Chapter 9

"Wh-what?" Shadow stammered.

Blaze could hold it in no longer; coarse tears of regret rolled down her face as she repeated through sobs, "I'm pregnant!"

The fateful news had sent Shadow reeling. He had only had sex with a girl once before. And that girl got pregnant too…she slit her neck before the child was even born. Was it all happening over again? Shadow worked up the mettle to ask, "Am I the father?"

"No…I knew I was pregnant before—" She cut herself short.

The black hedgehog could feel his anxiety relaxing somewhat; but even still, if he wasn't the father… "Then who is?"

Blaze hesitated. There was only one other guy she'd screwed. "Silver the Hedgehog."

"What?"

"Shadow, honey, I promise, I didn't cheat on you…we had sex back when he and I were dating—before Sonic—before you." Shadow was somewhat mollified. "I just can't believe this is really happening to me; I mean, we used a condom."

Shadow soothingly cradled his girlfriend's hands in his. "Baby, just because you use condoms, doesn't mean you're not going to get pregnant."

A fire lit in Blaze's eyes as she wrenched her hands away in anger. "Well, you're one to talk! You were the one who lied to get me to come to your house so you could make moves on me and then fuck me!" Several other people were beginning to take notice of the altercation; rumor-bearing whispers and murmurs trickled through the multitude of students in the cafeteria. "You seemed perfectly fine with using a damn condom then!"

Now Shadow was getting worked up. "Well, it's better than nothing! And you didn't have a single, fucking problem with it; you enjoyed it! So what does that make you? Hm? Oh, that's right—a slut!"

"W-well, if I'm a slut, then what are you? Because I heard you were sex friends with Sonic!"

Shadow's face fell; but he knew there was no use denying it. So he attempted to regain some confidence and intensity, retorting, "Okay, you know what? Fine—yeah—I was. But that's only because he cheated on me when we were dating so we just couldn't be actual boyfriends anymore. But then your precious Silver stole him away from me as his boyfriend after he cheated on you!"

Now it was Blaze who was stunned. What was she going to do? Have an abortion? Try to raise Silver's baby with Shadow? Or run back to Silver? "I'm sorry." Blaze started walking away dejectedly. "I can't handle this right now…"

But Shadow grabbed her shoulder. "Wait. So is that it?"

Blaze realized the gravity of his question. "I…I don't know." Blaze walked back to their table and picked up her tray of now cold food. "See you tomorrow."

"Blaze…" But the purple cat was already wandering around the commons, searching for a new table.

Silver sipped from his small carton of chocolate milk, unable to control the blissful smile running across his face. As he set the carton down, he continued speaking with Tails, the only other person at his table.

Blaze spotted their table, which was in a far corner across the room from her old one. She trudged over and was about to say something in greeting when she caught a piece of their conversation: "He's just so amazing," Silver was saying, a dreamy look in his eyes, "I don't think I've ever been more in love with someone as I am with Turbo the Cat…"

That tore it. Deep down inside, Blaze had to admit to herself that she was seriously considering trying to talk to Silver about his child and the possibility of them getting back together. But now it doesn't matter, her soul despaired.

The bell rang and Blaze threw away her food, having absolutely no appetite whatsoever.

At the end of the day, Choir class saw Turbo sitting, uh, maybe just a bit too comfortably on Silver's lap; they had finished all of their singing exercises and had ten minutes till the bell. Turbo enjoyed the sensation of Silver's arms encircling his body; he could feel his boyfriend's very full and quite energetic crotch pressing against him.

Turbo laughed. "Down, boy!"

Silver chuckled and replied, "I can't help it—your ass is just too yummy!" This, of course, produced flirtatious giggles from Turbo as Silver's erection rubbed up against his behind. "Hey, babe?"

"Yeah?"

"We've never really gone out on an actual date."

"Well, I don't think we can because of my parents."

"Oh, yeah, that sucks. Could you just say you're dating a girl? Hell, I'll cross-dress if I have to!" Both of them laughed.

"Thanks, babe, but that won't work either."

"Why?"

"Oh, didn't I tell you?"

"Tell me what?"

"Oh, I guess I forgot." Turbo chuckled and continued, "My parents don't let me date at all."

"Really? Not even girls?"

"Yeah." The orange cat pouted. "I'd still have to keep us secret from them."

"Aw…are you sure there isn't anything we can at least do together?"

"Let me think…well, next month is December and so I have a Christmas piano recital on the 17th. I might be able to get away with saying that I'm having a 'close friend' give me a ride because we're going to go shopping or see a movie afterwards or something like that." Silver's countenance brightened up. "So you could take me and watch me play." Turbo beamed hopefully.

"That sounds great, sweetie. But where will it be?"

"Um, BNCA—there's a community music school based out of there that I take lessons from."

"Wait…'BNCA' as in 'Ben Nye'?" That's where Sonic is! he remembered, immediately set on edge.

"Yeah, but it's just the music school based out of there. Do you know how to get there?"

"Y-yeah, sure."

"Great!" Turbo noticed Silver's slightly apprehensive facial expression. "What's wrong, sweetie?"

"Huh? Oh, I—" Luckily, Silver was saved by the bell and the rush of other students as they headed for the door. "So, what time will I pick you up?" he evaded, changing the topic.

"1:30." The two boyfriends strolled out the door, their hands interlaced. "Bye-bye."

"Bye, babe." Silver gave Turbo a brief smooch on the cheek; Turbo headed out the side door of the school building to wait for his dad to pick him up, while Silver left towards the front door—the exit outside of which the eternally cramped MHS buses were waiting.