Chapter 24: Ruin
As the day went, Amy just couldn't believe what was happening. She, who once was in a whirlwind romance with the hedgehog who stood only a few feet from her, was now having a small cup of ice cream with him and talking about their plans for the meantime. Amy took another lap of her chocolate mint ice cream, her brows furrowing with frustration.
Have I always been this wishy-washy? She thought, groaning to herself.
She put Sonic away during the time that she had dated Shadow, but seeing Sonic come back onto the scene, it's made her reconsider her feelings for him. But ever since she's been involved in his hairbrained scheme of deceiving his parents into thinking he was married; she's been on a little more relaxed.
She's gotten used to his antics and has enjoyed her stay at his very lush home, but she felt a bit of an absence. A lack of direction. Speaking to Shadow after only a couple of months and seeing how much things have changed with him really made her think…
Shadow wiped the sweat from his brow and felt his lips move without a skip of a beat. It just seems like it's been so long since he's even heard from her, even though it's been a couple of months, but he didn't muster any form of disdain from it. He's always enjoyed Amy as an individual, hell—he loved her, through her entirety.
But he couldn't bring himself to admit the truth.
The dark truth that gnawed at him through the deepest core of his soul, and even speaking to Amy without a second thought felt like a small betrayal.
He took another lap of his rocky road ice cream, furrowing his brow in frustration. I wish I had a way to say what's really going on… he thought, but he can only sigh and shake the feeling away.
"Shadow? Is something the matter?" asked the petite pink hedgehog curiously.
His eyes widened with surprise, releasing a small chuckle, "Oh, nothing. Don't worry about it. So tell me, what's it been like staying with… that faker?"
Amy's cheeks turned crimson, "U-Um… It's been okay. Really… It's nothing new from the usual crap I deal with from him. I mean… he is the same person from years ago… Nothing's changed…"
Shadow gritted his teeth, That bastard… That could've been me and Amy living with each other, but now… That jerk has her twisted around his finger… But now, it just had to be his w—
"Hey… I was wondering…"
Shadow glanced her direction and gave her a soft smile. "What's on your mind, Ames?"
"I was just… wondering… If you think Sonic is a good person?"
Shadow's eyes widened, "What do you mean?"
Amy laughed nervously, "I-I don't know. It's just… I thought he was just this jerk that thinks too much of himself… but I guess I've been getting used to him being around."
"Are… You saying you want to pursue a relationship with that guy?"
Shadow couldn't believe it. He thought that he could at least try to be friends with her again, but he just couldn't help it. His heart raced a million miles a minute; his cheeks heated with annoyance.
"I mean… maybe, haha. But I highly doubt he wants anything to do with me," said Amy shyly, taking another bite of her ice cream.
Shadow's eyes softened, "What do you mean?"
"Well… he's still in love with his ex, to put simply."
"I mean… I guess I could see that. I remember Sally."
Amy's ears perked up.
"Sally?"
Shadow faced her once more, seeing her eyes falter quietly; he knew that look. He knew it far too well.
"Yeah, that was her name. She and Sonic were pretty serious at some point, but… with everything that's happened, she had bigger priorities, you know?"
Amy looked down at her ice cream. Is that why he's doing all of this? Is that why he's trying to seem like this major big shot? To be in Sally's league?
"She was a princess, right? He really should've known better. He should've known from day one that it was never going to work. He's such an idiot."
"Haha, I can't disagree with you there, but we can't control who we fall for. You of all people should know that."
Amy puffed up her cheeks, "I mean… not really… It's not that same!"
Shadow released an unexpected laugh, "You're such a dork, Ames! It's totally the same thing. And if it's something you want to go for, then do it."
"I can't just 'do it'. So far he just sees me as a tool to get his parents off his back. It's a lot more complicated than that."
"Ahhh, yes. His very ambitious master plan. I knew he was going to far with that one."
Amy paused.
"… You knew?"
"Hm?"
"You knew what?"
Shadow froze as well.
"… What do you mean?"
"What do YOU mean when you said you knew?"
Amy's ice cream began to melt in her hands, the cone slightly bruising from her grip. Shadow's eyes met her hands, smiling faintly.
"… I just mean we had a conversation about it. Before."
"Before what?"
"Before… all of this."
Amy rose from her seat and faced him angrily, "What do you mean!? Are you saying…? You knew all along what was going on? Is that why we broke up?"
Shadow looked up at her, "He came to me after some time of not seeing each other. We had a few drinks and he mentioned it. I was a little drunk and… we agreed."
"Agreed with what?"
"… We agreed that if I broke up with you and he goes through with faking his marriage to his family, he can get me through school."
Amy's heart dropped.
"… Are… Are you saying that all this… all this movement, all this drama… was because you took a deal with him to go to school?"
She felt her throat burning with anger, tears beginning to form around her eyes, "You're saying that I became 'indebted' to him for absolutely no reason? Except to be just some bargaining chip for you to go to school? Are you serious right now?"
Shadow stood up as well, tossing the leftover cone into the trash, "… It was for us, Amy. You knew I wasn't making anything in that café, and I needed something to help me get by. Help US get by."
"How would've that have been possible? I was already getting over you and have started falling for him… But you two were just using me… Using me to get to whatever it is you guys are aiming for…"
"Amy," cooed Shadow as he reached for her trembling shoulders, "It wasn't out of malicious intent, I swear. I just wanted you to live comfortably—"
"I was living comfortably! I was living in my shitty apartment, going to my shitty job and all, but it was still my life! But you guys uprooted me from the ground up and let me go through this sick theater show just for the sake of your person gain! How could I not be mad!?"
"Look at it from my point of view, Amy! Did you really think that we would be able to make it on our own like this? Think of this as an opportunity!"
Amy's eyes finally glimmered with running tears, "An opportunity for YOU! Why didn't you at least tell me what was going on instead of making me go through all that for no reason! That's what I'm pissed about Shadow! You didn't say anything!"
He leaned her towards his chest, his arms wrapped around her quivering body as she began to sob uncontrollably, "I swear… I was doing it for you, but… I just thought it'd be easier this way. I didn't want you to talk me out of it. It was something I've always wanted to do, but I just couldn't afford to do it. Please, understand me, Ames. I never meant to hurt you like this."
Amy stood still, before she gently pushed herself away, her ice cream completely evaporating from her grip. Her hands remained sticky with residue, but it didn't matter to her.
She was heartbroken, confused, and angry.
She couldn't look at him.
All that talk of leaning to him whenever things got hard, all of it… was for nothing.
"I'm leaving. Don't talk to me ever again."
"But Am—"
"Don't talk to me ever again, Shadow! I don't ever want to see you again!"
She walked off past his side, her sticky hands gripped her purse with a means to retain her composure. She just wanted to go home. She just wanted to be away from it all. She just wanted it all to go away.
Amy made it back to Sonic's manor, her eyes dried and puffy from the walk home.
She just couldn't stand the sight of it anymore.
She put in the door code and went inside, her feet dragging her slowly through the lobby of his home.
All of this was his. Nothing was truly hers. That small sense of belonging and feeling was no longer there within those halls.
She always knew that Sonic's plans always placed a priority on his list, but she had thought that he at least grew a soft spot for her. All the moments they shared, silly and not, all held meaning within his heart, but… as usual, it was one-sided.
How long had it been since she'd been in that role before?
She walked up the stairs to her room, where she noticed in the hallway that Sonic's door was slightly ajar. She only glared at the sight of the door, silently praying that he was asleep.
Of course, not everyone can get what they wish for.
Quiet steps approached the crack of the door, and there stood Sonic, in his typical leisurewear. "Hey, slave. You're home late. I heard from one of the maids that you were out with a guy. Is that true?"
Amy's eyes sharpened, "… What's it to you? How is that any of your business?"
"I'm just saying you can't be pulling that crap. You can't be out with just some random guy like that, it's bad for my image."
"When did I ever care about your image?"
Sonic paused. He'd never heard her with that tone of voice before.
"… What's with you?"
"I don't know what you're talking about."
Sonic leaned against his door; frustration began to fill him. "The hell is going on? I'll be damned if I'm gonna let you talk to me that way."
"I don't care. If you're done inquiring about my whereabouts, I'm going back to my room—"
"Hang on! We're not done yet! Seriously, what's with you!? Why are you being like this? I was just kidding—"
Amy twisted the knob of her door and before entering, she turned to him slightly, "Just to let you know… I'm leaving tomorrow morning."
"You're what?! O-Our job hasn't even begun yet, we still have a lot to do—"
"Sonic…"
For once, he had nothing to say. He saw something different in her eyes.
"… I'm going home."
Something had indeed, shifted.
Author's Note: OMG! Guess who came back? ~ME~! It's nice to finally get the writing flow back into my fingertips! It honestly began with Reflecting Light that I realized... I need to get this ball rolling. The only reason why it was so hard for me to come back was because work had been KILLING MEEE. My creative juices just weren't there, but now that I have a bit more time to write, I'm providing for you guys. I've been writing and trying to keep up with this story since I was thirteen, and it still surprises me to this day to see so many readers comment my story. Although the beginning of this story *is* a tad problematic (I initially nabbed the idea of involuntary servitude from a manga called Hot Gimmick), it's something I'm going to try to polish again. I have a lot of people keeping an eye on this story and waiting to see more updates; I've been keeping you guys waiting for so long, this is it now! I've been writing a lot more regularly, so I'm going to take advantage of it. I'm going to try and salvage what I can with what's been written so you guys can still enjoy the rollercoaster of your life and FINALLY reach an end. Hope you're still willing to take the journey with me. Stay tuned and stay safe. Thank you for reading!
