AN: To all who are reading: Sorry for the looong time it took for me to update… I've been crazy busy with applications… anyway enjoy and r/r!

"Mr. Seville and Miss Miller… I want the two of you to go to the cafeteria to pick up the boxed lunches and cartons of milk we had to order for you ruffians" Mr. Talbot sounds gruff, but his eyes are twinkling slightly.

'Which Mr. Seville and which Miss Miller… there are 3 of each here, in case you hadn't noticed' Alvin retorts with a similar twinkle, causing Brittany to emit a single giggle, blushing as she earns an amused look from the chipmunk in red.

"Just for that… you two can go… no funny business… I expect to see all of you quietly eating your meals when I come back to check in five minutes…"

'It's a ten minute walk to the cafeteria… and in Britt's heels she'll never make it there and back in under an hour…' Alvin argues, shooting an infuriated Brittany a playful grin.

"I'll make it there AND back faster than YOU!"

'I'll have to CARRY you AND the food back!'

"You WISH!"

'You WISH I wish!'

"You WISH I wish you wish!"

"ENOUGH" The sparring chipmunks turn to face their principal… who is slightly red in the face. Alvin considers commenting that it's a good color on him, but for once decides to keep his mouth shut. Brittany pinches him warningly on the arm, seeming to guess what he is thinking.

"The two of you WILL go and get the food, and you WILL be back in twenty minutes… just to make sure, I'll stay here and wait…" Mr. Talbot glares at his two students in a way reminiscent of his werewolf days. With dramatic sighs, Alvin and Brittany head towards the hallway, earning eye rolls and smiles from their siblings.

In the hall, they walk quietly for awhile, in slightly awkward silence, until Brittany finally speaks up in a soft voice.

"You're not going to ask me out, are you…"

'I never said that, Britt…'

As they walk, Brittany starts to cry softly, causing Alvin to stop abruptly and pull her towards him. Snuggling into his chest, she sobs into his shirt, while he strokes her hair gently.

'Britt… you OK?'

"N-no… you're never going to ask me out… and- and-and it's all my fault!"

'Your fault? Britt… '

"I should have listened to Ellie when she said you probably had a good reason for leaving.. and for not calling… I should NEVER have gone out with Reuben… n-now… you don't want to ask me out because – "

'Because…?'

"Because you believe the rumors he started spreading after we broke up... you-you think…"

Brittany is getting carried away… and doesn't notice Alvin's slightly amused look.

"You think I SLEPT with him… well I DIDN'T… I wouldn't… somehow… I knew it wasn't right… and-and-and… when I broke up with him… he said… and EVERYONE believed… although they didn't after a while…and-and-and" she breaks into fresh sobs on his chest. He sighs as he rubs her back reassuringly, and pulls back slightly to look her in the eye.

'Britt… credit me with a little more intelligence than THAT…'

She looks up at him, hiccupping slightly as he continues.

'Yeah… you guys were together for a long time… and I'll admit I'm the last person who has the right to judge you…' Brittany narrows her eyes at this, wondering WHAT Alvin had been up to in the last couple of years.

'Besides, when he started going on about how HE gave you that scar on your hip I knew he was full of it…' Alvin grins cheekily at her, his face lighting up at a memory. Brittany smiles back, whacking him on the arm.

"You do realize you disfigured me for life…"

'You DO realize you started it…'

Flashback: The summer before Freshman year. The chipmunks and chipettes are having a barbeque by the beach, celebrating the fact that they are about to enter high school. Theodore is working the barbecue, with Eleanor helping him. Simon and Jeanette are talking excitedly about the subjects they plan to ace in school, and the societies they plan to join. Their older siblings are roasting marshmallows over a bonfire, bragging about how they plan to 'rule the school'

"You SO know I'll be head cheerleader…"

'And I'll be football captain…with ALL the perks' Alvin wiggles his eyebrows suggestively, causing Brittany to giggle slightly, and cover it up by tossing her head.

"Like dating the head cheerleader"

'Oh yeah… I mean… ALL the cheerleaders!' Alvin grins, flushing slightly. Brittany frowns at this, not willing to acknowledge the jealousy starting to bubble inside her.

"Like any cheerleader would want to date YOU…"

'I already got the numbers of three soon to be senior members of the cheerleading squad…' Alvin waves his little black book in front of his best friend, somehow thrilled at her flashing eyes. He's just noticing how pretty she is when she's angry when-

'OW! Britt!!!' Brittany had jabbed him in the side with her marshmallow skewer. Her HOT marshmallow skewer. Without thinking, Alvin retaliates, causing what was soon to be affectionately known as the 'skewer duel', ending only when both soon to be highschoolers lie on the sand, laughing, and clutching their sides.

"You DISFIGURED ME!!!"

'And you MAIMED me…'

"How am I EVER going to be head cheerleader with a SCAR on my side?"

'I think it's sexy…' Alvin smiles slightly as Brittany starts to blush slightly

'Besides Britt…at least now, no matter where we go, we'll always be connected…'

"Really?"

'Yup… we're scar buddies…' Alvin points to his own side, with a goofy grin that causes Brittany's breath to catch in her throat. They look at each other, smiling comfortably when Theodore and Eleanor join them, bearing plates piled high with burgers.

"Anyone who'd seen me in cheerleading practice, the girl's locker room or the beach since high school started would have known the scar was there…"

'Well… he'd had a hard time making people believe him before he tweaked his story to include that little detail. Of course, until I stepped in…' Alvin grins cheekily, causing Brittany to eye him suspiciously.

"Alvin… what did you do? Please don't tell me you stole the bio lab skeleton again…"

'Brittany… you shock me…' Alvin sticks out his lower lip in a mock pout. 'Have you EVER know Alvin Seville to repeat a trick…'

Brittany groans. "Not that he didn't deserve it… but… what'd you do, Alvin?"

'I didn't do ANYTHING… I thought you guys were still together and I didn't want to piss you off further by doing an Alvin on your boyfriend…' Alvin actually looks like he's telling the truth.

"If we were still together, why would he go around lying about me?"

'I thought he was being a typical blowhard jock…'

"I can't believe you didn't do anything to him… he was talking about ME! Remember in fifth grade when you chased Frankie out of the gym on a motorcycle because he was bothering me?" Brittany sounds more disturbed at the thought of Alvin not caring enough to stand up for her than she had been at the thought of Alvin pulling one of his trademark pranks on her ex boyfriend.

'Well…'

"Well?"

'I MIGHT have shown everyone my scar… and told them he must have given me mine too…'

"ALVIN…" Brittany's delighted tone doesn't match the glare she is trying to give.

'You know… that ex of yours turns a marvelous shade of purple… Jeanette should have been the one to date him…' Alvin grins mischievously as they start to walk towards the cafeteria.

Brittany starts to snicker "I'll bet Simon would LOVE that…" She slows down as she suddenly comes to a realization.

"It was you…"

'WHAT was me…'

"You were the one who got all of the others to back off of me… you were the one who convinced all those football jocks that Reuben was lying…" Alvin looks slightly uncomfortable as she looks at him with tears in her eyes. With his thumb, he gently brushes away hear tears, before flashing her his trademark lopsided smile.

'Don't you be going all soft on me, Miller…'

"My hero…" Brittany leans up and pecks him on the lips, giggling at his slightly goofy smile.

"Race you!"

Without warning, Brittany takes off down the hall, leaving behind a very surprised Alvin Seville.

'NO FAIR… YOU HAD A HEAD START… BRITT!!!!'