Been working hard all weekend and now we are back with another mini-tale! This one was kind of inspired by A Room Of One's Own, but it takes a slightly different approach. You'll see what I mean.

I was super worried lately that I couldn't zone out the way I used to, because so much stressful stuff is happening in my life right now. A lot of MAJOR LIFE CHANGES.

Then I realized, I had been conditioned to sort of…push the "Alvin" mindset I slip into away for my professional appointments and without him, my imagination feels stunted.

So, I decided to spin that wheel again and it picked this story. It was so cathartic getting back into Alvin 2.0's headspace. I'll never try and push it away again, no matter what my job coaches say.

ALVIN 2.0: Life just ain't as colorful without me.

Anyway, we were able to zone out again together and we have been the happiest writing at night. "Normal" sleep schedule be damned. I hope I can continue this trend of writing before bed when writing Alvin's POV.

Sorry for the ramble, on with the mini-tale!

MAKE ROOM FOR ALVIN

Alvin 2.0's POV

Welcome back to the confusing and contradictory world that is my life. Today, I have a story for you about changes. (Surprise surprise, right?) It's not what you're thinking though. I swear it's something new!

It's a story about a change that I fought for, that I was absolutely sure I would love. Yeah, yeah, I know. That's old hat at this point too. Old hat? Why do I sound so much like Dave!? Whyyyyy!? Okay, fine. Skipping the introduction, let's get into the episode…I mean story!

It was a school day, not sure which day it was and I'm honestly too busy to check the calendar right now. I was in my bedroom, on top of my bed, indulging in one of my favorite pastimes. Studying…for school

I know what you're thinking! I HATE studying (unless it's physics.) Hate hate hate. Well, lately I realized that's not exactly true. When I can have music plugged into my head, studying anything suddenly becomes REALLY REALLY FUN! And interesting! And exciting! Maybe I've been hanging out with Netta and Simon and the nerd squad too much. Heh heh.

So there I was, the epitome of stereotypical nerdiness. My music was only playing through one headphone, just in case someone needed to grab my attention. To anyone looking in, I seemed extremely boring.

I was feeling like a shut-in. A recluse. The antithesis of everything my former self aimed to be. But it was all worth it.

For once in my life, I was ON TOP OF THINGS! A chapter ahead in History. A chapter ahead in my AP Science book. (It helped that we were studying physics again.) And THREE ENTIRE CHAPTERS ahead in math. Man, I love math! And, it's getting easier to say that without pushback from my past self's emotions!

I was giddy with the dopamine rush of it all. I'd found a balance, of sorts. Something that worked. And yet….there was still something missing!

"You should text Netta." I reminded myself. "See what she's up to." I reminded myself to text people a lot. Actually texting them, was a different story. The thought would pop up and vanish at least a dozen times before I took action.

Reading the textbook was easier. I had to stay focused. The more I got ahead, the more I'd have the option for free time. Then, I could make sure none of my friends felt neglected. Prioritize my hobbies.

But something was still missing. It poked at me like a pointy stick. A longing, a longing for the days when fun was my priority, instead of being an excelsior individual and beacon of maturity. I was going stir crazy in this room, and yet, I couldn't rip myself away from the textbook in my hands. Just one more chapter. One more.

Did I remember to set my alarm so I can take breaks? Eh, I'm sure someone will come and interrupt me.

I stared at the ceiling, admiring the glow in the dark solar system. A sneaky thought continued to nag at me. I didn't know what it was. It was like a flower in my mind that someone had pulled from the dirt. I knew I'd forgotten SOMETHING. I knew that SOMETHING was bothering me. I just didn't know what. Or how to find out what! Concerning? Perhaps? For me, living with my stubborn and unreliable brain, it was just another typical Tuesday. (Or Wednesday? Possibly Thursday?)

It would hit me eventually. Probably in about two more chapters….Back to the book. Focus on the book. There is nothing but the book in your hands and the jukebox of tunes in your mind. Book. Music. Book. Music. Book…

"I hate this room."

Huh? I guess it's hitting me NOW. Peculiar.

Focus. You can entertain that thought later.

"I really hate this room."

Sigh. I'm not even sure which me said that. Was it 2.0? Classic? Was it core me? The blend of both?

"Why do you hate it?" I thought. (Inside my head, because I didn't want Brittany to zipline in and catch me talking to myself.)

My voice echoed back, sounding bored. "I dunno. I just do."

Well, crap. Now, studying would have to wait. I needed to find the reason why I hated my bedroom and correct it. Only then could I return to getting ahead in Math class.

I climbed off the bed and scurried downstairs to talk to Theodore. If I couldn't tell myself why I hated my room, maybe he could. He's usually got the answers that Simon and I don't.

"Theo, are ya busy?" I asked.

He was coloring in a coloring book that had a bunch of cute animals in it. He looked up and the two dirty blonde sprigs that stuck out from the rest of his hair bobbled around. "Not too busy. How about you?"

"Pretty much all caught up." I boasted. "Just getting ahead."

"Good job, Alvin." He cheered me on. "Why do you look so sad then?"

Did I look sad? I was expecting to look confused. I felt my ears. Yep. They were drooping. I guess I was sadder than I could feel.

"I have a strange problem." I confessed.

My baby bro climbed down from the table. "Oh no. Is it your identity crisis again?"

"I don't THINK so." I replied. "But I'm not sure how to explain it."

"Oh." Theodore's nose gave a frustrated twitch. "But I can't help you if you can't tell me."

ZAP! An idea flashed through my head. "Maybe I can show you."

Theodore followed me as I ran upstairs. Predictably, Dave came by and caught us when we reached the top.

"What have I told you boys about running up and down the stairs!?" He asked angrily.

I stared directly at the giant shiny black shoe in front of me. "Sorry, Dave. I'll try to walk next time. Running is just…so much more, err, productive." I tilted my head up and smiled awkwardly at my dad.

"I just don't want you getting hurt." He reminded me.

"We're very very careful." Theodore promised.

That seemed to satisfy Dave and he walked downstairs as we continued our comfortable jog to the bedroom. Technically, jogging is not running. It's slow-ish well-paced running.

We entered the bedroom and I stared at our three beds all lined up in a row against one wall. Then, I looked at the open space around the rest of the room and the mini desks all collected in one corner.

"So what did you wanna show me?" Theodore asked in his usual sweet way.

I gestured with my arms. "I hate this room. Something about it needs to be…different. But I'm not sure WHAT exactly." I explained.

"New bedsheets?" The boy, in the green shirt with an ice cream cone on it, asked.

I frowned. "Nah. Good in that department."

"What about another bookshelf?" Theo climbed onto his toy chest.

"Nope." I answered. "I mostly check out books from the library. It helps when I get obsessed with a topic and then drop it two weeks later." I put my hands on my hips proudly. "Plus, it boosts my skills. I'm basically managing deadlines and responsibilities. The skills are then transferrable to school projects and assignments."

He sighed. "You talk about assignments too much." He rolled his brown eyes.

I rubbed my neck and smiled awkwardly. "I know." I admitted.

Theodore walked around a bit. He inspected my area of the room. "I've got it! Maybe you wanna add more posters and more action figures?" He suggested.

I shook my head. "It's not that. I do want to do that, but I can't."

There it was. That classic Theodore head tilt. "Why not?"

What did he mean!? It was obvious! "Because I don't have enough space." Wait a second! It was OBVIOUS! I was kicking myself internally for not realizing it sooner. "That's it!" I exclaimed. "I need more ROOM! Of course! It's so simple!"

"What are you babbling about?" A slightly deeper chipmunk voice than mine cut into my thoughts like a knife.

Simon stepped into the room wearing his dark blue bathrobe with lighter blue polka dots. Usually, he only wore that when he was depressed, but today he looked very chipper. He held a cup of hot chocolate in his hands. Maybe his Too Sad To Function robe was now the Relaxation Mode robe.

"Simon! Simon! I have a great idea!" I squeaked excitedly.

My brother in blue raised an eyebrow. "Tell me the idea and I will decide whether it falls into the "you're a genius" category or the "you're a nutcase" category." He declared.

I forced a laugh. "Oh, Si, you're so funny. I swear it's a good idea."

"I've heard that before." He retorted with a shake of his head.

"It is!" Theodore added. "At least, I think it is. I don't know much about it yet."

Simon took a sip of his hot chocolate and then sat down in the mini desk chair. "I'm listening."

"I wanna re-arrange our bedroom!" I explained. "Because look! Look at all this empty floor space that's just….unused! The entire layout is TERRIBLE! And look!" I ran over to the three beds. "Look at this! You get a whole wall of space for awards and books and stuff! Theodore gets a whole wall to put up his artwork and posters! And he gets a toy chest! And you have your whole secret closet lab! But LOOK WHAT I GET!"

"Hmmm." Simon made a noise that indicated he was thinking.

I jumped onto my bed. "I have this teeny tiny little space! I'm squished between you two! Dave yells at me for always having a mess under my bed, but that's no mess! That's where I store my things! And I don't have enough space for posters either! See? They're all overlapping each other! And I only have this tiny shelf for my action figures."

"Yeah." Theodore frowned, seeing what I saw. "That doesn't seem very fair."

"But don't you have the lab under the stairs? Just store your things down there." Simon told me, taking another sip of hot chocolate. "Problem solved."

I jumped off my bed and ran closer to Simon. "My lab is my lab, my room is my room. Sure, they have a similar aesthetic, but they serve two very different functions. Sometimes, I just wanna relax in my bed without it feeling so crowded out and chaotic."

My brother's blue eyes narrowed behind his matching blue glasses. "I thought you LIKED it chaotic."

I folded my arms and tapped my foot. "I like it when the chaos is on MY terms."

"I see." Simon smirked. "Which is why you're fine with the living room being a swirling vortex of entropy, but your action figures are lined up like toy soldiers?"

Shoot. He had a point. The contradiction never stops. "Did I forget to pick up my stuff in the living room?" I slumped my shoulders.

"Yes." He informed me, taking another slow sip of his drink. "Your half finished comic, crayons, colored pencils, and markers are still strewn all over the coffee table."

"I'm sorry!" I said, sounding annoyed. "I leave things out where I can see them so that I don't have to go through the hassle of finding everything and getting distracted 20 million times." And I was now off topic. Back to the main thing on my mind. "Anyway, do you think Dave will be receptive to re-arranging the room? He won't have to do that much. I'll draw up the new layout and tell him where everything goes. He's just gotta be the one to move it."

"Wait, wait, wait,…" Theodore came running closer to me and holding up both hands, palms facing me. "You can't just move all our stuff around without showing us your layout!"

"Exactly." Simon added.

Theodore sniffed Simon's hot chocolate. "Can I have a taste?"

"No." Simon said sharply, before softening up and smiling. "But you can get your own downstairs."

"You don't understand." I told them. "Your beds are staying where they are, along with all your stuff! It's MINE that's moving. And the mini desks too, but don't worry, I promise you'll like the new layout!"

"Ohhhh. Okay." Theodore agreed.

My other brother was not too sure about this. "Well, good luck convincing Dave to agree to this." He frowned. "You know how stubborn and rigid he can be."

"Yes, I know." I smiled excitedly. "But I also know that if I work hard enough, there's nothing I can't accomplish."

"That's a great attitude to have, Alvin!" Theodore patted my back with his usual encouragement.

"Mmm hmm." Simon finished his hot chocolate. "Now, go clean up your art station before Dave notices it." He advised.

"Right! Yeah! On my way!" I dashed out of the room, but I made sure to WALK down the stairs. It was painful and slow and felt like it took forever. I have such tiny legs. Human stairs are not built for tiny chipmunk legs.

While Simon and Theo made themselves more hot chocolate, I hustled to the living room. I was supposed to be cleaning up the art supplies, but one thing led to another and suddenly I was fixated on drawing out my new room idea. After all, the art supplies were already sitting there for me!

Once I finished, I let myself have three lifesaver gummies to coax my stubborn ADHD brain into putting all my art supplies away. The gummies also helped me remember where everything goes. Note to self: I should really look into getting some more of those memory supplements. I've tried them a couple times since the physics bowl. They're not bad!

When the memory supplements kick in, it's a weird, but not unwelcome, POP sensation. It feels nice actually! Like POW….woahhoho, so this is what having better access to your long term memory feels like! The short term is still hindered slightly, but it's definitely better too. I can hold more things actively in short term while on the supplements. There's less of a "blocked hose" or "mental clog" effect. They boost my cognitive processing speed too, which honestly runs pretty fast even without them. So with them it's like SUPER SPEED!

And I only take 1/4th of one supplement. No more human size doses for me. I do miss the godlike memory though. A little bit. I don't miss the ear splitting headaches. Those were the WORST!

And sidetracked again. I'm sorry, readers. Probably time we switch the scene!

Later, after dinner, I grabbed Dave's attention while he was in the kitchen cleaning up. I jumped onto the counter and began to help him dry the dishes and put them away.

He looked at me suspiciously. "I'd ask if you want something, but you usually help with chores now…so I'm not sure what you're up to."

"Just being a helpful fella." I grinned, stacking up plates and then putting them in the cupboard.

"Uh huh." He raised an eyebrow. "Well, err, keep up the good work."

"Totally will." I sat down on the counter to dry a few more cups and some silverware. "Soooo, write any good songs lately?"

"Just one." My dad handed me more dishes to dry.

"Cool!" I faked being a lot more enthusiastic than I was. I was a little interested, but I knew Dave cared a lot about his music, so I needed to be a LOT interested. "Can I hear it?"

"Maybe some other time. I still have to add the final touches." Dave turned away from me to grab more silverware. "It's been a busy week, you know, with parent teacher conferences."

I gulped. Parent teacher conferences!? I had totally forgotten. Wait, what was I fretting about? I was ahead!

Since I needed to act like I HADN'T come down here to ask Dave anything, I continued the conversation, even though half of me was bored with it. I was playing the long game, and quite strategically.

"Oh yeah. How did those go?" I asked, smiling and making eye contact. Don't get distracted. Don't get distracted.

He seemed delighted to tell me. "Very well. Theodore and Simon have excellent progress reports, as usual. Surprisingly, Miss. Smith says that you're on top of everything." Ohoho! SCORE!

"Awesome!" I felt my tail wriggle and waggle. This was GREAT news.

And then, he had to ruin it. "But, she also says that you need to curb your enthusiasm because it's getting disruptive."

My smile flipped into a frown. Of course Miss. Smith couldn't just give me a glowing review. She had to add that. Now, the fact that I needed to work on something else was ALL my dad would focus on. The hard work I put in to stay ahead would be brushed aside. She couldn't even let me have ONE victory! I've never been this ahead before! I was looking forward to Dave finding out, and she RUINED it.

"Curb my enthusiasm!? What!?" I pouted. "That's such a dumb thing to add!"

"Just work on it, okay?" Dave rubbed his head, the way he often does when I'm annoying him.

"No." I said forcefully, finishing the last dish.

My father sighed. "Alvin, it's non-negotiable."

"It's very negotiable." I argued.

"She also said you're too argumentative." He added, drying his hands on the towel.

"Urgh!" I covered my ears. "Why do I have to change myself more to please her!? Dr. Wilson LOVES my enthusiasm!"

"And you can still show it in his class." Dave assured me. "But you have to tone it down for Miss. Smith."

I leapt onto the other countertop and faced my father again. "Yeeeeeah, funny story. That enthusiasm is the only thing KEEPING me on top of everything." I explained. "So, I can't do anything about it. She can either have a quiet and spaced out student learning nothing, or an enthusiastic and nerdy guy who might be a tad bit too disruptive at times, but rest assured….he…I am working on it!"

My dad frowned. "Oh."

"Ask her which me she'd rather have. I'm curious."

He looked really annoyed now. A heavy sigh escaped his lips. "I'll relay the message."

"Great!" I squeaked. "Oh, hey, I just remembered, there IS something I wanna ask ya."

My dad seemed receptive. We walked together into the living room and he sat down on the couch. "What is it?"

I climbed onto the coffee table and then showed him the drawing I'd made. "I was thinking, well, that our room could use a more…practical layout. I've drawn up this concept and I think it's a fairly feasible change. Don't you?"

He didn't look thrilled with my idea. I caught him reaching for the TV remote.

So, I snatched it. I tossed it into one of the chairs. Now, he'd have to get up to get it. And he wouldn't, because he was exhausted.

"Alvin, there's nothing wrong with the way your room is set up." He told me.

"But, Dave…." I began.

He folded his arms. "What you're asking is completely unreasonable."

"No it's not!" I insisted. "You're the one being unreasonable!"

"There you go again." He groaned. "Argumentative."

I huffed. My patience was thinning. "All I'm saying is we move the mini desks by the teepee and then we move my bed and all my stuff into the corner where the mini desks were. Easy peasy, Dave." I pointed to each item in my drawing.

He narrowed his eyes. "Why do you want to do this?"

"Because I want more space." I said honestly. "I'm stuck in the middle. It feels very confining." I let my shoulders and ears droop and put on my most miserably sad looking expression. "But I understand if you still think I'm unreasonable. You are the parent, after all. You get the final say."

This was all part of my plan. Would it work?

I jumped off the coffee table and started to walk out of the room holding the drawing. My tail drooped too. Would Dave take the bait?

"Come back here, Alvin." My father looked guilty.

I shuffled back toward him.

He lifted me up and set me on his lap. "Can you walk me through your idea one more time?" He asked kindly.

I perked up. The plan worked! He was on board! Ohoho! I am so GOOD!

And so, I gave him the instructions one more time. The next day, Dave and I worked together, with some help from Simon and Theo to re-arrange the room to my new specifications. It felt so good to be listened to!

Simon tapped me on the shoulder while Dave and Theo were moving the mini desks. "How did you get him to agree to this?"

I shrugged. "I guess my impeccable charm isn't so dried up after all."

Simon gave me an eyeroll and then we got back to work.

Before I knew it, everything was ready! I climbed up onto my bed and scouted out the layout from my new vantage point. It felt so weird. It felt good to have my own space though! I was positive I'd get used to it.

I unpacked boxes of action figures and comics from under my bed and put them on the extra shelves Dave had added at my request. Ah, this was the life! I couldn't wait to sleep over here tonight. No more feeling squished! Whoooohoooo!

"Are you cozy?" Theodore asked, standing on his own bed and looking over at me, with those bright and curious brown eyes.

I laid down and put my hands behind my head. "Yep!" I replied. "It's perfect."

"I still hate this." My brain said to me.

Shut up, brain. You'll get used to it. I told myself. I had to. The first days after a big shift were ALWAYS an adjustment.

"It sure feels empty over here without you." Theodore squeaked.

Simon was organizing his bookshelf. "It feels quieter." He teased. "I like it."

My baby bro in green whimpered. "I miss you already."

"Theo, come on." I laughed. "I'm only a few extra feet away." I slid off my bed and then banged my hip into the nightstand. "Ouch! Yah! I forgot that's on the opposite side it used to be."

"I'll get you an icepack." Theodore offered.

"Thank you." I said, clutching my sore hip.

The icepack worked wonders and soon I was ready fo just chill in my new space. I fluffed my pillows and then put up some extra posters.

Something still felt WRONG, but I forced myself to ignore that feeling. It was time to return to reading. I wasn't in the mood for a textbook this time. I was in the mood for Goosebumps. Halloween was on its way! The perfect time for some spooky tales.

I was interrupted from my reading by a text from Eleanor.

[The arcade just got three new games. Wanna try them out?] She texted.

That did sound tempting, but I wasn't really in the mood. It shocked me to realize that.

I didn't take my left eye off the book. I couldn't break the delicate metaphorical cord tethering me to hyperfocus. I focused on the phone with my right eye and texted Eleanor at hyperspeed.

[I do, but not today. Ask again tomorrow or this weekend.] I hit send.

I hoped she'd quit texting now, but she sent another message. [Busy again?]

Was I? Not really. I was reading a spooky book. I was enjoying my free time. I just wasn't up for going out and hanging around with a bunch of people. It was very atypical of me to turn down an offer like that.

[Yep. Super duper busy.] And it hurt me to fib to Eleanor, but was it a fib? I was busy enjoying the book. It was about a guy who accidentally gets himself teleported to another planet where everyone has two heads and hooves for feet. Did you need to know that? No. But now you know.

[No problem. I hope we can check them out soon.] Eleanor sent the last text.

I chose not to even respond. The book had absorbed me back into the alien world. This library book needed to be finished today. Then, I could return it a week early. THAT NEVER HAPPENS!

When I was about 2/3rds through the book, (I read fast,) my phone rang. I looked at the caller ID to see an embarrassing picture of Brittany mid-scream.

Urgh. If I ignore this call, I'll hear about it for weeks. I decided to pick up the phone.

"Hey, Britt." I answered.

"Hey, bestie." She gushed. "I got word that Jesse's having a party tonight. I'm allowed to bring a friend."

I gripped the book tightly in my hands. "Sounds great, but I'm otherwise occupied." I also didn't fancy myself a party animal at the moment, but there was no way I was telling her THAT.

"What about next Friday? Can you do next Friday?" Brittany sounded disappointed, but she accepted my rejection of her offer.

I chuckled. "You'll have to ask me Thursday. But, hey, I'll make a note to leave next Friday night open." I said. It was the least I could do.

"Thank you!" She said cheerfully. "Talk soon, Alvin! Good luck on your homework!"

I hung up the phone and then put it on silent. I shoved it in my nightstand drawer. Hey, I remembered my nightstand is on the opposite side now. Cool!

You may be wondering why I suddenly just…don't feel like partying today. Let me explain.

I'm still learning how to handle this new social battery I seem to have acquired. It didn't come with an instruction manual, not that I'd have read the instructions anyway if it did. It feels like these introverted tendencies just popped up out of nowhere! Apparently, this introvert side has been lurking around all along. In the past, I was an expert at ignoring it. I pushed through. I partied the days away. I socialized even when I wasn't feeling social. I convinced myself I did feel social. That I always felt social. Then, as Jeanette helped me connect more with my inner self, I realized I was pushing too hard. It was why I kept feeling tired and drained and fed up with life.

Turns out, I'm an ambivert. Which, makes sense. It does start with an A after all. But it means that depending on the day, I can gain OR lose energy from being social. It flips, like a light switch. I'm so complicated, and I like being this way, but it's VERY tricky to balance.

I have to though. I don't have a choice. I'll never be 100% extroverted again, because I never was in the first place. Pretending to be, only set me up for burnout. Eventually, I hit the wall and now I have to give my introvert self his much needed downtime. In the long run, it makes the super social fun…more fun.

The part I hate is when I get stuck for a week or more in introvert mode and I start to wonder if this is just….it. Maybe I'll never be extroverted again. Then it comes back and I rejoice because without it, it feels like half my personality fades into nothing. It's more fun and more engaging to be the extrovert, but introvert Alvin needs love and care too.

Reading a book in my awesome and spacious room, was a FANTASTIC way to care for introvert me. I finished the book about 30 minutes and then just let myself vibe. I re-read a couple comics. I took my action figures down and acted scenes out with them on the floor. I had enough space to do that now! .

And yet….I still wasn't feeling the new layout. I assumed I'd like it instantly. Why wasn't it making me happy?

Simon caught me playing with my action figures. "Enjoying your new space?" He asked, looking at me from the doorway.

No! I'm not! CAN I HURRY UP AND ADJUST ALREADY!?

"Yup!" I lied, forcing a grin. "It's better than I could have imagined."

"That's good." He chuckled. "Considering you threw such a massive stink about changing it." The taller chipmunk, in the blue jacket and black shirt that said STEM on it in bright-blue letters, walked inside the room. "You know, you were right. It is better this way." He continued. "I'm growing to like it."

"Awesome." I clenched my fist around my Superman action figure.

"I have to say, Alvin, this was one of your better ideas." Simon grinned.

"Yeah." It was getting harder to fake my lack of satisfaction. "It sure was."

It's no big deal. I assured myself. It's only been a few hours. I bet by tonight, it'll feel just like home!

It didn't.

I was in my comfy glow in the dark alien head PJs, the matching glowing solar system was there to give me something to stare at while I tried to count sheep. However, sleep was elusive. I couldn't shake the feeling of wrongness away.

"I hate this. I HATE this! I want everything back to normal!" The voice in my head droned on and on.

"Classic Alvin, is that you?" I asked internally.

"No, but I don't love this either. Fyi."

"2.0?" I wondered.

"I find the change quite…refreshing. But it's proving very tricky to adapt to."

"Oh no." I gasped. "There's a third voice!?"

"Yes." My nerdy side explained it to me like I was stupid. "That's your inner voice."

I was confused. "But he's separate from my usual inner monologue." I reasoned.

"Can we get some sleep!?" Classic Alvin grumbled. "All that reading was boring. It tired me out."

"Hate this. Hate it. I hate it. Listen to me."

I tossed and turned and put my pillow over my ears. It did absolutely nothing, because the voices were in my head. I used to think those voices made me insane and borderline psychotic. Then, I did more ADHD research and realized it's just all the hyperactive thoughts inside me given…compartments. It helps organize my thoughts better so it's not all a chaotic blob of noise.

Though, currently, it was verging on chaotic blob of noise.

"I just wanna sleep." I begged. "Please let me sleep."

I got up to get a drink of water from the bathroom. Then, I hurried back to bed. I happened to catch a glimpse of my alarm. 2:30am. At least tomorrow is Saturday. Actually, today. It's already Saturday morning.

WHAM! I stubbed my toe on the nightstand. "OW!" I called out.

Theodore stirred in his sleep and then sat up. "Are you okay, Alvin?"

"Yep." I fibbed. "Fine. I just got a drink and I'm going back to sleep now."

"Oh good." He yawned. "Goodnight."

Simon was sleep talking as usual. He didn't hear my cry of pain. "The alligators have formed a resistance." He mumbled. "We must attack at dawn. Hit them with pizzas and hot sauce."

Simon's thoughts while asleep are even more random than mine are while awake.

I sunk down into my pillow. At least my bed still felt sorta comfortable. Plus, the throbbing of my toe really helped to distract me from the incessant chattering of my alter egos.

Around 3:00am, I was finally able to get some sleep. I willed myself to adjust to the room overnight.

That didn't work either. I woke up even more disillusioned with it. I felt so dumb. Why was I like this?

I spent the whole weekend trying to adjust to the new configuration. I tried jumping on my bed, but that didn't fix things. I tried re-arranging my action figures too. Then, I obsessively organized everything in the room. My 2.0 side is an organization feind these days.

But nothing I did was making any difference. And the complaints in my mind turned to screams of anguish. I needed some fresh air.

I walked outside and started pacing up and down the backyard, twirling my arms around and around like the blades of a windmill. I knew I looked ridiculous, but I needed to move around like an idiot to feel secure again. The change to my bedroom did NOT feel secure. Not in the slightest.

I walked past the yellow deluxe birdhouse and Warbie poked his head out to watch me.

The young warbler's blue-green eyes widened in surprise. "You okay, Alvin?"

I was NOT okay. I was losing it. I didn't want to be losing it. I could be honest with my kid, right? I raised Warbie. He deserves to know why his dad's wigging out.

"Not really." I admitted, slumping down against the tree the birdhouse resided in. I continued to tap my fingers against my knee.

He flew down and perched on my other knee. "What's buggin' ya?"

"My room." I muttered. "I know it's only been two days…not EVEN two days, but I still hate it."

"You finally got Dave to re-arrange stuff!?" He asked.

I nodded. "Uh huh."

"But you still don't like it?" He tilted his feathery head.

"Yeah." I sighed. "I WANT to like it. I don't know what's wrong with me." I patted his tiny bird head. "I don't suppose you have any advice."

The yellow, blue, and orange bird waved his wings around, similar to how I waved my arms when I talked. "Jeanette says it takes at least a week or more to adapt to even SMALL changes. Maybe you're just trying to adapt too fast."

I considered his suggestion. "Maybe. I assumed it would be faster. I do almost everything fast."

"I hope you get used to it soon." He chirped. "I hate seein' ya all down in the dumps."

"And I hate BEING like this." I grabbed at my red hair and messed it up a little. "I'm so particular and hard to please."

"Maybe that's a good thing." The little bird replied. "You've got standards and you work hard for what you want."

"Hmmm." I murmured. "I guess."

"I know what'll cheer ya up, dad." He flew up and perched on a branch.

I was still feeling miserable. "What?"

"A spin on the ol' skyboard!" He smiled as well as someone with a beak could. "Whattya say?"

I felt the tension in my body ease. "That sounds awesome."

And so, I flew high above the trees on my mechanical marvel of an invention. Warbie flew next to me. It helped me feel more…centered. Not so much "calm" since I barely ever feel that, but it helped smooth out all the rigid stubbornness clouding my judgment.

When it was over, I felt positive that I'd walk in the room and suddenly the layout wouldn't feel terrible! I hurried upstairs after putting my flying skateboard back in my lab.

I threw open the door and leapt into the room, only to be met with the same gut wrenching discomfort as before. How irritating!

The nights were even worse than the day. I had to start forcefully closing my eyes and repeating the word "sleep" over and over. It didn't help much, because I got DISTRACTED. The covers on my bed suddenly felt scratchy. My pillow felt wrong too. How could they feel that way? They were the same exact items as before, just existing in a different space.

It felt like the walls were closing in on me. I looked over at my two brothers, sleeping so soundly. I envied them so much! My sleep schedule was getting pushed out of whack. I usually sleep around 2:00am, but I stayed up until 4:30 that weekend.

I was so worried! I couldn't go on like this! The lack of sleep wasn't healthy and it would eventually start affecting my schoolwork. I needed to stay ahead.

Monday morning, I was barely awake in time to hurry off to school. I rushed through the morning routine and grabbed a wild berry Pop Tart and a banana to eat on the way.

"Did you sleep alright, Alvin?" Theodore asked sweetly, noticing that I was moving substantially slower than usual.

"Mmm hmm." I mumbled, even though I didn't mean it.

"So then what's with the dark circles?" He pointed under my eyes.

I growled. "They're stress related."

Simon entered the kitchen and looked concerned when he saw me. "You look like death." He said bluntly. "What happened?"

"I slept in too late." I answered. "Can you mind your own business?"

"Wow." Theo remarked. "Somebody's grouchy."

I rubbed my head. "I'm not grouchy I'm just….I dunno."

"Dreading the history quiz today?" Simon guessed.

I frowned. "Yeah." I hadn't even THOUGHT about the quiz.

"I'm sure you're gonna ace it!" Theodore encouraged me.

"I BETTER." I started looking through my backpack, double and triple checking to make sure I hadn't forgotten anything important. "I've been cramming. MAJORLY cramming."

"Relax, bro." Simon rested a hand on me. "Listen to your Classic Alvin side. Don't drive yourself crazy and push yourself too hard."

I ignored him. Sure, he knew firsthand what it was like and his warning WAS a good one. But I had bigger fish to fry.

I let out a groan of frustration. "Where did I put my planner?" I asked nobody in particular.

"You mean the color coded binder thingie?" Theo peered at me curiously.

I felt my nose twitch with irritation. "Yes."

"Haven't seen it, sorry." The chipmunk in green frowned.

Simon raised an eyebrow. "Since when do you care about a planner?"

"Since it has ALL my assignments written in it! That thing is my LIFE! If I lost it, I'm DEAD!" I dumped my backpack out and frantically searched through the papers again.

"Chill out." Simon commanded. "Alvin, chill."

"Easy for you to say, Mr. Always Remembers His Assignments and Duedates!" I huffed angrily. "You know how many times I've found completed worksheets in my backpack that I just FORGOT to turn in!? TOO MANY TO COUNT!"

"I'm sure the planner will turn up. You can't have gone too far with it." Theodore told me.

Simon rubbed his chin. "Maybe it's in your room."

At the mention of "room" I lost it. I let out an angry groan. "URRRRGH!"

And then, Dave entered the room. Things quickly escalated to a frightening degree.

"Are you ready for school?" He asked us.

Simon and Theo answered immediately, grabbing their backpacks and hurrying towards the door. "Yep."

"Alvin?" My dad looked down at me.

I tried to stay as even tempered as possible. "Not yet! I'm trying to find my planner and my journal!" I replied.

"I told you to organize your things better." He was just NEVER pleased! "Then, you wouldn't have this problem."

I lost it. I started arguing with him. I AM argumentative, but I have every reason to be. People typically don't believe me or listen to me!

"I DID!" I snapped. "I organized my entire room, backpack, and locker to YOUR standards! It's the reason I don't know where ANYTHING IS!" I stomped my feet. "I had my system, and IT WASN'T GOOD ENOUGH FOR YOU! So I changed it, and now….it doesn't work for ME!"

He just sighed. "Enough with the attitude, Alvin. I don't have time for your foolishness."

"JUST LET ME GO BACK TO MY OLD SYSTEMS!" I shouted. "PLEASE!" I almost added "and my old room configuration" but I wisely stopped myself. Never ask Dave for too much at once.

"I don't want things spread out all over." He responded sharply.

"But I NEED that." I protested. "At least some stuff."

"Alvin, come on." Simon urged me. "Or we're going to be late."

"But my planner!" I blubbered, losing control and letting the tears flow.

Dave angrily unzipped my backpack and produced the color coded planner in seconds. "You mean this? It's right here. You weren't looking hard enough."

I felt embarrassed and still very very angry. Now, I could add in confusion because I SWORE the planner wasn't in my backpack. What kind of black magic was this!?

"I was looking PLENTY hard." I grumbled.

"Come on, Alvin." Theodore tugged at my arm. "We gotta go."

I was late for first hour and Miss. Smith threatened to give me detention. (Sarcasm) Great start to my week. Everyone wondered why I was in such a foul mood and I just came up with excuse after excuse.

The week went by quickly, and I eventually did start to settle in and sleep better. That improved my mood and helped take the edge off. I thought I was FINALLY getting used to the room! I was feeling better! I was able to deal with it.

Unfortunately, being able to tolerate the discomfort and disgust didn't make adapting any easier. I wasn't a total wreck over it, but it didn't stop feeling wrong. I just forced myself to stop caring about the wrongness.

I was displaced. It was clear by week two that I wouldn't be getting used to it. Once again, I had no idea WHY I couldn't adapt. What on Earth was wrong with the room? It was everything I asked for. Everything I wanted! A dream come true! Maybe if I knew what was making it feel so wrong, I could fix it and finally settle in!

To make matters worse, even Theo had adapted! He cheerfully climbed up on my bed one day to tell me so.

"I'm really liking the extra space." He squeaked, grinning a gap-tooth grin. "Lots of room for dancing."

"Great." I forced a smile again. "I'm happy for ya."

Simon unfurled a yoga mat and then sat on it to do his daily meditation. "Mindfulness meditation never worked this well before." He commented.

I felt myself getting angry again, but I wouldn't let the emotion show. I looked between Theo, who was doing a tap routine, and Simon sitting there in total silence with his legs crossed.

"Ohoho, Best room ever." I said, without my heart in it or even remotely close to being in it.

The next day, I was obsessively getting ahead on the latest book we were reading in Literature class. It was called Great Expectations and it was boring as heck. Still, I persevered. It got me to stop thinking about the unsettling knot in my chest. I still absolutely despised the layout and I ran into the nightstand AGAIN. Needless to say, I was a munk in a funk.

Dave came in to check up on me. He was in a good mood today. That meant less angry outbursts.

"Having fun with your new space?" My dad asked, sitting on the bed.

I closed the book. I needed a break anyway. "Yep. Thanks for settin' all this up."

There was no way I could tell him that I wanted everything moved back. I was pretty sure, based on past experiences, he would NOT be accommodating.

"Has school been going well? You seem…a little out of it." He noted.

"I'm still ahead in all my classes." I said proudly. "And I practice not being disruptive every day. I don't think the practice is making much of a difference, but I won't stop trying."

My dad looked apologetic. "Is that what's been upsetting you lately?"

"Me? Upset." I forced a dry laugh. It didn't sound convincing. "I'm not upset. Just…overwhelmed. But, you know, what else is new!?"

He put his giant hand on my back. "I was thinking about what you said, and maybe…maybe you're right." He admitted, shocking me. "If you ARE actively participating in class, then Miss. Smith doesn't have the right to shut that down."

"Glad ya finally see how unfair she is to me." I responded with a relieved smile. "I will try to not stray off topic too far though. Even certain things that I think are on topic, seem like they came straight outta left field. My brain makes all these connections and sometimes they don't make sense to people unless I explain them." I fidgeted with my hands in my lap.

"I see." Dave nodded and then stood up. "You look like you could use some dinner."

I dropped the book in surprise. "It's dinnertime already!?" I gasped. "How long have I been reading!?"

Dave scratched his head. "I don't know. Did you have lunch?"

I searched for the answer, but my mind wasn't cooperating. "I don't remember."

"Is this book for school?" My dad picked up the book and handed it to me.

"Yeah." I set the book on my nightstand and then slid off the bed. "How can you tell?"

He chuckled. "You didn't seem to be enjoying it."

I smiled genuinely. Then laughed. "Never do. Miss. Smith picks the WORST books."

"She's just following the curriculum." The human man explained as we left the room.

"Well, the curriculum SUCKS." I complained.

The second I was out of that space, I felt less chest tightness and the discomfort ceased. So frackin' peculiar.

"I know." Dave walked down the stairs beside me. "But you're doing fantastic."

I felt a flutter of pride. "I did make it to chapter 15!" I squeaked with ENTHUSIASM. "Our class is only on chapter 10!"

"Great job!" He congratulated me.

"Thanks, dad." I smiled wide again.

Dinner went great, aside from listening to Dave and my brothers gush now and then about my genius room layout idea.

"You know,…" The man, in the white T-shirt with a periwinkle knit jacket on top, chewed his pasta thoroughly. "You could probably think up ways to rearrange more rooms in the house."

"Yeah!" Theodore cheered, adding peas to his pasta Alfredo. "Give everything a nice, uhhh, refresh!"

"I wouldn't be opposed to it." Simon added, as he speared a bow tie pasta with his fork.

"Whattya say, Alvin?" My youngest brother asked.

I suddenly didn't feel hungry, but I continued eating anyway. "I dunno, guys. It feels like my idea factory's shut down lately."

"That's not good." Theo stuck out his lower lip.

"It'll come back." I reassured him, and me, because I was getting scared that stress had wiped the floor with my creativity and ingenuity for good. "I just gotta get inspired."

No. I just had to solve the giant room dilemma that was wreaking havoc on my psyche.

"Don't you always say "inspiration is everywhere?" Simon raised an eyebrow at me.

"It is." I informed him. "But I find the BEST inspiration when I'm not actively lookin' for it."

"The dining room could use an overhaul." Dave said to me. "If you get inspired, can you start there?"

I shook my head. "The inspiration will take me wherever it takes me. I do not control the direction. I just enjoy the ride." I looked around. "Plus, I dunno. The dining room seems fine to me. No need for improvements."

"Maybe you'll feel different about it when your creative-ness comes back." Theodore commented, before gulping down his water.

I played along. "Yeah, maybe." I tried to focus on the taste of the pasta dish in front of me. It was hard, but my appetite returned and I did enjoy the food.

The next day rolled around and I was back at school, boiling like a tea kettle. I needed to talk to someone about what was happening. There was only one person, besides Warbie, I felt comfortable being honest with. The love of my life.

Jeanette had spent most of last week saving the dolphins or something like that. She also cleaned up the litter from our local beaches. I admired her dedication, but I missed her terribly. I only got to see her during school hours and I spent most of those actively trying to be less "off topic" when asking questions about the material.

Finally, I managed to get her alone in the courtyard. She was laying down next to a tree, staring up at the clouds. So whimsical!

I walked over to her, feeling embarrassed and a little guilty. "I'm a hypocrite." I said firmly. I was disappointed in myself.

She lifted her head up and then pulled herself into a sitting position. "What?"

I started spitting and sputtering as I paced back and forth in front of my girlfriend. "I'm the ambassador of change! The paragon of transformation! And I can't get used to that stupid new room layout! I haaaate it! I hate it just as much as the old one! Maybe even more!"

"Oh, Alvin." She murmured. "No wonder you've been out of sorts lately."

"It's been over a week now! Why can't I adjust!?" I frowned deeply. "I feel like an insult to everything Alvin 2.0 stands for. I need to tough it out and be flexible!"

"No you don't." Jeanette replied, standing up and enveloping me in her loving gaze.

"Yes, I do." I argued. "It's what everyone expects of me, Netta. It was my idea. I'm forever doomed to live with it."

She shook her head. "No, no, no." She placed a gentle hand on my arm. "It's okay to be uncomfortable with it. Your feelings are very real and valid. And you have every right to ask to have things changed back."

"But everyone else LOVES it." I told her sadly. "I want to love it. Really, I do." I groaned. "I feel like all the progress I've made is unraveling! I'm not flexible enough! I haven't grown up enough! I'm not Alvin 2.0 enough anymore! I'm slipping! Sliding back into the rigidity and familiarity!"

"Alvin, look at me." She squeezed my arm gently and peered into my eyes with her deep blue ones. They were the color of a midnight sky.

I tried my best to gaze back at her, even though I wanted to pull the hood of my cyan hoodie up over my head. "Netta, I'm sorry." I whimpered. "You had such high hopes for me."

"Being uncomfortable with the new room design does not negate all your progress from before." The kindest Chipette said firmly. "Sometimes, ideas don't turn out the way we expect. There's nothing more to it than that. You are still flexible. I promise you. You're just going through a lot, and I want you to know I'm still with you every step of the way."

I sniffled and wiped my nose with my sleeve. "Thanks." I squeaked. "I'd be lost without you."

She hugged me close. "You have to tell Dave how you feel. I know it'll be hard, but it will feel so good once you've been released from the pressure."

"Yeah." I rubbed my arm awkwardly. "I know." I sighed again and leaned against the tree. "I just wish I knew WHY the new layout sucks. What about it could POSSIBLY be bothering me?"

Jeanette nibbled her lip. "I can't give you that answer." She quipped. "That's something you have to discover for yourself." She brightened up. "And maybe once you've found it, you won't have to change the room design back after all."

"Well,…" I rubbed my head. "Currently, my memory is garbage, so if I wanna solve a mystery, I'm gonna need a major boost."

She tilted her head and her brunette bun wiggled slightly. "What did you have in mind?"

I felt my ears droop as a sheepish smile crossed my face. "The memory supplements." I answered.

She frowned for a split second, then was back to being all grins. "Just, be careful with them. Please." She begged.

"Not to worry, Netta." I stated matter-of-factly. "You have given me the gift of caution and restraint. I'm gonna be the careful-est guy around." I bragged.

She giggled. Gosh, I love her giggle.

When I got home from school, it was time. I grabbed the bottle of tablets and cut one into fourths with my handy dandy pill cutter. I swallowed one of those fourths and washed it down with some cyan colored Powerade. I couldn't WAIT for it to kick in! Hmmm what should I do while I wait?

It did take an hour to fully kick in, so I logged onto Tumblr and chatted with my friends. I posted life updates and then drifted towards collecting new music from YouTube. I was still on an AJR kick. That band just hit all the requirements to be a lasting favorite.

Then, all of a sudden, while I was pacing around the room, wondering what to do next, the effects finally hit me! I could feel my brain moving even faster than usual. From hyperspeed to ultra-mega hyperspeed. Suddenly…Pop! Like actual magic, a to-do list of all the things I'd forgotten appeared in my mind. There were quite a few things on it. It felt a little overwhelming.

"Well, I should probably do those." I told myself out loud. "Before I worry about solving the room dilemma."

And then I stood there, in the center of the room for at least TEN minutes, trying to muster up the motivation and desire to do anything on that list.

No luck. I'd rather be playing videogames or writing and drawing a comic. But the to-do list!

"Just pick two things!" I said aloud again. "Do them while listening to music. FEET, MOVE! Downstairs, now! Go sweep the floor. It's such an easy task." I commanded! My brain still wouldn't cooperate.

"Don't make me get out the candy." I threatened.

I still could not make myself start on the list. The excessive thoughts and enhanced clarity actually made it even harder than usual to choose what things to focus on.

"Okay….I can see why Simon said that the memory supplements don't function the same as ADHD meds." I muttered. "To the candy, I guess. I just need to give my brain some UMPH, and then it'll go." I hated turning to what everyone called "my crutch" but it was the only way.

I hustled to my nightstand and grabbed a box of Mike and Ikes. I chomped down on no more than three. There, that's enough sugar to bring on the motivation!

And motivate me it did! I flew through the to-do list with vigor. Floor? Swept! Bed? Made! Homework? Finished! Lawn? Mowed! Living room? Vacuumed!

And, because my rebellious streak bubbled again, I un-organized my things and re-organized them again. Back to my system that works! Sorry, Dave. I gotta live my unconventional way.

I laid down on top of my bed and the thoughts about the room poured into me again. Oh yeah, I was supposed to be solving that mystery before the to-do list appearing distracted me. Oops. That's the whole reason I took the memory supplements! I needed to think through things before they wore off! Quickly!

I hopped off my bed and paced around again. What was wrong with this? Why hadn't putting all my things back the way I LIKE them made this any more tolerable?

"There's something missing." The voice in my head echoed. "Something missing."

Okay, that's some progress. "But what's missing?" I asked.

No answer.

I sighed again.

I was feeling bored again. The candy boost had waned considerably. I needed something else to stimulate me, so I began to sing. It was an old song by the Steelers. I wasn't sure exactly WHY I chose it.

"Trying to make some sense of it all

But I can see it makes no sense at all"

I sang as I tried different positions in my new space, in an attempt to find comfort.

"Is it cool to go to sleep on the floor?

'Cause I don't think that I can take anymore"

I laid face down on the floor at the end of my bed, fed up with everything. Then, I rolled over onto my back.

"Clowns to the left of me

Jokers to the right"

I sat up and looked over at Simon and Theodore's beds. There was a tug at my heart. I felt sadness overwhelm my system.

"Miss bein' stuck in the middle with you

And I'm wondering what it is I should do"

I sang bitterly, standing up and turning away, sulking back to my own corner.

"When you started off with nothing

And you're proud that you're a self-made man

And your friends they all come crawling

Slap you on the back and say

Please

Please"

And then, while sitting all curled up on my bed, the flash of insight I had been waiting for struck me! The song had unlocked it! I knew the reason that I couldn't get used to the room! I MISSED BEING CLOSER TO MY BROTHERS!

"Clowns to the left of me

Jokers to the right

Miss bein' stuck in the middle with you."

I couldn't believe it! Sure, I felt crowded out before, but over here I felt…isolated. I felt like I wasn't part of the trio anymore, even though I WAS. I hadn't even woken my brothers up at night since the change! I missed that too, even though I'm sure they didn't. I would try to only do it…once a week! That's a good compromise, right?

Gosh, I missed feeling so…safe, surrounded by two of my closest pals. I hadn't even realized how important being sandwiched between them was! I needed to fix this! But I didn't want to go back to having barely any space to store my things either. It wasn't an easy situation to remedy.

Or was it? MY OUTSIDE THE BOX THINKING CAME BACK! I hatched a plan to ask for my old space back, with a twist! But, of course, I couldn't do anything unless Dave and my brothers agreed to it.

I decided to spend one more night dealing with the isolation and then after school tomorrow, I would FINALLY be honest about…being a total hypocrite.

I couldn't wait to tell Jeanette what I'd discovered! Unfortunately, in order to do that, I had to make it through another miserable round of classes with my least favorite teacher on the planet.

"Alvin!" Miss. Smith's voice interrupted my train, err, traffic jam of thought.

I set down the Great Expectations book. I was on chapter 18. "What is it now?" I grumbled.

"We're going to be reading out loud today." My teacher looked at me with beady and judgmental eyes. "Care to start us off?"

Simon looked at me with a worried expression.

I wanted to disappear. "Uh, what…what chapter were we on again?" I asked. The memory supplements were no longer in my system and it showed.

"If you paid better attention, you would know!" She waved her finger at me. "I knew you weren't actually reading the book."

"Now wait just a second, Miss. Smith." I stood up. "I AM reading the book. I'm just not on the same chapter as you guys."

"Oh really?" She folded her arms. "And what chapter are you on? Chapter 1?"

I flipped the book around so she could see where I actually was. "Chapter 18." I replied with a smile.

She froze in place, unsure how to react.

Jeanette came over to my desk and whispered to me. "We're on chapter 12."

"Thanks, Netta." I whispered back.

Then she was gone, returned to her own seat.

"Well,…" Miss. Smith regained her mental faculties. "Since you're so far ahead, maybe you could tell us something about chapters 1 through 12."

I smiled smugly. "Gee, I would love to, Miss. Smith, but I am VERY interested in this book and I've been instructed to curb my enthusiasm." I went on, making her basically eat her own words. "I wouldn't want to disrupt the class, now, would I?"

"Fine. You don't have to read out loud or tell us anything." My teacher gave up at last. "But when it comes time for the comprehension quiz, I expect at least a B!"

"I bet I'll get an A." I grinned, before shoving my nose back into the book. It was still boring, but I understood it and I would get an A on that comprehension worksheet JUST to spite Miss. Smith. Spite is a powerful motivator.

She left me alone after that. Ohoho! I was feeling on top of the world!

At lunch time, I skipped into the library with a smile on my face to meet up with my amazing girlfriend.

"I figured it out." I told her excitedly.

She clapped quietly. "I knew you could do it." She gushed. "What's the reason?"

"I miss my brothers." I answered.

She looked confused. "But…they're still in the room with you."

"I know, but it's just not the same." I explained. "I feel, sorta, sliced out of the trio. Lonely."

She frowned sympathetically. "Awww, Alvin. Your brothers would never kick you out of the trio. You're family!"

"It…" I could feel my face getting warmer. "It sorta feels like I kicked myself out. I was so caught up trying to get my own space, I forgot what really mattered to me." I admitted.

"So what are you going to do?" She wondered, fidgeting with her friendship bracelets.

I adjusted my red hipster glasses. "I have a plan and I need your help." Dave wouldn't listen to only me. I needed Jeanette there to back me up.

"Terrific!" Netta squeaked softly.

"Oh, and, by the way,…" I sat down at the table in the eerily quiet library. "I've been listening to my introvert side more, like you said. I'm giving him love and care and time to do what he likes."

"That's great." Her midnight eyes sparkled. "How does it feel?"

"Awkward. Strange. Better. A lot better, actually." I informed her. "It's a lot more fun to go nuts and party when my social battery is all charged up. Seems like it takes forever to charge though." I twirled around the pretzel sticks from my lunchbox. "Got any tips on how to speed it up?"

"Patience, Alvin 2.0. Patience." Jeanette told me sweetly. "You'll be charged up when you're charged up. It's not a process that can be rushed. Just do the things that make you happy and find comfort in the smaller quieter moments."

"That's so haaaard." I whined.

"It is." She didn't sugarcoat things. I respected that. "But you'll get the hang of it. Be kind to yourself…err…yourselves."

"I'll do my best." I promised.

After that, I finished eating and hustled to Dr. Wilson's class. I was the first one there. I took my seat and started thinking about what Miss. Smith had said again. It made me upset, and the feeling was written all over me for the whole world to see.

"Why the long face, young scholar?" Dr. Wilson's comforting voice caused my head to turn.

I slumped my shoulders. "Miss. Smith said I'm too disruptive, too argumentative, and too enthusiastic. I didn't think she was right, but now I'm wondering if she was actually right and I am just totally biased or somethin'."

He sat down in the desk next to mine. "Ah, I was afraid it had something to do with report cards."

I was afraid to ask, even though I knew the answer in my heart. "Do you think I'm those things, Dr. Wilson?"

"Alvin, I think you're an exceptional individual with a lot to offer. Your enthusiasm is one of your greatest qualities." He answered warmly.

"What about the other things?" I felt my mouth go dry. What if he agreed with my least favorite teacher!? What then!?

"There's a time and place to share your opinions and ask questions. There's also a time and place to debate." He advised me.

"So….I am those things." I frowned. That HURT.

"To some folks, yes. To some folks, no." Dr. Wilson clarified. He gently tapped one finger on the desk quietly as he spoke. "I think you just need to know your audience better. That kind of thing comes with practice."

"Does this mean I can keep sharing my observations and stuff and asking questions in your class?" I wagged my tail.

"Absolutely." He replied. "I wouldn't have it any other way."

"But then…how do I keep myself interested in the classes where I CAN'T do that?" I asked, feeling confused again.

The kind man with the cool atom designed jacket and gold glasses rubbed his chin. "Hmmm. You could use a method called The Parking Lot." He suggested. "Write down the things you're thinking about in your notes, instead of saying them out loud. Then, you can return to your written thoughts later and select one if Miss. Smith asks you to share something."

I kinda liked that idea.

"But no oversharing? And I should leave out all the loose connections that don't make sense to her?" I inquired, taking out my journal that I usually doodled in and took notes in.

"Atta boy." Dr. Wilson high fived me.

"Cool!" I said. "I'll start practicing now."

My teacher stood up and placed his hand on my notebook. "Not yet, Alvin. Save it for the classes where you need to practice. This way, you'll train yourself to know when to use the technique and when you're allowed to be your authentic and enthusiastic self."

"Ohhhh." I finally got it. It would be hard, because my brain was wired to throw me into the wrong mode for the situation, but I would never stop trying. "Gotcha." I grinned. "You're the best teacher EVER."

He chuckled. "I'm flattered you think so. I do try my best to be accommodating and inspirational."

Where would I be without Dr. Wilson? Do I wanna know the answer to that? Probably detention. Or jail. Or army boot camp. (Shudder)

I got home from school that day and called a family meeting. Those were a staple in our house. The main crew was there, including the Chipettes. Jeanette had brought her sisters along, even though I hadn't asked her to. But, whatever, I was READY to get what had been bothering me for almost TWO WEEKS out in the open.

"You're probably wondering why I called you all here." I began, walking up and down the coffee table.

"Yeah." Theodore looked worried. "Is something wrong? Family meetings are serious business."

"Yes, there's something wrong." I rubbed the back of my head. "Not, not like majorly wrong. Just something that's been bothering me."

Eleanor rested a hand on her cheek, looking annoyed. "Just get on with it."

I took a deep breath. "The new room design doesn't, you know, doesn't do it for me." I confessed. It felt like a ten pound weight was gone from my shoulders.

"You don't like it?" Dave's amber eyes widened in shock.

"I can't believe this." Simon commented. "After all the fuss you made, you changed your mind!?"

"I realized that the new layout feels wrong." I sighed. "I tried to adjust, really I did. It just isn't happenin'."

"It is kinda lonely without you close to us." Theodore twisted the hem of his lime green shirt. He wore a darker green turtleneck underneath.

"Yes!" I knew Theo would get it. "Exactly! I know it's dumb, and silly, and totally hypocritical, but I miss being in the middle."

"Of course you do." My baby bro continued to agree. "It's the safest place to be. There's love on both sides."

I dropped to my hands and knees, clasping my hands together and shaking them. "Can you do it, Dave? Can you move my bed back? And the nightstand? Please!? Pleeeease!?

"If your brothers agree to it, yes." My dad told me. "The room isn't ONLY yours."

"I agree!" Theodore squeaked.

Brittany glared at Jeanette. "You dragged me here for THIS?"

"Uh…" Jeanette gulped. "I just…thought he could use…the extra support."

Simon looked extremely irritated. "What about your extra space?"

"Oh yeah!" I got back to my feet. "I almost forgot about that. I have the perfect solution!"

Dave didn't seem thrilled. "No, Alvin. If you want everything back the way it was, it means EVERYTHING."

I motioned for Jeanette to climb up on the coffee table. It was her turn to smooth things over.

"All he's requesting is a bookshelf placed near the mini desks and he'd like to keep his small shelves for the action figures." She explained. "This way, he can have space to store his things, and have his bed between his brothers' beds again."

"I guess….that doesn't sound like too much of a hassle." Dave agreed. He actually agreed. "Since the shelves are already up."

"And there's an extra bookshelf in Miss. Miller's basement that's just gathering dust." Jeanette added. "It would fit the space perfectly!"

Simon softened up a little. "I suppose I could move my yoga mat by the window." He said.

"And I'll still have space to dance, right?" Theodore's tail wiggled. His ears twitched.

"Plenty!" I assured him. "We ALL will."

"There's just one issue." Dave revealed. He rubbed his back. "I threw my back out moving the bed last time, and I haven't fully recovered yet. You might have to wait another week, Alvin."

"No problem." Brittany jumped out of her chair and flexed her arms. "If it'll make him stop whining, I can move it."

I grinned at her. "Thanks, Britt."

And so, the room was re-configured once more. My bed and nightstand were back where they belonged. I got the shelf above the bed back too. The mini desks were back in their usual positions by our cubbies. Next to my mini desk, was a medium sized mahogany bookshelf with gold details. Next to the bookshelf, were two nice reddish colored shelves to store my action figures and whatnot.

I filled the bookshelf with everything that I'd been storing in boxes under my bed. My comics, my doodle notebooks I couldn't part with, my planners, my art supplies, and my collection of Monster Books of Monster Facts all found a new home on the shelf. I added a couple physics books as well, using the nightstand bookshelf for my library books. That kept them separated from my other books.

There was STILL space, so I chose some cool 3D printed sculptures Simon made for me for the very top. One was a model of an aluminum atom, one was Arnold Palmer the famous golfer, and one was Tony Hawk the famous skateboard legend. I added some of my plushies to the shelf as well, including the one of myself!

Something was still missing, so I added my Word-A-Day calendar I got from Netta. I also slotted in a super cool glowing sphere that projected constellations all around. Dave even let me hammer a hook into the wall by the door and store my skateboard there. (Not the flying one, the normal one. I keep the flying one in my lab.)

As a finishing touch, I added a phone charger to the bookshelf. With my phone over there, it would force me to get up for school every day on time. No more hitting snooze on the alarm because I'm too cozy in bed. Except on weekends. Hehe. I could sleep in then.

"How does it feel now?" Jeanette asked me when everything was finished.

I looked at everything on the bookshelf. I could see it all. If it was in my line of sight, I'd lose track of it less.

"Perfect." I responded. And this time, it wasn't a lie.

"Thank goodness." Dave collapsed into the red swivel chair by the teepee.

I raced across the room and leapt onto my bed, I reached up and batted the planets hanging on strings above my bed. It wasn't dark, so they weren't glowing, but they would tonight.

I was content again. The weird voice no longer screamed at me. Instead, we were completely in sync.

"I love this room." I said aloud, at the same time as my inner voice.

"I'm glad." Simon sat down on his yoga mat by the window closest to his mini desk.

"Me too." Eleanor added. "Because your complaining was driving ALL of us nuts."

"We should head home now." Brittany tugged on her glittery light pink jacket. "It's getting late."

"Wait,…" I turned to Britt. "I'm sorry I've been so busy again. I promise we'll get together soon. I'll put you on my calendar!" I pointed to the Word-A-Day calendar.

She seemed okay with that. "Can't wait!" Her ice blue eyes were hopeful. I wouldn't let her down. I'd coax extrovert me out somehow.

"Eh hem." I heard a small cough from behind me.

I turned around to see everyone's favorite overlooked Chipette.

"You too, Eleanor." I quipped. "We gotta hit the arcade."

"And you HAVE to check out the Haunted House I'm making for Halloween." Eleanor insisted.

"Wouldn't miss it!" I swung my fist in front of my chest in a show of can-do spirit. "I've been getting ahead in all my classes specifically so I can enjoy Halloween with the rest of ya. No worryin' about homework! Nerd me will be turned off!"

"Now that's what I like to hear." Brittany patted my shoulder. "Not that nerd you isn't also great, but you need to get better at turning him on and off."

"I'm still a work in progress." I squeaked.

Jeanette hugged me. "But you ARE making progress."

"See you tomorrow, boys." The three sisters made their exit.

After a little while, Theodore and I walked over to Simon. He was still meditating.

He opened one eye and stared at us. "What do you want?"

"We want…" Theodore began.

"To invite you to a dance party!" He and I both chorused together.

The boy in the blue atom T-shirt was not on board. "I don't really feel like going out on a school night. Sorry."

"No, no, silly." Theodore giggled, he grabbed Simon's arms and pulled him up. "We're gonna dance right HERE."

"Yeah!" I sprinted over to the empty space in the center of the room.

Simon followed with Theodore scampering behind. "In that case, I'm in." The taller boy replied.

And so, the three of us danced and sang together. We had such cool moves! We picked that same song I had used earlier in this story. Only now, I was singing it with a much happier sound.

"Here I am stuck in the middle with you

Yes I'm stuck in the middle with you"

We linked arms, I was standing in between my brothers. I wasn't the middle child, but boy did Dave and the world treat me like one. But I didn't care right now. All that mattered was having my brothers by my side.

"It's so hard to keep this smile from my face

And I've been zoning out all over the place"

I shuffled across the floor, singing my heart out. I felt like a true member of the trio again! No longer alone!

"Clowns to the left of me

Jokers to the right"

Theo and Simon took turns pushing me back and forth between them. We were having a grand ol' time. They sang the chorus with me loudly as we hurried away to hop in our beds, still singing once we were in them.

"Here I am stuck in the middle with you

Yes, I'm stuck in the middle with you.

Love bein' stuck in the middle with you"

I looked to Simon on my left and Theo on my right. This was how it should be. Back in my old spot, crowded, but not too crowded. I fluffed my pillow and settled in for the night.

Only to wake up a few hours later with inquiries that demanded my attention. I'd been toying around with this thought a couple days earlier, but Google was no help. I needed my brother. Fortunately, he was close by. I slipped out of bed and poked Simon to wake him up.

"Simon, I have a question." I squeaked, flicking on the lamp on his nightstand.

He barely opened his eyes. "Alvin, go to sleep." He mumbled.

"But it's an important question." I whispered.

He sat up and rubbed his forehead. "What is it?"

I blurted out the thing I was obsessed with finding an answer to. "Do you think pigeons have feelings?"

My younger bro immediately got annoyed. "That's not important right now."

"It's important to me." I reasoned.

He let out an angry huff. "You think too much." He responded.

I started to ramble. I just couldn't stop myself. My self control is always worse when I'm sleepy. "Jeanette said that all animals have feelings, so I guess they do. But they always stare at you so blank eyed and dumb looking. Maybe they're not sure how to express those feelings."

"This is really a conversation for Jeanette." Simon advised. "Just text her or something."

I frowned. "I can't." I tugged at his shirt.

Simon pulled away, getting even MORE annoyed. "Why not?"

"Because she's sleeping." I squeaked.

He groaned. "As is the rest of this country! And what does that tell you, Alvin?"

I rubbed my chin. "That I have the strangest sleep schedule in town?"

That's when Si totally lost it. "No. IT TELLS YOU THAT YOU SHOULD BE ASLEEP!"

"What's going on?" Theodore's voice whimpered.

"Now look what you did!" Simon fumed. "You woke Theodore."

No, Si. You did. Your yelling woke him. I am consciously being as quiet as possible.

I flicked on the lamp on my nightstand so I could see my other bro. "Oh good. Theo, you're up. Do you think pigeons have feelings?" I asked.

The chipmunk in the light green PJs sighed. "Can't this wait until morning?"

"Yes. It can." Simon said firmly. "Back to sleep, Theo."

The chubby chipmunk yawned. "Goodnight, Alvin." He flicked off my lamp.

"Fine, fine." I sighed. "Since you're no help, and google was no help, I'll just write it down and ask Netta tomorrow." I opened the drawer of my nightstand. "Where's my journal?"

"On the new shelf." Simon rolled over to face away from me.

"Right! Haha! Thanks, bro." I climbed out of bed and grabbed the journal from the bookshelf. "I am still gettin' used to this."

"Good for you." My brother in blue grumbled.

I smiled proudly. "But, the important thing is… I don't hate it."

He groaned as he rolled back over and turned off the lamp on his nightstand.

It was time to stop bothering him, but boy did it feel GOOD to be BACK.

I always considered myself a highly adaptable person. I thought I could handle anything. But, you know, thinking back to that whole 2.0 transformation thing, that was a doozy. I guess I'm not as adaptable to change as I thought.

But that's alright! It doesn't mean I'm regressing or falling back into bad habits! I'm still moving forward. I'm still gaining that sweet sweet character development. There's just a few bumps along the way. (Or, a lotta bumps!)

Some people do struggle with changes more than others. Some like when certain things change and certain things don't. Some are just all over the place, like me. Neuroplasticity varies from individual to individual. And even having neuroplasticity doesn't mean you'll like the changes. Maybe you'll just tolerate them, like I can do now. I mean, I could have tolerated the room better eventually, I'm sure. I chose to go back, because when something isn't working for you, and you have the ability to change it, then CHANGE IT. Your body and mind will thank you.

When it comes to your own space, you should make it as suited to your wants and needs as you can. There's so many things on this planet we have to tolerate. School, work, those great expectations, disagreements with family and friends, lame teachers who hate fun…Why should your own space be one of those things? Live your life to the fullest! Sometimes, even the tiniest improvements make all the difference.

Peace out, guys. I'm going to the arcade with Eleanor and Brittany!

And like that, it is COMPLETE! Another one down! And the Halloween fic WILL get to be 13! This gives me ample time to write the Halloween fic too!

What did you think of this story? How psyched were you to see Dr. Wilson again, even just for a short moment? How about Warbie? Alvin's got so many people to lean on.

Also, the memory supplements are BACK! You can read about Alvin's other experience using them in the story Physics Bowled Over!

In addition to the issues Alvin has adapting to the room, I wound up adding another little somewhat vent-y storyline in here too. Alvin and I are both really struggling with being neurodivergent in a world that insists on conformity and order.

We're learning that we are simply "too much" and that we HAVE to tone it down a lot around certain people and in certain situations. (school and job) Not gonna sugarcoat it. It SUCKS. I'm autistic in addition to having ADHD and when someone tells me to shut off parts of myself in "certain situations" they wind up shut off in every situation because I train myself so hard to conform. (The anxiety forces it.)

This is something Alvin and I will both likely continue to struggle with and we can only hope that we wind up improving and learning to turn our personalities on and off at the appropriate times.

LET'S GIVE A BIG HAND TO DAVE THOUGH FOR EVENTUALLY REALIZING THAT THE COMMENTS MISS. SMITH MADE ABOUT ALVIN SHOULD NOT OVERSHADOW ALVIN'S ACHIEVEMENTS! TV Alvinnn Dave could never.

That's all for now, folks! Next time I post, Eleanor's gonna take you on a spooky ride that you won't wanna miss!