All Chapters of Becoming Chloe: Chapter 41 - Chapter 50

Maya’s POVThe rest of our mandatory after school sessions with Mrs. Gable became a grueling daily sentence. Every single afternoon, the moment the final bell rang Mark, Jaxon, and I made the same quiet trek down the guidance wing. We’d file in, take our designated seats on those low, padded chairs, and wait for the clock to run down.By the second week, the whole dynamic had completely shifted. Whatever desperate pleas, tearful apologies, or puppy dog looks Jaxon had tried on day one were entirely gone.He would sit as far away from me as the small room allowed, staring blankly at the floorboards, his jaw locked tight every time Mrs. Gable tried to push us through another stack of conflict resolution worksheets.Mark remained by my side. He barely said ten words across those days, but his presence was a constant. Anytime Jaxon so much as shifted in his chair or glanced in my direction, Mark’s whole posture would lock up.Mrs. Gable eventually gave up on forcing any grand emotional br

Maya’s POV"I'm... I'm Maya," Chloe said defensively, her hands clutching the hospital blanket tight against her chest."Don't worry, Chloe," I said, stepping closer to the bed before she could spiral. "I told him."Chloe’s head snapped toward me, her brow furrowing in instant betrayal. "You what? Why would you do that?!""Because he was the only one around!" I whispered back fiercely, keeping my voice down. “I needed someone, and it was eating me up alive every single second!"Chloe let out a long sigh, sinking back into the white hospital pillows. She looked completely overwhelmed."It's okay," Mark added quietly, his tone calm and steady as he stood near the foot of the bed. "I'm not going to tell anyone, Chloe. Your secret is safe with me. We just need to figure out what happens next.”Before Chloe could open her mouth to reply, the door of the ICU room swung open."Maya!"Tristan stepped into the room, breathless, his dark hair a little messy as if he had run up the stairs. In hi

Maya’s POVMark fell silent.“Mark?” I said tapping him gently. “Do you think we're—”“I don't wanna raise your hopes high, Maya. We don't even know how the swap happened or if any of this is normal.” Mark said quietly, his voice carefully neutral, though I could hear the guarded edge in it.My fingers tightened in the fabric of his shirt, pulling him closer as a sudden guilt washed over me."It all my fault, Mark.” I whispered.“Don't say that Maya. It's not your fault.” Mark contorted.“It is. I was the one who made that stupid wish, Mark," I whispered, the confession. "I made that stupid wish to have Chloe's life."Mark shifted beside me. He pulled back slightly, adjusting his position on the bed so he could look directly into my eyes. "What wish?""On the first day of the first semester," I choked out, the memories rushing back. "I got bullied in class because the teacher was absent. Everyone was picking on me, laughing at me... I couldn't take it. I ran off to the bathroom, cryin

Maya’s POVWe got to Mark’s place in complete silence. I barely remembered stepping out of the truck or walking into his house, my head was spinning."We've gotten to my place, and you've still not told me what happened in there," Mark said softly, closing the front door behind us."For God's sake, Mark, let me think!" I snapped, pulling my hair back with trembling hands as I paced the living room floor.Mark didn't get mad. He just kept mute, giving me space as he quietly walked over to the sofa in the living room and sat down. He waited patiently, his eyes following me until my pacing finally ran out of steam. I sank down onto the cushions beside him, staring blankly at the floorboards.Slowly, Mark reached out and held my hand."Does she still have it?" he asked gently.I shook my head violently, the sudden movement causing tears to spill over my eyelashes and drip hot down my cheeks. "No... No, Mark."Mark’s brow furrowed. "What happened to it?""Chloe said she thought it was tras

Maya’s POVMonday morning was rough.Chloe was actually back at school. She moved down the hallway like she owned the place, wearing my old cardigan like it was nothing. And Jaxon was hanging around by the lockers with his usual group, acting completely unfazed about everything that happened on those stairs.Then there was Mark.We were in third period together, and I spent the whole hour staring at the back of his head. He didn't turn around once. No notes tossed on my desk, no quiet looks.The second the bell rang, I grabbed my bag and hurried after him before he could disappear into the crowd."Mark! Wait up," I called out, cutting past a few people in the hallway.He stopped near a row of lockers and turned around slowly. His expression was blank which felt way worse than if he’d ignored me."Hey," he said, keeping his voice quiet.I stopped in front of him, shoving my hands into my pockets so he wouldn't see them shaking. "Mark... about last night. In your truck. I didn't mean to