Ok. Ok. I wrote this two years ago and I'm just uploading me. Don't be mad. But seriously, I hasn't even started writing the next chapter so, once again, I'm stumped. Please do enjoy this chapter though. I know this read is taking forever. It's literally about to reach ten years and I'm still not done. I'm in low-key panic mode...

But I hope everyone is still alive. I am. And well. I'm out here experiencing the real world stuff. I've really come a long way into writing and just recently graduated with a bachelors in English/creative writing. I just past my tenth year here on Fanfiction.(Oct 2011). I'm really thankful to all those who have stuck around and for those who have read my stories in the past and have moved on.

Please continue to support me!

"17" Pink Sweats

Chapter 20: Dinner

Sally searched for Rouge's cousin inside a bar. It was late at night on a school night and she was looking for an orange racoon. Sally felt uncomfortable seeing so many Mobians getting drunk, or high. She hated this part of downtown, but she came here to do business.

She found Rouge's cousin. She was in the corner of one of the rooms and with company. Two other large guys talking to her, and Sally hesitated at approaching her at that moment. Maybe this was a bad idea.

The orange racoon noticed someone standing uncomfortably in the corner of her eye and when she turned, she recognized the figure. She hummed curiously to see a customer.

Their eyes met and Sally was forced to approach her.

"Need something sweetheart," She asked. Her lips were dark red and her eye shadow was light blue. The guys turned around and got up, walking away from them. Sally walked to the couch and sat next to her.

"Yes. I heard you're very good at obtaining information from others." Sally said in a matter-a-factly.

"I am,"

"I also heard you're good at revenge," She continued

The racoon grinned intrigued. "What are you looking in for?"

"I first want to know some information about a certain blue hedgehog. Fast runner," Sally began a little anxious to get answers.

"Ahh," The racoon's eyes lightened up. "I've encountered him. Recently got out of Juv(juvenile hall), no thanks to him,"

Sally raised an eyebrow. She had some beef with him then. "I think he's dating one of my frien—I mean, someone I know. I want them to split. I want to see everything fall before him,"

"Hmm, I get it. I have info on him and although we both want to see him fall, asking me for favors cost, Hun." She told her.

Sally got up from the couch. She knew that asking for this much would post, but in a way, this girl was looking in on getting some revenge herself. Sadly, she couldn't touch Knuckles cause of Rouge, but getting at Sonic would hurt not just Knuckles, but Tails who took Cream and Amy. She'd be killing two birds with one stone. Or more like a flock.

"I don't have money right now, but I can make payments. Oh, and also, Rouge says hi,"

The racoon smirked at the retrieving figure.

At the far end of the room, a pair of blue eyes watched Sally leave. Those eyes closed in disappointment.

The sun's shine woke Amy up from her slumber. She blinked a few times and stretched out her arms as she yawned.

She looked around. She was alone in her bed, with traces on the sheets of a body that was once beside her last night. Immediately, last night hit her like a lightened bolt and she felt an uncomfortable feeling down her body. She felt sore, but she pushed down at odd feeling. He was gone…

She covered her body with the sheets and mentally scolded herself. She was a fool. That's all he ever wanted! Was that his plan all along! Just like Knuckles with Sally!

Her faced fumed with angry and embarrassment, but she couldn't help but lay hopelessly in bed.

The sound of something falling downstairs followed by a groan made her ears peer up. She got up from bed, still covering herself with the sheets. She walked downstairs and entered the kitchen area to find Sonic had dropped some plastic bowls on the floor.

When he saw her, he froze and so did she. He cleared his throat and she covered her body tighter. Both feeling nervous towards each other. Sonic began with a warm smile. "Morning,"

"Morning,"

"Uhh…I made breakfast."

"I see,"

"I took the last waffle…"

Amy gave a half-hearted giggled. It was a little awkward and this wasn't something she was used to. He had stayed with her after all. Relief came over her like a wave, but suddenly her body felt tired and she was drained. He approached her and she grabbed the sheets tighter around her.

"This maybe isn't the way I should be asking, but I was wondering if you wanted to be my girlfriend? I didn't really get an answer last night, but at the same time I did, but not in the way I thought it'd be—"

"This is kinda funny," Amy admitted with a smirk. Sonic paused, a little afraid he might have scared her off. But Amy reassured him she was teasing when she giggled. He was given the fuel and he offered that same smirk he used to give her when they first met. When he would tease her and follow her after school. The one she once disliked.

He wrapped his arms around her body and pulled her closer. "Avoiding the question,"

"Yes, I'll be your girlfriend,"

She smiled up at him and she could've sworn his eyes sparkled right at that moment. Sonic was taken off guard and his breath even hitched. He suddenly lifted her and spun her around. Amy yelped from his fast and sudden movement.

"Sonic, the sheets are slipping! Stop!"

Finals at school were harder this year. Everyone was scurrying to get to class, and finishing last minute assignments. While everyone panicked, Amy calmly put her books inside her locker. She had just finished finals without a problem.

Cream reached Amy's side as they watched younger students in 9th grade rushing down the hall, late to their finals. Cream covered her mouth a little worried for them.

"Do you think they'll make it?" She asked Amy, peering over at her.

Amy huffed out a short laugh shrugging. Cream had noticed a change in Amy. She was smiling more now. Amy, who once didn't show much emotions, now smiled and seemed in brighter moods. Cream skipped a few steps closer to Amy.

"Sooo, Amy,"

"What happened?"

"You and Sonic are finally dating,"

Amy halted and whipped her head over. Her cheeks were flushed, but her brows were narrowed. "Who told—" Amy groaned holding her temples and looked around a little sheepish. Cream squealed with delight at Amy admitting it without rebuking.

"I can't believe it! I mean, I knew it all along, but it's confirmed now. Which makes it so much better!" Cream gushed, taking little hops as they exited the school hallway. They made there way out of the school, since they were both done with finals.

"I get it Cream," Amy inhaled and exhaled between the sentence. Her blush wouldn't cease, she couldn't stop thinking about him. It had only been a day ago since Sonic asked her to be his girlfriend, but it hadn't sunk in yet.

"Now we can go on double dates!" She cheered.

"No," Amy replied fast and bluntly.

Cream pouted, but she knew she would. It was a matter of time before they did.

"Amy,"

Just when she thought her blushing was calming down, there was the very voice that stripped all her layers. The girls turned around to Sonic walking along side the group of guys he was always with. Sonic's eyes glanced at Amy who glanced back at him. She kept a stoic look hoping it could help relax her.

That no longer worked on Sonic, he saw passed her blush. If anything, he also saw the death glare she gave him for telling everyone so quickly.

Cream waved at him and the rest of the group and Amy nodded her head at Silver and Shadow who still didn't know much about her. But they were polite.

"You girls finished finals?" Sonic asked crossing his arms.

"Yea," Cream pulled out some notes out from her backpack and handed them back to Sonic. "Thank you, these notes help plenty,"

"No problem, Cream," Sonic chuckled and put his notes away. Amy still hadn't said anything and Sonic frowned. Maybe she wasn't comfortable yet.

"Well," Tails began catching everyone's attention. "I'm having dinner at my house to celebrate finals. You guys should come,"

Shadow and Silver agreed and showed much approval for this event. As the boys talked about it some more, Amy still hadn't said much. She watched the guys talk and couldn't help, but feel guilty. She had despised these boys so much in the past, and now had welcomed her into their group as if it were nothing.

Sonic walked over to her side without Amy noticing and bumped shoulders with her. "You okay Amy,"

She side-glanced at him with wide eyes. He was so fast. "I'm good,"

"You seem quiet,"

"I just don't have much to say," She replied, rubbing her arm.

"Are you coming to the Dinner?" He asked, looking from the boys to her.

Amy nodded. She thought it'd be good to spend time with the group. It had been a while since she went to Tails' house, but she had never got to know the rest of the group. Sonic offered his hand for her to grab. It was whole-hearted and innocent felt. She shyly grabbed his hand and he coiled his fingers around hers. He offered her a bright smile as did she. She was a little nervous to somehow express her relationship so openly with Sonic. She just had to get used to it.

.:xXx:.

Dinner at Tails' was like any other dinner, but with everyone else. It was livelier and chatty at the table. Tails and Cream served the food to everyone on the Table. Silver, Shadow, Sonic and then her. Everyone had to be served before they served themselves.

Amy looked down at her food. She somehow felt at ease. Unlike her little sleepover with the girls, they seemed more bonded. The girls would imagine all the stuff the guys might be plotting behind their backs when in fact, they were just regular guys talking about regular things. Sonic teased them as he reached the seat next to her and sat on the table. The whole time, it was Sally putting things into her head.

Sally and the girls…were wrong about everything.

At that moment, Knuckles made his appearance. Amy hadn't noticed him enter and glaring at her. Not too far behind him was Rouge who came in looking at Amy too.

"Hey," Silver called out to his buddy. "you made it!"

Sonic was going to do the same when he noticed Knuckles eyeing Amy across the room. Sonic stopped himself and his eyes furrowed slowly.

"Take a seat! I'll get your plate right now," Tails turned around and walked into the kitchen.

"What is she doing here,"

Everyone went silent.

Amy was brought back to reality as she realized who spoke. She met eyes with Rouge and her eyes narrowed. She had forgotten Knuckles was part of the group and that he was dating Rouge.

"Having dinner with us," Sonic responded as if it was a no-brainer.

"Are you kidding me Sonic," Rouge niggled, a nerve appearing on her head. Shadow and Silver only stared from Sonic to Rouge not knowing what was going on. They were pretty clueless.

"No," Sonic shrugged with a grin on his face.

"Hey wait…" Cream began, but was cut off short by Rouge interjecting, "This is one of Sally's sluts, why is she here—"

Amy clenched her fist, about to sneer back, but Sonic eruptively stood up and crossed his arms. "She's my girlfriend and I don't see a problem with her having dinner with us. She's done it before."

Rouge's eyes widened.

Tails slowly walked in and place the food on the table. They were going to sit far away from them.

"I don't trust her," Knuckles finally spoke and Amy flinched. He said that as if he hadn't been handed trust before and not broken it. He cheated Sally and even though they were not friends, she could never forgive Knuckles for it. He was the reason for everything. His eyes hadn't stopped glaring at her since he'd walked in. Amy cleared her face up and stared back with a confidence look, showing she wasn't afraid.

"You don't have to," Amy started.

Sonic looked at his friend with a hard stare and sat back down. "Chill, dude."

"Did Sally make you do this? Make you coax Sonic into liking you so that she can get us back? Give it up now or you'll be sorry." Knuckles words were like poison to her ears. All too familiar words that Sally used to say. Plans of revenge that never worked. Amy didn't blame him, he had had enough of Sally and thought she had something new up her sleeve.

Although, that was once planned, Sonic and Amy dating was not.

"Knuckles," Cream muttered.

"Knuckles…" Sonic spoke with a gruffly tone. He was getting upset. "She has nothing to do with Sally. Leave her alone. We're all hungry bro,"

Knuckles mouth tightened. Sonic usually never got involved. He was the happy-go-lucky guy. But he looked bothered and Sonic didn't really get bothered. He walked over to his chair with his eyes closed. Rouge kept glaring at an unbothered Amy, but eventually sat next to Knuckles. Tensions were high in the table and eating together was not going to be fun, Amy thought. From under the table, Sonic grabbed her hand and squeezed it. He looked at her with reassurance and she offered him a weak smile. At least he was protecting her.

"Hehe…well…let's eat," Tails told everyone nervously as drops of sweat fell from the side of his head.

Conversation was light at the table, but Amy tried her best to be the way she had before. Cream helped out by stirring up topics that invited Amy to speak. But she couldn't help but feel that she was still not wanted.

At the end of the dinner, Sonic was speaking with the guys for a moment and Amy went upstairs to use the restroom. She stared at herself in the mirror, feeling tired. She touched her cheek and then her lips.

She didn't like it.

The feeling that she had unfinished business. Her thoughts hadn't stopped thinking about their entire situation. Why did Sally hate everyone when it was reality, what happened between Knuckles and her, were their problem. She took it out on everyone. Cream and then Sonic, now her. Why couldn't she let it go? There were so many unanswered questions and still things seemed to be getting worst for her.

Amy groaned and held her head. It was starting to hurt from all the thinking.

She opened the door and was faced with Knuckles waiting against the wall in front of her. Amy stopped dead in her tracks. She held the doorframe and back a step. Knuckles stared at her unpleasantly, his arms crossed and his brows narrowed.

"Excuse me," She muttered and was going to walk away. Maybe he was just waiting for the restroom.

"Sonic's not here. Now, what are you really up to,"

Amy twirled her body, her face crumpling into an ugly look of contempt. "I'm not up to anything."

He pushed himself off the wall. "You might have fooled Sonic, but I ain't stupid to just believe you aren't doing Sally's dirty work."

He spoke quietly, yet with a glacial tone. It didn't scare Amy. "Sally and I aren't friends anymore…she was toxic…"

Amy noted Knuckle's shoulders, stiff and angular with rage, when she said that. "Bullshit,"

Amy's eyes squinted. He was antagonizing her! To tick her off. No matter what she said, he wasn't going to believe her. So, she rolled her eyes and walked towards the direction of the stairs. She wasn't going to deal with this.

"Did she ever tell you how she used me?" Amy halted and peered her eye from behind her shoulder. Knuckles pushed himself off the wall and walked over to her. "How obsessed Sally is with attention that she'd do anything to achieve that,"

Amy's eyes went wide in hearing that. His eyes weren't lying, she didn't know if she believed what he was saying or not. Although, it didn't sound wrong.

"I know…" She began, not breaking eye-contact. "That's why I left her side."

There was a long pause. Where Amy just stared at Knuckles and he stared right back, before she continued.

"To be honest, I get it. I know Sonic's your friend and you have every right to be protective. But I've also heard things about you too and there are so many side stories that I can't tell what's true. But I like Sonic and have now distance myself from Sally. This I know is true. Whether you believe me or not, it's on you."

Knuckles raised an eyebrow and opened his mouth about to say something, but Sonic appeared by the staircase and interrupted. "Is something wrong here?"

Amy panicked for a slight moment, but shook her head. She turned to Knuckles but he wasn't looking at her anymore.

"No, I was going to the restroom." Knuckles made his way past Amy and into the restroom. Once Knuckles closed the door, Sonic gave Amy a hard stare and Amy smiled at him. She walked over to him and Sonic lightly grabbed her arm.

"Amy…"

"Nothing happened," She whispered. "It's okay,"

He pulled her down a few steps and whispered, "Then why are you whispering,"

"He was really waiting for the restroom," she said in her normal voice making him smirk.

She hoped she wouldn't worry Sonic. She didn't want to be a problem to anyone. Although, she kept on repeating what Knuckles said about Sally. She used Knuckles? Something didn't make sense. But it didn't seem too off either. Sally was out to seek revenge, but then again why. She could've just moved on if Knuckles hurt her. Why was Sally going through lengths to keeping the girls away from their group and getting revenge on Knuckles?

It left her thinking that night.