I wake up missing her. I miss everyday, but even more today.
I wake up in the body of Nick Tucker. His room is tidy, books neatly filling up the sky-scraper high bookshelf, no clothes on the floor, homework piled up on the desk, all of it completed. However it doesn't take much accessing to know that his school record is not as immaculate. He's got the lowest attendance in the school, and as I rummage through his drawers, I find a stash of the letters addressed to his parents about the issue. He's popular, and he's been with his girlfriend for years, but that's not to say he's treated her well. I think of Justin and how he treated Rhiannon, but I have to quickly shake the thought out of my head.
I get up and ready for school, and the doorbell rings. It's my girlfriend Harriet. Her brown hair covers her glasses as she ducks her head down.
"Harriet, hi. You ready to-"
"Can we skip today? Sorry I just, I'm not up to it." She's distressed. Her sleeves are pulled down. One hand is picking at her jumper, the other tugging at her hair. Something tells me she's not usually like this.
"Sure, come in", I tell her. As she follows me to my room, I speed access, but nothing hints at what's bothering her. I can tell they're close, they tell each other everything, but she's never been like this before. She flops on my bed, her head in my pillow.
"Harri, what is it?," usually this is just an act. Just an act to keep relationships that aren't mine together. It's extremely rare that it would bother me not to know.
"I need to tell you something", she says as she lifts herself up, and clears the condensation from her glasses.
"I'm not Harriet"
Is this happening? It can't be happening.
"I don't know why I'm telling you this. I think I just need to let it out, before more people wake up bald", she chuckles.
"You're not going bald, if that's what you're saying", I smile with fake confusion. Have I finally found someone who knows what I'm going through. Have I found someone who understands the fact of not being able to be yourself, and have a life, because you're so busy trying not to reck others. She says it doesn't matter anymore, and we go on a walk in the forrest. She's enjoying it, and it's real. That's the one thing I get out of this life. Enjoyment. Even if its not yours to enjoy, you can't help it if you have nothing else. As we lock hands with one another, I feel the need to continue the conversation from earlier.
"What is your name then?" She looks confused, but not really. I know it's just an act.
"You said you weren't Harriet earlier, so what's your name?"
"I didn't mean it that way, okay?", she lies. It's funny, as soon as you understand someone, you feel so connected, even if they lie to you about it.
"Okay cool, I'm A."
"No. You're Nick," she laughs nervously.
"Just for today," I wink and wrap my arm around her.
We walk back in silence, until she perks up.
"I'm Taylor," she says, looking up into my eyes,"You know, boys name, girls name."
"Huh. Never thought of doing that. Seems a hella lot more personal than just a letter now that I think about it. So Taylor-"
"Wow." She interrupts.
"What is it"
"I never really heard anyone say my name before..." I look down at her, and stare at her beautiful freckles. I kiss her, as I slip my email address into her soft hands.
I've done it.
I've found someone else who wakes up in a new body everyday.
And better yet,
I've fallen in love with them.
YOU ARE READING
Stay, Today.
General FictionI decided to write a sequel for one of my favourite books, Every Day, by David Levithan. I hope you like it. If you haven't read the original book yet, I definitely recommend reading it, but I've tried to write 'Stay, Today' so that the plot will be...