The Switch

Chapter 11

We had anice drive. I guess I'm happy I have my car working again. I havenever had to deal with a car that's had trouble as Mark alwayshandled it for me. I dropped the girls off at their respectiveresidents and went home to my small, empty apartment. I hadn't had amoment truly alone to myself in ages. It really gave me a chance toclear my mind and do some serious thinking.

Firstof all, I needed a direction for my life. I did notice in the bedroomAshley had, while the wall were littered with eminem, they also had acouple diplomas on them. That was something I never took seriously.All I wanted to do in college was party. I dropped out after onesemester and never went back, even though I told myself I would.

Secondof all, as much as I loved the idea of ending up in a relationshipwith Mr. Mathers, I knew it may not happen. And even if it did, whatabout Mark? I couldn't ignore the way he treated me. It was the bestI had ever been treated. He is the husband type, and I don't know ifI'm the wife type.

Shemoved the camera away from her face for a moment. "Ashley?" Iasked. "Whats going on? Why are you hiding my face?" She cameback into the frame, with tears streaming from my eyes. "You didn'thave a good night." she whispered. "What did you do to me?!" Iasked, panicking. "Nothing like that. Just got into a fight withMarshall. Did you know he had a girlfriend?" She seemed genuinelyupset. "Of course I knew. I do too in case you didn't notice. Ireally just wanted to see if I could get in close with him. I mean, Ineed a man who can take care of me. He can." The face I made Ididn't even know I could muster. "You what? Seriously? You knowthat's one of my worst fears for him." Ashley said. She was clearlydisgusted. "Marshall is so much more than money. He is a goofysense of humor, a rap nerd, a family orientated man, generous,kindhearted, sensitive. You know his girlfriend dumped him and he wasso sad. I hope we weren't the cause of that. I know a part of himonly wants to be loved and if we took that from him I don't know if Icould live with myself." She started crying again. "Okay, whoa,Ashley I didn't know it was like that. I don't follow him like youdo. I just met him once and know he's famous." "I think I'mfalling for him Lauren." she said simply. "I'm sorry, you'rewhat?! You know you're not you right now, you're me. Don't doanything irrational!" She looked me dead in my eyes and said "Nooffense, but I think he deserves more than you." I said nothingback in rebuttal because I knew if everything she was saying was truethen he probably did. I didn't like being the way I am, but had beganto feel like I had to be this way to get anywhere in my life.

"Look,we can worry about him later." I began to say, catching herattention. "What exactly happened? Maybe I can help you fix it?"She looked at me, and biting back her tears she said "He insultedus. He said you're not the kind of woman he can bring around hisdaughters." I laughed. "That's it?!" The look Ashley was givingme meant maybe she didn't appreciate me laughing. "I'm sorry." Isaid, "but its kind of true. I'm not. I never said I wanted to be astep mom." Ashley was giving me another look that she is going tohave to teach me. "Lauren, he is a family man. Do you really thinkhe's going to want to date you if you're not into that?" I thoughtabout this. Maybe she was right. Maybe I wasn't the girl for him.

"Well,right now we have bigger problems. How are we going to get out ofthese bodies and back into our own?" I reminded her. I could tellshe hadn't thought about that. "Right. Well don't you think youneed to fill me in on what happened in my life first?" she askedme. Damn. I forgot about that. "Nothing too major." I began,"Your car is fixed, thanks to your friends brother and we had todrive it after to charge it up but that's about it." "Thatbitch." Ashley mumbled. And I was kind of shocked because I didn'tthink she said those words. "Ashley! What's wrong now?" "Nothingreally. You obviously don't know what happened between us." shestated. "Basically, he had been cheating on me for a long time witha couple of women and I never knew. When I found out, he acted likeeverything was going to be fine and I had to end it. It was only acouple of months ago now, but it still hurts. Did anything elsehappen?" I was considering whether or not I should tell her. It wasnothing more than a conversation, but I don't think she wantsanything to do with him. "No. That was it. We didn't really speakbecause I didn't know him." I lied. "Good. I want nothing to dowith him so keep away okay?"

"Backto the bodies issue." she said, acting like she knew nothing ofwhat I just told her. "Is there anything significant you canremember about the other day? Before the switch? Like maybe we saidsomething or did something to trigger this. I know after my carwouldn't start I said I wished I was someone else." My eyes grewwide. "That's it!" I shouted. "I said the same after workbefore I went to Marshall's!" "Okay," Ashley began, "so ifthat's what caused it maybe we should try saying the opposite?Something like 'I I wish I was back in my own body'? No that's notit.." she started rambling to herself. So then I said "Or maybe'I really do love being me'?" "Hmm," Ashley said, "it is alittle more poetic. Lets try that. Tonight?" I could tell shewanted to see Marshall again. "Nah, I'll let you have your chanceto make up with Marshall. Maybe give him your number so you can stayin touch after the fact?" Her eyes lit up with that response. "Oh,yes please! Ill text him now. What about Mark?" she asked me. Ididn't know what to do about Mark. Maybe I wasn't giving him a fairshake. "Let him wonder. Maybe he will appreciate me." Ashleyshook her head. "Tomorrow night we will talk and plan a good timeto try the switch back. Okay?" I nodded and we hung up.