he manage to brush quietly past his father and younger brother Theodore as he talked the steps to his bedroom. However Alvin noticed him. Usually Simon stayed late at school with the chess team and always came home talkative and anxious about what the lab team was doing, stuff Alvin just never paid attention to, but lately Simon been coming home later and later and looking more sad everyday.
He was busy doing the dishes was his brother and finished the last one after drying up he went upstairs he passed Simons room and thought he herd some muffled noises.
"Si?" called Alvin quietly. He waited a minute still listening to the quietly muffling sounds. He could tell Simon was crying. They havent been fighting lately so he knew it wasn''t something he did, he was already angry at who made his brother sad.
Simon never did respond to him so he gently opened his door and walked in. He was right Simon was laying on his bed quietly sobbing into his pillow.
"Theadore told this really silly joke earlier, kinda corny but you know when teddy tells even the corniest joke their funny." he said inviting himself to sit on Simons bed. "want to hear it?"
Simon again didn't respond but Alvin told it anyway's. "Why did the rabbit go to the barbor? To get a hare cut" Alvin chuckled as if it was the funniest thing he herd, but not Simon.
"What happened bro?" he asked rubbing Simons back gently. He was never the one who was comforting, that was Simon's job. He was always the one they went to when they were scared from a nightmare or while growing up without a mom around Simon soothed away the pain and fears. But this time Simon needed the soothing.
Simon looked at Alvin slowly. Alvin noticed he had a black and blue mark on his eye. "Jeff?" he asked Simon nodded. Jeff has been bulling Simon for a long time now and Alvin has been keeping quiet, but the look on his brothers face made him explode inside! Sure Alvin and Simon fight constantly but Alvin never ever hit him and never would! He knows both chipmunks doesn't mean any of the mean things they say.
"I hate school Alvin!"
That was something he never thought he hear Simon say.
"I get picked on and bulled all the time. Jeff and his friends make me do their homework. I had to drop out of the chess tournament. Mr. Hendersons threatening to put me in Summer school.
"have you told Dave?" he asked knowing he probably hasn't "No way! But he's going to find out soon, because Mr Henderson is going to call home to ask for a parent principal meeting. How can I tell Dave without telling about the bullies?"
"I don't think you can,"
"Exactly!"
"no I mean you should tell him about it."
"Oh sure Alvin, that will stop it."
Alvin knew telling a parent about bullies only makes it worse, but he also knew Dave would anything for his boys, if they were hurt or sick.
"Might make you feel better."
"I don't know. you know, I wish I was you sometimes. I think we fight so much because we are so differen't"
Alvin pondered that for a moment. "You wish you were me? Really?"
Simon nodded. "your funny, if Jeff was picking on you you'd have some wise comeback to insult him back and he'd leave you alone. Your brave, you stick up for us. I can't even stick up for myself" he sad sadly. "I let them bully me into doing their homework and now I'm ruining my academics career." he sad bursting into tears again. "sometimes I just.. I just want to stop it, I want to yell at the world. I want to end it"
"What do you mean end it?"
Simon sat up and recalled paragraphs in his journal about thoughts of suicide. Never thought he would have this conversation with anyone, let alone Alvin.
"I've thought about it many times. Each time I do someone else assignment."
Alvin knew what he meant. He didn't really want Simon to come out and say the words.
"You don't mean it?" he said choking down tears of his mean.
Simon nodded. "i only had thoughts of it, I'm even too weak to go through with that!"
"Don't you ever say that again Simon Seville! I never want to hear you say your going to let some punk make you think you need to do that! I swear I tell Dave about the whole thing right now!"
"Chill I said I was thinking of it.
"I don't care if it was just a thought! You my brother Si and I need you! Even if I never say it before I do! And so does Teddy! Your a strong member of this family!"
Alvin couldn't control his fears and never been so open to anyone, specially Simon who he fought with constantly. He knew he could live without him, no matter what mean thing he ever says to him.
This time Simon put his hand on his brothers back, never knew Alvin felt this way, but it was a nice change.
"If I ever think about it again, I'll think of you first, and stop myself Al, I'll think of this conversation we're having and the look on your face before I ever give it another thought." Without thinking Simon hugged Alvin who was still crying. They were never so affectionate with each other before, never shared such deep fears before. But he never felt Simons strong arms wrapped protectively around him. "Because of you." he said softly Alvin never thought he let anyone see his soft side. He always played it off cool, liked to think the spotlight was for him and him only, but deeply there are many things Alvin is afraid of and the thought of rejection is one of them, rejection by anyone. Loosing Simon to suicide would feel like rejection.
He let the sobs continue, knowing it was safe to cry on Simons shoulders. He felt Simons hand rest on his back.
"I promise you I won't go anywhere ok? I wish I talked to you about this stuff earlier, I would have saved myself many days of deep depression."
Alvin pulled away and looked at his brother. "I wish you did too, because I feel so stupid that I hadn't noticed you were going through such a rough time and never did anything about it."
They hugged one more time before Alvin began to calm down. He made a mental note to keep a closer eye on his younger brothers from now on.
The next day at school things seemed some what better. Alvin got his math test back with a triumphantly B-, with Simons help of course. Alvin knew though that Simon stayed up really late last night doing homework for the football team. He said summer school was better then intensive care room.
However Simon felt sick today and didn't go, Alvin assumed it was just him being extremely tired and run down. Simon asked Alvin to give the papers to the team for him.
"Please just do this for me?" he asked meekly. afraid he might tell Dave on him.
Alvin sighed "ok, just get better ok? and thanks for studying with me." he smiled. Simon smiled back and said good bye to his brother.
Alvin kept his promise and didn't tell Dave, although he knew he should.
That day at lunch time, Jeff and some of the other guys from the team came up to Alvin's locker.
"Hey where your poindexter brother?" He asked smugly as he leaned against Alvin's locker and pushed it closed.
"who? Sorry I don't know who you mean." He replied getting his fist ready to fight feeling the rage in his little body thinking Simon is worth intensive care.
"You know the geek, for eyes, loser."
"Wow such big words you use grandma! No wonder Simon dose your homework, let me guess your first word was DUHHH" He herd some chuckles from his crones which got Jeff madder.
"Can it Munk, where our homework?"
"Did you do it? If not you don't have anyone to blame but yourself"
"Look I don't have all day."
"I do. and you better listen asshole! I'm tired of you pushing my brother around! Because of you he's home right now resting, because he stayed up all night doing your homework! Because of you he might fail this term and need summer school! He's not going to do your homework anymore! I'm sure your teachers will be able to see the difference between your shoe size of an I.Q. between Simon's intelligence and if I ever see you ten inches near Simon or anyone of my friends again, I'll be happy to show Mr. Henderson the papers Simon did for you and your friends, which will mean you guys would be banned from the team right?"
Jeff didn't know what else to say. He just sighed and walked away.
Alvin laughed. "that's what I thought. Nobody messes with a Seville!" Alvin walked off to the cafeteria hearing clapping behind him.