Chapter 3:
Shadows POV
I lost.
I look up to see Amy's smiling face as she pumps her fist in victory.
"I beat you!" She says with a laugh, and right when I think she's about to rub it in my face, she starts racking up the balls.
"No, I lost, let me do that," I mumble as I start taking a few balls and the triangle rack from her. She steps back and lets me rack the ball.
When I'm finished, I turn on my heels to face her and say, "Rematch."
Her face turns dark pink and I think she's blushing, but before she can answer me, Rouge's voice calls out from behind me. "We've got shots!"
I turn to see Rouge and Knuckles walking our way, Rouge is carrying a tray with what looks to be a dozen shots on it. Shit! How fucked up are you trying to get you crazy bat?!
"Have you lost your mind? I'm not drinking those!" I say, crossing my arms over my chest and closing my eyes.
"Awwww come on! We gotta cement the new gang!" Rouge says with a wink. Amy might fall for this crap, but I won't.
"You've lost it bat girl!" I reply, holding my ground.
"Oh come on man, it'll be fun! What happened to boys' night?" Knuckles whined, as he grabbed onto my arm and shook me lightly. I glared daggers at him and he let me go immediately, and took a step back to his girlfriend.
I was not budging on this, my defenses were strong.
"Ever heard of how uncool peer pressure is?" I replied, glaring at both of them, hoping to embarrass them.
Unphased, Rouge sighed. Dramatically. This can't be good.
I watch Rouge prepare herself for another one of her annoying little performances. She sets down the tray of drinks and takes another long, dramatic, sigh.
"I guess that means Amy and I will have to drink your shots for you!" She whines and she makes her way over to Amy and grabs her, pulling her away from the pool table and over to the shots.
"Amy, I'm so sorry! This big, strong, man of mine can't carry the extra liquor!" She says, rubbing Knuckle's head playfully, to his distaste.
He tries to open his mouth and say something but Rouge covers his mouth with one hand and winks at him, turning the Echidna into a googly eyed, blushing mess.
What a wuss…
"Since Shadow isn't able to handle three teeny tiny little shots, we'll have to split them amongst ourselves!" She sighs again, louder than any of the other times, then she swoons dramatically, hanging herself onto Amy.
I wish you'd get off her bat!
"Fine!" I snapped at her, "just quit being so dramatic!"
My defenses are not yet Rouge proof...
Rouge stands straight up with a cheerful smile and happily starts handing everyone a shot. She hands me mine last and sticks her tongue out at me, mocking me.
I'm gonna kill her after tonight...
"Are you ready, Amy?" She asks, looking at Amy for her approval. Amy looks around at the three of us and when her eyes land on mine, she blushes a crimson red, and closes her eyes tight, nodding, "Yeah, I'm ready."
And with that, she takes her shot, as do the rest of us.
To my surprise, when Amy puts her empty shot glass down, she reaches for her other two and takes both of them back to back, without flinching.
What the hell, Amy?!
"Alright! That's my girl!" Rouge shouts as she high fives Amy who in return wraps her hand around Rouges and hugs her.
"Girl night rules, boys night drools!" Amy says as she holds up an "L" shape with her fingers to her forehead.
"Yeah you guys need to pick it up!" Rouge laughs as she holds onto Amy, the two look like they've been best friends their whole life.
I look at Knuckles, trying my hardest to ignore Amy and her little dress in front of me.
"Wanna shoot some pool?" He asked me.
"I can't," I say, holding up my hands in defeat, "Amy won, you'll have to beat her."
"Not againnn!" Rouge groaned, as she sat on the bar stool against the wall. "Don't keep me glued to this table all night!" Rouge whined, shooting Amy a telling look.
Amy laughed nervously as she picked up the pool stick, "Just one more game won't hurt? Besides I'm sure he's better than Shadow is," she laughs again, as if to insult me.
"In his dreams!" I grumble to myself as I sit on the other bar stool against the wall beside Rouge, and we watch them play.
Amy's making quick work of Knuckles, but he takes forever on his turns, staring at every ball up close, trying to do the math and angles in his head. The math isn't mathing and he's scratching on a lot of his shots.
I find my attention leaning to Amy.
I watch her watch the table with such careful focus, it's like she's tuned the whole world out. She studies the balls on the table as she stands, motionless, holding her pool stick upright like a pole. I watch her chalk her stick just before her turn starts. I watch her lean across the table, the hem of her dress sliding up-
-"Whatcha thinking, Big Bad?" Rouge's voice breaks my train of thought and I realize I'm blushing, I can feel the hot red warmth in my cheeks.
"I'm just- I'm watching them play pool," I say too hastily, getting caught up on my words. I cross my arms, close my eyes, and tilt my head away from her, not wanting to be bothered with her picking and her questioning.
"Don't tell me you've caught a soft spot for Amy?" She whispers at my side and then laughs.
"Don't be foolish!" I snap back at her, but I find myself also whispering. What do I have to whisper about?
"Tell me something," she says, leaning in close and I find myself leaning in too.
"Can you believe that's her dress?" She says cunningly.
Hers'? I look back at Amy, the skin tight dress hugging every curve of her body. It's extremely short and I don't know how she's managed to keep her ass covered. Every time she pulls down on the hem of the dress, her breast fight against the material at the top of her dress. I can't tell if she's going to spill out the top or bottom first, but I'm worried one of two will happen before the nights over. A dress like that I thought for sure came from Rouge's closet, but Amy's? There's no way.
~~~
Rouges POV
I watch the hedgehog stare her up and down, and then back all over again. He's eyeing her down so hard I'm scared he'll rip her clothes off with sheer will power alone.
You don't fool me hedgehog! I know a crush when I see one!
How did one conversation with Amy get him this head over heels? He doesn't care to admit it but I can tell he's hooked.
"Her whole closet's got some pretty interesting pieces," I say nonchalantly, when he doesn't reply to my last question.
He looks back to me, eyes and body cool as a cucumber, face blistering with a blush. I laugh at his feeble attempt to hide his blush but say nothing; if I push too hard he'll dig his heels in denial. I gotta let him come to this on his own.
"Why are you telling me this?" He says, his eyes glaring and his blush fading.
"When I first saw Amy at work months ago, I couldn't believe my eyes. She was so professional and serious... And then we started working together and talking about why she left and how she's grown and changed and... we'll even her closet is different. I don't know much about what she was like beforehand, but I can tell she's a different girl from the one I first met years ago."
"You're not telling me anything I don't already know, bat." He replies, turning to watch Amy play pool.
Before I can say anything he starts talking again.
"We talked. I get it. I'm an asshole, she's changed, let's drop it already," the hedgehog sighs, but never took his eyes off Amy.
"I don't think she's the only one who's changed," I laugh to myself.
"What's that supposed to mean?" He growls at me, but before I can answer, we're interrupted by the end of Amy and Knuckles' game.
Knuckles whines as he throws himself into my arms, and Amy's squirming with excitement as she starts reracking the balls.
"I won again!" She laughs, as she starts rearranging the balls into the triangle.
"Babeeeee," Knuckles groans as he comes over to me and starts rubbing his face into my neck and shoulder.
"Not uh! You wanted to play and you did! You know Amy always wins at pool! If you wanted a fair shot, you should've asked to play Spades!" I tell him as I roll my eyes.
"Knuckles, why don't you play Shadow? Rouge will kill me if I play even one more game," Amy says with a laugh, and I laugh with her, not because it's funny but because it's true.
Just then my ears perk up as I hear a familiar tune. A synthesizer noise echoes through the bar and the girls are either leaving the dance floor or joining the dance floor because of this song alone. Guess you can tell who the Swifties are...
I look at Amy and her face turns bright red. She knows what I'm thinking before I say it.
"No!" She almost yells as she creeps around the pool table away from me.
I chase her around the pool table as she continues to fight it, "No! ...No! ...No! ...No, Rouge!" She's laughing and half breathless when I catch up to her.
"This is your song! You have to come dance with me now!" I laugh, as the song plays throughout the bar... *We're all bored... We're all so tired of everything...*
I catch Shadow's watching us curiously, one eyebrow arched in amusement, but ignore him and Knuckles.
I grab Amy's hands in mine and pull her...
~~~
Shadow's POV
Taylor Swift? Maybe this bar isn't so bad after all… but they could at least play some old TayTay… I roll my eyes but watch as Rouge's takes Amy by the hands, the two of them laughing and giggling.
"Come on, Amy, you know this!- we show off! Our different scarlet letters," I watch, amused, as Amy subcomes to the song and joins in with Rouge.
"Trust me, mine is better! " Amy sings and Rouge claps in excitement, whisking her off to the dance floor.
Idiots... I think to myself as I shake my head but smile.
I turn back to the table and watch as Knuckles actually manages to sink a ball in the back corner pocket, and focus on the game as he lines up for another shot.
Curious if I can still see the girls, I look to the dance floor to see them dancing like idiots.
...*Cause baby, I could build a castle... out of all the bricks they threw at me...*
Amy danced with Rouge like it was the only song they'd ever heard. I could see them singing every word and cheering like it was their battle cry. She held one hand up and swayed her hips to the music, then ran her hand down the back of her head through her quills. Rouge took Amy's hands in hers and they shimmed back and forth together laughing and singing...
*Heartbreak is the national anthem! We sing it proudly!...*
This song was made for her.
I turn back to the table and begin my assault on Knuckles, knocking one ball after the other into the pockets, not stopping my streak no matter how much he whined. I missed my intended shot on the eight ball and stood back to let him go again. While he shot I looked back at the dance floor to watch Amy.
She looks happy and carefree as she dances on the floor, which consists of mostly just singing the song and acting out the lyrics with Rouge. They bounced in place and sang to each other like no one was watching them.
If they didn't look like such dummies it'd actually be kinda cute...
... *The rumors are terrible and cruel! But honey, most of them are true!... *
Yup, this was definitely Amy's song...
Knuckles coughed and jarred me out of my thought process. I hit the eight ball, landed it in a pocket, and finished the game leaving Knuckles with five of his balls on the table.
I turned to look back at the dance floor where the girls were still dancing.
They were doing that thing girls do when they dance all sexual with each other and you question if their friends or lovers. Trying not to think about how hot it all looked, I turn back to Knuckles who is also watching them dance.
"Bat got your tongue?" I say, teasing him.
He cuts me a quick side eye and I see him smirk before he says, "You act like you haven't been distracted the whole game! If you wanna dance with her just go," Knuckles shrugs smugly to himself.
"As if I'd disrespect TayTay like all those losers!" I growl in disgust, "They're dancing like idiots."
"Hey man! Haters gonna hate... hate, hate, hate, hate," Knuckles replied with a laugh and a shoulder shrug.
"I'm gonna go dance and all you're ever gonna be is mean," he said, giving me a condescending wink.
Before I could complain, he ran off to the dance floor, leaving me at the table. I watched as he practically tackled Rouge and Amy when he met them.
They screamed with excitement when they realized it was him, and jumped up and down unable to contain their joy.
I chuckled to myself when they started dancing and singing like teenagers at a concert. The music slowed down but the emotions grew higher. I realized Amy and Rouge were not the most emotional people out there. Lots of drunk girls and guys were belting out to the Swift song.
I looked back to Amy, she was helping Rouge holding up Knuckles who was hanging onto both of them as they all sang.
*Please take my hand and... Please take me dancing, and... Please leave me stranded... It's so romantic!*
Amy sung the song as she held onto Knuckles, the lights in the bar flashed over them. She changed shades in the dark bar, the light illuminating her to red, yellow, purple, and green... She looked so happy. They all did.
I realized I was missing out on being with my friends and I was bored standing on the sidelines.
The song's music began to pick back up, more pumped than it had been the whole time, and it shot into a full bar sing along. Apparently everyone liked Taylor just a little bit because there weren't many people who weren't singing with or enjoying the dance floor's energy...
Great. Now I really can't admit I'm a Swiftie.
I started making my way to the dance floor reluctantly.
This is so stupid... this is so stupid... this is so-
-I met Amy's eyes in the flashing lights of the dance floor. She looked at me wide-eyed and surprised and I realized Knuckles and Rouge were too. Open mouths, wide eyes, and disbelief was plastered all over their faces.
"I don't know any of the words!" I lied and my face growing redder with embarrassment. Of course I know the words...
Amy smiled hugely, and it made my stomach knot up all tight and unpleasantly. She made me question why I even agreed to be around her. I made a mental note to remind myself to ask her why she feels the need to make me feel so damn uncomfortable. I shouldn't have lied.
My cheeks flushed, my stomach tightened, and my palms grew sweetly.
Amy just continued to smile brightly in spite of all of what she was making me struggle with. Rouge was still watching me with surprise in her eyes, and Knuckles looked absolutely ecstatic that I was on the dance floor with them.
I didn't move much or say anything but they jumped and yelled and cheered and sang around me as the song came to an end with the chorus playing out for the last time.
"I can't believe you came out here!" Rouge said with a laugh as she playful punched my chest lightly.
"Best! Night! Ever!!!" Knuckles yelled as he practically jumped on top of me as he cheered.
"Shut up. I didn't even dance," I rolled my eyes, smiling briefly to myself, when a pair of bright green eyes belonging to a small pink hedgehog noticed my grin.
"I need a drink!" I yelled and Knuckles and Rouge nodded in agreement, heading for the bar.
Amy smiled at me softly, her eyes closed and her head tilted to the side. The annoying blush came crawling back up my face and I couldn't escape the tingly feeling in my chest. I slid behind her, grabbed both of her shoulders, and steered her in the direction of the bar, not wanting to be a victim of her smile any longer.
~~~
Amy's POV
My face was burning bright red with a blush as Shadow pushed me in the direction of our friends walking to the bar. I could feel his breath on the back of my neck and it sent shivers up my spine.
I've really got to slow down on my drinking!... All this excitement has got me feeling funny...
As we got close to the bar I watched Knuckles pull out a chair for Rouge who sat down and then he sat beside her. Before they turned to look at me, I felt Shadows hands disappear from my shoulder and he was suddenly walking by my side. He quickly yanked a chair out and left it, then pulled another chair out and sat in it.
I looked at him and the chair curiously and then to Rouge who gave me a sly smile. This isn't what you're thinking, Rouge!
I shot her a sly eye back and sat in the seat. Shadow said nothing to me when I sat down, he just ordered a drink. We'll four to be exact.
A Shirley Temple, a Rusty Nail, a Whiskey Sour, and a Tequila Sunrise.
As the bartender made them, Shadow passed them out to us one by one.
He handed Knuckles the Shirley Temple, kept the Rusty Nail for himself, handed me the Whiskey Sour, and gave Rouge the Tequila Sunrise.
"It's gonna take more than this to get my clothes off," Rouge winked and she happily accepted the drink from Shadow.
"Then I guess it's a good thing Knuckles and his wallet are here, because I'm not interested in buying your clothes off," Shadow said with a laugh as he took a sip from his drink.
"Boooooo you're no fun," Rouge replied back, laughing.
"Don't worry, Rouge, I'll make sure to get you as many drinks as you want tonight," I said with a cheeky grin and a wink.
"Hey! Back off Ames, she's mine!" Knuckles whined, laying his head on Rouge's shoulder as he took a sip from his Shirley Temple through the curly straw.
"I wouldn't dream of taking Rouge from you... we'll maybe once," I said with a wink and we all laughed.
"But honestly, I'm just happy somebody's gonna get laid tonight," I said, giving Rouge a knowing glance as I took a sip of my drink.
"Someone sounds bitter," Rouge teased, and I blushed deep red, but rolled my eyes in response, giving her a smile.
"Need a wingman?" Knuckles said, leaning up to make eye contact with me. He was dead serious and I couldn't help but laugh.
"Knuckles," I said with a laugh, and Rouge rolled her eyes at him, "I'm a single woman in a crowded bar. I may have a bad reputation and a crazy streak, but it wouldn't be that hard to pick up a random guy."
"Then why are you whining about not getting laid?" He asked, innocently, as he slurped on his straw.
"It's my first night back out in years. I just wanna make it home with both my shoes tonight," I said, laughing again.
"Then I'm on shoe patrol," Shadow said to my side.
I'd almost forgotten he was here and was flooded with embarrassment at the fact that I'd forgotten him.
Of course I'd whine about getting laid in front of him! How embarrassing...
I laughed in response, as did Rouge and Knuckles, and we dove into conversation about Shadows shoe patrol duties.
~~~
Sonics POV
"I don't know about this Sonic... maybe you should just go home and apologize to Sally..." Tails said as he followed me up to the doors of Bottom of the Barrel Bar and Grill.
"No way! She's always getting mad over dumb little things! I don't feel like putting up with the nagging tonight. If she wanted to come tonight she should've come," I said, shrugging my shoulders.
"Well I can't get too fucked up, I'm having lunch with Cream and her mom tomorrow..." the yellow fox replied.
"Lameee," I responded, with a yawn.
"I've got a better idea! Let's play a game to see who can pick up the most girls!"
"That doesn't sound fun at all... Cream is at home waiting for me." Tails replied, rolling his eyes at me.
"What happened to you man? You used to be so fun!" I snapped back, giving him a hard side eye.
"And you used to have more respect for your friends..." he mumbled at my side.
"What was that?" I asked, turning to glare at Tails. He shrunk down and turned his head to the side, saying, "Nothing!"
As we entered the bar, I scanned the room for anyone looking to have a good time. A sloppy pink bunny dressed in a slutty outfit caught my eye, before I recognized some familiar faces at the bar.
Rouge and Knuckles were cuddled up sitting beside each other on their bar stools, practically about to make out. Eww.
Beside Knuckles was that stupid Faker, Mr. Wanna-be-me himself. And beside him was... Amy?!?
My jaw almost broke the floor as I watched her turn to the side in her seat. She looks fucking hot!
She was wearing a skin tight black dress with some kick ass boots, she had a blue jean jacket thrown across the back of her chair.
She turned in her seat to face Shadow more and when he said something, she laughed and casually placed her hand on his shoulder. Since when were they so chummy? No way she's back in town hanging with him when she could be chasing after me! ...Why didn't Knuckles tell me she was back in town?
"Hey look! Knuckles is here!" Tails shouted happily at my side. I watched him scan the rest of the bar and stop cold in his excitement.
"Let's go say hi to Knuckles!" I said, giving Tails a slap on the back.
"I don't think that's such a good idea, Sonic..." he said, rubbing his shoulder as he looked from me to the bar and back to me, concerned.
"But it'll be fun!" I laugh, pushing Tails by the back towards the bar.
"Sonic, if she wanted to see you she would've reached out to you! There's a reason Knuckles is here and hasn't told you!" Tails started going into a little rant, trying to talk me out of going up to them and also trying to break free from my grasp on his shoulders.
"They're our friends. They won't mind," I laughed as we got closer and closer.
"You haven't seen her in eight years, I wouldn't call the two of you friends!" He said as he squirmed harder the closer we got to them.
I decided to drop the kid since he was gonna cramp my style with his bickering. I pushed past Tails despite his disapproval and walked right up behind Amy.
Immediately, Shadows' ears twitched and he turned to look at me, first shocked then he glared. Fuckin hell, if looks could kill.
Without breaking eye contact with him, I leaned down to Amy's ear and whispered, "Well hey there stranger."
Her head snapped around almost immediately, her long hair brushing my face. She smells so good, like candy...
When she saw me, her eyes widened and she got up from her chair, backing up straight into Shadow who was still seated on his chair.
"Damn, Amy, you look good," was all I could manage as I flashed a cheeky grin.
~~~
Amy's POV
Shadow was a lot funnier than I last remember, as he'd practically kept me in stitches the majority of our time here at the bar. Although, to be fair, the majority of his comedy came from everyone assuming he was joking, when really he was dead serious.
Regardless, his last statement had me falling over my drink laughing and had I not reached out and placed my hand on his shoulder for support I would have fallen out of my chair.
I thought he'd tense up in response and was surprised when he cupped my elbow with his hand to help support me.
"I'm sorry, Shadow, I didn't realize you were such a comedic drunk!" I laughed as I sat up straight, looking him in his eyes, his hand still on my arm, my hand still on his shoulder. My eyes grew wide as I stared into his eyes and the touch of his hand on my arm sent butterflies through my belly.
"And I didn't realize you were such a cute drunk," he said, and I almost missed it because he said it so quickly.
I looked up and could tell he didn't mean to say it, the look of shock on his face. But I couldn't control the blush that broke out on my face in response, and I couldn't mistake the blush that was now breaking out on his face as well.
His eyes burned into mine like he wanted to look away but he didn't. For a second, the bar and the sounds and the people chattering all faded away and it was completely quiet. It was just us, staring into each other's eyes, a flirty compliment hanging in the air between us.
"What?" I asked, trying to see if he'd explain himself.
As I said it, all the noise from the bar around us came crashing back and I heard him louder than the rest, saying, "What?"
I asked what first!
"I asked you what you said?" I repeated to him. His eyes grew big, his ears turned down and for a second I thought he was angry at me until I realized he was looking behind me.
"What are you-"
"Well hey there stranger."
No. No... No, no, no, no, no, no, no! This can't be happening, this can't be real, he can't be-
-I turned around in my chair as quickly as possible and there he was. Sonic the Hedgehog.
The sight was so jarring, my mind was frozen, and my instincts kicked in. Fight, flight, fawn, or freeze?
I took an immediate step back, I wanted to run! I looked for every available exit I could: exit sign behind the bar, kitchen door behind the bar, hallway to bathrooms by the darts boards area, exit from the bar across the dance floor.
I reached out behind me, feeling. I was reaching for a weapon, for Rouge, for a way out, support, anything!
My hands found Shadows tshirt and I grabbed it tightly in both my hands as I took another step back. He was still sitting down, legs spread, and I was practically sitting in his lap at this point.
When I turned around and was face to face with Sonic, my immediate reaction was to back away from him. I had completely forgotten about Shadow, Knuckles and Rouge being behind me and I was practically a part of Shadows personal space now.
My heart was pounding so hard I thought it'd beat out my chest. I felt like I was going to break into a thousand tiny pieces right then and there. My grip on the cloth of his shirt grew tighter and tighter, but I didn't realize that until his hand grabbed mine. I immediately relaxed and felt all the tension in my arms and hands dissolve.
My safe space was now the tiny space between Shadow and me, and it was the only thing keeping me from bolting for the door.
"Damn, Amy, you look good," Sonic said, as he leaned against the bar, nonchalantly.
"Well? It's been eight years, give me a spin, let me get a look at ya," he said with a smile.
I hated the way he was looking at me. It felt like he was taking off my dress with his eyes. I wanted to punch him, with my hammer, hard.
"Go fuck yourself," I managed to choke out without my voice cracking, thank the Mobian gods!
"Amy, come on... Don't be like that..." he sighed and then ordered a beer.
Rouge appeared by my side instantly and grabbed onto my forearm, rubbing me with her thumb to try and calm me down.
I could feel the rage in Rouge, vibrating off her skin. It made me feel good that I had her here to care for me.
At that moment I realized Shadow was also still holding my hand, squeezing it tightly. He was here for me too...
"The girl said no. Don't tell me you're one of those low life's who don't know what no means," Rouge hissed her reply at him, venom in every word.
"Hey! I just wanted to talk! She's the one who disappeared on me, on everyone, for eight whole years!" Sonic replied, more to me than Rouge.
I felt small. I felt smaller than small, I felt two feet tall compared to him. He always made me feel so bad about myself...
"Get lost!" Shadows' voices thundered from behind me and all the tension in the air grew heavier. I thought I might faint from the stress.
"I have every right to be here, it's a free bar!" Shadow snapped back as he continued to drink his drink, not moving from his new spot at the bar.
"If I talk with you, will you leave us alone afterwards?" I finally said, the anxiety of the situation becoming too much for me to bear any longer.
"If you come talk with me, you won't want me to leave you alone," he laughed as he finished off his beer and ordered another one.
Rough rolled her eyes and gripped me tighter. "Amy, you don't have to do this now. You don't owe him an explanation for shit! We can go home-"
"-I'll just kick his ass right now and be done with it," Shadow said, standing up and pushing me closer to Sonic. Sonic reacted by putting his beer down and standing up as well, the both of them glaring at each other over the top of my head, me squished in the middle of their brewing fight.
"No, stop!" I shouting, placing my hand on both of their chests and pushing them away from each other.
"We're not getting kicked out or going home! I'll handle this and then we'll continue our night..." I said sadly, as I turned from Rouge, Shadow, and Knuckles concerned faces to look at Sonic who seemed pleased with himself.
"I'll talk!" I snapped at him, "Make it quick."
"Uh-uh," he said, shaking his head 'no'. "Let's at least talk somewhere more private," he argued, motioning towards Rogue, Knuckles, and Shadow behind me.
I rolled my eyes hard, and Rouge said, "You've got to be joking!"
"Fine," I sighed, and I could hear her groan in protest behind me. I don't want to go either Rouge... but it's not like he's gonna leave us alone if we ignore him.
I follow Sonic across the bar's dance floor... Its been eight years but he almost looks the same, albeit, a little more mature looking. He's wearing a blue v neck, white Jeans, and a pair of sneakers.
I pull my dress down as much as I can and immediately regret not grabbing my jacket off the back of my bar stool. I took it off because it was hot and I felt comfortable with my friends, but now I'm feeling vulnerable and exposed.
As we make our way across the room, I look over my shoulder back at my friends as I do.
Rouge is giving me a 'kick his ass' look but there's worry etched on her face. Knuckles is now talking to Tails, who I didn't realize was here, but who looked upset also. I looked at Shadow who had his arms crossed and his eyes closed.
What is his problem?
As if he can tell that I'm thinking about him, his red eyes flash open to meet mine.
He looks pissed.
I turn back to watch where I'm going, Sonic is waiting for me standing by the walls' edge where the dance floor meets the open bar walkway.
He's looking at me all gross again and it's pissing me off.
"Ames, you look seriously fine," he started the conversation, "What'd you do, go get a couple procedures?"
Are you fucking kidding me? He always knew how to push my buttons.
"Excuse me?" I replied, violence in my voice.
"I mean you just look so different!" He said, hold his hands up in surrender, a nervous smile on his face.
"Of course I do, you idiot! I was a child the last time we met! I'm a grown adult now!" I yelled back, flustered and angry.
"Exactly, Ames!" He said, reaching out to grab my hand. I snatched my hand away from him and wrapped my arms around myself for comfort and support. Also to keep from strangling him.
"I was a dumb kid all those years ago, Ames... but I don't think I deserve to be abandoned because of it," he said, almost glaring at me, but his eyes still seemed light hearted. "I thought we were better friends than that."
"Friends?!?" I snapped back, completely over the conversation already.
"You treated me horribly for years! I supported you and loved you in spite of everything you threw my way, and when that wasn't enough!-" I paused, shocked that he had me this shaken up in just a few seconds alone with him.
I am not crazy. I will not back track. You will not beat me.
I took a deep breath to calm down.
"I gave you everything. You and I both know that. But I learned when I wasn't wanted any more. I learned what it means to have someone use you and take advantage of you. And I learned when enough was enough."
"Ames..." he tried to stop my tangent but I wasn't backing down. He wanted a talk, he'd get my talk.
"I don't owe you shit!... I'm back, I'm making my own friends and doing my own thing. The best thing you can do is just stay out of my way!" I said and with that turned to leave.
He reached out and grabbed my wrist and yanked me back around to face him. I snatched my hand back from him, glaring daggers at him.
"Listen!... Ames," he said, stressfully running his hands through his hair.
"I know we've had our issues in the past, but I've changed too believe me, I swear!" He said, holding one hand up and the other over his heart.
"You look amazing, and I just wanna get the chance to know the new and improved Amy." He looked at me again with those creepy eyes that made my skin crawl.
"Would you stop looking at me like that!" I snapped at him, wrapping my arms back around myself for coverage and support.
"I can't help it, Ames," he said, reaching out for me again, he caressed one of my hands with both of his.
I snatched my hand away from him again and turned my back to him.
In an instant he snatched me in his arms pulling me into him, he grinded his crotch into my ass, wrapped his arms around my chest, and whispered in my ear, "I still remember how you felt that night."
Tears shot up to my eyes and the memories of the night I left stung in my mind.
I shook him off me, pushing him away and peeling his grip of me. I don't ever want you to touch me again! He tried to grab at me again but I pushed his hands away from me again, glaring at him and bearing my teeth.
"I don't want anything to do with you any more! Leave me alone!" I shouted, staring him straight in the eyes as he towered over me.
"You think anyones gonna believe this little act of yours? I know you're a crazy freak, inside and out. You can change your hair and your clothes and your face, but I know who you really are. I know they wouldn't want anything to do with the real Amy, because she's a psycho!" He yelled back.
There it was again. That feeling, like I was two feet tall, that feeling like I was so small. I shrunk under his demeanor, and wanted to crawl away like a sad, insignificant worm. He always knew how to make me feel so pathetic.
"That's not true-" I tried to counteract, tears rolling down my face.
"You think you've changed and that you're so much better than me now, but you're not!" As he yelled I covered my ears with both my hands, the tears now flooding down my face.
I wanted to disappear. I wanted to get out of here. I wanted to run away.
"You think you can come back and just blow me off? Who gave you the audacity to act like such a bitch!" He yelled, taking a step closer. I cower down in my spot, hands over ears, tears on my face, eyes shut trying to will myself into magically disappearing.
"Say that again and I'll make you swallow your teeth."
My eyes shot open to see Shadow, standing toe to toe with Sonic.
~~~
That's the end of Chapter 3!
I do not own the right to any Taylor Swift song or the lyrics!
The song New Romantics is the inspiration for this story as it makes me think of an Amy Rose rising from her past and embracing the fact that she doesn't need Sonic's unrequited love.
Hope you enjoyed it! Please leave a like and comments, it really means a whole bunch to me, I love any and all reviews!
I edited this chapter after the Sonic Team Twitter announcement.
I was going to have Amy slowly turn Shadow into a Swiftie (since this story is based on a T Swift song) but since Shadow is a Swiftie Cannon, I have to change it up a bit.