Amy's Search [open]

Amy Rose giggled. "What, did you want to be more than that? I'm only thirteen and I've never really had a boyfriend, but I dream about true love and stuff. I'm willing to believe I can find it. That maybe I have found it."

Grant looked at her with surprise. Was she really thirteen? He had thought she was older. Maybe fifteen or something. "You have? Was it someone at your old school? What was he like? Ooh! Was it a girl?" He didn't want to leave out the possibility of it being a girl.

Amy Rose blushed. "W-Well... I tried dating once, but...I got my power and things ended badly. I'm willing to try again, but you're the only guy I know here, so I don't want to ruin our friendship if you don't want to date me." She looked away. "Amaya says true love will find me, but she's really reserved. I might find it before it finds me."

"You're doing it again." Why was she doing that? He touched her cheek, and asked "Are you sick or something? You seem to be getting red... A lot." He wanted to ask how it ended, but he knew that wasn't the best thing to do. She probably had the same type of life he did.

Amy Rose sat and hugged her knees to her chest, turning a little more pink. "I just want to know how my story ends. If I'll have true love like in the movies. Just find someone and...and just click. More than any other friend has. Just know that I'll never have to worry much about love because it will always prevail." She got a bit teary-eyes and gave him a sad smile. "Can I tell you a secret?"

He was about to say something about how he knew she would find someone, when he noticed what was happening. he sat down next to her, and put his arm over her shoulder. he didn't know how to comfort a girl, all he could do was hop he was doing the right thing. "Yes, My lips are sealed."

Amy Rose moved a bit closer. "I...I thought that boy liked me and he wanted something from me, something I wasn't ready to give. I looked him in the eye and told him that he should rot in jail for preying on girls like me. Immediately, he let me go and went to the police station. He kept telling them to arrest him so...so he could rot. So he could sit in a cell for the rest of his life and literally walk away." She looked up at him, looked in his eyes again as tears fell from her face. "I told him to rot in jail and he tried to. He lashed out at police so he could, and now he is doing what I told him to. I make people do what I want them to. I hate my power! I don't want to hurt anyone else!"

With his free hand, he wiped away her tears and turned away from her. He hadn't asked about it, but she told him anyway. He didn't want to bring back painful memories for her, but she had done this to herself. "I'm not going to pretend like I know what you're going through. In my eyes, he deserves to stay there. How old were you when this happened? Eleven? Still prepubescent. Someone who tries to get something more from a girl younger than thirteen is scum. Trying to do something like that to a thirteen year old is terrible. He deserves to die. He deserves to rot." He was going to include the thing that happens in prison, but thought she was too young. "I know that this doesn't mean anything to you, but can you promise me something? I want you to promise that if something is bothering you, if someone is bothering you, you will let me deal with it."

Amy Rose smiled and sniffed. "Thanks, Grant. I promise I'll let you know if anything else bothers me. I just...I hate that I let my anger get the best of me. I've sentenced him to death. He's spent the last few months on feeding tubes, according to Amaya's last check-up on him." She hugged him, held him close. "I'm sorry to burden you with my past. But once in a while, I need to have a good cry. I'm sorry it was you, but I can't thank you enough for supporting me."

He wrapped his arms around her, looked down at her. She really was something. "It's okay, Amy. I get it. It feels great to just let it out, doesn't it? I remember when I first came her, I told someone what happened to me. It felt amazing to tell someone. I'm not sure if you feel the same way, but I think you do." He rubbed the top of her head, trying to make her feel better. "If you ever need anything, you can ask me." This was the closest he had ever gotten to a girl before. He was about to say that, but stopped himself. "Amy Rose." He whispered to himself.

Amy Rose giggled and sniffed again. "You're awesome, Grant. And if you need anything, you can come to me. Especially to vent or cry or whatever." She held him a little closer. "I love you so much already. Any girl you wanted would date you, I know it," she laughed.

For the first time, he could feel his face start to burn. He could tell that it was bright red. Did... Did she just say love? She probably doesn't know what love really is. Nothing to worry about, Grant! He let out a sigh, and said "You should probably think about what you're going to say before you say it."

Amy Rose smiled and pulled back just enough to look him in the eye. "I have a poor mental filter, but that's beside the point! I really do love you!" She giggled. "You and my sister and Hosa and...and my parents where ever they are! I love you all so much, and beside my sister, I might love you the most! I've never told anyone else my secret. Do you like me? Or love me?"

"Uh, I..." He didn't know what to say, really. This was so weird to him. Do I really mean that much to her? I just met her and I'm not sure if she's just joking or not. He wasn't sure if he would want to say love, but it was close to that. Well, I can't figure out an accurate word right now, so. "I guess I love you."

She cheered softly and clapped. "Yay! Thank you so much! And you should know that I treat my friends like family since Amaya's all I've got." Amy Rose let out a small squeal and hugged him again. "I'm so happy!" She considered this another of her best days, and definitely in her top five best days ever. She loved every second she'd spent with Grant thus far.