The Swap

Chapter 17 Ellie

Even thought Ms. Buchanan told us not to close the door, I jump up and shut it, turning the lock just to be safe.

"That was nuts," I say. I don't really know if I'm talking to Jack or talking to myself, but either way, I'm starting to freak out again, and it shows.

"Ellie?" says Jack. "That's your name, right?"

I nod.

"Look," he tells me, "we don't have a lot of time. Pretty soon the bell is going to ring and nothing is going to change here, so let's face it-"

"I'm you," I say, interrupting him.

"Exactly, you are me and I'm you," he says, smiling for the first time. I know this sounds nuts, but I actually feel a little bit more calm when I see myself smiling.

He grind again. "We just have to make it through the weekend, right? Then we'll get back here and find that wacky nurse and-"

"The weekend!" I cut him off. "Are you crazy!?"

Jack looks up at the clock. "Dude, come on, do you want to waste time arguing?"

"Fine," I answer. "Go ahead, tell me your great, awesome plan," I say, sounding kind of meaner than I wanted to.

"Okay, first, go home with my dad. He'll be right outside by the gym door in a big pickup truck, and-"

"What color?" I ask.

"What color what?" says Jack.

"The truck?"

"Black," he answers. "Dude, you are asking too many questions. Look, just go with my dad and keep your mouth shut, don't get into it with my brothers, and whatever you do, don't tell my dad about the fight, okay?"

"Yeah, okay, whatever," I answer. "I won't tell him."

"No, seriously, Ellie, for real. Promise, okay?" Jack looks really worried. Which mean I'm looking at me looking really freaked out.

"Okay, okay, I promise," I tell him. "But isn't he going to wonder what happened to your face?"

"Just say it was from Stryker last night in The Cage," answers Jack.

"You were in a cage with someone named Stryker?"

Oh god.

"Stryker's my brother. I have three."

My mouth drops open. "Three brothers!"

"Look, you'll be fine, okay? Just stay in my room. Even if Owen calls, or anyone, just stay home, okay?"

"Okay." I nod.

"My dad, he has, like..." He pauses for a moment, then goes on. "He has a certain way about him, so just..."

"Yeah?"

"Just say as little as possible."

"Okay," I tell him.

"Well?" he asks.

"Well what?"

"What about me?" he asks. "How am I, or, like-" He stops and looks at me anxiously. "What am I supposed to do?"

I picture my mom waiting in her car by the back of the school. She's probably already even there, waiting with a snack and my soccer gear.

Oh my god, soccer!

Sassy!

Everything comes flooding back. I start to panic, and okay, yeah I can feel the tears gathering in my eyes.

"Look, dude, you seriously have to stop crying!" Jack tells me. "If you're going to be me, you can't be such a GIRL!"

This is so crazy.

"I know this seems unreal," says Jack. He reaches out and grabs my hand. Which is so weird, because I never imagined I'd be holding hands with The Prince of Thatcher on the first day of seventh grade.

Or, I'd be The Prince of Thatcher on the first day of seventh grade.

He lets go of my hand and I'm sort of flustered.

"Well? What do I do?" he asks again.

"Uhhh, my mom's picking me up in the back by the gym, and look, number one: do not go to soccer, no matter how much my mom says you have to go. Make something up. Just go directly to my room and stay there for the entire weekend!"

"Okay, no soccer," he repeats. "Stay in your room. Got it."

"Yeah, just, like, stay in my room. Please! Promise me that no matter what my mom says, don't go anywhere, okay?"

"Okay," he repeats. "Chill!"

"No soccer," I repeat.

"Okay, no soccer, I get it, you​ already said that."

"And whatever you do, no sleepovers!" No birthday parties!"

"Dude!" he says. "Relax! I'm not going to some chick birthday party, okay?"

"Swear?"

"I swear."

Suddenly he looks worried again. "Oh, man..."

"What?"

"Hockey..." His voice trails off, and for a second I think he might cry too.

"Do not under any circumstances go to hockey," he tells me.

"Hockey?" I laugh. "I can't even skate."

"Good, yeah, well. Just... don't go. Make something up, okay?"

"Sure." I shrug. "No problem."

"Look, Ellie." Jack takes a big deep breath. "We have got to make this work, okay? One weekend, that's two measly days, right? How hard can that be?"

He almost has me convinced.

"How hard can it be?" I repeat.

"So we'll meet by the main office first thing Monday. Deal?" Jack extends my own arm toward me.

"Deal," I say, shaking my own hand.

And, this is embarrassing, but, um, I seriously can't hold it much longer, so I just blurt it out. "Jack, you, I mean we...I mean...I have to pee."

Jack pushes me toward the small nurse's room bathroom, opens the door, and points to the toilet.

"What do I even do?" I squeal.

"Just go in there and, like..." He cringes. "Just, like..." He stops and swallows hard. It's pretty obvious he's just as embarrassed as I am.

"Yeah?"

"Grab on, aim, and shake when you're done."

A/N

I know I haven't updated in forever so I'm going to do s double update today. I've been inactive because I've been busy with my school work and since tomorrow is my last day ill be updating more often.