Trapped in the Sims (complete)

Part 6

I wake up, instantly disoriented. This isn't my room. Oh my God where am I?

Then I remember. I'm a sim. This is Melissa's bedroom and I'm in a camp bed on the floor. Melissa above me is snoring softly, her hair spread out on the bed and her pretty eyes shut. I manage to glimpse the clock, it says it's 6:53. I feel a rush of pleasure that I'm still human and kick my legs out of the bed, enjoying the free movement I take for granted. I know that teenage sims always wake up at exactly seven o' clock and sigh in relief that I'm not classified as a sim yet. Yet.

The clock ticks away to seven, and as the numbers flick over to the seven Melissa yawns and automatically swings her legs out of bed. She smiles when she sees me, still lying in bed with bleary eyes.

"You're still in bed?" Her hair is immediately perfect and her face is pristine. Maybe there are some benefits to being a sim after all. For one you don't have to brush your hair in the mornings. I quickly swing my legs out of bed and stand up, not wanting her to get suspicious. I remember sims can't just stay in bed in the mornings, they have to get up as soon as they wake. I guess there are some disadvantages too...

I quickly flash a look at the mirror and see my hair is splayed out all over the place. Frantically I try to calm it down by brushing my hands over it. It doesn't do much good. Melissa watches me with an amused look on her face. Finally she says: "I'm going to get a quick shower. See you in a minute," and walks out. I curse myself for my stupidity. Of course, having a shower will restore my sim hairstyle to perfection. And brushing your hair isn't an action in the Sims 3. Somehow being in the game is a lot different to controlling sims outside it. And I can't quite remember what actions the Sims can't do...

I shake my head. It'll come back to me. My mind's just scrambled from being in this circumstance. It's not surprising that I can't remember some things at the moment.

Melissa walks back in, her hair automatically dry and fresh looking, her makeup done to perfection. I quickly tell her I'm going for a shower too, then hop in the warmth of the hot water. There is suddenly movement under me and I look down alarmed, then nearly laugh out loud at the sight of a pixelation around my body. Of course!

After my shower, I spend a few moments looking in the mirror marvelling at how my hair hangs in perfectly placed waves next to my shoulders and noting with satisfaction how my makeup looks frankly amazing on me... Then I head downstairs feeling at home here already. Lucy, Melissa and Matthew are sitting at the table eating breakfast: cereal. I go to the fridge and pull out a ready made bowl of cereal for myself and sit next to Melissa. She smiles at me with her mouth full of cereal.

"Ready for school today, Rachel?" She mumbles, swallowing her mouthful in one.

"Sorta..." I say. Melissa grins at me.

"You'll be fine. School's great fun, apart from the homework..."

I hear a loud honk from outside. Automatically Kyle, Matthew and Melissa all stand up as one. It's ever so slightly creepy. It's eight o clock, so the school bus is here. Melissa hugs her mum and Matthew appears to be telling a joke to thin air before running out the house, his imaginary friend following him I assume. Kyle goes out without speaking to anyone, and I follow Melissa out of the house, the fangirl inside me jumping for joy as I see the towering form of the yellow school bus. It's exactly as I've seen it every day on the screen, but it's so much more real here. As I step into it I see dark seats and slip onto one with Melissa. The first day of school awaits...