The streets were still pretty empty as it was still pretty early. The only sounds he could hear were the store owners opening up their shops and the almost silent whirring noise from his board. He swerved around any people that were on the street.

    His house was at the end of the road. It was the biggest one on the street but it looked just as old as all the other houses. He could see the moving van parked in the driveway still.

    'So she hasn't left yet.'

    He started slowing down his board as he got closer to the house. His mom was standing outside talking to his sister. He caught onto the end of their conversation.

    "-are you sure you'll be alright taking care of him?" The was a hint of worry in her tone. She ran a hand through her hair-like dark violet quills. She smoothed a hand over her pale blue dress.

    "It'll be fine, mother. Manic is here too and Uncle is down at the shop. I'll just ask him if I need any help." Sonia, his older sister by twelve years, said trying to quell their mother's worries.

    "I know, it just..." She trailed off as she looked to the side, noticing her son standing in the driveway. "Oh, Sonic, there you are."

    She didn't walk over to meet him, knowing he wouldn't want her to. He just stared her down, an unknown expression gracing his features.

    Sonia, noticing the tense atmosphere between her mother and younger sibling, cleared her throat.

    "Sonic, why don't you go inside? Manic made you breakfast." She tilted her head in the direction of the front door as if that would prompt him to leave.

    "Yeah, okay." The blue hedgehog mumble barely loud enough to be heard, before solemnly going inside.

    There was a beat of silence after his form disappeared from view.

    Sonia looked back at her mother as she heard a quiet sob.

    "My poor baby." Her voice was barely above a whisper.

    On the inside Sonia was angry. How dare she think she had the right to be upset? After what she did...

    "I think it would be best if you left now." The magenta hedgehog said, trying to keep the emotion out of her voice.

    Her mother looked up at her in shock. "Sonia, what-"
    
    "Aleena, please leave." Sonia's voice had a dark tone to it.

    Without another word, Aleena got into the moving van and it pulled out of the driveway. Sonia watched it until it turned the corner and disappeared.

    Sonia let out the breath she didn't realize she was holding. She went inside and locked the door.

    In the kitchen, she saw Sonic sitting at the table poking at his breakfast but not eating it. Manic, her twin brother, was in the fridge, most likely taking inventory for when he went shopping later.

    "What's the matter, not hungry?" Sonia asked, after noticing the saddened look on the blue hedgehog's face.

    Sonic glanced up at her before looking at his plate. He dropped his fork and placed his hands in his lap "Not really." His voice was quiet. "...May I leave the table?"

    It hurt Sonia's heart to have to see her brother like this. So drawn into himself and scared. He always looked so small and vulnerable. She misses the happy kid she used to see. Always smiling and having a reason to be happy. Brightening everyone's day, no matter how sad they were.

    "Of course Sonic, you don't have to ask."

    Sonic didn't look up from his lap. "Oh, I forgot, sorry..." He scooted off the chair. He left the kitchen and twins listened as his footsteps ascended up the stairs.

    Manic and Sonia shared a look. The former running a hand through his messy bangs. "Damn it." He closed the fridge and crossed his arms with a frown as Sonia cleared the table. "What are we going to do?"

    Sonia sighed, putting Sonic's leftovers in the fridge. Hopefully, he'll want to eat later. "There's nothing we can do, Manic. What's done is done. All we can do help him through it." She stared in the direction their younger brother went.

    He was lying face up on his bed, staring at the ceiling. 

    The ceiling was stark white and flawless. An empty canvas. A blank space to think. He didn't like it. He had wanted it to be painted pale red. But...

    He shook his head. He doesn't want to think about her right now. He turned his head to stare at the leftmost wall. It was also white. There was a poster tacked to it though. It was a sports poster of his favorite Extreme Gear rider, Neon-X.

    Neon-X was the one that inspired him to want to ride in the first place. His... mother, didn't want him to do that, she never let him do much of anything. The only reason he was able to ride was that his Uncle Chuck had an Extreme Gear Shop he ran. 

    His mother didn't really get along with Uncle Chuck...

    Sonic shook his head again. He doesn't want to think about that now. He sat up on his bed, wincing as he put weight on his right wrist. He pulled off the fingerless glove, the one with the large cuffs, off his hand. There was a dark, angry looking bruise around his wrist, obvious against his pale fur. It was the most recent one... and hopefully the last.

    He didn't mean to, but he started thinking about how he got the bruise. His emerald eyes started welling up with tears. It wasn't even his fault this time. It never usually was...

    'There was screaming and the sound of glass breaking. 	Someone had punched their fist through a wall. She always seemed much stronger during these times-'

    "Sonic?" Came his brother hesitant voice.

    The blue hedgehog quickly wiped his eyes free of tears. "W-what is it?" He stuttered out.

    "Want to head over to Uncle Chuck's shop?"

    "Okay." He got off the bed and went to the door to open it. If Manic noticed that his eyes were a little bit red, he didn't say anything about it.