Alvin returns to school with the braces and tries to survive the last days of the school year. Summer vacation is just around the corner.
Now that he's trying not to care about his looks, will it help him? Or just make him feel worse? You're about to find out.
Also, I apologize if the lisp is tricky to read. Usually, I don't spell out the lisp as it sounds, (in the case of Cheesy) but since Alvin isn't normally like this, I kinda need to. I also spelled out Cheesy's too so that readers who aren't familiar with Alvinnn can get an idea of what he sounds like compared to Alvin. Cuz they have two slightly different lisps.
Also: Alvin won't have the lisp the rest of the story. Just this chapter mostly.
Theodore's POV
Boy, Alvin's life sure had taken a big nosedive. Why were all of these bad things happening to him? He needed to be cheered up. I'm usually really good at cheering people up. Today though, none of my ideas were working.
"Hey, Alvin." I said sweetly. "Do you wanna play Mystic Mountain with me?" That's one of his favorite computer games.
He sat on his bed, not moving. His eyes looked duller than their usual bright blue color. He stared right past me, like I wasn't even there. His hair was a mess and he wasn't even wearing his cap.
I tried a new idea. "What about watching a movie? Like that one you like about the guy who skips school?" It was an 80s movie. The guy's name started with F I think. It was called something something's Day Off.
He slowly shook his head.
"Maybe we could go shopping and get you another pin for your pin collection?" I opened up his nightstand drawer and looked at the 4 different pins inside. There were pins shaped like a guitar, a rocket ship, a green alien head, and one shaped like the letter A. (That last one was an official AATC fan club pin.)
Alvin shook his head again. He took off his red hooded jacket and tossed it on the floor, then, he flopped backwards on the bed in his neon blue T shirt that said E=MC squared on it. I didn't know what that meant, but I knew it was a physics thing.
"Come on, Alvin." I begged. "Work with me."
He curled up in a ball and trembled.
Simon and Dave came into the bedroom. I was glad they were here for backup. It seemed like I wasn't gonna be able to help Alvin on my own.
"How's he doing?" Dave asked, his face all sympathetic. He was sometimes hard on Alvin. He had to be less hard on Alvin now that the world was being hard enough on Alvin.
I frowned and climbed onto my own bed, to cuddle with Talking Teddy. "Not good. He won't say anything and he keeps staring into space."
"He's processing another unforeseen change in his beloved appearance." Simon explained.
"Is he going to go to school like this?" I wondered aloud, staring up at Dave.
My dad ran a hand through his, so dark brown it could be black, hair. "I don't know. There's only a week left of the marking period." He bit his lip. "But I also know it'll be hard on him."
"I hear you thalking about me." Alvin finally said something! The braces made him unable to say S sounds, but at least he could still talk.
Simon sighed and climbed up onto his bed, grabbing his math book so he could study it more. "What do you want to do, Alvin?"
His voice was as dull as his eyes. He actually sounded a lot like Simon. It was more noticeable when you could hear them back to back. "I mighth as well juth go to thcool." His lip with the healing cut on it quivered. "Ith whath nerdth like me do."
"What happened to only being half a nerd?" I asked softly, rubbing my hands on Teddy's fur to help calm me down. I was worried Brittany was right. Alvin hadn't lost himself before, but now he was pretty much all gone. As Simon told me, our big brother was facing the "blue screen of death" which is a computer term.
Alvin looked at us, misery all over his face. "Brathes happened. Thith thupid lithp happened. Clearly, my dethtiny ith to thuccumb to the nerdineth within."
"Here we go again." Simon rolled his eyes, focusing on the book. "You think that just because you look like a stereotype now, you have to act like one."
"You can be whoever you want to be, Alvin." Dave sat down on Alvin's bed and motioned for Alvin to come closer to him.
My oldest brother didn't want to. He just kept on complaining. "Whath the pointh of acthing the way I wanth when all anyone elthe will thee ith a thereotype?" He asked. "Migth ath well make it eathy on them."
"Don't do that, Alvin. There's a gap in my front teeth and people hardly even notice it. Maybe people won't notice your braces either." I squeaked. I had to encourage my brother somehow. I wouldn't rest until he was okay again.
"Oh they'll notice." Simon wasn't helping. "However, If you ignore them, eventually, so will everyone else."
Alvin wailed. "Noth thrue! Nobody ignoreth me. Ever! My perthonalithy demandth atthention." He gulped. "Thometimeth, I wisth ith didn'th."
I was super worried now. "You don't want attention?"
He shook his head.
"Okay, this is worse than I thought." Dave murmured.
"And my mouth hurth!" Alvin added. "I hathe thith!"
"Get some sleep, Alvin. You can decide what to do in the morning." Dave picked him up and tucked him under the covers.
At that moment, I vowed, I would find a way to help Alvin. I would stick by his side, protecting him as good, err well, as I could. I could be like a superhero! I've always liked superhero movies. It's the one geek thing I can really get into, cuz it doesn't require an understanding of science.
Well, science is more a nerd thing. Okay, let me see if I can remember what Simon said, cuz, I might need to know it to help Alvin. Simon told me that geek, nerd, and dweeb all meant different things. Most people used them all to mean the same thing, but they weren't supposed to.
Geeks were into superheroes, comics, collecting odd stuff, watching sci fi movies, videogames, and stuff like that.
Nerds were into science, math, history, books, learning in general, Oh! and computers too! Not computer games, more like the way computers worked.
Dweebs were awkward, dorky, clumsy, socially challenged, and usually labeled as total weirdos.
Wow, I think that means Alvin's all three now…just like Simon. Jeanette seems more like a Nerd and a Dweeb than a Geek, but she DOES like to collect odd stuff. Honestly, trying to figure out all these labels is hard. If people didn't go around labeling each other, maybe we could all get along without people feeling bad.
Although, I guess some labels feel good. Simon is proud to call himself a nerd. He wears it like a badge of honor. Brittany loves being seen as a popular princess and cheerleading star. Eleanor enjoys it when people call her a tomboy. Jeanette's always talking about how she's proud to be a weirdo. And, Alvin was really happy when he got his ADHD label because he said it helped him understand himself more.
What's my label? Cuz I don't want it to be "baby" or "dumb one" or anything like that. Oh! I remember now. I'm the sweet one. Although, that feels kinda wrong to say because it means that the rest of them aren't sweet, right? I think Eleanor is very sweet underneath that tough girl-ness. Britt is really nice too, as long as you aren't Alvin. Jeanette is as sweet as I am. We get along really really good! She tells me lots of fun stuff. Simon's got a compassionate side too, even if he's too scared to let it show. And Alvin, well, even before Jeanette's lessons he was a nice person! With good intentions, most of the time.
Anyway, I am rambling. I bet you are all wondering how school went for Alvin. He surprised everyone when he woke up still wanting to go. Between you and me, I think he only went because Jeanette would be there.
I watched closely as Alvin scurried into the classroom. He carried his books tight to his chest and then took his seat.
"How's it going so far?" I whispered.
"I'm noth going tho think abouth the other kidth. I'm going tho focuth on mainly me." He rubbed the sleeves of his bright neon blue hoodie.
"Hey, Alvin." Bocarter called out, tauntingly. "Where's your cap?"
Alvin didn't answer. I wondered why he wasn't wearing his cap too. It was a pretty big comfort item. I also wondered why he had brown streaks growing in his hair. There weren't many of them, just a few. They were right on the tippy top of his head. Britt says that's where roots grow back in if you get your hair dyed. The weird thing was, Alvin DIDN'T dye his hair.
Ray Ray snickered. "Did you decide that caps are only for cool guys?"
"Yeah!" Annie added. "And you don't need one anymore because you're the most unpopular kid in school?"
Alvin gasped at that, he'd known he wasn't popular anymore, but he didn't realize how far down people said he'd fallen. Gasping wasn't a good idea either, cuz it gave everyone a full view of the braces.
"You guys, look! He's just getting dweebier looking by the day." Amber almost fell out of her chair laughing.
"Hey, cut it out you guys." Kevin stood up for Alvin. "He's just going through an awkward phase."
"Yeah!" Cheesy added. "Awkward phashes are part of life. Sheriously, give Alvin a break."
"Ath leath I hope ith a phathe." Alvin muttered.
Cheesy looked offended. "Dude, mocking my lishp ish not cool."
My oldest brother groaned. "I'm noth thrying to mock you, Cheethy. I can barely thalk with theethe things." He sputtered.
"Oh….that shucks, man. I'm shorry." The guy with the hilarious food based name sat back in his seat.
I decided I needed to get everyone to settle down. WWED. What would Eleanor do? She was good at leadership, whenever people noticed her enough to listen to her leadership.
I blocked out the commotion as the other students all started arguing with each other over whether Alvin was going through a phase or not. I made my way to Miss. Smith's desk and climbed up on top of it.
"Hey!" I shouted, as loudly as I could. "You should all be nicer to each other!"
"Why?" Bocarter asked.
To my surprise, Jeanette joined me. "Because we all have to share this planet. Every single one of us can make a difference. We can build a better and kinder world." She put her hands on her hips as she stood next to me on the desk.
"And if you aren't nice…" I threatened. "Then karma will get you!" That sounded like something Eleanor would say. Sometimes, people have to be scared straight.
"Like, what's a karma?" Amber asked.
Annie folded her arms and leaned back in her chair. "She sounds lame."
"Uhhhh…" I wasn't sure exactly how to explain it. Maybe Jeanette could. I stepped behind Jeanette and let all eyes be on her.
She'd come a long way since Alvin taught her how to be more confident and better at speaking in public. Before, she was super duper shy and really freaked out. Now, it still freaked her out a little, but she could do it.
"Karma is.." Jeanette coughed a little and cleared her throat. "Sorry, excuse me, Karma is the belief that the sum of a person's actions decide their ultimate fate. If you do mostly good things, then you have good karma. If you do mostly bad things, you have bad karma. A karmic punishment, is one designed to make you pay for the bad or mean things you do. For example, a rich and greedy guy being crushed by giant stacks of cash." She looked directly at Bocarter as she said that.
"Yeah!" I squeaked. "And another example is how Alvin always made fun of nerds, so the bad karma from that turned him into one."
"On the outside, the inside, everywhere." Brittany muttered angrily.
The whole class was staring with really freaked out looks on their faces.
"Fun fact: Karma comes from the Sanskrit word karman, which means action, effect, and fate." Jeanette finished.
Miss. Smith walked into the room. "Let me guess. Now you guys want to teach class too?" She asked Jeanette and me.
I shook my head. "Nope. I think we scared everyone into behaving." I jumped off the desk.
Jeanette followed me. "You can take over again."
After that, class started. Nobody else said a peep about Alvin's new braces. My idea had worked! I wasn't gonna be like Simon and Alvin and start bragging about my genius, but it felt good that my idea had worked.
Unfortunately, it hadn't cheered Alvin up any. He still looked pretty miserable. There had to be something else I could do!
During lunch, Alvin and Jeanette weren't in the cafeteria. I assumed they were probably in the library, so I checked there. They weren't, for whatever reason. I went back to the lunchroom and then eventually spotted them outside in the courtyard. They were sitting under a tree and Alvin was scribbling on a notepad while Jeanette played with the butterfly pendant hanging around her neck.
"What are you guys up to?" I asked. "And can I join in?" I wanted to keep an eye on Alvin.
He looked peaceful right now. Calmer. Like Simon said, being around Jeanette has that effect. "We're working on my acrothic poem tho I can path my writing clath with flying colorth."
"He forgot to turn it in a while ago, but Miss. Smith's letting him make it up." Jeanette explained. "Because he's been doing so well on everything." She handed Alvin a box of red colored candy.
"Are you supposed to eat that with your braces?" I asked, taking a seat next to Alvin.
He shrugged. "Ya gonna call the copth on me?" He joked. It was good to see some of his rebel personality returning.
"No." I replied. The candy smelled really good. Cherry flavored. One of my favorites. "Can I try some?"
Alvin got that weirdly panicked look in his eyes again. He clutched the box protectively. "Nohoho! Ith mighth thurn you intho a nerd thoo."
Jeanette just giggled. "No, it won't." She reached into her purple backpack with stars and handed me an identical box of cherry flavored candy. The label said Nerds on it. Ohhhh that's why Alvin thinks it'll turn me into a nerd. Of course!
"We don'th know thath!" My paranoid brother went on. "They make homework really eathy for me, but if I eat thoo many, I feel thick."
"Oh wow! I hope they make homework easy for me too." I took a handful and crunched them. I can't believe I'm saying it, they were almost TOO SWEET! So sweet it was overpowering. "Ick! Nevermind, I think I'll stick to doughnuts. Thanks for letting me try them though." I handed the box back to Jeanette.
"Have you picked the vocabulary word you want to use, Alvin?" The kind Chipette in the light purple dress with bug designs on it asked.
Alvin nodded. "Thath abouth ath far ath I goth." He flipped the notebook around to show us the word he'd written vertically on the page. STEWPENDUS.
Jeanette held back a giggle. "Great word choice, but, uh, it's spelled wrong."
Alvin's face turned redder and he ripped off the notebook page, crumpling it up and starting to write on the next page.
"I thought it was spelled like that too." I said, hoping it would make Alvin less embarrassed. I don't think it did. "What's the assignment uhhh…cri…"
"Criteria." Jeanette finished for me. She read the instructions on Alvin's worksheet out loud. "Describe yourself by creating acrostic poem with a chosen vocabulary word."
Alvin started to complain and stood up to pace. "Greath. Cool. How am I thupposed to dethcribe mythelf when I don'th know who I am? I've changed thoo much. I don'th know me! I don'th know who I wanth thoo be either!" He shrieked in frustration. "Or who I even can be withouth my thinging career! Thath, ith why thith thtupid poem thtill isn'th writthen even though it wath due already. Ohhhh." He plopped back down on the ground with a loud groan.
"There, there." I told him soothingly.
Jeanette calmly held Alvin's hand. "It's okay. It's okay. We'll get through this. Remember to breathe."
Alvin pulled his hand away and flipped the notebook around to write on a different page. "Here! Here'th all I've got. Dethcribe mythelf? Okay, thure! I can do it in one word! CONFUTHING! That'th ith!" He started to calm down again, after dropping the notebook on Jeanette's lap. "That'th all I goth. I know NOTHING elthe."
The girl in purple continued to be really patient with him. If Simon and Dave were here, they would have blown up when he had his outburst. Jeanette was really good for Alvin, even though Britt said she's stressing him out.
"Sure you do. In fact, I think now is a great time to start describing the person you want to become." She started to write down something on the notebook, but I couldn't see.
Alvin sighed. "I don'th know who I wanth thoo become." He touched his hair. "Thimon, apparently. Whatever Thimon ith. Thath whath I wanth thoo be."
I frowned. "Are you saying that because you really feel that way? Or because you think that's how people want you to feel?"
Tears sprung up behind his glasses. "I don'th know anymore."
"Yikes." Alvin's problems were DEEP.
Jeanette shook her head. "You've got to really look inside. Ask yourself what traits you value and which ones you're trying to improve."
"I forgeth." Alvin moaned, punching his first into the tree. "When I look inthide, all I find ith broken remainth of the guy I wath before….mixthed with random pileth of new knowledge. And thupid phythicth."
"That's not good." I commented.
Jeanette chewed the eraser of her pencil. "Think harder, Alvin. Why did you come to me for lessons? What was the goal?"
"Thoo be more open-minded." He replied. Now, he was finally getting somewhere. "And underthanding."
"Precisely." Jeanette's deep indigo eyes sparkled.
"And you made me a lot more thenthitive." Alvin went on, staring at Jeanette as he started to make progress. "Which I didn'th like at firth, but I DO like it now."
"Open-Minded for O, Sensitive for S, Understanding for U." I said as Alvin started to fill in the poem. "Now, you're cooking!"
"Altho thmarth." He scrunched his nose as he tried to talk in his usual way. "Thmart…Ssss…mart!" He rubbed his jaw. "Ow! I hathe theethe things."
"Great, what else?" Jeanette encouraged.
Alvin smirked, which looked pretty funny with the braces on. "I thill wanna be a daredevil!" He announced boldy. "And I wanth thoo be…" He slowed down to enunciate more. "talented! AND proud of all my talenth." Then, he looked worried. "Thath okay, righth?"
Jeanette and I smiled at him. "Of course!"
"You mean thereth a differenthe bethween pride and arroganthe?" He wondered.
The girl in purple nodded. "Absolutely. It's okay to be proud of your accomplishments. When you start constantly shoving them in people's faces, that's when pride turns to arrogance."
"I geth it! I get it! Ow!" He rubbed his jaw again. "Sssso…" He gave up trying to fight the lisp. "Whath you're thaying ith thath even though clasthic and nerdy Alvin don'th mixth thath well, I can be both of them!"
Did this mean my happy and excitable brother was finally coming back? I high fived him. "Uh huh! That's exactly what it means."
"Then, add Nerdy thoo the listh too." He grinned. "For N."
Eventually, Alvin, with help from me and Jeanette, had completed his entire acrostic poem. I thought it described him pretty well. Finally, he was starting to discover who he REALLY wanted to become. The person he wanted to be no matter what society said. I was pretty excited for him. He was less excited and still confused.
Anyway, this was his poem!
Who I Really Am
By: Alvin Seville
Smart
Talented
Unique
Proud
Excitable
Nerdy
Daring
Open-Minded
Understanding
Sensitive
After school that day, I had to listen to yet another Alvin and Simon argument. Maybe that was a sign that Alvin knew who he was again. I crept into the closet to see what they were up to. They hang out together a lot, even though they appear not to enjoy each other's company very much. They always have. Of course, since Alvin became super smart, he's been clinging to Simon even more. I don't think Simon enjoys it.
"Come on, Thimon!" Alvin was begging. "I need to dithract mythelf from my lookth. You're my only hope!"
"The last time you helped me, I had to scrape my formula off the ceiling!" Simon huffed.
"Thath won'th happen again." My oldest brother promised. "I have thurrendered tho the nerdineth and I am very mathure now."
Simon rolled his eyes. "If you were as mature as you claim to be, you'd stop bothering me and go do your quote on quote "physics things?" He sassed at Alvin.
Alvin gave him a metal covered smirk. "Can I build a particle athelerator in the wasthing macthine?" He asked, twitching his tail.
Ooooh boy. He shouldn't have said that. Simon got really annoyed when people reminded him about the time loop making thing that almost killed us all.
The boy in the blue shirt growled. "No."
Alvin continued to push it. Another sign he was feeling better again. "Juth kidding. I would never do thomething so thupid and recklesth. Cuth it ith, you know, very thupid and recklesth."
Simon lost what was left of his patience and pointed at the door. "Get out!"
"If you thay tho. I think you'll really regret not having my geniuth on your team." Alvin boasted, pointing to himself.
Simon continued working on mixing a bunch of stuff together in beakers, really carefully. "I doubt it."
"Come on, pleeeath?" Alvin got really close to him and Simon almost poked him with a test tube thingie.
I decided it was time to step in and mediate the situation. Cuz that's who I am. The mediator. If I wasn't around, Alvin and Simon would get so mad at each other that they'd both get their feelings hurt and then they'd lash out and physically hurt each other too. Not good.
"Don't you have something that Alvin can help with?" I asked, walking closer so they could see me.
"Yeah!" Alvin jumped around excitedly. "I'll do anything! Literally anything! I'm a thupendouth athisthtant." He really couldn't say stupendous or assistant very well, but he was sure trying!
"Anything?" Simon's eyebrows narrowed. I sensed that his expression was weirdly devious.
Alvin nodded so fast it's a wonder his head didn't fall off. "ANYTHING!"
Simon tapped his chin. "Hmmmm. Well, I could use someone to scrub beakers." He pointed to a bin full of empty beakers with his gloved hand.
Alvin looked disappointed. Like Simon took his spirit and crushed it into a tiny ball. "Really?"
"Take it or leave it." The boy in the royal blue shirt and blue labcoat said forcefully, and sternly. He reminded me of Dave. I wonder if that's where Simon gets it from.
Alvin sighed. "Hand me the rag." He said in a defeated voice.
"I can help with beakers too." I offered.
"Okay, you thake thath half, and I'll take thith half." The boy in red glasses instructed.
So we spent some time washing beakers while Simon did the real complicated stuff. It was fun, for me, anyway. Alvin found it really hard. He wound up needing his music plugged in his head so he wouldn't lose focus on it.
After we finished the beakers, I played around with my toy cars. Alvin asked if he could play too. It was weird. It was like he wanted to copy all of us, as he was searching for things he truly loved and enjoyed. I didn't mind though! I felt a lot less left out.
He pulled the toy cop car up to my green Volkswagen beetle car. "Yeee haw. I'm Officer Danguth." He said, imitating our friendly neighborhood cop in a silly cowboy drawl. "I'mma have to athk you to thep outh of the car, thonny. Your tail light'th outh. Now, if you don'th fixth thath real thoon, I'mma have to write you a fiiiine. I don'th wanth thath. Do you wanth thath?"
I couldn't stop myself from giggling like crazy. The lisp from the braces plus the southern accent was too funny! "Sorry, Officer." I said, between giggles. "I'll fix it ASAP."
Alvin smiled at me. I'm glad my laughing at him didn't set him off. I was worried it might. Maybe he was warming up to the braces, getting used to them. Seeing the positives instead of only the negatives.
"You think that'th funny. You thould hear my Daffy Duck impresthion." Alvin bragged. "Help me, pleathe! I'm thoo moisth and thender tho rethire!"
I giggled again. "I don't know who he is, but that sure sounded hilarious."
"We need tho wathch more TV." My brother said with a chuckle.
I nodded. "I'm up for it if you are."
Suddenly, Alvin screamed out of nowhere. "AHHHHHH!"
I raised an eyebrow. "Are you okay?"
"Get him off! Get him off! Get him off!" He shrieked.
"Get who off?" I questioned.
Once Jeanette ziplined into our room, everything became clear. "Sorry! Sorry!"
"AHHHHHH!" Alvin shook the black and fuzzy spider off his back. "Jeanethe, I told you to keep that therrifying thpider out of my room!" He fumed.
Jeanette cradled her pet spider and I did my best not to look at him so I wouldn't get the shivers. "He likes you. He just wants to spend time with his favorite person." The Chipette responded.
Alvin folded his arms. "How am I his favorithe? I am nobody'th favorithe!"
"That's not true, Alvin." I told him, patting his arm to help calm him down.
Alvin responded well to gentle touch. If you touched Simon the same way, he'd run away from you as fast as possible screaming "SPACE! SPACE! SPACE!" I knew that from experience. I may only be a kid, but I have gained a lot of experience.
"Lots of people like you. And Mr. Snugglepet is one of those people." She tickled the spider under the chin. It was kinda cute, as long as he stayed in her hands and didn't come near me.
Alvin started to calm down more. "Well, uh, thankth, Mr. Thnuggledude. But uh, can you tell him not to thneak up on me anymore?"
"Will do." Jeanette sat down on Alvin's bed, still holding the spider. "So, how's the, err, crisis?"
Alvin and I played with the toy cars while we talked. Alvin forced a smile. It looked genuine enough to most people, but I could tell it was hiding a lot of pain. "Acthually, ath the momenth. It'th pretty tolerable." He squeaked. "I juth gottha find my thensthe of thelf and I'm home free." He hesitated. "Exthcept..."
"Except what?" I spun the wheels of the red nascar racecar in my hands.
Alvin tried really hard to speak clearly. He knew this was important for us to hear. "Except it doesn't really feel like I lost my sense of self. It feels like I never had a self to begin with."
Jeanette covered her mouth and gasped. "Did my lessons do that to you? Simon said they're stressing you out." The spider was now on her shoulder, resting contently.
"No! No! Your lesthons are fine." Alvin stood up. "They're really helpful! I was broken long before you tharted teaching me thtuff. In fact, I'm pretty thure I was broken before I met Dave."
Well, that's not something I expected. Why didn't he tell us before this crisis? Or did he only realize he's been broken in the last few months or weeks or…has it been a year yet? Time sure is funny here.
I started putting the toy cars away. "That's so long ago though! You seemed fine."
Alvin nodded. "I usthed popularity to cope with the facth thath I felt broken and unlovable. When the popularity vanithhed, I ssspun out. I attached myssself to being sssmart instead, thinking it would make me feel loved." He admitted. I got weirded out when he stressed the S sounds. He sounded like some sort of chipmunk-snake hybrid. "Then, I took it too far and made a huge mesth. Maybe I'll alwayth be broken. Maybe I'll never have a real perthonality. Just a bunch of funny acths in a threnchcoath." He thought he was just funny acts in a trenchcoat? What? I'm an actor too, but my sense of self is okay. What was different about Alvin?
"Oh man." Jeanette groaned. "This is even worse than I thought."
"Can you thtill help?" Alvin's big blue eyes were wide and he was making the same kind of puppy face that I usually made.
Jeanette swung around the bedpost and landed on the floor with a soft THUMP sound. "I'll do my best. I think I still can help, it'll just be harder than I was expecting."
"And I'll do whatever I can to help too." I vowed.
"I feel bad making you guyth thpend all your time and energy on me." Alvin added, looking guiltier than I have ever seen him look. "I don'th wanth tho be the thenter of athenthion anymore." Wow! Did that actually just come out of Alvin's mouth again? If I didn't know better, I'd think the braces were talking for him. I'm so glad I DO know better.
"M…Maybe you can let Eleanor be the center of attention instead." I suggested. "She would really like that."
He chuckled a bit. "Maybe Eleanor thould geth herthelf a thotal nerd makeover. Or like, go goth or thomething."
"She does kind of suit a punk goth aesthetic." Jeanette said, staring off into space.
"Yeah! Thothally." Alvin nudged Jeanette. "So, uh, goth anymore advithe for me before ya go?"
"Do you mean got? Or were you making a pun using goth?" I wondered.
Alvin groaned. "I hathe theethe brathes."
"I do have one piece of advice. It might be instrumental in solving your dilemma." The Chipette in purple said cryptically.
"What is it?" Both Alvin and I said at once. Although, Alvin still had the funny braces talk problem.
Jeanette walked to the window with us, we were about to see her off on the zipline. She placed a hand on Alvin's heart. "What is one can become many. What is many can become one. You just have to know how to do it."
He started to look at her the way he looked at hot girls and physics books. "Did you juth quote My Teacher Flunked The Planet for me?"
Her eyes sparkled. "I did." She gushed. If I didn't know better, I would think they were in love. But that was silly, right?
"What do you mean by that?" He tilted his head thoughtfully.
Jeanette stood on the windowsill, with Mr. Snugglepet safely in the pocket of her dark purple hoodie. "I mean, theoretically, you can take all those acts in a trenchcoat and combine them into one big clay glob of a person."
"So Alvin has to become a glob?" I scratched my head. I wasn't sure I got the idea. Maybe I wasn't meant to. Jeanette and Alvin had their own special secret code language. It was really tough to crack.
"Yes." Jeanette grabbed the handle of the thingie hanging from the zipline and held on tight. "It might be harder than you think, but I believe you can do it."
"Combine the acths." Alvin repeated. "And the true thelf will be revealed."
"Every act is a facet in some way." Jeanette continued. "They're all part of yooooou." She accidentally pushed herself off on the zipline before she was ready. She's so silly in the best way possible. Luckily, she made it into her bedroom instead of hitting the side of the treehouse this time.
"Do you know what she's talking about?" I asked Alvin, as I slipped into my light green striped PJs. I love them because stripes remind me of Eleanor.
He let out a lovestruck sounding sigh. "Noth all of it, buth mosth of it."
"Oh good." I wiped my hand across my forehead. "Because I got nothing. I don't have a clue what a facet is."
"I'll exthplain ith tho ya." My brother who usually wore red, but now mostly wore cyan offered.
Alvin explained that he was fractioned, errr, fractured. In order to fix all the psyche cracks, he had to pick out the parts of each act, each character he played, that were his true self. He didn't know what each part was yet. He'd have to find them. It was like going on a scavenger hunt and meeting a bunch of new people to ask them for clues. At least, I think that's what it was like.
I thought about it a lot as I was falling asleep. Psychology stuff does interest me, but this was like really REALLY hard psychology stuff. I'd heard of people putting on so much of an act that they forgot who they were before. That was on those soap operas I liked to watch, along with amnesia. I didn't expect anything like that to happen in my life, especially not to my own brother. I wished I could comprehend more of how it all worked, but then I'd have to be smarter and being smarter would give me a headache. At least, Alvin knew he wasn't alone.
Alvin seemed to be starting to get better. He survived the last few days of school. They weren't easy, but he persevered. (That's a word he and Jeanette taught me.) Oh, and Dave's jaw dropped at a report card full of Cs and Bs in every single class…and an A in writing. I thought for sure things would look up.
But Alvin is unpredictable. As summer began, we found him back in a funk. I think it was triggered by some people at the skatepark making fun of the way he looked. I was there when they did, cheering Eleanor on from the sidelines as she defended Alvin. Still, it seemed to have really brought him back down.
One day, Simon barged in as I was quietly watching some funny cat videos and Alvin was reading Simon's Calculus book.
"You need to go outside." The chipmunk in the blue T shirt ordered.
Alvin still wasn't wearing his cap. He had on a white shirt covered in red and cyan (that's what he says neon blue is) mathematical formulas that I couldn't understand.
"I'm kinda captivated by thith book. Math ith ethilarathing!" He exclaimed.
Simon snatched the book out of his hands. "I don't care. You need some fresh air and exercise. You have been inside the house an ENTIRE week. You're missing the whole summer!"
I decided to scurry over and add to Simon's words. "Yeah, Alvin. Don't waste the summer!"
My oldest brother started rocking with his hands holding his knees. "I can'th! Thomeone elthe might thee what I've become!" He sounded terrified. Why is it always up and down with this guy?
"Alvin, you look fine." Simon promised him.
"Jeanette thinks you look adorable." I added.
Alvin shouted. "I'm HIDEOUTH!"
"No, you aren't hideous!" I argued with him.
Alvin paced around on top of his bed. "Yeth, I am. And now I can croth "winning thmile" off the lith of good attractive qualitieth I potheth." Wow, he was just as wordy as ever, even when it was tough to speak.
"You look fine." Simon repeated, putting the calculus book on the shelf. "You don't even have to wear headgear!"
"SHHH! DON'T THAY THAT!" Alvin shrieked, jumping across the bed to Simon's bed and then to the floor, so he could cover Simon's mouth. "The evil alienth doing thith to me will hear you!" Oof. Not the paranoia.
Simon rolled his eyes. To be honest, I was kinda there too "...and we're back on the aliens. I give up. Do what you want. But if you spend the entire summer feeling miserable and waste it all, that's on you." He warned.
"What happened to not focusing on your looks?" I asked.
"Thath harder than I exthpected." Alvin stated. At least he was telling the truth.
I got closer to Alvin. I HAD to help him. "Okay, well, what happened to combining your Classic Alvin and Nerdy Alvin traits together?"
He looked flustered. "I don't know how."
"You what?" I asked. How could he not know?
"I sssaid, I don't know how." He grabbed his cyan jacket and slipped it on over the math problem shirt.
Simon frowned as he watched Alvin closely. "You'll figure something out. I'm sure."
Alvin shook his head. He'd FINALLY learned to talk like his old self with the braces on. "I can't. I remember being classic Alvin, but I don't remember HOW to be him." He explained.
"You could start by wearing your cap again." I took his favorite red cap off the bedpost and held it out for him.
He sighed and stuffed his hands in his pockets. "No cap. I gotta let the sun lighten up my roots, or I'll look even more like Simon." He looked at a very grouchy Simon. "No offense. Your looks work fine on you, just not me."
Simon sighed loudly. "None taken."
I knew I needed a new plan, so later that day, I surprised Alvin with something special. I figured, since he still couldn't sing, that we could sing TO him instead. Singing worked the last time he was upset. The fact that he couldn't remember how to be Classic Alvin at all outside of "daredevil" was terrifying. But the original Alvin personality still had to be in there! The sadness was just covering it up.
"SURPRISE!" Dave, Simon, The Chipettes, and I exclaimed, as Alvin entered the room wearing the same outfit he'd been wearing yesterday.
He blinked and pushed up his red glasses. "What's this about?"
I stepped forward proudly. "We came to cheer you up."
"Guys, please don't." He ran his hands through his messy hair. "I'm too tired for this."
"But what if music could bring your Classic Alvin side back?" I squeaked.
"Yeah!" Brittany exclaimed. "I mean, what's the harm in trying?"
Alvin stared down at his feet. "Fine. You can try. But, I don't think anything will bring classic me back at this point. I let the nerdiness fully take over while I was upset and…I wiped him out. For good."
"Alvin,…" Jeanette stepped forward. "Remember, according to physics, matter cannot be created or destroyed? It only changes form."
Simon caught on to what she was saying. "Maybe classic Alvin's changed form along with you."
"So he looks and feels like a loser now too?" Alvin rolled his eyes. "Gee, thanks. I feel so much better. You all work wonders." He snipped sarcastically.
Dave looked confused. "Why do you talk about him as if he's a different person?"
Alvin sighed and sat down on his bed. "Because he IS a different person. I talk to him, in my head."
"Oh dear." Jeanette squeaked.
"Wait, what now?" Brittany gasped.
Eleanor chuckled. "Dude, that is crazy!"
"I know!" Alvin moaned. "I know I'm crazy! Ever since that concussion, he's been like…appearing out of nowhere. I'm hallucinating. I've entirely lost my mind. And now, now he just randomly stopped appearing and I MISS HIM!"
"This is really the type of thing to discuss with a therapist, Alvin." Dave said kindly. "They can help you."
Alvin forcefully shook his head. "Jeanette can help me! Just Jeanette! She's the only one who knows how to help me learn stuff. Besides, you know, maybe Classic Alvin leaving means my brain is all healed and I won't hallucinate anymore! Haha!" Alvin laughed like a mad scientist. "Never mind! The physics visions are back, baby! I'm going to be hallucinating forever!"
"I always knew Alvin was a certified whackadoodle, but this takes the cake." Eleanor mumbled.
"So, uh…" I started to ask as Alvin closed his eyes to block out whatever crazy stuff he was seeing. "Would you like to hear our song we picked just for you? Or not?"
He sighed. Looking at all of our faces and then blinking his eyes a few times, he finally decided. "Sure. Go ahead. Worst case scenario it doesn't work. Best case scenario, I start to feel like me again."
"Okay, team! Hit it!" I exclaimed, happy to finally have a chance to cheer Alvin up. I knew this would work! It had to!
Dave started to play guitar while the rest of us sang. The song was called The Middle by a band called Jimmy Eat World. That's a funny name.
"Hey, don't write yourself off yet." Simon took the first line.
"I know it's never nice to feel left out" Eleanor followed. "Or looked down on"
"Just try your best" I squeaked. "Try everything you can."
Jeanette led us to Alvin's bed and we all danced around. "And don't you worry what they tell themselves, when you're away."
Simon and I teamed up to sing the first part of the chorus.
"It just takes some time
Hey, big bro, you're in the middle of the ride
Everything, everything'll be just fine
Everything, everything'll be alright, alright"
After that, the Chipettes followed.
"It just takes some time
Little guy, you're in the middle of the ride
Everything, everything'll be just fine
Everything, everything'll be alright, alright."
Eleanor handed Alvin his cap, but he hung it back on the bedpost.
"Hey, you know they're all the same." She said.
I danced around as I sang a line. "You know you're doing better on your own, so don't buy in."
"Live right now." Brittany added. "Yeah, just be yourself." She begged.
"It doesn't matter if it's good enough for someone else." Jeanette finished. Brittany gave her a suspicious look.
I teamed up with Simon again. Dave was still rockin' on the guitar.
"It just takes some time
Hey, big bro, you're in the middle of the ride
Everything, everything'll be just fine
Everything, everything'll be alright, alright."
The Chipettes all did a conga line around Alvin's bed, making him laugh.
"It just takes some time
Little guy, you're in the middle of the ride
Everything, everything'll be just fine
Everything, everything'll be alright, alright."
Dave blew everyone away with an EPIC guitar solo. Suddenly, I heard another guitar join him. It was Alvin's! Alvin was standing on his bed in that cyan jacket and weird math problem shirt, playing the guitar and bobbing his head back and forth. Sort of like headbanging, but not quite headbanging. If there was ever a sign that Classic Alvin was still around somewhere, that was it!
We all sang together for the final chorus. It wasn't a perfect harmony, since Alvin's voice was still flat, but it's not like we were supposed to be PERFECT anyway. We were messy, wild, chaotic, and we were all kinda crazy if you really thought about it. Alvin wasn't the only one.
"It just takes some time
In the middle, in the middle of the ride
Everything, everything'll be just fine
Everything, everything'll be alright, alright."
As the song ended, the five of us all hugged Alvin. We knew that he'd make it through this. Somehow. At least, I hope that everyone knew.
Alvin smiled again, looking up at Dave. Our dad was a little too big to properly join the hug, so Alvin high fived him instead.
"That was some pretty amazing guitar playing, Alvin." Dave said warmly.
Alvin smirked at him. "Ya weren't so bad yourself, daddy-o."
"Do you feel more like yourself now?" Brittany asked hopefully.
The boy who may not have looked much like Alvin, but certainly did act like him quite a bit, looked confused. He seems confused a lot these days. I wish I knew how to break the confusion forever. "Only, like, maybe 2%." He squeaked. "But, but, it's a start."
"Yeah." Simon smiled hopefully, and the rest of us did too. "It's a start."
Yay! That means that Alvin can finally find himself again! As soon as he remembers where he put himself. I wonder if it's like losing your keys in the pocket of your mind. Like, he knows they're there. It's just hard to grab them and pull them out. I wish I could talk to his hallucination of Classic Alvin and ask him nicely to come out of hiding.
I wonder if it's like a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde situation. Eleanor made me watch that movie once. It was creepy. I'm glad I only have one personality. Alvin didn't even make a potion that split him though, so how did he wind up split? Did Jeanette make one? He did sing about her making one. I think those were just the song lyrics though. No other meaning. Gosh, I am tired. I hope Alvin can find himself on his own or with help from Jeanette because I'm sure gonna be no help.
ALVIN: Awww, Theo. You help more than you realize.
THEODORE: Thanks, Alvin.
ALVIN: So, what did you think of narrating the whole chapter?
THEODORE: I think you were just trying to get out of writing yourself feeling super duper sad. I would do the same thing.
ALVIN: And out of writing how PAINFUL the braces were.
THEODORE: That too.
ALVIN: Anyway, ya done good.
SIMON: He's done WELL.
ALVIN: La la la! You can't make me care about grammar!
THEODORE: Oh brother.
Part 6 is gonna be rough too, but more Alvinette scenes are coming! There WILL be 7 parts total, making this story the longest of them all. Up ahead, Alvin dives back into TV tropes, finally learns that he's more than his looks, and starts to piece together more about his crazy universe.
Oh, and he worries about turning into Simon so much, he doesn't notice himself turning into someone else. Who you ask? That'll be answered in part 6! Feel free to submit guesses.
I shall be taking another break from this story for a bit, because Among Us has a new map coming and I want to play it with my friends. I could use a break anyway, my head is really sore. Haha.