Keeping Up Appearances
There, right in front of her, stood “her sister” — or rather, her sister’s body — dressed in red lace lingerie and striking poses in front of the mirror with alarming focus.
Julie cleared her throat loudly.
“Would you care to explain what’s going on here?”
Alan, now inhabiting Jannet’s body, jumped a little and turned around, visibly flustered as he tried to cover what was already covered.
“Well… I have a date tonight with your sister’s boyfriend. Technically, he’s my boyfriend now, isn’t he? You were the one who said we had to keep up appearances until we figure out how to switch back.”
Julie folded her arms, irritation sharp in her voice.
“I know all about keeping up appearances, Alan. It’s been a week since you two swapped bodies. But wasn’t it you who, two weeks ago, was desperate to undo all this? The one who kept ranting about how awful it was being in her body — especially after she disappeared with your body and your fortune?”
Alan gave a sheepish smile, tucking a lock of blonde hair behind his ear.
“Well, yes, I was pretty distraught. But you said that while things weren’t back to normal, we should at least pretend everything was fine. So… her boyfriend called earlier. We talked for a while, he said he really missed her, and then he asked if we could meet up.”
Julie raised an eyebrow.
“Uh-huh. And you’re going like that? Dressed like this?”
“Of course not, darling!” Alan quickly replied, trying to sound calm. “This is just… the underneath part. I was just trying it on to see how I’d look. I mean, I have a whole new wardrobe to get used to, right?”
Julie shook her head in disbelief.
“A new wardrobe, huh? You do realize how ridiculous you sound, don’t you? This isn’t adapting, Alan — it’s practically a fashion show.”
Alan chuckled nervously.
“Hey, if I’m going to pass as her, I need to feel comfortable in her skin. People can tell when someone’s faking.”
Julie sighed and sat on the arm of the couch.
“You getting too comfortable is exactly what worries me.”
He laughed, though his voice came out higher than expected — a mix of embarrassment and something else he couldn’t quite name.
“Relax, Julie. I’m just… trying to understand what it’s like to be her. If I act wrong, the boyfriend will notice.”
Julie rolled her eyes.
“Oh please. You don’t need to ‘understand what it’s like to be her’ to fool the guy. Just be distant, give vague answers, and fake a headache. Problem solved.”
“I thought about that,” Alan said, sounding defensive. “But, you know… when he called, he sounded genuine. He’s really hurting. And somehow, I felt like I owed it to him to listen.”
Julie blinked, surprised by the tone in his voice.
“Alan… are you actually feeling sorry for him?”
He hesitated.
“Maybe. Or maybe it’s just the confusion of being in this body. Everything feels different. Emotions, thoughts… even the mirror looks back at me differently.”
Julie stood and walked up to him, her voice firm now.
“Listen to me. Don’t forget who you are. We will fix this. Don’t let it get into your head, got it?”
Alan took a deep breath, looking at her with a mix of embarrassment and something like curiosity.
“Got it. But… just in case, could you help me pick a dress that looks, you know… appropriate for a couple’s date?”
Julie stared at him for a long moment, then sighed in defeat.
“I can’t believe I’m saying this… but fine. Just for tonight. And only because I have to make sure you don’t screw things up even worse.”
He smiled, relieved.
“I promise.”
Julie shook her head.
“This is going to be a long night.”
Comments
Post a Comment
Please leave a comment! I'll apreciate!