"Alvin!" The eldest chipmunk looked up from his magazine as Simon burst into the room.
"What's happened?" he asked.
"How could you let me make such a huge mistake!" Alvin looked puzzled.
"I'm not following you Simon. Didn't your date go well?" Simon flung himself down onto his bed and buried his face in his pillow. Alvin continued to stare at him.
"Is everything alright?" Theodore came into the room but stopped short at the sight of Simon laid out. Alvin shrugged at him. A muffled voice came from the pillow.
"The date went fine." He pulled himself up to stare at them. "We discussed the exhibit… talked about the bike modifications… got drinks…"
"Then what's the problem?" Alvin demanded.
"I was with the wrong girl!" His brothers shared a confused look.
"Uh… what girl should you have been with if not the one you've been chasing for days?"
"But that's just it! I've been chasing the wrong girl. I thought it was Jillian because I smelled her perfume… but it wasn't her perfume!"
"Still not with you…"
"It was Jeanette's!" His brothers stared at him. Then Alvin burst out laughing.
"It is not funny Alvin!" Simon stood up in fury.
"Oh… uh… I'm sorry… Simon…" Alvin stifled his laughter. Theodore took over.
"I don't understand Simon. Why did you think it was Jillian?" Simon sat down dejectedly again.
"I smelled a perfume in the library… and when I looked round, there she was. Every time I smelt it again, she was nearby." He shook his head. "But so was Jeanette."
"But you've known Jeannette years. How come you didn't recognise it before?" Simon looked miserable.
"I guess I was used to her so I never noticed it. Like when you're in a cookery class… you don't notice all the smells but if you walk in half way through it hits you. It certainly hit me," he muttered.
"So you've finally realised what's right in front of you huh?" Alvin smirked at him.
"What do you mean 'right in front of me'?"
"Oh please! Anyone seeing you two together could have told you you'd be perfect."
"Then why didn't you?" Simon gritted his teeth.
"Hey! Don't blame me. You can take a horse to water but you can't make it drink. What would you have said if I'd told you you should ask Jeannette out." He quickly held up a hand to forestall Simon's answer. "I mean if I'd asked you two weeks ago… before your 'revelation'?" Simon sat silent.
"You'd have thought we were being silly," Theodore supplied. "Because she's your best friend." Simon looked between his two brothers. Theodore looked genuinely sorry for him while Alvin looked superior. He dropped his head into his hands.
"What am I going to do?"
"Hey! If we could get you a date with Jillian, Jeannette will be no problem." Simon looked up at Alvin's confident face but somehow he doubted it would be so easy.
"What about Jillian? I can't just dump her after going to such trouble to get a date! She'll think I'm an idiot… a jerk…"
"A lousy arrogant boy." Theodore put in before turning to Alvin. "He has a point."
"Simple. We'll turn Simon into the worst boyfriend possible so she dumps him."
"Hey, hey! That way she'll definitely think I'm a jerk. And I don't want to upset her. She's really nice… and if it weren't for Jeanette…"
"Can't you just explain to Jillian what happened?" Theodore asked, puzzled.
"No way!" Alvin exclaimed.
"She'd think me a fool."
"But maybe not. She might even be able to help you with Jeanette…"
"Theodore, who knows more about girls… me or Jillian." Alvin waited expectantly. Theodore looked doubtful but kept quiet. Simon considered his older brother posing in the middle of their room and made up his mind.
"Alright Theodore. I followed Alvin's advice to win Jillian and look where it's got me. From here on I'll do whatever you say." Theodore clapped his hands in delight while Alvin looked on aghast.