Six years later, Lira walked down the crowded hallway. She was sixteen now. Backpack on one shoulder, earbuds in, pretending to not notice anyone.
But she did notice. Shadows stuck to corners, stretched weirdly, like they were watching. Her stomach twisted. People whispered. "Did you see her?" "She's weird…"
She kept her head down. Better to keep walking. Better to stay small.
At her locker, her hands fumbled with the lock. The shadows at her feet curled around her legs. She flexed her fingers, and they moved. Her heart skipped a beat. That little thrill never got old.
The cafeteria was loud. Trays clanged. Students laughed. Lira's shadow curled tighter around her feet. She slid into an empty corner, far from everyone.
She pulled out her notebook and started to draw. Weird shapes, twisting shadows, things that didn't exist. They moved when she thought about them. Her hand shook a little. Sometimes she loved it. Sometimes it scared her.
The bell rang. Students pushed past. Lira's shadow stretched behind her, brushing along the walls. It pulsed, alive in a way she didn't understand.
She thought about her mom. Always about her mom. The accident. The lab. The dark energy. She'd been ten when she realized shadows weren't just shadows. They moved. They listened. They obeyed her.
A tray clattered. Lira flinched. Her shadow whipped around her feet like it was protecting her. She could control it, kind of. But not fully. Sometimes it felt like it had its own mind.
Sunlight cut across the cafeteria, hitting the edge of her shadow. Weird shapes curled at her feet. She exhaled. Calm. Calm. The shadows weren't dangerous… unless they wanted to be.
She shoved her notebook in her bag. Classes. Teachers. Students. Normal life went on. She walked down the hall, feeling eyes on her. Judging. Scared. Curious.
Lira smiled faintly. Let them watch. One day, they'd see. Or maybe not. She didn't care.
Either way… she was learning to be okay with who she was.