Don't hurt me!

Yes... I realize it's been exactly two months since I updated but I have a complete a totally logical explanation. For one... it took me awhile to figure out how to end this thing. Which I must do eventually. For two, it isn't like I've been relaxing all summer. I spent most of my days at work dealing with annoying coworkers, brainless bosses, and stupid customers. Point is I didn't have much time to do much, but work. So that being said... I did finally finish the chapter after much persuasion from an extremely annoying friend of mine. And it's 11 pages long! That's 3,515 words... (would be more but most of its dialog) so get off my back! :D LOVE YOU GUYS!

I've probably read this thing over at LEAST 15 or 26 times. So I'm quite tired of it now. But it's your turn right. Let me know how it is! DON'T FORGET TO REVIEW!

btw. I'm on Twitter now so feel free to harress (I mean follow) me! Strgrl4eva

You know that feeling you get where your stomach is all in knots, tied so tightly even Houdini himself couldn't break free? Where you're so mad, frustrated, and sad you can't even fathom how to express yourself? Where you desperately want to say something but when you try to speak no words come out?

Brittany clenched her fist, digging her nails into her palm until it turned red as she felt that exact same feeling. Then slowly she let her gaze fall forward, casting them on the back of his fiery scarlet cap. Alvin was leading her down a little short back road she hadn't remembered coming across before. And normally this would raise all kinds of flags but this time she had other thoughts on her mind.

"Who was she?" Brittany asked boldly. Her voice loud and confident, demanding attention.

With every move she made images came rushing forward and like a scratched DVD the same scene replayed over and over in her mind. All Brittany could see was the back of that girl's head. Her blurry, unseen face as she leaned forward to look down at a display. Alvin's figure as he stood closely behind her. The way the girl laughed -Brittany could almost hear the obnoxious giggle- , tossing her hair to the side as her body shook. Things Brittany hadn't noticed at first but now… they were incredibly obvious.

"Who was who?" Alvin asked. He didn't so much as turn his head. Just continued onward as if he really had no idea what she was talking- who she was talking about.

Brittany swallowed, her anger growing. "Don't play dumb."

"I'm not playing." Alvin answered with a shrug.

"Obviously." Brittany remarked with a roll of her eyes. She blinked, sighing again. "Alvin, you know exactly who I'm talking about."

"If I did why would I be asking?" He pointed out.

"Because you're…" Brittany finished her sentenced with a frustrated cry. "UGH! That girl!" Brittany practically screamed back at him. "That girl! The one you were with!"

"Come on," Alvin shrugged. "I know a lot of girls and I mean a LOT," he remarked, tossing a knowing glance over his shoulder. "You're going to have to be a little more specific." He added a smile.

Brittany frowned. Why was he doing this? Why couldn't he be serious… for just one minute… one minute… "Who was she, Alvin?" Brittany tried to communicate everything that was left unsaid and all the stupid disappointment that was bottled up with a melancholy, blank, stare.

His playful smile vanished almost instantly and he turned away from her just as a car passed by honking. "Why does it matter?" Alvin questioned, suddenly serious.

"What do you mean?" Brittany asked. She balled both hands into tiny fists. "Why do you think it matters?"

"I don't." Alvin said. "But for some odd reason… you do. I already told you what happened."

Brittany shut her eyes and she could see herself standing in the doorway of the store again. She was looking in wide-eyed as the girl leaned forward closing the distance between her and Alvin. The snapshot of their kiss permanently burned in the chipette's memory. Brittany's lids flashed open, her blue eyes burning furiously.

"Then tell me again." Brittany ordered.

Alvin groaned. "Can't we just change the subject?"

"Do you have a lot in common? Does she love video games?" Brittany questioned. "Is that why you took her to that store?"

"Brittany-"

"I bet she likes those games based of some mindless TV show." She remarked.

"Brittany-"

"Did she want the Malibu Dress-Up game or the Skateboard'n Chrissie?"

"Brittany-"

"You're right. Those are probably way too complicated." Brittany remarked with a roll of her eyes.

"BRITTANY!" Alvin spun around so quick she almost ran right into him.

His eyes met hers and she glared right back shooting little daggers in his direction.

"WHAT?" She hollered.

Alvin blinked. "How you have been?"

Brittany gritted her teeth but let her mouth fall closed. Another moment ticked by… She didn't answer and Alvin shrugged as he slowly turned away from her. She fell into step beside him and just like that they were walking again. Brittany focused on the sound of their heavy footsteps falling on the smooth, even sidewalk.

"Well…" Alvin said. "Did you hear about the science fair?"

Brittany reached up and scratched at the tip of her nose.

"I didn't go or anything… did you?" He asked her.

Brittany rubbed her lips together and let out a yawn.

"Simon won."

Brittany fiddled with her shirt and brushed her finger against her eyebrow.

"Jeanette was a close second. But what else is new, right?" Alvin asked her.

Brittany sighed, pulling at a small lock of her already frizzing red hair.

"It's going to be a long walk home if you're going to be like this the whole way." Alvin told her.

Another few minutes rolled by and she said nothing. Alvin didn't offer any type of conversation either. The silence was almost deafening. She had to say something. Brittany closed her eyes as if it pained her, open her mouth to say something and then shut it like a gaping fish underwater.

Brittany took in a sharp breath. "Do you even know where we're going?" she asked finally him.

"Of course I know where we're going!" Alvin said. "Why else would I have followed you out here?"

"Just like you knew where we we're going that day you got us lost?" Brittany questioned.

Alvin frowned. "I haven't the faintest idea what you're talking about."

"There was that big festival last year… with that band?" Brittany reminded him.

Alvin snorted. "I don't remember."

"Well let me refresh your memory." She offered. "YOU were the one who was convinced you could get us there and instead landed us in the middle of nowhere, Einstein." Brittany replied.

"And what?" Alvin asked. "Now it's your turn?"

"I knew where I was the entire time." Brittany argued.

"Is that why I'M the one leading YOU home?" Alvin questioned.

"I could have figured it out." She protested.

"Yeah, right." Alvin remarked with a roll of his eyes.

"I could have!" Brittany cried.

"If I left you like I WANTED to," Alvin said. "You would still be wandering around, walking in the opposite direction"

Brittany eyes widened. "Like you wanted to?"

"Yeah, I shouldn't have even followed you out. I should have just let you find your own way home." He said.

"…Well…" Brittany murmured, casting a glance at him. "Why didn't you?"

"Why didn't I what?" Alvin asked.

"You said you wanted to leave me so badly… why didn't you?" Brittany inquired.

"Because!" Alvin cried, throwing his hands up. "I-I felt sorry for you! What was I supposed to do? Leave you sitting there crying like some stupid girl in the rain?"

"Stupid?" Brittany remarked.

"Yeah!" Alvin exclaimed. "Stupid! What kind of smart person runs away and gets lost?"

Brittany rolled her eyes to the side, crossing her arms firmly across her chest. The only sound came from the various cars that raced down the street; honking their horns and flashing their lights. As they edged closer to their neighborhood Brittany looked up at Alvin… maybe to apologize. Ok. Well not "apologize" but at least admit that he wasn't completely clueless.

She watched Alvin bring his hand up to his cap, pulling the bill to the side; probably to block the sun from his eyes. Brittany took in a deep breath as if to mentally prepare her for this. He dropped his left hand into his pants pocket and Brittany opened her mouth. But before her words could break free he spoke.

"Her name's Abbey."

"Huh?" Brittany asked, blinking in confusion. "Who?

"She's in my math class." Alvin said as if this was the only explanation he needed.

Brittany waited a full five beats for him to say more but when nothing came she asked.

"What are you talking about?"

"We studied together a few nights ago. Abbey Ross" Alvin explained further.

Brittany turned to look at him at the corner of her eye. Abbey Ross.

Abbey Ross wasn't exactly tall but she couldn't pass as short either. She had bright brown eyes and creamy skin with a pinkish tint. Brittany remembered her in Elementary with a short black bob that barely brushed her ears. During Middle School she'd added purple steaks. And just recently, Brittany realized… she'd grown it long and dyed it a natural brown.

Brittany's widened as it suddenly dawned on her. A girl with dark brown hair, wearing a purple shirt… It couldn't be…

"It was just a studying." Alvin was saying "But… I liked her."

Three words and she was entirely oblivious to what was going around her. An earthquake could have shaken and rattled the earth and Brittany wouldn't have noticed.

"So you like her." Brittany whispered. Her voice was barely audible over the rush of a sudden gust of wind.

"Yeah, maybe I do." Alvin said. "Why does that even matter to you?"

"Why?" Brittany asked.

"Yeah," Alvin answered. "Why did you show up at that shop today? Why do you care who I like? Why?"

"How can you even ask me a question like that?" Brittany demanded.

"I'm not stupid." Alvin said. "But… let's just say I can't speak for the both of us."

"Hey!"

"No. I asked you a question, right?" He asked. "Why."

He stopped walking and turned to her suddenly, blocking her path, her only way out.

"Because…" Brittany stammered.

"Because?" Alvin probed.

"All this time? And you don't already know?" She questioned.

"You're always expecting me to read your mind like I'm some kind of magician or something." Alvin said. "It's what you do. And even when I can… it's … I mean… just… Just answer the question!"

"What?"

"Why, Brittany?"

"Because…" Brittany said again. "Well why do you think?" she asked. "It's because I love you, stupid."

"FINALLY!" Alvin cried. That laughing grin broke free on his face as he turned away from her. "Took you long enough!"

Brittany groaned, rolling her eyes to the side as she watched him walk away. "Why me?"

"What?" Alvin asked, glancing back at her. "You're pretty lucky if you ask me!"

"Well no one's asked you!" Brittany cried, throwing her hands up. She took a step forward and fell into a soft pace behind him.

"How could you ask for more?" He asked. "I'm funny, daring, good looking, and not to mention good looking."

Brittany sighed. "You said the same thing twice, idiot."

"But I'm SOO good looking you have to say it more than once." Alvin declared. "I mean we ARE talking about the 5th consecutive Heartthrob of the Year."

"Yeah, right." Brittany said with a laugh.

"I'm serious." Alvin said. She watched and waited as he slipped on that look. "I told you so. There's not one girl in the world… no… the UNIVERSE… that can resist-"

"Don't finish that sentence." Brittany interrupted.

"THE ALVIN!" He announced, striking a daring pose with his head held up high and his hands on his hips.

Brittany let out a groan but continued walking, concentrating on her footsteps. She groaned, shaking her head. "Stay away from me."

Alvin laughed, "Admit it." He said trailing behind her. "You missed me."

"What makes you think that?" She asked.

"I just know!" Alvin exclaimed. "It's all over your face!"

"Like you didn't miss me!" Brittany snapped, turning to him.

Alvin placed his hand the arm of a street lamp and glanced back at Brittany. "I never said I didn't."

Brittany made a face at him. "Whatever… and Alvin?"

"Yeah?"

A large gust of wind whipped through the air just as a blue mustang zipped by the two.

"I'm- I mean I… I guess…" Brittany took in a deep breath. "I guess I'm sorta sorry about before."

"Before?" Alvin asked, tilting his head to the side. "What do you mean?"

Brittany twisted her lips into an evil scowl. "You know exactly what I'm talking about."

"How could I?" Alvin asked her, meeting her eyes. "I'm not a mind reader."

Brittany's lips tightened before suddenly relaxing as she nodded. "Oh, yeah… that… fine." She sighed. "When I saw you… I was going to say… I'm sorry that it took me so long to realize…"

"Yeah?"

"How important you are to me… I guess and-"Brittany suddenly stopped. "Wait a minute. What about Abbey?"

"What about Abbey?" Alvin asked. "What does she have to do with anything?"

They glided around the corner. Their homes were near approaching, and the white picket fence that surrounded the Seville household lined the horizon. The pavement (still wet from that afternoon shower) practically sparkled in the setting sun.

"Don't you like her?" Brittany was asking him.

"She's OK I guess," Alvin shrugged. "Why?"

"You said you did." Brittany pointed out.

"I did?" Alvin asked.

"You did."

"Hmm…" Alvin mused. A wide smile suddenly spread across his face and he laughed as if he'd just heard a joke. "Oh! That! Yeah! I wasn't being serious!"

"What?"

"Yeah," Alvin shrugged. "I guess I just said that to see what you'd do."

"What I'd do…" Brittany asked.

"Yeah" Alvin said. "I just wanted to see what you would say."

"So you lied to me… right to my face?" Brittany questioned.

"Yeah, I mean… it was kinda funny don't cha think?" Alvin asked.

"You think lying to me is funny?" Brittany questioned.

"Yeah, I mean no… NO!" Alvin exclaimed. "That's not what I said."

"Really because that's exactly what it sounded like." Brittany told him.

"I was just saying-"

"Yeah, what were you saying?" She asked.

"I- I mean… I just wanted to kinda see if you'd get jealous… or something" Alvin admitted. "I-"

"You wanted to see if I'd get jealous?"

"Yeah," Alvin said. "I mean… I- " He let out a loud sigh and gave in. "It was stupid, OK? I'm sorry."

Brittany rolled her eyes. "I guess I should be used to this by now…"

"Used to what?"

"Baby, sorry to break it to you but you saying something stupid…" Brittany explained. "It's not exactly news."

"HEY!" Alvin protested.

"Just something I've learned to put up with over the years." Brittany continued.

She quickly crossed the street and was already meeting the other side when Alvin finally rushed after her. She kept up her pace though, straight up the walk leading to the Miller house.

"Oh, so you're like Miss Perfect?" Alvin exclaimed.

"Precisely" Brittany said, turning back to him.

She was walking backwards now, stepping carefully as she guided him to her front door. "I think I can find my way back now." She told him.

"Yeah, I guess so…" Alvin agreed.

"Thanks for finding me." Brittany whispered, bracing herself against the door.

"It wasn't very hard."

Brittany smiled. "I guess… I'll see you around?"

"Yeah… oh and Brittany?"

"Yes." She answered quickly.

"You might want to look in the mirror…" He advised. "You've got this kinda bird's nest thing going on with your hair."

Brittany's mouth dropped, she literately felt it clatter to the floor. "You're going to pay for that"

"What?" Alvin asked. "I just thought you should know…"

"UGH! Get away from me!" She screamed.

In one swift motion she turned, yanked the door open and stepped inside.

"Brittany I didn't mean it like that…" Alvin tried but she wasn't listening.

"WhatEVER! I don't care!" She screamed at him.

Brittany pushed the door hard, meaning to slam into in his face but just as she did so it caught on the doormat. Her face burned as she struggled to right it listening to Alvin's crackle of laughter on the other side.

"You need some help?" He offered.

"Not from you!" She cried back.

After a short battle the door slammed shut again, this time locking in place.

She hated him.

She HATED him.

Brittany was just about to storm away when she heard his voice again. She opened her mouth to tell him to leave when she realized he wasn't talking to her.

"No, I'm done now." Brittany heard Alvin say.

She almost questioned who he could possibly be talking to on her front porch but one quick look from the peep hole revealed Alvin standing there with his cell phone clasped to his ear. He began walking away steadily talking but his voice was fading. Brittany pressed her ear against the door straining to make out the words.

"….yeah I'll….you there….Abbey will…but then…"

But it was impossible to figure out what exactly he was taking about or even who he was talking to. His voice slowly died away and then… he was gone. The words kept replaying over and over in her head and she tried to make sense of them. There was that girl's name again. What did this mean? Had Alvin lied to her? After everything… had he… lied about something so serious?

As much as she wanted to push the thoughts out of her head and just trust him… Brittany couldn't stop the nagging voice in the back of her skull, a voice that screamed at her to do something. But what if she did and she turned out to be wrong? What if she'd just gotten upset and worked up over nothing. Which it probably was… just nothing. But then again… what if it wasn't…

She tiredly shuffled down the hallway and up the staircase in search of one of her sisters. The universe must have been on her side because when she pushed open her bedroom door Brittany found Jeanette working quietly at her desk.

Brittany sighed loudly as she entered into the room, dragging her feet the whole way. Brittany tossed a look at Jeanette but her sister hadn't moved. She had a book open in front of her and was busily skimming a page, looking for something.

"Brittany let out a groan, Ugh…." flinging herself head first onto her bed as Jeanette continued to read.

Brittany frowned. "I said…. UGGGGHHHHH!" Brittany yelled, sighing even more dramatically now, but Jeanette didn't look up.

"JEAN-NETTE!" Brittany cried.

Finally the book shut with a quiet clap and Jeanette's green eyes flickered up. "Y-yes, Brittany?" she asked. "You wanted to talk about something?"

"No… I mean…" Brittany sighed. "I'm ok I guess…"

"Oh." Jeanette said reopening her book. "Alright if you say so."

"But you wouldn't believe what HE just did!" Brittany exclaimed.

Once again the book clamped shut and Jeanette turned to her sister. "By he I assume you mean Alvin?" Jeanette asked.

"Who else would I mean!" Brittany cried. "I don't even know where we are anymore! It's awful!"

Jeanette sighed, nodding as Brittany proceeded to tell her exactly what had taken place. It took all of ten minutes of exaggerated sighing and three cries of exasperation to tell the tale.

"I hate it, ya know?" Brittany was saying as she let out a noisy yawn. She could feel the day's prolonged activities pulling at her sub-conscious and forcing her lids closed. "It's like, the moment I think something can really happen with us… he goes and does something like this." Brittany complained.

She was lying in the center of her bed with bare feet crossed and perched on the end railing. She had her thin arms folded behind her head, her eyes watching Jeanette from across the room.

Her sister sighed. Jeanette was to the left of Brittany now, her back bent as she stifled through something her desk drawer. "Have you tried talking to him?" Jeanette asked.

Brittany sat up on her elbows. "Talk… to HIM!" She repeated, obviously flabbergasted. "WHY SHOULD I talk to HIM! HE should be the one TALKING TO ME! But he won't because so aggravating and stubborn. And he called me stupid! Can you believe that?"

"No, Brittany." Jeanette replied. The drawer shut and there was a soft thud as something light hit the ground. Jeanette quickly turned, disappearing from view for a second as she bent low to the floor.

"What am I supposed to do?" Brittany asked aloud.

Brittany heard Jeanette groan just before a chair was shoved aside. She sat up to look over the bed and found Jeanette pressed flat on the floor. She had one arm extended, reaching under the desk for something.

"What does he want me to do?" Brittany questioned.

Jeanette glanced up at her sister out of the corner of her eye. She turned to her, giving up on whatever she'd been looking for. "Call him." Jeanette said with a soft smile. "It couldn't hurt."

Call him? And admit that she listened in on his conversation! That she was actually worried about losing him.

"Oh," Brittany replied with a grimace. "It could. You have NO idea."

"A wise man once said 'It's alright to lose your pride over someone you love, but don't lose someone you love over your pride.'"

Brittany scrunched up her face. "What's that supposed to mean?" she asked.

"It means…" Eleanor said, revealing herself at the door. "Suck it up."

A fun fact about me. I love writing and I love quotes. If I get to incorporate the two then it's a pretty awesome day. :) Now send me your comments and predictions. Like I said, you're reviews help me write this thing. And since I already have limited writing time don't you want me to get this done as soon as possible? Oh and for those who are going to ask

THIS IS NOT THE ENDING! JEEEZ!