All Chapters of The Switch: Chapter 31 - Chapter 40

53 Chapters

Victoria's Text

ARIA'S POV "Urggggh". I groaned as soon as I woke up in a hospital bed without knowing what the day was. The last thing I remembered clearly was climbing out of that collapsed tunnel with dust in my lungs and Helen's arms around me. "Aria." I turned my head and saw Sage on the next bed awake and watching me. "Hey," I said. My voice was rough from the smoke and took much crying. "Hey." She reached across the space between our beds and I took her hands. "We made it." "We made it." I said, happily but weakly. We held hands across the gap happily cos we were still ourselves and the Foundation didn't erase us. The door opened and our mother walked in. She looked terrible with hair uncombed, no makeup and her clothes were wrinkled like she had been wearing them for days. But when she saw us both awake, her face transformed. "My girls." She moved to us. Fast. "My babies. You're awake. You're...." She couldn't finish cos she started crying. "Mom," Sage said gently. "We're

The Unexpected Proposal

SAGE'S POV The taxi stopped at the warehouse address that Victoria sent while Aria and I sat in the back seat staring at the building without moving. "This is it," the driver said. "You sure about this, girls? This neighborhood isn't safe." "We're sure," I said. We thanked him and got out of the car slowly. The driver sped away like he sensed danger. We walked close to the warehouse, looking around, then we saw Victoria standing in the door way alone without a gun with her hands raised to show she was unarmed. "You came," she smiled. "I wasn't sure you would." "Where's our mother?" Aria demanded looking around the warehouse. "She's not here." She said, flatly. My blood ran cold. "What?" "She was never here, I lied." Victoria lowered her hands. "I needed to get your attention and this was the only way." "You said you kidnapped her....." "I said I had her, I never said I kidnapped her." Victoria pulled out her phone and showed us a video. "Watch." The video

Coming Home

Aria's POV I woke up in my own bed for the first time in weeks after spending almost many weeks in the facility, hospital and a safe house. I just lay on the bed staring at the ceiling breathing and smiling then I hearing two voice having a conversation downstairs. Mom and Dad. I got up quickly and walked to the hallway to see Sage already standing at the top of the stairs listening. "......just need to give them space," Dad said. "They've been through hell and the last thing they need is us hovering." "I'm not hovering. I'm being present and there's a difference." Mom's voice was defensive. "Robert, they were almost erased by the Foundation and almost killed by Victoria. We can't just pretend everything's normal." "I'm not saying pretend. I'm saying we should create a slow and normal routine and safety." Sage and I looked at each other. Both of us were thinking the same thing. It was kind of weird but also nice. We went downstairs together. Mom and Dad were in the

The Performance

SAGE'S POV My phone buzzed at 2:47 AM. I was already awake staring at the ceiling. The buzz made me jump anyway. It was a text from an unknown number but I knew who it was. I opened it and it was the same photo Aria got. Me and Aria together. Below it: [Sweet dreams, Sage or should I say Aria? Let's talk tomorrow. We have so much to discuss.] My hands shook. I screenshot it and sent it to Aria because she was in her room. She responded immediately: [She sent you one too?] [Yes. Same photo.] [ I'm calling you.] Aria texted. My phone rang and I answered on the first ring. "Hey". Aria said in a low voice. I ignored the greeting."Isn't Victoria supposed to be making amends?" "Because now we trust her. The DA gave her a deal and she's on house arrest. Everyone thinks she's reformed." Aria's voice was tight and scared. "If she exposes us now, when we're vulnerable, when we've just survived the Foundation, when our family just reunited.....we look terrible. Like we le

The Observer

ARIA'S POV "Hey girl". Victoria chuckled. She found me before the first period, when I was at my locker, trying to focus on books and schedules. "Good morning!" She was too cheerful. "Did you sleep well?" "Fine." I replied, nonchalantly. "Good. I'd be going to my school now. I thought about checking in on how things are going with your sister and Julian." She said it casually. My stomach dropped. "Why?" "Because I'm your friend and friends help each other." Victoria leaned against the locker next to mine. "You said Julian is noticing differences in 'Aria.' If that's true, we should address it before it becomes a problem. I can observe and see what he's picking up on then we can fix it." "You don't need to...." "I want to." She smiled. "Don't worry. I'll be helping." "Victoria....." "Trust me, Aria. I know what I'm doing. I've lived a lie for three years and I know how to maintain one. Let me help your sister before this gets worse." She patted my shoulder. "I'll text you la

Confessions

SAGE'S POV "Hey." Julian sat down across from me. "You okay? You seem off." I was actually at lunch when he saw me. "I'm fine. Just tired." I said nervously. "You sure? Because you've seemed stressed all week like something's wrong." He reached across the table and took my hand. "Talk to me. What's going on?" I wanted to tell him and get over it but the cafeteria was full and people were everywhere eating, talking and laughing. It wasn't the right place and right time. "Can we talk this weekend?" I asked. "Alone? I need to tell you something important." His face changed. Worried and scared. "Is everything okay? Are we okay?" "We will be. I hope." I squeezed his hand. "I just need to tell you something and I need you to trust me until then. Please." "You're scaring me." "Don't be scared. Just... trust me. Please. Until the weekend." I said rubbing my palms nervously. "Okay." He didn't look convinced but he nodded. "This weekend, we'll talk." "Thank you." I smiled.

The Truth Comes out

SAGE'S POV Mom put eggs on my plate and I stared at them strangely. "You okay?" she asked. "Just nervous about a test." I lied. Dad looked at me from across the table. He knew I was lying but he didn't push. I got dressed in Ashford uniform. Perfect blazer and skirt, playing the part of Aria one last time. School was torture. Every class dragged. I couldn't focus or think about anything except the conversation coming. In the hallway between classes, I saw Julian. He smiled at me and waved. He thought I was Aria. His girlfriend's twin sister. Someone he's friendly with because we were practically family. He had no idea I was actually Sage. His actual girlfriend. I turned away in guilt. After school, went to the park near Ashford. Julian was already there sitting on our usual bench and looking worried. I took a breath and walked up to him on legs that didn't feel steady. He stood when he saw me. "Hey. You said you needed to talk about Sage? Is she okay? Is something wr

Madison's Warning

SAGE'S POV.6:15 AM.I checked my phone but there was no message from Julian.I started to cry again. Then I saw Madison's message from last night.I stared at the message. Madison Cross, The girl who made my life hell before the switch. The mean girl who led the group that mocked me, excluded me and made me feel worthless.'Why would she want to help me now?' I thought. I was desperate and desperate people make strange choices.I got out of bed and dressed up in Ashford uniform. I looked at myself in the mirror.I looked terrible. I went downstairs. Aria was already in the kitchen making coffee."Any word from Julian?" she asked.I shook my head."Where are you going this early?""Meeting Madison Cross. She said she has information about Victoria."Aria stopped pouring coffee and turned to look at me. "Madison, your enemy from Lincoln? The one who made your life miserable?""Yeah." I nodded."Why would she help you?""I don't know but her message said it's about Victoria." I grabbe

Victoria's Move

SAGE'S POVOne week.Seven days since I told Julian the truth.One hundred and sixty-eight hours of watching Victoria take him piece by piece.I woke up Friday morning to my phone buzzing with multiple messages in the group chat, all from Victoria. Victoria: [Julian and I studied until late tonight and he's making so much progress! Really proud of him. Victoria:[ He opened up to me about how hurt he is. Poor thing, but I think he's starting to heal.]Victoria: [We're meeting for coffee before school tomorrow. He wants to talk about something important and I'll let you both know how it goes!]I stared at the messages. "Something important." I thought."What does Julian want to talk to Victoria about?"I whispered to myself.My stomach dropped. I knew what it was.He was going to tell her he has feelings for her or maybe ask her out. I was going to lose him.I went downstairs and showed the messages to Aria at breakfast."She's baiting you," Aria said. "Don't respond.""What if he's g

The Confrontation

SAGE'S POV I wore the blue sweater that Julian has once said made my eyes look brighter back when he thought I was Aria because it could be my last chance. Aria watched as I got ready but didn't say a word but she supported silently. "What if he doesn't show up?" I asked. "He'll show up. He's not cruel." I laughed bitterly. "He's meeting me to officially end things and that's pretty cruel." "It's honest. There's a difference." I grabbed my keys. "I should go. I'm going to be early but I can't sit here anymore." Aria hugged me tight. "Whatever happens, you still have me." "I know." I left and arrived at 1:45. The park was quiet with a few joggers. A mom with a stroller. It was normal Saturday afternoon. I walked to our bench where Julian and I used to meet when he thought I was Aria. Across the park, I saw Madison on another bench with a book in her lap, pretending to be reading. She looked up at me and gave me a tiny nod. 1:55. My hands won't stop shaking. 'What if

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