I'm baaaack! Did ya miss me? Did you miss the drama? This is the second to last chapter before the 3 chapter finale. Hope you're ready!

THURSDAY

BRITTANY'S POV

Dear, Diary,

I still have an awful lot of feelings about Simon. I know, that's probably no surprise by now. I can't get wrapped up in fantasizing though! I have a job to do! Actually, I have several jobs to do. First things first, I must tackle this in a calm and orderly fashion. What's first on the list?

Science fair judges….oh...goody. (Sarcasm) Why do I have to be the one to decide!? Is it because I have the list of teachers to pick from? Because, if that's the case, I will gladly give the list to SOMEONE ELSE! I'm just SO over this stupid science fair.

I would rather think about the basketball game on Friday. Of course, I'll be there to cheer Simon on. I've got a beautiful pink and blue outfit ensemble all prepped for the occasion. That's something Simon and I have in common. We're always prepared in advance.

I think Eleanor's finished making breakfast now, so I better go down there and finish getting ready for the day. Just had to get some thoughts out first, so I don't forget.

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Back with some good news, I have chosen 2 of the 5 science fair judges. Obviously, I'm NOT considering Miss. Smith. As much fun as it would be to torment Alvin, I am above such things….today. Who knows how I'll feel tomorrow? He better not say anything to aggravate me!

Anyway, the two judges I picked are none other than Miss. Emma and Ms. Parish. Now, people would say the ballet teacher and the art teacher are dumb choices to judge a science fair. I passionately disagree. I think mixing it up a bit could be fun. Picking Dr. Hayward and Dr. Wilson would be so cliche...and Alvin's always on me to break the status quo.

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Eleanor is really starting to upset me. She keeps trying to sneak into the office to look up dirt about her latest green bean case suspect. I'm like totally sure that she's going after the wrong person, but you can't reason with her! She's so stubborn!

I have had to set up several traps to keep her out and I am SO TIRED! I get scared every time I leave the office to get to class that she'll sneak inside and wreak havoc! Why can't she act like a good sister and accept that she isn't allowed to access people's permanent records or class schedules!

Moving on to a much sweeter topic, Simon looks even more attractive than EVER! He's got a pair of sports glasses and they really elevate his beauty to levels of a famous movie star! He's a heartthrob! I can't believe my eyes! Wonder how Two point weirdo feels about having dorkier looking glasses than his brother. He's probably steaming. I wish I could see his face. I'm sure it's worth a few snapshots.

I texted Simon asking for advice on science fair judges and haven't heard back yet. I guess he must be busy with his basketball clique. It's fine. I totally understand. Cliques are a huge time commitment! They're nothing to be taken lightly. Being in too many cliques is a recipe for disaster. If you stretch yourself too thin, you'll never accomplish anything.

Dang nabbit. I need to go again. Eleanor just got past my trip wire and is picking the lock to the principal's private office. I HAVE HAD IT WITH HER! How dare she throw such a stink about me reading her diary!? She doesn't think the word "privacy" applies to anyone except her. If you ask her, she'll say it's for a good cause, but I know the TRUTH!

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I watched Simon play basketball today. He still hasn't answered my text, but that's life I suppose. I have received several other texts. Some from the other cheerleaders and some from Jeanette….which are just random emojis because Jeanette is ATROCIOUS at texting. I got a text from Alvin that made me seethe with rage. He said, "I found a great ship name for you and Simon." I thought that he was being sincere, so I asked him what it was. I THOUGHT he would be supportive of our potential as a couple, but no. He had to go and be an obnoxious troll about it. He told me that the ship name for Simon and I should be "a load of BS." I know what BS stands for and I am not amused.

So, I have decided to make Miss. Smith the third judge for the science fair. Alvin will never win now, but I don't think that matters because last I checked, he still doesn't have an experiment.

Moving on, before I rant more about the newborn nerd. Dave wanted us all to work on some dumb song after school today. I had enough to deal with without that added in, but nobody cares. My creative juices just aren't flowing right now. I need a proper warning before just jumping in and writing things!

While I try and squeeze a hit song out of my head, I'm going to jot down some useful tips that I always think of.

#1. Don't overthink it. I am guilty of this one a lot. My perfectionism kicks in and causes me to micro manage every little thing. Remember, the songwriting process is difficult, but it relies on emotion. Unless you're writing a song about overthinking things, don't go round and round trying to decide the perfect words.

#2. Don't be a dictionary. It is a lot easier to rhyme smaller words than larger ones. You can throw in a big one now and then, but nobody wants to listen to a song that they need to crack a dictionary open to understand the meaning of. Simon, Jeanette and Alvin are SUPER guilty of doing this. I have told then countless times!

#3. Write what you know. Experiences are worth their weight in gold. When you write a song, you want the listener to feel that experience you're describing! If you're writing about a beach, talk about the ocean breeze and the waves and the sand. If you're writing about a mall, talk about the crowds of shoppers and the sweet smell of the perfume store. But again, DON'T USE REALLY COMPLICATED WORDS! You aren't Shakespeare!

Some of my award winning strokes of musical genius are Run The Runway, Hush Hush, OMG, Life Ain't Easy, We Are Sisters, All Day, All Night, and The Joke's On You. There's also Stuck To You which I wrote after an accident left me with a rare toad attached to my face. It left me relying on Alvin for a week to help me care for it (WHICH WAS IMPOSSIBLE) and that's what inspired the song.

Urgh! I am still not in the mood for this. I'm going to take a shower. Showers are great for inspiration. I would write a song about singing in the shower, but it's already been done. Sigh!

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Someone picked the lock on my diary. I found it lying open on the bed when I returned from my shower. I am POSITIVE I locked it before showering. I think I know exactly who is to blame. It's obvious, really. Eleanor probably stuck her grimy little gremlin paws all over it, thinking I was hiding information to help her solve her stupid mystery. This means WAR!

But DRAT! I don't have TIME to plot revenge! I still need to practice cheers, design my next bestselling dress, update my blog, pick the last two science fair judges, make Simon fall madly in love with me, and rehearse for our next big concert. I have too much on my to-do list. It's so stressful! Life isn't faaair.

I guess I just have to let Eleanor get away with it and take extra precaution to make sure my diary is hidden from prying eyes. I regret ever writing in this stupid thing. Why did Miss. Miller think this was a good idea? My private thoughts belong in my head and not in a book! Like, when am I ever going to go back and read through this? I have no free time! But, then again, it is good to process thoughts through writing I suppose. At least, that's what Theo says. Urgh, can life just STOP being so confusing already?

JEANETTE'S POV

Dear, Diana,

I really regret not listening enough to the family meeting yesterday. Important things were discussed and now I'm very behind. Ohhhh, this is like the roller rink thing all over again. It's like everyone else has the instructions for what to do next and I've got...diddly squat.

I woke up later than I usually do this morning, which meant I had to hustle through breakfast and getting dressed in order to not be late. I also panicked because my favorite butterfly necklace went missing. I don't know where it could be! I hope it turns up somewhere.

Because I still needed something to fidget with, I picked a nice translucent crystal dolphin necklace instead. Thank goodness I still have my butterfly ring that Alvin won at the arcade for me. It's one of my favorite fidget toys. I've also considered getting some of those necklaces that are meant to be chewed on. I could really use one. The urge to gnaw when I'm nervous is very strong.

On my way to school, I noticed that Alvin and Theodore were biking together. That looked very sweet. It's nice to see them spending time with each other. I waved to them, but I don't think they saw me.

I wondered why Simon wasn't with them, then I remembered how he's been acting. Poor Simon just isn't himself lately. I know he's a much kinder individual than this. There has to be something else going on, something I don't understand.

Theo has told me it's peer pressure. I don't know how to stop that. I've never once felt like I should do what my peers say if it's against my strict moral code. I can't put myself in Simon's shoes. I have no idea how he feels.

But I could find out! I could talk to Simon and just ask. What's the worst that could happen? He bullies me? Not like I haven't been called many rude names before. Besides, I know in my heart that Simon could NEVER say anything mean about me. He's my friend. Always has been.

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Good news, Diana! I have talked with Simon! He told me that he's only trying to act like this to make the basketball team worry about him and realize the error of their ways. It seems like a horribly dumb idea that probably won't work, but who am I to question Simon's methods. He is smart enough to know what he's getting himself into. I'm sure of it.

Brittany seems upset today. I don't know why or how to help, but I think I'll send her some nice and fun emojis to brighten her day. I'll brighten Theo and Alvin's too! Oh, and Eleanor! Can't forget her. Emojis for everyone!

I love to send people emojis. I'm so glad they were invented. A lot of times I can't find the right words I want to use and texts can get horribly misinterpreted. Emojis have a universal meaning so sending someone a happy smiling face to convey how happy you are or a sad face with tears to convey sadness is EASY.

I finished my worksheets in class early today and I had time to start thinking about new ideas for my stories. I want to write about a witch. The Owl House tv series has inspired me. With it ending soon, I'll need something to help fill the void. Hmm. Maybe instead of an original idea, I could write Owl House fanfics to continue the characters' adventures. How I would love to write about Luz and Amity on a romantic date together in the demon realm. I wonder what romantic customs they have in the Boiling Isles.

During lunch, I decided not to go to the library. The courtyard was a much better place to eat. I enjoy the outdoors more than the indoors. Although, the indoors is quieter and that's nice. The courtyard was quite busy and loud today.

Simon was there with the basketball team, talking about the game tomorrow. I didn't even know there was one. I have to be there, on time this time! Simon needs my support.

The more I watch his behavior, the more curious I became. It sure seems like more than an act. He looks so…natural playing the part of a typical jock. I don't think it's that easy to play against type. I'm becoming concerned that he's more comfortable with the role than he admits.

He even changed his glasses. Simon has never previously expressed any interest in changing his appearance. It was always plain blue shirts and jeans or kakis. And it was always Harry Potter style glasses that matched mine, only mine are purple and his were blue. At least the new ones are still the same shade of blue, even if they're an entirely different shape.

I'm probably reading too much into it. If Simon wasn't fine, he would have told me. He trusts me. Although, people can think they're fine and not be fine. I wish I knew what was really going on with him, Diana. I love him (platonically) too much to let him continue down this path for too long. What if his awful behavior winds up tarnishing his permanent record?

Oh man. Now I sound like Brittany. I HAVE to get my mind off Simon. It isn't my place to tell him right from wrong…when he already knows what he's doing is wrong.

To get a different perspective on Simon's situation, I tried to find Brittany after lunch. Unfortunately, I learned she was working and not attending her afternoon classes. She had to do science fair prep instead.

I looked around for Eleanor, but she was also absent. That didn't surprise me though. Eleanor misses class enough for it to not be considered out of character, but not so much that she's at risk for getting poor grades. She'll never win the perfect attendance award. That's fine by her though, since she has plenty of other trophies to fill her shelves.

At the end of the school day, I bumped into Alvin. He was frantically looking for his missing bike. He was sure someone stole it. I told him to retrace his steps and eventually we found out that he just forgot where he had parked it and chained it up. He thanked me for my help and I asked him how he was feeling. He told me that classic Alvin is still nowhere to be found and he doesn't feel quite right. Then he shrugged his shoulders and said "Oh well, nothin' I can do." I wish I understood what he was going through. It must feel like losing a best friend.

I took the scenic route back home and admired the beautiful evergreen forest. Then, I went to the park and did some relaxing swinging before I met up with everyone at the Seville house. Dave called another meeting. This one, I paid more attention to. It was all about writing ideas for a new song. At least that is something I'm good at. We all are, actually.

When writing a song, it's important to keep these three things in mind.

#1. Take advantage of inspiration. Let your imagination soar to new heights. Daydream, brainstorm, and feel the magic happen. I always like to draw out pictures that go along with my song ideas as I brainstorm.

#2. Know your limitations and don't overwork yourself. It's okay to stop and take a rest when your ideas stop coming. It's also important to make your brainstorming area sensory friendly and very accommodating. You can't focus on music if there are too many distractions. Although, maybe that's just me.

#3. Practice with rough drafts. It's impossible to come up with something incredible on the first try. You'd have to be a wizard or something. Accept that you'll have to go back and make edits and tweaks to each idea. That's the way to truly create a masterpiece.

My favorite songs that I have helped write are Giants In Action, Reach For The Magic, Knock Me Down, Fairytale, Busy As A Bee, and That's What Sisters Do. The one I wrote completely solo was The Place That I Belong. I wrote it back when my favorite tree was going to be cut down by mean ol Mr. Crabble. I did everything I could to save it. That tree is now my home and I hope it's my home for a long long time.

When I finished writing out my song ideas, I submitted the full list to Dave. He was very impressed. There was only one song idea on my list that he rejected. It was a song about cats. While it was rejected for now, he asked me to hang onto it because we might use that idea in the future. I sure hope we get to. If not, maybe I'll use that idea for Ms. Croner's birthday. It would make a great gift I think.

After I returned home, I ate dinner in the kitchen with Eleanor. We both ate different things. She had spaghetti and meatballs and I chose a hummus and bean pita wrap with a side of cucumber slices. It was very filling.

I told Eleanor all about my day and then about what she missed on the latest Monster High episode. I talked about my ideas for Owl House fanfics too. Honestly, I forget everything we discussed because it all just happened so fast. The conversation ended abruptly after she asked me about Theodore's fainting spells.

I excused myself and then went upstairs to hide in the bathroom. I couldn't actually enter the bathroom though, because Brittany was in there singing in the shower. Her voice sounded nice, but I couldn't focus on that. If Eleanor finds me, then she'll get the secret out of me. I hate keeping secrets, but I also really want Theo to be the one to explain everything. I don't feel like I could give the explanation without messing up something and turning it into a bigger deal.

Without any options left, I scurried into the attic to check on Pippi in the little house I made for her. I locked the attic door and stayed up there until I was sure Eleanor had gone to sleep. Then, I went back down into our bedroom to find Brittany still awake.

I asked her how her day went and she said "Why don't you ask our sister the snoop? Oh, wait, you can't because she's sleeping." I don't think I want to know what went down between her and Eleanor. It sounds like it got very ugly.

Goodnight, Diana. Thank you for being a constant in this everchanging world. I don't know what I would do without you.

ELEANOR'S POV

This is the private journal of Eleanor Nichole Miller. Anyone caught touching this will be SORRY!

Objectives

* Get information on the elusive Sabrina Nolan

* Make Theo admit what he's hiding

* Help Simon if he screws up his life (Pretty likely)

* SOLVE THE GREEN BEAN CAPER!

The day got off to a fine start. I made some vegan biscuits with jam for my sisters, tidied up the living room, and finished up the last bit of homework I had left over from yesterday. I was feeling confident! I had a game plan all laid out. I thought that I could finally check some things off my list of objectives.

But I was wrong! Dead wrong! My day was a series of one frustration after another. It all started when I visited Sabrina's first hour class. I asked around and someone who knew her told me that she wouldn't be here today.

Apparently, she had gotten sick. YEAH RIGHT! (Sarcasm) I know exactly why she was skipping school. She knew I was onto her! She knew I wasn't going to stop until I knew EVERYTHING she did. I was going to bust her butt and get her in so much trouble. Now, I couldn't do that. I needed a new plan.

Fed up, I returned to my morning classes and suffered through them. The work was fine, most of it was easy and what wasn't easy I could figure out later. I overheard Jeanette and Simon talking, but they weren't saying anything interesting to me, so I tuned them out.

Inside my head, I started laying out another plan. Sabrina thought she could avoid her fate by skipping school, but I was determined to prove her wrong. It was time for Operation: Make Sabrina Suffer. Torment is a very powerful motivator.

In order to make her suffer, I needed to dig up some dirt on her. I knew exactly where to find it. After all, my big sister spent all day in the office...next to the computer where all the permanent records are stored. I was positive if I walked in there and explained my case, Brittany would let me snoop through Sabrina's file. I could find out something embarrassing about her to use as leverage.

I was wrong about that too! Brittany crossed her arms and told me that she couldn't help. She didn't want to get caught and risk losing her job. I pointed out that she always complains about her job, so she must not really like it that much anyway. Then, she went full on diva mode and pushed me out of the office.

I walked down to the lunch room, angrier than ever. It felt like the entire world was conspiring against me. The entire world was looking down on me and laughing at me from being so bent out of shape over green beans. For a brief moment, I considered giving up. That's not something I do often. I felt very low.

Too hungry to care about the case, I made my way into the long lunch line. I had no patience for the line being this long, so I snuck behind the counter to serve myself as I sometimes do. There was a lot to pick from. I got a yogurt tube, some sweet potato fries, and apple slices.

Then, I saw the thing that had been mocking me for weeks. Green beans. It was a different brand of them and I could tell. They were army green instead of kelly green or forest green. They weren't the brand from the grocery store, but they still made me BOIL with rage at the sight of them.

I finished my lunch and decided to skip all my afternoon classes. Nobody would notice if I was there or not. Well, except Home Ec, so I decided I would attend that one and only that one.

I knew that Brittany didn't usually work in the office as much after lunch. I had a chance to slip in….or so I thought. I didn't get very far before I was shot at by several sticky darts. My sister came out from behind the computer laughing at my less than stealthy attempt to get the info. I asked her what she was doing there and she explained she had to pick science fair judges and Miss. Smith let her skip science class.

What followed was a game of cat and mouse. Every time I agreed to leave and pretended I wouldn't come back, Brittany set a new trap out to catch me. Honestly, I can't blame her. I wouldn't trust me either. I was caught by a snare trap, a spring loaded trap, several mouse traps (ow my feet), a silly string launcher, water balloons that made the floor slippery, and a trip wire that set off an alarm.

That last trap I managed to avoid setting off. I decided to stop trying for the computer and instead try and get the physical file from the principal's private office file cabinet. I was super duper close and then suddenly Brittany tackled me and tossed me out AGAIN. By that time, I was late for Home Ec class.

Home Ec class went okay. I baked some peanut butter and chocolate chip cookies, but my heart wasn't in it. I was in the mystery instead. If I couldn't talk to Sabrina or blackmail Sabrina, I needed to go back to pursuing Theodore for answers.

Come to think of it, Theodore avoided me all day. He was hanging out with Alvin instead. Hmmm. Maybe the secret to getting Theodore to talk lies with Alvin! If Theo faints or runs every time he tries to tell me, he could easily just tell Alvin and I could have Alvin tell me. Ahha! I have a new game plan.

I texted Cole and told him I had a lead on the case. I also told him all about my plan. I asked if he thought it would work. I needed a second opinion to make sure I wasn't, you know, consumed by insanity. He told me that it was the best idea he'd heard. That settles it, I know what I've gotta do.

After school was out, Dave called another family meeting. Boy, am I tired of those things. He said he would like our help writing a new song. He wanted to hear our ideas and combine them together into something amazing. Good luck with that, Dave. We're 6 very different kids. Our ideas usually don't combine that well.

I was NOT in the mood to write a song. After the horribly disappointing day I had, I just wanted to sleep it off and start over tomorrow. But, I also didn't want to let Dave down. I figured the others wouldn't come up with much. Plus, if I wrote a hit song maybe I could finally get some well deserved recognition!

I underestimated how hard it is to write a song from scratch. I made several attempts, but none of them were any good. I crumpled up the papers and threw them away. I doubt Dave would want a song whose lyrics consist of me complaining about how hard it is to solve a mystery.

Then again, I have written a bunch of songs about things that happened to me. There's Champions from when my soccer team finally won their first game. Monster Madness was a tribute to my love for werewolves. Let's Do This I wrote to inspire Theodore to complete an obstacle course in gym class. Ghost Party was for a haunted house. Warriors was about a dodgeball game. On Your Team was about baseball. Never Backing Down was about paintball. I'm gettin' a heavy sports theme here. Can I think of anything I have written that wasn't sports or monsters?

There's When Chipmunking Gets Tough! I love that one! It's very motivational! It's all about how rough it can be when you're little and everyone underestimates you. You gotta use your brains and determination to prove everyone wrong. There's no such thing as being too small!

Usually, when I write songs, I think of these 3 important tips.

#1. Write lyrics the way you talk. That's a surefire way to make your song ROCK. Got a phrase you love to use? Slip it in there and watch it become a trend. Nobody used "All about that bass" as a phrase until Meghan Trainor wrote a song called that. Songs have POWER!

#2. Start with the end in mind. It sounds crazy, but I promise it works. Gotta make that ending something to remember. Think of a song as a story you're telling. Stories need a good beginning, a memorable middle, and a end that ties everything together in a neat little bow.

#3. Don't Force It. If you really aren't feeling the flow, just stop and come back later. You aren't gonna make much headway if you feel stuck. Chances are, you're probably hungry or thirsty or in need of sleep. That's why I let the song wait until tomorrow. I knew I just didn't have it in me to come up with things worthy of sharing tonight.

I ate dinner with Jeanette and we talked about a lot of things. Well, mostly Jeanette talked. She was rambling on and on about any topic she could think of. It struck me as a little odd, but then again...she's usually odd. She started off talking about Monster High, then witches and The Owl House, then the newest story she's thinking of writing for her blog. After that, she switched the topic to helpful gardening tips and which species are the best pollinators.

I finally got a word in and asked her why Alvin hasn't worn his new jacket, what's up with Simon's new glasses, and why Theo keeps fainting. I didn't really care about the first two things at all. They were just false cues to stop her from realizing I was fishing for information on Theo.

Well, Alvin's been acting so weird and not wearing the jacket because he somehow made his classic self leave his head. Yeah, I don't really understand how that's possible, but whatever. Simon's new glasses are just for sports. Thank goodness. I don't hate the new ones, but his dorky round ones have a certain charm to them. I would miss them if he ditched them forever.

When Jeanette finished answering those two questions, she suddenly had to use the bathroom. She ran upstairs and didn't come back. Well, now it's obvious Jeanette knows what's up with Theo. It's also obvious that she doesn't trust me and won't tell me.

Maybe I have screwed up. I shouldn't be bending the rules so much. I should have focused on being honest and upfront with people. But gosh dang it! When I do that, nothing that needs to be done ever gets done. I HAVE to snoop! I HAVE to be sly and convince people to tell me what I need to know. It is my duty as a citizen who cares about the people in this town. All thieves must be brought to justice! This vigilante doesn't play around!

THEODORE'S POV

Dear, Diary,

I still haven't managed to tell Eleanor anything. I kinda avoided her all day today. I avoided Simon too. He's been a big meanie lately. I'm disappointed in him. He should apologize for everything bad he says and then shape up. I don't understand why people expect popular kids to be so mean.

On a happier note, me and Alvin had toaster waffles for breakfast today. They were super duper good! I added whipped cream, hot fudge and caramel syrup. I maaay be coping with the stress by eating food to raise my….uhhh…what does Alvin call it? Dope levels? Dopey-mean?

I don't know how to pronounce it, but it doesn't mean what it sounds like anyway. Basically it's like a brain reward system which isn't dopey or mean at all. Words sure are confusing.

Alvin and I biked to school after breakfast. I liked it a lot. It's been ages since we rode bikes together. I find it relaxing! We talked a little bit about school while we biked. I said I was feeling okay about it, but I wanted to avoid Eleanor because she's scaring me. I asked if I could hang out with Alvin the whole day. He said he didn't mind!

Brittany was still flirting with Simon in class. I think she still makes him uncomfortable, but he is starting to kind of flirt back too. I knew they'd somehow be a couple. It won't be long now before everything is official. The whole school is calling them Brimon. Maybe once Simon's heart is filled with romance, he'll stop being such a rude guy. Brittany has the power to save him from the ideas the basketball team is putting in his head. Although, she might have to wait until after tomorrow's basketball game to do it.

Lunch was tasty as usual. I had a protein bar and some broccoli and carrots. Then, I went up for seconds and got a burrito because I was still hungry. I tried to eat healthy to make up for the waffles I had at breakfast.

Alvin asked me if I could go to the library for him and check out a book. I wanted to help, but I still feel traumatized from being shoved in the dropbox by Sabrina. I quickly changed the subject to avoid discussing why Sabrina shoved me in the dropbox.

We talked about what went on at the family meeting and Alvin asked me if I really think he talks too much about the science fair. I told him that I think his effort will pay off somehow and that I shouldn't have asked him to stop talking about it. I know how important it is to him.

He said that Brittany doesn't like it when he talks about science and that he hopes to connect with her more after his mind is clear of science fair stuff. At least, I think that's what he said. He's very wordy, especially lately. I have to wonder if there's a deeper reason than being overly focused on the science fair.

I didn't even see Eleanor in the classes we had after lunch. I wonder where she was. At least I didn't have to actively avoid her if she wasn't there. My stomach started to feel queasy again. I could barely complete the one page paper that I was supposed to write on The Scientific Method. I wish my brothers were in science class with me. I miss being able to ask them for help.

At the end of the day, Alvin asked me to show him my art project. I got nervous because I didn't really want to think about the project and the connection it has to Eleanor's mystery. But, part of me was also really happy to show it off.

Alvin LOVED it! He said it was super creative and that I made him look great! I couldn't help but smile as the thought of mad Ellie faded from my mind for a bit.

When we got home, Dave told us to work on writing some new song ideas. That was so much fun! I love writing music! One of my best achievements in songwriting is a rap called Ice Cream Dreams and I swear it's cooler than it sounds. Err, I don't swear, I'm not allowed to swear. I PROMISE it's cooler than it sounds.

Here are my songwriting tips.

#1. Use instruments wisely. Determine what mood you want to set for your song. Is it a simple ditty that only needs an accompanying ukulele? Is it more of a pop song that might sound cooler with a synthesizer? Rock and roll electric guitar? The instruments that accompany the lyrics are just as important as the lyrics themselves.

#2. Accept Failure. Not every song idea is going to hit all the right notes. Don't be hard on yourself. Just brush it off and try try again. Hey, we actually have a song called Try Try Again.

#3. Record Yourself. A good way to figure out if the song sounds right is to record yourself singing it. It'll help you figure out exactly what works and what needs a tune up.

Some of my favorite other songs I've worked on are Best Of Buddies, I Think You're Yummy, Beautiful Day, Just Smile, Lucky Day, Knights Of Boogie, and I Promise. They're all songs that make you feel good inside! And a few of them have got great drum beats too!

When I went to show Dave my new song ideas, he liked them a whole lot. I can't wait to put ideas from all 6 of us together and collaborate on something really special. It's always super duper exciting! Though, working with bossy people like Simon, Britt, Alvin, and Ellie is challenging.

Since I had Dave's attention, I decided to tell him about Sabrina and the green bean disaster. He told me the same thing Jeanette said. Not telling Eleanor is worse than telling her. I told him I physically CAN'T tell her, because every time I do, I chicken out! He said to channel my inner bravery and that she wouldn't be mad at me once she understood I didn't know before.

I guess that was pretty good advice, but I'm still not sure I can tell her. I'm feeling like I'll pass out just thinking about it. Then again, I might be tired. I just need to think about better stuff. Like dinner! Gotta make myself some dinner and then I can watch Talking Teddy and then I can have a midnight snack.

I don't know what tomorrow has in store, but whatever happens…I'm sure it'll all work out for the best. Jeanette texted me and said Simon was handing out apologies today so it seems like the world is starting to go right again. Soon, all our problems will be over! I hope.

SIMON'S POV

This Journal is Property of Simon Oliver Seville

DO NOT TOUCH: ESPECIALLY YOU, ALVIN!

Guess what I got in the mail today! New glasses! Well, not really new glasses for all the time, I would never part with my round ones. These particular glasses are just for sports. I kept running into the issue of my usual glasses slipping off my face during basketball practice. Dexter and Greg introduced me to sports glasses.

I absolutely love these. They're oval shaped and fit snugly. They're still blue, but they're a great deal smaller than my usual glasses. They look a bit like goggles. I feel like they make me look….more mature, maybe even a little bit swaggalicious. (as Dexter would say)

They arrived this morning, before I left for school. Dave saw them and asked me what they were for, so I offered him an explanation. Then, we both made ourselves some French toast for breakfast. He asked me if I was going to tell the rest of the basketball team not to pick on the other kids, mainly Alvin. I told him I would do my best, but it wouldn't be so simple.

Dave also mentioned that he had a special assignment for us today. We needed to start thinking of a new song for our upcoming concert. It was still a month away, but being prepared is always better than being unprepared. I appreciate that my father shares my opinion on that.

I was very excited to think about the song possibilities throughout the school day. Perhaps I could write a song about peer pressure. No, wait, we'd already done that. I decided I'd have to be more original.

The school was abuzz with talk about the next basketball game. It's scheduled for tomorrow and this time I swear I will not wear myself out the day before. I will be awake and alert, no adrenaline serum needed. I have learned my lesson.

I did my best to be nicer to everyone today. I handed out apologies to those I offended when I was acting like a bully. Most people forgave me, luckily. To my dismay, Brittany saw me handing out apologies and then decided to come over and flirt.

I won't say I didn't kind of enjoy it. It felt good having someone praise me and talk about me in a positive way. She can get a little overboard sometimes though. She hugged me without my consent and I was forced to tell her to stop. I wish she was better at giving people space.

I haven't decided whether or not to pursue a relationship with her. Honestly, I may give it a shot. I'm feeling hopeful. If I can make her respect my space somehow, we may actually work out. It shocks me that I'm actually considering this.

Classes went well today. Not a whole lot to report on that front. I got to chat a bit with Jeanette. She was rightfully befuddled regarding the whole "Simon 2.0" thing. I explained to her that it was mostly an act and that I wasn't going to take it too far anymore. You should have seen the way her eyes lit up with relief. It was adorable.

When lunchtime came, I tried my hardest to talk to my teammates about…who I am as a person. I wanted to have a heart to heart, really allow them to get to know me. Unfortunately, they were all much too preoccupied discussing the basketball game. I must confess, I also found myself wrapped up in their convo. I showed them the sports glasses and they congratulated me on them.

I wore my sports glasses to AP science because I felt like it. I think Alvin may have blown a fuse in his brain when he saw me. He didn't fully recognize me at first. It was an awkward encounter. He accused me of purposely trying to become cooler than him. A bit of my confidence took over and I laughed and replied, "I don't even NEED to try."

He was furious after that. I quickly tried to remedy the situation by saying that they were only for sports and then I apologized for the mean things I'd said about him lately. I fear it wasn't enough. Alvin was rather quiet after our talk. Goodness knows what wild explanation he's coming up with for why I got new glasses. Maybe he thinks I'm infected by an alien parasite.

During basketball practice after school, I tried once again to get through to my teammates and quickly learned that was not the time or place. Maybe I'll have to invite them to the science fair to look at all the inventions with me. Then they might have a better idea of my hobbies outside of basketball.

I was frustrated when I got home. Dave suggested I channel that frustration into a song, which wasn't the worst idea. Writing songs can be extremely therapeutic. Some of my favorite songs I've written while stressed and frustrated include Get Yourself Together, The Magic Mixture, Does Not Compute, Explosion, That's A No, Never Gonna Drop, Out Of Luck, and Lost Starman.

My tips for songwriting would be the following…

#1. Avoid gratuitous use of autotune. I know, it's the 21st century and autotune is EVERYWHERE, but challenge yourself to limit it. Only use it a little to get the exact sound you're looking for in some parts. Too much autotune can make you sound robotic and less pleasing to the ear.

#2. Experiment with rhyme schemes. There are several to choose from. Patterns are fun to play around with. You also have to choose which words to put emphasis on by weaving them into your rhyme schemes. It's very complicated. More complicated than poetry for sure. People claim songs are just poems that are sung, but the truth is songs require much more effort than the majority of the population realizes.

#3. If you ever write a vent song that's very personal and you don't want anyone to see, BURN IT TO A CRISP. Don't just throw it away or your clueless dad might pick it out of the trash and turn it into a hit. It is EMBARRASSING. That's what happened to my love song about Mandi. I needed those mushy feelings out of my head, but NOT ALL OVER THE RADIO!

That's Songwriting 101, according to Simon Seville.

When my rough song ideas were all written out, I decided to wind down with a little bit of playing Mystic Mountain. Geizmo played with me and I taught him various key commands. One perk to having a robotic child is he's a very fast learner. It didn't take long before we were both fighting orcs and dragons together.

I wish I could have talked to Alvin again before he fell asleep. I think I could say things in a way he'd understand more now. I've had a lot of time to think about it and rehearse.

I only wanted to have a hobby outside of my usual ones. I never expected it to cause this much drama. I never expected the school to start treating me as a jock. I never expected to…LIKE being treated like a jock. Perhaps it's just how our universe operates. Too many stereotypes.

I have an idea how I could make it up to Alvin. I'll drop the science fair and I'll give him my project to enter, since he's still got nothing. Then, he'll truly know I care and that I don't want to lose our brotherly bond just because we "swapped statuses."

I have a feeling that this will work! And then, I can return to the conundrum of Brittany and what dating her will look like….if I decide to date her.

It's probably best I stop ruminating over this and get some sleep. No use discussing it until I've had time to process.

ALVIN 2.0'S POV

"You follow what you feel inside. It's intuitive, you don't have to try. It comes naturally. Yeah, it comes naturally." —Selena Gomez "Naturally"

Dear journal of my rambles and conflicting thoughts,

It feels so good to finally have a decent handle on the science fair project. Even though I'm still lacking half my personality, I feel like today might actually be an okay day.

I grabbed a toaster waffle before hopping on my bike and biking to school today. Theodore biked with me. He said he wasn't in the mood to hang around Simon, or Eleanor either for that matter.

I understood that completely. Simon's a ticking time bomb that could explode any day now and Eleanor is only focused on the weird vegetable mystery. She's decided Theo is a suspect again, so it's best for him to avoid her.

I'm all set for class now. For the first time ever, I have all the school supplies I need organized and on hand. Not because I organized them, Dave did it for me. I don't love his organization method either, but I don't feel the need to fight against it. MAN I MISS CLASSIC ME SO BAD!

Anyway, Miss. Smith has started talking so I better stop writing in this journal before she makes me read it out to the whole class. That would be SO embarrassing.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Okay, now I have a problem. Apparently Patrick (some random kid in our class) liked my science project idea so much THAT HE COPIED IT! Now, I need another project! This really grinds my gears! Obviously, being Alvin, everyone will assume that I copied his unless I change it.

So, I went to the library between classes to speed read more of the 101 Easy Science Fair Ideas book. I couldn't actually check the book out on account of all my late fees. But, there's no rule that says I can't read it inside the library without checking it out. Also, I am fairly certain the librarian hates my guts. Before I could grab another science fair idea from the book, she kicked me out and then posted a NO ALVINS sign on the door.

Theodore is being very clingy today. I'm starting to suspect that someone told him to keep an eye on me or something. It seems like everywhere I go he follows me. No, no, don't be paranoid. He just thinks I'm safer than Simon and Ellie. Yeah. That's it.

Simon's been less bad today. He hasn't picked on any more kids. Maybe what I said actually got through to him. However, Simon did do one thing that REALLY bothers me. He got SPORTS GLASSES.

Now, that might seem insignificant, but they aren't just ANY sports glasses. They are super duper cool and they've only made everyone fawn over him more! Especially his new number one fangirl Miss. Brittany Miller.

She won't shut up about him and she keeps telling me that he's the perfect blend of geeky and cool. I'M supposed to be the perfect blend of geeky and cool! ME! Not Simon! And Simon isn't cool! He's just copying what the rest of the basketball team does. He's gotta think for himself or he'll never be happy.

Anyway, I asked Theo if he could check the science project book out for me during lunch and he said no because the last time he entered the library during lunch, some jerk shoved him in the book return box. I asked him if the jerk's name was Simon and he just said he didn't wanna talk about it. Very peculiar.

Theodore showed me his art project and it looked pretty neat. I don't think he captured my likeness 100% authentically, but it was a good attempt. I think it's one of the coolest things he's made…and the biggest.

I'm gonna head home and see if I can find a new science project to do. Now, I just gotta remember where I parked my bike.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Good news! The bike was parked next to the school garden. Jeanette found it for me. She's amazing!

When I got home from school, Dave called all 6 of us to another meeting. He said he needs our help coming up with a new hit song. Why does he always need our help? He's the songwriter. I can write songs, but I don't have time to write hit songs while also attending school AND doing extra stuff on the side.

This is the WORST time to ask too! I need to be focusing on science and not singing and…wait a minute…Bam! New idea! How Music Affects The Brain! Ohoho! I could write the heck out of this!

Speaking of writing, maybe now is a good time to share some of my best songwriting tips.

Tip #1: Usually, songs have 2 verses, a chorus, and a bridge. You want the chorus to be the catchiest part and grab people's attention, but don't focus so much on the chorus that the other verses feel like they don't mesh well with the song.

Tip #2: There's a creative art to it! Have fun! Try out some new note combos! Don't just make a standard love song, put something in there to make it stand out. Make it unconventional!

Tip #3: If you want your music to be timeless, screw the trends. Sticking with popular trends only dates your lyrics and music. And I know…because I once wrote a song called Yolo. Looking back, it's a little cringe. Not that all cringe is bad, some of it can be fun. Cringey trends cut down on who can relate to your music though so just keep that in mind.

Hey, while we're on the topic of songs, I should write down some of my favorite songs I've ever written. Gotta Be Free is a fun one. I also love Play With Danger, The Weekend, DNA, Know Your Energy, All About The Act, and I Don't Care.

I'm So Popular used to be on that list, but I can't hear it without crying now so I don't think it's really a favorite anymore.

And now back to thinking up a song for Dave while also focusing on writing down facts about how music affects the brain. Boy, I have my work cut out for me.

But, I have some AWESOME NEWS! While I was reminiscing about songs I wrote years ago, a bit of classic Alvin came back! I still can't communicate with him, but I can feel his…my impulses and my extra creativity and my rebellious thoughts returning! I'M SAVED! Whooohooo!

Today sure was full of ups and downs, but I think things might FINALLY be turning around! And just in time!

I can't wait to share my song ideas with Dave. I hope he likes them and my new science fair idea. I would share them with him now, but he's busy discussing something with Theo. I know I gotta wait my turn, even though I have the impulse to just run in there and shout "Hey, Dave! Look what I wrote!"

It is so good to feel like more than just a nerd again! I think I'm finally ready to wear that varsity jacket Netta got for me….over my sweatervest.

Tomorrow is gonna be STUPENDOUSLY TERRIFIC!

Welcome back, Alvin's impulses! It's been so long. (3 or 4 days I think) As you can tell, things are heating up. Some stuff is about to go down! Please let me know what you thought of this chapter and who you think had the best songwriting tips.