2006, a primary school, England
Millie, now age 8 with knee length brown hair and bright blue eyes, stood at the back of the school field under large willow trees. The leaves blew in the wind like curtains, some brushing the girls face as she sniffed a tear away.
'Hmm. Valentines day, lunchtime, and I still haven't given my matching bracelet to anyone.' She looked down at the little yellow charm bracelet in her hand, its twin residing on her left wrist.
'I can't give it to Leah or Kassey because they are my friends. I knew it! All the boys hate me, I'm just not pretty enough, am I?!' Millie looked up at the willows as a tear fell down her cheek and left a stain on her white and red checked dress. Suddenly, she heard a thud and a loud 'ouch!' Something or someone had landed in the large bushes between two of the trees. "Who could that be?" Millie thought running to the dense plant life. "It's concealed so not one will see."
Getting closer to the bush, Millie began to walk a bit more carefully. She peered through the leaves and saw something blue. "Blue? Please don't tell me smurfs are real." She pushed a few of the leaves apart and peered through only to be surprised again.
A large azure coloured hedgehog sat muttering something under his breath, bright emerald green eyes and wearing red running shoes with a white stripe and gold buckle.
'S-Sonic...' Millie whispered pushing through the leaves some more, all the while checking no one could see her.
'Darn it! I had to land in nettles didn't I!' The hedgehog cursed rubbing at his hand.
'Don't rub or itch it, you'll make it worse.'
'Huh? Who's there?'
'Don't worry. Only I can see you. What happened?' Millie asked, she knelt down beside him minding the nettles amongst the long grass.
'I told you to stop rubbing it! Now give me your hand, I've got some cream to soothe the itching.' Millie said sternly taking Sonic's hand and beginning to gentle massage some of the cream into his palm.
'Thanks. Hey, do I know you?' Sonic looked at the girl, he was sure he knew her from somewhere but couldn't think where.
'Haha! You do remember then, well, sort of. We first met in my grandma's garden when I was three. You saved me from a plant monster.' Millie explained. Sonic thought for a moment then replied,
'Oh yeh! I remember now, we played with your toy dinosaurs the rest of the afternoon.'
'You remember all that?!'
'Yup, even remember the way you spoke. Very formally I have to say, grown up too.'
'Weell, that's what I get for taking clearly at nine months.' Millie sighed, she was proud of the achievement but didn't gloat about it. Mainly because many people didn't believe her.
'Wow! You're some clever kid!' The hedgehog laughed putting his glove back on. Millie laughed with him and remembered the bracelet she had. "I wonder if I should give it to him? He's, kinda cute. Actually that's an understatement, he's REALLY cute! Also, Sonic's the only boy I know well, sorta. Yes, I shall give it to him!"
'Um, Sonic. Could I... Um..' Millie paused looking at her fist, inside was the matching bracelet.
'Could you what? Are you ok Millie?'
'Yeh, I-I'm fine! It's just... Today's valentine day and, I haven't given my valentine gift to anyone yet.' The girl looked down at her hand again, a tear slowly trickled down her cheek.
'Oh.' Sonic didn't know how to respond, only Amy had given him valentine gifts before. Well proper ones anyway, the rest often came from a tonne of fangirls squealing and giggling.
'I... I want to give it to you!' Millie thrust her hand forward and opened her fist to reveal the bracelet.
'Huh? Give it to me? Why?'
'Because... Because, you... I don't know why! I just know that I won't feel sad on another valentines day, because I know that if you have it. It will mean something. Plus, even when you go, it will still feel as if we are next to each other because,' Millie held her other hand up, showing Sonic the bracelets twin on her wrist,
'I wear the twin, the matching charm.' Millie smiled and tried to hold back the tears. Never before had she let her feeling flow in words before. Before she would've just kept it inside, let it collect and boil over.
'Hm, in that case,' Sonic took the bracelet from her hand and slipped it onto his right wrist,
'I'll wear it, just as you do.' And he smile. Millie couldn't believe her ears. Sonic had taken the gift without protest and also seemed to like it.
'Fina-chaan! Are you around here?' A voice called from the willows, one of Millie's friends had come looking for her.
'Who's that?' Sonic asked.
'Oh no! That's Leah! She'll have come looking for me, not only that but she'll find you!' Just then, the same glowing light from five years ago faded into view behind Sonic. It undulated the same way as before, and almost opened like a door.
'Guess that's my ticket back, sorry I have to go so suddenly.' Sonic stood and apologised helping Millie up also.
'That's ok, I bet we'll meet again. I sure of it!' The girl jumped and hugged him. She was the same height as Sonic now and was the perfect height for a proper hug. He hugged back and slipped something into her cardigan pocket.
'Y'know what? I think we will!' He said with confidence and was about to walk through the portal when Millie stopped him briefly.
'Wait, you forgot this.' Then, she kissed his forehead, just like she did at the age of three. This time it tingled a little, they exchanged their last goodbyes and departed. The portal closed, leaving Millie in the middle of the thorns alone.
'Millie! Where the hell are you?!' Her friend shouted frustrated. Millie turned, a small tear of happiness escaped. She pushed back through the bushes earning herself an armful of scratches and tangled hair.
'Right here!' The girl laughed, the stood before her looked very angry indeed. Her afro-Caribbean hair pulled back into an explosive ponytail, she had angry green eyes and dark skin.
'What in the name of the philosophers stone are you doing in that bush!?'
'Erm... I thought I heard a noise from the bush and went to investigate. Haha..' Millie tried to make up a good enough excuse to save explanation. But the wool wasn't about to be pulled over Leah's eyes. She gave Millie a stern look, watching every twitch and tiny movement of her friends face. Millie moved back as Leah leaned, "uh oh... I'm doomed!"
'You were with someone, not only that but you've been crying. Oh! And you've not got the other pikachu bracelet! Ha! I was right!' Leah jumped, punching the air in celebration.
'S-s-so I've been with a boy! So what? I got to give my valentines present to someone!' The older girl flapped, she just wanted to get back to class. Millie was a year older than Leah but Leah still had better authority. This often lead to Millie following Leah's orders (as eight year old Millie puts it) and not the other way around.
'See! I told you one day, there would be someone! Now fess up! Who is it?' Leah asked curiously almost bouncing next to her friend as they walked back across the field. Millie thought about her answer, "I can't tell her the truth! Then again, even if I do, she wouldn't believe me. Nah, I just won't bother. Keep her guessing."
'Sorry Leah but, you wouldn't believe me if I told you.' She smirked skipping away at speed. Leah just stood for a moment, mouth agape, shocked by Millie's sudden and cocky response.
'H-hey! Wait up! Tell me who!' Leah chased.
'NEVER!' Millie shouted back laughing. She jumped behind a wall just after the door and let her friend run into the classroom. Millie could feel that there was something weighty in her pocket that wasn't there before. Pulling out the object Millie gasped; it was a large golden ring, big enough to fit snugly on the girl's wrist. "It's one of Sonic's rings! He gave it to me! I will wear it and never take it off!" Millie though giggling.
For the rest of the day Millie sat in a half dreamy state. Her thoughts only formed spending time with Sonic, running for miles on end, stopping for ice-cream and chilli dogs. Leah never got an answer to her question and even now as our story jumps forward, she is still unaware.
