it" yet, but he obviously wasn't. "You'd better give in before you guys go to college," her friends would say. Brittany knew they were right. Bart was an 18-year-old male, and if she didn't give him anything, he'd find someone who would. So she decided that tonight, the night following their high school graduation, would be the night. Her friend Courtney was having a big parent-free graduation bash at her mansion, and Brittany figured it would be the perfect time to surprise her boyfriend. Courtney had even offered a guest bedroom in a private part of the house for them to use. Everything was going to be perfect.
But it turned out that Bart wasn't the one who got a surprise that night. It was Brittany.
Yes, it was quite a surprise opening the door to Courtney's parents' room (which she thought was a bathroom in the dark hallway) to find Bart sticking his tongue in Missy Snootson's mouth while unhooking her bra. It certainly didn't help that Missy just happened to be Brittany's least favorite person on the planet.
Brittany must have yelped because both of their heads whipped toward the door. She vaguely remembered Bart's eyes widen and jaw drop. But the main thing she remembered was Missy's evil grin and the way she chirped, "Oh, hi Brittany!" as if she and Brittany were best friends who hadn't seen each other in a long time. She didn't even bother covering herself up or offering an apology. Just that stupid smile and a look that seemed to say I'm better than you.
What happened next was a blur. Literally. Brittany's eyes were so full of tears that she couldn't see. Random images came to her; running down stairs, pushing through crowds of people, throwing up in Courtney's mother's rose bushes.
She did, however, clearly remember her sisters finding her a few minutes later, curled into a pathetic, sobbing ball next to her puddle of vomit. Eleanor was annoyed, thinking Brittany was a blubbering drunk. But Brittany hadn't had a drop of alcohol that night. She didn't bother correcting her sister because she was crying too hard to speak.
Brittany couldn't remember much about the ride home. She was shoved into a bathtub when they reached the house and Jeanette made her some hot chocolate that was still sitting untouched on her night stand. After her bath she went up to her room and cried some more, ignoring Eleanor's exasperated stares and Jeanette's concerned, "Are you okay, Britt?"
Bart hadn't even bothered to call. Not that she would have answered the phone anyway. But it would have at least meant that he felt bad about it.
But the worst part of this whole thing was that it was Brittany's fault. If she would have just slept with him earlier, he wouldn't have needed to hook up with Snootson. Brittany wondered how long they'd been going behind her back. Weeks? Months? She felt so stupid for...
Suddenly, the still night air was pierced by the slow creak of a door. Brittany looked toward the large white house next door where she heard the noise.
A shadowy figure was creeping around the Sevilles' front porch. Brittany's heart pounded as she frantically debated whether she should run inside to call 9-1-1 to report a burglary or remain still so he wouldn't see her.
The person walked closer and moved into the moon's pale spotlight. It wasn't a robber; just Alvin.
Ugh. She would have rather been in presence of a criminal.
As her heart beat returned to normal, Brittany watched Alvin through suspicious eyes. He was tip-toeing around and constantly looking over his shoulder like he was trying to avoid getting caught. He was dragging a big suitcase, his guitar case, and a gym bag that was so full it didn't zip all the way.
Alvin was notorious for sneaking back in his house at this hour, but sneaking out was a different story. And what was the deal with the heavy bags? And the guitar? He was up to something.
"Whatever," Brittany breathed, rolling on to her back and staring at a cobweb in the corner of the porch. She didn't care about Alvin. She had her own problems to worry about, like how to deal with everyone this summer. It was only a matter of time before everyone knew what happened at that party. She'd have to look at Snootson's ugly smirk all summer long, prancing along the beach in her frilly little bikini and hanging all over Bart, who was supposed to be a lifeguard there for the next three months. Brittany could see it now; the stares, the pointing, the whispering about how much of a loser she acted at that stupid party. Brittany's felt a slight pain in her hands and realized it was her nails digging into her palms from the fists she was making.
The Chipette titled her head back, looking at Alvin upside down. She had never seen him move slower. Each step was silent and full of caution.
Don't pay attention to him, she told herself. Who cares?
But she did. Not because she cared about Alvin. She was just a nosy bitch.
So Brittany sat up, wiped her eyes with the back of her hand, and smoothed down her hair. Maybe this would at least get her mind off Bart and Missy for a few minutes. She made her way next door, the dewy grass tickling her bare feet.
She managed to make it to the Sevilles' yard without Alvin seeing her (he was too focused on watching the front door to notice anything else). He was unlocking the door to his candy apple red convertible when Brittany tapped him on the shoulder.
Alvin gasped and whipped around, shining a flashlight in her eyes.
"Going somewhere?" Brittany asked. She sounded pretty smug for someone being blinded.
Alvin lowered the light, and Brittany smirked when she took in his wide eyes and lips parted in panic. It wasn't an expression Alvin Seville usually wore, and seeing the self-proclaimed "Mr. Cool" get all jumpy was satisfying.
He nervously glanced at his porch again, and then turned back to Brittany. Then, out of desperation, he slowly said, "Brittany, listen to me. This is not real. You are dreaming. You're, uh, sleepwalking. Yeah, that's it. Sleepwalking. Go back to bed and forget this ever happened."
Brittany put her hands on her hips and gave him her best Are-You-Kidding-Me? Look. "Do you honestly think that's going to work?" she asked. "What are you, eight?"
Alvin sighed in defeat and dropped his belongings to the ground. "Look, just get out of here, okay? Pretend you didn't see anything."
Part of Brittany was willing to do just that. Alvin was not her concern. She could go back home and continue wallowing in self-pity and planning how she was going to live in her bedroom until she had to leave for college in the fall.
However, Brittany realized she had power here. She had Alvin begging, and she couldn't just let that opportunity slip away, no matter what kind of mood she was in.
"Please," Alvin, the desperation in his voice music to Brittany's ears. "Just go, okay?" Then he frowned. "Wait a minute. What are you doing out here anyway?"
"I was on my porch because I couldn't sleep," she said casually, hoping she wouldn't have to elaborate. She quickly changed the focus back on him. "But your story seems much more interesting."
"It's none of your business." Alvin glanced at his sports watch, obviously eager to leave.
"It's Dave's business," Brittany pointed out. "I could always just go inside and ask him—"
"Why do you care so much anyway?" Alvin asked impatiently.
"I don't," she replied with a shrug. "But you'd do the same thing to me."
Alvin opened his mouth to respond, but quickly closed it.
Brittany grinned. "Gotcha there, Seville."
Alvin rolled his eyes and muttered, "I don't have to take this." But before he could reach for his car key (attached to a key ring with a house key and a surfboard key chain) that was still in the lock, Brittany was faster. She swiped the keys and held them up like a trophy.
"Brittany!" Alvin hissed. "What the hell?"
Brittany's grin only widened when she jingled the keys teasingly.
Alvin's blue eyes narrowed. "And you say I act like an 8-year-old."
"Just tell me where you're going," Brittany said confidently. It felt amazing to be making his life a living hell for once. She couldn't even begin to count the amount of times he had picked on her like this.
Alvin exhaled loudly through his nose and stared at his car, clearly debating what he should do. Finally he rolled his eyes and said, "You can't tell anyone."
"Fine," Brittany agreed.
"Okay," Alvin sighed. "I'm running away."
Brittany snorted. "Well duh. I could have guessed that much. Where are you going?"
For the first time since Brittany had arrived, Alvin grinned. "Everywhere," he replied.
Brittany frowned. "Everywhere? What's that supposed to mean?"
"Dave wants me to go to college in the fall." Alvin said the word "college" as if he was talking about road kill. "But I can't go to college. I need to be on stage preforming. And Dave refuses to help me get a record deal or anything, even though that's his freaking job. He wants me to go to school for a few years first. Says he wants me to see what else is out there. I guess he's forgotten what I did the first thirteen years of my life."
Brittany blinked a few times, taken aback by Alvin's bitterness. Right before seventh grade started, Dave strongly suggested that the boys and the Chipettes take time off touring and recording to concentrate on school. Jeanette, Eleanor, Simon, and Theodore weren't too heartbroken about it. They liked singing and playing instruments, but they had other talents and interests. But being on stage was all Brittany had. She lived for feeling that hot spotlight on her face, hearing her voice echo through stadiums, and seeing thousands of people smiling and screaming in the audience; an audience that had actually paid money to listen to her sing and watch her dance. She put everything she had into performing, and when it was taken away, Brittany felt like she lost the only thing that truly mattered to her.
Brittany had tried to fill that void with school plays, choir, and cheerleading, but it wasn't the same. Nobody was holding up signs with her name on it. There were no chants of "Chip-ettes! Chip-ettes! Chip-ettes!" Sure, when she was at the top of the pyramid or reciting dialogue from a script, she was at the center of attention. But when it came down to it, Brittany was no different from any other high school girl. As much as Brittany hated admitting it, she knew that thousands of girls her age across the country were cheerleaders or had solos in choir. But no one else could say they were the lead singer for the Chipettes.
It had just occurred to her that Alvin had probably felt the same way she had all these years. Music was his life too. He loved it as much as Brittany did, maybe even more. He had sports to fall back on, and did well for his size, but it was nothing like being the lead singer of Alvin and the Chipmunks. But unlike Brittany, he hadn't been able to face reality and realize he had to move on. He managed to pull off being a singing Chipmunk as a kid, but now? What chance did he really have as a serious singer?
"So," Brittany said slowly, trying to comprehend everything. "How is running away going to help?"
"I'm going to travel across the country and perform," Alvin told her just as slowly, as if she was a kindergartener.
"Where?"
"I don't know!" Alvin said, throwing his hands up. "Anywhere! Everywhere! To whoever is willing to listen." He sighed and looked back at his house again. "Look, I'd love to stand around and talk about this some more, but I really have to get out of here." He reached for his keys but Brittany pulled them back at the last second. "Are you kidding me?" the impatient teenager whined. "Come on! Why are you doing this?"
But Brittany wasn't listening. She thought about what Alvin had said. Anywhere. Everywhere. Wherever those places were, they weren't here.
"I already told you everything you wanted to know!" There was urgency in his whisper. "What more do you want?"
"Take me with you," she blurted.
The worry on Alvin's face disappeared in a flash, leaving a blank stare in its place.
"What?"
Brittany stood a little straighter and lifted her chin. "You heard me. Take me with you."
Alvin stared at her for a few moments before letting out a laugh. He put his hand over his mouth to quiet himself, but his snickers were loud and clear to Brittany.
"I don't see what's so funny," Brittany said in a clipped voice.
He looked up at her with slightly wet eyes. "Come on, Brittany. You can't be serious."
Brittany crossed her arms, gripping the car keys tighter. Was she serious?
"I'm not kidding," she said before she could stop herself. "I want to come."
Alvin's smile faded and the realization of her demands finally seemed to sink in. "But… why?"
"I just… I just do, okay?" she huffed. She held the keys up, making the jingle as she dangled them at Alvin's eye level. "So how about it?"
"Ha!" Alvin said with an incredulous expression. "Are you nuts? No way! I'm a one man show, babe."
"First of all," Brittany said, "don't call me babe. I am not your babe. Second of all, I don't want to come to perform with you. I just need to get out of town for a few months."
"Why?"
"I. Just. Do." Brittany jingled the keys louder. "Tell me I can go, or I wake Dave."
Alvin cursed under his breath and stared up at the dusky pink sky, acknowledging that he was losing time. Then he looked at her with furious eyes. "I hate you."
But Brittany only grinned. She had won.
"Hurry up and get your stuff," Alvin whispered. "Bring all the cash you have. We leave in five minutes."
"Five minutes?" Brittany shrieked, earning a panicked "SHHHH!" from Alvin. "I can't get ready in five minutes!"
"Fine!" Alvin spat. "Seven minutes!"
"Fifteen," Brittany replied.
"Eight," Alvin said.
"Thirteen."
"Nine."
"Ten." Brittany paused, and then grinned. "Wait a minute. I can take all the time I want. I have the keys." She slid the key ring on her index finger and twirled it around.
"Fine, ten minutes! Whatever!" Alvin conceded. "But if you don't hurry up, neither of us are going anywhere!"
Without another word, Brittany sprinted toward her house, trying to ignore how dirty and grass-stained her feet were going to be from running around barefoot outside. She nearly burst through the door, her veins flowing with adrenaline; crazy, stupid adrenaline. At the last moment, she remembered everyone was sleeping. So she quietly opened the front door and tip-toed upstairs to her bedroom.
Once she was there, Brittany dragged her pink suitcase out of the closet and went to her dresser. She pulled out all kinds of different clothes; t-shirts, tank tops, shorts, skirts, underwear, bras, socks, tights, sweaters, swimsuits… everything. She shoved it all in her suitcase, along with a few pairs of shoes, and then filled her make-up bag with everything laying on her vanity. She didn't even have to look to know that all her mascara, blush, eye-shadow, lipstick, and eye liner would be there.
Then she dumped out everything that was still inside her backpack she used for school and crept into the bathroom to gather her toothbrush, toothpaste shampoo, conditioner, hair spray, mousse, comb, hair brush, hair dryer, barrettes, scrunchies, bows, lotion, three bottles of perfume, deodorant, and a half empty box of tampons. With some pushing, Brittany managed to stuff everything in her backpack. She hurried back to her room, and according to the wristwatch she had just put on, only seven minutes had passed. That was by far the fastest Brittany had ever packed in her entire 18 years of living on the planet.
After quickly changing into denim shorts and a pink tank top that ended right about her naval, Brittany saw some magazines on her night stand and decided to grab those too. But when she did, her hand brushed across a framed photograph of Eleanor, Jeanette, and her smiling at the camera after Brittany was crowned Homecoming Queen last Fall.
Shit.
Brittany instantly felt a twinge of guilt. It wasn't her sisters' or Miss Miller's fault that Bart had cheated on her and she had to run away. They would be heartbroken if she left for the entire summer.
"But I'll be heartbroken if I stay," Brittany told herself. With that thought branded in her mind, she ripped out a piece of paper from one of the notebooks that she had emptied from her backpack a few minutes before and grabbed an ink pen.
Dear Miss Miller, Jeanette, and Eleanor,
I'm really sorry to tell you this, but I have to leave town for a while. It's a long story. I'm sure you'll figure out why eventually, just by what people will say over the summer. Just know that I can't stay here. Don't worry about me, I'm not travelling alone. I don't know where I'm going, or when I'll be back, but I'll call you soon. I'm really sorry, but I have to do this. Like I said, don't worry. I love you all.
Xoxo,
Brittany
Brittany sighed and folded the note with shaking hands. She willed herself not to cry for the hundredth time that night.
She walked to her jewelry box, the one with the ballerina on top that Miss Miller had given her for her 10th birthday. At the very bottom of the box was her money stash that she had been building for years. Not having time to count it, she grabbed the wad of cash and put it in her purse.
Her suitcase was too full to shut, so she had to fit a few pairs of underwear and socks in the side pockets of her backpack. She looked at the clock and saw that fifteen minutes had went by since she left Alvin. Oh well. She glanced at the keys shining on her mattress. It wasn't like he could leave without her.
Brittany picked up her bags and the keys, but came to an abrupt halt when she reached her bedroom door.
Am I really doing this?
Missy Snootson was Brittany's least favorite person ever, but Alvin Seville was a close second. He was so obnoxious and smug. Not to mention, there'd probably be tension between them from last year's events; events that she had been doing a pretty good job of forgetting about until now. Was she really willing to spend a whole summer travelling in that little car with him?
What was she doing?
But what other choice did she have? She couldn't stay here all summer. There was just no way. And it's not like she could go anywhere by herself. Alvin was her ticket out of here.
Besides, she had made it clear to Alvin that she was going. She wasn't going to back out of it now. She'd never live it down.
Taking a deep breath, Brittany pushed the door open and walked down the stairs. She placed the note on the kitchen counter where she was sure her family would see it, slipped into her sandals by the welcome mat, and walked out the front door.
Her heart pounded as she lugged her heavy bags toward the Seville house. She didn't see Alvin; the car was still there, but he was gone.
Brittany began to panic. Had he left and taken a different car? Did he decide the trip wasn't worth it if she came? Was this whole thing just some big prank?
But when Brittany walked to the other side of the car, she saw Alvin sitting on the ground, leaning on the front tire by the passenger's door.
He looked up at her and glared. "It's about time."
Brittany ignored him as she tossed him those precious car keys at last. "Open the car, my arms are about to fall off."
Alvin muttered some obscenities as he unlocked the car. They silently loaded their bags in the backseats. When they were done, Alvin climbed into the driver's seat and Brittany settled into the passenger's. Alvin turned to his companion and asked, "Are you sure you want to do this?"
No.
"Yes," Brittany replied firmly. She reached into her purse and put on her sunglasses, despite the lack of sun. "Now let's get out of here before we get caught."
Alvin turned the key to start the engine and immediately put the car in reverse. In seconds, they were speeding down the street.
"No turning back now," he said confidently, probably trying to convince himself that everything was going to be okay even though Brittany was tagging along.
"Right," Brittany agreed. It felt like the strong voice was coming from someone else. "No turning back." She folded her arms across her chest, propped her feet on the dash, and refused to look behind her.
A/N: Bart is based on the guy Brittany had a crush on in Legend of Sleeping Brittany. I think he's supposed to be older than the Chipmunks/ettes in that episode, but I decided to make him in their grade for this story. The last name is made up, obviously.
Sorry that was kind of long, but I wanted to get the information across. Thanks for reading! Reviews are always appreciated!
