a hedgehogs unlikely crush

ch 36

Later that night, Sonic showed up at Meh Burger with Amy in tow, bursting through the doors in a whirlwind of his usual dramatic flair. He had spent hours trying to come up with the perfect way to show Shadow up, to outclass him in front of Amy and Perci. But when he walked in, all his confidence drained away in an instant.

Sitting at a table near the window was Shadow, looking sharp in a full black suit and pants—something Sonic would've never expected. And beside him was Perci, stunning in a beautiful, flowy dress that made Sonic gulp in frustration. Amy, dressed in a cute, formal outfit, shot Sonic a confused glance.

"Uh, Sonic," she started, "weren't we supposed to dress up?"

Sonic's face flushed red as he realized he was the only one not wearing anything formal. His usual sneakers and casual attire suddenly felt more ridiculous than ever. He had thought his usual carefree style would be enough to charm Amy—but now, standing in front of a suited-up Shadow, he looked like he had just rolled out of bed.

Shadow's smug grin practically radiated superiority. He leaned back in his chair, cool and composed, one arm resting around Perci's waist. Perci, with a playful smile on her face, was seated comfortably on his lap, while Shadow nonchalantly fed her pieces of a Meh Burger. Every now and then, Perci would giggle, completely relaxed and enjoying the attention.

Amy blinked, her eyes softening as she saw how sweet and romantic it looked. "Oh wow, that's... really cute," she said, her voice filled with admiration. Shadow didn't just seem like the perfect gentleman—he was the perfect gentleman.

Sonic, already feeling out of place, panicked. He couldn't let Shadow win this easily. "Hey, Amy," he said, trying to sound as suave as possible, "why don't you, uh, sit on my lap too?"

Amy's eyebrows shot up, surprised at the sudden suggestion. "Sonic... what?"

Sonic, desperately trying to salvage the situation, pulled out a chair for Amy and motioned for her to sit—completely missing the point of what was romantic. Amy sat down, but it was clear she was confused. "Are you trying to outdo Shadow?" she asked, half-laughing.

Across the table, Shadow gave Sonic a cold, unimpressed glare. "Nice try, Sonic," Shadow sneered. "But feeding someone fast food isn't exactly the definition of romance." He punctuated the moment by feeding Perci another bite, earning another soft giggle from her.

Sonic's eye twitched, trying to come up with something to get Amy's attention. He grabbed a Meh Burger from the tray and, with a grin, held it out to her. "Want a bite?"

Amy stared at the burger, then back at Sonic, who looked more like a kid offering a snack than someone trying to be romantic. "Uh... thanks, Sonic," she said hesitantly, taking a small bite to be polite. "But, you know, you don't have to try so hard."

"Yeah, Sonic," Shadow chimed in, his tone dripping with mockery. "Why don't you just relax? You're making a fool of yourself."

Sonic's fists clenched, his frustration bubbling over. He could feel the weight of Amy's eyes on him, and the way Shadow looked at him like he was some pathetic joke only made it worse. "I'm not trying to make a fool of myself!" he snapped, glaring at Shadow.

Shadow, still calm as ever, smirked. "Could've fooled me. You look like a damn idiot right now."

Sonic growled, his competitive spirit flaring again. "Oh yeah? You think you're better just because you're all dressed up and acting like you own the place?"

Shadow didn't even flinch. "I don't think I'm better, Sonic. I know I am." His hand moved to gently adjust Perci's hair, showing her nothing but care, and she responded with a warm smile, clearly enjoying the attention.

Sonic stood up abruptly, fists balled. "This is bullshit!" he shouted. "You're not that great, Shadow. You think just sitting there, acting all 'romantic,' makes you better than me? I can be just as good, even better!"

Shadow narrowed his eyes, his calm demeanor finally cracking slightly. "Romance isn't a damn competition, Sonic. And if you think pulling shit like that is going to impress Amy, you're wrong. Acting like a fool doesn't make you charming—it makes you look pathetic."

Amy, watching the tension rise between them, sighed. "Sonic, please. This isn't what I wanted tonight. I thought we were here to enjoy ourselves, not have another pissing contest."

But Sonic wasn't listening anymore. He was too wrapped up in his rivalry with Shadow to care about Amy's feelings at that moment. "I'm not gonna lose to you," he spat, his pride too bruised to back down.

Shadow's eyes darkened, his patience running thin. "I've already won, Sonic. The moment you walked in here, you lost." His voice was cold and sharp, every word hitting like a dagger.

Sonic's frustration boiled over, but before he could fire back, Perci leaned into Shadow's ear and whispered something. Whatever she said made Shadow relax again. He gave Sonic one last dismissive glance, then turned his full attention back to Perci, lifting her off his lap so they could sit properly side by side.

Sonic seethed, feeling utterly humiliated. No matter what he tried, Shadow always seemed to have the upper hand. And the worst part? Amy wasn't even mad at Shadow—she was more disappointed in him.

As they sat back down, Amy gave Sonic a tired look. "Maybe next time, we just... take it easy, huh?"

Sonic, still fuming, just crossed his arms and muttered under his breath. He knew this night was over for him, but he wasn't going to forget this. Shadow may have outclassed him tonight, but this wasn't the end. Not by a long shot.