Chapter 5

Being smooth is not my thing.

If I blow any more air into my cheeks, they may explode. I can't believe I'm seriously going through with this. If anyone sees me driving Sonic around, the rumors will ignite like wild fire about me hooking up with King of the Freaks. But I've got it all planned out.

Excuse number one, my parents are forcing me.

Excuse number two, I'm grounded from all my friends, so this was the only way I can learn.

Excuse number three, I'm sleep walking.

Now that I've got my social butt set, I just gotta ask him. And this is what's making my cheeks sore.

I've never asked Sonic for anything in my whole life. Even when we were besties. He always volunteered so I never had to. And after I totally ditched him and treated him like he has a good case of werehogpox, I'm scared out of my mind.

What if he says no?

I let all the air out, my bangs fluttering across my forehead. Amy, just get this over with!

Another pumpkin imitation later, and I'm knocking on his door. I want to sprint for the bushes, but my legs feel like gummy worms.

The lock clicks and there he stands in his warm sweater and holding an Wii controller, with a look that says I stunned the crap out of him.

"Uh, hey." Smooth, Amy, real smooth.

He doesn't say anything. His mouth is doing that opening and closing thing like a fish out of water. He looks over my head and out to the street.

What do I do? Just walk away? Wave my hand in front of his face? Crap myself?

"What… what are you doing here?" His ears flicker in attention and the controller slips from his hand.

I hear a car go by behind me and BAM! All my insecurities rush into my thoughts. Even though Sonic looks freaking amazing in his cute sweater, I can't be seen at his house.

Oh gosh.

"Can I come in?" The words slip out so fast, and I don't even wait for an answer. I rush past him and shut the door behind me.

He chuckles. "Yeah, I guess you can."

I laugh a huge dorky and nervous laugh as I look around his house. Not much has changed since last time I was here. Well, physically. It wasn't this awkward between me and him, but that's totally my fault.

"So, uh…" he stutters as he picks up the controller he dropped. "You need something?"

"Yes, I…" I tilt my head to look behind him. "You stuck?"

"Huh?"

I point to the TV screen. "Defeating the Dark Queen. That's a tough level, and it looks like you're out of luck."

He smirks, and scratches the back of his neck with the controller before tossing it on the couch. "It's been a while since I played it, and I can't remember the steps to beating her. I was gonna go YouTube the gameplay for it—"

"Press A or Z to dodge the first three attacks." Holy Chaos. I can't believe I just said that out loud.

Sonic's jaw drops and his ears flicker again. "I-I think you're right."

He picks the controller back up and does as instructed. The battle begins and he manages to avoid getting hit.

"Nice!" He throws me that really sexy smile and I don't believe it, but I'm moving to sit next to him.

"Press B to use Soul Surge. When she turns black she's almost dead. Be careful; she may try to stab you. Defeat her in less than 2:30 minutes to get a lot of followers." I wink, and he nudges me with his elbow.

And now I've lost my train of thought.

"Thanks," he says, following my instructions. He sets the controller down and shifts so he's angled toward me. I can't take my eyes off his, even though they aren't exactly looking at me. They're so green though. Like almost looking at grass. And his cobalt quills are all spiked wildly. I want to reach up and feel how sharp they are.

"Uh, Ames?"

Sigh.

"Yeah?"

"Did you need something?"

Oh right! I did come over here for a reason other than drooling over him.

"Yes, sorry. I was wondering… I mean I don't know if you noticed, but my parents bought me a new car."

"Cool."

"It's a manual, and I was hoping…" Hoping? Who the heck is talking here? I sound like a bumbling idiot. "Will you teach me how to drive it?"

His face loses all its color, and he wipes his palms on his jeans. After a few seconds he finally makes eye contact with me, giving me another sexy grin. "Tell you what. You beat this level for me, and I'll teach you how to drive."

The blinds are shut, and it looks like Sonic's mom is on out tonight. It's just me and him. And since I've already babbled off cheats, playing the game won't make me any more of a freak. Besides, the geeky stuff seems to be getting me a lot more attention from him than my underwear dancing.

"I haven't played in a long time."

Yeah, that's a total lie.

He chuckles and slaps the controller in my hand, his fingers lingering on my skin. The fur on my arm shoot straight up.

"You just told me a cheat I didn't know, and I played two months ago."

I tap my forehead. "Good memory."

He cocks his eyebrow, making me fridget with the controller.

"Well, beat it, or there's no deal."

Slouching back on the couch, interlocking his fingers and resting his head on his hands, he gives me a good impression of someone who's trying to look cool, but not sure if they're doing it right.

He's so doing it right.

"I get to be Nimue."

Video games are total time suckers, but they are so worth it! I have no idea how long it's been, but it's dark outside when I finally toss the controller back at Sonic, who is now sitting so close his hips are touching mine.

"And that is how it's done." I smile.

He tosses his head back, barking out his laughter and clapping. It's so darn cute I want to jump into his arms and smack one right there on the kisser.

Instead I throw out a random question so I don't lose what's left of my mind. "What time is it?"

"Almost ten. Sally should be here any…"

Thump! Thump!

"…minute." He gives me a smile before he stands.

Sally? What the hell? Why is she…?

Dammit! The documentary! I totally forgot abou it.

"Wait!" I rush to Sonic before he gets to the door. No one at school can know I was here for… oh my gosh, it's been four hours. "Um… do you mind if I…" Great, how do I get out of this one? "Can I use your bathroom?"

He chuckles. "You know where it is, silly girl."

Ignoring the flippity flop my stomach does, I book it to the bathroom and lock the door before Sonic can get the front door open.

Trying to be quiet in panic mode is near impossible. I get the shower curtain open and move all the shampoo and soap bottles out of the window sill so I can make a break for it. Gym has paid off in the pull-up department for me. I wiggle myself through the window and fall flat on my ass in Ms. Hedgehogs' tulips.

Sonic is totally going to figure it out since I'm not covering my tracks, but it's not like I can put things back the way they were. And I'm too busy freaking out to care right now.

I stand to wipe off the crusted mud all over the butt of my jeans when I hear Sonic's voice carry through the living room window.

"I invited her."

"Why the hell would you do that?"

Yikes! I haven't heard someone use that type of tone when they were talking about me since… well, since Freak Amy roamed the halls.

Sally's a girl in our grade, way below the status of chess club player. She usually has lipstick on her teeth, and her brown hair is rarely done in anything but a ragged ponytail. She's got the most annoying laugh; it's more of a hardy har har. Like she's heckling you every time you say something funny. She's got about a million zits on her nose alone, and right now, she's ready to talk shit about me.

I feel sick.

"Because she's into that stuff. She just played four hours of The Black Knight with me."

"Did she need something from you?"

It's quite long enough for me to panic over what Sonic's face looks like. I'm almost willing to sneak a peek around the corner so I can see, but then I remember his blinds are shut.

Sonic mumbles something I don't catch, and Sally starts laughing.

"Okay, okay. I'll be nice. But if she does anything bitchy, I swear, I'm socking her in her overstuffed boob."

I wait for more conversation, more gossip really, but they start comparing notes on how difficult the different levels are on the game I just beat. I'm pretty sure Sonic has taken out his notebook filled with all the theories we put in there about how many medals he could unlock if he defeated all the characters.

If Sally wasn't in there—totally wrong in her theories, by the way—I'd be sitting next to Sonic talking geek. I guess she's saving me from going full-out Freak Amy.

Still, I'm a wee bit jealous.

Okay, a lot jealous.

Before I can cause any more social damage, I sprint back home.

x.X.x

Did I do good or nah?

Haha, still if you all want a new chapter you have to go to my profile and vote on a new character to add!