The Book of Masks (Vol. 4)

Teases for Two

Previously: "Masks and Attachments" 

So Fairfax has a carefully laid out, multi-stage plan for pulling off the Yumi-Chelsea switch.

Well, you can concoct a carefully laid out, multi-stage plan of your own. One that will give you Chelsea (trapped in Yumi's body) as a girlfriend!

* * * * *

"So what's going on with Will these days?" you ask Yumi after you've got the school books spread out on the floor of her bedroom. Homework is your excuse her for coming over.

She looks up with a blank expression. "Will Prescott?" you needle her. Jeez, are there any other 'Wills' that she knows?

Her expression remains blank. "What about him?"

"Oh God, Yumi, c'mon. You've got to have noticed. It's like he's gotten popular these days. Changing his image. You know."

Yumi shrugs. "Well, it happens to every guy eventually, right? They get tired of being dateless and decide to do something about it."

"So you think that's it? You think it's working?"

"I don't know, I haven't really been paying attention."

Ouch.

But then her brow furrows. "Are Carson and them giving him shit about it?"

"Uh, not that I've—"

"Because that's something they'd totally do, you know. Give him shit. Like, God forbid one of their friends actually tries to grow up."

Her comment leaves you flummoxed, and in that moment she leans forward with just the trace of a twinkle in her eye. "So why are you asking. What do you think of Will and his ... updated image?"

And just like that you flashback to your first morning as Jenny, when Audrey asked point-blank if you have a crush on Will Prescott. I don't know I never paid attention to him, you want to yell. I just noticed he's changed his look that's all god I'm not asking because of that!

Luckily, your tongue refuses to engage, which gives your brain time to spin around and shoot off in a better direction.

"I like the new look," you gasp in a confiding tone, and inch up to put your face closer to Yumi's. "It makes him look— I don't know."

A tiny smile creases her lips. "Like he's suddenly started caring about his appearance?"

You slap her lightly on the arm. "More than that. He looks more confident. You know? More relaxed, too. Have you noticed that about guys?"

"Noticed what?"

"I don't know." You sigh and turn over on your back. "Like, the douchey guys are all about strutting around, and the derpy guys just kind of scuttle. The good ones, in the middle, you know, they don't strut but they don't scuttle. They just do what they want to do without making a fuss about it."

"Pft. Name one guy like you mean."

You draw a deep breath and dive deep into Jenny's memories. "That guy George who's in the orchestra with you."

"George Basham? Ew!"

"What's wrong with him?" You flip back onto your side.

"He's a total douche."

"Really? Tell me."

Yumi does tell you, and it doesn't take her more than a few sentences to get you to peg him as a Geoff Mansfield clone: rich, privileged, condescending, tight with his friends and sniffy toward everyone else.

"Well, at least he doesn't strut," you conclude when she's done. "At least, not that I've seen."

"He doesn't have to. He can pay other people to strut for him."

You give Yumi a few more names of guys who Jenny likes to eye from afar without tipping her hand: Michael Wilson (a tall, rangy kid on the swim team); Raymond Koepp (another member of the orchestra, but who also likes to hike and camp); Nicholas Gray (a handsome and unpretentious member of the school choir); and Luke Richardson (a red-headed member of the baseball team).

Yumi's dimples deepen during the recital. "Sounds like Will's got himself some competition."

"He isn't even in the competition!" you stammer. Then you blush. "What competition? There is no— Jesus, Yumi!" She openly laughs at you. "I've just noticed him lately, that's all! I wondering if you had too."

"Well," she drawls, an averts her eyes. "I have noticed the way Cindy and Eva and Jessica have sort of taken him in hand."

"Yeah?" You straighten up, for this sounds like an opening. "Does everyone talk about him at cheerleader practice?"

"No! It's just they've been the ones getting him to change his look. Haven't they talked to you about it?"

"No."

"Well, me neither. I don't get it, but I don't pry." Her expression falls into a frown. "Except I am a little worried about Will."

"How come?"

"He went out to the Warehouse last weekend. That's not his kind of scene."

"It looks like he made it out okay."

"Sure, most people do. But Will? At the Warehouse? I mean, I wouldn't call Cindy and Eva and Jessica a fast crowd, but they're faster than Will."

And that's when you toss her the hook: "You'd be more his speed, right?"

She gives you a look and changes the subject back to homework. But that tells you she's interested enough in your alter ego to be embarrassed at your suggestion.

* * * * *

So that was stage one of your plan: planting the idea with Yumi of you as a boyfriend. But you've still got stage one of Philip's plan to execute.

You picked up the gear at the storage complex before coming out: a blank mask with a memory strip attached to its inner surface. Carlos—Jessica—told you what to do it, and it's simplicity itself. Just get the mask onto Yumi's face and give it ten minutes to copy her, during which time it will vanish inside of her. He suggested ambushing her from behind, but instead you decide to pretend to find it on accident inside your book bag. Not long after the above conversation you pull it out to show her, telling her it's a weird antique that you found in a thrift shop.

It takes only a little goading to get her to put it up close to her face—"So I can how it looks, like, for Halloween"—and then to nudge it into place. As Carlos warned, it seems to vanish inside her face, and she rolls onto her side with an open mouth and a frozen stare of surprise. While she's out you dig out some old sweat pants, a floppy t-shirt, and underthings from her dresser and stuff them into the bottom of your book bag. Then, when the mask comes out of her, you hide it away as well, then go out into the living room to chat with Yumi's mom.

Your friend looks vexed and confused when she comes charging out a little later, but you pretend that everything is normal, and when she asks you about the mask, you tell her you put it away then went out to use the bathroom, and why is she asking about it? She drops the subject after that, but the incident has killed her enthusiasm for studying, and you don't stick around long afterward.

* * * * *

Awesome! is what Jessica says at school the next day when you show her the mask and clothes you got off Yumi. She takes them from your book bag and slips them into her locker. But when you ask what "stage two" will be, she only tells you it'll happen this weekend.

So move on to the second stage of your own plan: getting Yumi and your beta together. "Where have you been going at lunch?" you demand of him when you corner him at his locker.

He blanches. "Oh, eating."

"With who?"

"People."

You grip his arm. "Names, Will."

He reddens. "Different girls," he mutters. "On the volleyball team and softball teams mostly."

Wow. You'd love to hear more, but you'll be late to class. "Ask Yumi out after school," you order him. "Coffee, Panera, friends, like that. Be relaxed and casual." You grip him harder. "But before you go, ask her out on a date this weekend."

His eyes widen. "Yeah?"

"Uh huh. That's the reason you're asking her out today. You want to go out with her tomorrow night. But don't spring on her, for God's sake. Just at the end, ask if she'll go out with you tomorrow night."

"What will we do?"

"Jesus. Don't the volleyball girls have ideas you can steal?"

* * * * *

So you're pleased with the way things are going, until Eva yanks you aside after school for a private conference.

"We're all ready for the swap," she hisses, "except Yumi won't play ball. She's got a date tonight. With your beta."

You pale. "Why is that a problem?"

"Because we need to get her someplace alone! Up at school, preferably. Can you talk to her, or your beta, find some excuse to get her up here at around seven?"

Off the top of your head you can think of only one way to do it: Get your beta to arrange a double date for him and Yumi, and you and James Lamont.

Next: "Double Dealing and Double Dates" 

*
"Table of Contents (Vol. 4)" 
"The Book of Masks (Vol. 4)"