~Chapter Three~

Ever since the Chipettes had left, Simon had secluded himself in the room he shared with his brothers, only coming out when food was required. Alvin and Theodore had begun to worry about him, and they were constantly trying to get him to at least go outside and get some fresh air. But nothing worked.

Simon always tried to keep himself occupied by reading. He had practically gone through every book in the house at this point, and the girls had only been gone three days.

"I took another sip from the glass. That's when I saw her, emerging from behind the door like a lost sheep. She was tall, like me, and had a very slim frame. Her hair like silk chocolate, tumbling down from her head, and her eyes were as green as the Everglades."

Simon closed the book abruptly, as well as his eyes. Everything reminded him of her. It was like a disease. He tossed the book to his side, slipped off his glasses, and gently massaged the bridge of his nose. She had slipped through his fingers, like sand on the beach. She had been so close, all Simon had to do was make a move. He had tried to the day she left. But he had not, and now it was too late.

He turned himself on his side, and spotted the acoustic guitar peeking out from under Alvin's bed. Maybe a little music would set his mind at ease.

Simon picked it up and started to pluck a few chords. He cringed at the sound. After nearly thirty minutes of tuning, he had become even more stressed. But when he strummed and heard the beautiful sound waft from the strings, he knew those thirty minutes had been worth it.

Before he knew it, he was fingering the frets and plucking the strings to a familiar tune, one that really seemed to fit his mood at that point.

"It's hard to deal with the pain of losing you everywhere I go,

but I'm doing it.

It's hard to force that smile when I see our old friends and I'm alone...

It's still harder.

Getting up,

getting dressed,

living with

this regret.

But I know

If I could do it over

I would trade,

give away,

all the words

that I saved

in my heart

that I left unspoken.

What hurts the most

was being so close,

and having so much to say

and watching you walk away...

And never knowing

what could have been,

and not seeing that loving you

is what I was trying to do..."

Simon released his grip on the guitar when he realized what he had just sang. Shaking his head, he placed the guitar back where it had been, and then sandwiched his head between his two blue pillows, groaning in the process.

"Jeanette," he whispered to himself.

Alvin and Theodore had been peeking in through the door once they had heard the music. They exchanged looks with each other, Theodore unsure of what to do, but Alvin feeling sorry that Simon had not understood his feelings until just now.

"I'll be right back," he whispered to Theodore with a pat on the back. Sliding down the banister in a very "Alvin" way, he made his way to the downstairs phone. He punched in a number that on which he received many dates and many break-ups.

"Hello?"

"Britt? It's Alvin. We need to talk."

"What about?"

"Simon and Jeanette. Ever since you guys left, he's been moping around and singing sad songs."

"Same with Jeanette! You should have heard her just now on the piano!"

"Well, the moping can stop now, 'cause I have an idea."

"Call it a sane person's intuition, but I can tell I'm not gonna like this."

"Trust me, this will work. Now, first, I want you to call the airport..."

(A/N: Another cliffhanger! I know, I'm devious. But not as devious as Alvin. Trust me.)