Getting to Know You
Alvin and Britney's story
Part IV
When we last saw our young couples, Alvin had just made a bet with his friend Josh as to how far he could get with Britney within a week, and Britney had just had a visit from a girl who was clearly not dealing with reality. Simon is as always oblivious to Jeanettes advances, and Jeanette still tries to get him to see her as she sees him. Finally, Eleanor and Theodore are the epitome of the happy couple and are trying to help Jeanette, Britney, and Alvin to understand their respective feelings. We will now pick up after school where Alvin is excited as usual to be going to the recording studio. But he has a secret plan unbeknownst to anyone except for him and Simon. Let's watch shall we?....
When Alvin found Britney after the last bell rang, he was surprised to find that she had been crying. Not that you could tell if you didn't know her, but he did, and he also knew that she never wore her sunglasses unless she had been crying for whatever reason.
"Hey babe, what happened?" he asked trying to sound sympathetic.
"Oh, hey Alvin, it's nothing, I'll tell you after we go to our recording." Britney replied, sounding oddly cheerful.
When they climbed out of Alvin's car and walked into the familiar studio, they felt at home, this was where their magic was made. These four walls held more than just their music awards and their lifetime of achievements, it also held a lot of happy memories from when the kids were still, well, kids.
"Hey you guys, how goes it?" their recording agent Tom asked, poking his head around the corner that separated the pleasant face of the building from the actual studio.
"It's going good Tom." Britney replied happily.
"So I take it you guys are ready to start your duet record?" he asked trying to contain his excitement, he had tried to convince them for years to do a duet record, and they had only recently agreed to actually do it.
"Oh yeah, and Tom, did you hear the news?" Britney said looking him dead in the eye as she spoke.
"No, what happened?" he questioned, always ready to hear the latest gossip.
"Alvin and I are going out now!" she squealed with delight, "He finally asked me out Saturday!"
"No! Seriously?! Oh my god! That is just great! I'm so happy for you two." He replied squealing almost as loudly in excitement, which is strange to say the least, especially since Tom was a natural bass.
"Hey you two, are we here to gossip and talk, or are we going to make some music?" Alvin asked impatiently.
"Alright alright, keep your pants on Alvin. I'm just getting done with the setup like you guys sent me. I gotta say, I think that as long as you guys sing well, this is going to be another gold record." Tom said enthused by the news that they were now an item.
"Well what are we waiting for?! Let's get in there and make some music!" Britney said, dragging the boys into the heart of the building. As Tom headed into the tech room, Alvin and she headed into the studio that they had used for years.
"Are you ready in there? You have your music and you know your cues?" Tom asked over the mic in between the rooms.
"We're ready when you are Tom. Let it rip!" Alvin responded as he pulled Britney in closer and the music started, as the opening chords came through the speakers, Alvin looked at Britney and began to sing…
"I got chills!
They're multiplying,
And I'm losing control.
Cause the power you're supplying,
It's Electrifying!"
Then Britney came in, and she belted out,
"You better shape up cause I need a man
And my heart is set on you
You better shape up, you better understand
To my heart I must be true"
And in perfect harmony as usual, they sang in unison,
You're the one that I want(You are the one I want) ooh ooh ooh honey
You're the one that I want(You are the one I want) ooh ooh ooh honey
You're the one that I want(You are the one I want) ooh ooh ooh honey
The one that I need oh yes indeed
If you're filled with affection
You're too shy to convey
Meditate in my direction
Feel your way
I better shape up, cause you need a man (I need a man)
Wooh can keep me satisfied
I better shape up, if I'm gonna prove (you better prove)
That my faith is justified
Are you sure? Yes I'm sure down deep inside
You're the one that I want (You are the one I want)ooh ooh ooh honey
You're the one that I want(You are the one I want) ooh ooh ooh honey
You're the one that I want(You are the one I want) ooh ooh ooh honey
The one that I need oh yes indeed
You're the one that I want(You are the one I want) ooh ooh ooh honey
You're the one that I want(You are the one I want) ooh ooh ooh honey
You're the one that I want(You are the one I want) ooh ooh ooh honey
The one that I need oh yes indeed
You're the one that I want(You are the one I want) ooh ooh ooh honey
You're the one that I want(You are the one I want) ooh ooh ooh honey
You're the one that I want(You are the one I want) ooh ooh ooh honey
The one that I need oh yes indeed
You're the one that I want(You are the one I want) ooh ooh ooh honey
You're the one that I want(You are the one I want) ooh ooh ooh honey
You're the one that I want(You are the one I want) ooh ooh ooh honey
The one that I need oh yes indeed"
And as the music faded out into oblivion, Tom watched in amazement as the two people he had watched grow up in this very studio exchange a look of excitement and love so deep that he forgot to turn off the mic.
"Uh, Tom, you gonna sit there all day looking at us or are you gonna turn the mics off?" Britney asked him laughing.
"Oh, sorry guys! I just really liked what you guys were doing is all, sorry." He apologized as he reached for the kill switch on the mics.
"So what are you guys gonna do now? Do you want to take a break or are we just gonna plow through another song?" Tom asked when Brit and Alvin were done laughing in the studio.
"Actually dude, I'm gonna do a solo track next." Alvin said to the surprise of Britney and Tom.
"What? Uh Al, that isn't on the disk you sent me is it? Do you have a blank copy of the music to sing over?" Tom asked, looking at him strangely. After all Alvin may have done some crazy things, but this was the first time he had improvised in the studio.
"Yeah I got the disk, I had some help from Simon this morning in the computer lab." Alvin replied.
"Well then, if it's a solo track, do you want to step out and watch from here Brit?" he asked the Chipette who was still looking at her boyfriend like he had lost his mind.
"Uh, sure, just give me a minute to get my stuff and I'll be right out" she answered as she turned to Alvin and said, "I hope you know what you're doing…"
"I do babe, I do, and I promise you'll love it" Alvin replied smugly.
As he escorted her out of the room, he also made sure that he handed the disk to Tom and went back into the padded room.
When Tom hit play and record on the bank of knobs, he was astounded to hear a very familiar and very emotional piece start over the headphones and the speakers.
Alvin on the other hand, simply smiled and hoped that Britney was listening as he sang,
I gotta take a little time
A little time to think things over
through the clouds I see love shine
It keeps me warm as life grows colder
In my life there's been heartache and pain
I don't know if I can face it again
Cant stop now,
When I've traveled so far
To change this lonely life
I wanna know what love is...
I want you to show me...
I wanna feel what love is...
I know you can show me...
I'm gonna take a little time
A little time to look around me...
I've got nowhere left to hide
It looks like love has finally found me…
In my life! There's been heartache and pain
I don't know if I can face it again
cant stop now,
When I've traveled so far
To change this lonely life!!!
I wanna know what love is...
I want you to show me...
I wanna feel what love is...
I know you can show me...
I wanna know what love is...
I want you to show me...
And I wanna feel what love is....
And I know, you can show me… Yeah!
As the song faded into the insulated walls of the studio, Alvin looked at Britney expectantly hoping that she would show what she was feeling and he could at least cheer her up. He was not disappointed.
Britney ran into the room and threw herself into his arms so happy that he had finally gotten up the nerve to express himself to her. Even if it was only just a song, it was the emotion he had poured into it and the truth that she loved him for. When she was done with the hug, she pushed herself out of his arms and took his hand and headed out of the door.
"I think that you guys are done here for the day?" Tom asked, watching the love struck teens walk out the door laughing with ecstasy, how he wished that he had that kind of connection with someone.
"Okay Brit okay, if you'll let me have my arm back, I'll drive us to the real surprise I have planned for us." Alvin griped playfully.
"Alright, I just hope that it can outshine what you just did back there. Because most things are going to pale in comparison." She joked as she crawled into the shotgun seat of his car and they took off, heading up to the hills overlooking the town.
Unfortunately, neither of them noticed that they were not alone heading up the hills. Right behind them, in a discreet black Taurus, was none other than Susan. And right beside her was a small black bag she had just for the occasion. Her only hope was that they were going out to do just what she was thinking.