Day 5
"What're you doing here, faker?"
Man, I'd been up most of last night with a really bad mood to try to sleep on.
It was only yesterday Knuckles mentioned I should 'chill out', with his eyebrow raised incredulously at my mounting grouchiness. Grumpiest tool on Mobius, tellin' me to chill out. Now that, is irony folks. That'd wiped it clean slate for a while, but something about just hearing my rival trying to irk me made it work way too well. He probably didn't know he wouldn't need to work to get me pissed. Well man, the last thing I wanted to have to deal with was that hyperdramatic idiot, Shadow the Hedgehog.
I'd spent most of the morning and afternoon racing- running as hard as my body seemed to allow, running like I did every day. But today, as the past couple before it- was different. Today, running never gave me the carefree adrenaline booster that it usually did. Today, it wasn't my biggest care in the world. It was a diversion. Yes, it was as if I believed I could outrun how fast my mind was acting against me. Even when I broke the sound barrier, one name was moving through my mind much quicker than my feet were gracing the ground. It never stopped flashing. Taunting me. Grabbing my train of thought by the tail and dragging it back under those 3 letters wether I liked it or already know that name quite well, now shut up already. Espio's stupid coy face, Knuckles and his bowtie, Amy's pretty outfits, Amy being let down by me for the upteenth time, Amy not having time for me… enough already! All I wanted was to get a decent, well cooked meal into me, and blow off some steam with Tails.
Sad thing was, I encountered Shadow- hostile and unnerving as usual- instead of my buddy as I waited at the restaurant. We were supposed to meet here, I was on time. Tails, stunningly, wasn't. Where was he, anyway?
"Well?" Shadow's gruff voice brought me back to life again, and I self-conciously realized I was staring slack jawed into nothingness, my straw dangling from my lip above the pop. "Is there a reason you've decided to pester me with your presence today, or am I honestly this unlucky?" I stared up at his terse brow, raising my own at his aggressive expression. Then I put my back to him deliberately, drinking noisily, hoping to annoy him further. If he wanted to tango, I didn't mind. I could use a heavy distraction.
"And here I thought you couldn't get any friendlier, Shadz. Gee, if I didn't know any better I'd swear this was a free country, where you can pick up eats where ya like." I snorted, turning to face the slightly angry looking dark hedgehog from where I sat in my own booth once more. I had to see his reaction- half of my fun was using sarcasm as a instigation. He was towering over me like a police officer, and I knew with a smug realization that I'd indeed grated his nerves. He was too easy.
"You immature fool. I think it would be wise for you to find a different place to eat. I was here first, and I won'thesitate to move you-"
I burped in his face, wiping a hand over my mouth to keep the laughter in. He'd actually jumped, appalled by it. His brows went from high to humorously low in anger.
"Yup. Nope. Get outta my face would ya? I'm tryin' to enjoy the appetizer." I lifted a piece of brushetta to my lips and crunched it loudly, noisily and slowly as I slouched into the seat- watching him challengingly. I threw one arm behind my head and swung one foot over the other, casual and certainly going nowhere. I grinned over at him once more as he realized this fact, and his red eyes seethed at me crunching another bite with deliberation. Oh, please. Just try and punch me. I won't disappoint.
"You rotten, filthy, loathsome-"
"Tails, dude, you're late!" I grinned, giving him a fist to meet as I ignored Shadow and instead acknowledged my best buddy sliding into the booth with me. He tossed his backpack into the seat next to him, brushing his bangs back with a quick hand.
"I'm so sorry, Sonic- I got caught up in the workshop, time just-!"
"Relaaax! Shadow's been keeping me company." I ignored the responding growl that emitted from the darker hedgehog and leaned in to Tails conversationally. "Anyway I gotta tell you somethin' way past weird, anyway. You're not gonna believe the crap that's been goin' down ever since what happened at the M.E, I bet you'll laugh-" I paused as I noticed Tails eyes weren't on me, but worriedly held onto the dark hedgehog now looming over us.
"Uh... hi, Shadow?" Tails said nervously, and Shadow simply nodded with arms folded. "W-what brings you here? I... didn't know you liked Italian." He added dumbly, unsure of what to say to the very irate looking lifeform.
"Hell, I didn't know the guy ate." I guffawed, and Tails failed to resist the urge to swallow down laughter- so he clasped his hands over his muzzle. We were both surprised to see Shadow grinning smugly at this, instead of looking pissed off.
"Indeed. I have an engagement here." Tails seemed outrageously baffled by this, but I felt a doom- a fear of what was coming next. I couldn't help being paranoid, it was all I'd been thinking about since I woke up. All I'd been thinking about since what happened at the M.E. The next bachelor I'd have to witness swooping down like a vulture…I had a bad feeling. Noooo, NOOOO, ANYTHING but this- ANYONE BUT HIM! ANYONE BUT-
"Shadow! It's good to see you!" The familiar voice tingled with a light giggle, and yeah. It WAS this. Tails looked to me instantly, taking note of how my head sat in one hand, fingers tapping against my head devoid of amusement. I looked so disgusted, Tails actually did bark laugh noisily aloud this time. When Amy approached the darker hedgehog, who turned with a charming smile and an extended hand to greet her, she took his hand and looked on me and Tails with evident shock- if not slight embarrassment.
"Jeez, I never knew you guys were gonna be here, seriously. This is getting ridiculous, how slim are the odds!" She pealed, waving politely.
"It would have been slimmer if I'd gotten my way." Shadow rumbled lowly, like a hissed curse under his breath. She put a hand on his wrist, a reasoning look swaying him to untense and loosen up. He was smiling down at her like a prize. My bored expression easily bypassed him and sauntered up to her, and my head actually left my hand, nearly dropping it on the table with my eyes growing huge against my will. I rubbed my head embarassingly as Tails began to sink lower in his seat, beyond amused. She was wearing a little black dress, elegant black gloves, and just enough make up to flatter her pretty features. Her hair was gathered to one side loosely, falling over a shoulder held by a small black ribbon. The dress was... actually kinda... really sexy. A slit that ran along the longer side accented her newly lengthened legs, and the cleavage...the cleavage was- well, lets be frank here, it was getting stared at by Shadow! That dirtbag. It was a mystery to all, thanks to the table cloth over our table, how Shadow ended up with a sore shin so quick and sudden.
"Are you ok?" Amy fussed over him, and he grit his teeth in my direction.
"Just fine." He hissed, as I averted my gaze innocently to the ceiling.
"Would you like to join them to eat? I'm sure they wouldn't mind company..." Amy said kindly, moving to sit next to me. I shuffled over, making room as I grinned to myself, still entertained at having made Shadow look like an idiot.
"Uh actually-" Shadow said quickly, gently taking her arm as he drew her closer than I approved of "I was hoping it would just be the two of us this evening..." Her eyes widened in wonder, sparkling at such a romantic prospect when she faced him.
"Oah! Really?! With me?" She tittered girlishly, and he nodded with a grin in full force now.
"Certainly. I have something that may be of interest to you." He wooed, leading her away on his arm. He cast a very dark, but triumphant look back at me, and I drew my bottom eyelid down whilst sticking out my tongue. He gave me back a much more rude gesture, and Tails laughed milkshake through his nose at us.
"Guys STOP IT, I'm gonna choke!!" He begged for mercy.
Ayyyiie, I could use a bit of mercy.
Uh, did I mention I really, really, really hated dating? And anti-me's? A lot?
–-
Day 11
I had successfully avoided Amy and her date-a-palooza for 6 days now.
Six. Damn. Days.
And I didn't understand why I was feeling the weight of it. I thought staying away from her and not having to see how painfully good she looked would have helped. But it didn't. Along with the burning, something new but unwelcome joined it. I felt an unusual foil to the burning- like a loss of warmth, chilled. Like a summer with endless clouds, I was devoid of sun- glaring up at my own empty sky and wondering where the glow of optimism in me had vanished to.
The feelings she has- I flinched inwardly- the feelings she had for me… were they really so much of what kept me feeling so on top of the world? Just the knowledge of how she pined over me, and knowing I was wanted and irresistable to someone?
'Behind every great man, there has to be a great woman guiding them.'
Girls. Women. I knew they'd get me one of these days.
Tails had been keeping me reluctantly updated, against my request to hear nothing about any of it. I guess I kept ruining that request by staring Tails down until he told me. So far she'd gone on a date with Mighty. Mighty the Armadillo, and another date with Shadow. That sort of... scared the bejebus out of me, really. Second dates usually meant the first one rocked, so I'd love to know what it was Shadow gave her- and secretly prayed it wasn't an invite to his bedroom. If Shadow was actually Don Juan… frig it, I'd retire my red sneakers before I believed that.
But today, Tails hadn't bothered to call me, and I decided to coolly show up at his house, you know. Play it casual, see if he wanted to hang- while actually getting the dirt on what was going on for THIS day. Who would it be next, Charmy Bee?! Metal Sonic?
Eggman?!
But when I got there...
BANG.
Everything changed, like a maze re-assembling itself into a whole new mind boggler.
Oh... my sanity.
-
I sure love torturing poor Sonic, don't I. 8o
As always let me know your thoughts, we're pushing our blue hero to the brink of saying uncle in these next few chapters! -Mish
