Chapter 2: Body Swap at Northbrook High

When he opened his eyes again—

Alex had been reborn.

Everything felt off. His hands were smaller, nails perfectly manicured. The air was laced with the scent of vanilla lotion and scented markers. The sheets were softer, the room colder than he remembered. Even his own hands felt foreign. The world was sharper, brighter, almost surreal.

He’d been reborn into the body of a young woman.

His voice caught in his throat. Long hair brushed his neck. He spotted his reflection in a dorm mirror—a girl stared back, wide-eyed and startled.

“Wait—what the heck? Why are you in my body? Can you please get out? This is freaking me out.”

The girl’s spirit hovered nearby, wringing her hands and trembling. She was translucent, but her anxious energy filled the room. Her hands twisted together, desperate for this nightmare to end.

She’d just been studying, minding her own business, when someone else’s consciousness crashed into her life.

Her geometry textbook was open on the bed, a highlighter frozen mid-sentence. Fairy lights around the window bathed the room in a gentle glow, completely at odds with the panic swirling in her voice.

Alex turned to look.

He blinked twice, as if wiping a smudge from his vision. This definitely wasn’t his own bedroom. Posters of indie bands and pastel sticky notes covered the walls.

The spirit looked like a mini version of the body—a chibi-like, spectral double with the same heart-shaped face and shy brown eyes.

He could clearly see what she’d looked like before.

Her name was Emily Harper—a true stunner.

Emily had that All-American look you’d see on a college brochure: smooth skin, chestnut hair falling in soft waves, and an easy smile that made teachers and classmates root for her.

Just a shame she didn’t have much backbone.

A senior with a sparkling reputation, but now that she’d lost her body, her first move was to try reasoning things out.

Alex almost grinned at the innocence. Where he came from, reason only got you so far. Sometimes you had to push back.

“No wonder even a sophomore dared to call you out in front of everyone.”

Alex was speechless for a moment, running his tongue along his teeth—catching a taste of peppermint gum, Emily’s favorite, not his. The irony made him smirk.

“What auditorium?” Emily asked, confusion all over her face.

Just then—

A guy’s voice echoed from the hallway.

“Emily, the underclassman lost the championship trophy. The club president wants you in the auditorium to clear things up.”

Alex startled.

He scanned the room, putting it together—this wasn’t a dream. He’d actually landed inside the YA novel, right at the breaking point.

Only then did he realize:

He wasn’t just in the story—he was the female lead, Emily Harper.

And the timeline? It was right at the moment when the underclassman accused Emily of stealing the school’s prized championship trophy, with the senior guys called in to sort it out.

The hallway buzzed like the gym before a big playoff game. One wrong move, and everything could go up in flames.

“I didn’t steal the trophy. I have to go explain myself,” Emily said anxiously.

Her voice shook. She twisted her ghostly hands, eyes darting around, desperate to fix things by sheer willpower. Everything was at stake: her reputation, her college apps, her entire sense of self-worth.

This could ruin her for good.

She also had a thing with the club president. If he believed the rumors, who knew what would happen?

Emily’s heart—well, Alex’s now—thumped so loud it could’ve echoed in the hallway. Small towns never forgot a scandal; this could follow her for years.

Alex offered a faint, confident smile. “No problem. I’ll go in your place.”

His smile oozed confidence—a little swagger he’d always wanted. He rolled his shoulders, feeling an unexpected lightness despite the heavy situation.

“Really, is that okay?” Emily sounded uneasy, hope flickering in her eyes.

She hovered closer. She’d always tried to solve things with kindness and logic, but maybe… maybe this was what she needed.

“Of course.”

Alex straightened Emily’s posture, squared her shoulders. For the first time, he felt the authority of being a senior—and he was ready to use it.

Only then did Emily seem a little reassured.

What she didn’t know was—

Alex sneered inwardly.

He’d read the story—he knew all the dirt. That so-called “fiancé,” the loyal club president? Already sneaking around with the underclassman. The deck was stacked, but Alex wasn’t about to play along.

Fiancé? Club president? He was already with the underclassman.

This so-called confrontation was just a setup.

Alex’s jaw clenched. He could almost taste the bitterness Emily must have felt—betrayed by everyone she trusted.

Since he was here, he wasn’t going to let that happen.

He opened the door.

Outside stood a club member.