The Other Half ✓︎

E p i l o g u e

"WE DID IT!" Lia shouted as she leaped into my arms.

I laughed as I caught her.

"We did it," I echoed, grinning.

"So, you tell your parents the plan?" she asked me as we walked towards our families.

"I did. They were a little suspicious at first, but they both realized that there was no way I could go to college without my twin. Lucas is on track to finish home school by next year, so I'm going to use my gap year to figure out what I want to do."

"And your boy toy?" she asked suggestively.

I laughed and playfully shoved her. "He is also coming with me to college next fall. It turns out he wants to try the higher education thing."

"Any chance you're down to travel Europe with me then?"

I stopped in my tracks.

"What do you mean?" I questioned.

"I'm also taking the year off. I figured that after everything that happened this year, a break was in need. My parents like the influence you've had on me, so I'm going to continue training at the Center when we're not traveling."

"We?"

"You thought I would want to travel without my best friend?"

I grinned and hugged her tightly.

"I got you," I whispered in her ear.

"WE DID IT!" another voice yelled.

We parted to see Jason barreling towards us with a Cheshire smile.

"His smile is taking up his whole face," Lia whispered to me. "He looks creepy."

I snorted.

Jason reached us, pulling the two of us into a bear hug.

"Can't breathe," we wheezed.

"Oh, sorry!" he yelped.

We pulled away, and I took a deep breath, looking over him.

Since Lucas had begun his therapy and training sessions, Jason had joined as well. He had put muscle on his body, biceps that were straining against his dress shirt now, his graduation gown slung over his shoulder. He and Lucas had been pushing each other from day one, and the results had been obvious on them both.

"So, what are the plans for this summer?" Jason asked, slinging an arm around both of us.

I rolled my eyes playfully as Lia scoffed.

"Who said you're invited?" she asked.

"You wound me, Li. I'm the hottest commodity around now."

My face scrunched up in disgust.

Jason was handsome, but he was another brother to me. I could never see him that way, even if I ever wanted to. And I really did not want to see him that way.

"We're training," I finally spoke. "Would you like to join?"

Now he scrunched his face up in disgust.

"You're training the summer before college?" he questioned.

Lia and I shot each other a glance.

"We're taking a year off," I said slowly.

Jason stopped in his tracks, just a few feet away from our families.

"Wait. So I'm doing this college thing alone?" he demanded.

I nodded slowly. "Just the first year, and then you and Lucas can prank the whole campus together."

Jason pouted.

He actually pouted.

"Come on, man. You can last a year without me," Lucas spoke from behind us.

I turned to see my twin approaching us with a lazy grin. I almost rolled my eyes. Things had gone back to normal, with some changes of course.

Lucas was the epitome of health, nearly six months after waking up from a coma. His hair was sunshine on a warm day, his eyes sparkling like the fireworks I knew he'd light this summer. His arms were covered in muscle, skin glowing. It was as if he had decided he needed to get all the life into his body that he possibly could.

"Congratulations, Sunshine," a voice murmured in my ear.

I turned my head and smiled at the electric eyes that were already on mine. As he wrapped an arm around my shoulders, I turned into him and pressed a kiss to his cheek. The man who had been there for me without complaint, the one who had helped me up every single time I fell down.

"And I'll be saying that to you in a few years, Butterfingers," I answered.

Watson shook his head in amusement.

I leaned my head on to his shoulder as I watched my brother and friends bicker about our summer plans, our parents approaching us with exasperated expressions, knowing their kids were going at it again.

I had started out in search of revenge that I had disguised as justice. I thought I had been alone, but I'd had someone by my side through it all, unconditionally. I wasn't the same girl I had been when I wanted revenge for the crime against my brother. And I was okay with that.

I had dug two graves when I had set out on my journey to get revenge, and the person I was had been the cost of it. But I had gotten lucky. I had changed for the better. I wasn't alone, and half of me wasn't missing anymore.

I had a future to look forward to.

I had learned how to be happy again. 

I knew that the growth I had made in the last year was just the beginning of what life had to offer me. I knew it wasn't going to be easy—growing up never was. And, I knew that I wasn't alone. I had the best support system I could have ever asked for. 

But most of all, I had myself. I had survived my worst days so far, and I knew that I would continue finding my strength and continue fighting through my bad days. It was going to be okay.