She was a little smaller, and a little dimmer, and one of her eyes was a little off-center and her hips were slightly too broad. She was not very pretty. Celine stared at the shadow-girl, squinted, and stepped back.

Her bangs were too short. Her hair didn’t curl provocatively around her jaw; it bobbed mushroom-like above her cheeks. She wasn’t wearing makeup. Her neckline wasn’t flattering. She was not v—

“It’s… nice to meet you,” Celine’s shadow said in a fluting, high voice that sounded barely there.

“Who are you?” Celine returned, making her flinch back like a dandelion in wind.

The girl simply pointed behind Celine, where the sun would normally have sent a shadow tumbling across the cheap carpeted linoleum.

“I am an echo. A washed out copy. Yet, in some cases…” Shadow-Celine whispered, walking straight through ordinary Celine as if she were smoke, “Even that is better than the empty shell one might become.”

And with all Celine’s insecurities magnified on her face, the shadow walked out the door, Celine following in its footsteps.

Walking with you every step

Comes your little student.

Maybe you’re a fool today

Maybe you are prudent.

Still it takes persistent notes

Studying each blunder

Every act of kindness

Sparks your understudy’s wonder.

Whether you feel big or small, this moment— when push comes to shove—

Be a person who your shadow wouldn’t be embarrassed of.