"And you're just the girl all the boys want to dance with.
And I'm just the boy who's had too many chances."
-Fall Out Boy; A Little Less Sixteen Candles, A Little More "Touch Me"
It wasn't like her to be late. She was punctual; always on time, if at least not a few minutes early. He impatiently tapped his foot. The park bench behind him was as empty as it was useless. He couldn't sit still, let alone be in the same place for very long. He was like the wind, wild and free. Destined to go wherever he pleased. Except now. Now he waited, tapping his foot in front of the bench that was a place holder rather than a spot to take a quick rest. Where was she?
She had told him that she would meet him here at five, that she had something important to tell him. Granted, he had been an hour late, but he was always late. At least, when it pertained to her. That was just one of their things, she and him. She would always be early, waiting for him and he would always arrive late or even sometimes stand her up. But she always came, always jumped at the chance to see him for however brief the moment may be. She was determined and persistent and he loved that about her. She was strong and had been getting stronger over the years. She was no longer the little girl that would chase him from place to place sometimes getting captured in the process. He smiled to himself. He had enjoyed those days. He loved rescuing her, loved how she looked up to him as a hero - her hero. He loved how she felt in his arms. He loved...
The bushes in front of him rustled. "I'm late, I know." He heard the smile in her voice through the shrubbery. "Its just that, well, you're always late so I thought it'd be fun to make you wait this time. Not so much fun for you as for me though," she continued as she finally made it through the bushes and walked up to him. Amy Rose flashed Sonic a grin, her white teeth gleeming. God, she was gorgeous.
"Its no problem Ames. I was just starting to think that maybe Egghead had gotten to you and I might need to come save your ass" he replied with a smirk and a bit of smugness in his voice. Amy looked exactly like she always did: short pink quills swaying with the slight breeze, a red headband on to match with her signature red dress, and then finally, her red and white boots to pull the whole look together. And her eyes... those bright jade orbs were locked onto him. His heart rate quickened. Being around her did that to him.
"Whatever Sonic." Her grin widened. "You know I can handle myself. I'm just surpised that you stayed. It's two hours past when I said I'd be here and yet, here you still stand, waiting for me. It's not much fun waiting around for someone to show, now is it?" Amy giggled. Sonic would always be that smug, full of himself, cobalt blue hero; the fastest thing alive. But he was her hero and she loved him. Loved him so much, in fact, that she had given up her life and everything she had to follow him where ever he went. She was his own personal cheerleader, an ego boost if you will. But to Amy, he was more than a public hero. She had been hoping that maybe one day, he would slow down and notice that her love for him ran deeper than just a fangirl crush. Even knowing that it may never happen, that he may only ever think of her as a good friend, she still clung to that hope.
"Well you said that it was important!" Sonic retorted. "So, what is it? You kept me waiting for two hours, so this had better be good" he said teasingly as he poked her shoulder, a smile still on his face.
"What?! You were actually here on time? The world's fastest hegdehog finally showed up on time to something?" Amy's voice held mock surprise. She knew full well that he had probably been late which is exactly why she had shown up late. For once, she didn't want to be waiting on him.
"Well..." Sonic rolled his eyes which only proved Amy right. "I may have been, like, an hour late or so." He crossed his arms and winked at her. "But enough about me. What's this news you have to share?"
Amy's smile fell as her facial expression turned to one of nervousness. "I'm not sure how to begin" she sighed. Sonic felt an uneasy feeling begin to form in his stomach. "I might as well just say it. I'm leaving." She stared up at him, her face now blank, waitng patiently for his reaction.
Sonic stared back at her in shock, confusion etched on his face. That uneasy feeling in his stomach grew. "You're leaving? Why? Where would you go, Amy? Everyone is here, your friends and family are here. I'm here."
"That's exactly why, Sonic." She looked down and took a breath, then looked back up at him.
Sonic's heart started to beat even faster and it wasn't because of his nearness to Amy. This wasn't like her. Over the years he had gotten to know her and they had become great friends. Something of this sort just wasn't in her nature. Was there something going on that she wasn't telling him? Was she in danger? He could protect her. He would always protect her.
"Are you in trouble? Is Eggman back?" Sonic rambled worriedly, letting his thoughts get the better of him. "Did he threaten you? I swear, Amy, if he did I'll-"
"No! No, it's nothing like that at all Sonic!" Amy quickly interjected.
"Then..." He paused and looked at her, puzzled. "I don't...understand."
Amy stared at him, searching his emerald eyes. He was genuine concern for her made her stomach flutter with butterflies. The protective streak he had when it came to her made her all the more hopeful that he was beginning to love her too. Even after all this time she still loved him as fiercely as she did the first day they met ten years ago. He still made her blush with his smug smirks, his laughter made her feel bubbly, and his gaze gave her chills. She would follow him anywhere, do anything to be with him. And she had, Lord knows she had. Getting stood up on dates by him, following him to exotic places, battling Eggman with him...crying alone in her home because she knew, and had always known deep down, that you can't cage the wind. If you caged the wind it, would it die? And as much as she wanted to always have him by her side, she loved him enough to sacrifice her happiness for his. She wouldn't force anything on him, and that was why this had to be done.
"I..." Her voice was shaky. "I got accepted into college. It's... some distance from here. Don't get me wrong, I love Station Square and you're right, my friends and family, and you," she looked pointedly at him, "are here. But I need some time for me, away from here, from Station Square. And I think college will be good for me. A change of pace, you know?"
Sonic continued to stare at her. Her voice might have been hesitant but her eyes were decided. She was leaving and no matter what he said or did he couldn't stop her. He knew that. Once she made up her mind she stuck with her decision. Stubborn was just another one of her traits that he loved about her. Sonic shook his head slowly and started to smile again. This was probably just a phase, he thought but, he couldn't shake the growing uneasy feeling in his gut. "That's great Ames. You've always been smart, right up there with Tails. But, there's community colleges here in the area and even Station Square University. If you wanted a change of pace, why didn't you apply to those colleges?"
Amy set her jaw, and looked steadily into his emerald green eyes. "Because Sonic, I need to get away from you."
That uneasy feeling in his stomach turned to alarm. His ears twitched. "That doesn't make any sense, Amy" Sonic said, taken aback. "You never leave me. You always follow me everywhere. You... love me," he finished quietly. She loved him and he knew it. Knew it went deeper than just a crush. And he, though he'd never admit it, loved her too. He didn't deserve it, her love. Didn't deserve her. He kept his feelings inside all for the sake of keeping her safe. She was too good for him and always would be. Someone as pure and good as Amy didn't belong with someone with so many stains on their soul like him. It was just never meant to be, no matter how much he wanted it. Loving her would put her in danger with his enemies, and that was the last thing Sonic ever wanted for Amy. He wanted to keep her safe and protected. Though sometimes she did manage to get into a bit of a dilemma, it was nothing he couldn't save her from. All the same, she was never meant to be his so he loved her from a distance, never getting too close. But, this didn't mean that he wasn't selfish. He had counted on the unwavering force of Amy's love to keep her coming back to him because he couldn't tell her how he felt. He took her love for granted, took her for granted, and that was exactly why he would never deserve her. And yet, the panic of her leaving him hit him like a wreaking ball. There had never been a time for Sonic without Amy chasing him around. He didn't want her to go. She couldn't leave him. What would he do without her?
He couldn't understand why she would do this. She knew that he loved her too, didn't she? Or she at least had to have some inkling of a suspicion that he did. She had to know that he would always save her, rescue her, protect her from harm. That he had always slowed down so she could catch up. That he loved her company, her laugh, the sparkle her eyes held just for him. That he had waited two hours (actually only one hour), in front of this stupid park bench just because she asked him to. Sonic loved Amy, in his own way. Why couldn't she see that?
"Yes, Sonic. I do love you. But I was so focused on always finding you that I forgot to find myself" Amy said quietly. "I don't know who I am without you, Sonic. I don't know who I am when you're not around and that scares me. You're always on my mind, you're all I think about. That needs to change." She was being honest with him, brutally honest. And it hurt. It hurt to admit that she loved him so much it boarded on obsession. It hurt to say that she had to leave him because, although it might be necessary, it was the one thing she never wanted to do.
What hurt her the most though, was seeing Sonic's hurt reflected back at her in his eyes. Realizing that she was causing him pain. She hadn't though this would be painful for him- just her. Was there more emotion that he held for her than he had let on? Did he, dare she think it, love her too? No, no. She couldn't let herself hope. Not now. Not when she had finally gotten the strength to let go, to finally focus on herself after all these years.
Sonic felt as if he had just been punched in the gut by one of Eggman's robots. He wasn't going to let her off the hook that easy. "Amy, we can work on this together. You don't need to go off to some far off college to find yourself. You can do it here. I'll be the one to leave and-"
No! That won't work Sonic." She cut him off and looked at him seriously, her jade eyes flashing. "Because then it would all be in your hands. You would have the power to decide when to come back. I wouldn't be able to focus on me at all because I would be so concerned about you and when you would be coming back or if you would come back at all. I have to be the one to leave and that's final."
Sonic noted the fire of determination in her eyes, but he wasn't ready to call it quits just yet. His selfishness when it came to her was starting to surface. He had to make her stay or find some way to see her. "Well, can I at least come visit you then? Stop by and say hi? That's what friends do, you know" Sonic replied just as serious, his eyes stating a challege.
"I don't want to be just friends, Sonic" Amy said with an edge to her voice, her face hard. Sonic heard just a tiny hint of sadness come through. "I've always wanted something more with you that I'm never going to get. Maybe after I've left and found who I can be without you, we can be friends. But I'm tired of waiting. It just leaves me disappointed."
Those words sliced his heart and his ears went back in hurt. If only she knew. "Amy I-" Sonic began, desperately trying to say something, anything to make her change her mind. He felt like his world was crashing down. The one person who mattered most to him was leaving and he couldn't do anything to stop her. He would never take away her choice, but he felt powerless all the same. If this was what she wanted who was he to take it from her? She wasn't his. No, she wasn't his. The thought made him sad. This was his fault, all of it.
"Sonic." He looked at her, hope in his eyes. "It's getting late, I have to go. I leave early tomorrow morning and I have a few things to finish packing up." Amy stated, her eyes staring down.
Sonic shut his eyes and took a deep breath, then reopened them and looked at Amy softly. He reached towards her and cupped her face in his hands. Amy's eyes widened with suprise as her head snapped up and she grabbed his forearms in shock. His thumb brushed over her right cheekbone. Her breath quickened and her heart began to race. What in the world was he doing? He couldn't be about to do what she thought he was about to do. Sonic's eyes held warmth as he gazed at her and some other emotion Amy couldn't quite read.
"Do what you need to do, Ames," Sonic said softly, his mind decided. "Take as long as you need." This was the least he could do for her, he thought. Give her time. After all, she was right. She had spent most of her adolesence chasing him around. Amy was owed this and he would give it to her. She had loved him enough to make that sacrifice for him and he loved her enough to do the same in return, no matter how much it hurt. "I'll be here if you need me. And please, if you do need me don't hesitate to ask." Sonic smiled at her sadly with understanding. His hands dropped from her face down to her shoulders and then finally came to rest at his sides. This was probably the only battle in his life he wouldn't win. This had to be for the best because something that caused this much pain could only be for the best, right?
Amy smiled a shy smile up at him, still in surprise by his sudden caring gesture. Her heart was beating way too fast. "Thanks for understanding Sonic. This will go by faster than you think." She paused and looked down. "Well, hopefully," she added. Amy looked back up at Sonic and without warning, gave him a kiss on his cheek. Sonic's mouth fell open as he gasped in shock and his heart rate picked back up. When Amy pulled away she was looking at him like he was the sun that lit up her world. "I love you," she whispered bringing her hand up to cup the side of his face she had just pecked. "I always have and I always will. Never forget that. Never forget me. Goodbye Sonic, and...thank you." Amy gave him one last smile before turning around and quickly jogging away before she could change her mind.
Sonic stared after her as Amy's sillouhete disappeared through the same bushes she had entered from. He fell back onto the bench in shock of what had just happened. She deserved this, he told himself. He owed it to her. He owed her the time he had taken from her for her to just be herself, without him. And he would continue to tell himself that because, in that small, dark corner of his mind doing this might make him just one step closer to deserving Amy. He loved her so much that he would do anything it took to deserve her.
Sonic was the fastest thing alive and yet he couldn't move, couldn't speak. He sat motionless on the park bench that had seemed so useless just a few moment before. The one person he cared about the most in this world was leaving and he had to let her. He wasn't even allowed to run after her like she had done for him all these years. It was the most painful thing he had ever had to do.
He could have sworn he felt his heart break in his chest.