Page 23 of Switch!
“It’s all good.” I strip off my shirt. I’m normally the kind of guy who prefers to wear a T-shirt, even while swimming. I’ve never felt confident about my body. I do now. My bronzed muscles practically glow. I probably look like someone in an advertisement for the Bahamas. I’m finally that perfect guy, jogging down the beach with his perfect girlfriend.
Except we’re not really dating, I’m not entirely myself, and this isn’t even a beach. It feels like paradise anyway. We leave our troubles behind as we play. Afterwards we sit on the tailgate to talk more. I want to prove that my interest in her is more than superficial. As the sun continues to move across the sky, she seems to accept that I really do care about her. The only problem I have now is not wanting this to end. And the fact that I’ve let Caleb make a good impression. I told myself I was going on this date to protect Ashley. What if I’ve done the opposite by getting her to trust him?
— — —
It’s half past six by the time the truck crosses the Cheyenne city limits again. When we got back in the truck, I was able to cover my natural body without Ashley noticing, although during a brief lapse in sanity, I almost lifted the quilt to show her, thinking I could explain the truth and that she would understand. Then I decided she was more likely to call the police.
We stopped at the visitor’s center for a drink before leaving the park. Even that was a strain on the silver cord. I should be able to manage a restaurant if I park close enough and I get lucky with seating. I’m more than willing to try. Caleb’s stomach keeps rumbling. Having a bigger body must mean needing more food.
“I know this isn’t a date,” I say as we’re idling at a stoplight, “but what if we got something to eat anyway?”
Ashley’s expression is apologetic. “I promised my parents that I’d be home for dinner.”
“Just in case I turned out to be a creep?”
“Yes,” she says with a laugh. “I wasn’t sure about you.”
She was right to be suspicious. I don’t trust Caleb either. I worry that being nice to her today will leave Ashley vulnerable to crimes too horrible to consider. I have a solution, even though I don’t like it. As we near her house, I struggle with what I need to say, wishing I could find a way for us to continue meeting like this. I don’t see it working. How can I have a satisfying relationship with someone when I can’t get more than a handful of yards from my actual body? Disheartened, I pull into her driveway, put the truck in park, and shut off the engine.
“It’s too bad,” Ashley says wistfully. “I wish we would have done this sooner.”
It’s the perfect segue to what I need to say. “Me too, but there’s no point if I’m moving to Seattle.”
“Tacoma,” she corrects, a mischievous twinkle in her eye. “If there’s no point, why were you so insistent that we go out today?”
“On our date?” I tease back. Then I shrug. “I’ve always wanted this. A single day is better than nothing at all. At least now I’ll have something to remember you by.”
“Then we better make sure you never forget.”
She unbuckles her seatbelt and moves close to me, putting her hands on each side of my face. The kiss is gentle. I want more and try to kiss her back, but she pulls away. “No point,” she says. Then she sighs. “A long-distance relationship would be crazy. Right?”
“It wouldn’t make either of us happy,” I say. “This has to be it. That kiss was the perfect ending.”
Ashley bites her bottom lip. She nods and backs away. “Enjoy your new life, Caleb. I hope you’re able to be the guy I met today, because he’s something special.”
I can’t find the words to respond. All I can do is look at her with longing. This seems to be enough. Ashley gets out of the truck. She doesn’t turn around until she reaches the front door. After a smile and a wave, she disappears inside the house. Life can only go downhill from here.
I’m unsure what to do with myself after I pull out of her driveway. Whatever sense of freedom I have is hampered by being anchored to a truck. My only option besides cruising around in this premium body is return to what now feels like a cheap rental. I stop by a drive-thru on the way home, but I don’t eat. Instead I set the greasy brown bag in the back. When I reach Caleb’s house, I open the garage door, leaving the truck in the driveway with its doors unlocked. I manage to get inside to the bathroom without anyone noticing, the silver cord already resisting. I take off Caleb’s socks and shoes. Just like the previous time, I don’t want to make it easy for him if he comes chasing after me. I’ve been in his body for hours. There’s no telling how aware of me he has become. With that in mind, I strip off all of Caleb’s clothes. He’ll have to run down the street naked to take his revenge. Or get dressed first. I look in the mirror once he’s nude, frustrated once again that physical appearance is so important in this world, although Ashley’s words gave me hope. Personality counts for something after all. So does success. I’ll never be handsome, but that doesn’t mean I can’t find love.
A vibrating noise distracts me. It’s coming from my shorts on the floor. When I fish out my phone, I see a text from Ashley.
Goodbye. It was nice.
Included with this is a photo we took. A selfie. The waters of the reservoir are glimmering behind us, and she has her arm around my hip, but I’m disappointed. When she took the photo, I imagined me, Travis, standing there with her. I guess this will give Caleb something to be happy about. I’m tempted to delete the photo, just to deprive him of it, but that would be cruel. Ashley wouldn’t approve. Instead I leave the phone on the counter where Caleb will see it. I make sure he’s looking directly at the photo, in the hope that it will distract him, before I finally release his body.
Switching back from a distance doesn’t feel good. The sensation of drowning overtakes me, the darkness never seeming to end. I’m worried I won’t find my way back at all when I finally feel the impact. I open my eyes. The world is still dark. And stifling hot. I throw off the quilt, my muscles aching from being in the same position for so long. My limbs are half asleep, but I don’t have time to allow blood to flow back into them. I sit up, grab the bag of fast food I made Caleb buy, and hurry down the sidewalk. Once confident that I’m at a safe distance, I find a nice big tree in a park to sit against, and while eating, I let myself dream of what a second date with Ashley would have been like.
Eight ↔ Chapter
If someone had told me a month ago that Caleb would soon be out of my life, I would have rejoiced. Instead I feel a sense of loss. I don’t like him—at all—but I likedbeinghim. I was finally able to fight back and win the girl. Nothing will be the same once he’s gone. Or more accurately, everything will be how it was before. I’ll return to avoiding bullies. If not Elliot and Dean, then some other indistinguishable jerks. I’ll continue watching Ashley longingly from across the cafeteria. Weekends will be spent with my books instead of friends.
I can always find someone new to possess, but depending on who they are, I might feel guilty. I don’t have any qualms about using a monster like Caleb. If he has any redeeming qualities, I have yet to discover them. This opinion is reinforced on Monday during Calculus class.
I’m sitting at my desk while bracing for the worst, unsure what to expect when he enters the room. I’m hoping he’s oblivious to everything that happened with Ashley, but that seems unlikely considering how often I felt his emotional responses. When he makes a beeline for me, I know my luck has run out. I consider possessing him, but we’re already attracting attention. Anything unusual will be noticed, so I hold back.
“I don’t know what you were doing at my house,” Caleb growls, leaning so close that spittle hits my face, “or what the hell is wrong with you, but you better stay away. Understand?”
I nod meekly, my cheeks flushing when I hear laughter and jeers at my expense, but I’m used to that. I keep my eyes down and don’t move. While waiting for people to stop staring, I ponder why he mentioned me being at his house but not in his truck. Of the two events, that’s the bigger transgression. Of course I had already possessed Caleb by then. Does he not remember that part?
