I am Darren T. Hedgehog, I am 16 years old and I am from the year 2336, scientists have recently developed a chemical that, although it's artificial, can re-energize your heart so you live for over a hundred years, and don't seem old until your very last 20 or so! I was recently selected as one of the representatives of my island in the Mobius Games. I was on the dark team, the one dedicated to my ancestor, Shadow the Hedgehog. He was my great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, GREAT grandfather, and I respect him for his heroic deeds. There's a boarding house near the Mobius Games Stadium, so I had to leave home. My best friend Andy is coming with too. But I won't see him for a while, he's representing a different team.

Anyways, I've just seen the room list, and who my roommate is going to be. I'm a little excited, her name is Amelia, Amelia the hedgehog. I've never slept in the same room as a girl before. Well, except once in Middle School years I had to move to a boarding school and met this girl who had a major crush on me. She tried to force me into a date with her but luckily I got away. I hope this won't be the same scenario.

She seems nice enough, I've just met her, we've had a little chat and it seems we have a lot in common. Apart from the main boy-girl differences, and the fact that she loves to giggle and keeps calling me 'cutie'. I don't get that. The last time a girl called me that she had the hots for me, and when she became 18 (she was older than me) she chose to become a prostitute. Ugh...

Anyways, it's late, and I always take a shower round about now. Amelia's getting undressed into her pyjamas in the bedroom, so we're both okay with me taking a shower. Heh...

Unfortunately, life isn't perfect. When I got out of the shower, I realised that I'd forgotten to bring in my towel. So I called out, blushing.

"Hey Amelia!"
"Yeah Darr?" (She likes calling me that)
"I... uh... forgot my towel... could you... get it for me?"
"Where are they?" she said, surprisingly calmly, although she was blushing.
"In a small carrier bag, with my spare clothes and all."

Amelia proceeded to search the first bag in sight, a small, plastic, orange bag. She blushed at the sight of my pyjamas and... *gulp* spare underwear.

She picked up my towel, shielding her eyes from the embarrassing sight of my clothes, and walked over to the bathroom door. She knocked on it.

I opened the door, hiding my lower body but forgetting about my chest and above. She handed me the towel, seeing my bare chest and once again blushing madly. I thanked her and shut the door, proceeding to dry off.

Later that night, I got undressed and changed, then let Amelia take the top bunk. She can't be very used to being that high up, because when she fell asleep she started tossing and turning as if she wasn't risking falling. It's a good thing neither of us snore. Well, at least she doesn't snore and I don't snore LOUDLY.

For some reason I couldn't sleep. I wasn't sure why though. Could it be my excitement for the Mobius Games? Could it be that I was wondering why she wasn't THAT unhappy about seeing me half-naked? Or perhaps am I just pondering over why she kept calling me cutie and sweetie?

12:00...

01:00...

02:00...

Eventually, after not having much sleep, I woke up at 08:00. I was very tired and fell out of bed. I rubbed my eyes and looked around me. It wasn't easy to get used to being here in the morning for the very first time. What was even stranger though was that the birds singing and tweeting and the wind calmly blowing weren't the first things I heard that morning... I heard... crying...

I looked up at Amelia's bed, she wasn't there. Then I heard shower water... Uh oh...

I knocked on the bathroom door and the crying immediately stopped.

"Amelia?"
"Darren?"
The sobbing lightly continued.
"You okay in there?"

...

"No!"
"What's wrong?"
"I slipped and fell in the shower! I think I twisted my ankle! It hurts so much..." she wept. I melted inside. I didn't understand why though.
"Do you need my help...?" I murmur. There is an awkward silence.
"Yes... if you don't mind... I mean I don't want to sound pe-" she said, but I interrupted her.
"It's fine. As long as you need my help, I'm willing to do what you want," I reply.

"Okay..."

I slowly enter the bathroom, the door of which is suspiciously unlocked. The shower is still pouring away. I take a deep breath and try to be prepared for any embarrassing sight. I move away the shower rail and pick up a towel, which Amelia holds her hands out for. I re-open my previously-shut eyes. What I see forces my eyes to stay in place. A beautiful 16-year-old body. I can see all of her in her true-self. Although she doesn't seem to appreciate my awkward glances at her special regions.
"Wow..." I think to myself, "I... think... I..."

"Uh, Darren?"
"Yes?"
"Could you quit staring please?"
"Right, sorry... my fault, what do you want me to do?"
"I need you to pick me up, wrap the towel round me and carry me back to bed," she said, once again very suspiciously calmly. I nod, and pick her up. I accidently drop the towel and stare apologetically. I barely know this girl and I'm already carrying her as she is completely nude!

"It's fine," she mutters, blushing and staring down to the floor. I carry her over to the bed and lay her in my bunk. It's too much work to lift her up the stairs to her bed. She blushed madder than ever and tucks herself in quickly so to avoid any more visual appearance that she doesn't want.

"Do you need anything?" I say, snapping out of my trance. Come on Darren, keep the dirty thoughts away!
"Well... I haven't really felt that well. And I'm super hungry," she thinks.
"I'll go get you something to eat, okay?" I turn to the door, exclaiming. But she stops me.
"Wait! No! Please don't go. Will you take care of me?" she says very quickly. I blush as my eyes widen. She gives me a sheep-ish smile as I walk towards her.

"Y-Y-Yes..." I stammer. She grins seductively and my eyes widen, then she bursts out laughing.
"You're cute and gullible! But seriously, thanks," she struggles to speak in between explosive laughs. I sit on the bed beside her, she gazes into my eyes. I stare back.
"May I ask you something?"
"Of course!"

"Why do you keep calling me cutie? And why aren't you embarrassed that you've known me for less than 24 hours and this has already happened?"
"Well, firstly, you're a really sweet guy, and I always say nice things to nice people. Secondly, I AM embarrassed, I'm just not one of those girls who protects their body like a guard protects his king's castle. Well, I am, but you know what I mean. And thirdly, you remind me of someone I once loved in middle school. He was just like you, cute, gullible, embarrassed, handsome, and the only thing I don't know you are that he was, was one hell of a lover. Until his abusive father took him away from me. I loved him so much... but his father tricked him into hating me... you're just like him... but there's nobody to trick you..." she explains, tears forming in her eyes. I stroke her flowing hair over her ear gently, and look at her. Suddenly, as I get a weird feeling in my stomach, everything else fades away, it's just me, Amelia, and my bed. I am picturing us together, holding hands gazing into each other's eyes. The picture becomes a freeze frame, another pops up of us getting married, another of us in 'bed' together, another of us having kids... oh dear lord, I'm in love!

"Do... you... Do you love me?" I blurt out.
"I've only known you for a night and this morning, Darren, what are the odds of me falling in love with you so quickly?" she giggles. I turn my head away acknowledging her words, feeling ashamed to have asked such a humiliating question.

"I understand, sorry, it's just I haven't felt this in such a lon-"
"But I do love you, yes," she interrupts. My head flies up to face her like an owl.
"You... what?" I say.
"I told you, you remind me of someone I truly loved dearly, and from what you did today, you proved to me that you deserve someone like me to feel this way about you. A lot of guys here like to stare and flirt with me, but all they're ever after is sex, they're not interested in the real me, just me down here. I can tell you are also interested, but no other guy would do what you did today. So I'll ask you again, will you, Darren T. Hedgehog, take care of me and my ankle?" she explained.
"Until the day I die," I nod happily. She smiles and pulls me in for a kiss. My first true kiss, and I'm so happy to have it with Amelia. Y' never know, love can turn up in just a day! Here's the proof... right here... I smile internally as my heart pounds, sweat pours from my forehead and butterflies flutter around in my stomach.

We're in love...