Becoming The Shadows (Shadow Series #4)

26 - Allison

The thing about being a twin with Allison is that we are identical. The only difference was the style we had our hair in; mine would be curly while hers was straight. I didn't want to look like me. I wanted to look like Allison. 

Starting at the roots, my hair turned to the familiar dark brown color and became wavy, like hers was. My eyes widen in disbelief at the slow transformation throughout my whole body. My face changes to the same shape that Allison's used to be- the same as mine. I'm not allowed to be my old self, yet it doesn't matter because I'll look like Allison, which will make me look like myself. There's always a loophole. 

I bite down on my lip at the sight of myself in the mirror. I look like Allison, which means I look like myself again. A single teardrop slides down my cheek and I brush it away. I never thought I would look like this again. I lean closer to the mirror with my fingers brushing over my face. 

A soft giggle bubbles up from my throat and I laugh harder out of relief when I realize I sound normal again. I cover my mouth with my hand still staring at my reflection. I pick up Allison's bow and position myself in front of the mirror. This worked. It actually worked! 

"Clara?" Dad's voice comes from the doorway.

I lower the bow as I spin around to face him with a joyous laugh. 

Dad's jaw falls slack at the sight of me. I hold my arms out to show him  what I did. "You look like yourself again..." He trails off as he wanders further in the room. 

I nod my head, rapidly. "Technically, I look like Allison." I correct him with a pointed finger. "But we were identical, so it makes me look like myself again." 

Dad cups my face in his hands with tears gathering in his own eyes. "You were beautiful before, but I'm so glad to see you look like this again." 

I wrap my arms around him, careful to not hit him with the bow. "There's a loophole for everything." I mumble against his chest. I pull away from him unable to stop smiling. My head swivels towards Allison's closet. "Do you mind-"

"Go ahead." Dad nods his head. 

I let my feet carry me to her closet and my hands search through her clothes for an outfit to wear. My fingers brush over the blue sweater of hers with dark blue hearts. Allison loved this sweater. I keep looking through her clothes. I don't know what kind of trouble we're all going to get into tonight. I need an outfit that will be suitable for kicking ass in. 

I pick a pair of her skinny jeans and loop them over my arm. A dark red shirt is plucked from a hanger and I scoop up a pair of heeled ankle boots. Dad leaves the room and I start to change. Once I'm changed, I stare at my reflection in the mirror, proudly. 

"Ready?" Dad waits for me by the front door. 

I hold Allison's bow in my hand. "Let's go." 

The black glove fit on my hand, like it was made for me. I repeatedly flex my fingers with a hint of a smile on my lips. Dad and I took a small pit stop at his apartment for him to give me a few items. One of the items- and perhaps my favorite- was the black glove that Allison would wear when she would use her bow. The same glove that she was wearing the night she died.

I trail behind dad through the old warehouse he owns. The place is completely abandoned with dead leaves and dirt scattered all over the floor. Dad walks up to the safe against a wall and punches in the code to unlock it. I lean up against the wall beside him, smiling to myself while dad does what he needs to.