Alvin who is NOT a chipmunk

An Unforgettable Ride

My peanut buttered bread dropped from my mouth the moment I saw Beth's shiny red Audi in the drive way. Just as I was prepared to turn and sneak out the back door, Beth rolled down her window and waved at me. I swallowed hard and decided it would be cowardly not to get in the car.

"I brought you latte and croissant." Bethany briefly gestured at the paper bag sitting on top of the dashboard. I rolled my eyes at the food, my body as stiff as a zombie's but my stomach growled undeniably. 

"Turn right 50 hundred meters ahead at Willinton Road." the GPS lady demanded relentlessly. 

Beth turned down the volume of Good Morning America radio and kept her eyes on the road: " It is not that I want you back, Alvin, but you are a good person and I don't want to see you get hurt."

I almost blurted out "I wasn't", but remembering my sister's advice, I kept my mouth shut.

"Alvin, you were so good to me. You do my homework before you did your own and listen to me b*tch about Mrs Potter non-stop; never once did you bail on me or cheat on me." 

I winced at the word "cheat".

Beth signed lightly and continued without paying attention to me, "But Steve...he is just different you know. I ignored him for a whole year and burnt all his letters for good measure. But he kept coming at me like ocean waves."

I took a big bite out of the croissant, imaging myself chewing through Steve's bicep like a dinosaur would.

"It was those strawberry ice creams that got to me in the end."

I chocked on the croissant and quickly gulped down my latte.

"I think Steve did not want to tell you all of these because he was jealous of you all along. We have been together for so long, Alvin. You are a good man. And I did not want to ruin your friendship with Steve. You guys are like inseparable." the car lurched forward at the green light, getting too close to the yellow Lamborghini in front. 

"I almost told you about those letters on the day I lost that debate contest to Jessie. You know, the night when you took me to your house and I was crying on your shoulder." 

I lost my breath as our Audie came within 2 centremetres of a bright blue Volkswagen.

"But then you started telling jokes about how Steve cheated in his junior high exams and got away, how he got a black eye from stealing dog's food from his old neighbour and I just couldn't do it, you know." Beth signed again.

Beth parked in the school carpark and leaned over to kiss me on the forehead.

"Forget about me, Alvin."

My whole life flashed before my eyes: Beth laughing at cakes smeared on my face; Beth in her prom dress at junior high; Beth and me playing hide and seek after school...

We got out of the car and Beth was immediately swept away by a crowd of girls. 

"Beth, wait!" I shouted.

"Don't you have physics later, Alvin?" Beth turned to smile at me.

This girl is seriously bad for my health.