~After School 4:00~

Waving his friends good-bye in the hallway, Silver exited out of the school building where he spotted Espio already inside his black Toyota car, calling for Silver to get inside the car. The silver-haired teen did exactly what Espio told him, and entered inside the car where he was greeted by his long-time friend.

Espio had purple hair with a yellow streak on the middle, orange-yellow eyes, peach skin, and is wearing a purple shirt covered with his black jacket, brown pants, and black Adidas shoes. Might not look like a strong martial arts students at first glance, but Espio is a worthy opponent in the ring, and doesn't go easy to anyone, regardless if they're beginners or have no experience at all.

With Silver clicking on his seat belt and letting his backpack lie between his feet, Espio began to hit the gas pedal and the two were out of the school and ready to head back home. Silver leaned back a little on his seat, thinking about what happened today at school. Mainly with the girl he accidentally injured in Gym and how he ruined her lunch and clothes. Not to mention whenever Silver offered her help, she refused him in the harshest way as possible! It's like she didn't want his help for a reason. But why?

Is she a girl who doesn't mind what she looks like? Or is she just too stubborn to get help? Or worse, she doesn't care at all and likes to humiliate others for her amusement? The first two can be possible explanations, but the third one is just plain stupid! Or is it? His head full of confusion, Silver frantically scratched his head all around, somewhat ruining his neatly brushed hair, but it didn't matter right now as school is over, and his hair can be as messy as he wants.

Noticing his friend with a now messy hair, Espio asked Silver, "Is everything okay, Venice? You don't look good."

"I just kind of had a not-so-good day, Espio," Silver responded to Espio. "So much happened to me in this one day."

"Like you being soaked in milk during lunch?"

Silver immediately went back sitting up straight when he heard Espio mentioning the words 'soaked in milk' to him! He really didn't want this event to replay in his mind multiple times again.

"H... How did you know that?" Silver demanded Espio, his voice slightly squeaked while he asked the question.

"I've heard about it during one of my classes," Espio straight out answered, still focused on the road.

"Great."

Espio pressed on the brake pedal after seeing a red-light, and cursed when he stopped at the infamous stoplight that's known for having the red light on for about six minutes and the green light staying on for half of the time.

"That stoplight again?" Silver asked Espio.

"Yep," the driver answered flatly. "Might as well listen to the radio while we're waiting for that ancient signal to go green."

Espio usually doesn't listen to the radio because the music they usually play makes him want to tear the radio out of his car and let it burn until it's nothing but ashes. He's willing to do that. The songs he hears range from partying to getting a girl to have... Espio didn't want 'that certain word' to pop in his mind. And speaking of 'that certain word' he didn't want to hear, as Espio is turning the volume to a moderate listening level, a rap song both Espio and Silver despise came bursting through the speakers. It had to be "Look at Me Now" by Chris Brown and some other rapper that they don't care about.

Silver covered his ears to avoid hearing the rapper 'singing' rapidly fast while Espio searched for a Mix CD in his backpack full of songs he likes to listen while driving. The teen driver finally found his CD and insert it to the slot for the CD, ending the torturous song they had to listen for a few seconds.

"Thank god," Silver sighed. "I really didn't want to hear that song."

"Well you don't have to," said Espio. "We're going to listen to the songs in my CD."

After a few seconds of silence, a guitar started playing in the beginning, then it grew louder until it was backed up by another guitar and some drums. Silver tapped his foot in rhythm to the song, singing the lyrics to himself as it's one of his favorite song to listen.

If you wanna make it, you've gotta give'em all

Lay it on the line

You wonder why good things never come easy

Don't stop for anything

"Don't give up, keep the fire, keep the faith," Silver singed, still tapping his foot in rhythm.

"Venice," Espio called out to his singing friend, using his real name. Like Cream and Vanilla, Espio always uses his friend's real names, minus the Mr and Miss part, and Tails is the exception to this rule as his real name, Miles, just sounded weird; especially if the last name is included.

He stopped singing on his favorite lyrics, and turned to Espio who called him while the song is playing.

"What, Espio?" asked Silver.

"Tell me what made you have that bad day."

"Sure," Silver would've refused to answer that question if someone else asks it, but with Espio around, he feels comfortable telling him. And with the light still not green, Silver decided he should tell him, "It started with me hitting the new girl during a dodgeball game at gym."

"Isn't that the point of dodgeball?"

"Well, yeah, but I was aiming for Amy, and you know how I get competitive in dodgeball."

It's true. Whenever a game is involved, Silver will go all out and his nice personality vanishes and turns into a rash and somewhat rude competitor, while remaining a good-sport. As long Silver isn't in last and had a great time, he's happy. Then when the game is over, Silver goes back to becoming his old, friendly self again. Strangers will turn their heads in confusion if that's the same person they competed with.

"I know," said Espio, turning away from the wheel for a moment. Only about five more minutes until the light turns green. "Go on."

"Okay. Anyway, that girl, I think Amy called her Blaze if I remember correctly," Silver trying to remember right now, "she ended up slapping my hand when I offered her to take her to the nurse's office."

"Her reason for doing that?"

"I don't know. I thought that she can take the pain like it's no big deal."

Start you up, down the road you go

Hang on to your dreams, yeah

Cruisin' down to the paradise

Turn the car into the wind, yeah

Into the wind

Silver had to ignore the song, not noticing it's almost near the end. He had to finish his story!

"And then there's the milk incident," Silver slightly groaned, not wanting to tell this part to Espio. "Knuckles thought it was hilarious to hit me in the back with a soccer ball while I'm not looking. And I decided to play a game with him."

"And that game is...?" Espio wondered what Silver is about to say next.

"If he can catches the ball that I kicked, I'll forgive him for what he did."

"Did you?"

"Actually, the result never happened and I ended up splattering Blaze's lunch all over her. I then apologized for what I did to her, and I still wanted to help her in any type of way. I thought she'd accept my offer, but instead..."

"Milk," Espio finished his sentence for Silver.

"Yep. To be honest, I never expected her to soak me in milk. When she did, I felt a bit humiliated like she did, but not to the point of crying. And for why she did that to me..."

"To get even with you?" Espio guessed.

"Maybe," Silver slightly agreed, "But that's what she wants me to think."

Espio still groaned as the light is still red after looking back at the front, and turned to Silver, still continuing his story. Hearing Silver's last words, the martial arts student turned his head a bit to the left, feeling confused, "Huh?"

"It's a wild guess, but I think Blaze's reason for soaking me is that besides her family, she was never offered any kind of help from others in her whole life. She might felt surprised when I asked her that, and didn't know what to say."

Espio thought about what Silver just said about the reason for Blaze's actions. And even if he hasn't met her yet, with the description Silver explained to him, Espio had to agree with Silver's statement. He knew that reason is true because he used to be the boy who never received help from anyone besides his family. Until twelve years ago.

The day he received help was when Espio lost both of his parents at the innocent age of four by his cousin, Ryo. He loved Ryo because he defended him from thieves or street thugs as Espio's former neighborhood is known for it's devious crimes such as murder, prostitution, gambling, all of that stuff. But one day, Ryo acted... different. He mixed up his sentences when attempting to talk, his eyes bloodshot and baggy, had clumsy movements, but the worst was his temper.

Espio's parents noticed Ryo's awkward actions, telling him he needs to leave and rest. But to his alcohol-filled brain: "Don't come back at all you bastard!"

Mistaking concern with frustration, the drunken teen snatched a large mirror hanging on the wall, and proceeded to ruthlessly beat both of Espio's parents like they were ragged punching bags. Espio's four year old eyes grew blank and almost starting to lose it's bright color seeing his parents' blood dying the brown carpet into crimson red. He thought his mind was playing a cruel game with him, but it wasn't as Ryo slowly walked closer to him, holding a broken shard of the mirror.

Espio thought his life is done until a tan man with green hair entered the house, and can only swallow his would-be-barf back when he spotted Espio's lifeless parents. The mysterious man looked at Ryo, who's ready to kill Espio, and he lunged at the murderer, causing Espio to crawl backwards to avoid getting into the conflict.

He did hear bones cracking and spotted drips of blood dying parts of the carpet red, but after two minutes of brutal fighting, the tan man became victorious of knocking Espio's cousin out unconscious. Espio can only stay still like a stone, shivering all over not because he's cold but shivering in terror after witnessing the most horrifying images his golden eyes has let him witnessed. The shivering came to a halt when the man who saved his life put his rough hand on his small shoulder.

"Thank god you're safe kid," the man told little Espio. "But about your parents, all I can say is that they're going to a place where they'll watch you."

"And that place is...?" little Espio timidly asked the tough man.

"Heaven. I haven't been there, but it exists all right," the man answered to Espio, using his finger to point as high as he can. "And I really don't want to leave you here in this neighborhood. Come with me. I know a place where you can live."

Espio didn't know what to say at that time. He received help from his parents when he hurt himself or try to get something at hard to reach places, but a stranger: never! But this man was the reason he's still living, and with his four-year-old mind ordering him to trust him, Espio nodded his head and take a hold of the man's rough and large hand.

"I forgot one more thing," the man said, face-palming himself. "The name is Vector Maher. Yours?"

"Takeshi Kaneko."

Ever since then, Espio had to thank Vector for not only saving his life but changing it as well by offering help, and teaching him that offering and receiving help will make a difference to someone someday one step at a time. And Vector is right. Espio is still living, met and befriended Silver, took multiple martial arts classes to defend himself, and volunteers for pretty much anything for a good cause.

Leaving memory lane in his thought, Espio muttered in annoyance, "Damn light," as the stoplight is still on red! However, it's not going to last long as the first song ended and was later replaced with a speaker ready to blow, and had a guitar and drums playing the first part of the song before the singers started. Well, a minute left before the light turns green.

Cross the borderline of black and white and

Climb the stairway, up and up we go

Nothing good to do, just bored to death hey

Can I take your hand and steal you away

Step and stumble do you want to go on?

Don't you worry, the alter is our floor

Toss and turn and dizzy up ourselves and

Keep on dancing, you and me right here now

After hearing parts of the first verse, the lights finally turned green, and Espio hit the gas pedal hastily, waiting six minutes for a light to turn green really wanted Espio to behead the antediluvian light right now, and sighed as he and Silver are about to finally go home.

Silver, hearing this song, thought how the lyrics somewhat match to what happened today. He wanted Blaze to take his hand and take her to make her feel better the first time he met her, but she refused his offer. He wondered if he should either forget Blaze or try to help her again tomorrow. Right now, it's still undecided and can only sigh, making a fog in the window made from his breath.

~ Blaze's House (Room) 4:20~

Shall we dance?

Say what?

Shall we dance?

No thank you.

Shall we dance?

Enough.

Shall we dance?

No more please.

Shall we dance?

Don't need it.

Shall we dance?

Go Away!

Shall we dance?

Blaze plopped down into her bed full of purple and red sheets with headphones on her ears, purple iPod on her hand, currently thinking about what happened to her today while listening to this song. Somehow, the part with the singers saying "Shall we dance?" kind of reflects on what Silver wanted to do, except it was him offering her some help. The times Silver offered help, Blaze didn't know what to say and thought it was some joke he'll pull later on. She wanted him to stop and go away, but he didn't. At lunch, he still wants to help her no matter what, like it's his job, and Blaze really wanted him to leave her alone, prompting her to soak him in milk. That gave her a scolding from two boys, though she didn't take it seriously, yet some of them are still in her head.

"... I know Silver very well. He's the nicest guy you'll ever meet in your whole life."

"And rejecting his offers is like refusing a bag full of sweets."

Is what they said true? Blaze questioned herself, letting the song continue to flow into her eardrums.

At her old school, Blaze became a pariah very quickly due to the rumors some girls at her middle school spread, and like most rumors, it spread like wildfire. Whenever she passed by some group of girls talking about who knows what, one of them 'accidentally' tripped Blaze by sticking her shoe in front of her and will laugh at her misery. Same thing to the boys, only they threw paper balls and spit out pre-chewed gum into her hair. No one tried to help her out. Not even the nicest people or teachers would help; fearing they'll be part of the torture with Blaze. And in that one year as a freshman, Blaze has been thrown into the school fountain (not the drinking kind), has been called horrible names, stuffed into the boys bathroom stall all alone, soaked in black ink at the last day of school, and much more she can think of.

Pretty much another reason she transferred to Emerald High, hoping this school would be better, but it's the same as her old school. One of the differences is that people like Silver and Amy were willing to help her out and stand up to bullies respectively, not caring about the consequences that Blaze thought was coming towards them. She wonder if Silver's other friends would be willing to do this.

Why am I thinking about such nonsense? Blaze thought, repeating the song without looking, They're just strangers who probably has the motto "Do one good deed each day" stuck in their head. They'll ignore me by tomorrow.

Or is she thinking about it all wrong? Blaze sighed as she rolled to the other side of the bed, listening to the chorus of the repeated song.

Hop'n step'n may I have this dance

This is the world's end.

Shall we do the 'one two'?

Drink in all of this apocalyptism

How about a little taste of daze and

Tick and tack, the moment's moving on

Shoot now, 'say cheese' our time is running out

Round and round and going round and round

Intoxicate. The world's getting (high)

Blaze paused the song that's currently playing, jumped out of bed, and exited out of her room to go in the living room to see if her parents are already home. Climbing down the stairs in a quick motion, she didn't spot any steam from the kitchen, didn't hear her mom cutting something for dinner or her humming, and she definitely didn't see her dad going over tomorrow's agenda for class. They're not home. Again.

Most of the time, her parents arrived home somewhere between five or six due to their busy jobs, leaving Blaze an hour or two to herself. It's nice, but Blaze does want her parents to be home a little earlier than usual so she can spend some time with them. She may not look like it, but Blaze is the girl who's always wanting to spend some time with her parents whenever she possibly can, though topics such as school and friends are always avoided when having a conversation with them for obvious reasons.

Blaze sighed as she's trying to decide what to do for the next hour or two before her parents can get home. She read all of her library books and has at least re-read them twice, so maybe going to the library isn't such a bad idea. With her plan set, Blaze rushed back upstairs to grab all three books from her room, slipping on her high black tops, and climbing down the stairs faster than the last time to get near the front door, leaving the house completely empty.

Her running eventually transformed into a simple walk once she's about ten to thirty feet away from her house. The temperature isn't too hot or cold, the wind slightly blowing through her hair, and with no sight of any of her classmates, former and new, Blaze relatively felt she doesn't have to worry about anyone ruining the rest of the day. They already ruined her morning and half of her afternoon, which is most of her day, so why would they bother ruining the remaining half of her afternoon and her evening? Well, it's not like she cares about them or they're on her mind.

Except Silver. The only nice guy who tried to help Blaze despite pushing him away twice. Her mind is going round and round just thinking about that teen! She kept wondering if Silver is going to make another attempt on helping her or somehow befriend her tomorrow at school.

Well, she'll never know what will happen tomorrow. Blaze prayed that Silver will forget about her by tomorrow. That would make things easier for Blaze. Or better yet, for the both of them.

Author's Note: Yea! Chapter 3 is up! Hope I didn't give you guys some disturbing images this early in the story (my bad). And yes, I really don't like rap in general, as I put in the story including "Look at Me Now" by Chris Brown and another rapper who I don't know (can't understand more than half of the song in there).

Now for the name meanings. First off is Barbara (Blaze)! The name Barbara is Latin for "foreign woman", which what people view her as in this story (having no friends, refusing any type of help, her powers, etc.). Her last name, Jewel, if paired with Blaze, is a reference to the Sol Emeralds; the jewels/emeralds she has to guard in the Sonic series.

Few more things before I go, the songs I had, besides the said rap song, are listed down below (appearing in order):

"Into the Wind" by Crush 40

"World End's Dancehall" by Miku Hatsune and Luka Megurine

Why did I put those songs in there? That's for you to guess.

Next, I don't own any of the songs I used/mentioned, and I don't own the Sonic series (SEGA does). I only own my OC Ryo (made up last minute).

And lastly, thanks for the 200 views, and if you enjoyed this story, please review!