Realizing how upset she was, Alvin and his brothers walked over to Meg.
"Seriously, Alvin, not now!" she snapped.
"Aw, Meg, don't take it so bad," said Alvin. "We just want to cheer you up!"
"Honestly, I don't want- or need- any cheering up right now."
"Say what you want, but he does mean well," said Simon. "I mean, I know, I can get annoyed by him too."
"Yeah, I can see that," said Meg. "But anyways."
"Yes?" asked Alvin.
"As I was saying," she told them. "Get the hell out of here!"
They said nothing, but merely stood there, completely shocked in silence. Then, out of nowhere, Simon got an idea.
"You know, guys, perhaps I should just ask her what's going on," he said. "We don't have to stay long, so long as she's happy.
"Um...Simon?" said Alvin. "Remember the last time we took advice from you? We all know how well that worked out."
"Hey, look guys," said Simon. "I know you guys sound pretty apprehensive about my idea, but trust me, it can wrk! If we warm ourselves up to Meg, we can finally earn her trust!"
"Um, Simon?" asked Theodore. "What does "apprehensive" even mean?"
"Good question," said Alvin. "Come to think of it, Simon, what "does" apprehensive even mean?"
But it was too late. He'd already left to go comfort Meg.
"Um...Meg?" he said, opening the creak of her door. "Look, I know it's kind of hard to talk right now-"
Meg was kind of apprehensive, but still decided to turn around, to see who was willing to talk with her.
"Simon?" she said, surprised yet somehow relieved at how comforting the voice, squeaky as it was.
"Yeah, it's me, your brother, seeing what's up," he said. "Would you be willing to talk?"
"Sure, I guess," said Meg, inviting Simon up on her bed to sit.
"So," said Simon. "I'd hate to get all Dr. Phil on you, but- what's going on?"
"What do you mean?" asked Meg.
"You know," said Simon.
"The thing with you guys embarrassing me in front of my family?" said Meg.
"Well, yeah," said Simon. "Your brother sounds like a real piece of work. Believe me, I've got two of them!"
"So do I," said Meg. "What's news?"
"I guess what I'm trying to say is, I understand what you're going through-"
"No, you don't!" said Meg. "I finally warm up to you guys, and now, my brother is ruining it! For all I know, the exterminator could be coming right up here!"
"Sounds like you need a song," said another squeaky voice.
"You're going to do another song?" said Meg.
The boys looked at each other.
"You know what? That sounds so adorable," she continued. "Go on, bring it!"
"Well, you heard her," Alvin told his brothers. "Let's give her all we got! And a-one, and a-two, and a-three-"
Suddenly, all three boys belted out into singing "It Ends Tonight."
Your subtleties, they strangle me
I can't explain myself at all
And all the wants and all the needs
All I don't want to need at all
The walls start breathing, my mind's unweaving
Maybe it's best you leave me alone
A weight is lifted on this evening
I give the final blow
When darkness turns to light
It ends tonight, it ends tonight
A falling star, at least I fall alone
I can't explain what you can't explain
You're finding things that you didn't know
I look at you with such disdain
The walls start breathing, my mind's unweaving
Maybe it's best you leave me alone
A weight is lifted on this evening
I give the final blowWhen darkness turns to light
It ends tonight, it ends tonight
Just a little insight won't make this right
It's too late to fight, it ends tonight
It ends tonight
Now I'm on my own side
It's better than being on your side
It's my fault when you're blind
It's better that I see it through your eyes
All these thoughts locked inside
Now you're the first to know
When darkness turns to light
It ends tonight, it ends tonight
Just a little insight won't make this right
It's too late to fight, it ends tonight
It ends, when darkness turns to light
It ends tonight, it ends tonight
Just a little insight won't make this right
It's too late to fight, it ends tonight
Meg didn't say anything. She didn't have to. As Alvin and his brothers could see in her face, her smile told it all.