"Silver? What are you doing here?" Silver smiled nervously and scratched the back of his head. It had been three weeks since they'd split up, and she'd ordered him out of the house. She supposed she should at least be happy he'd return; at least she'd get to apologise. But it was unlikely she'd get back with him. Not after what he'd done.
"Blaze? Blaze, you're doing that thing again!" She scowled.
"What thing!" Blaze said reproachfully.
"That thing where you ignore me. I just said twice that Shadow, Amy, Sonic, Cream, Tails, Charmy and Marine are coming around my house for my birthday sleepover tonight. I thought you'd want to come, but you never answered my invite. So…do you want to come?" Blaze flushed. She had completely forgotten about the invite. She'd been so hysterical, she'd chucked into a pile along with junk mail. She shrugged. She wasn't particularly intrigued by the idea of sitting around with all her friends pretending her and Silver were still together. She'd rather sit around with a tub of vanilla ice-cream and feel sorry for herself. Despite herself, she nodded. At least it would stop her getting fat. He smiled.
"Great! See you there!"
Blaze fiddled about with the latch to her door, until it finally opened. She wasn't sure why she'd fixed a lock to her door. Maybe it was something to do with Silver bursting in whenever he wanted. She pulled a white dress patched with purple, blue and teal, and a pair of dark tights scattered with glitter out of her wardrobe. Her hair was determined to be a mess, so she decided to leave it hanging loose around her shoulders. As always, she slipped on the blue wrist watch Silver had bought her. She guessed it was only natural. She looked blankly at the microwave meals crammed in her fridge, and decided to leave it to chance that Silver might have put food out on the table. Any excuse to cook was good enough for him. She pulled a wrap of silver thread over her shoulders, and set out, slamming the door shut behind her.
The walk to Silver's place was longer than Blaze remembered, and her turquoise high heels were beginning to rub. She checked the directions written on a slip of paper in her pocket:
'From your house, go down Everdale Road,
Then, take a left onto Filter Cross,
And it's No. 47 on Bunter Close.
Silvy xx'
She folded the paper and slipped it back inside her handbag. She wobbled down Bunter Close until she reached No. 47, and then toddled up the walkway. She tapped on the door, and Shadow came to answer it.
"Hey Blaze. Come on, we're in the living room." She followed Shadow through the hallway, and kicked her shoes off into a pile with all the others. Inside the living room, a fire was burning in Silver's fireplace, and Amy, Marine, Cream, Tails and Charmy were lain around it; some sprawled on their bellies, others on their backs. Sonic was spread eagle on Silver sofa, and Silver was sat, crossed legged on the floor. He smiled as she came in, and gestured for her to sit next to him. After noticing there was no buffet table, she did. She had the greatest urge not to, but decided it would be friendlier if she did.
"Hi Blaze! We're gonna play Truth or Dare! Wanna play?" Cream asked eagerly. Blaze smiled and nodded. The perfect game to take her mind off the break-up. Cream gathered everyone around a piece of paper, and ordered them into a circle. Shadow ended up sat between Marine and Sonic; the last people in the world he wanted to be sat next to. Blaze wiggled between Cream and Silver, and waited patiently while they fussed about. Eventually, Cream called out,
"Please, if you're all quite finished messing about, we're starting, OK?" Cream smiled sweetly, and everyone sat, pretending to listen while Cream explain the rules, blissfully unaware that everyone knew, and no-one was listening. Shadow was chosen first.
"Fine…Marine. Truth or Dare?" She seemed to consider it for a moment, and then said,
"Dare!" Shadow smiled wickedly.
"Please Shadow. You know that smile's threatening. Last time, we had to bail you out of jail because my next door neighbour thought you were going to kill her." Silver joked. Everyone laughed, and Shadow said, quite manner-of-factly,
"Marine, I dare you to kiss Tails. On the lips. No back outs. If you do, then you have to…drink a shot." Everyone gapped at him.
"Shadow, Marine's a whole lot younger than us. You can't expect her to drink a shot!" Shadow smiled, "I told you not to do that!"
"Just be quiet, will you?" Shadow whispered menacingly, "I know she can't drink! That's the whole point of the dare! Now she has to kiss Tails…" By the time Shadow had turned around, Marine was already on the move. Her face edged closer and closer, until she was millimetres away. Then, she lunged forward. At first, Tails was frozen with confusion. Then, he slowly softened, and fell into her. They kissed for only a couple of seconds, but it almost radiated pure love. Blaze's heart sunk to the bottom of her stomach, and tears welled in her eyes. She blinked them away, making sure no-one was looking at her. Marine smirked.
"Now, I dare…Amy! Truth or Dare?" Amy looked eagerly at Sonic, and squealed,
"Dare!"
"Fine. You and Sonic have to go into the closet together until the game is over!" Amy whispered an almost inaudible 'Yes'.
"I don't think that's much of a dare for Amy. She'll be all over him!" Silver laughed. Blaze found it niggling how funny Silver was being. She thought about the day she'd split up. All Amy's fault. And now, she was smothering Sonic. All the pain and heartbreak she'd caused, and yet she had the gall to cosy up to Sonic like that. Suddenly, she was snapped back to reality by Cream, who was saying,
"Blaze? Blaze! Blaze, truth or dare!" Blaze blinked.
"Oh…um…truth?" She felt Silver tense. No-one knew they'd broken up. But that wasn't the bad thing. At least no-one would say something like…
"Blaze, are you and Silver going out?" Blaze's insides twisted. She closed her eyes. Silence. She opened her eyes to see everyone staring at her.
"What!" she growled, "Does it matter that much! So what, if we split up! Maybe if he had snogged Amy it wouldn't matter!" She stood up, and left the room. It was truth. She couldn't lie, but then again, no-one would care. She picked up the pace and as an after thought, slipped into her heels. She slammed the front door as she left.
She heard footsteps behind her and turned to see Silver, half floating, half running to keep up with her. She wobbled precariously in her heels, but managed to stay on her feet.
"What! If you want to have a go, then start up. Because I've got a bag to pack! I'm not staying here with those idiots if there going to gawk at me!" Silver sighed.
"Blaze, please. I haven't got long; I've got to get back before Cream breaks the closet open. So, listen. I…just wanted to tell you…"
"Oh, spit it out Silver! You see, this is why we broke up–" Silver grabbed her shoulders and shook her so hard she thought her breakfast would come up.
"No it isn't!" he yelled at the top of his lungs, "You broke up with me, because of Amy! You still don't see do you! I never kissed her! Because I LOVE YOU! I know everything about you! I know you like your eggs with runny yolk. I know you don't like the rain! I know one of your ears is slightly smaller than the other! And I know this isn't you! Just give me a chance..." Blaze kicked out, her heel colliding with Silver's knee. He didn't even seem to notice.
"NO!" She screamed back. She wriggled out of his grasp, leaving him standing, arms by his sides, clenching and unclenching his fists. She broke into a run, only to end up stumbling again in her heels. She screamed in frustration, and hurled them at a wall. The heel of one of the shoes smashed, and the other snapped completely in half. Blaze stormed off, eyes watering. Silver crouched down by the shoes, and held them carefully in his hands, running his thumb over the base. He said, softly to himself:
"Oh, Blaze"
Silver was broke. Blaze was broke. Jumbled pieces of puzzle, muddled together. Blaze tossed in her sleep. Silver lay awake…
"Sometimes, I reach out…"
Maybe there's a happy ending. I hope so. But sometimes, wounds don't heal…
"But then I remember…"
I really wish that this wasn't the end of the story…I'd rather not have to leave you in suspense…but, I'll leave you with this, last bit of information. Imagine a sky full of stars. If you truly love someone, look at the stars. Pick a star. Any star. And send them a kiss. Stars may not be the answer to your problem…but love always finds a way…
"That you're not there…"