The Switch [COMPLETED]

Chapter 20

Asher Halen:

I stared at Paisley's back in defeat, not sure what to say that could undo the effects of the horrible things I had just said. I was officially the biggest jerk on the planet.

Even though her back was to me, I could tell that she was crying by the subtle rise and fall of her shoulders with each uneven breath. I KNEW that the interview hadn't been her fault. In reality, it had been mine. I shouldn't have even asked her to do that. She had been right - it wasn't fair. And blaming her for the disastrous way things had gone was just cruel. She had literally passed out from fear, for crying out loud. I should be more sympathetic.

I could barely hear her when she whispered that she never wanted to see me again after we had switched back. For some reason, the sentiment hurt me more deeply than I expected it to. I mean, I wasn't expecting for us to be best friends or anything, but I still felt like going through something like this together deserved more than a "see you never" at the end of the day.

I had been wrong. I fully understood that, and I regretted my spiteful little spiel deeply. I hadn't meant to hurt Paisley at all, let alone in a way that cut so deeply.

Still, I was Asher Halen, and years of habitual pride and conceit had taken its toll on me.

"Fine," I snapped even while everything in me was screaming at me to just apologize, "I don't want to see you, either."

"Good," Paisley called roughly over her shoulder, her tone harsh even though I could clearly see the tears on her cheek.

"Good," I repeated childishly, and stuck my tongue out at the back of her head for added measure.

Real mature, Asher.

My body literally felt like it was being torn apart between pride on one side and wanting to apologize and make things right on the other. After rocking back and forth on my toes a couple times, I finally ripped myself away from Paisley with a frustrated growl and stormed angrily out the door of the dressing room, slamming it behind me for good measure.

I didn't make it far before I ran smack dab into Leo, Zack, and Tucker, who were all waiting right outside of the door with horrified expressions on their faces. My face instantly paled when I thought of everything that Paisley and I had just been saying to one another and the volume of our voices as we had said it. How long had the guys been standing there listening?...

I got my answer when Leo wrinkled his brow and looked deeply into my eyes with a puzzled expression.

"Asher? Is that...you?" he asked hesitantly, his eyes wide with something akin to fear.

"I...um...you see..." I stammered wildly, messing with the bottom of the stupid skirt again. Apparently "girl me" had a nervous tick.

After a few moments of floundering, I dropped the skirt and lifted my hands to my face, rubbing my eyes before pinching the bridge of my nose in defeat.

"I'm freaking out, guys. I don't know how this happened," I finally said, gesturing to my new body. "Last night I was me and this morning when I woke up, I was...this."

Leo and Zack looked at me like they were torn between passing out or calling the psych ward. Tucker, on the other hand, was leaning towards me with great interest as if I were an exhibit in a zoo.

"Whoa, man. This is some serious sci-fi crap," he mused, walking forward to pace around me in a small circle. "Paisley Monroe, huh? How random... What do you think it was? Magic fortune cookie? Wizard disguised as a janitor? Mystical potion slipped into your drinks last night?"