Agnes in JackieLand

Chapter 6

My head felt cloudy and dense, pounding so hard I didn't want to open my eyes. Drinking was definitely not as much fun as it looked in the movies. The alarm buzzer went off, piercing my brain like a thousand needles. I thrust one of my hands out of the covers and felt for the alarm clock beside my bed.

It wasn't there.

I groaned and threw the blankets off my head. Scooting up the bed without opening my eyes, I felt again for the shrieking alarm. It still wasn't there. Where was it? Had my dad moved it?

My head hurt too much to think, especially with that darn alarm going off. I finally opened my eyes and froze. Where was I? This was not my room. I was in a gigantic canopy bed. It was a black wrought iron bed swathed in black and dark purple. It looked almost gothic.

Pushing myself up to a sitting position had the room spinning. A hand on my head helped to steady it. I felt horrible; I had never felt so sick. All through my childhood, I was never one to get the flu. I swallowed until I gulped down the urge to throw up. Cautiously, I opened my eyes again. The room was three times the size of my own. It was painted an eggplant purple trimmed out in black.

Whosever room this was certainly liked purple and black. I spotted the shrieking alarm clock on a black dresser across the room. I figured I wasn't quite up to getting out of bed, but I needed to shut it up. Gingerly, I swung my legs out of the massive bed and lowered myself to the floor.

My bare feet sunk into something furry. I let out a shriek, hopping up onto the bed again. Scooting over to the other side of the bed, I looked over the edge. A look down revealed a white fur rug with black polka dots. It looked like the pelt of a snow leopard. I made a face, ew. I really hoped that it was not real. Finding no fur rug and the end of the bed, I got down and hurried over to the dresser, turning off the alarm.

Ah, silence, my pounding head thanked me. There had to be some Tylenol or Advil around this room. A quick scan of the room revealed nothing about who owned it. I opened a door and found a private bath. I could only dream of not having to share a bathroom with my slob of a brother.

Without turning on a light, I rummaged through the vanity drawers. Finding some Advil, I shook out two and dropped them in my mouth. Turning on the tap, I filled my palms with water. I slurped it down and looked at myself in the mirror.

A chill ran up my spine as I felt the wall for a light switch. Turning it on, I stared in horror. Jackie Franklin was staring back at me. Black spots formed before my eyes as I sank to the floor, and darkness claimed me. Memories of last night came rushing to me like a Via train.

Who knew how long I was out, but I woke up cold, lying on the smooth ceramic tiles. I pulled myself up by leaning on the vanity. Taking a deep, calming breath, I opened my eyes and stared into Jackie's mossy green eyes. It couldn't be true. I was not Jackie Franklin. How did this happen? Was this some kind of Freaky Friday stuff?

Did this mean that Jackie was in my body? I had to find out. I couldn't be Jackie Franklin. I didn't want this body. Looking down, I grimaced, I didn't want these boobs. I wanted none of it. My breathing quickened, and I knew that I was hyperventilating. I dropped to my butt hard and put my head between my knees.

Taking one deep breath after another, I tried to calm myself down. I had to figure out what was going on. I remembered all of last night—the whole dramatic episode. I felt the humiliation all over again as I remembered how Jackie revealed why Mason wanted to take me last night. How could I have been so stupid to think that Mason Jensen had liked me?

Graham had been right, and I told him I wanted a friendship break. How could I do that to the one who has always stood by my side? Who has always stood up for me when people made fun of me? The very people I was with last night. I groaned; I had to make this right between us. Looking down at Jackie's body, I moaned again. How could I make it right with Graham when I was in Jackie's body? Graham hated Jackie.