WARNING: CONTAINS EXTREME OUT OF CHARACTER PERSONALITIES, STRONG LANGUAGE, AND VIOLENCE.
"Here we are!" Cream announced. She had acted weird the whole trip, like she had some surprise up her sleeve. She grabbed the key from under the Welcome mat and pushed it into the lock.
"Okay, Cream, what's going on here?" I asked.
She gave me a sly smile before answering, "You'll see!"
We walked into the house and she turned the lights on.
"SURPRISE!"
Cream, Vanilla, Cheese, and Rouge, had set up a surprise birthday party for me. I totally forgot about my birthday.
Oh, so yesterday's happening transpired to be a very special gift to me . . . not!
"It's your birthday, remember?" Vanilla recalled.
I gazed around the room; it looked beautiful with the 'Happy 16th Birthday Amy' sign, the colorful balloons tied to the furniture, and all the yummy food.
"Wow! This is wonderful! Thank you so much!" I said with as much enthusiasm as I could put in.
"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's play party games and have lunch," Vanilla mentioned.
The day went by fast, and just like any stay-at-home party. We ate pizza for lunch, played a bunch of games, had a contest, and I got to bash open a piƱata. However, it looked like Sonic, so it took me a few minutes to get myself together. By the time night fell, I had forgotten all about yesterday's happenings.
"Let's open presents now!" Cream cried. There were six gifts and one card on the coffee table in the living room. I chose the first thing that I laid my eyes on. It was wrapped with yellow paper and a red bow and said: To: Amy From: Knuckles.
"That reminds me, why aren't the guys here?" I asked.
"We told them it was a slumber party. They were nice enough to leave you presents," Rough explained.
"Did you tell . . . Sonic?" I asked, hoping my eyes wouldn't brim over.
"We wanted to tell him, but couldn't find him. We asked around, but no one had seen him all day," Cream apologized.
"He must've forgotten," I sighed and opened Knuckles package.
Inside was a handmade bracelet. Most of them were wooden carved balls painted pink and gold. But there were three of the beads that were cubes with my name carved into them, the blocks painted lilac and the letter painted blue .
The . . . exact color of . . . Sonic's . . . quills . . .
"Wow! He made that?" Cream commented, knocking me out of my sorrowful flashback.
"Puh-lease," Rouge disagreed, "That's not real jewelry. Real jewelry has gems. Diamonds and Rubies. Not wood,"
I put the bracelet around my tiny pink wrist, admiring it and its perfect fit. Then I picked up a gift that was wrapped in green wrapping paper with a pink bow. There was no name.
"Um . . . th-th-that's from Cosmo. She asked when everyone's birthday was and she m-made those and gave them to me, asking if I w-would give them out when the t-t-time came." Cream stuttered, a tear rolling down her cheek.
We all took a moment of silence to remember our plant friend, best friend to Sonic and Friends, love of Tails' life, and the heroin of the galaxy, before I opened the tiny box. Inside was a big red button and a friendship anklet, just five colored strings woven together, but it was still special.
"She gave me one, too," Cream announced, holding up her leg to show the same gift on her ankle, her tears were flowing faster. I started to cry too. I put the chain over my foot formerly and picked up the button. Turning it in my palms, I wondered what to do with it before noticing the back read PUSH. I did as told and it flew out of my hand onto the table. A mini Cosmo hologram appeared. A perfect copy.
"Amy, you are a wonderful friend who always supported me whenever I needed it. You are kind, sweet, caring, honest, trustworthy, and loyal. I don't see how anyone can ever hate you. It was great being your friend!"
Right after that message, Cream, Cheese, and I broke down into tearful hysterics. Vanilla pulled Cream and Cheese into her lap while I sat at her side and she patted our backs. Rouge sat atop a high shelf and muttered, "Babies,"
When we finally quit sobbing, I selected a present wrapped in hundred dollar bills.
"Sorry, couldn't find any wrapping paper. Thought you might like that better," Rouge admitted.
Well, I certainly had no problem with this. Now I could pay all my bills.
I carefully picked the tape off the "paper". After I opened the box, I pulled out a large, pointed sapphire on a black cord. Everyone - except Rouge - ooo'd and aaa'd in amazement as the colors danced off the walls.
"You're welcome," Rouge proclaimed, because Cream, Cheese, Cream's Mother, and I were speechless.
"You didn't steal this, did you?" I asked suspiciously. Rouge was a jewel thief, and sometimes couldn't be trusted.
"No stealing intended. Here's the receipt to prove it," she replied, handing me the piece of crumpled paper. Yep, she paid for it, alright.
"Thank you, Rouge!" I gave her a big hug. She wobbled back.
"Okay! Okay! You've said your thank you! Personal space being invaded, wings cramping, can't breathe!" she gasped. I laughed and released her.
"Come on, Amy, you've got a card and three gifts to open," Cream counted.
I sat back on the couch, picked up the gem once more and let it glitter off the walls, starring into it. It, like the letters on my bracelet, was the same color of Sonic. The longer I gazed into it, I began seeing Sonic. I saw him winking at me, running, battling Dr. Eggman to save me. But all those wonderful images faded as the horrific sight of Sonic and Sally kissing filled the sapphire, cracking my heart.
"Uh . . . Amy? Amy?"
"W - What?" I stuttered, coming out of my trance.
"Are . . . you okay?" Cream questioned.
"Um . . . yeah. Yeah, I-I-I'm fine," I cleared my throat, picking up the next package. It was wrapped in white paper with an orange bow and read: To: Amy From: Tails. Happy Birthday!
Inside was a Valentine pink alarm clock and a card. The card had balloons drawn around the edges and said "Happy Birthday to a special friend "in the middle. I opened the card up and read it aloud while the others fiddled with the clock.
Happy Birthday, Amy! I made you this clock because I had no money to buy you anything," we laughed at that. We all have heard that excuse before. He just likes to make things, "All you have to do is plug it in and it will set up the time and day all by itself. You can set the alarm by pressing the hour and minute knobs until you have the time you want. When the alarm comes, a very special alarm will go off. Happy Birthday again!
Tails
"Well, that's was thoughtful," Vanilla sighed. They had previously set up the clock and positioned the alarm to go off in one minute.
When it did go off, a loud beep sounded and a Sonic hologram emerged. He winked and trilled, "Good Evening, Amy!"
He kept materializing, dematerializing, and saying the same thing until I had to shut it off. I was on the verge of tears; I would never have one day that didn't remind me of that heartbreaker, would I?
"Why don't you open my present? I'm dying to know what you think of it!" Cream sang as she tossed me her gift.
I ripped the paper off to find a really soft blanket. Just what I needed! Something, besides Cosmo's gift, that didn't involve a certain hedgehog.
"Thank you, Cream! It's lovely!" I screamed. I shook it out to find . . . Sonic. He was winking and showing his signature thumbs up.
Remember when I asked if I would never rid of myself from him for one day? The answer to that is no.
"I made it myself! Do you really like it?" Cream anxiously questioned.
I wrapped the sheet around me and added, "Like it? I love it! How could I not?" I was still on the edge of crying over again, if that was possible. Hopefully nothing else would remind me of him.
I grabbed the last box, from Vanilla, and opened it. The gift was wrapped in tissue paper as well, making it more mysterious. After I tore off the second layer of paper, I found that it was a flawless Sonic doll that she made, just as exact as the Sonic hologram. I stroked the quills back and his soft cloth cheek. I gaped at it for a while, and then I broke down into another hysterical sobbing session.
Everyone went frantic, and arms began covering me, hugging me, patting my back and legs, wiping my cheeks from tears, my forehead from cold sweat.
"Amy? Amy, what's the matter?" Cream asked uncertainly.
"Chao?"
"Oh, dear! Do you not like the doll?" Cream's Mother guessed.
"Come on, Amy. You've been upset all day, I could tell. Spit it out," Rouge commanded.
I lifted my face from my hands and looked around, at all the worried expressions in the room, outside. I swear I saw Sonic, his faced mixed with sadness, guilt, and worry. I closed my eyes for a second and looked out the glass again. He was gone. I must have imagined it.
"I-I-I'm sorry! I love the doll, really! I-I j-j-just . . ."
"Come on, let it all out." Rouge whispered.
I took a deep breath and told them all about yesterday. About the conversation Sally and I had, about the discussion, he and I shared, the insult, and - ugh - the kiss that hurt me . . .
"I swear I heard them say they love each other! M-M-Maybe I should just gi-give up on him for good,"
