Swapped

Chapter 1

I don't understand. This isn't me.

The reflection in the mirror was far from what Airlie knew it should look like. Where was that flaming mop of curls she'd always hated? Or the freckles she'd become strangely so accustomed to as a comfort?

It was all gone. Replaced by the majesty of golden hair, olive skin, and the most stunning green eyes. The body's only flaw was a nasty-looking scratch along her hairline, which would surely heal itself back to full glamour in no time.

Yet, as much as Airlie thought this person looked beautiful, it still wasn't her.

Airlie, the 'Matchstick'; a title she'd come to call herself by from all those years of teasing and name-calling in school, and now she was suddenly gone. Where was she? Who's body was she in?

"Macey! Honney? Are you alright?" The voice, which was unfamiliar, pulled Airlie from her haze, and as she blinked her gaze away from the mirror, she noticed for the first time that the bedroom she was in, was not at all her own.

When she'd first woken up, she was so tired she hadn't noticed, but now that she was fully awake, as a result of the supposed body swap, she was struck silly to find herself in a foreign setting. Although it should make sense, since of course a different body would likely lead a varied life to the one Airlie knew.

Every wall of the room was a crisp, clean white; and the furniture, also white; as was everything else it seemed, except the bed covers and the curtains, of patterned blues. There wasn't much personality. In fact, it seemed almost completely devoid of it.

"Macey?" The voice came again, this time, much closer, on the other side of the wall, knocking at the door. The person sighed audibly. "Macey, open up. I know you snuck out last night...and I'm not upset, okay? I'm just worried about what might happen to you when you go to those sorts of parties." There was silence as the person waited for a response, but Airlie didn't know what to say or do. So, she said and did nothing. As the silence drew out, another deeper voice rang out, this one less forgiving.

"Macey, this is your father." But he wasn't Airlie's father, and her real dad was the man she needed to see. Checking the window, it was a good fifteen-foot drop to the ground, but cushioned, conveniently by an old circle trampoline, which Airlie realised must have been prudently positioned for her host's rebellious getaways to these parties her parents spoke of.

As she carefully eased the window open, and climbed out onto its ledge, the man's voice continued. "If you don't open that bloody door now, I'll smash it down myself, and by God, I'll –" Before the man could finish, Airlie had slipped out of the window and onto the trampoline. She readied herself for the impact of gravity against the slack of the netting, but landed easily. Obviously, this was something this body was used to. Straightening herself, Airlie gazed around her at her surroundings, but didn't recognise any of it. The street sign read 'Castiano Court'...Was that the...Eastern suburbs?

As she deliberated, a loud bang from the room she'd just escaped from reverberated through the air, and a man and woman came rushing to the window's edge.

"Don't you dare run off, Mace! Come back here this instant!" But Airlie didn't listen. After all, this couple were not the parents she needed to obey by. She made a dash in a random direction, with the intent to outrun these people before trying to work out where she was and how to get back to her actual home.

But before she could get very far, strong arms wrapped around her, bringing her escape to a sudden stop. Craning her head as far around as she could, Airlie came face to face with a boy. All she noticed were his blue eyes, as they looked straight past Airlie at the couple running towards them, and Airlie began to struggle.

"Let go of me, Josh!" She didn't understand how she knew his name, but it didn't seem important in the moment. The boy shook his head, steadfast to the couple nearing.

"Sorry, Mace. But dad's leaving for Afgan tomorrow, and I'm not letting you guys part on bad terms again. I can't let you feel the guilt of knowing the last thing that happened between you was another fight if..." He hesitated, and his eyes flashed sadly as a memory came to him. "...If something happens to him." He looked to Airlie for the first time. "Please, Mace?" He begged her respite, and Airlie gave in. She already knew what it meant to feel contrite at the loss of a parent...