Chapter 28: A Quick Phone Call

Amy didn't think that Shadow was going to pick up at that moment. Her face flushed; the only reason she wanted to talk to him was to be fair. After all, she was able to hear Sonic's point of view and explanation of things, so she only thought of extending the same courtesy towards her ex. "I've been seeing all the messages you've been leaving me… Didn't you get the text I sent you?"

She could hear Shadow sigh over the line, "I've just been working… Sorry."

"O-Oh! Don't apologize! I should've known better! It's just… It kind of just seems like forever since we've seen each other… Or it feels like it anyway. Just seems like there's just been a whirlwind of shit that's been happening between us."

"Yeah… You could say that."

Amy's expression fell to a frown, her eyes casting downwards towards her feet, "I just… I just want to hear your side. I don't want to keep being mad, but… Don't you see how messed up this all is?"

She felt silence befall the two of them over the line. After listening to some shuffling over the line, she heard him speak again.

"... You're right. I should've told you. But I was just… Ashamed."

"Ashamed? Of what?"

"... Of what you'd think of me."

Amy tilted her head slightly. She couldn't follow, "What do you mean?"

"It's just… I was just so close to getting it all for us, Ames. I was hoping that I could run this by you without having to put up with any discussion about it and hope we could regroup later, but… Seeing how it all blew up, I realized that it wasn't about me… It's not always about me."

"That's what I didn't get… I-I cared so much about you, about us… But out of all people, I trusted you. With Sonic, I could expect this kind of thing, but from you…? I just… Didn't want to believe it…"

More silence.

"Answer me this, though…" started Shadow, "Why are you so quick to forgive him and justify all his actions when he's the one that's been using you since the start? I still think he's bad news, Amy. I don't trust him to do any right."

Amy paused. She didn't want to admit why she was more inclined to trust Sonic, funny enough. But she knew she had to tell him. He had least deserved that.

"It's because… despite everything that's happened, Sonic is still true to himself. Although ironically I know the whole reason he's putting on this show for his parents is so that he can act like a different person, with me, he's been his most honest, authentic self."

"Are you really defending him? Are you really okay with him talking down to you like you're beneath him?"

Amy chuckled.

"Of course not. What I am saying is that Sonic is going for what he wants and making the changes he wants, despite him being found out and failing. You're actively trying to be this person while trying to use other people to get there."

"I don't mean to poke a bubble in your self-delusion, but he's using you to get what he wants. How is what I'm doing any different from what he's doing?"

Amy pinched the bridge of her nose; this started out as a way to give everyone a chance to let everyone clear their conscience, but now it felt like an interrogation. She didn't feel like being reprimanded by someone who wronged her in the first place, but she had to maintain self-control.

"Look… You guys are both assholes, okay? I just want to get through with this and be done with both of you guys. But I'm just trying to be a bigger person and move forward. Why can't you just do the same? Why is this so hard for you?"

She heard Shadow take a deep breath and cleared his throat. She knew when Shadow did this that he was done with the conversation.

"... Just admit that you've feelings for him again and then I wouldn't be so upset."

"I don't have feelings for somebody that took advantage of me. I could care less."

"Doesn't seem like it, but… Hell, you don't owe me anything. I just want you to be happy, Ames. Honest to God."

Whatever. I'm just tired of this conversation now. "Okay, Shadow. Thanks."

And with the click of the phone, it was over. All of Amy's previous guilt that she had for him was out the window; she couldn't believe how condescending he sounded, especially when all of the misunderstanding was his fault. She flung her phone onto her bed, walking out into the hall and down the staircase to find Sonic and Mrs. League in an animated argument over ties or bowties. As she watched Sonic fling Mrs. Leagues options of elegant-looking ties out a window, she couldn't help but ponder what Shadow had said during their call:

Just admit that you've feelings for him again…

Amy shivered at the thought. She will admit, she was close to falling for him again; all those intimate times they shared with one another in his manor made it easy for her to feel that way, but after all this, she felt the opposite. She was just tired of men in general. But Amy did feel this magnetic pull to Sonic, despite what he did. She did feel like she justifies a lot of his behavior, but she couldn't place why. I just hope after all this is over… I don't have to worry about this anymore. I just want my old life back.

Sonic paused mid-speech and strolled towards her with both in hand. "What do you think? She won't let me wear a bowtie! ("Sir Sonic, you are a grown man! You do not need to wear a bowtie!" she yelled in the background.)"

Amy smiled and gave a small giggle, "I mean… What, do you want to look like a puppet? Pick the tie, Sonic."

As he stood with his mouth wide open, Amy was soon introduced to her stylist. It was then that the wheels were in motion, and she was finally reaching the end of her obligations here. The manor, her room, this back-and-forthing with Sonic… It was all boiling down to this. From the moment she saw him at La Luna, she knew that there was something more than just his master plan to get Amy to involuntary servitude.

She couldn't answer Shadow's question. Did she have feelings for him? Or is it the absence of that attention that she was so fond of receiving from Shadow long ago that is keeping her piqued? Regardless, she was curious to see Sonic's parents after all this time, and it was only in a couple more hours that they would be arriving on his front door step, guns blazing.

- End of Chapter 28 -

Author's Note: Hello again! I hope you are all doing well. As you guys can see, I'm making good on my promise to update regularly. I'm tantalizing close to reaching a conclusion to this nearly 10-year-old story, and I can't wait to see what my brain can work with! It's really difficult working with my 12/13-year-old brain and tying lose ends. Not just that, but there were some things I wrote that is just... Absolutely jarring. I still appreciate those who have stuck around since the beginning, and I really hope to do well by you guys. :P Ever since working this new job, I've had more time to write, and it's honestly been so nice. Anyway, I'm sorry for such a short chapter, but this was one that I was trying to finish over the weekend, but there really isn't anything else to dwell on this chapter anymore, so... O.O But hey! We're finally gonna meet the parents! I wonder what they're like... :)