Chapter 5

Maya’s POV

We went to a small bistro on the edge of town. I ate expensive pasta while people stared at us. I loved it. I loved the way the waitress smiled at me instead of looking through me. I loved being the girl everyone wanted to be. For a moment, a cold fear settled in my stomach. What if the clock strikes midnight and I turn back? What if this is the only time I ever feel like I'm enough?

The mood shifted the moment we pulled back into his driveway. Jaxon didn't get out. He reached over, grabbing the back of my neck and pulling me toward him. It wasn't a sweet kiss. And I panicked with the realization that I didn't know the rules of this game.

He moved to my neck, and I felt a sharp sting. "Jaxon, stop," I whispered, touching the spot where he’d left a love bite. Great, how am I supposed to explain a hickey on Chloe's neck?

But he didn't stop. “Oh my… good—

, frustratingly good. But then his hand started to move.

"No," I said, firmly pushing his hand away. "We... we can't do this in the car."

Jaxon pulled back. "No way you’re saying that, Chloe. We’ve made out in this car a dozen times. The glass is tinted, remember? No one can see us."

"We're right outside your house, Jaxon," I countered.

"Who cares? My parents aren't even home. We can just go inside and finish this." He reached for me again, but I was already opening the car door.

"I have to go," I said, as I hurried to Chloe’s car.

When I got back to my old house to swap stories with Chloe, the explosion was immediate. 

I met her in the driveway, and the second she heard what I did, she lost it.

"I kept your perfect little Tristan safe, Maya! I talked to him for twenty minutes about books I’ve never read! Why couldn't you just do the same for me?"

"It’s not the same!" I yelled back. "You don't get to be forced to make out in a car! I didn't know what to do!"

"So? I’ve made out on a teacher's desk before! What’s so hard about a Jeep?"

"I’ve never done it before, Chloe! I'm not you! It's different for me!"

"Well, then go fix it!" Chloe said.

She was so angry she didn't even see Tristan coming down his porch steps. He looked toward us, a confused smile on his face. "Hey, Maya? You okay? You guys seem..."

"Fuck off, Tristan!" Chloe barked, not even looking at him as she stormed toward the front door.

Tristan froze, the smile vanishing from his face. He looked at "Maya’s" as she left, then at me, standing there as Chloe. I wanted to scream and tell him it wasn't me, that I loved him, that I would never speak to him like that.

But I couldn't. I had to play the part.

I looked at Tristan, my heart breaking for the boy who finally thought his neighbor was "edgy" only to have her turn into a monster.

"Fix it," Chloe’s voice rang in my head.

I had to apologize to Jaxon for being "frigid," and Chloe had to find a way to make Tristan forget she’d just crushed his spirit.

I stood there for a long moment after Tristan went back to his house. The weight of Chloe's "perfect" life was starting to feel wrong. I looked down at my phone. I had to fix this. If Jaxon stayed mad, Chloe would make my life a living hell when we switched back.

If we switched back.

I took a deep breath and typed out a text to Jaxon.

 Hey... sorry about earlier. I've just had a really long day and I’m a bit stressed. Can we talk? I'll make it up to you tomorrow.

I hit send and felt a piece of my soul wither. I was apologizing for having boundaries. Is this what Chloe’s life was really like? Being a prize that had to stay polished and agreeable at all times?

I walked into my old house. I saw my mom and dad. They both looked surprised, the last time they saw Chloe in this house was in 9th grade.

I went upstairs and found Chloe sitting on the bed, her head in her hands.

"Did you do it?" she asked without looking up.

"I texted him," I said. "Now you. You need to fix it with Tristan. He’s the only person who actually likes me for me. You can't let him think I'm like... well, like you were just now."

Chloe looked up, "fine," she muttered. "I'll talk to him tomorrow morning. But Maya? If Jaxon doesn't forgive 'me' by the time the sun comes up, I’m telling everyone what's going on.

I stared at her. She was desperate. We both were. As the clock on the nightstand ticked toward 8:00 PM. We only had four hours left until midnight.