The Swap

Zachary 5.5

It's been about twenty days or so, maybe more, since we swapped. I can't remember exactly when we swapped again, and I'm a little frightened by that. The pressure of finding a solution as soon as possible has mostly died out, since we're trying to manage in each other's bodies. Well, I am at least, I don't know about Allison.

Everyday I try to stick around after school to reduce the chance and time I'm seeing Chad. It feels childish or like I'm overreacting sometimes, but I'd rather be safe than sorry. Occasionally, the thought of just getting rid of him pops in my head, but I always whisk it away. I tell myself it's Allison's problem she has to solve, but in reality I know it's just because I'm scared. I feel so weak in Allison's body, or is that just another excuse?

"You should call the police! Don't you think that what he did to you is sickening? What a creep!" Megan screeches when I ask for her advice.

"Pipe down, will you? I don't need others to hear this... Especially not Allison."

"Why not? In fact, why don't you ask her for advice? It's her life you're trying to mess with."

"F-First off, I'm not messing with it! In fact, I'd be doing her a favour for getting rid of him!"

"But...?" she nudges.

"If feels like I'm just doing something she should be doing. It's her life I'm fixing, shouldn't she be fixing it herself?"

"She can't fix it on her own," Megan sighs.

But you can, I think to myself. Didn't Megan say she couldn't just stand here and do nothing when she sees someone hurting another person? I can't dwell on that too long. She's still a friend and without her I'd probably be going insane due to isolation.

"Y'know, I'm surprised Allison is that comfortable with your friends," Megan remarks.

"Me too. It was a little infuriating before, but it's better that my friends don't think I've gone insane."

"Infuriating? Before what?"

"Before you and I became friends," I flop out.

She chuckles and pauses for a bit. I can't tell if that was sarcasm.

"I'm glad I got to know you. You're actually a pretty nice... uh, boy, yeah, just... you're pretty nice," she stutters.

"T-Thanks," I mumble.

"I still find it so unfair of Damian. He's responsible for your image, right?"

"Yeah, but I'm already happy that Damian himself has been dealt with. I already told you before, there's nothing you can do about your image once it's known around school."

"You can always try," she encourages.

"No I can't, not now anyways," I deny.

"That's the difference between you two, you're always so pessimistic, but I suppose sometimes that's better. It ties you to reality," she smiles. I'm trying to escape the reality right now, not confront it.

I'm always pessimistic? That could be true. It's prohibiting me from dealing with Chad. Maybe I need a little push.

"If she can fix my life on her own," I say, "Then I'll fix hers."