What's on your mind, Amy Rose?

Where did I begin?

I pulled my laptop closer towards me and studied my Facebook profile page, trying (and failing) to look at it objectively. There were a couple of photos of me from my aunt's page, awkward group photos from family events. The most recent one was over a year old. Mum and Aunt June stood side by side. They'd have looked identical if it weren't for June's mauve-coloured fur. Abigail hugged mum's legs. She was wearing the pink dress she'd loved so much. She cried on and off for days on end when she outgrew it.

Then there was me and my cousin Rosy. We looked similar as well, with green eyes and pink hair. Beyond that? Rosy's makeup was impeccable, her hair was well-brushed, and the black dress that she was wearing hugged her perfect figure. I wore a similar dress, but I'd purposefully bought one that was a size too big. It looked as shapeless on me as it had on the hanger. I was slouching as well. My parting wasn't even. It looked like I'd applied my eyeliner with my thumbs. I wasn't even smiling - just staring uncomfortably at the camera with a mournful expression.

I hastily clicked untag. Phew.

I still needed a profile picture though. I helped up my phone experimented with angles, with expressions, but I was a complete novice when it came to this sort of thing. I don't know - I'd seen Rosy's selfies and other girls, pouting at the camera or posing for would-be candids and they always looked amazing. I just looked awkward. This was precisely why I didn't take photographs of myself. The camera and I really didn't get along with each other.

Nevertheless, there was something vaguely ominous about having a blank icon - it looked like I had something to hide. Which I did. The fact that I wasn't at all photogenic. Still. I sighed, and turned back to my camera.

There was a sudden creak as my bedroom door slowly opened, revealing Abigail. She smiled innocently at me. In theory she was supposed to knock on my door so she wouldn't disturb me when I was 'studying' but she hadn't gotten used to the idea yet - we'd shared a space for far too long.

"Amy?"

"Yeah babs?" I sighed. "Not watching your show?"

She shook her head. "Can I play on Candy Crush on your phone?"

"Uh yeah, sure thing." She flopped down onto my bed. I handed it to her and and pulled my laptop closer. My cursor hovered over the search bar - should I?

I mean - it wasn't weird. Was it?

I'd hung out with them all before …

We were in the same school …

What was the harm?

I typed Maria Robotnik into the search bar before I could stop myself. Hey, she might give me some inspiration for my own profile picture. I expected to see a silly snap or a sickeningly-sweet selfie with Shadow, but I was greeted by a rather professional looking black-and-white photograph of her standing onstage. Her blonde hair was held back in a sleek updo and she was dressed in an elegant tutu. She stood on one leg, the other stretched out behind her, practically level with her hips. Turned to the side, she was reaching out in front of her with one arm while the other was extended slightly. I clicked onto her profile-page which was full of clips from various professional ballet productions and group-photos with the rest of the gang. Shadow wasn't tagged in any of them, though he was always there with his arm around Maria's waist.

But I found the others.

Blaze's profile wasn't bursting with content, the occasional Jane Austen meme or reposted Upworthy article. Silver had liked every one of her posts that I could see. His profile picture was actually one of the two of them, a candid taken by a third party. It was objectively a much better photo of her than it was of him - she was dressed casually in a deep purple sweater which suited her wonderfully and she was smiling. Silver's mouth open and he'd been caught mid-blink.

The guy had it bad. It was really adorable.

Okay yes, the friend-zone is an invention of the patriarchy men weren't entitled to sex because they showed a woman basic decency, women didn't owe men anything.

But still.

It didn't seem like it was like that with Silver and Blaze.

But maybe I was wrong.

I'd just read a lot of fanfiction okay? I couldn't help it!

Rouge's profile was a sultry selfie, showing off a lot of her … errr. I didn't know how to put it delicately. Boobs? Tits? Cleavage? Her ample bosom? (Calm down Amy, she's not a cheerful Victorian barmaid with a heart of gold and questionable morals). She looked awesome anyway, oozing utter self confidence. Her makeup page was linked in her bio - I made a mental note to check it out. Knuckles had a picture of him and Tikal standing by some ruins in the sunshine, clearly on their holidays, as his profiler. His only other picture was a gym selfie. Tikal's profile page was full of SJW material and photographs of her and a girl that I didn't recognise - a racoon with green eyes and a slightly manic expression. Her name was Marine according to the tag. Cream smiled sweetly in her selfie, a blue-and-yellow chao perched on her shoulder. She'd shared a number of fundraisers for Chao Protection organisations and articles about the importance of service pets. She interacted a lot with someone called Charmy, who'd tagged her in various wholesome memes. Cosmo had photographed herself wearing tinted sunglasses with rounded lenses. Her entire profile screamed art-hoe. Tails' profile picture was of him shaking hands with the principal of our school, holding onto a plaque for some academic achievement award. There was a small heart in the corner of the picture - pink and blue with a white stripe in the middle. I'd definitely seen it before. The rest of his page was on private.

I was beginning to feel like a complete and utter weirdo. I knew from the internet that people did this all the time, Facebook stalking or whatever, but it was all new to me. I felt like I was invading their privacy which was ridiculous. It was all public information.

Oh God. This was probably how it started for all of those internet creeps on Catfish or something. One day you're clicking through a couple of photos, the next you're on the receiving end of a restraining order.

At any rate, I was clearly getting too invested. Maybe that was why I'd been consciously avoiding clicking on Sonic Webster's profile …

"Say cheese!"

Abigail's voice snapped me out of my trance. I looked away from the glaring light of my laptop screen and at my little sister, who was gleefully taking pictures of me.

"Abigail!" I cried, snatching my phone from her. "Stop!"

"Why?" she moaned.

"It's my phone, okay? My rules." I was already deleting the photographs, selecting them all at once so I didn't have to look at each one individually. "Hmph!" Abigail pouted, crossing her arms and sticking out her lower lip. I rolled my eyes but couldn't resist smiling. That child. "Hey, come here. We can take some together. You just have to ask first, okay?"

She scrambled over towards me. I turned on the camera and held the phone out in front of us. "Ready? Smile!" I asked. Abigail bared her teeth at the camera. I burst out laughing. "I said smile!"

"I am smiling!" she told me through clenched teeth.

I giggled, turning back to the camera. I took the photo quickly, still thinking about how Abigail looked beside me.

"Lemme see!" she squeaked. I dutifully opened up my photo album (almost entirely made up out of screenshots of long winded tumblr posts and things like my timetable and bus pass). I tapped the photo so that it filled my screen. I was, for lack of a better word, shook. It actually looked alright! looked pretty good? I was far from put together, but I was smiling naturally - it even reached my eyes, lighting them up - as Abigail sat beside me, looking ever-so-slightly deranged but also completely and utterly adorable.

I grinned. This was it. I quickly installed the Facebook app and set it as my profile picture - my first actual profile picture ever.

"Hey Babs, do you want a snack?" I asked. Chemistry homework be damned.

"Grilled cheese." she said automatically. Smart kid.

"I'll make the sandwiches, you find us something to watch."

I closed my laptop, set my phone down on the bed, and the two of us left my bedroom together. But as I waited for the sandwiches to cook, I couldn't stop myself from wondering if he'd found me yet or if he'd sent me a message …

Because I was worried about the homework assignment.

Obviously.

That's what I told myself anyway.

One grilled cheese and three episodes of Sofia the First later, I went back to my phone.

Maria Robotnik, Tails Prower, and eight others have sent you a friend request.

(But nothing from Sonic. Why? Should you add him first? But he specifically said he'd add you. Would it look weird if you did it?)

You added Maria Robotnik, Tails Prower, Blaze Sol, Tikal Pacha, Cosmo Birnbaum, Cream Barony, Silver Telek, Sally Acorn, Jet Swift, and Rouge Minella as friends.

Blaze Sol added you to the group-chat

Blaze Sol: Be nice, guys.

Maria Robotnik: AMY!

Maria Robotnik: *tackle hugs*

Maria Robotnik: (you like hugs, right?)

Tikal Pacha: A++ on the consent front, Maria

Amy Rose: haha you're good!

(okay, relax Amy)

Maria Robotnik: :333

Maria Robotnik: Consent is sexy!

Tikal Pacha: Consent *clap* is *clap* NECESSARY

Cosmo Birnbaum : *clap clap clap*

Tikal Pacha: *clap*

Tails Prower: guys check out this link

Tails Prower: watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ

Tails Prower: also hi amy

Tails Prower: welcome to the madhouse

Amy Rose: Thanks! So, how are you all?

Tikal Pacha: *thumbs up*

Maria Robotnik: Good! How about you? *heart emoji*

Amy Rose: I'm fine!

Tails Prower: did anybody watch my link?

Tikal Pacha: No

Tails Prower: w o w

Tails Prower: W O W

Cosmo Birnbaum: I thought it was cool!

Maria Robotnik: I was talking to Amy, guys …

Tikal Pacha: *thumbs up emoji*

Tails Prower: that emoji always strikes me as really passive aggressive, is that just me?

Cosmo Birnbaum: I don't see it

Tails Prower: that's because you're the least passive-aggressive person that has ever existed

Cosmo Birnbaum: true

Cosmo Birnbaum: I'm just AGGRESSIVE

Tails Prower: sure

Cosmo Birnbaum: it's true

Tails Prower: uh-huh

Cosmo Birnbaum: I'm SCARY!

Maria Robotnik: ooooooooh

Tails Prower: 2spooky4me

Maria Robotnik: Guys, I was thinking …what are we going to do for Halloween?

Cosmo Birnbaum: Mean

Tails Prower: i know

Cosmo Birnbaum: You're lucky I like you

Tails Prower: i know

Tikal Pacha: Guys …

Tikal Pacha: Knuckles is out with Julie-Su.

Cosmo Birnbaum: I see …

Tikal Pacha: Yep

Cosmo Birnbaum: *hugs*

Cosmo Birnbaum: Rouge is going out with someone in Knothole tonight too ...

Blaze Sol: That was supposed to be confidential.

Cosmo Birnbaum: Oh, I'm so sorry! Cream told me!

Blaze Sol: Of course.

Blaze Sol: I just can't say no to those eyes.

Blaze Sol: Which reminds me, how did you all fare on the test?

Tails Prower: oof

Blaze Sol: Oh dear

Cosmo Birnbaum: The less said the better, I think. I hate history.

Blaze Sol: Cosmo, your father is a history teacher.

Tails Prower: he's also 6''5 …

Cosmo Birnbaum:

Tikal Pacha: Biiig oof

Tikal Pacha: Press F to pay respects

Maria Robotnik: SO AMY

Maria Robotnik: Sorry

Maria Robotnik: So, Amy!

Maria Robotnik: Welcome to the group-chat! Girls+Tails only!

Tails Prower: I'm trans and was part of the girl-group too long to be allowed to leave.

Maria Robotnik: He knew too much

Tails Prower: the whole thing is pretty cisnormative.

That's where I'd seen those colours before.

Tikal Pacha: Amy Rose, I'm sure you're lovely but if any LGBTQ+ stuff is an issue for you … Because I'm bisexual and yeah.

I typed out my response at rapid-fire speed.

Amy Rose: Oh no no no, not at all, sorry! My old school was really open in that regard and basically yeah, it's all great and I really support everything!

I stopped myself before I started sounding like one of those thirteen year olds on tumblr who think they're woke for shipping K-Pop idols.

Blaze Sol: I suppose that a city environment would be more progressive in that sense.

Cosmo Birnbaum: I mean Station-Square isn't that bad either, it's just small so there isn't really a 'gay' scene. Or indeed any scene.

Tikal Pacha: Even the Straights like my brother and his not-a-girlfriend have to go to Knothole …

Maria Robotnik: Ahh ..

Cosmo Birnbaum: I mean, what can you do? You have to let them live their own lives

Maria Robotnik: I know …

Even though I wasn't part of the conversation I didn't actually feel like I was being left out of anything - it was a whole other thing to. Still, I wanted to know more. Knuckles and Rouge were kind of having a thing but also seeing other people and the others didn't like that? Or Maria and Tikal didn't anyway - Tikal because she was Knuckle's sister and probably had some inside knowledge, and Maria because … well, she was in a happy relationship and had been for some time. Projection.

Cosmo Birnbaum: Maybe we shouldn't talk about Rouge's relationships in a group-chat she's in? Though she doesn't really read back.

Tikal Pacha: I'll send memes. Prepare yourselves.

Blaze Sol: Okay, I have a huge test to study for, don't add me back until I'm finished!

Blaze Sol left the group.

Tikal proceeded to send in screenshot after screenshot. I muted the chat. Not because I found it annoying, but because I needed a minute.

Okay. Being added to a group-chat … that meant something, right? I wasn't all that social-media literate, but that must mean something.

I checked my notifications. My profile picture had already received a couple of likes from my new friends. There were two comments.

Rosy Robinson: Abigail's gotten so big! Miss you guys x

Maria Robotnik: Cute!

A rush of warmth ran over me. This is exactly what Gen X journalists were talking about when they wrote clickbaity articles talking about how social media was like a drug and it gave us all a dopamine kick whenever we used it …

But at the same time, I needed all of the dopamine that I could get. Beggars couldn't be choosers.

There was still friend-request from Sonic. I bit my lip. What the hell? Five seconds later I was scrolling through his sporadic posts - shared from LADBible and other people's photos that he'd been tagged in. His profile picture was of him, Manic, and a stunningly pretty pink hedgehog who I could only assume was his sister. They all had the same seemingly effortless smile … but for some reason his still looked the best.

I impulsively went into his tagged-photos album. I wasn't hurting anyone. There were photos of him on the school page, out on the field or standing with the rest of the track team. Mostly group photos. A selfie of him pulling a face next a miffed-looking Blaze. Him and Tails.

There was a formal photo too, from a year ago. Sonic was wearing a shirt and dress pants, a tie hanging loosely from his shoulders. His arm was around an extremely pretty mongoose. Her lilac locks cascaded down her back. Her willowy figure was covered in a strapless black dress and a row of piercings adorned her ear.

Mina Gabrie: Sadie Hawkins! - with Sonic Webster.

I closed the app.

Who was Mina? She'd asked Sonic to a dance … did she like him? Had they been dating? Were they still dating? Did he like her?

You're so fucking stupid.

Oh my God, why did I even care?

My jaw felt stiff. I turned back to chat. The conversation had turned back to Halloween.

Maria Robotnik: Is anyone throwing a party or anything?

Cream Barony: I don't think so, since Homecoming's not long after …

Cream Barony added Blaze Sol back to the chat

Cream Barony: Oh, hi Amy!

Amy Rose: Hi Cream!

Tails Prower: we could all just hang out?

Cosmo Birnbaum: I'm doing stuff with mum on Halloween day is the only thing, we're organising a Pumpkin Carving workshop

Maria Robotnik: OOOOH

Cosmo Birnbaum: Under-tens only I'm afraid, Maria!

Maria Robotnik: *sadface emoji*

Cosmo Birnbaum: I'm kind of with Tails here, last year was great.

Tikal Pacha: We aren't really the 'partying' type …

Baze Sol: No, you're not stealing my act. You guys haven't been to a highschool party yet, you can't make up your minds until you've gone to one.

Maria Robotnik: See? Even Blaze wants to party!

Blaze Sol: That's not what I said.

Maria Robotnik: Okay, I honestly just want an excuse to wear a costume and eat sweets, if you guys want to hang out and do that I am completely on board.

Tails Prower: sounds good

Maria Robotnik: In other news, I have a Mobian Government test tomorrow and Shadow is here to help me study, so I'm switching my phone off for the evening. Byeeee xxxx

Cosmo Birnbaum: Tails, are you coming over for dinner?

Tails Prower: Yeah I'll be there in ten.

Cosmo Birnbaum: Okay!

Tikal Pacha: Gaaaaaay

Tails Prower: no u

Tikal Pacha: NO U

Cosmo Birnbaum: Your mom.

Blaze Sol: I feel old.

Amy Rose: I've got work to do as well but it was nice talking to you all!

Cream Barony: Good luck!

Needless to say I didn't do any chemistry homework. I looked for low-budget Halloween costume inspo online until my mum called me for dinner.

Sonic Webster sent you a friend request (22:09 PM)

I accepted it. Embarrassingly quickly. But I'd barely tapped accept when my phone buzzed, alerting me of a new message.

Sonic Webster : Hey! Sorry it took me a while to get to you. Here's the link! Just put in your name and birthdate and the database will find you and you can make a password. .

Amy Rose: Don't worry about it. Thanks!

Sonic Webster: Happy to be of service!

Leave it at that.

A minute passed. I bit down on my lip, thinking … or maybe I wasn't thinking.

Amy Rose: How was it anyway?

Amy Rose: Track, I mean.

(The risky double-text.)

Seen: 22:17

What did that mean? Was he going to respond?

Sonic Webster: It was fine. I was hanging out with some of the guys afterwards. There's a county-wide meet coming up. You're not into sports, are you?

Amy Rose: Not really, no. I mean they're fine!

What I knew about sports would literally fit on the back of a postage stamp. I was scared of the ball, I was self-conscious about the way that I ran. Why was I doing this?

Sonic Webster: Each to their own. But hey listen, I'm actually about to fall asleep so I'm going to head on now.

Amy Rose: Oh, sorry! I shouldn't have kept you

Sonic Webster: Nah, no worries. I do gotta go though. So, goodnight Amy.

Amy Rose: Goodnight. See you

Sonic Webster: See ya!

The little green dot next to his name disappeared. I let out a deep breath - I hadn't even realised that I'd been holding one in.

Responses to reviewers: Thank you all so much for reading and reviewing this story! I wish that I could respond to you all but a lot of you use guest accounts, so just know that I really appreciate it!

Coming up with surnames was a lot more difficult than I had anticipated! There's in-universe explanations for them all, but I won't go into all of that, they're pretty basic - for example, with Rouge and Cosmo I went with voice actor surnames, with Tikal and Blaze I chose their tribe/home, etc.

This was a little later than I was aiming for (three weeks as opposed to two) but I'm getting there! It's tricky balancing college with everything. You won't get an upload before Halloween, unfortunately, but I hope that you all have an awesome time!

Love and hugs,

Scarstar xxx