"TWENTY THOUGHTS"

WISDOMMONKEY

~ Important Note: Here is the third installment in my twenty challenge story. As with the last chapter, this one is not tied to the previous stories in this challenge. In this chapter, the chipmunks are seventeen years old and awaiting their high school graduations – all except for Alvin, that is. I have to thank you all once again for the encouraging feedback. I honestly didn't think that the story would receive much praise or recognition. It's been six years since I last wrote an "Alvin and the Chipmunks" fanfiction, so it's been wonderful returning to such great reviews. I have all of you to thank for that. Cheers! ~

(Theme description – Describe the room of one of the following: a high school student about to drop out; a cashier who has just won the lottery; a faded movie star who still thinks she's famous; or a paranoid person.)

CHAPTER THREE

Dropping Out is Hard to Do

"I can't do it!" Alvin screamed, slamming his bedroom door shut with tears in his eyes. He was frustrated with Dave for telling him repeatedly how important a high school education was. He was frustrated with Simon for springing surprise study sessions on him every waking hour of the day. He was frustrated with Theodore for trying to show him that math is fun by using cooking as an example. Most importantly, he was frustrated with himself. "Why don't any of them see that? And, why won't they just leave me alone?!"

The seventeen-year-old senior student pounded his fist on his bedroom door, trying to relive his wrath. The tears from his eyes were now fully flowing down his cheeks, staining his fur and pull-over sweater.

He heaved unsteady breaths as his frustration and anxiety began to consume him. Through blurred vision, he looked around his room, a small voice in the back of his mind whispering "tear this place apart, that will show them!".

Without any type of logical thinking, Alvin got to work on acting on his thoughts. He started with his door, putting his claws to use by scratching against the wood, making sure he left his mark. He continuously scratched, wanting to place his sour emotions into something else so he wouldn't have to deal with them. Desperation was obvious as he gave a long and jagged scratch.

Once he was satisfied with the anguish he placed on the door, he smiled deliriously. A maniacal laugh escaped him as he went into a temporary state of insanity. He sloppily wiped away his pesky tears.

"Why stop there?!" He chuckled, looking for his next inanimate target. He spotted a poster on the wall of a band that had recently lost popularity. The smiling faces on the poster made Alvin sick as he scuttled over to it. He once again lashed out his claws, shredding into the glossy paper.

He tore the ripped poster from the wall, push pins flying to the floor. He crumpled it in his hands, mushing it until his sweat caused the ink to bleed and stain his fur. He threw the mess of paper to the floor, giving it a final blow, stamping his foot against one of the torn faces.

"What do you think, Mr. Boy-band? Do you think I can graduate?" Alvin chortled, kicking the paper across the floor. "Well, guess what?... I can't! No graduation for me! No, sir! Not Alvin Seville! He's too stupid!"

Tears had returned to his eyes as the last words were spoken. He felt trapped in a never-ending bipolar roller coaster. One minute he was high with rage, the next he hit rock bottom with depression.

He jumped onto his bed, shoving the covers onto the floor and yanking the sheets from the mattress. As the sheet was removed, his pillow was propelled across the room. After a harsh hit to the wall, it thudded onto the floor.

Alvin, still in an unexplainable state of emotion, approached the pillow. He looked down upon it, just as his teachers and family were looking down upon him. He tapped the edge of it with his foot before bending down to hover above it.

"Come on, you can get up and put yourself back on the bed... come on, little fella, you can do it," he whispered, sniffling back a few tears that fell and stained the object. "Oh wait, no you can't. Doesn't feel so great having somebody tell you can do something when you know you can't, does it?"

The irritated chipmunk roughly picked up the pillow, trying to rip it in half like the people in the movies. His attempts were futile. Perhaps movie magic was to blame for how easy they made it look on television? However, this didn't stop him from inflicting the pillow with less punishment than his door, poster, and bed. He brought out his trusty claws once more and sliced the pillow down the middle, cotton pouring out onto the floor. (Hey, nobody said Freddy Kruger would have any trouble ripping a pillow in half.)

After creating more havoc in his room, Alvin had finally reached his breaking point. He wrote a short letter and left it on his stripped bed before exiting through his bedroom window. He needed some time to think and he knew just where to do it.

~ Dropping Out is Hard to Do ~

"Alvin! Dinner's ready!" Dave called upstairs from the kitchen. He still held a face of worry. His oldest son had been in his room all day after hearing the news that he wasn't going to graduate. "Alvin! Dinner!"

"Here you go, Dave," Simon happily huffed, setting down two bags of heavy groceries onto the table. "I picked up the Parmesan cheese you wanted. I also took the liberty of buying something nice for Alvin. I heard he failed his classes."

"Why, that's very nice of you, Simon," the brunette worriedly responded, forcing a smile for the middle child. "Speaking of Alvin, could you go check on him for me? I called him down for dinner, but he didn't answer."

"Hmm... That's odd."

"I know," Dave responded with disbelief as he pulled the lasagna from the oven. He set it on the counter, carefully peeling the aluminum foil from the top. "It's not like him to not answer."

"Don't worry, Dave. I'm sure he's fine," the seventeen-year-old chipmunk reassured. "You know how Alvin is. He's probably just mad and refusing to talk to any of us. I'll go talk to him."

"Thanks, Simon," the father conveyed with a nervous smile.

Dave was so caught up with thoughts of how Alvin was handling the news, that the sudden sound of the phone made him jump. He inhaled deeply as he felt his heart skip a beat. He moved over to the telephone, removing it from the receiver.

"H-hello?"

"Oh, hello, David!" Miss Miller gleefully greeted, twirling the cord of her phone betwixt her fingers. "I was just calling to let you know that you can come and pick up Theodore now. He says he's not feeling so well... but I think he's just a little upset over the girls poking a little fun at him."

"Aw, that's a shame," Dave muttered, his mind obviously on other things. "I'll be right over."

"Are you alright, Deary?" The gray-haired woman inquired, the tone of her friend's voice piquing her interest. "You sound down about something."

"Oh, it's nothing, Miss Miller. I'll explain when I pick up Theodore. Goodbye now."

Before Miss Miller could say another word, Dave hung up his phone. He walked over to the coat rack and threw on his jacket.

"Simon! I have to go pick up Theodore from Miss Miller's! You and Alvin go ahead and fix your plates; I'll be back as soon as I can!"

"Okay! Don't worry, I've got everything under control!"

~ Dropping Out is Hard to Do ~

Once Dave had left the house, Simon continued his venture down the hall. He approached his older brother's bedroom door with caution. He had read many books on psychology and knew that he had to be very delicate with Alvin's feelings. He gently knocked on the door with his knuckles, hoping to receive some type of response. When silence was the only thing to greet him, he knocked again.

"A-Alvin?" Simon question, clearing his throat. He made sure his tone was firm before speaking again. "Alvin, I know you're feeling horrible about what happened today, but that is no reason to ignore your family."

More silence.

Simon was growing impatient, thinking his brother was just being his usual stubborn self.

"Okay, so you want to teach us a lesson by giving us the cold shoulder. I'll have you know that Dave is worried sick about you."

More silence.

Now, Simon was feeling his temper falter. He placed his hand on the knob of the door, pushing it open with flimsy force.

"Alright, Alvin. Why won't you let any of us help-" The chipmunk opened his eyes, his glasses slightly dirty. His eyes widened at the state of the room. "... you?"

He pulled his glasses off and wiped them on the hymn of his sweater. He wanted to be positive that what he was seeing was true. Once his sight was confirmed, his eyes darted about the room, taking in every detail. He carefully entered, noticing his brother was missing.

"A-Alvin? Alvin, are you in here?" Simon asked with panic, his voice quivering. He observed the walls. One was stained with splashes of black paint, another had a hole right in the center. A million thoughts whirled through his mind as he noticed the mess. What if his brother had been kidnapped? What if he was being tortured by some thugs? Or worse?

The bespectacled rodent examined the room, trying to keep his wits about him.

Alvin's precious guitar lay broken on the floor. The tomato-red curtains were torn at the seams. Crumpled posters, fluffs of cotton, and dribbles of black paint were scattered across the floor. The bed was unmade, comforter and sheets strewn on the floor.

It was getting dark as the sun began to set, causing Simon to draw his attention to the window. It was held open with a book, one stolen from his bedroom. Normally, he'd be cursing his brother for tampering with his things, but right now he couldn't care less about the book. He stumbled over the mess and leaned against the windowsill, a gust of wind pushing against his face.

In the stillness, he heard a small rustle. Theories of murder filling his mind, he jumped. He turned to the source of the sound, seeing a folded sheet of paper flapping open in the wind. Logic allowed him to know that the paper was the culprit.

"Please, don't be ransom note..." Simon prayed, flashbacks of crime shows filling his mind. He picked up the paper, opening the flap and reading its contents.

Dear Everyone,

Stop trying to make me think I can do this! I've tired and I've tried, but I still failed. It's pointless to keep studying, I already know they won't let me graduate. I've decided there is only one thing I can do... dropout. I'm going to the school to sign the papers right now. Be home soon.

Love, Alvin

While relieved that his older sibling wasn't the victim of a vicious crime, Simon was shocked by the letter. He couldn't believe Alvin would even consider dropping out of school. True, the baseball-cap-wearing teen was never fond of school, but Alvin Seville was no quitter. He never had been.

Taking one last look at the trashed room, the seventeen-year-old fled, note in hand. He scurried down the stairs and headed into the kitchen, sprinting to the phone. He picked it up from the receiver and began to dial Miss Miller's number.

"Simon! I'm home!"

Just in time. Simon hung up the phone and frantically entered the living room. He waved the note in front of his father's face, causing Dave to be thrown into confusion.

"Dave, Alvin's gone!" Simon cried, causing his father and younger brother to become alarmed. He shoved the note into Dave's hands, trying to gather his thoughts. "His room is completely destroyed. He's going down to the school right now to sign the papers to dropout."

"But, he's worked so hard to graduate," the youngest of the triplets explained, alarmed and lost. "Why would he do that?"

"I'll explain later, Theodore. You fellas go get in the car," Dave sternly instructed, looking to the clock hanging above the fireplace. "The school's closed by now, so he must still be in the schoolyard. Will pick him up there."

With that being said, the two chipmunks and their frightened dad piled into the family's car. They pulled out of the driveway, beginning the frantic search for their runaway loved one.

~ Dropping Out is Hard to Do ~

"Rats!" Alvin shouted, trying to push the school's door open for the umpteenth time. "Why is it locked? The school doesn't close until -"

He glanced down to the watch on his wrist, realizing it was nearing six. The school closed at five.

"Oh... well, it doesn't matter. I'll just wait here until the principal gets back," the feisty boy explained to himself, sitting against the door. He folded his arms over his chest, preparing for the longest wait of his life. Suddenly, a thought came to mind. "No, wait. Tomorrow's Saturday... Ah! What's a guy gotta do to dropout of school around here?"

A blaring horn caught the moping chipmunk by surprise. He lifted his head to see blinding headlights shining at him. He stood from the ground, curiosity and fear fueling his motions.

The front door of the car flung open, a shadowed figure expelling from the car. Alvin backed against the door a little more, prepared to protect himself if needed to.

"Alvin?" A familiar voice inquired. "Alvin!"

The voice became filled with relief and happiness. The figure was now running toward him, two other shadows following behind. Before he had time to put up his arms in self-defense, Alvin was pulled into a bone-crushing hug. His eyes blinked as he was caught off-guard.

"D-Dave?"

"Oh, Alvin! Don't you ever run off like that again!" Dave cried, placing a hand on the back of his son's head. He cuddled the teenager, who looked away with embarrassment. "What were you thinking?"

Before he could answer, Alvin was surrounded by his brothers.

"Alvin! A-are you okay?" The green-eyed boy squeakily asked, placing a hand on his older brother's shoulder.

"You had us all worried, you know?" Simon informed, both eased and firm.

Alvin gave a pathetic nod, finally breaking free from his dad's hug. He took a moment to catch his breath, looking from one family member to the other.

"I'm sorry. I did say I would come back, though," he pointed out, referencing back to the note he had left behind. "I guess I wasn't thinking much about the time when I left."

"That doesn't matter now," Dave soothingly replied, smiling as if he'd never smiled in his life. "Let's get home, the lasagna is getting cold."

~ Dropping Out is Hard to Do ~

After dinner, the triplets headed upstairs to their bedrooms. Dave had let them separate into their own rooms when they were fifteen, thinking it was time they had their privacy. Unfortunately, privacy was the last thing Alvin would be getting that night... except for sleep, maybe.

Simon and Theodore followed the depressed future dropout into his bedroom, causing him to purse his lips.

"I can't take it anymore! Would you two please stop following me?"

"Well, gee, Alvin," Teddy stammered, eyes broadening at the sight of the room. "We're just trying to help you."

"Theodore's right. We just want to help you. We can start by helping you clean your room," the intellectual of the group added, beginning to pick up a few push pins from the floor.

"Simon, stop..." Alvin grumbled, removing his signature cap and placing it on the post of his bed. "Don't you two get it? I don't want your help... I never have. I can do things for myself."

"But, we're brothers. That's what we do."

"I don't care, Theodore. Why can't you see that I can do it?!"

Theodore, still sensitive at seventeen, sniveled a little. He hadn't expected to be snapped at so harshly, especially when he was only trying to help. He folded his arms, trying not to get too upset.

"See what you did?" Simon snapped back, pointing to his younger brother. "You made Theodore cry."

"Well, he shouldn't be such a big baby! We're seventeen for acorn's sakes!"

With that, the crying teen left the room, trying to avoid getting into an argument. He knew that times like this were fuel for one of Simon and Alvin's famous fights. He slumped to his room, deciding to sleep through his sibling's controversy.

Simon glared at his brother, peering over his glasses as they fell to the tip of his nose. He held the same expression he usually did when he frowned upon Alvin's actions.

"Are you happy with yourself? All he wanted to do was help and you made him cry."

"What is it with you guys and all this help stuff? I already told you, I can do things for myself!"

Alvin's anger was boiling, threatening to burst. He turned away to face the window. He didn't even want to look at his brother at this point. His entire family had been looking down upon him and underestimating him since senior year began, and he was tired of it.

"Oh really?" Simon questioned with a weak smirk, folding his arms over his chest with attitude. "Is that why you've been moping around the house for weeks, yelling "I can't do it!" over and over again?"

"That's different!" Alvin barked, his face growing heated.

"Really? How so?" The taller of the two countered with a smug smirk. "You said you can do things for yourself. Surely that includes school... right?"

The fuming rodent sighed, finally accepting that the problem lied with him. He had been taking out his frustrations about school out on the people he cared about most. He readjusted himself on the bed, once again facing his little brother, but still refusing to make eye contact.

"Fine... you're right, okay?" Alvin reluctantly admitted. He finally forced himself to looked into Simon's eyes, not liking the expression behind them. "I guess I got a little crazy about the whole graduation thing. I just wanted to prove to you guys that I could make something of myself."

Upon hearing this, Simon's expression softened. He sat on the bed, resting a hand on the distraught male's back.

"What do you mean?"

"Oh, come on," the eldest murmured. "It's obvious. You're the smart one, Dave already knows you'll have an amazing future whether you graduate or not. Theodore's the nicest, he always makes good grades because he doesn't act up in class. I'm just Alvin... the troublemaker. Dave has no hopes for me, and graduation was my one shot to show him that I can be just as important as you and Teddy."

"Alvin, you are just as important to me," Dave, who the boys hadn't noticed standing in the doorway, cooed. He entered the room, sitting on the opposite side of Alvin. He gently rested a hand on his son's knee, petting warmly. "Why didn't you tell me you were feeling this way? You know that you can tell me anything. All of you boys can."

"I think I'll get to bed," Simon intervened, attempting to excuse himself from the room. He felt that it would be best for Alvin and Dave to have a father-son talk without him. "I've been wanting to test my new invention that transfers dreams onto paper. The only way to find out is to get some sleep."

As the inventor left the room, Dave returned his attention to an emotional Alvin. He pulled his son into a hug, stroking the boy's hair in a fatherly fashion.

"I just wanted you to be proud of me," the chipmunk uttered into his adoptive father's nightshirt.

"I am proud of you, Al."

The chipmunk scoffed, shaking his head.

"Why? All I ever do is get in your way."

"No, you don't!" Dave insisted, trying to console his first born. "Alvin, I love you. You're my son. When I took you and your brothers in, I made a vow to love and take care of you – all of you."

"Yeah, but why?" Alvin stressed, wanting answers.

"Well, you're talented, you're witty, you're smart. And those are just a few things. But, most importantly," the brunette informed, a calming grin on his face. He hugged his son a little tighter, hoping to prove his point. "You make me happy. I couldn't imagine my life without you... or Simon, or Theodore."

"R-really?" The teen sniffled, becoming convinced by Dave's words. He smiled softly, wiping away a few tears with his sleeve.

"Really," Dave confirmed, standing up from the bed. He ignored the mess of the room and instructed for Alvin to follow him. "Come on, you can bunk on the couch tonight. We'll all pitch in and clean your room tomorrow."

~ Dropping Out is Hard to Do ~

Dave fluffed a few pillows behind the groggy chipmunk's head. He smiled as he carefully sat on the edge of the coffee table.

"You comfy?"

Alvin nodded. He snuggled against the pillow a little, ignoring the fact that he was a teenager. Right now, he didn't care if he was eighty-two, he just wanted to be pampered like when he was little. He stared sleepily at his dad.

"Dave, I don't think I'll drop out of school."

"Good to hear, Al," the man said, a grin on his face. He pulled the covers up a bit more, making sure Alvin was as comfortable as possible.

"Simon was right, I can't do everything by myself. I was thinking that he could help me study for my GED."

"I think that's a great idea."

"And, I'll apologize to Theodore first thing in the morning."

"I'm sure he'll appreciate that," Dave chuckled, realizing the rambling pattern of his eldest son's voice. He knew that Alvin didn't want him to go just yet, but it was getting late. "Well, it's late. I think we both need to get some sleep. We all had a rough day."

The chipmunk in the red pajamas agreed with a hum, his eyes drifting shut. He turned onto his side, cuddling with the blanket.

Once he knew the boy was relaxed, Dave began to make his way upstairs. While the day had been stressful, he enjoyed the quality time he had gotten with Alvin. It was rare that they would share such a significant moment. It was nice to be reminded that he still had his knack for being a good dad.

"Dave..."

The man stopped on the staircase, looking to the couch below.

"Yeah?"

"I love you."

An overwhelming smile appeared on Dave's tired face.

"I love you, too, Alvin. Sleep tight."

With that, the whole house fell silent. Everybody was sound asleep, everything was calm, and everyone was loved. Even though they had their rough moments, they were a family. A family willing to help each other—even when they didn't know they needed it.

~ I feel I may have made Alvin a bit too crazy during his breakdown. I think I accidentally let my jitters about my own college graduation interfere with my writing. Oops. Other than that, I think the chapter meets the theme well enough. It trailed more into a story about family than a story about explaining the room, but I tried to work the room element in as best as I could. Hmm... it seems the challenging part of this "twenty-theme challenge" is starting to kick in. Until next time! ~