"Tails, I mean it. I can't stand living with him and it's only been a few days! Hell, it feels like that guy is buggin' me on purpose, I swear!"

Sonic gripped, slamming his fists lightly onto the iron cafe table, sighing. "Come on, buddy. I'm begging you! It's not too late to put in a new room request. We can find something that'll work! Please! Let's just live together like last year! It'll be like old times."

"Don't those times have to be old to be called such? We were living together not even 6 months ago." Tails raised a brow as he looked up from his tablet, having been reading the preface of his engineering textbook and taking notes. "Sonic, listen. I'm really sorry but I don't think it's going to work out this year. I got a private dorm for a reason. This year I'm doing a lot more work! The kind of stuff I'll be bringing home every week and working on overnight. We had fun last year, but this year it wouldn't be good for either of us."

Sonic set down his protein smoothie as he pinched his brows together, annoyed. Desperate, he leaned over the table, clawing at Tails. "Come on, you don't think that, do you? I know that your classes can be demanding at times, but how rough can it be? This is only our second year."

"I'm taking advanced classes, Sonic, remember?"

"So? What does that have to do with it? We survived the first year living together, didn't we?"

"It means my core is mostly finished. I didn't have to take classes pre-calc in my first semester. That's why I was doing more programming and robotics classes. Now I'm already starting my 3rd-year level classes."

Sonic didn't respond. In high school, Sonic had always relied on Tails to tutor him when he had struggled in most subjects because he had always been the brains of the two. However, he hadn't thought it would eventually create a divide between them. They got into the same university, in the end. He just blinked and put his mouth on the straw of his drink, sucking away at the near-empty plastic cup. Tails was that far ahead of him? In the back of his head, surely he would have known that a gap would eventually form between them, but to happen now? Before they had even graduated?

For a moment, he was forgetting about his roommate troubles.

"Listen, Sonic! We're still friends, and I'm not saying you can't come over. I want to hang with you just like we always have. You can even crash on my couch when needed, but as a whole, this is the best thing for me." Tails made a few more taps on his tablet before flipping the protective cover over the screen and slipping it into his bag. "Come by whenever you want. Just let me know when, alright? I have to get going. My next lap-class is happening, soon." He threw his back over his shoulder, picked up his empty cup, and headed for the trashcans before leaving the patio of the cafe.

Sonic stayed there, thinking it all over. At this rate, Tails would graduate a year before him right beside Knuckles. Then what? If Amy or Cream didn't enroll in the same university then he'd be all alone, stuck with whatever roommate he gets paired up with by the housing department. Their first year had been chaos, already with very few new friendships made, and now Sonic was starting the second year, watching all his friends, for the first time, speeding far ahead of him. It felt like they were leaving him in their dust…

His watch beeped, reminding him of his class coming up. Sonic turned a downward gaze to his unfinished drink, half-melted in the clear cup. His stomach winced, feeling slightly sick, no doubt from the combined thoughts of shame, worry, and doubt. Since coming to college, Sonic had been more out of his element than he ever had. Everything felt natural back in high school when he was the star of the track team and leading his senior class against a school-wide prank against Dr. Eggman, the teacher that no one liked. Now he wasn't the star. He was...just Sonic: a second-year student at a university with thousands of others enrolled, each doing their own thing.

He gathered his belongings and threw the rest of his smoothie away, heading for the Recreational Center and Gym. It wasn't exactly class, but he had the orientation of new members for the track and field team to attend. As he walked over, Sonic shook himself about, telling himself to push his worries aside for a moment. Right now, it was time to be that bright, energetic, and fearless sprinter that everyone knew and loved. He had to give all the new members a confident team member to look up to and admire!

"Alright, everybody! It's time to welcome new members. Right and sprung like a river dancer's feet, now! Let's prance away ? and the rest of a good year to us all!" Irish declared when orientation was underway. It wasn't the most formal event, but then again, Irish wasn't a formal coach.

"Come on out now, lads. No use playin' in the garden all day! Say your name and ? skippin' across the Green Hills ? in ?'s armpit!"

That was their couch for them. The new members would have to get used to it and learn to fill in the gaps between Irish's sharp tongue and foreign metaphors quickly. Sonic waited patiently, focusing on the new track members he'd be training and competing with for the year, trying his hardest not to let his thoughts run on repeat from earlier at the cafe.

He went down the line, letting their names go in one ear and out the other until his eyes met with someone near the center of the group. They were the first year, by the looks of them, and with purple hair. His eyes were striking, holding a serious, arguably angry stare in them, and they were aimed directly at Sonic. Did he have something on his face? Or was this new guy distracted by Sonic's refusal to wear a tracksuit like the rest of the team?

"Espio," the purple-haired boy spoke when it was his time to introduce himself. "Nice to meet you all." That was all Espio had said, and then stepped back in line.

The introductions continued and before long they were setting for a few practice races to get a feel for everyone's skill level, but also to mingle among each other.

Sonic behaved as he had promised himself, giving everyone the explosive, optimistic energy they expected from him. Let them like you, and then be hard to forget. That had always been what Sonic had told himself. Yet there was one person who he hadn't seen since orientation. Even as he looked around, it seemed Espio had disappeared. Had he been confused and left early? Had there been a personal emergency? That would have explained the sour he had.

He shrugged it off and got ready on the starting line with the other racers and got a few stretches in. Sonic had no shame in himself, being the only one to rock a pair of blue and white-striped jogging shorts and a tank top while everyone else chose sweats. The Blue Blur, as he had been nicknamed, just hated wearing pants on any occasion. If he didn't have to have his legs covered, then he wasn't going to, and this was no exception. Legs shaved, thighs out, and hamstrings stretched, Sonic was ready to race, hop-stepping back and forth until the coach blew the whistle.

Out of the corner of his eye, Espio stepped up next to him, and grind his black sneakers against the soft pavement as he took to the starting line. The other paid no attention to anyone beside him, keeping his eyes closed and stance tight. Sonic glanced over at him. "Yo," he said cheerfully with a nod.

Espio didn't respond.

The gun was fired and the racers took off. Sonic was in the lead to no one's surprise but the new sprinters were proving to hold their ground between each other. He grinned as he looked forward, cocky, and confident as ever. "Too easy," he said. A quick sprint was nothing to him. This would be over in a flash and then he'd play it cool like he almost lost to whoever was behind him so he wouldn't look too much like a- HUH?!

Sonic blinked when a flash of purple whizzed right past him. It was Espio! When had he- it didn't matter! Sonic wasn't about to lose to some new guy in their first race! He picked up his pace, taking longer strides, and just like that, Sonic closed the distance and took the lead once again just in time to cross over the finish line. He panted swiftly, leaning over with his hands on his knees. Yet he still grinned and wiped the sweat from his brows as he stood up.

"Hey, not bad! You almost had me beat there," he said with his hand outreached to shake.

Espio only glared at him out of the corner of his eye, hardly moving. "Don't take me lightly. If you're going to race me then do it with all you have from the start." That was the thing he had said to Sonic- to anyone since their introduction.

He was dumbfounded, staring wide-eyed at Espio as his hand slowly went limp, and then sank to his side. Sonic took a step back, but then quickly shook his surprise off himself. "What are you talking about? I won, didn't I? Come on! I'm just congratulating you."

"You took it easy from the start. I could tell by the tension in your leg that you weren't using all your speed. Aren't you supposed to be a sprinter?"

Again, Sonic didn't know how to respond right away. He paused. "Well yeah, but we're just having a friendly practice. It's not the real thing so-"

"So you just take it easy, and mock those behind you working their hardest."

The tension was thick. The look in Espio's eyes were sharp- staring daggers right into Sonic's soul.

"Espio! Sonic! The twos of yuh are fightin' like two leprechauns under the same rainbow. There'll be a spot o' bad luck' on y'ere ? ? ? So it's ? time to ?"

Just then, a large, friendly-looking fellow skidded by in a purple rack uniform, going at a snail's pace.

"Mr. Big, please! Now's not the time for y'ere skippin' and hoppin' along the lilypads like an April frog. Please, ? so can you ? ? ?"

As their coach chased after the odd intruder, the two rivals shared a look of conflict. Sonic shook his hands into fists at his hip. "You want me to give it my all then just wait! You had your chance to win but now it won't come easy."

Espio only sneered at him and walked off, getting ready for the next race.

Their little spat would evolve into a full afternoon rivalry. Sonic may have won on a foot-race, but once they got to the advanced competitions, Espio was proving himself not to be taken lightly. Pole vaulting- Espio won by several centimeters. Speed climbing- Espio practically vertically ran the entire wall. Obstacle course? - He left Sonic in the dust. Even if Espio wasn't the fastest of the two, he was undeniably more agile and quick-witted. Odds are if they faced each other in a race with jumping obstacles in place, Espio would have a fair shot at beating him.

Sonic was panting as he hunched over his knees after it all came to an end. He didn't need to see the overall score to know where he stood, compared to everyone else. Or, more specifically, where he stood compared to his biggest competition. He would be the last one to leave the gym, taking more time in a private shower tall than anyone else, leaning against the cold tile wall as he replayed the entire day over in his head. His conversation with Tails and uncertainty of his future to Espio made a fool out of him on the first day of practice...his perfect life felt like it had been laid to ruins in a matter of hours.

He changed out his running clothes and threw his backpack over his shoulder. A heavy feeling loomed over him as he dragged himself over to the mess hall to grab something to eat. He tapped on his phone screen to pull up LINK to check in on the others. A few quick messages were sent and his heart sank even lower when Tails responded that he had to work late and couldn't meet up with him. Knuckles never responded.

Just get some food. Relax. And then let's go back to our dorm, he told himself.

It wasn't the best, but he didn't mind what the cafeteria offered. If nothing else, you couldn't go wrong with the salad bar. Yet, with how crummy his day had been, Sonic decided not to shy away from his comfort food: chili dog. For a second, he snickered at the thought of stuffing his face full of them and then letting his roommate suffer as he farted the entire night. That would show him! Yeah. He would stink up the dorm room every night until that annoying nerd moved out on his own! It was the perfect plan. At least one problem would be taken care of. Sonic could worry about Espio tomorrow, and what the hell he'd do with his future after next practice. Until then he'd treat himself to several hot, savory, spicy, god-given chili- wait what?!

He shook his head as his eyes adjusted and honed in across the dining hall. A hat was sitting on the edge of a table where two people sat. Not just any hat! It was a dark tan cowboy hat with a belt around it, and three red stars. Sonic would recognize that hat anywhere! It was Knuckles's! And there he was, sitting down right across from...who the hell was THAT?!

Sonic was confused and quickly dug into his pocket for his phone to check the screen and see if- yeah. Knuckles hadn't responded. The message wasn't even marked on read. If Knuckles had come here then why hadn't he invited Sonic to begin with? Had he just swiped the notification away? Why was he with a total stranger? A new friend? Just the sight of it made Sonic's stomach twist. They had almost always eaten together, ever since lunchtime way back in Middle School! And now he was seeing Knuckles buddying up with some unfamiliar face who was sporting a green mohawk?! Since when was Knuckles into punks?!

That was IT!

Sonic was going to march right over there, grab one of his chili dogs and...and...turn around and go sit alone at one of the small tables in a corner somewhere. He couldn't take any more disappointment for today. That feeling from earlier had since evolved from a cloud looming over, to a stone in the pit of his guts.

Not even a week into his second year and already it felt like his friends were moving on from him. Sonic didn't want to eat with Knuckles or Tails, or anyone else for that matter. He didn't want to go back to his dorm room. He didn't want to go to practice the next day. He just wanted everything to go back to how it was before all this - back to High School; where he had been the star of the track team, where Tails had helped him get by with Cs and Bs in most classes, and where not a single day went by without his friends by his side.

Ever since graduation, it felt like nothing had been the same. It just wasn't until now that he could no longer ignore it. Everything around him was changing and he couldn't stop it, no matter what. Sonic stared at his food, growing cold as every worst-case scenario played in his head. Where would he be by the end of this year? By graduation? Would he even graduate college? How long until Tails was offered a job and moved to a major city to be a tech developer? How long until Knuckles embarked to foreign countries to excavate ruins and tombs? How long until Shadow's band took off for world fame?

Pretty soon it would be just him with Amy and Cream. But who was to say they wouldn't eventually surpass him and move on like everyone else?

"What am I supposed to do?"