Shadow-Dancer: We're Not So Different [ALTERNATE UNIVERSE VERSION]

Epilog 2: Two Months Later

*December 25, 2016*

Becca's POV

"OB, TAKE THAT MISTLETOE OFF THE DOOR!" I shouted. She giggled childishly and ran away with another sprig in her hand. I sighed and ran after her.

After we returned home from Anti Matter's hideout, Mark went back to L.A. He had a family and girlfriend to get back to, and he had been gone for long enough as it was. That left Jack, Anti, Ob, and I to figure out what to do.

We decided fairly quickly that Anti wasn't going to be able stay in the apartment. It would be nearly impossible to try and keep him a secret.  We found a small cabin in a tiny village not far from here that he could stay at.

Meanwhile, as soon as Ob started going to school with me, it didn't take long for our classmates to figure out that she's a demon. In fact, Ob and I had performed at our school's Christmas assembly, dancing to "Wizards in Winter" by Trans-Siberian Orchestra. And yes, we did incorporate an air guitar into our dance routine. Our shadow was holding an actual guitar.

Thankfully, Ob's powers returned almost immediately after that emergency trip to the lake. Anti Matter must not have finished whatever he needed to do to take them. (Not going to lie, it's kind of awesome when she dances to Burn and actually surrounds herself in fire.)

Anti had come over for the holiday weekend. Jack, Ob and I insisted that we go out to him, but he wouldn't listen. He and Ob never mentioned how, but apparently they have some way to disguise themselves.

As I wrestled Ob to ground and yanked the mistletoe out her hand, there was a knock at the door. It surprised me just enough that Ob could push me off and run away again.

"I've got it," Jack called from the living room. I continued my search for Ob until Jack called for me to come to the door. Confused, I walk out into the living room.

Lily was standing in the doorway in a red dress with a green jacket and a black purse. She made me feel a little underdressed in my red checkered pajamas.

"Hi Becca," she said to me. "Do ya mind if I talk ta you fer a minute?"

"Yeah sure," I answered as I stepped out of the apartment. "What's up?"

"So... uh," Lily tried to start saying as she blushed. "Why is this so hard? I... I brought ya this." She handed me a small box from inside her purse.

"Wow. Thanks Lily," I replied. Suddenly an idea popped into my head. "Wait just one second."

I ran down to my room and grabbed a gift from my desk. I was just thankful that Ob didn't see me. That girl cannot stop shipping anything once the idea comes to her.

"Here," I said as I handed her the gift, "I had planned to give this to you when we got back to school, but seeing that you're already here..."

"Thanks, Becca," she said. We both opened our gifts. Lily was visibly trying to not squeal with joy. I made no such attempt.

"EEEEE," I squealed. "The Greatest Showman
soundtrack! I've been meaning to get this for weeks!"

"I knew you would like it," she replied. "And thank you so much fer the Hamilton t-shirt. I do not have enough merch fer that show."

"I know, you wouldn't stop complaining during our history project," I joked. Our reenactment of Hamilton and Burr's duel had been a complete success. The teacher loved it, and many kids in the class actually started singing "The World Was Wide Enough" during the duel.

"Thanks a lot, Becca," Lily said as she leaned in for a hug. She caught me by surprise at first, but not for very long, and I reciprocated it. I began to muster up my courage for something I was meaning to ask Lily for a long time.