Chapter 5: Incomprehensible Boredom

11:30am

Alvin sat lazily on the couch, his arms behind his head. The TV was showing the winter extreme sports and it kept him slightly interested. But he had to admit…he was bored.

He looked across the couch to see Brittany lying on top of a glamour magazine, twirling her tail left and right and letting her feet play with it whilst she read. He glared at her. She hadn't let him out of her sights since Dave had left for his meetings. He'd go one way and her eyes would follow him like a portrait in a haunted house.

He rolled his eyes and looked back at the television. The sports had been replaced with a commercial. Alvin sighed and stood up. He started clawing his way up the couch until he was standing on the backrest

'Where are you going?' Brittany asked without looking up from the magazine.

'I'm getting something to eat' he exclaimed 'give me a break'

'Ok' she said innocently. Alvin mumbled as he leapt from the couch to the counter, landing with a slide on the slippery countertop. He walked to a bowl of cheese balls that constantly sat on the countertop. He heaped as many as he could in his hands and chucked one in his mouth before turning back and readying himself for the leap back to the couch.

He paused for a second as an idea popped into his head. He focused on the couch, positioning his feet just right and once he was ready, he jumped, doing at least two forward flips before landing perfectly on the couch, right next to Brittany.

One cheese ball had escape in mid air, but once Alvin landed he quickly caught it on its way down.

'Oh yeah!' he said as he jumped around on the couch 'the judges go crazy, ten out of ten'

He smiled down to Brittany who just looked up at him. She sighed and reached behind the pillow, puling out a chipmunks sized clipboard. They had taken all their school gear from toy dolls and such. And what they couldn't get, they had specially made, like Brittany's pink sparkly pen she pulled out from behind her ear.

She pulled the clipboard out and began to write on it. Alvin looked at her nervously.

'Uh Brittany' Alvin chuckled 'what uh, what are you doing?'

'I'm not going to yell at you for breaking the doctors orders' She said calmly as she put the final dot on her note

'Soooooo?' Alvin wondered

'So I'm just going to write down everything you do, so Dave can read it when he gets back'

'What!' Alvin cried. Brittany looked up at him and smiled. Alvin looked at her angrily 'stop it?' he ordered. Brittany started writing again

'Anger levels rising' she dictated

'Alright that's it' Alvin said as he jumped at her. But Brittany was just as quick, launching up and away from him.

Alvin chased Brittany across the living room, jumping from couch to coffee table to dining table and everywhere else they could go.

'Give me that clipboard!' Alvin yelled as he chased her

'Unnecessary running' Brittany said, taking a second to write it down, before launching off again with a giggle.

'I'm serious Britt, if you don't give me that clipboard I'm gonna-'

'Angry threats' Brittany interrupted.

'Killing Brittany' Alvin angrily added

'Good one thank you' she said as she landed on the countertop, sliding along whilst writing her notes.

Suddenly her feet got grip on the bench and she stopped sliding. She looked up from her board just in time to see Alvin sliding directly towards her with speed

'ALVIN!' she cried, but she was too late. Alvin crashed into her, knocking both of them off the counter top and straight onto the floor with a thud.

'Alvin!' she cried as she tried to push him off of her. But Alvin just looked around to try to find the clipboard.

His eyes hooked onto it just across from them slightly and he smiled. But the smile quickly disappeared as a hand grabbed it.

Simon, Theodore, Eleanor and Jeanette stood looking at them, Simon holding the clipboard.

'What…uh' Simon said as he rubbed the back of his neck 'what the heck are you two doing?'

Alvin and Brittany looked at each other, then back to the others without moving.

'Uh' Brittany said 'nothing'

'Just relaxing' Alvin said as he stood up and helped Brittany to her feet 'you know…heheh'

Simon looked down at the clipboard and read the notes. He sighed deeply, and then looked up to Alvin.

'Alvin' he began 'you're supposed to be taking it easy' Alvin rolled his eyes, then angrily looked at Simon

'Why?' he complained 'I feel fine!'

Everyone just stood around, not quite sure what to say. Theodore moved over to Alvin and placed a hand on his shoulder

'Alvin' he said slowly.

'You know what' Alvin said as he pushed Theodore's hand off 'whatever'. And with that he walked off and towards the front door.

Theodore's nose started to twitch as he looked down as his feet. Eleanor and Simon both half hugged Theodore.

Brittany looked at Theodore and sighed. She looked at Simon who was gesturing with a nod at Alvin. She nodded and ran off after him

'Alvin' she said as she ran behind him

'Why wont you leave me alone?' Alvin said, throwing his arms in the air.

2:00pm

Alvin sat on the table with his brothers and the Chipettes. They all gathered around the monopoly board to play a friendly game.

Alvin had gotten over his initial Anger spurt as he quickly realized that they were just worried about him.

So he said his apologies to Theodore and they had made up over a game of monopoly.

However Alvin wasn't going so well. He was down to his last couple of notes, none of his properties matched and if he rolled anything other then a five, he was going to land on one of Brittany's properties.

And what was worse…it was his roll.

'Well Alvin' Brittany said with a smile

'Give me a second' Alvin said

'Just roll the dice' Simon groaned

'Ok ok ok' Alvin said. He held the dice in his two hands and looked down at the board 'this one's for the grand finals' he yelled as he threw the dice up.

They rolled into the middle of the board slowing down until they finally came to a stop

…he had rolled a four

'Well well' Brittany said rubbing her hands together 'I believe you owe me some money Alvin'

Alvin looked down at his two notes, it wasn't nearly enough to pay her. He scratched the top of his head, then looked up to her.

He put on his biggest fan pleasing face as he slyly walked over to where she sat cross legged. She just looked at him

'sooo' he said smoothly 'what's it gonna take to let me stay on your lovely property for free?' he ran his hand gently across her face and gave her button nose a light tap. Brittany giggled as he tapped her nose

'Oh Alvin' she said softly. But suddenly her face snapped to a stern look 'its will be two hundred…just like everyone else' she gave him a sly smile

'Drat!' Alvin complained 'but I don't have enough to pay you'

'Hmm' Brittany said as she rubbed her chin 'well, maybe we can come to some sort of arrangement'

'Now we're talking' Alvin said excitedly

'For starters I want your income when you pass go to pay off the fee'

'Done' he agreed

'Also, give me one of your properties'

'Uh, agreed'

'Aaaaaand' Brittany added 'you have to get my water bottle from the fridge'

Alvin looked left to right, but sighed 'Alright' he said as he walked off the edge of the table and to the kitchen.

'Nicely handled' Jeanette said

'A natural business woman' Eleanor added

'A natural Alvin handler' Simon corrected, making everyone giggle

'Har di har har guys' Alvin yelled from the kitchen, obviously hearing Simon's comment.

He pulled on the Fridge door until it finally opened. He grabbed Brittany's water bottle from the bottom shelf and closed the door behind him.

Just as the fridge door sealed shut behind him Alvin heard the phone begin to ring.

He hopped up to the counter and pushed the button on the hands free phone.

'Yeah, I mean' Alvin quickly corrected 'Seville residence, Alvin speaking'

'Alvin!' Ryan, the star quarterback's irreplaceable voice tolled out. Alvin quickly turned the volume on the phone right down.

'Ryan' he whispered excitedly

'What's happening Buddy?' Ryan asked

'Uh' Alvin stalled. He was the last person he wanted to tell about his illness 'just chilling dude' he lied smoothly

'That's what I wanted to hear' Ryan said. He could here Xander and a few other people in the background 'So Alvin'

'What's up dude?'

'Xanders parents are away for the weekend, so we're having a massive blowout tonight'

'A party!' Alvin exclaimed quietly

'Yeah bro' Ryan said 'you should come over now for some pre party partying'

Alvin did a little dance in excitement 'you know I'll be there Ry god'

'No he won't' Brittany's voice seemed to come out from nowhere. Alvin looked across to see her walking up to the phone. She looked at Alvin angrily.

'Sorry Ryan' Brittany said, moving over and leaning on the phone with her arms crossed and her eyes fixed on Alvin 'Alvin wont be going tonight'

'Uh' Ryan said 'who is this, you guys kinda all sound the same on the phone'

Brittany sighed 'this Is Brittany' She said 'and I'm telling you Alvin won't be coming tonight'

'Well, why not?' Ryan asked

'He's just been in-' but she was interrupted by Alvin who was looking at her with wide eyes and giving her the "no no no don't say anything" signal 'uh' Brittany stalled 'he's just not coming tonight is all'

Ryan sighed into the phone 'that sucks dude' he said

'I know' Alvin said 'sorry dude'

'It's alright Brittany' Ryan said 'its not your fault'

'Uh, it's Alvin again' Alvin corrected

'Oh, well' Ryan began 'I guess all I can say is have fun sitting at home being bored' Alvin sighed

'Oh I will' he said sarcastically. Ryan hung up the phone and it went silent.

Brittany looked at Alvin with crossed arms.

'What was that?' she asked

'Uh' Alvin stalled 'party'. Brittany looked at him angrily

'Alvin that's probably the last thing you need right now' She said 'peer pressure is probably the worst kind of pressure, and you know there would be heaps of it at a party like that'

Alvin went to find an argument, but his mind drew a blank

'Do you want to do this show tomorrow night?'

'Yes' Alvin squeezed out

'Even worse do you want to get as sick as you were last night, or maybe even worse?'

Alvin went to speak again but all that left his mouth was the air in his lungs.

'Is everything alright?' Eleanor asked from the table. Brittany stared at Alvin for a few seconds more before moving away and back towards the table.

Alvin just bit his lip…she was right.