Jeanette clung closer to Simon and he put a protective arm round her. The beach was crowded with girls and boys drinking and shouting and revving engines. Leather was the fabric of choice, though some of the girls simply opted for 'minimal'. Though it was rowdy round the bonfire, it was the quieter figures further away, in the shadows, that had the chipmunks most worried. Jeanette prayed that neither Theodore nor Eleanor could see some of the things they were doing.

"I can't see her," Simon yelled to Alvin. His older brother was scant paces ahead but Simon still wasn't sure he'd hear over the deafening music. Alvin turned round frustrated.

"Perhaps she decided not to come after all?" Jeanette hazarded.

"She's here," Alvin declared. "I can feel it."

"She must be with Duke somewhere," Eleanor tried to sound reassuring but she couldn't hide her own worry.

"If we find Duke, we find her," Alvin said resolutely. At this a couple of guys nearby turned to him.

"Hey! You're Brit's ex aren't you?" They laughed. Alvin scowled.

"Do you know where she is?" Simon interrupted.

"Maybe."

"You tell Duke I'm here to get my girlfriend back," Alvin shouted. They laughed again, then shouted out to the crowd.

"Kid here wants to challenge the Duke!" A chant started up with just a few voices at first but growing until it resonated through the sand itself.

"Duke! Duke! Duke! Duke!"

"Alvin," Simon whispered to his brother. "You can't fight him. You'll be crushed!"

"What else can I do…" Just then the crowd parted and Duke appeared. Following behind him was Brittany. She looked dishevelled and there were tears on her cheeks.

"What have you done to her?!"

"Hey! I think you've forgetting, she isn't your girlfriend anymore."

"Who says?"

"She said." He smirked. "She came with me 'cause she wanted to, remember? She dumped you."

"Well I think she should decide again now. Brit?" he spoke softly. "Do you want to stay with Duke?" Everyone watched her as fresh tears broke out and she shook her head.

"I want to go home." Alvin let out the breath he'd been holding and turned back to Duke.

"You heard her," he tried to sound reasonable. "She wants to go home." Duke grabbed her by the arm.

"You can't leave yet doll," he leant closer to her. "The party's just getting started." Alvin snapped.

"Let her go!" He leapt across at the bigger boy and succeeded in catching him by surprise. They both fell backwards onto the sand. As Jeanette and Eleanor rushed to pull Brittany away another chant started up.

"Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight!"

It was clear already though that Duke was the stronger by far. He'd rolled Alvin over and punched him squarely in the face before Simon and Theodore could join the fray. Theodore rammed Duke in the side, knocking him off Alvin, and Simon punched him as hard as he could in the stomach, temporarily winding him. Brittany screamed as Alvin was hurt and now rushed from her sisters to help him to his feet.

Duke shoved Simon off and began pulling himself back up. This time it was Eleanor who rammed into him, knocking him into the crowd. As the spectators fell into each other, scuffles started up, until it was clear a full scale riot was starting. The chipmunks drew together protectively around Brittany and Alvin.

Duke glared at them but then scoffed,

"Go on, run. You're not worth my time anyway." Watching their back, they retreated back up the beach and then hurried to the car.

As Alvin was now sporting a black eye, and Simon had injured himself punching Duke, it was down to Theodore to drive. Eleanor sat close to him in the front while the other couples sat together in the back. No-one spoke.

As they drew up to the chipette's house, Jeanette quickly invited Simon and Theodore in so she could tend to Simon's hand, but more importantly so Alvin and Brittany could talk.

Alone in the car, for a long moment, the pair sat silent. Then Alvin spoke,

"Did he… do anything to you, Brittany?" His voice was gentle and caring and Brittany couldn't help but cry again. She shook her head.

"No. He didn't. But it'd be my own stupid fault."

"No, Brittany. All this has been my fault. If I hadn't lied about…"

"It's not your fault Alvin. I understand, really." She looked down at her lap. "I shouldn't have reacted the way I did."

"I never meant to hurt you. I just wanted everyone to know how much I love you." He gave a humourless laugh. "Stupid way to show it huh?"

"No." She shook her head and looked at him. "I want to have that with you, really I do. I just want it to be special, you know?"

"Me too." He took her hands with a smile. She smiled back and he wiped the last trace of tears from her cheeks. "I love you Brittany."

"I love you too Alvin. You're my knight in shining armour." He touched his stinging eye.

"Wish I had had some armour."

"Aw. Let me kiss it better."

From the house Simon and Jeanette, and Theodore and Eleanor watched happily as the school's golden couple made up.