"Yeah, I've cried about it before. But my best friends were always there, not Sonic the Hedgehog." -Amy Rose
[3rd person...]
The low rumbling of the car brought Amy out of her peaceful slumber. She had fallen asleep while thinking of what happened on ARK. "Amy," Rouge's soft voice said beside her. "We're here, doll."
Amy sat up straight and looked out the window of the vehicle. Her jade eyes widened in spite of her tiredness from just waking up.
A banner-enormous and stretched out wide across the expansion of a large porch-stood in her immediate view. It hung from a dimly lit deck against a dark and very large house. A mansion? But Amy couldn't be sure.
"W-where are we?" Amy stuttered. She rubbed her tired eyes, wondering if she was still asleep. Rouge seemed miffed. "It's obvious, isn't it?" she chided. "What's that sign over there say? 'Happy 13th Birthday, Amy Rose!', right?"
Amy nodded, by impulse. Of course that's what it said.
"B-but I thought...I was sure..." Amy stopped in her sentence. She swiveled her head to stare at the presents she herself had helped carry, in the back seat of her own car, their presence having a new meaning. They weren't the result of Rouge's mindless shopping, but everyone's shopping done by one person. Everyone's birthday presents for Amy Rose.
Rouge smiled as comprehension dawned on the hedgehog's face. But she frowned when Amy began to silently sob. She wasn't sure what to do; she'd never started to cry when people bought her nice things.
"Amy?" she asked, hesitant. Would she make it worse if she tried to comfort her?
"I-I'm sorry," Amy blubbered. She wiped her eyes and cheeks with the back of one hand. "I just-I never knew everyone cared so much." She gave a loud sniff, sucking up all her doubts and pain from earlier. "You of all people, Rouge. You remembered my birthday. I bet you orchestrated the whole party thing, huh?" She smiled, her red eyes giving her the look of a scolded child who'd received a treat as an apology.
Rouge looked dumbfounded for a moment. "No, actually. Sonic said-"
"Sonic!" Amy interjected. "Sonic did all this?" She turned to stare at the wide banner again. "For me?"
Her heart skipped a beat, and ran ramped in her chest. Perhaps there was hope for the two of them, then, after all the talk and chasing.
Rouge was unaware of the reaction however, and took no time at all in crushing Amy's only dream. "Sonic said someone sent him the idea. Some guy called 'Mang Eg'. Weird huh?"
Amy Rose tried to look indifferent as that sunk in. She tried to fight the tears back. She bit her lip. She was stronger than this. This couldn't get her down, not tonight.
"Are you crying?" Rouge sounded revolted. "Again!"
Amy touched her cheek. Hot and wet, tears were there, showing her weakness to one of the few people she tried to look strong for. "No," she lied anyway.
Rouge sighed. "It's okay, Doll." She got out of the car and reached back to take about half the gifts. "Come on, they're waiting for us. Clean up your face."
Amy complied, reaching into her glove box for a tissue. The air was colder now, blowing errant winds that seemed ominous to the teen girl. Amy looked around her as she walked, paranoid. She listened to Rouge's footsteps to find her way; she couldn't see around the presents all wrapped in varying shades of pink and red. One stood out, emerald green. Who was that one from? she wondered.
The porch creaked under Rouge's and Amy's weight. Amy thought Rouge had glanced back at her, grinning, before she opened the brown door, but the presents still blocked her view.
