Chapter 15: Public Display

Chase was sitting on the edge of the coliseum that was located in the darkened lair. Marie was tied up in his arms. She had been crying for a long time now. He said nothing the only comfort he gave her was the gentle stroking on her head. "Chase its late…" She was starting to realize she had been with him all day and it was time she went home.

"Maybe you should go then." He agreed.

Marie turned around locking her arms around his neck. "Chase thank you for being here for me." She kissed his cheek.

He kept his arms around her and pulled her into a full lip lock. When he released her he looked at her face and pushed a stray hair out of it. "I'm here when you need me." He told her.

Marie thought that that time was now. "I'm not going home this time." She lay down with her head in his lap. "I can't." She closed her eyes.

Amy was standing in the kitchen drinking some coffee. Shadow walked in. "Have they seen her?" Amy asked.

"No Knuckles and Rouge haven't seen her either. Neither has Todd." Shadow's fist hit the counter. "Where is she?"

"Shadow." Amy hugged him. "I'm worried too but I trust Marie she'll come back." "I know she will…just like you came back." "We just have to give her time." Amy was very concerned for Marie but she didn't know half the danger she was in and if she had known she would have acted right then and there. Marie's problems lay far past that of any normal teenage crisis and it was all starting to spin way out of control.

Sonic stood above the coliseum watching Chase and Marie. The night had set in long ago and was already coming close to an end. Marie and Chase had laid down in the empty stands to sleep. Sonics heart beat became faster and his fists grew tight as he looked at the two with disgust. He calmed his flaring anger he didn't know why but he felt this problem had occurred before. Something in the back of his mind told him that Chase wasn't the first to try and steal Amy away from him but these thoughts would have to wait he had work to do.

Marie's eyes cracked open she knew it was early morning now and it was just about the time she usually got to school. She thought she should go if only to have the time to collect her thoughts. She had used her power to get there on time and she had walked into the school. She felt different today though. She hadn't changed on the outside no, but on the inside she was completely unlike the way she use to be. Marie had changed so much that when she walked by Emily and her sidekicks she wasn't even phased by their teasing and taunting. Marie was like this the rest of the day. She had been avoiding any class where she'd run into Todd and now she just had to make it out the front door. She was walking down the hallway at a fast pace. She was wondering to herself now if she didn't want to see Todd why was she even here? There were plenty of other places she could have gone but she came here she knew he'd probably be here and yet she came anyway. She was almost in the clear she had made it out the front door and was just heading off the grounds when suddenly Todd stepped into her path.

"Marie!" Todd wrapped his arms around her in a hug.

Marie was reluctant in letting him hold her long. "Sorry Todd I have to go." She pulled from him and started to walk away.

She was suddenly brought to a halt. She looked back to see Todd holding onto her wrist. "Marie where are you going why won't you talk to me."

"Stop it Todd we both know you don't care." She said as her arm lowered.

"What's the matter with you? What's making you say these things?" He pulled her around to him. "You know I care you're my best friend I wouldn't do anything to hurt you." "Why are you avoiding me? Why are you skipping school? Why don't I see you anymore? Who's making you do this?"

How could he even ask those things? They were none of his business in her current opinion. She was filling with rage at his so called ignorance and unknowing. "You kissed Emily Robinson! You let her kiss you!" Marie screamed and then she was silent she couldn't believe she just said that.

"Is that what this is about Marie? Do you think I wanted her to do that? You think I care about her more than you!" Todd questioned rather loudly. He received no answer. "Well I'll prove to you and everybody else that I don't love her I'll show you that I care about you." Marie watched him as he walked past her and right up to a picnic table. He jumped on top of it. The students that were passing stopped to stare and some of those students were Emily and her stupid lackeys which Todd made sure of before he started talking loudly so everyone could hear. "I'd like to make an announcement I hate Emily Robinson with a passion She's a self absorbed idiot who couldn't take hint even if it were stamped onto her giant forehead and I'd like to take this moment to say that I have no feelings of any sort towards her in any manner of speaking once so ever. Thank you that is all." Todd jumped off the table and passed Emily without one look. She how ever was standing there her mouth gaping open. Todd was standing in front of Marie now. "I don't know what else I can do to make you understand how I feel about you. But I hope I've made it clear in that public display how I do not feel about Emily." He turned his back to her and started walking away. "When you're done being angry at me maybe then we'll talk."

Marie was left standing in front of the school with her mind twisted to the most confusion of any extent and her heart stretched out like a rubber band.