The Ol' Switcheroo

It was ridiculous. 

My partner Derrick and I made one of the most outrageous bets in our dating history. In one of our silly arguments, he spat out playfully,

“I bet you couldn’t live one day in my shoes, Ariana Sister!”

I giggled. “That could never happen, and you know it.” I teased him with a smile.

“Never underestimate the power of the mind.” He replied with a scheming twinkle in his eye as he strode to the Common Room.

I thought nothing of it, and simply shook it off. That night, I thought nothing would happen. 

The official chaos started when I woke up late the next morning. I reached over to turn off my digital alarm when it buzzed. I felt for my glasses, sat up in bed and put them on. After I turned on the lamp beside the bed, I noticed something strange. I was sleeping in the wrong bed, and the glasses I held in my hand were not mine, they were Derrick’s. I also noticed I was a lot bigger than usual.

I shook my head, putting the thought aside and headed to the bathroom to check my reflection in the mirror. What made me stop in my tracks was the reflection staring back at me. It was my loving partner!

Darn that Derrick! I thought as I undressed to take a shower. How did he –?

My thoughts were interrupted as I tried not to look down. I had pecks and a (oh boy) a penis! Sure enough, I was in his body. My thoughts rushed back to our playful bet. Derrick had won and I was going to see what it was like to be him for a day.

What have I gotten myself into this time? I wondered as I quickly showered and dressed for classes. How did he do it?

I dressed in one of the outfits I’ve always loved, rushing out of our dorm to the Common’s Room.

Wait until I get my hands on him! I cried in my mind.

“Derrick!” I heard someone calling his name behind me. At first, I ignored, looking around for him, but remembered the switch.

I turned around to see Shane “Shadow” Morehouse running up to me. He had my twin sister beside him.

“Where’s Ariana?” Shane asked when he stopped.

I shrugged. Where was the real me? “Sorry Shadow, I do not know.”

I watched Luna close her eyes, smiling when she opened them. “She’s waiting for you in the Commons Room and isn’t very happy with you right now.”

I gulped. Okay, what did Derrick do to make me mad at him? “Thanks, Luna.”

Luna winked, holding Shane’s hand. “No sweat. Gotta run.”

“I’m teaching her how to be the Shadow.” Shane remarked with a teasing tone as she pulled him away.

That was close, I thought. Now, to the Commons’ Room.

When I opened the doors, I was bombarded by Shannon Ryan, my cousin. 

“Where have you been?” Shannon demanded. I (Ariana) came up beside her, frowning.

I put my hands up in surrender. “Sorry, I woke up late.”

“You, the King of Punctuality, woke up late?” Shannon wasn’t impressed. “Yeah, right.” She turned to me (Ariana) “He’s all yours.”

“Do you remember what day it is?” Ariana asked, folding her arms.

It felt strange staring into my own silver eyes. I had no clue, so I made something up.

I shrugged. “Sorry. What day is it?”

Ariana was pissed. 

“It’s Luna’s and my eighteenth birthday.” Ariana said, disappointed. “I know you are usually busy with teaching and cases, but I at least thought you would remember that!”

With that thought, she stomped off. Her reddish-blond hair flew behind her. That’s exactly what I would have said to the real Derrick if he’d forgotten something that important. 

“Ariana!” I cried to her.

I – she – didn’t stop. It felt weird to be calling my own name to my face.

Ariana had found a corner table to sit at, pouting. 

What would he say in this situation?

I had her look at me by touching her chin. “I am sorry, my Ariana Moon. I am not thinking this morning. My alarm clock woke me up late.” 

Ariana looked away, thinking. “Peculiar. The only alarm you go by is that on your Life Line, and that always gets you up on time.” She stood. “We had better get to classes, Romeo.”

I completely forgot. “Classes. Yeah.”

I remembered where we kept our schoolbooks and papers, in the line of lockers on the west wall of the Commons’ Room. At locker 117, she played with the combination for a second while I watched.

I reached for the bottom shelf absently when it opened.

“Hey!” She cried. “You really are not thinking this morning. Those are my books.”

She giggled, smiling sweetly.

“Oh, sorry.” I said softly, reaching for the top shelf, where Derrick usually kept his.

She pushed me aside to retrieve her books, then look in the mirror. I started to as well, and gasped softly when I saw Derrick’s reflection looking back.

Slamming the locker shut, the other me smiled. “We had better get to class, Romeo.” She said. She gave me a quick kiss on the cheek before heading across the room.

I wished I were myself right now. I did not want to teach Advanced Algebra to four eager students. Derrick was a math genius, being he loved the boring subject. Luna, I knew, always hated numbers, and I, Ariana, did not like it, period.

“Hey, Redding!” I heard a younger male voice cry. I turn to see two boys and two girls.

If only I remembered their names! I scolded myself for not keeping up with Derrick’s teaching adventures. Each time he told a story, I’d stare into space, something more important in my mind. Of course, today I would pay for that.

“Hi guys.” I cleared Derrick’s tightened throat. 

The girl had bright red hair and blue eyes. “What’s wrong, Derrick? Not feeling well?”

Here’s my chance! “No, sorry.”

One of the boys with straggly black hair and thick black eyeglasses stared at me hopefully. “Does that mean you’re not gonna teach us today?”

I shook my head. “I am sure you will find someone else.” I told them, and they left.

I was home-free, or at least, I thought I was.

When I went to the Café for something to eat later, I saw both twins (this is eerie, seeing two of me) sitting together at a booth with Shane.

“I heard you ditched your kids.” Shane joked as I sat next to Ariana. 

“I heard that, too.” Luna said. “What’s up with that? I thought you loved teaching?”

I, as Ariana, did, but I did not know about Derrick. I shrugged.

Ariana held onto my arm, and it again felt weird.

I wish this day was over with already! I thought to myself.

“Why do you think that?” Ariana asked me, curious.

I forgot about my telepathy.

“Don’t you want to celebrate our eighteenth birthdays with us?” Luna asked, crushed.

I also forgot she was, too, sometimes.

“Let me in on it, ladies.” Shane supplied.

“Derrick wished the day was over with.” Ariana told him.

I was beginning to feel uncomfortable, so I left the table to go to the bathroom.

Absently, I stepped into the girls’ room.

“Ew!” I heard screeches from a few girls. 

“Get out, pervert!” 

“Gross!”

“Disgusting idiot!” 

I quickly apologized and turned to the boys’ room across from it.

Later, I returned to Fourth Floor, unharmed.

At least, that bathroom was shared by both of us. I headed to it to wash my face and get a clear head.

I stared at the reflection as I put Derrick’s glasses back on his face. “I will get you for this, Derrick Redding!”

“Are you talking to yourself?” Ariana came in the bathroom and asked me.

I could tell she wanted to burst out laughing.

“Laugh it up, Ariana.” I said. “Go ahead.”

“I would rather get ready for the game.” Ariana playfully pushed by me to brush her hair.

I never realized how pretty I was. Sure, I could stare at my own reflection for hours without really paying any attention to it. I had the urge to kiss her and gave in to it.

She held me when we parted. “What was that for?”

“You are so beautiful, you know that?”

She blushed. “Thanks.”

Feeling uncomfortable, I changed the subject. “What game are you going to?”

“We are going to a volleyball game in Kings’ Court.” Ariana announced. “I have to teach you humiliation sometime.”

“Huh?” I asked. “How is watching volleyball going to teach me humiliation?”

“Silly boy,” Ariana’s eyes twinkled, teasing. “We will not be watching it; we will be playing it.”

I never knew Derrick knew how to play volleyball.

“When?” I was nervous to ask.

She checked her Life-Line. “In about twenty minutes.” She said. “Would you like to change here, or are you going to try sneaking into the girls’ bathroom again?”

She saw that? Oh, boy.

What to say? What would Derrick say?

Got it.

“Only if you were in there.” I teased.

Ariana giggled. “Hurry up, Romeo. We will be late.”

“I do not want to play.” I spoke up quickly. Since I did not know how he played, I never watched him, I did not want to chance it.

Ariana looked at me with a frown. “Are you sure?”

“Yeah, I do not think I am up to it.” I dismissed.

Ariana thought for a minute. “Would you mind if I asked Chips to play in your absence?”

“You go ahead.” I held my head, heading to Derrick’s bed. “I am not feeling well.”

She sat beside me. “Maybe you better see Doc Swanson?”

Another embarrassing scene? I think not.

“I will be fine.” I told her. “I just need to lie down.”

She took my hand, and I knew what she was going to do.

Healing.

The only way to change the feelings from her trying to sense the illness was to close my mind to her. I remembered what Enchantra had taught us in the Dream Realm and thought about that.

“I cannot feel a thing.” Ariana replied softly, pulling her hand away. “My Healing Power must be out of whack.” She dismissed, standing up after kissing me. “As long as you are sure you will be okay, I will go now. I will tell Shadow and Luna what’s up, okay?”

I nodded, laying my head on the pillow after placing Derrick’s glasses in the same place I found them that morning.

With that she left, and I fell to sleep quickly.

The next thing I knew, the alarm woke me up. 

I opened my eyes to find myself back in my bed by the balcony. I realized with an embarrassing laugh as I squinted at it, it had all been a dream! How humiliating!

That bet had been on my mind the entire night.

The light turned on and I placed my own glasses on my face before turning to see who was sitting beside me.

“Would now be a good time to tell you I told you so?” Derrick teased, sitting beside me on the bed. 

I was back in my own body, thank goodness.

“Who is teaching whom about humiliation?” I asked.

He shrugged, his mahogany brown eyes sparkling at the sight of me. “No one.” He kissed my lips, and I was glad I was back to normal. “I love you, Ariana.”

I wasn’t easily fooled. “Okay, Redding, how did you do it?”

“Do what?”

“Make me dream about that silly bet?” 

He laughed. “A little help from Luna, Shadow, Shannon, and my kids.”

“How, though?”

“What’s our project?” He asked.

“Dream Realm Defender.” I told him. “Does that mean any Defender can do that to another?”

“No way. I just wanted to teach you a lesson.” Derrick teased my nose with a kiss.

I shook my head and laughed. “Consider me a worthy taught student.”

He kissed me then. Now, more than ever, I wanted to understand the mystery behind my strange, but lovable partner Derrick James Redding.

I could not wait to learn.