'C'mon, it will be fun!' That's what he said to me. I'm still trying to figure out why I agreed.
Fun isn't really a word I keep in my vocabulary. I work and I sleep. I don't have a space for fun in between them.
But, as we all know, no one can say no to the hero of the story. He saves the day and he gets what he wants. He begged, teased, and cried until I said yes for him. I'll admit that it was quite the act he put on for me. If he wasn't busy saving the world in crisis when needed, he would make a good actor on stages.
Since work has me stationed in the city, I had a hotel near the strip he asked me to meet him at. Walking into the city that cold evening, I had worn my pleather jacket and new gloves. Rouge got them for me. She said they would make me look cooler. I wasn't keen on wearing them, but she insisted this would be the night to do so. I guess rumor got around that Sonic invited me out for a one-on-one. Or perhaps his gang of friends asked him to do it? Whatever. I just want to get the night over with. I can't tolerate that cocky hedgehog for more than one evening.
"Well, I'm here, hedgehog. Take mercy on my time," I said.
"Glad you made it!" Sonic smiled at me. He was leaning against the bricks of the building he asked me to show up at.
"And just what did I make it to?" I asked.
"Just to the most fun place ever! I did say it would be fun, didn't I?" He laughed at himself. How amusing.
I followed behind him into the building. It was a late-night cafe and based on the amatuer vocals I was hearing, it must be karaoke night.
"Don't expect me to sing-" I muttered.
"-sing without me up there with you? Of course not! I already have a duet picked out!" He finished for me.
'Oh Chaos, end me now,' I thought to myself. I hate being out in public enough and now he wants a stage performance? Whatever, anything to get this over with.
"I'll have a white mocha latte, and he will have a large black coffee and a packet of your chocolate covered espresso beans, please!" Sonic ordered. I am pleasantly surprised he knows my usual already. We don't get coffee together often…
"I figured you'd be better up there with some caffeine in you, and they are open all night so we can get as many refills as you want! All on me, of course," Sonic said.
Singing a duet, ordering for me, and paying tonight? Something tells me I wasn't just set up for a hangout session tonight with Sonic. Rouge is always playing match-maker it seems.
"Amy won't be jealous that I'm singing with you tonight?" I asked.
"Oh, she is more of a soloist when it comes to singing! Plus, she only needs me now when she can't get her car working, and that's only because I can get Tails to reply to her text faster if I tell him in person," he replied. I guess that childhood crush was over by now.
We drank our coffees some more as we chatted and I munched on the beans he got for me. The coffee was rich and the beans were bittersweet, perfect combination. The venue wasn't bustling as much as I expected for it to be an event night. That was good since I didn't want to have my singing with Sonic get viral. I know Rouge and Knuckles would just love to record this for future mutual teasing.
Sonic nudged my side with his elbow. "Hey Madonna, ready for our set? We are up next!"
"You didn't tell me the song yet."
"Well, duh, it is supposed to be a surprise! I'm singing the first verse, so it will give you time to study the beat."
"You are lucky I know what I am doing."
"I know you're so talented," he said with a wink.
I was finishing the last part of my coffee when Sonic started knocking on the table.
"We are up next and they are finishing up! C'mon let's go!" he said. He grabbed my hand and pulled me out of the seat quickly, so quickly that I almost dropped my cup but I was able to slide it smoothly onto the table.
He lead me up the side of the stage. I felt his arm lean close overtop of mine, and saw he now had our knuckles interlocked. I stared blankly into space, trying to process how I let him get so close to me without hesitation. I didn't have time to reach any conclusions before he was already pulling me up on the stage. He grabbed two microphones and gave me one.
The DJ started the song and I saw the lyrics screen in front of us light up with it. Sonic slid in close and whispered to me.
'Don't worry, I'm here if you need me to sing lines with you!' he said with a smile and stood up straight to face the crowd.
He started bouncing to the beat, and then began singing, but he wasn't even looking at the screen! This hedgehog really picked something he knew just to challenge me, huh? I wouldn't be taking that! I saw the screen show 'Singer 2' and the next lines. I was ready.
I finished my verse and we sang the chorus together. The crowd was really enjoying Sonic's energy. I will admit, I was having fun with him too. We sang, together, and finished it with a last duet on the chorus. The crowd gave an applause and Sonic took my hand and lifted it up with his like I won a wrestling match. He forced my hand down with his and we took a bow. He is always such a show-off, a sucker for any praise.
Sonic walked me off stage as we put back the microphones. We waved to people who complimented us on our way back to the table and sat down.
"So, how was that? You did great!" He said.
"It was fun," I said with a nod. Wait, was he still holding my hand?
"And that is just the first part! I have another cool place I want to show you too," he said and we walked out of the cafe to the next door diner. As we entered, I saw it was also a bowling alley.
"Let's do a round of bowling while we are in town!" Sonic said as I walked slowly behind him.
"It's cosmic bowling night, so they will have all the cool lights and pop music on," he said with a laugh. The whole venue was coated in a purple hue with disco ball like flashes of light going over the lanes.
I must have been entranced by the light show because I didn't notice Sonic taking my hand and leading us to our space. We got a lane off to the far end, and did not have anyone in the next lanes by us.
Sonic entered our names into the keypad and SONI and SHAD popped onto the screen dangling from the ceiling. He examined the balls at the center console and took one he seemed to like best. In a fluid motion, he rolled the ball down the lane and knocked 8 pins down.
"Aw yeah, not bad!" He said with a fist pump. I watched him grab his ball again when it returned and he rolled again to get the last two pins down.
"Woo-hoo! A spare on the first go? Gonna be hard to compete with that Shad!"
I stood up and walked to meet Sonic in front of the lane. "I suppose it is as good as a time as ever to tell you I've never bowled before."
Sonic gasped with his hands over his mouth. "Oh Shad! You should have told me! We could have gone to somewhere else," he said.
"It's fine, I didn't want to ruin your plans. Could you show me what to do then while we are here?"
"Totally! Since you and I are built the same, we can just use the same ball so that's easy. Just stick your first two fingers in the top holes, and lightly grip your thumb into the bottom."
I did as I was told and lifted the ball up like he described.
"Now, go mimic what I did and try to keep the ball straight like an arrow heading to the center of the pins."
"Are you assuming I was watching you that closely?"
Sonic grinned. "You could never keep your eyes off me." He slapped my shoulder. "Good luck! I'll be here watching you now."
That hedgehog! He always knows how to get some quip out of my questions. No matter, I'll be besting him soon. Those pins are no match for the ultimate lifeform! I walked up and tossed the ball with the same rolling motion I saw Sonic do. It glided down the lane until it curved and hit 3 pins from the side.
"Not bad, Shad! Now just through it straight to the center of those leftover pins!" I heard him shout from behind. I'm sure glad now we don't have anyone close enough to sew me struggle.
I took a deep breath and focused my energy onto the pins and through my hands into the ball. I sharply tossed the ball down and hit down 6 of the 7 remaining pins.
"Wow! You learn fast!" He came up and rested a hand on my shoulder. "Just keep keeping it straight and fast like that and you'll do great!"
We finished more of our set. Sonic and I stayed neck and neck for most of it. In the final round, Sonic bowled a spare and then a 7 on his extra round.
"Alright Shad, you'll need to get at least one strike to get a higher score than me! Up for that challenge?"
"Don't be so cocky now, Soni. I can pull that off easily," I endearingly pushed him aside as I took his place in front of the lane. I got my ball ready and zoned in on my target. With a quick motion, I rolled straight down and a crashing sound broke out as I nailed a strike.
"Oh wow! Well, that was fast!" Sonic said. He had a bit of disappointment and praise in his voice. He has always been a sore loser, but it seems he is getting something out of this since he trained me.
I got my ball back and tried to replicate the same motion and power I just did. To my surprise, it was perfect and I got another strike in this set.
"Whoa, Shad! That means you get a turkey chance!"
"What in the world is a turkey?"
"It just means three strikes in a row, and it is worth lots of points?"
"And just why do they call it that?"
"Why are we called hogs if we don't look like pigs?"
I rolled my eyes. He always has something even when he has nothing. Clever hedgehog.
I got my ball from the return and set my sights on the cuvited turkey. I focused and put all my strength into a solid roll down the lane. It was a knockout, and the pins spread out far hitting each other in the process. Strike!
"Yes, Shadow, yes!" Sonic cheered and jumped up and down holding my hands. He then leaned in and gave me a quick hug. "That was amazing for your first time! Wait here, I'm going to get something to celebrate!"
He ran off and I stood there admiring my score on the screen. I smiled and then I felt warm. What was all this? I'm used to winning and I don't feel like this when I do. Was it Sonic's touch that is giving me this heat in my face?
My thoughts were stopped when Sonic was back holding two shirts. He held one up in front of himself as if he was wearing it?
"So, what do you think?"
"I think that is the ugliest shirt I have ever seen," I said.
"How rude! I'm sure this shirt would say the same thing to you if it could talk!" Sonic said back. "C'mon, you only have to wear it for tonight. We are celebrating your new career as a professional bowler!"
"Yeah right…" I said. I took the shirt in my hands and looked at it again. I looked back up and Sonic already had his on, and of course, it was the same design as mine. I reluctantly put mine on, at least just to humor him with it tonight.
"A perfect fit! Let's take a selfie!" Sonic grabbed his phone and I saw the flash before I even had time to object.
"We look like a couple of idiots," I said, looking at the photo.
"Great idea! I'll caption it with that," Sonic said. "...with a few edits…" I heard him mutter under his breath as he posted it. "Hey, let's get a milkshake before we finish up tonight. I bet they even have a coffee shake!"
I made a small smile. "Sure," I said. "Why not?"
I sat across from Sonic in a booth at the dinner side of the venue. The waitress came by and Sonic ordered a coffee milkshake. It was getting late, but I figured we were already both over caffeinated anyway, so a little more couldn't hurt. Sonic was bouncing in his seat as he complimented me more on my new found talent. His eyes wandered all over the restaurant as he talked and tapped his feet on the floor while he talked. So hyper and bubbly, I thought to myself.
'And so cute too…' I thought more.
"Huh? You say something Shadow? Sorry, I think I talked over you!"
Wait, did I think that out loud? "No, I didn't say anything."
"Oh, our shake is here!" Sonic said with glee.
The waitress set down the tall caramel covered drink and tossed to straws onto the table as well.
"Don't worry, Shadow," Sonic said. "I promise I won't drink more than half!"
As if he could tell that, heh. Usually, I find his constant jokes annoying, but I guess this night I find him more amusing.
I stuck a straw in on my side and we accidentally made eye contact while enjoying it. Sonic turned away. He was blushing.
"Haha, guess I didn't expect to be that close to ya!" He said.
"It's fine. I don't mind it tonight. Please, let's enjoy it together."
Sonic smiled and turned back to drink more.
"Just don't get a brain freeze because I will have to laugh at you," I said with a wink.
I covered the bill and walked out with Sonic into the crisp, black night. We walked to the side of an alley and Sonic turned to face me. "Did you have fun tonight, Shadow?" He asked sincerely.
"Yes, I did." I said.
I stood there staring at him, waiting for him to ask something else. He looked at me and the ground and the sky and up and down and all around. Then, he opened his mouth again.
"I'm heading East, and you'll be going West, so this will be our goodbye for the night…"
I nodded, still looking at him deeply. I didn't know if I could ask what I wanted to. Sonic took a step closer and rested a hand on my shoulder. He leaned in closer to my face with his own.
I couldn't wait any longer. I pulled him in by his waist and we exchanged a peck on the lips for an instant and then I pulled myself back.
Sonic opens his eyes wide and chuckles a bit. "Sorry if that was awkward. It was my first time."
"Mine too," I said.
"We should have more fun nights like this, Shadow."
"Yeah," I said. "I think I'd like that."