It's that time again everybody! This is Stevenspielbergwriter3 (have not changed that name in like 8 years) and I… am… BACK with another chapter in my drama "My Treasure"! You guys have been fantastic on feeding me with reviews, but please remember that specific ideas and comments are the most appreciated!

So, my challenge for you guys this time around is: first, read the chapter (should be the easiest part). Second, pick out what you like best so far about the story. Third, pick out what you like the least about the story so far. Fourth, come up with an idea, any idea, about what you would really like to see happen in future chapters. Fifth and most important, leave ALL three of those things in a review or PM for me! I've made sure that you can leave a review EVEN if you do not have a fanfiction account!

Final note, I'm rereading Lost in the Stars all the way through and I'm like 99 percent sure I'm going to be continuing that as well so let me know if you're excited for a return of that story!

On that note, here's chapter 4:

Chapter 3: Faded Romance

Alvin had been so distracted by humming the tunes of his band's old covers that he didn't hear his secretary enter his office.

She looked at the chipmunk dressed in a nicely tailored suit with a red and yellow tie, leaning back in him chair, eyes closed, mumbling the lyrics to an older song with confusion. She cleared her throat to get his attention which didn't work. "Mr. Seville?" she muttered. Still no reaction from Alvin. "Mr. Seville!"

He stopped what he was doing, opened his eyes to look in her direction, and as soon as he saw her standing in the doorway with her arms on her hips he quickly sat up in his chair and pulled the headphones off of his head.

"Whats up Ronda?" he asked her, embarrassed.

"Mr. Ramos would like to see you," she said as she began to exit the room and close the door behind her.

"Wait!" Alvin stopped her in her tracks. "Did he say what for?"

She responded with, "no sir," before shutting the door, leaving the normally cocky chipmunk to nervously ponder how he was going to explain his lack of production to his boss… again.

He sighed and picked himself out of his chair. He set his headphones down in front of his desktop and made his way out of his office. It was a bit of a walk to the other end of the floor, where Ramos presided. On his way in that direction, Alvin passed a cubicle occupied by another talent scout like himself. He was a sad-looking, forty plus year old man with a beer belly and a receding hairline and his name was Dean Blandino.

As he walked past it, Alvin thought nothing of Dean hunching towards his computer screen, until something caught his eye. He could have swore that he saw… no, it couldn't have been. The chipmunk stopped dead in his tracks and trudged awkwardly back towards the opening in the cubicle. Dean didn't hear him enter his office space, as he was absolutely fixated on what was on his desktop screen. Alvin got close enough to see around his shoulder, and his worst fears were confirmed.

His coworker was looking at pictures of his wife, Brittany, half naked in various locations of his own damn bedroom.

Alvin crossed his arms, as a rollercoaster of emotions hit him all at once. This was the first time he had seen Brit in underwear for a very long time. Dean finally noticed Al standing to his left and quickly rotated in his chair to face him. "What do you want, Alvin?"

"I want that shit to never be on your computer again, or I'm telling the boss that you're jerking it off in your office space."

"Be my guest," he responded. "Ask me if I give a fuck. I know for a fact he won't. I may be stroking my weiner all day at work but I still find a way to be more productive than you."

"Say, did your ex-wife leave you because she figured out that you're a furry, or because your gut has its own gravitational pull?"

"Don't you have an ass-chewing in Ramos' office to crawl off to?" he looked down at me with a crossed expression.

"More likely a promotion," I snorted, raising an eyebrow.

"Pretty sure you actually need to find some talent as a talent scout before you're eligible for promotion, Al. Now get the hell out of my office before I accidentally step on you."

Alvin threw his arms up and began slowly backing out of the cubicle with a smile on his face. "Hey, whatever you say Dean."

"About time you finally retreated," Blandino called back as he spun back around to continue licking his lips at pictures of Brittany.

Alvin chuckled as he rounded the corner into the hallway. "The only thing retreating here is your hairline, Dean."

As Alvin walked away, Dean could be heard calling, "tell Brittany I say hi!" but Al ignored him and kept moving.

Mr. Ramos sat behind his desk, fingers crossed on top of his lap, eyeing down the chipmunk who had just entered his office and closed the door. Alvin exchanged eye contact with his boss nervously. "You asked to see me?"

"Yes, I just wanted you to update me on your progress," Ramos chirped from across the room.

Alvin stepped forward and grabbed the chair closest to him. "Well,,,"

But he was interrupted by Ramos interjecting, "Oh no. No, don't sit down. You've been doing enough of that recently."

Alvin sighed. "I've been going through every possible corner of Youtube and Soundcloud, been making calls. But nothing that promising has caught my ear. And every time I think I have something they either already have something lined up or they're just straight up not interested."

Ramos put his hand up in a "stop" motion to shut Alvin up.

"Here's the thing, Alvin. Everyone struggles with this job when they first start. Whether it's because they don't know where to look, or don't know how to pitch the company, or don't know money-making talent when they hear it, or - based off of what you're telling me, all of the above in your case. But there's an even bigger issue with you that I'm concerned about."

Alvin's eyes widened. "W-what do you mean?"

His boss turned his attention to the expensive computer screen to the left side of his desk. "Well, you just told me you're hard at work, all day, trying to find talent for me to bring in. Let's see if the facts back that up."

Alvin gulped nervously as Ramos typed for a few seconds, before twisting the screen of the computer to face the chipmunk.

"Can you tell me what that is?" Ramos asked Alvin.

Al looked at the screen for a bit before recognizing it. "That's the browser history on my desktop today."

"That's correct. Read some of it aloud to me, from the top."

Alvin sighed. "Chipmunks ft. Chipettes - Party Rock Anthem on Youtube… chipmunks vs. chipettes - No Scrubs vs. No pigeons on bitchute… New York Times article - 'Why the Chipmunks' ticket sales are down'..."

"Stop right there," Ramos commanded. "I'll save us both some time, because pretty much your whole day looks like this, with the occasional Soundcloud song here and there from some wannabe rapper in his mom's basement. Matter of fact, this is pretty much what every workday looks like for you since we've brought you in."

Alvin couldn't think of anything to say. So he just stood there holding his right arm, staring at the ground.

"Let me explain something to you," Ramos continued. "When you are in my building on my payroll, you are on my time. And I expect you not only to be focused on work but to get me results."

Alvin nodded solemnly "I understand sir."

"You're living in the past, Alvin," Ramos said, easing up just a bit. "I brought you in here because you know your music. You're one of the most talented musicians I've ever heard and you're one of the most entertaining personalities that's ever hit a stage. I brought you here to find another you so to speak. Or two, or three. You get the idea?"

"Of course," Alvin sighed.

"Within the next two days, I expect something good to hit my desk. From you."

Alvin's ears perked up from surprise. "Sir… today is Friday. And it's almost the end of the workday."

His boss raised an eyebrow at him. "Is that a problem?"

The chipmunk bit his lip and let his eyes sink back towards the floor. "Nope. No problem."

"Good, now get back to work. I better not see any more distractions on your history from now on."

Laney sat awkwardly, staring at the floor of principal King's office. King herself sat behind her desk, keeping an eye on her student, not saying a word. Across from Laney sat Julie Maggart and her mother, Mrs. Maggart, both glaring at the young chipette with hateful eyes. Julie had both nostrils plugged up to stop the blood flow, sporting a black eye and some dirt that remained on her face, her clothes, and in her hair despite some washing.

All four of them waited impatiently for Brittany to finally show up, none of them saying a thing to each other.

Finally, the door to the office swung open. "I'm sorry that took so long," came the frantic voice of Laney's mother.

"It's fine Mrs. Seville," Miss King's voice responded with fake reassurance, "please have a seat."

Brittany was already on her way to the seat next to Laney. "What happened?" she asked her daughter sternly.

"She attacked me!" Julie's angry words interrupted.

Laney never picked her eyes up to look at anybody, obviously in shame.

Brittany looked at her daughter in shock. "Is that true?"

Laney didn't respond.

"Laney… is that true?" she persisted.

"What kind of question is that?" Julie's mother piped in. "Have a look at what she did to my sweet little girl. Look at her face, at her clothes!"

"But she started it!" Laney finally retorted defiantly.

"No!" Julie fired back

"Laney, calm down," Brittany murmured to her daughter.

"Miss King," Mrs. Maggart turned to the principal, "I want this creature expelled… or at least suspended for attacking my baby girl in cold blood. You can't stand for this."

Brittany raised an eyebrow at her. "Creature?"

"We do not stand for violence," King assured her. "Laney, what do you have to say for yourself? Can you tell us exactly what happened, honey?"

"She bullied me!" Laney tried to explain. "She stomped on my pictures in the sand and said mean things to me."

"Did not!" Julie protested she's lying!"

"No I'm not!" Laney said frantically.

"Please," Mrs. Maggart interrupted. "I don't see why my daughter would even go anywhere that thing."

"What are you trying to say?" Brittany responded, glaring at the mom across the office.

Mrs. Maggart raised an eyebrow at her. "Did I stutter?"

"Oh no, honey," Brit retorted, "it's just kind of hard to hear you through all that plastic surgery. How much did you have to max out your husband's credit card to fix that face?"

"That's enough!" King commanded.

"As you can see," Julie's mom sighed, "anger issues clearly run in the family. There are three other sweet little girls who all witnessed what happened and they all said Laney was unprovoked. For the safety of all of the students here, I insist you do something."

King bit her lip, then turned to the two chipmunks. "Mrs. Seville, your daughter is suspended indefinitely. When we get more information I'll follow up with you personally. Until then, I need you to parent Laney so she won't repeat this incident."

"Now wait just a minute-" Brittany tried to protest but was interrupted by the principal.

"That's my final word on this issue today. Julie get back to class."

With a lowkey smirk on her face, Julie hopped off her chair and skipped out the office smugly.

"I wish the rest of you a good day. And Mrs. Seville," she paused to make eye contact with Brittany. "The next time will be the last time."

And THAT was chapter 3! Thank you all for your patience, I understand this took way too long to get out to you guys! Got so busy with work, never had time to write.

Whatever you thought of the chapter, or whatever you think of the story so far, PLEASE leave a review or send me a PM so you can let me know. Constructive criticism is just as welcome as praise! Do your part to make this story better! And don't forget about the challenge I gave you at the beginning of the chapter!

Till next time,

Stevenspielbergwriter3