So, I've been having a social life recently.
I know. You're thinking: WHAT THE HECK, THUNDER? A SOCIAL LIFE?!
That was basically my family's reaction.
No, I'm totally kidding ;D My social life isn't that dead! It's just been a little busy at the moment, that's all ;)
So, the good news is that I have a life and I have planned every single update! The bad news is that I've only written about half of each update and it may be a little while before I update. However, more good news is that I have finished the first chapter of 'The Children of Lilliwell'! So, those readers, it shall be out on Halloween! Definitely! :D Pinkie padlock promise-y thing! Yeah! :D
Thank you so much to: Espionage55, PoeticLover1996, The High School Hero, Doomsday2028, Eli Swafford, werewolf lover99, Savvy0417, AHeartForStories, KumarKitty24, Steve993, musicalocelot, Guest, GuestKori, Dovewing01, Dark sin broken heart, Zgirl101, waveandcipher, TheMidnightShadow, shadamy1fan! We're over 300 reviews, guys! XO That's incredible! Thank you SO MUCH! I honestly can't say how grateful I am for your support and comments!
Replies:
Espionage55 – Things aren't looking good... O.O"
PoeticLover1996 – N'aww, no problem! :D And, again, no problem! I am really enjoying writing from Sally's point of view at the moment. Ahh...well, hopefully you'll think that Amy shows a little bit more remorse and guilt in this chapter – but I can promise that she'll do some good things in the next few chapters! :D
The High School Hero – D: Well, I'm afraid I can't promise a fight between Sally and Fiona in THIS chapter – but I will definitely consider it for a future chapter! :D And I would love to see that triangle in a S.C.B chapter! :D Yep, it's going to be a lot longer than M.G. Umm...well...I wouldn't say it gets M-rated at all but there is a 'heated' scene between Fiona and Scourge. Nothing major at all, though. Just Scourge being Scourge ;D Ahhh! Well, now I know when to celebrate S.C.B's birthday! XD Good luck with your Halloween fic, FFN BFF!
Doomsday2028 – I hope the chapter title has kept you on your toes! :D
Eli Swafford – Ha ha, nah, don't worry! :D I really appreciate it! Ouch...early school start is horrible D: Well, I'm afraid I didn't upload in time for your birthday but HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY! :D Hey, where I live, Sonic Lost World came out on your birthday! :D And you'll find out who gets wasted in this chapter!
werewolf lover99 – Ahh, okay, thanks :D
Savvy0417 – Thank you very much! :D More shall be revealed! And no problem! Savvy's crush on Shadow was really helpful in that chapter! :D I hope I got her personality right?
AHeartForStories – I gotta admit, the heroes are in a dark place at the moment :/
KumarKitty24 – Thank you very much! :D I'm enjoying writing the flashbacks, so more should be coming! :D Aw, no problem! :D Ha ha...lucky! XP Our school workload isn't as bad as I thought...but it's still no fun XD
Steve993 – Thank you very much! Yeah, the ironic thing is that I actually really like Fiona – but someone's gotta be the mean girl and an evil side of me likes making her a bitch. And then the good side of me is trying to keep Sonamy together and make Sally stay good XD It's an internal battle for this plot. I'm glad the cliff-hanger was good and I hope that this chapter answers some questions until I completely answer them in the next few chapters! :D
musicalocelot – I know! I feel terrible for Tailsmo, Silvaze and Sonamy. Knuxouge are the only ones that I don't feel bad about and I haven't actually mentioned their relationship yet! XD
Guest – Well, I'm not actually planning to end this at the moment but I can't say anything about the ending ;) So, I guess all I can really say is keep reading and find out! :D
GuestKori – Yeah, the flashbacks are the main...information source...at the moment! :D Yep, Sonic's a womanizer! ;D And I loved writing about Shadow's stalkers! XD We shall see more of them in future chapters XD Aw, thank you for asking, umm...my day is meh. Got a rotten cold at the moment :S What about you?
Dovewing01 - :D No problem! I know, everyone seems to be having a hard time at the moment D: More answers shall be given soon! :D And thanks again for letting me use Dove :D
Dark sin broken heart – I'm glad that you're enjoying it! :D The secrets shall be revealed soon!
Zgirl101 - *gulps* Don't kill me! XD You'll have to read on to find out what happens with Sonamy ;D
Waveandcipher – Dramatic microwave! XD That cracked me up! Well, maybe I'll let Shrine punch Fiona in the face! :D Hmm...actually...maybe I will! Umm...well, I did say that this story is going to be longer than M.M.G...so, maybe about a third to a half of the way through? :D Aw, thank you very much! :D That's really sweet! :D Uh...of course, I think everyone on fanfiction has considered writing professionally, at least for a moment. I really would like to publish a story when I'm older and I'm thinking about posting some stuff on Fiction Press. So, yes, I would like to be a professional writer but I still need a lot more practice before I create anything which is 'publish-worthy'
TheMidnightShadow – Ah, right. Having your laptop working is important then. Well, I'm glad it's working for you! :D
shadamy1fan – Don't die from suspense! :D Here's a chapter to revive you! XD Thank you for all your reviews, they were amazing to read and your support is inspirational! :D
Right, enough from me, on with the chapter!
Enjoy! Xxx T.C xxX
Chapter 20 – Let's get wasted!
(...Amy's P.O.V...)
It was dark and cold. Horribly dark and horribly cold.
I'd managed to force myself through the rest of the day and I'd made a (small) start on my Art project, whilst trying not to splodge my work with my tears. However, I left as soon as Cosmo entered our room. She briefly asked me if I was okay – but I raced out and pretended not to hear her. I'd found a bench which was far away from public view and I'd waited until everyone had vanished. The night had engulfed the light and I was relying on the street lamps to guide me back to the university buildings when I became tired.
As soon as the sky became pitch black, I'd started snivelling and crying.
After about half an hour of mindless sobs, I thought about the situation. I wasn't even sure what I was crying about:
Fiona Fox – I had no idea why Sonic was so secretive about her. Sure, she's a bit of a bitch but what happened between them? And why was she here, other than to get a degree? If she came with bad intentions, I feared what she was going to do to me and Sonic.
Sally Acorn– I wanted to believe that she was really trying to wipe the slate clean. I didn't want to believe Fiona. I didn't want to think that she was leading me on to get close to Sonic. But you can't kill an idea...
Blaze the cat– I felt so guilty about our argument. I didn't know what to do to make it up to her. Especially considering that she wasn't speaking to me.
Silver the hedgehog – he was still counting on me to sort things out with Blaze. He didn't know that we weren't speaking.
Cream the rabbit – I kept pushing her back and I still hadn't had the chance to hear what she wanted to tell me.
Cosmo the seedrian – the whole problem with Shadow had died down – the gang still thought that they were dating and they'd just cooled things off for Tails. But Cosmo was still tormented over the situation.
Shadow the hedgehog – he seemed to be receding. I still hadn't confronted him and apologized for everything that had happened.
Sonic the hedgehog –I'd severed the trust with him. I was furious at him...but I didn't want to lose him. We certainly weren't talking and he hadn't called. What was I going to do?! Do I pretend that I hadn't said we needed space and try to go back to normal? Or do I hold a grudge and find out what happened between him and Fiona?
So, in short, I'd fucked up pretty badly.
I'd found an old tissue in my pocket and began to rub it under my running nose. The top of my t-shirt was dotted with escaped tears that had rolled down my face and tears that I hadn't been able to catch. My arms were covered in goose bumps but I refused to return to the girls until I looked reasonable or when I knew that they would be asleep. Whichever came first.
It was quiet, if you ignored the small hum of the street lights and a low drum beat which was coming from someone's room. I glanced at my phone in the darkness and groaned when it showed 11:46 on the screen – along with a 14% battery life.
Subconsciously, I found myself scrolling through the photos on my phone. There were so many – I'd never actually taken the time to look through them all. I'd been too busy taking photos instead of looking at them.
With a sad smile, I swiped past the album called 'Best. Summer. Ever!' and paused on a photo from the end of Mobius High. It had been the last day. Our prom had been the week after the last day of school and we'd all been excited beyond belief. I'd forgotten how happy we'd been on that day – judging by the random face paint that was smeared all over the boys' faces.
I'd forgotten what we'd all been like in Mobius High...
"No point in crying over spilt milk,"
"Hey! If you've got it – flaunt it!"
'Art...with your boyfriend, Sonic xxx Rouge xxx'
"I agree with Amy. Blaze...maths isn't natural!"
"Oh c'mon! You've totally got a HUGE crush on Sonic! I want to know every detail!"
"Oh hey, lovebirds!"
"Right, my lovelies...let the game begin!"
"Cosmo likes Tails!"
"I mean, you fancy Silver!"
"Rouge...I think I love..."
"Why don't you ask Mr. Jealous?"
"What do you mean, 'what'? How old is he? How come he rides a motorbike? And I thought you liked Sonic, not him!"
"Okay, so you're going to kiss Sonic tonight, okay?"
"You...just...kissed me? Why?"
"Shadow kissed Amy!"
"What happened to us? What went wrong?"
"Sonic's your knight in shining armour! He saved you from Scourge!"
"I...need to tell you something..."
"I think I love you and I can't live without you,"
"I love you too Sonic, you idiot!"
"You're evil,"
"Miss Rose, you have no idea how evil I can be,"
"I love you, Amy Rose,"
"I love you too, Sonic the hedgehog,"
"Amy?"
I jumped, feeling startled by the person who had suddenly appeared in front of me. I hadn't heard any footsteps and I didn't assume that anyone would be skulking around the campus, excluding me.
It was Sally.
"Uh...h-hey," I gulped, quickly lowering my head and covering my face with my quills. I silently prayed that she would go away, but the bench squeaked a little as she sat down beside me.
"...what are you doing out here?" She asked, swinging her legs like a child. Her feet were poised so that her heels wouldn't scrape against the paving stones. I took the opportunity to quickly glance at her. She looked really pretty, again, just like last night. This time, she was wearing a floral dress which was mainly orange with lilies and a black waistcoat. Her hair was loose and her eyes were smoky with grey eye-make up.
I sniffed again, feeling repulsive, "Nothing, really,"
She stopped fidgeting, noticing that I was lying. Her hands were resting in her lap and she cleared her throat before speaking, "Is this about Sonic?"
"...n-no,"
A big, fat lie.
"What is it about then?" I turned towards her, swiping my thumbs under my eyes as they began to leak again. She straightened up, looking sympathetic, "Hey...it can't be that bad,"
True, it wasn't. Well, it was. And it wasn't. I prided myself on not being one of those girls who poured their lives into their relationship. I didn't think that my whole world was going to end if Sonic broke up with me or cheated on me.
And I didn't feel like that now. I just felt empty.
"...I...I think I've ruined things between me and Sonic!" I wailed, starting to bawl my eyes out in front of Sally Acorn. Two years ago, I would have feared that she would laugh at me. Now, I actually felt at peace with the idea of her seeing me cry. It made me seem less heartless. And, at that moment, I was feeling like I'd been a complete bitch to everyone.
She made a sound of pity, wrapping her arms around me and letting me cry on her shoulder. Luckily for her, I wasn't wearing mascara and didn't leave black splodges on her dress. Between weeps, I explained the story to her, from Savvy and Shadow to Sonic and Fiona.
"It's okay, sweetie," She muttered, stroking my hair, "It's okay..."
"No, Sally," I sniffed again, sitting up and wiping my eyes as she let go of me, "I've done everything wrong. It's not okay. This is my entire fault! Cosmo and Tails...Blaze and Silver...Shadow...Sonic...you! I've fucked everything up! I was in such a little bubble of innocence and naivety that I didn't notice what my actions were doing to other people!"
"I think you're being a little bit harsh..." She offered, trying to make me feel better with a small smile, "But, I don't know what happened between you and Tails, Cosmo, Silver and Blaze,"
Shit. Not again. I'd thrown myself in it again. She was waiting for me to tell her what had happened. I couldn't tell her. Not after everything that I'd already ruined. I couldn't mess up again. I respected my friends' privacy, if nothing else.
I opened my mouth to cover up my mistake when we heard a cluster of voices getting louder. There was a loud cheer which could only be recognised as Knuckles' yell. Another small laugh came from Silver and Tails' replied with something inaudible. I even heard Shadow chuckle, surprisingly. I gawped at Sally with wide eyes and she stared back at me, looking vaguely panicked.
I heard the unmistakable sound of Sonic's voice.
(...Sonic's P.O.V...)
*Earlier*
"Come on, Sonic," Silver consoled me, half heartedly, before lightly punching my arm. He knew not to really piss me off, or I might rip his head off.
Tails sank into the sofa, next to me, "Think about what you told me. You just need to talk to her. That's all that can be done. But there's no point in beating yourself up about it. Try and act like nothing happened,"
"Jeez, is he still cut up about Amy dumping him?" Knuckles sighed, tactlessly. Tails and Silver leapt back, just in case I decided to rip the echidna's head off. I chose not to – but I did give him the angriest glare that I could muster.
"Watch it, Knucklehead," I threatened, darkly, "I'm really not in the fucking mood,"
"Meh," Knuckles didn't look at all worried as he gestured at my bandages, "You can't do anything. You're injured. But, I'm sorry, dude. Didn't mean to upset you,"
I settled for that apology, tearing my glare away from him and listening as Silver and Tails let out a sigh of relief.
"Now I understand what you guys feel like," I muttered to the silver hedgehog and the orange fox. They lowered their heads, wearing sad looks. I felt guilty, wishing that I hadn't said that.
Silver was the first one to snap back to his normal mood, "Look, Amy didn't actually say that it was over. You're just assuming that she has dumped you. She probably hasn't. You know how much she loves you,"
I sighed, hoping that he was right. Shadow entered the room, shrugging out of his leather jacket and wearing a mildly concerned expression.
"What's happened now?" He frowned, tossing his coat onto his bed.
"Amy's dumped Sonic," Knuckles blurted out, earning a furious glare from Silver and a silent death threat from me.
Shadow raised his eyebrows, looking genuinely shocked. I glowered, daring him to comment.
"Oh,"
That's all he had to say on the matter. That was all he said.
Still, it was better than Knuckles' reaction.
"I have a great idea," The echidna stated, attracting mixed responses. Silver's ears perked up, along with Tails – but Shadow and I just glared at him. At this rate, Shadow was going to earn his own blue twin, "Why don't we go into the town, find a club, and just get absolutely wasted?"
I roared with laughter, but it was the kind of laugh which made you feel terrified rather than happy, "You've got to be kidding me! How would that help any of us? We're all feeling depressed – except for you, Mr-Rouge's-eye-candy,"
He rolled his eyes at me, not even killing me for insulting his friendship/relationship with Rouge, "Hear me out, would ya? You're right – you're all feeling upset and utterly annoyed. What better way to forget about it for one night by drinking your sorrows away, dancing and possibly getting laid?"
"Okay, firstly, I won't be looking forward to the terrible hangover which we'll have tomorrow morning. Secondly, we're not in Ibiza. This place is hardly cramped with clubs. Thirdly, we're upset because we've been dumped or rejected. How the hell would 'getting laid' help us get back with our girlfriends/crushes? It would make everything ten times worse!"
"Right, Mr-'Shadow-number-2', firstly, the hangover is worth it. Secondly, I know of at least one good club that I've been to. Thirdly, I never said you had to get laid! It was just a suggestion!"
"Enough with the debate!" Silver snapped, rubbing his temples and accidentally causing the drinks to rattle as he yelled, thanks to his powers. We waited, patiently, for him to continue, "We shall have a vote. Tails?"
"I'm in," He shrugged, casually, despite the fact that he'd never been clubbing in his entire life. Admittedly, neither had I, "What else would we do? Mope around the place and feel even worse,"
"I'm in, too," Silver added, agreeing with Tails by nodding as he spoke.
Knuckles smirked, turning to me and Shadow, "Well, what do you two think?"
I glanced at Shadow, who wore a blank expression. A frustrated sigh escaped my lips as I rolled my eyes, "Fine. Count me in,"
"I suppose I'm going to have to help you get home when you're so drunk that you can barely stand," Shadow moaned, grumpily.
"That's why we hang out with you!" Knuckles joked, backing down when Shadow folded his arms and emitted a soft growl, "Heh heh...just kidding,"
"Come on. Let's go. Before Shadow kills Knuckles or the club closes," Silver suggested, forcing a smile and heading towards the door. I followed after him, with Tails on my heels, and shot a glance at the red echidna.
At least Knuckles was excited.
(...)
"I'm telling ya! It was awesome! She managed to pull some strings and all our drinks were free! You have to try the beer! It's bloody brilliant!"
I had managed to tune out Knuckles' rambling for most of the way here, but after a while, he'd begun to get so excited and so loud that it was impossible to ignore him. Apparently, it had been ages since 'the boys had fought back' and we all needed this. Or, what he was trying to say was that Knuckles had tried a beer with Rouge and suddenly wanted to try it again.
"And this was on your date with Rouge?" Tails asked, snickering with Silver after he embarrassed Knuckles.
The echidna blushed, heavily, before quietening down in an instant, "Not a date! Did I say date in any of that sentence? No I did not! Why on earth would you assume that it was a date?!"
"Lemme guess," Tails stroked his chin, mockingly, "You. And Rouge. Alone. Dancing. In a club. Getting a bit drunk. Dancing...kissing...maybe even more than kissing..."
I shot Tails a shocked glance. Jeez, Tails – when the hell did you get so...mature...
"No way!" Knuckles' muzzle was even redder than his fur, "We're just friends! If that! She's an annoying bat girl who can't keep her hands of guys. Why would I crush on someone like that?"
"Because you liiiiike her!" Silver sang, before hiccuping, making me wonder if he'd already had something to drink. Or if he just had a naturally drunk personality.
Shadow smirked, "He's got you there,"
"No! He has definitely not got me! He's nowhere close to getting me!" Knuckles skulked further ahead, whilst sulking. We all looked at each other with a knowing look. He definitely had a crush on her. Or was starting to, at the least.
"He's definitely got you there!" I called out to the enraged echidna, smirking when he grumbled to himself. I caught the words: 'Stupid hedgehog...gonna kill him...'
"You've cheered up;" Silver slung one arm around my shoulder, casually, "Feelin' okay?"
"...hmm..."
Not in the slightest, Silver. Not in the slightest...
(...Fiona's P.O.V...)
I had given Bunnie my darkest glare when she burst into the room, without knocking. Myself and a certain green hedgehog hadn't gone past kissing, at that moment, but his hands had been wandering dangerously close to the buttons on my top. My back was pressed up against the wall and the sexual tension between us was electric. Until we were interrupted.
"Sorry!" She yelled, flushing red and slamming the door behind her. Scourge didn't seem to really care if she was watching – his tongue refused to let me break away from his kiss.
In the end, I had to smack his chest in order to prise him off of me. He moaned – partially in pain, partially in disappointment and partially in arousal – but stepped back and allowed me to head towards the door.
"Really? Now?" His finger hooked around my jeans and he pulled me back into his arms, "But things were just starting to get interesting...and you look so sexy, Fi..."
I batted him away, but my mouth had curled up into a smile, "As much as making out with you is fun, Scourge, I need to keep my head in the game. And besides, this might be my only change to mess with Sonic,"
"Fine," He muttered, sadistically grinning, "I can see why blue liked you. He doesn't know how to handle you, though,"
"And you do?" I laughed, turning on my heel and opening the door – wondering what chances were awaiting me.
(...Sally's P.O.V...)
The boys had moved on, without them noticing us. Amy seemed to be holding her breath for the entire time and I only spoke when their voices were inaudible.
"Listen," I soothed, "I think you just need to let things cool off. Take some time away from the romance with Sonic. Focus on sorting things out with your friends. But don't let Fiona get between you and Sonic. She's always been causing trouble, in the time that I've known her,"
She nodded, letting her quills swing back and forth as she thought about it. I smiled, leaning back into the bench and glancing at her when she straightened up before asking, "Wait, where have you met Fiona?"
Shit. Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit!
I couldn't meet Amy's eyes as I tried to think of an explanation. Mina had given me three rules which we were both meant to abide by:
Number One: Don't let on to anyone that I've made an alliance with Mina.
Number Two: Whatever happens, don't let on that I know what happened between Sonic and Fiona.
Number Three: Don't be swayed into falling for Sonic again. Our mission is to stop Fiona from breaking up Amy and Sonic.
And in less than a day, I'd already broken rule number two.
Brilliant.
I paused for a moment, with my lips parted, scanning through believable excuses that didn't involve the real truth. The best I could come up with was that I'd heard about Fiona...but that was weird, at best.
Cha-ching.
I frowned, digging through my clutch bag and locating my phone.
Text Message: Mina
Sally, I've just seen Fiona head out of the university. I don't know where she's going but I have a bad feeling about it. Scourge isn't with her, which means she isn't just heading out somewhere, casually. Bunnie's here but she won't tell me where Fiona has gone. I don't think she trusts me. I don't know what to do. I heard something about Sonic going clubbing. Do you know if Amy's with them?
M.M
"Sally?"
No. Amy was most certainly not with them.
"Yeah?" I tried to hide my panic, grinning at Amy with a forced smile. She looked doubtful but decided not to say anything.
"How do you know about Fiona, then?"
I gulped, taking a deep breath and tossing my head back, "Well...uh...Sonic's...mentioned her. I mean, I have no idea what happened between them but he did say that she used to be his girlfriend and that she was trouble. This was when we were...uh...you know, still talking,"
"...right," She turned away, bobbing her head back and forth in a nod. She still didn't sound sure, "You don't know what happened between Sonic and Fiona?"
"No, sorry," I replied, desperately wanting to tell her what I knew. Maybe Sonic would tell her, if I didn't. Or Tails might tell her. He knew what happened. He was a big part of this. But, if he had seen Fiona, I highly doubted that he would be thinking about Amy. He was probably crying, bless him.
"Okay. Well, thanks for comforting me, Sally," Amy smiled, weakly, but her voice sounded dull and weak. I blamed it on the sobs but I feared that she knew I was lying.
I forced a laugh, shrugging it off, as I stood up and tucked a stray strand of hair behind my ear, "No problem. I couldn't let a girl sit and cry in the dark. Especially when she's my friend,"
That comment looked like it stung her, even though it was meant to make her feel better, "Right. By the way, I didn't get the chance to ask...why are you dressed up so nicely?"
"Oh," I felt unbelievably shy as I fought the urge to blush, "No reason. I just like to look smart when I go out,"
"In high heels and a beautiful dress? I highly doubt that you 'popped to the shops' in that outfit,"
She had me there.
"I was meeting someone, okay?" I smirked, acting like a little school girl with a huge crush. Perhaps I still was one. It still didn't change my feelings for him.
I hadn't felt this way since Sonic the hedgehog came into my life.
"I'm going to take a wild guess and say that you were on a date?" Amy, just for a moment, wore a small smile before sniffing to clear her nose, "Is this the same guy who went to your last school?"
"Enough about me!" I quipped, trying to direct the attention off of my love life, "What are you going to do about Sonic?"
Her momentary smile was replaced with a sigh, "I don't know. Maybe I should give him some space. I mean, I was pretty harsh. I'm probably just being stupidly paranoid about Fiona. Maybe we can go back to normal in a couple of days?"
Back to normal?
What?
I thought the reason that she was crying was because she'd broken up with him?
Maybe she hadn't intended to. What if Sonic thought she had...?
"Amy...are you sure that Sonic doesn't think that you've broken up?"
She lowered her head, allowing her lips to break apart in surprise, "Broken up...? Why would he assume that?"
"You did say that you didn't want to see him, indirectly,"
"Oh no... I didn't mean it like that! I was angry at him. I mean, I know I said...oh god...that's...oh HELL! You're right. He probably thinks that. What do I do?! I didn't mean it like that! Well, I did...but not permanently...I just wanted space! I just wanted space to think! Just for a bit...oh shit!"
"I'm sorry...but I don't know..." I felt guilty about having no idea what advice to offer, "I have no experience with these kinds of things. Maybe you should talk to him?"
"Mm...maybe," After a small shiver from the cold, she tossed her hair over her shoulder and looked up at me, "Sometimes, I really think that life would be a hell of a lot easier if I was single. Or...if I just hadn't fallen for him..."
"...Amy..."
"I've gotta go," She stood up, abruptly, not even wanting me to try and change her mind, "Thank you, Sally. I'll see you around,"
I watched her leave with a soft expression, wanting to run up to her and force her to listen to me. But I didn't. I simply sighed and let her walk away.
(...Sonic's P.O.V...)
"Jeesh, it even makes me feel sick, watching those two," Shadow moaned, leaning against the bar with a sour expression. I chuckled, not bothering to turn around as I downed the last of my beer. The bartender was probably hating us at the moment, what with Knuckles demanding more and more pints and Silver with his...mediocre...dancing. Despite Knuckles' advice, I had spent the whole evening with Shadow, drinking glass after glass of surprisingly mellow beer.
"Yep...well...Knuckles was right about one thing,"
"Hmm? What's that?"
"The beer is actually pretty good here!"
Shadow smirked before laughing. I raised an eyebrow and silently wondered if he'd had a sly gulp of alcohol when I wasn't looking.
"There's a thing called...'moderation'. I don't think Silver and Knuckles have heard of it," Shadow sighed, running a hand through his dark quills. I nodded, spinning on my heel and resting my back against the bar. As predicted, Silver and Knuckles were in the corner, surrounded by people, as they chugged back shots. I assumed that it was a contest and Knuckles appeared to be winning.
"My sorrows haven't been drowned away but I think I'm gonna have a horrible hangover tomorrow," I mumbled, speaking to myself rather than Shadow – but he decided to comment, anyway.
"Sorrows? Oh," He paused for a moment, "How bad was it with her?"
"Preeetty bad. At least she didn't slap me. I guess that would've been worse,"
"By the sounds of it, I think she was pretty close to slapping you,"
I didn't comment, scratching the back of my head whilst clutching the beer bottle with my other hand, "Any helpful advice, Shads?"
"I don't know. Talk to her," He didn't even bother to tell me off about the nickname.
"That's what Tails said. But I think it might be better if I leave her to cool off for a while,"
"No. That's just putting it off. You need to talk to her, ideally, tomorrow,"
"Tomorrow?!"
"You heard me,"
"That's too soon!"
"And if you found her cheating on you with Scourge? With Jet?" I knew that he wanted to add 'with me' but he shut up after that comment, "Wouldn't you want to hear what she had to say?"
"I guess. But the difference is: I'm not cheating on her. Honest. It was a stupid fling and it happened years ago. It was before I'd met Amy. Before I'd even met you! Hell, it was before I'd even met Sally! And anyway, it was nothing special,"
"Really?"
I couldn't meet his gaze, "Well, it wasn't anything permanent. I can tell you that,"
"Don't tell me. Tell Amy,"
"Yeah, well, I'm not particularly in a hurry to speak with her. Especially when Fiona's up to something and I have no fucking idea what it is,"
"How do you know that she's up to something?"
"You've met her," I waited for him to nod before continuing, "She has this look in her eyes. She's never relaxed or casual. She's always calculating what she can get out of you. Always working out how to ruin you. Always finding your weaknesses,"
"Something tells me that you have a deeper relationship with her than you like to admit,"
I shook my head, roughly, "No. Not anymore. Maybe, a few years ago. Not now though. I hate her,"
Shadow sighed, "She sounds charming,"
"That's the thing, though. She is. You're lulled into a false sense of security when she's around. She'll flirt with you – put you under her spell - and then BAM! She breaks your heart and walks away, laughing,"
"Sonic..." I met his gaze, scanning his blood red eyes, "Did you love her?"
"Shut up," My reply was rough and I tried to convince him that I wasn't in the mood to talk about it.
"No, it's important. She broke your heart, didn't she?"
"I said shut up,"
"Sonic..."
"...I said..."
"What did she do?!"
"SHUT UP!"
I fled out of the backdoor, knowing that he was staring at me – along with the rest of the club. The music was still playing and there were hushed conversations but I could see them watching me. I was suddenly reminded of my first day at Mobius High, when I'd met Sally. People had been staring at me then. But now, I was too drunk to safely run away and I was starting to feel queasy.
My stumbled steps out of the club were a complete blur.
(...FLASHBACK...)
I was starting to feel emptier and emptier by the second. I wanted nothing more than to be able to get out of this place and run for a few laps to let off steam.
But I wasn't at home and I certainly wasn't letting off steam.
Thing's hadn't been going the way that I'd planned. I thought, with a lot of confidence, I'd be able to make friends in no time. I'd always been a naturally confident person and I'd been fairly popular at my last school. Sure, I'd been a bit of an outcast when it came to having 'best friends' – but I had always been invited to the main parties and I was liked by a lot of people.
This school was different.
Everyone was in their own group and they weren't looking to expand. My first class had been the worst. It didn't help that I hated Physics, granted, but I would have hated the lesson, no matter what subject it was. I'd been dumped on a desk where I was by myself – and the people around me didn't even glance at me. I felt completely humiliated, especially since I'd entered the class with a positive attitude.
At least it had gotten slightly better at lunch.
I had been telling myself to ignore the stares as I bumbled into the canteen. The looks were starting to make me feel nervous and I felt like they were going to devour me in a second. The whispers from the kids were making me tense and I considered taking my lunch and eating on the field – even though it was freezing out there.
Hadn't they ever seen a hedgehog before?
I glanced around, wondering if I could perch on the edge of someone's table. A group of kids in the far corner were doing their best not to stare at me – which I was grateful for. One of them did look up, an orange fox, and he gave me a broad smile. I grinned back but decided not to approach them. Their table looked full enough already and a couple of them made me nervous.
So, I was back to square one. With nowhere to sit. I was still being analyzed by my fellow peers and I still felt like a circus act. To my right, a group of girls were giggling at me, almost coyly – but one of them on the end, a chipmunk, was simply looking at me with curiosity. I grinned at her, warmly, and felt better when she returned the smile. Plucking up my small amount of remaining courage, I stepped towards her.
"Is anyone sitting here?" I called, hating how I sounded. Desperate. Lonely. Stupid.
She looked past me and to the right, staring at the table where the orange fox sat. I waited for her reply and plonked myself down when she shook her head. I glugged down my drink, hoping to cool myself down. My cheeks were on fire and I felt like I was going to lose my mind from all this attention. The lasagne was greasy and limp but I tried to finish it. No use fighting on an empty stomach.
The girl opposite gave me a brief glance before also continuing to eat her lunch. She was cute, I had to admit. No doubt, she had a boyfriend. I wasn't going to start trying to get close to her in the hope of a relationship. After what happened at Knothole School, I wasn't looking for a girlfriend. But I was looking for a friend.
"So...you're Sonic, right?" My attention was drawn to the people who I had sat next to. A grey tabby cat was speaking to me in a harsh manner, making me feel uncomfortable. The friendly girl had tensed up and I got the feeling that she didn't like the cat either.
"That's me..." My reply was quiet but the cat seemed pleased. With a smirk, she lent forward, waiting for me to say something else. I offered her a weak smile, which didn't seem to satisfy her, and she slammed back into her seat, disappointedly. I tried to ignore her, looking back at the chipmunk.
She was staring in the other direction – at another table. I followed her gaze and was surprised to see that she was looking at the table with the fox. Four of them had turned round and were looking at me – making me squirm. One of them, a grey hedgehog, gave me a wave and I felt obliged to return it. The other three, however, were sending blank looks.
I turned back to the chipmunk, who was cupping her face with her hands and staring in the other direction. She was cute – no denying it. Her auburn hair was cut quite short – but it was thick and the fringe was stylishly falling in front of her eyes. Through the strands of red hair, I stared at her baby blue eyes which were clouded over in thought.
"What's your name?" I blurted out, before wishing that I hadn't said anything to the chipmunk. She was also looking at the other table and didn't seem to hear me, which made me want to cover my face in shame, "Uh...hey?"
Her eyes snapped back to me, looking startled. I blinked, innocently, before saying again, "I was just asking...what's your name?"
"Oh..." She looked sweet when she blushed, as she looked away in embarrassment. I smiled, silently urging her to answer, "I'm...Sally. Sally Acorn. I didn't know that you were the new guy. I didn't even know that we had a new kid here,"
"Ah...well," I didn't meet Sally's eyes, looking down at my food tray. This was the last thing that I wanted to talk about. The whole reason that I wanted to move schools. No, that I needed to move schools, "I moved here really quickly, without warning. Something happened at my last school. I...needed a new start,"
And I also needed to get away from a certain fox.
(...END OF FLASHBACK...)
I didn't trust myself to get back to the university using my super speed. My senses were disorientated and I was feeling a little sick. Who knows where I could end up or what could happen to me? I was better off just walking through the town back to the university.
Trudging along, my feet were dragging behind me and I felt tired. If I jogged, I feared that I might throw up and I didn't want to have to deal with that. The road was strangely quiet – possibly because it was about 1:00 in the morning – and even though I hadn't had as much to drink as Knuckles and Silver, I felt pretty hammered.
My head was hung low and I wasn't really paying attention to anything else but walking. I vaguely heard my phone chime with a text and I just about managed to unlock it and read it.
New message from Tails
Sonic, Fiona's here! Where are you!?
Abruptly, my legs came to a halt and I nearly fell flat on my face. The light from the cell phone was flashing at me, irritatingly, as I read the message again and again. Everything was silent until...
Clack. Clack. Clack. Clack.
I knew that those high heels could be anyone, but at that moment, I thought my fears had become a reality. Fiona owned a pair of beautiful red high heels – I knew because I'd fallen for her the first time I met her – and she had been wearing them. I looked up and saw a flash of red but when I collapsed onto the ground, the heels that came running up to me, were black.
I passed out, cradled in someone's arms, with red hair tickling my neck.
(...Fiona's P.O.V...)
*A few minutes ago*
My confidence was positively oozing from me and I had no fears as I strutted towards the club. Bunnie had finally come through – Sonic was probably getting drunk and he would be in the palm of my hand. Maybe a couple of pictures of me and Sonic would 'somehow' fall into Amy's possession and everything would be over between them.
I gained a couple of glances from strangers who were hanging around outside the club, as I ran a hand through my hair and pulled my top down, lower. I pressed my lips together and pushed my bra up – hoping to increase the prominence of my chest. It had certainly worked with Scourge. It would definitely work with Sonic.
I threw the doors open, attracting attention from mainly everyone. The only person who didn't turn round was a familiar-looking (and kind of sexy) red and black hedgehog. My brain suddenly reminded me of Sonic. I winked at the crowd, before storming over to the hedgehog. Maybe Sonic had suddenly decided to dye his quills black...I wouldn't put anything past that sentimental hog...
My hand landed on his shoulder, pulling him round to face me. He grabbed my wrists in the blink of an eye, applying pressure to my skin and making me hiss in discomfort. I glared into his eyes but his crimson gaze showed no emotion.
This wasn't Sonic.
His mouth curved up into a sarky smile, "Expecting someone else?"
...To be continued...