Amy stepped into her bedroom and closed the door. She leaned against it, breathing heavily, before slowly sliding to the floor, pulling her knees up to her chest. Tears came to her eyes and cascaded down her cheeks like a waterfall.

"It can't be true." she whispered. "It-it just can't be true." But a small voice in her head told her it WAS true. After all, hadn't she heard it with her own two ears? And those girls in the smoothie bar had seemed so certain. Not to mention the other thing...

Her tears increased, and she closed her eyes as the memory returned.

FLASHBACK

"So, Keslie, I suppose you've heard about that Sonic fangirl, Amy Rose?" the turquoise mouse whispered to her friend. Amy's ears twitched slightly. While she knew it was rude to eavesdrop, she was sitting at the table behind them, so she couldn't help overhearing. She took another sip of her kiwi smoothie, and tried not to look as though she was listening.

"No," confessed the puce squirrel, "but I'm listening."

"Well, far be it for me to gossip," said the mouse, in a tone that implied that gossiping was a hobby of hers, "but it seems that Sonic...well...thinks she's a nightmare."

"A nightmare?"

"Yes. Of course, I can't say I'm surprised, the way she's always following him around. Apparently, he can't stand her, and he's sick of her following him. In fact, I heard that he said if he sees her again...well, I'd better not say it."

"C'mon, Jacqueline, spill the beans." Keslie urged.

"OK. Apparently, if he sees her again...he's going to leave her to be captured by Eggman."

"NO!"

"Yes."

Amy froze. No, it couldn't be true. It had to be a lie. And yet... they seemed so, well, sure. And it fitted in with what had happened...

Her thoughts were interrupted by the realisation that the girls had started speaking again.

"Are you sure it's not just another rumour?" Keslie asked.

"Positive." nodded Jacqueline. "I heard it from Toby, and since when has he been wrong about anything?"

"Well, there was that time he told you that lime-green bodysuit looked good on you."

"That was just one time."

"Or that time he told you that there were celebrities in the park, and they were just look-alikes. And the time he convinced you that platform shoes would help your balance. And how about that time..."

"OK, knock it off!"

Amy was no longer listening. Abandoning her smoothie, she paid the bill, and headed out of the bar, back to the apartment she shared with Sonic and Tails. Today, the walk back, normally half an hour, seemed so much longer, and she felt as though someone had replaced her bones with iron rods.

END FLASHBACK

Amy ran her hands through her hair, and choked back a sob. While she would admit that she could be a little, well, annoying, she had never thought that Sonic HATED her. Not until today. She desperately wanted to believe that it WAS a lie, but she just couldn't. Not after...

Another sob rose in her throat. It had been only yesterday. She had been following Sonic, as usual, but he had seemed less willing to tolerate her presence than usual.

FLASHBACK

"Sonic! Wait for me!" Amy yelled as she ran after the speedy blue hedgehog.

Sonic turned around, and his eyes widened with shock. "A-A-A-Amy! Er-er-go away!"

Amy felt rather shocked at this rudeness, but she wasn't the type to let it put her off the pursuit of the one she loved, so she kept at it. While she wasn't as fast as him, she was still able to keep him in her sights.

After a while, she notice him starting to lose speed, allowing her to catch up to him. "Sonikku!" she squealed, glomping him. As she did, however, the package he had been carrying, which she hadn't noticed until now, fell to the ground. There was a loud smashing noise.

Sonic stared dumbly at it for a few seconds, then picked it up and shook it. There was a horrible tinkling sound, like broken glass.

Amy had a feeling she had broken something important. "Sonic, I..." she began. Before she could finish, Sonic turned around and screamed at her.

"AMY! I TOLD YOU TO GO AWAY! NOW LOOK WHAT YOU'VE DONE!"

Amy gasped and took a step backwards - he had never yelled at her before, no matter how frustrated he may have been. "Sonic, p-please." she whimpered, tears welling up in her eyes.

"I'VE HAD ENOUGH OF THIS! YOU'RE ALWAYS FOLLOWING ME! NOW I HAVE TO SEE IF THIS CAN BE REPLACED!

Amy winced, as though she had been physically slapped. "Do-do you want me to come with you?"

"NO! NOW GET IT INTO YOUR HEAD AND LEAVE ME ALONE!"

And with that he had zipped off, leaving Amy alone with her tears.

END FLASHBACK

Amy took several deep breathes, and managed to get her misery under control. Sonic had been angry at her, but until she had heard the girls in the bar confirm it, she had thought he'd forgive her by the end of the week. Now she saw there was absolutely no chance whatsoever of that happening.

"Well," she whispered to herself, "if he really does HATE me, then there's no point hanging around here. I'll...I'll run away. Then he'll never have to see me again."

Rising to her feet, she pulled her pink calico backpack from under her bed and thought carefully about what she would need. She had read too many stories about people who had run away and found that they had forgotten something important. "Clothes. I'll definately need clothes." she murmured, and headed to her closet. Opening it, she selected several changes of clothing and put them into her backpack. She then went to her piggybank and emptied the entire contents into her purse, which she placed in her bag. Her tarot cards, hairbrush, mobile phone, charger and a torch went in too. As she was leaving the room, her eyes fell on Mr Sugey Bun-Buns, the stuffed giraffe she'd had since she was 6. She hesitated for a moment, then put him in her backpack as well. He was childish, true, but it would be nice to have company.

From the bathroom, she took a towel, a packet of soap, a tube of toothpaste and her toothbrush. She had no idea when she would get to use them, but better safe than sorry. She opened the airing cupboard, took out a blanket and cushion, and put them into her bag. If she had to sleep rough, she might as well have SOME comfort.

In the kitchen, she took a loaf of bread, 4 bunches of bananas, 6 apples, 7 packets of crisps, a custard tart, a box of donuts and a bottle of soda and placed them into her pack. There was always a lot of food in the apartment, as Sonic had a very high metabolism and needed a LOT of food. She took a Thermos and made herself some tea as well.

Looking around to make sure she hadn't forgotten anything, it occurred to her to take some spare batteries for the torch. Then she decided to pack a first aid kit, just in case. She took some plasters, some bandages, a small pair of scissors, a pair of tweezers, some bottles of medication, a thermometor and a first aid book and put them into a small plastic tub, which she then put into her backpack.

Taking some paper and a pen, she scribbled a quick note:

To Sonic

By the time you read this, I'll be far away. It has come to my attention that you don't like me, so I'm leaving so you'll never have to put up with me again. Don't look for me, celebrate my birthday or anything like that. In fact, forget I exist altogether.

Goodbye,

Amy

This note she left on the kitchen table. Pulling on her backpack and grabbing her coat and umbrella (just in case), Amy stepped out of the apartment and closed the door behind her. She took a deep breath, then walked away. Away from the apartment, away from her friends...away from Sonic.

Well, what do you think? Read and review, and any ideas as to what should happen next are appreciated!