¦| Chapter Ten |¦

"Come on, Sonic," Jules said but kept his eyes on me. "One more."

I redoubled my efforts, thinking I hadn't tried hard enough and did my sixty crunch. I was tired and sweaty after working out for three hours. I was determined to become fit.

I rose again when Jules waved his hand, stopping me.

"Easy, son, you don't want to hurt yourself," he laughed. "You're done already."

"Can't I go for a few more?" I asked.

I wasn't done, I knew I could push my body further. He smiled heartly at me and shook his head.

"You'll drain all your energy." He crossed his arms over his chest, watching me with that same curious expression he always seemed to have. "You're sure are determined."

"Yeah, I want to look good," I said with a smirk.

"Well, we have your appointment after this," Jules clarified. "So, hurry and finish up. I'll wait for you in the car."

"Thanks," I muttered.

I hurried over to a bench press with a slight struggle. I could defiantly lift some weights, but I didn't have anyone helping me, so, I chose some that weren't too heavy. Even if I would of, I wasn't sure that me being slightly disabled and still not used to moving would be such a good idea.

I laid on the bench, and I began my final workout. Just when I was getting into it, I heard someone call out to me.

"Hey, you." A voice called making me stop momentarily and look up which resulted in my green eyes meeting with purple one.

Besides being older and stronger than me, he looked like he had the ability to knock me out just by looking at me.

"Yeah?" I asked, curiously. I sat up, and stared at him confused. "What's up?" I asked.

"Move for a minute." He demanded, moving beside me. "Let me show you something."

I do as told and moved away from the machine when suddenly he laid on the bench and began using it. "Man, you lift heavy weights."

I blinked, confused by what was happening. Thi guy just stole me machine, I frowned.

"Dude, move," I said, my voice bordering on

"This is my machine," he snapped at me. He continued lifting weights.

I didn't have time for this, my dad was already waiting for me.

"You seem familiar," he mused.

He looked me over with a slight tilted head, and continued to lift.

I looked looked down at him and he was right, somehow I felt we had already met but I wasn't sure where.

"What's your name?" He asked, and he continued the workout.

"Sonic." I replied, as I crossed my arms over my whit T-shirt.

"Knuckles is the name." He introduced back as he sat up. "Do you go to NSSHS?" He asked.

I felt taken aback, it seemed like everyone I met my age went there. Probably because of the neighborhood.

"No, not yet." I said as I fixed my black fingerless gloves and turned to leave.

"Sorry for taking your machine." He apologized making me stop and turn to grin at him.

"It's fine." I said and waved him off to leave.

Suddenly he was beside me and walking to the locker room. "So, what grade are you entering?"

"Sophomore." I replied as I opened my locker and took out my stuff.

"Junior." He said and opened his locker which was behind me. "Hm, you really do seem familiar.

He seemed in deep thought and then looked me over, "Oh, I know!"

RING

His phone interrupted and whatever he was thinking seemed to slip out of his mind as he answered.

"Hello?" He asked and frowned, "What do you mean you can't come over for guys night out? Oh, she did? Well fine, go take care of your girl." Knuckles said on the phone and hung up.

He seemed frustrated about whatever the guy he was talking to had told him on the phone. Although his expression changed when he looked over at me again and smiled.

"Hey, Sonic, you up to going bowling later today?" He asked me with a grin.

Bowling? Wow, I hadn't gone bowling since ...actually I'd never gone bowling in my life.

"Sure." I said after thinking about it, might be fun.

"Great," Knuckles said with a grin as he hit my back and took out a pen and wrote his number on my palm. "Text me at 5."

With that he left with a wave. "Sure thing." I called out and went my separate way when I realized, did I just get a guys number?

"Hey, Amy! Are you okay?" Forcing my eyes to open, confusion struck me as I noticed my surroundings. "Amy?" Rob O' was leaning in front of me with a worried expression. "Are you okay?"

"What happened?" I asked rubbing my head from the killer headache I had at the moment.

"You've been sick for almost three weeks now." Rob O' said sitting beside me and placing his hand on my forehead. "I wish I didn't have to go to work."

As if in cue Shadow walked in with a bowl of chicken soup. He walked over and sat on the other side.

"Don't worry, I'll take good care of her." Shadow said as he gazed at me lovingly.

I couldn't help but smile, Shadow had been by my side since the day I found out about what happened to Sonic.

In reality, I wasn't really sick in the beginning, just sad. I had spent days and nights crying myself to sleep with actually not much sleep that I got myself sick at the end.

Rob O' smiled warmly and nodded, he stood from the bed and waved and said goodbye and left.

"How are you feeling today?" Shadow asked as he fed me, he was so nice.

"Better." I lied, I still wanted to cry but my eyes were all dry now. This felt like a horrible nightmare.

He set the bowl down on my desk and laid next to me on the bed as I cuddled into his chest. I could hear him breathing and see his chest rise and fall.

I couldn't help but feel guilty for not have been close to him lately.

"Rose?" He asked breathlessly.

"Yes, Shadow?" I asked looking up at him. He watched me with a serious expression and pulled my face closer to his.

"Tell me why are you sad." He said sadly.

My ears flatenned and I looked away unable to look at him. He seemed to sight and still hugged me.

"Will you ever leave me?" I asked scared, I didn't want to loose anyone else.

He shifted his weight and turned over so hr hovered over me and faced me. He caressed my face and gazed into my eyes, "I love you too much to leave you."

I felt teary again and lifted my head and pecked him on the lips.

Shadow tried to pull away but I wouldn't let him, I felt lonely. I felt depressed, I missed Sonic.

I needed this.

And so i began to tug at his shirt giving him the idea of what I wanted.

He removed his jacket and shirt and also removed my green silk button shirt and began to kiss down my neck.

It felt so good that I let out a moan, things had gotten heated pretty fast.

He began trailing kisses down to my chest and I arched my back and it slipped out.

Shadow yanked away looked at me intently, "What did you just say?" He asked out of breath.

"Huh?" I questioned confused.

He frowned, "You called me Sonic."

My eyes widen at the fact I hadn't realized and my breath hitched, I could see Shadow's pain expression and I quickly pulled him back on top of me and kissed all over his face.

"I meant sonic, as in hurry and get to the point faster." I pulled away and stared at him hopefully, "You know I don't like to get teased."

Shadow seemed to look guilty and pecked me, "Sorry, I shouldn't have thought otherwise." He said and continued at what he had started.

I bit my lip as I felt him undo my bra, I couldn't believe I had actually said Sonic...what was wrong with me?

We met Aleena at the school district office where the secratary led me into a hallway, up some straits, and into a hallway again until we stopped in front of a wooden door that she opened and walked in and I followed behind.

She gestured to a desk for me to sit in which I did and handed me a booklet and pencil to begin. I felt rather nervous at first concidering this would pick what grade would be best suited for me.

Looking over the questions I felt myself calm down, it wasn't too hard. It seems Amys teachings did come in handy. Amy, I missed her so much, I wanted to see her already.

In a matter of 45 minutes and 2 hours I finished the whole booklet with a satisfied smile. I think I did a pretty good job at this thing and I was sure everything would be fine.

When I stood I couldn't help but feel pain in my lower back, it was so intense that I had to sit back down. I didn't understand but I tried to ignore it and I stumbled out of the room and left with my parents to go out to eat.

We had gone to my old favorite resturant that we all use to go to when I was a child and I finally got to taste chilli dogs again. Now I know why I loved them so much!

"Slow down." Aleena said laughing, "You're going to get sick."

I laughed too but this was still so wonderful to me. "Don't worry, mom." I said with a smile.

Jules smiled warmly and ate his food, this moment was so beautiful to me. We still felt like a family despite the fact mom and dad had gotten divorced. The thought made me frown as I finished my fifth chilli dog.

Giggling caught my attention when I glanced across from my table and noticed a yellow mongoose giggling at me. I smiled at her but inside I felt saddened, for a minute I had thought it was Amy...

"Mom?" I asked looking back at her as she ate her steak.

"Yes, sweety?"She asked me with a warm smile as she gazed over at me, I knew she had missed being called that, "What is it?"

I stared at both of them with suspicion and raised eyebrows, "You never told me where Chuck and Manic were."

Aleena and Jules seemed taken aback and stared down at their food. I didn't like their silence at all. They were hiding something from me I was sure of it.

"Where are they?" I asked again.

"Let's talk about this at a better time, Sonic." Aleena said lowly, not wanting to look at me. I felt anger rise in me, I had every right to know and they clearly did not want to tell me.

"You say that every time," I snapped and glared at them both, "Tell me where the hell is my brother and uncle!"

Aleena whimpered and Jules frowned at me. I didn't mean for it to come out so harsh but the tension was going to come out at any moment.

"Sonic, your mother is right, sit down and we'll speak of this another time." Jules said darkly.

"No, tell me now!" I screamed which caught everyone's attention that were in the resturant, I didn't care I was worried and anxious.

Time seemed to stop when my mother spoke up her next words and I stared wide-eyed at her. She began crying histarically and Jules stared down.

"W-what?" I asked not sure if I had heated her correctly.

"He killed himself!" Aleena cried out, "He blamed your coma on himself and couldn't stand watching you laying half dead in that hospital...Your uncle couldn't handle this situation anymore and went psychotic and was put into an ayslm."

I collapsed onto my seat, I couldn't believe this. I felt my body trembling and tears threatening to fall.

"You waited to tell me this, this long..." I slammed my fists on the table and glared at both of them, "I hate you both!" I didn't mean it, it was my anger talking.

With that I hurried out of the resturant almost falling on some occasions. I didn't to be alone, I needed time to think.

AUTHOR'S COMMENTARY:

Lots of testing this week means slower updates...I hope you are all still enjoying my story and please review!