Being a teenager was bad enough. Nicholas refused to be recognized on top of it. Judging by how much he looked like Margaret without even trying, if he wore Margaret’s uniform, he could pass as her without a problem. Swallowing his pride, Nicholas put on Margaret’s school uniform. He even braided his long hair like Margaret preferred to do. The braid wasn’t very neat, but it sealed the deal.
The teenage girl staring back at Nicholas in the mirror could be Margaret’s identical twin sister. Nicholas hurriedly grabbed Margaret’s spare backpack out of the box and stuffed his phone, wallet, keys, and the dice case inside. To his surprise, the backpack wasn’t empty. Margaret’s school ID was in it already. That might be useful later on.
Satisfied, Nicholas exited his penthouse. His neighbors knew who Margaret was, so he didn’t want to risk coming across any of them in the elevator. He also was more energetic than he’d felt since his thirties. Nicholas jogged down the stairs to the first floor. A few people spotted him and greeted him as he left the building, assuming he was Margaret. Nicholas smiled politely and nodded at them.
Once outside, Nicholas felt like he was home free. Clearly, his disguise worked, so he could get to the magic shop without any problems. He only made it a few blocks away, however, when someone shouted at him.
“Margaret Thorne!”
Nicholas continued walking, hoping whoever it was wasn’t talking to him. No such luck. After continued shouts were unanswered, someone raced behind him and grabbed his arm. Nicholas turned. His heart dropped. The person who had “recognized” him was…