"Hey," 16 year old Alvin Seville greeted the 15 year old pink-clad Chipette, Brittany Miller who was at his door.
"Hi." Brittany replied entering the house. They were assigned to a project and so they decided to meet up at Dave's house. Alvin and Brittany had been best friends since they were 5 so it was no surprise that they were in the same projects together.
"So, where's Jeanette?" Simon Seville asked Brittany when they met each other at the living room. Brittany said, "Gym, obviously, she has this physical assessment test after the holidays, and don't get me wrong but she is panicking. If she fails, she'll have to quit the book club and join the extra physical activity club. I mean she's healthy, but her feet, just doesn't cooperate with her mind."
Alvin let out a whistle. Brittany nervously pulled at her bag. Alvin carried Brittany's books to his room.
"Don't lock the door!" Dave called from downstairs, "Hi, Brittany!'
Brittany shouted a hello as Alvin opened his door. Brittany placed her bag beside the red bed while Alvin dropped the books on the bed with a loud thud. Brittany frowned.
Alvin sighed and began to gather some pieces of papers. He sat down beside Brittany and showed the crumpled papers. "This is what I'm thinking, we could do."
Brittany exhaled. Alvin was so unorganized. Brittany pulled her sheet and they compared notes. After half an hour of copying notes in silence, Alvin looked up. Brittany's red hair covered her eyes, and she was hunched over a piece of paper. Alvin couldn't stop staring. She looked beautiful. Just as if reading his thoughts, Brittany looked up and asked, "Do I look pretty today?"
How Alvin wanted to nod an absolute agreement. However if he did, Brittany might suspect something. So instead he went with his regular answer, "Do I really have to answer that?"
Brittany sighed and continued to write.
Alvin yawned. He couldn't concentrate. He grinned to himself. Brittany was still busy scribbling into her book. Alvin picked an elastic band and flicked it at Brittany, hitting her squarely on the snout. Brittany looked up, annoyed. She saw Alvin whistling innocently. Brittany sat up and said, "It's on."
Brittany aimed another rubber band at Alvin. Alvin picked up his pillow and threw it at Brittany. Soon an all-out pillow fight progressed. After ten minutes of fighting, Brittany fell onto the floor beside Alvin, in a fit of giggles. Finally the giggles subsided and Brittany soon became aware of how close they were to each other. Yet, she couldn't bring herself to move. Alvin turned around to face her, causing his snout to nearly touch Brittany's. They stared at each other for a long time. Alvin's honey brown eyes mirrored Brittany's ice blue ones. Alvin opened his mouth to say something, "Britts, I-"A knock came from the door, startling both of them. Brittany sat up and gathered the scattered papers and fluffing the pillows. Alvin opened the door. Theodore walked in with a tray of cookies.
"Hungry?" Brittany and Alvin nodded in unison and followed Theodore downstairs.
Brittany avoided eye contact with Alvin. Something happened in the room, something that caused her to be nervous around Alvin, something that began with the letter L. Brittany and Alvin had dated a lot of people, but not each other. They broke up with their companions, just after a month. They never had a long time relationship with anyone.
"So, I'll see you in school next week." Brittany said as she got up after finishing her cookies. She couldn't be around with Alvin. She was turning red just by talking to him. Brittany grabbed her bag before running out. She didn't stop until she arrived at her house. She threw her bag to the floor before running to her room and locking the door behind her.
Do I really like Alvin Seville? The guy who put glue in my bag, the guy who threw a rubber lizard at me, causing me to think it was real? The same guy who had carried me all the way to the nurse's office when I fell and hit my head on a table, hard. The guy who sat beside me in the nurse's office until I woke you, which was like after two hours? A thousand thoughts whizzed through Brittany's brain. She felt sick to the stomach. I'd never thought I'd like him.
"Brittany?" An elderly voice called from the door. It was Miss Miller. Brittany walked to the door and opened it.
"How was it?" She asked.
Brittany didn't reply immediately. Instead she twirled a piece of her hair and asked, "Do you remember when you told me, that if I love someone, or even like someone I should tell that person. And how you thought I'd like him. However I swore I'll never think of him like that, but now I do…" Brittany trailed off. Miss Miller smiled. "Is this him, Alvin?" Brittany nodded, tears came to her eyes. She didn't know what to do, it could have ruined their friendship, and she couldn't bear to lose him.
"I'm scared, I don't want to lose him," Brittany said softly, tears streaming down her face.
"Oh Brittany, nothing can break your friendship. And besides, I think he's thinking the same thing."
Brittany shook her head. As much as she wanted to believe Miss Miller, she knew what her mom was saying was untrue. Alvin thought of her as a best friend, only as a best friend.
"Darling, if you love someone, or even like someone, you shouldn't be afraid to tell him."
Miss Miller got up, patted Brittany's red hair and walked to the door. She turned around and said, "Dinner's ready, you can come down if you want to. Lasagna's in the microwave."
Brittany smiled weakly and waited till Miss Miller closed the door. Then she burst into tears. Just as she finished crying, her phone rang. She opened it to see the caller. It was Alvin. She couldn't bear to talk to him. She pressed the dismissed button, and Alvin's name flickered off. She sighed as she stared out of the window. Just in front of her house was Dave's house. Her room overlooked Alvin's room. When they were small they used to hang a chord that attached the two houses. They sometimes used a can to talk to each other like a phone. She missed those fun days. Now Alvin was constantly at football, or at extra classes. The chord was still dangling. Brittany smiled remembering the times they talked to each other using the chord.
Alvin's curtain was drawn wide open so Brittany could see what he was doing. He had his football gear on, but was looking at his phone in confusion. Brittany guessed that he was trying to call her. Suddenly Alvin looked out of his window. Brittany immediately shut the curtains to her room, hoping Alvin hadn't seen her watching him. She sighed yet again. She felt so confused and frustrated. Finally her hunger took over her, and she walked downstairs. Jeanette was just cleaning up when Brittany entered the kitchen.
"Hey, Brittany," Jeanette mumbled. She took out a plate and placed it on the table for Brittany. Brittany nodded a thank you and went to heat the lasagna. As she drummed a tune, waiting for the bell to chime, she looked at Jeanette. She was weak and frail, and had a ghostly look on her face. She was totally starving herself, because of the fitness assessment. Brittany couldn't bear to see her like that. As soon as the bell chimed she pulled out the hot lasagna and pushed it towards Jeanette.
"Eat it,"
Jeanette shook her head. She couldn't eat, she didn't feel right. She wanted Simon, but she couldn't tell him about the test. It was too embarrassing.
Brittany sighed and placed the lasagna beside her plate. She walked to Jeanette and said, "Let's go to the park."
Jeanette looked confused, but Brittany steered her away to the park. They practiced running around, jumping and short sprints. Jeanette was getting better. Finally at around 9, they came back. Brittany and Jeanette took a quick shower, before finishing of the lasagna. As they cleared the plates, Eleanor walked in with a happy grin on her face.
"What is with the grin Ellie?" Miss Miller asked as she emerged from her bedroom. Eleanor grinned and said, "I was chosen to participate in a cooking competition, Theodore and I have to join for our school, it's such an honor!" Eleanor clapped her hands together. Brittany and Jeanette congratulated her, and then the three sisters and Miss Miller settled down for a game of cards. After five rounds, and Brittany winning constantly, Miss Miller put the three chipettes to bed. She kissed Jeanette on the forehead, and told her to practice for the fitness test. She kissed Eleanor on the forehead and congratulated her once again on her success, and closed Eleanor's door. She opened Brittany's door, kissed her on the forehead and sat beside her.
"Brittany, promise me, you won't be afraid to fall in love, if he's the right guy, you'll know." Brittany nodded and watched Miss Miller switch off her light and close the door. Soon she fell asleep, dreaming about Alvin.