17. The Other Side

17. THE OTHER SIDE

Earlier that morning, Billy groggily emerged from his room, feeling the effects of a late-night gaming session weighing heavily on him. With a tired yawn, he made his way to the bathroom to splash some water on his face, hoping to shake off the lingering exhaustion.

When he returned, he found Austin preparing to leave. "Oh, you're up? Breakfast is on the table," Austin informed him, heading towards the door.

"Where are you off to?" Billy asked, curiosity piqued as he followed Austin.

"Just some errands, I'll be back before noon," Austin replied casually, opening the door. "And try not to get into any more reckless rescues like yesterday while I'm gone," he added with a teasing grin.

"I'm not a kid, you know!" Billy protested, but Austin had already stepped out, cutting him off before he could finish his sentence.

Billy completed his breakfast and headed straight to the living room to indulge in some console gaming on the TV. "It's been days since I played this game," he thought to himself, excitement building as he fired up the console and began playing.

As he immersed himself in the virtual world, the sound of the doorbell ringing echoed through the house, pulling him back to reality. "Who could that be?" Billy wondered aloud, pausing his game and making his way to the front door.

"Did sis come to visit us?" he mused, contemplating the unexpected visitor as he opened the door, only to find Evelyn standing on the other side. Billy was taken aback, as Evelyn rarely visited their home without prior notice.

"Hi, Billy!" Evelyn greeted cheerfully, her bright demeanor contrasting with Billy's surprise at seeing her.

"Hey, Eve," Billy replied, stepping aside to let her in.

"No need for that, I just came to ask a small favor from you," Evelyn explained, her cheerful tone masking an underlying sense of mischief that Billy couldn't help but detect.

"What is it?" Billy inquired, sensing that there was more to Evelyn's visit than met the eye.

"You have to attend the comic-con event with me," Evelyn declared abruptly, catching Billy off guard.

"I beg your pardon?" Billy quipped, taken aback by her directness.

"You. Are. Going. To. Attend. The. Comic-con along with me," Evelyn repeated each word with emphasis, accompanied by a smile that hinted at her determination.

"No," Billy replied nonchalantly, turning back towards his gaming console, intent on resuming his interrupted session. But before he could fully return to his game, Evelyn grabbed his hand, attempting to drag him away.

"Please, I beg you to come along with me," Evelyn pleaded, her grip tightening as she tried to coax him. "It will be fun."

"No, I won't," Billy asserted, remaining steadfast in his decision, unmoved by Evelyn's pleading eyes.

"Please," she pleaded once more, her desperation evident as she continued to try and sway him. "It will be fun with so many events. I bet you would have fun there."

"You can't convince me," Billy maintained his stance, refusing to yield.

"There will be gaming merchandise too," Evelyn revealed, resorting to her last resort to sway him. Billy's interest was piqued at the mention of gaming merchandise, prompting him to reconsider.

"Really?" he asked, his curiosity piqued by the prospect.

"Yes, you would definitely enjoy it. I assure you," Evelyn replied, a glimmer of hope in her eyes as she pleaded once more. "Please."

Unable to withstand any more pleading, Billy relented, though reluctantly. "Fine," he conceded, agreeing to join her, though he couldn't shake off his reservations about the upcoming event.

After a while of traveling to the other side of the city, Billy and Evelyn finally arrived at the event. "Finally, we're here!" Evelyn exclaimed excitedly, her enthusiasm undiminished by the journey.

"You didn't mention that we'd have to travel all the way across the city," Billy complained, his patience wearing thin from the long journey.

"I forgot," Evelyn replied casually, her nonchalant response only serving to further frustrate Billy. Nevertheless, she grabbed his hand and dragged him towards the entrance of the event.

As they entered the venue, Billy's eyes widened in amazement at the sight before him. The event was a bustling hub of activity, with numerous stalls, events, and cosplayers filling the space, creating an atmosphere of cheer and excitement.

Billy couldn't contain his excitement as he began to explore the event, eagerly taking in the sights of his favorite games characters' cosplayers and browsing the various merchandise stalls.

After a while, Evelyn led him to a particular stall, leaving Billy puzzled as to why she had brought him there. "Why did you bring me here? I was hoping to buy some gaming merchandise," Billy asked, confused by Evelyn's choice of location.

"You can buy that later. Here, put this on," Evelyn replied with a mischievous grin, handing him a large mascot costume that belonged to a character from a magical girl anime.

"What's this?" Billy asked, completely baffled by the unexpected turn of events.

"You're going to wear that for us," Evelyn insisted, her tone leaving no room for argument. Billy began to walk away, but Evelyn grabbed hold of him, pleading with him to reconsider. "Please, Billy, the guy who was supposed to wear it is sick, and we have no one else to rely on."

"But I never agreed to this," Billy protested, attempting to break free from Evelyn's grasp, but she held on tightly.

"Please, I'll pay you," Evelyn offered, sensing an opportunity slipping away.

"How much?" Billy asked, pausing in his attempts to escape.

"$100," Evelyn replied quickly, hoping to seal the deal.

"Make it $150," Billy countered.

"Deal," Evelyn agreed without hesitation.

"What exactly do I have to do?" Billy inquired, now intrigued by the prospect.

"Just stand near the stall, follow my instructions, and strike poses for pictures for costumers," Evelyn explained, relieved to have Billy's cooperation.

Billy reluctantly agreed to wear the costume for a few hours, negotiating a fee of $150 for his time. As he donned the oversized outfit and posed for pictures, he couldn't help but feel discomforted by the stifling heat and limited visibility.

Despite the challenges, Billy found himself attracting a steady stream of passersby eager to snap photos with the cute and popular character. He obliged, striking poses and smiling for the camera, all the while struggling to see clearly through the costume's cumbersome headpiece.

After a while, Billy noticed a familiar figure approaching him—a girl dressed in a pink hoodie and white cap. Instantly, thoughts of Amy crossed his mind, but he couldn't see her face clearly.

"Hey, can I take a photo with you?" the girl asked, her voice soft and familiar. Billy immediately recognized it as Amy's voice, the same one he had heard just yesterday.

Nodding in agreement, Billy posed for a few photos with Amy, her delighted expression evident as she snapped away on her phone.

"Thank you," Amy said, turning to thank the mascot, but her words trailed off as Billy removed the top of the costume, revealing his identity.