Hi everyone Jun-Amy196 here. I'm rewriting this fanfic after reading it and thinking it needed improving. I don't own any of the characters. Copyrights go to Sega and its workers. Enjoy!

A Regretful Reject

Ding dong rang the school bell, signalling the students that it was the beginning of the lesson. But learning about equations or dead people wasn't on everybody's mind. That day happened to be Valentine's Day, the day where you could spend the day with your loved ones and shower them with gifts to show how much you cared for them.

What everybody was thinking was whether they were going to receive a card from a secret admirer or a bouquet of red roses that signified love. In a classroom a bunch of girls were chatting amongst themselves, sitting on the tables, ignoring the teacher who had given up on teaching them. Sitting not far away from them, completely disregarded by the girls, was a girl who looked a little lonely.

The girl was the school loner, her life made a living hell by bullies on a daily basis, for reasons long forgotten by them. The girl's name was Amy Rose which fitted her appearance perfectly. Light pink fur and emerald green eyes. She had front quills that hung over her eyes, further enchanting their beauty. Her hair was styled in a bob cut that was just above her shoulder, held back by a red head band that matched with her fur.

She looked around the class, her heart falling down in a heap of disappointment as she couldn't see anyone to talk to. She just silently sat there, blocking out the conversations of the people around her, like she did every day. She laid her hands out on the desk and inspected them. Small, chubby fingers like a child's. Not much of girl's hand who is sixteen is it? She thought as she looked closely at the palm and started running her fingertips down the groves.

She always had a faint fascination for hands. How they were nimble and seemed to be able to dance across the table like a spider. How they were strong for when enclosed into a fist or into claws how they could inflict damage onto someone. But also how they could be gentle to like when you tickled a child to put a smile on their face or showed a pet how much you loved them.

She continued staring at them not noticing that the girls who had been chatting excitingly were now regarding her with disgust in their eyes and their lips curled into snarls. They gave her a dirty look before the leader, a pretty white furred and blue eyed bat, went in to draw out some blood.

"Hey loner, what you're doing?" the bat sneered at her, a nasty grin pasted on her face, fluttering her long eyelashes innocently. Amy just continued to look at her hands, for she had learnt after years of bullying that if she didn't say anything in return that the girl would give up. Still it was hard to not jump up and shout in her face. Amy had to bite her tongue, to keep from answering back. Usually the girl would kiss her teeth and move onto another victim. Today she didn't stop.

"Are you listening to me you freak? Oi I'm talking to you. Have you gone deaf?" Amy clenched her fists, squeezing her eyes to stop the tears of anger from spilling down her cheeks.

One of her followers, seeming to grow sympathetic towards Amy, tapped her friend on the shoulder before suggesting "leave her alone Rouge. She isn't worth your time". Rouge turned back to her, a sickening smile on her face as she regarded her with a questioning expression on her face. Amy exhaled a huge breath of air, glad to have someone on her side for once. But she soon regretted it as Rouge's chilling blue eyes turned their attention on to her.

She smiled at her, as if it was some sick joke that Amy wasn't laughing at. She then turned back to the other girl, a smirk playing at the edge of her lips, before stating "it's my decision on who I make it worth my time" in a matter-of-factly tone. The girl bit her lip, sending a look of guilt towards Amy. Amy could read the apology clearly in her face and steeled her face, ready for the worst. Rouge, seeming to see the change on her face, prepared herself her smirk growing into a mischievous smile.

"Did you know girls that her dad is an alcoholic? And that her mum ran away? Or that her sister killed herself? I wonder why they did that. Maybe they couldn't stand being around a no good freak like you" Rouge huffed out, a huge smile on her face. Her gang seemed shocked about the fact that she knew all the dirt about her prey. But the most shocked was Amy. She had tried hard for no-one to know about her family issues, disclosing any questions about her family, snapping the case close.

She wondered who had told her all those things but she didn't need to ponder on that too long. Amy knew that he was a blubber mouth, constantly chatting about something. She should've known that he wouldn't keep quiet about her personal life. But still, to blab it all out to her enemy, that was the worst. Her anger choked her throat as she imagined a hedgehog with blue fur and green emerald eyes, a shade lighter than hers.

Rouge, sensing that this was a sensitive topic for her, made use of her silence by hammering her with more insults. "No wonder why they don't love you. Have you ever looked at yourself in the mirror? Maybe you haven't. That's why you don't know how ugly you are. I mean look at your face. It's like the arse of a dog" at that last comment Amy's mask cracked and a tear rolled down her cheek.

Rouge's smile grew even wider, showing off her fangs, pleased with herself for breaking Amy's defence against her verbal abuse. Rouge had to admit Amy wasn't like her usual prey who snapped at one or two comments. Amy had a strong will and spirit. But Rouge who liked to break things was going to make sure that that spirit Amy had was broken beyond repair.

At that moment the teacher, having seen the scene and decided to do something about it, interrupted. "Ok girls back to your seats. It's almost the end of the lesson so at least do a little bit of work before packing up" said the teacher, shepherding them back to their seats. Amy could see the look of pity that was in the teacher's eyes but she knew the teacher was almost as powerless as her. Rouge's dad was the Head -Master of the school and controlled the teachers with the fear of being fired. Before Rouge sat down in her seat, Amy saw her mouth the words we'll finish this discussion later a devilish smile on her face, showing off her fangs again.

Amy wanted to bang her head against the desk but knew it would give Rouge something to talk about later. She packed her things into her bag hastily and waited for the bell of freedom to ring, to signal her escape. As the bell rang Amy jolted out of her seat and dashed out of the classroom, not looking back to see if she was being pursued.

As she power walked down the corridor, Amy couldn't help but look at all the happy faces as they laughed while being in each other's company. Amy felt jealous of them and she hated herself for it. She had no right to be jealous of other people's good fortune when hers wasn't as good. Every day was the same thing but she always had faith that things would lighten up. But she didn't know how long she could keep that thought running in her mind. Still the pang of jealousy ached in her heart and her eyes got watery, as unshed tears pleaded to run down her cheeks. She sniffled and carried on walking until she reached her last class.

As she walked into the classroom she fixed her eyes on her seat trying to tune out the conversations between classmates that didn't include her. "Did you hear about that new shop opening on the high-way?" "Where did you get those killer shoes?" "My God loving the nails girl" "Hey dude wanna come over at my place?" "Heck yeah I did. Can't wait to go shopping there this weekend" "Just ask her out. What's the worst she can do, say no?". Internally she sighed before seating herself and set her eyes on the only person who was not talking with anyone.

Her heart fluttered slightly and a little, an unnoticeable blush took over her cheeks. She felt her heart quicken its pace and she put a hand over it to still it. She had kept her feelings for him a secret over the years, avoided questions with a simple lie of saying no-one. Her eyes swept over the midnight dark fur stained with crimson red streaks within his fur. Although the room was noisy with the chatter of students, the hedgehog remained silent, eyes closed as if in an intense state of meditation. And she knew by observing him for years that his eye-lids concealed blood red eyes that smouldered you to the spot and sent shivers down your spine.

That's what she admired about him. He wasn't like the other Mobians who needed to talk with each other to establish bonds between them. He didn't even care if anyone talked to him or not. He seemed sort of comfortable to be left alone like this, lost in his own thoughts.

Amy sighed. There were times when she had wanted to go up to him and talk to him. But her shy nature wouldn't allow that, wouldn't allow her to say a single word to him. So she had to satisfy herself with glances at him and wishing in her heart that he would look back at her.

But today was the day that it would all change. Amy had written him a letter and sent him a rose. They were in her bag and Amy was trying to be extra careful as to not crush the plastic that encased the rose. Now all she needed was the confidence to give him his gifts and declare her feelings out loud to him. She didn't know whether she should give him his gifts now or wait until he was alone. Just as she was opting to give them now, the bell rang signalling the beginning of the lesson. She promised herself as the teacher walked to the whiteboard and started the lesson that she would give the letter and the rose after the lesson.

After an hour of listening to the teacher and scribbling down notes while glancing at him, the bell rang meaning the lesson had finished. As she was packing up her stuff she peeked down at the rose and letter before looking at him to see that he had already left the class.

She hurriedly put her bag on her back before power walking out of the class. She was in the corridor, and looked to her left to see his retreating back. She sighed in relief that she had found him and sprinted down the hallway, dodging people as if she was in the Matrix.

She saw him turn a corner. She followed him and arrived at the roof-top of the school, where students and teachers could have a quick smoke in between lessons. It was also the perfect place where people who wanted privacy could kiss and hug their girlfriends/boyfriends.

Amy wondered if he was waiting for someone before she saw him draw out a cigarette and light it. Never had she ever thought someone would look so cool or hot smoking a cigarette the way he did. The way he dragged on the cigarette and blew out the smoke made him seem so masculine and the way he delicately held the cigarette in his big hands showed his tender side. She shivered in excitement at the thought of his hands on her skin, caressing it lightly.

Her eyes then travelled to his lips, slightly pursed. She blushed at the imagination of his pair of lips on hers and she suddenly had the desire to walk up to him, throw away the cigarette and kiss him. There was a longing ache in her heart, a tightening in her chest, a knot in her heart so strong she had to clench her teeth to suppress it.

After exhaling, the smoke leaving his lips in little wisps, he seemed to notice her standing there with a star-stricken expression on her face. He took one last drag on his cigarette before dropping it to the floor and crushing it underneath his black boots. Amy shook out of her daze, took a deep gulp of air to calm her nerves, while thinking This is it. Time to tell him how you feel about him, you can do it Amy.

Feeling a burst of confidence she didn't know she had, she cleared her suddenly dry throat that had developed a huge lump. "Umm…Sh-Shadow?". The way his gaze focused on her, those red eyes sparked brightly with interest in what she had to say took her breathe away and made her momentarily forget what she was going to say.

He must have seen the effect he had on her for a slow, small smirk appeared on his face that made her already speeding heart triple in pace and suck the air from her lungs as his handsome face became devastatingly sexy. At this rate you'll have a heart attack. Focus Amy. She shook her head to get the rid of the hypnotised state she always entered whenever she was looking at him.

"Well what is it?" Shadow spoke, a slight undertone of amusement and annoyance in his voice and on his face. Amy took a deep breath before saying "I like you Shadow, have liked you ever since I saw you. Please accept this rose and letter" all in one sentence, fumbling in her bag before taking out the rose and letter.

Just as she was about to give it to him they were snatched harshly from her hand, the thorns scratching her skin and drawing out blood. Amy jerked to her right and saw Rouge, standing there with her rose and letter in her hand, a grimace on her face. Amy tried to grab it quickly but Rouge was quicker and held it out of her reach.

"Come on Rouge please give it back" Amy said, still desperately trying to get back the rose and letter. "Why should I, when I'm having so much fun taunting you with this. In fact why don't I read this letter you wrote to him, hhmm?" "No Rouge. Please don't do that!" Amy screamed with renewed fervour.

Before she knew it Rouge had torn open the envelope and commenced the reading.

Dear Shadow,

My name is Amy Rose and I've liked you for a long. It started when we were in year seven together. I thought that you were so cool that you struck my heart and haven't left since. I know you probably don't know who the heck I am but I know everything there is to know about. Like how you're favourite colours are red and black. Or how you are lactose intolerant, based on the fact that you don't eat anything that has milk in it, how you outright refuse. This is all from the times I've watched you, wanting to understand you better, to know you better. I guess that makes me kind of stalker-ish but I don't intend to come off that way. It's fine if you don't feel the same way about me. At least I can live with the fact that I told you when I had the chance, to be free from the emotional baggage, to stop wondering about what could have happened. I hope you have a good day and that you live the rest of your life to your fullest, that you appreciate every good thing that happens in your life and to not let the bad get to you.

I also hope that you live life without any restraints, that you live it to the fullest without any worries. And I just want to let you know that I'm glad I had a crush on you for you are a great person. It's a shame you don't know it.

From Amy

XXXXXXXXX

"Aww how sweet of you, I'm sure Shadow is touched by your letter. It's a shame that you don't know how much of a loser you are and that he would never risk his publicity by dating a freak like you" Rouge said, with a sneer on her face as she toyed with the rose and letter. Amy just stood there with horror and humiliation keeping her in place. She glanced at Shadow to see what his reaction was. All she got was a blank face, with a slight frown on his lips.

She had spent days thinking about what to write in that letter, wanting to make sure the sincerity of her feelings were clear to Shadow. It hurt to have her feelings showcased as a mockery by Rouge. The burn in her heart was too much to bear and tears started to well in her eyes, threatening to over-flow. Rouge, seeing how Amy's eyes were watery with tears, smiled a smiled that showed how evil and twisted she was. And Rouge being that evil did the unthinkable: she started to rip up the letter.

Amy watched, helpless, as the pieces of the letter flew with the wind away from them; her words, her thoughts and feelings flying away from her and becoming a part of the wind. She turned back just in time to watch as Rouge tore the rose, its petals following the ripped letter, its sweet scent taunting Amy as they flew past her. She saw her efforts of her confession fly away with the wind and knowing that Rouge was mocking her feelings was the last draw. A tea slid out of her eye, followed by another and another.

Rouge, having sensed that her prey had finally broken down, started to laugh in that way villains in movies do. Amy, unable to take the taunting laugh anymore, turned around to run away from the mortification and the way Shadow had rejected her, deduced from the way he didn't come to her defence. She took one last look at Shadow through the tears to see he wasn't even looking at her but at the direction the pieces of her letter went, an air of indifference about him. That struck her heart like a poisonous knife had been thrust into her chest.

As she dashed away, Amy started to sob huge shuddering breaths; Rouge's laughter rang in her ears. It was a good thing that everyone was in their lessons otherwise it would have only made the rejection worse, people's fake concern or their inconsideration towards her.

She reached the girls bathroom and locked herself inside. There she let out all the pain she was feeling through her sobs and the trembling of her over-powering grief. After a few minutes, Amy stopped crying simply because there were no more tears to shed. She looked at herself in the mirror, a hedgehog girl with tear stains on her cheeks and a hurt and betrayed look in her eyes.

A blaze of anger rushed through her veins, boiling her blood with its ferocity. She looked at her reflection with fire in her eyes. "No more. No. Freaking. More" She growled out through clenched teeth, her hands tightly gripping the sink. The rage was too much for her, blazing in her body giving her strength to do anything. Thoughts of beating Rouge's sorry ass ran through her mind, satisficing Amy's blood-lusting thoughts.

Soon after the thoughts of revenge ebbed away from her mind, her mind brought to peace from her anger; she unlocked the toilet and walked down the corridor. She made sure to avoid the hallway that leads to the roof-top. After going down the stairs she reached the front of the school, unsupervised by anyone. Amy looks back at the school, imagining Shadow and Rouge on the roof-top doing God knows what. Just at the mere thought of them brought a heat of hate to her heart.

She would have preferred if Shadow had just blatantly rejected her instead of leaving her to Rouge's verbal attacks. She vowed to herself to never set foot in the school, to never see Shadow or Rouge's face. And most importantly to never let someone steal her heart from her.

With that last vow to herself, Amy walked away from the school where all her troubles and doubts about herself spouted from. The next day she didn't attend school, or the next one after that or even a month after that. Eventually people got the idea that she had left school. No one mourned her absence. All except for one that is.

Ok here's the first chapter. Hope you like it. Sorry if it's a bit sad at the beginning and if Rouge seems a bit too nasty at the beginning. Remember if you are being bullied or know someone who is tell anyone who might be able to help. Please read and review if you liked the story. Thank you.