A Love Like Never Before: The Shadow and The Shrek.

Chapter 6: Give It Your All.

Shadow walked that afternoon out of school confused upon not seeing Shrek take his usual route home. She seemed concerned, as the school principal had called for at least two shelters in place. Did Shrek get taken to the hospital that day? No matter how much she wondered, the idea of Shrek falling on his back was unrealistic to her. Maybe something else happened? Shadow wanted to know.

That's when she heard Sonic's call from behind her pointy wolf-like ears, "Shadow! Shadow, girl c'mere!"

Something within her refused to turn around and face the friend she hasn't talked to in a while. She did not hold a grudge, nor any sort of resentment towards Sonic, a feeling within her did not desire to exchange words with her friend. Unknowingly, she turned around and responded to Sonic's calls however.

"Shadow, how are you? We haven't talked in a while, you haven't even texted me, see?" Sonic took out her iPhone 14 Pro and showed Shadow an empty list in their chatroom. Sonic never sent her a text asking how she was doing either.

The audacity of this b*tch. Shadow thought to herself as Sonic glanced at her quietly.

How many times before did Sonic never seem concerned about Shadow's emotions? How about the time during last summer in Helltown where Shadow was severely beaten up by Fionna and her friends and was left there to rot, even when Sonic passed right in front of her, she never helped Shadow back on her feet. That day, that terribly hot day, Shadow was taken to the hospital and no one payed her a visit. 

"Oh yeah, I heard about what happened this morning, crazy stuff, I'm super glad you were able to stand up for yourself! Everyone's talking about your 'glow-up' and stuff." Sonic said and then slowly murmured.

"Like it matters," Shadow turned around to leave, "I gotta go you see, got some stuff to do."

"Why are you leaving so quickly? Is something wrong?"

"Nothing really."

"Oh, by the way, Fionna asked you if you wanted to come with us and have a drink?" Sonic offered.

"I'll pass." Shadow knew that if she were to go, Fionna would be up to something. 

What a master manipulator, inviting Sonic to the hangout in order to get me to go.

Just like that, Shadow strolled away after saying her goodbyes. Sonic wondered what had gotten into her, why was she so mean all of the sudden? Just yesterday, she was the nicest girl she had ever seen, but there was something of a fire that caused her to act like this?  Sonic felt nothing but as if a bullet went straight through her heart. And so, she left.

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Two days later, Shrek was finally let out of the hospital and allowed to resume his normal going to school. To his surprise, nothing changed and everything remained the same upon entering the building. However, Coach Mr. Clean had requested him to come into his office to talk about his two missing days. 

Oh goodness, I told dad I couldn't afford being at the hospital, now I'm in trouble.

Down the hallways Shrek went, nothing new nor old was to be seen. The pictures that hung above the lockers of 'exemplary' students shone with the dim white light of the hallways. The loud noises of the students that talked about their personal lives with huge pride, and finally he saw Shadow on her unusual style that everyone was now used to see.

Shrek stopped for a second, glanced at her, and found himself unable to choose whether to go up to her and chat or just keep going. He knew that someone might be watching them. Maybe the entire school, so he chose not to talk to her and kept walking.