Chapter XIV

As the sun got lower on the horizon and the temperature began dropping by a significant amount, Jay couldn’t help but to shiver. He was only dressed in his black running shorts and a tank top so he knew that once night truly set in, he would be freezing. The logical course of action was to simply go back to his apartment, but he just wasn’t in the mood to deal with his parents. If he could avoid being at home then he would do so. Being home was utter torture for him so, as was fairly common for Jay after practice let out, he found himself wandering down various streets on his way to Ralph’s Diner where Alice worked. Normally she had a later shift and so they would go together but, since she had left early that day, he was by himself. He ate at Ralph’s so often that he knew all of Alice’s coworkers by name and each of them now knew his order without him having to ask. Alice often got out of work at around eight so he would just have dinner and then hang out around town until she finished. Then, they would walk together until they had to go their separate ways. It was moments like those that he always treasured and looked forward to. They were the few lights in his relatively dark life that made waking up every morning somewhat worth it.

But today...I really should skip out…

Normally, he would never dream of skipping his visit to Ralph’s but, given his impulsive decision to steal the gem, he felt his guilt begin to overwhelm him and he was sure that his actions would really piss Alice off.

God...what was I thinking? All this is going to accomplish is just pushing Lilly even further away and making Alice lose any respect for me she hasn’t already. He clenched his empty fist as he lifted his hand to look at the small orange stone within his grasp. This stupid fucking stone! What did I think I was going to find? What? Did I think the damn thing was magic or something like I’m one of those freaks?

He suddenly felt the powerful desire to just hurl the stone into the bushes and run away but he managed to keep his emotions in check.

I should just go find Lilly and give it back, he told himself. I was fucking stupid to take it in the first place. I just wanted to know...if she was okay. I wanted to understand what happened to her. She really scared me that afternoon.

He thought back to the day she started going crazy. Everything about her had been so surprising that it felt like he was looking at a completely different person. Her distant and reserved personality had all vanished to be replaced by an outgoing and almost extravagant attitude that truly did remind him of the way Eric Reiner and Vinny Mickelson behaved. If he hadn’t known her, he would have believed that she was one of the club members.

So what happened? Why the sudden shift?

He furrowed his brow, recalling the words Lilly had shouted that afternoon.

“Yes! This is it! I knew that stone had held some sort of power but I never imagined it would be something like this! Don’t you see what we’ve discovered! They all doubted me and yet I was right! Finally, after all this time!”

This damn stone. Not only did she start acting weird after she touched it but… Jay scowled. She said she thought it had power, but I can’t imagine why. It just...all seems to revolve around this thing.

He sighed. I have to just give it back but…I don’t think I can face Lilly again. Maybe…I’ll just ask Alice to give it to her tomorrow.

The boy rounded a corner and left the neighborhood he had been walking through. He now found himself on the sidewalk of a road lined with various shopping centers and restaurants. Unlike the neighborhood, there were people around, some stopping to look at window displays and others holding food they had bought. He made sure to shove the gem into his pocket despite knowing that it probably wouldn’t draw much attention.

Jay then noticed two students wearing the West Wilham uniform and holding hands, making it obvious that they were a couple. The girl was laughing at something her boyfriend had said as she leaned in close to him. He watched them out of the corner of his eye for a moment before continuing on down the sidewalk.

I hope Alice finds something like that someday, he thought. I want her to be happy. That’s all I want.

Once he reached Erwin’s Burgers and Brew, Jay pushed the button on the crosswalk and waited for the light to turn green. He could see the familiar red and gold colors of Ralph’s Diner across the street and was anxious to get there. Finally, after a few moments, the light turned green and Jay was able to cross the street and head toward the front door of the restaurant.

When he went inside, he found that, much like every day he came, there weren’t very many people there. Ralph’s wasn’t the most popular place in town and so it only made enough money to get by each month. That was one of the reasons Jay liked going there. It had a cozy and quaint feel that always made him nostalgic to think about whenever he hadn’t been back for a while.

The moment he closed the door behind him, the blonde girl at the front looked up from the podium and smirked.

“Ah, there he is,” she said with a laugh. “I knew you’d be here any minute, Brooks.”

Jay returned her smirk with one of his own. “Of course I’m here, Wahl,” he replied. “I couldn’t miss my favorite Meirion Omelette, now could I?”

Monica Wahl cocked an eyebrow at him and folded her arms across her chest as she eyed him skeptically.

“Oh really? The omelette is why you’re here? That’s what you’re going with?” the girl snorted. “You can’t get anything past me, buddy. I know exactly what…or rather, who, you’re here to see.”

With a nod of her head, she beckoned for Jay to follow him as she led him toward his usual booth by the window in the back corner.

“I don’t think I appreciate your implications,” Jay retorted. “This place serves a better Meirion Omelette than even Meir does! Alice being here is simply an added bonus.”

“Oh?” Monica laughed as he slid into his booth. “And have you ever been to Meir?”

Jay shook his head. “Nope. Never. But I can guess.”

The girl rolled her eyes but Jay could tell she enjoyed their back and forths. “Whatever. Alice already put your order in so it’ll be out in a few minutes. And don’t worry…” As she moved to turn away, Monica made sure he could see her wink. “…she covered the bill for you.”

Jay made sure that his outward appearance was one of exasperation at her teasing but inside, he felt his stomach tighten.

No! I’ve told her a million times not to pay for it! Why does she always do this?

He hated it whenever Alice did stuff like that for him simply because it made him feel like more of a burden on her than he already was. His continued association with her was enough stress on her as it was. He’d seen the looks she got in the halls whenever they were together. People thought they were an item and that no doubt sparked rumors she would be better off not having to deal with.

So why does she insist on doing things like paying for my dinner? It’s only a bigger weight on her shoulders. I should be the one helping her! Not the other way around!

Yet, even as he admonished her for helping him, he realized the hypocrisy of his words. He had, after all, come to the diner with the intent of asking for a favor from her—a favor that would help him escape his own painful cowardice.

The weight of the stone in his pocket made his earlier sickness suddenly return. He all of a sudden wasn’t even sure that he could eat his omelette and wished he had just booked it home and prayed that his parents weren’t there yet.

He knew it had probably only been ten minutes but it felt like hours of sitting in that booth, anxiously tapping his foot and listening to his heart beating in his ears before he saw Alice making her way toward him with his food on a tray and a smile on her face. She was wearing her normal employee attire of a black button up and slacks as well as her name tag pinned to her shirt with her hair tied up. He couldn’t help but to inwardly scowl at how tight the uniform was, as he was certain that was an intentional choice by whoever ordered the uniforms.

“Here you go,” she said cheerfully, first placing the omelette down in front of him, followed then by a plate of sausage and a glass of water.

It wasn’t much of a dinner but it was his favorite menu item whenever he came to the diner and so, he got it no matter the time. Normally it made his stomach grumble in anticipation but today, all he felt was anxiety.

“Thanks,” he replied, forcing his normal mask of cheer.

“No problem,” she said. “Is there anything else you need, Jay?”

His thoughts immediately returned to the gem and, for a moment, he considered not waiting and just asking her to return the gem. However, he quickly decided against it. It would be best to wait until after her shift to pose the question. So, instead, he merely shook his head.

“Nope. I’m all good. Thanks, Alice.”

However, he didn’t recognize his mistake until it was too late. Alice had known him almost all her life and so was able to recognize the brief hesitation despite how quick it was. Her warm smile instantly vanished as her eyes narrowed in clear suspicion.

“You’re lying to me again, aren’t you?” The earlier cheer in her voice was all but gone, replaced by a whisper that was tinged with clear irritation.

He opened his mouth to speak but couldn’t get any words to form. His mind froze up and he couldn’t find a way to reply. When he stayed silent, Alice shook her head and continued.

“I don’t know why you’re so insistent on keeping this to yourself.” Her voice was quiet enough that only Jay could hear her. “I can tell something’s been bothering you and it’s irritating that you won’t just come out and tell me. I’m your best friend…aren’t I? Don’t you trust me?”

He felt his stomach churn at the obvious hurt in her voice as he scrambled to find a response. He hated the fact that she could see right through him but knew he had no choice but to lie to her. If she knew what had been bothering him in the recent weeks then she would freak out. He couldn’t allow that. He needed to work things out with Lilly for Alice’s sake, no matter what.

In fact…maybe having Alice give the gem back could play to my advantage. It might be the push they need to start becoming genuine friends!

“Of course I trust you!” he whispered back after a moment.

She glanced over her shoulder and, once it was clear that nobody was listening in, she returned her attention to him.

“Then why? Why can’t you tell me what’s wrong?” Alice leaned forward then and put the hand not clutching the tray on his shoulder. “Please. I won’t judge you, Jay. I’m here for you.”

His thoughts returned to the gem laying in his pocket and knew that he now had a chance to come clean and ask her for help. Yet, when he opened his mouth to form the question, he found himself unable to speak once again. He couldn’t bring up the gem because he was terrified of what she might think when he told her how pathetic he had been.

When Jay remained silent, Alice simply removed her hand from his shoulder and turned away, not speaking another word to him. He could tell she was furious and couldn’t bear the thought of her being mad at him so, in a panic, Jay Brooks once again gave into his impulses and quickly spoke.

“I stole Eric Reiner’s gem,” he called after her, still soft enough that only she would hear.

He hurriedly looked away from her, cursing himself for being so weak and giving in. He heard her turn around and waited with his breath held for her to speak.

“You…what?” she breathed. “What are you talking about?”

At her question, he found he had no choice but to answer honestly and so, everything suddenly began spilling out of him.

“You remember that gem from the afternoon of club rush? The one that Reiner dropped right before Harper went crazy?” He didn’t wait for her response, knowing she was aware of what he was talking about. “Well, after practice, I saw Harper talking to Reiner and Mickelson in the courtyard. I couldn’t hear what they were saying but I saw Reiner hand her his gem before leaving. I don’t know why but…I’ve just had this feeling that the stupid stone had something to do with Harper’s weird freakout! So, when I saw her put it in her backpack and turn around, I knew I had a chance.”

He waited for her to respond, dreading what she might say but, when Alice stayed quiet, he knew she was waiting for him to finish his explanation. So, as he continued talking, he reached into his pocket and produced the stone so she could see it.

“I stole it,” he confessed, staring down at his omelette so he didn’t have to look at her. “I stole it and I don’t know why. It was just an impulse but…I couldn’t help it. I don’t know what to do.”

Speak! Say something, damn it!

When Alice still remained silent, he finally forced himself to raise his head and look into her eyes but when he did, he immediately regretted it. She was looking down at him in clear disgust, like she couldn’t believe what she was hearing.

“What the hell is wrong with you?” she muttered after a moment, the dreaded disappointment clear in her words.

His heartbeat quickened as he frantically tried to think of a way to make himself look better. However, he knew it was a lost cause. What he did was utterly pathetic. He stole a priceless-looking gem from a girl that he wanted to call his friend. And for what? What did he expect to figure out?

“I…”

“Jay,” she said sternly, like a mother admonishing a misbehaving son. “I don’t know what the hell you think that gem could have done to her and frankly, I don’t care. Give it back to her and apologize. Then, leave the poor girl alone. I’ve already told you…” For a moment, there was a hint of longing mixed with the anger in her next words. “…Lilly Harper doesn’t want anything to do with us.”

He clenched his teeth and looked down at the gem in his grasp. It glistened in the few rays of sunlight streaming in through the window.

“Could you…?” he asked softly, cringing at the utterly pathetic request.

“Can I what?” she snapped.

He exhaled softly, trying to steady his heartbeat. “Give it to Harper? I don’t think I can face her again after this.”

Jay expected her to fully lose it at that point and completely tell him off for being such a worthless piece of shit. She had every right to. He was the dumbass who stole the gem and now he was asking her to fix the problem he created. He truly didn’t know why she still stuck around somebody like him and knew she could leave him at any point she chose.

“Fine,” she growled. “But I still expect you to apologize to her. You promise me?”

He looked up in surprise, completely thrown off by the fact that she accepted his request. Yet, there was no warmth in her stare. Instead, she looked more furious than he had ever seen her. The girl’s hand was outstretched and she clearly expected him to turn the gem over immediately.

So, he complied without a word.

He reached out and placed the stone into her palm and, in the next moment, everything went white.

What the…?

It was so sudden that he hardly had time to process it. One moment he was sitting in that booth and the next, he was floating in a world of pure white. He tried to spin around and get his bearings but he couldn’t move. It was almost like he didn’t have a body anymore. Just as he was about to panic, he suddenly found himself back in the diner as abruptly as he had left it.

What the hell just happened?

He immediately realized something was off. In addition to his slightly blurry vision, he could feel a tickling sensation on the back of his neck and his body as if something were slightly off.

Thunk!

The noise made him jump and he immediately turned to look down to his right just as his vision became clear again to find a black tray laying at his feet.

Wait…what? Am I standing up? Why aren’t I at the booth?

Confused, he turned back to face forward…and was instantly thrown into another wave of shock. Sitting in front of him, where he had been moments before, was himself, staring back with the same shocked expression he imagined he currently wore.

“Alice? You okay?”

He heard the voice of Monica Wahl from behind him and hesitantly turned to look, desperate to know where Alice was and why he was looking at a person identical to himself. Yet, when he looked, he saw that rather than staring at Alice, Monica was staring at him with a concerned expression on her face.

“Uh…earth to Alice?” Monica said, still staring at him. “Are you okay?”

Wait…is she…

…talking to me?!

***

Damn it! God damn it! Where the hell is he?! He couldn’t have gone very far!

Lilly Harper ran through the neighborhoods as fast as she possibly could, desperate to catch up to and find Jay. She still couldn’t believe that he actually stole the stone from her while she wasn’t looking. Not only had she never pegged him for the type of person to steal from somebody but she couldn’t fathom why he would want to steal the stone in particular.

Did he just think he could sell it or something? she asked herself for the millionth time. Or could he have possibly overheard Eric and Vinny talking about it’s power?!

She truly had no idea but she was determined to find out one way or another. The problem was that she had no way to find him. Jay was an impressively fast runner and he had a good enough head start on her. Even if she knew for certain which way he’d gone, she wasn’t sure she would have been able to catch him.

Damn it! I never thought I’d wish I had Jay’s damn number!

She knew that if he made it to his house then she wouldn’t be able to get the stone back. He could just hide it somewhere and pretend he had no idea what she was talking about.

Cursing her incompetence, Lilly finally came to a halt at the opening to a cul de sac and caught her breath.

God…not five minutes after Eric tells me he trusts me with the stone, I go and lose it! I’m such an idiot! Damn it! What am I supposed to do?! Jay could have gone anywhere and I don’t know him or this damned town well enough to even begin guessing where!

She exhaled softly, knowing that, whether she liked it or not, she had no choice but to ask one of the club members for help. She'd already been out there for nearly twenty minutes and realized that she was only running in circles. She needed help from the club. They might at least know where Jay lived so she supposed she could ask them to accompany her to his place so they could get it back.

She reluctantly reached into her backpack’s pocket and produced her phone, pulling up her meager list of contacts that included her family, a few old friends she never talked to anymore, and the Magic Club members. Her first instinct was to call Eric but, after deciding that she couldn’t face him until she had the problem resolved, she opted instead to go with a different person and hope he wouldn’t tell Eric about it.

She pressed the button to call him and raised the phone to her ear as she dreaded the conversation to come.

“Hello, Miss Lilly,” came the cheerful voice of Vinny Mickelson. “This is a pleasant surprise. What can I do ya for?”

“Is Eric there with you?” she asked instantly.

“Eric? No, he already went home. Why?”

She took a deep breath and forced herself to be honest with the boy, knowing that nothing could be accomplished by lying. All she would be doing was risking his trust in her more than she already was.

“Look…I need your help,” she admitted softly.

Immediately, and much to her surprise, she heard concern in his voice. “Help? With what? What happened?”

“Well…” She exhaled softly. “Right after you guys left, Jay Brooks came over to talk to me. You know him?”

“Yeah, course I do,” Vinny replied. “He’s that weird kid you’ve been hanging out with, right?”

Scowling at his unnecessary clarification, Lilly pressed on.

“While my back was turned…he…”

Just say it! The damage is done! You need his help, Lilly!

“He stole the gem from my backpack and left before I noticed and now I have no clue where he could have possibly gone and I don’t have his number!” She said it all in one breath, knowing she needed to force it all out. “I need help, Vinny! I don’t know what to do! Eric trusted me and I screwed up! Please…”

“That piece of shit,” Vinny growled. “Don’t worry, Lilly. I won’t tell Eric! I’ve got your back!”

She frowned, having expected him to at least berate her for being so irresponsible with something so priceless.

“Thanks,” she replied weakly. “And I’m sorry.”

“Don’t apologize,” he said sternly. “You did nothing wrong. Who would have expected that bastard to straight up steal from you. Now, I have a plan.”

Lilly perked up instantly, ready to do whatever she needed to help. “What is it?”

“Jay’s buddy, Alice, works at this Diner downtown. I ran into her there a few weeks back with my family,” he explained.

She nodded, recalling that Jay said Alice had a job and that’s why she missed cross country.

“Yeah, she’s there right now,” Lilly confirmed.

“Good. I’m just down the street from them,” Vinny went on, “so I’ll run over there as fast as I can. I’ll talk to Mendez and see if she can tell me where we can find Jay or where he lives. If you can meet me there, we’ll go find him together. That sound good?”

She nodded once again. “Absolutely! Thanks, Vinny! Really!”

“No problem. It’s called Ralph’s Diner and it’s on tenth street. Are you close by?”

Lilly frowned, quickly trying to remember the way downtown from where she was.

“Uh…I’m probably twenty minutes away on foot,” she guessed.

“Perfect,” he replied. “I’ll meet you there!”

“Okay! See you in a bit!”

“You too, Lilly!”

With that, Vinny hung up and Lilly wasted no time turning and sprinting in the direction she believed downtown to be.

And, despite the panic of the situation, she found herself amazed at how understanding and quick to action Vinny Mickelson actually was.

***

Everything happening before her was so utterly absurd that Alice immediately wondered if she had been drugged somehow and was now hallucinating. One moment she’d been talking to Jay, furious at him for stealing Eric’s stone from Lilly, and the next she was suddenly sitting in a booth, looking up not at her old friend but at herself. The person standing in front of her was so identical to her that, if she hadn’t known better, she would think she was looking at her twin sister. So, since she didn’t have a twin, Alice quickly tried to come up with another explanation as to what was going on.

“Alice? Seriously, you okay?”

Monica Wahl was standing a few feet away, having come over when Alice’s double dropped the tray she was holding, and was now staring at her in clear concern. Just the fact that Monica was using her name but wasn’t looking at her was enough to give Alice an idea as to what might have happened.

It’s absolutely ridiculous, but…

Slowly, Alice pulled her attention from the scene before her and turned to look down at her own body.

Oh my…god.

Rather than being dressed in her diner employee’s uniform, Alice was now wearing a loose running shirt and a pair of black running shorts. However, her clothes weren’t the only things that changed. Her entire body was completely foreign. Her shoulders were bigger, her arms and legs were clearly unshaven, and the empty sensation on her chest were all indicators that she was no longer herself. But, wanting to be absolutely certain, Alice turned to her left and stared into the window displaying the parking lot beyond.

She could just barely make out her reflection in the glass and, conforming her suspicions, it was not her own face looking back at her but Jay’s.

That’s…impossible! We’ve…actually swapped bodies? How? How could that have…?!

“Um…are you…talking to me?”

At the sound of her own voice, Alice turned back to see that the person she now knew must be Jay had finally spoken.

Monica cocked an eyebrow in clear confusion. “Uh…obviously.”

“Hey, Brooks,” she then snapped, turning a glare upon Alice. “What’d you do to her? Why’s she so creeped out?”

Monica called me “Brooks”. Jeez…this is actually happening! I need to do something quick or else Monica’s going to think I’ve gone insane!

It was just as the thought crossed her mind that something clicked in Alice’s head. She suddenly understood exactly what transpired the afternoon of club rush when Lilly went crazy. Even after all that time, Alice still couldn’t figure out why Lilly, a major introvert, would have acted the way she did in the moment. But now, she understood. When Eric Reiner and Lilly Harper touched the stone together, they had swapped bodies just like what just happened to her and Jay.

Meaning Eric was the one acting crazy that afternoon. God…

Shoving the implications of what that meant aside for the time being, Alice quickly formulated a reply to bail Jay out of the situation with Monica.

“Yeah, she’s fine,” Alice replied, startled at the voice coming from her mouth despite having already figured out what was going on. “Actually, would you mind giving us a moment, Moni—er, Wahl. It’s a bit personal.”

Jay was looking down at her with clear disbelief while Monica simply glanced between the two skeptically. She was a very observant girl so there was no way she couldn’t tell that Alice was lying through her teeth but, thankfully the girl simply shrugged.

“Alright. But I expect an explanation after work, Alice,” she said, eyeing Jay with her concern still clear in her eyes. “And the manager needs you for something so be quick about it.”

Jay simply continued to stare after her, dumbfounded, as Monica turned and began to walk away. The minute she was no longer looking at them, Alice quickly leaned forward and reached toward the gem still clutched in Jay’s hand.

If my guess is right then just touching it should swap us back. And once this is fixed…Eric and Lilly have some explaining to do.

She grabbed the stone and prepared herself to be plunged back into that world of white…but it never came. Instead, she remained sitting in the booth. Jay jumped at her sudden movement and released the hold on the stone.

What the hell? Why didn’t we…? Was I wrong? Does something else trigger the switch? I don’t…understand what’s going on!

“A-Alice?” Jay breathed. “What’s…happening?”

Alice stared down at the stone in her hand and clenched her teeth in frustration.

“I don’t know,” she replied weakly. “But we…clearly swapped bodies…somehow.”

As if Alice putting it into words was the last thing Jay needed to come to terms with what had happened, his eyes quickly went wide as he turned to stare down at his body.

“Act natural!” she hissed, wanting to stop him before he reflexively started touching himself in a weird way.

His head snapped up at her words. “W-what are we supposed to do? How do we swap back?!”

“I don’t know,” she replied sharply. “But…I’d bet anything that Lilly does. She and Eric knew about this! I know it!”

Jay exhaled softly. “You mean…?”

“They swapped bodies after club rush,” Alice said. “That’s what happened to Lilly that day. Eric took over her body.” The girl sighed as she hurriedly tried to find something to do. “Just…you’ve worked a restaurant job before, right?”

Jay hesitated before nodding. “I mean…once.”

“Good,” she muttered. “Then…I have two more hours on my shift so just…do your best to act natural and finish it! I’ll keep hold of the stone and once we’re done here…” She furrowed her brow in thought. “Liz Tao lives down the street from me. We’ll go there and, if she doesn’t know what’s going on, we’ll try to get ahold of Eric through her.”

Jay quickly shook his head in bewilderment. “You mean we have to stay like this for two hours?!”

“What choice do we have?” Alice snapped back. “It’s not like I can just leave my job! But…I guess I can just run over there myself if you want! You just have to act like me to the best of your ability! Can you do that?”

“I mean…” His cheeks suddenly turned a bright red as he glanced down at the ground. “What if…I have to use the bathroom or something?”

Alice felt her stomach tighten at his question. It was then that she realized that he could feel every part of her at that moment just as she could him. She knew she shouldn’t be embarrassed considering how long they knew each other so she quickly pushed her feelings down.

“We have bigger issues right now!” she snapped, gathering Jay’s stuff as she got to her feet. She briefly considered eating his omelette before shaking her head, knowing she needed to get to Liz’s as fast as she could. “I’ll be back as soon as I can!”

“Wait…Alice!”

He went to protest but she ignored him as she turned and headed straight for the diner’s entrance. Without looking back, deciding to trust Jay with her body for the time being, she walked out into the chilly evening and was about to head straight for the crosswalk when she came to a sudden stop.

“Well, well, well. Going somewhere, you little thieving bastard?”

Vinny Mickelson was walking straight towards her, an unpleasant grin on his face.

“Back inside, Brooks,” he said as he gave her a rough pat on her shoulder. “Let’s have a little talk, shall we?”