Chapter 9: Tomato Sauce
"Hello Alvin? Earth to Alvin, are you there?" Alvin's eyes remained glued to his computer screen, headphones over his ears. Concentrating on his video game. Brittany sighed, looking at him while crossing her arms and tapping her fingers impatiently. "Damn it Alvin, drop your stupid game already." Frustrated at this point, she picked up Alvin's headphones and yelled into his ear. "ALVIN SEVILLE! I'M TALKING TO YOU!" Alvin flinched, closing his eyes and spamming his keyboard. "Damn it Brittany, how many times have I told you not to do that! Aww trash; see, lost the game." Crossing his arms and sitting up. "I've been calling your name for the past 15 minutes now for you to help me reach for the tomato sauce. But you just didn't want to put that damn game on pause. Now, come help me."
Alvin rolled his eyes and brought her close. "I'm only forgiving you because I love you so much." He kissed Brittany as she wrapped her arms around him. "You're so annoying sometimes, but I couldn't have asked for a better man." They smiled at each other, staring into each other's eyes. "Ah, shit. All out." she said, frowning after they'd gone to the kitchen to get the aforementioned sauce. "Alvin, be a dear and go get some more, will you? After all, it's your turn to do the shopping this week." she asked and admitted to him. Chuckling, he grabbed his jacket; phone and ear buds. "As milady commands, I shall do." he said. "Yeah, yeah. Go on, and drive safely. Love you." she said. "Love you, Brittany." he said as he kissed her goodbye and went to his car to drive out of the motel's driveway. She watched him from their window, smiling. As he drove; he couldn't help laughing to himself, "I lost the game. Garbage." he said. He felt it was gonna be a good day today regardless.
Meanwhile at an apartment not far off Jeanette was on her couch reading one of her books silently. Simon walked into the room where she's at and stared at her, smiling. "This feels right. Being with Jeanette." He walked past her to the kitchen to see what's there to eat. Opening the fridge, he finds out that they're missing some ingredients. "Guess it's time to hit the store." Closing the fridge he walks back to the living room looking at Jeanette. "Jean babe, we have to go pick up some stuff from the grocery store." She looked up at him, taking her eyes off her book. "Really? Right now?" He raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, right now. Why?" "Just asking, but would you like me to go on my own while you prepare something to eat?" He walked up to her and kissed her head. "Well, I wouldn't want you to go off on your own." They smiled at each other. "I'll make you a deal." she said. He looked at her, confused. "I'll go get the stuff we need and cook dinner while you get ready to eat and have a small date night with me, ok?" Simon smiled at Jeanette. "Ok, you got yourself a deal." he replied. They kissed in agreement and bid each other goodbye as Jeanette headed to the store.
Stepping out of his car, Alvin put his ear buds in and pressed play on his phone, looking at a list on it while doing so. "Alright, grocery list Brittany sent me. Cereal; tomato sauce, pasta, Basil, chips, and beer, added by yours truly." Alvin calmed down on the drinking since his time with Jeanette, becoming more of a social drinker, she'd be impressed. "Maybe even still with me…" he thought before putting that notion out of his mind. It wasn't her fault he started drinking as he knew he could hold his liquor and even while intoxicated, he never laid a hand on her. He grabbed a cart and started speeding through the aisles grabbing stuff from his list. Unknowingly finding himself in the very same grocery store she was in.
Jeanette looked around the canned sauces section of the grocery store. "Hmm, where is the tomato sauce?" she thought. Meanwhile; Alvin wasrecklessly racing down the aisle with his music blasting, he turned a corner and smacked into another shopping cart, hard. "Ow! Hey, watch where you're going!" Alvin took his ear buds out and wiped sweat from his forehead. "I'm sorry I wasn't paying atten-" He stopped mid sentence and looked right into her eyes. "Jeanette?" "Alvin?" They both froze. "It's been a year since I last saw Jeanette, and those green eyes..." "It's been a year since I've seen those blue eyes. Alvin..."
Flashback, one year ago.
Opening his motel room door Alvin heads back to his previous house. "Jeanette, why did we end up this way? What happened to us? Never mind that, why did you cheat on me? You of all people. I… I loved you, and you cheated on me." Pushing these thoughts aside, Alvin stepped out of his car and went up to his old apartment door. Just staring at it, Too nervous to open the door and find out what he sees inside. Gently inserting the key; gulping, twisting the key, he took a deep breath and then the door finally opened. There she was, on the couch. Looking fragile and sad; hurt, broken. He took a step. She looked up, expecting Simon. But it wasn't the blue-clad brother. No, this one was clad in red. Both just staring at each other. Not saying a word, they just stared blankly at one another. Finally, Alvin decided to break the silence. Clearing his throat he begins to speak. "Hey." "Hey." she replied back, holding back her tears. "So this is it, huh?" She remained quiet, looking down. She sighed and looked back at him, gathering the courage to try and apologize, she cleared her throat before beginning.
"Listen Alvin, about this whole thing. I... I never wanted any of this to happen. I don't know if you'll ever forgive me. If… If we'll even be friends." Looking away, Alvin took another deep breath. Trying to find the words he's wanted to say since he left her behind and tried to move on from her. He sighed in return. "Jeanette, this is a very painful process. I don't even know what to say right now. I'm sure you feel the same. Time will tell and I'll see what happens. I enjoyed being with you, I want to admit that now, I wondered if you felt the same. But, then that incident happened and, well…" His voice trailed off for a moment before he continued. "I'll never forget how we got this far. This… hurts, a lot." Her eyes began to well up with tears as she heard this. One by one, a tear began to fall. Sniffling, she began to speak again. "One day… I hope we can forget about this and move on." Alvin took out his keys, removing the apartment key and handing it to Jeanette. Her heart as heavy as lead, she took it. "I'm just going to pick some stuff I left here and be out." She looked at him, tears falling like a river. She stood up and hugged Alvin, which surprised him. "I-i'm sorry if this's so sudden. This might not be the right thing to do, I don't know what's right anymore." She cried into his chest, into his broken heart, and Alvin hugged her in return. Trying to hold back his own tears as well. "I don't either." he whispered.
In the room over, Simon was there listening to them. They were heading in his direction. He panicked. "I can't even face my brother right now, I better hide somewhere before he finds me." He thought, searching for a hiding place within listening distance and hoping not to be seen. He found a place, the closet. Shutting it quickly and pressing his ear to the door, he listened intently, while keeping it cracked open so he could see as well as hear what they were doing.
Quiet between both of them walking side by side. Their apartment was silent. Just listening to their steps walking across the room. Alvin reaches for his things in his cabinet, seeing a picture of him and Jeanette made his heart hurt. "So where are you moving to?" Jeanette asked Alvin. "I found a small apartment not too far from here." He said, while grabbing his things and putting them into a bag. "You can keep the pillows from the room, I bought new ones." Jeanette stayed quiet. Simon was being quiet and just listened and watched them. Alvin headed back to his car, putting his things in the trunk. Walking back to the apartment door, he stopped at the entrance. "Well, this is it, Jeanette." She looks up at him tearing up once more. She hugs him. He stared at first but proceeded to hug her back. Both in pain. They finally let go and Alvin headed back to his car, bringing the engine alive and driving away. She watches him leave as a tear falls down her face. Closing the front door and locking it she headed back to the couch. Simon appears from the hallway. He hugs Jeanette as she began to cry. "It's going to be okay Jeanette."
Driving down the street Alvin fought the urge to be angry and sad. "Jeanette..."
I'm lost in the dark. I can't find a way. I'm lost in the dark.
"Jeanette…"
It soon became too much to handle. "Jeanette!" He screamed as he slammed his hands on the steering wheel.
Back in the present
"Jeanette."
"Alvin."
"H-hey."
"H-hi."
Both hadn't seen each other for a year, both too in shock to say anything else. The tension between them was palpable and understandable. "What're you doing here?" Jeanette finally broke the silence. "Uh, getting some tomato sauce, along with other things." he said. She nodded. "What're you doing here?" he asked in return. "Same reason." she replied. He nodded back. "So; uh, how you been Jean? I mean Jeanette?" Shyly, she looked away when he said her nickname. "G-good, what about you A-Alvin?" she stammered. They both looked at each other in awkward silence. "Uh, Jeanette? Are you gonna check out?" She snapped back into reality. "Hmm? O-oh; y-yeah, I just need one more item to get." He smiled. "I can help you out, if you like." She smiled back and nodded her head in approval. They walked by together in silence, not knowing what to say. "It's been so long since I've seen his face. I never thought we were going to see each other ever again. Well, eventually we would have to…" "She's not changed much in a year. She's the last person I thought I'd ever bump into, quite literally…" "So; uh, what are you missing on your list?" he asked.
She looked at him. "Umm; I just need yogurt, and I'm done with my list." He nodded. "Alright, that's down this way. Come on, I know the short-cut." She smiled at him, nodding at the same time. As they arrived at the dairy aisle, she put her cart away and headed to the fridge. Inside the dairy fridge, there was a box of yogurt ready to fall. Without her noticing she opens the door and reaches for the yogurt. "I can't reach it. It's the last one too. It's too high. Help me?" she asked. Shaking the door and holding her balance the box starts sliding down. Despite her height, he still couldn't believe she had trouble reaching it. He helped her regardless.
"I'll help you get it." Alvin said as he started walking to her. The box started to slide off as Jeanette heard a creaking noise. She looks up and starts to scream. The box fell, Alvin rushed and got her out just in time before the box fell on her. "Hey, are you okay?" She slowly opened her eyes and looked straight into his ocean blue eyes. "Alvin..." They stared at each other before realizing Alvin's hands are on her ass. They both blushed and got up. "Sorry." Alvin said. "It's okay, thanks for getting me out of the way." He looked at her. "I had to, whoever stocked this up did a shitty job at it. Oh; Jeanette, here's your yogurt." She quickly grabbed the yogurt in embarrassment and put it in her cart. "T-Thanks, Alvin." she stuttered; briefly remembering the assgrab incident, her blush returned slightly, remembering how his hands felt despite not feeling his touch for a year.
He cleared his throat, bringing her to reality. "Umm, since we're ready to check out, do you want to head there with me?" she asked, hoping to break the awkwardness of the situation. "Sure, ladies first." Alvin replied with a wave of his hand and pushing his cart to the side to let her through. "Thank you." she said, giggling. As they were in line, they decided to catch up a bit on everything. Alvin started. "Hey, you need to hurry up." She looked back at him. "Don't you rush me." She smirked at him for sassing at her. He smirked back, knowing just how to push her buttons. "Bet. Hurry up; Jeanette, you're behind." "Bet. Alvin, stop it." She said as she started giggling and laughing. They raced to the checkout line. "Ha! Still beat you." He said. "Did not!" "Did too!" "AAALVI-!" "JJJEAN-!" "Ahem, excuse me?" The cashier said to both of them. "Are you ready, miss?" She blushed and looked back at the cashier. "Oh, y-yeah... I'm sorry, sir."
She paid for her groceries, as did Alvin. As they headed out of the store he looked at her. "Do you need help putting your stuff in the car?" She looked shyly to the ground. "Hmm; no, I think I'm okay. I really need to get home to Sim-" She stopped herself, clearing her throat. "To get home." Alvin knew what she meant. "Of course. Anyways, I'll see you around, Jeanette." She nodded and smiled. "Same here, it was nice seeing you again." They both waved and began to walk away in different directions. Putting her bags in the car, she sat down on her driver seat and sat there for a moment. "Why today? It's been a whole year since we broke up. It felt strange being around him again." Alvin..." She started her car and drove off, clearing her head of these thoughts as she headed home.
He sat in his car as well. "What a day. It felt weird, but good to see her again. Anyways, I should head home. This day's not at all ordinary. Fuck, and here I was thinking it was gonna be a usual day. Jeanette..." He started his car, shook his thoughts out and began to drive home. Both felt out-of-sorts with the whole experience, despite a lighthearted race and some teasing in the store earlier. Neither were really willing to convey to their significant others that they'd seen their exes at the store.