Semua Bab Becoming Chloe: Bab 1 - Bab 10

Chloe's POVAHHHHHHHHHHHH!?!The scream that tore out of my throat didn't sound like mine. It was scratchy, thick, and ended in a weird wheeze.I bolted out of a bed that felt like it was stuffed with rocks. The air smelled like... ginger and old books? This wasn't my room. My room had floor-to-ceiling windows and white silk curtains. This room had wallpapers and a desk filled with sketchbooks and Japanese textbooks.I reached for my face and gasped. My fingers hit something. Glasses? I didn't wear glasses. I ripped them off, but the world immediately turned into a blurry, terrifying vision."No, no, no," I whispered. I scrambled out of bed and fell immediately. I was shorter and my legs felt heavy. I crawled to a mirror propped up against the wall and shrieked again. Amaya Nakamura was staring back at me. Except it was me inside those brown eyes. I looked at the red flare of acne on the forehead and the tangled, dark hair."AMAYA!" I yelled, but my voice was her voice.I heard a knoc

I sat in the idling convertible, watching Chloe walk slowly out of the school through the parking lot. I felt guilt twisting in my chest, if that was possible. That was my life she was walking back into. The stained carpet, the smell of ginger and old books, and the constant, crushing feeling of being invincible.I hit the gas, the engine roaring as I sped away. I wanted to outrun the guilt by driving until the image of my own sad face in the rearview mirror vanished. But as the wind whipped my new blonde hair across my face, I realized I couldn't run away from a body I was currently wearing.I slowed down after two blocks. Chloe, get in, I said.“Maya,” Chloe would drive like she owns the road, not like she’s escaping a crime scene. Chloe shot back.I pulled the car over to the side of the road for a second, trying to steady my breathing."So," Chloe whispered, her voice cracking as she used my vocal cords. "What happened after I ran out? Did Jaxon... did he say anything about me?"

Chloe’s POVWalking into school in Maya’s body felt different today. Yesterday, I was a victim. Today, I was a girl on a mission. I marched through the hallway with a stride that made the cheap sneakers squeak.Everything feels strange when I'm not "Chloe." I noticed the way people didn't just ignore Maya, they actively avoided her like her bad luck was contagious. I saw Brittany, my own best friend, toss a gum wrapper toward a trash can, miss, and let it land near my feet. She didn't even apologize. All she did was laugh.I’m going to kill her when I get my body back, I thought.I spotted Tristan by his locker, looking like he hadn’t slept. He was staring at a textbook, but his eyes weren't moving. He was just a million miles away, likely replaying the way "Maya" had snapped at him yesterday.I marched up to him. I tried to channel Maya’s sweetness, but it came out with a Chloe edge. "Hey."Tristan looked up. "Oh hey, Maya.""Look," I said, leaning against the locker next to his. I d

Chloe’s POVThe morning started with a false sense of security. After last night's dinner, I actually felt like Maya and I were on the same team. I walked into school, wearing a sweater that didn't smell like a thrift store, feeling like I could handle another day of being invisible.But the second I stepped through the double glass doors. I heard whispers, and I could tell something was off. The whispers weren't just quiet gossiping, they were horrific and loud. As I walked down the hallway, I passed a group of cheerleaders near the trophy case, girls I used to lead, and saw them together, but they didn't glance at me with putting eyes. They were too busy with their conversation."Did you hear?" a girl from the cheerleading team was telling her friends as I passed. "Jaxon told everyone last night. He’s officially single. He said Chloe turned into some kind of 'disturbed' robot. I'm pretty sure he’s already looking for a new girl.""Finally," another girl whispered. "I thought she’d

I led Mark into the kitchen, offered him a drink, my hands trembling as I poured two glasses of juice. I needed to say something, anything to bridge the gap between "Queen Chloe" and the girl I was pretending to be."You know I love Jaxon, right?" I started, staring into my glass. "And I wouldn't want to hurt his feelings. I didn't mean to grow distant, Mark. I just... I felt pressured into something I didn't feel like doing."Mark took a sip, his expression unreadable. "I understand, Jaxon told me. But just because I understand doesn't mean Jaxon will. You know Jaxon, Chloe. He loves validation, especially from you.""I just wanted a break," I whispered, the guilt of ruining Chloe’s relationship gnawing at me. "I didn't think he’d get this bored so easily."I bit my lip, an idea forming. If I could just buy Jaxon’s forgiveness, maybe I could fix the mess I made for the real Chloe. "What if I get him something? Something he’s saving up for? Or take him out? Do you think maybe he’ll fo