Stepping into Anthony's body is no harder than stepping into a running shower, though you do feel a bit heavier for acquiring a body again. You jerk a little in surprise, and your guy in the Xbox game promptly dies.
You shut off the machine and head into the bathroom to check out your new look. You're a little disconcerted at first, and wonder if the possession has shown itself on Anthony's face: his nose and mouth and eyes looks a little weird, as though it's been put together wrong. Then you realize that it's because you're looking at this face in a mirror instead of straight on, as you usually do. You raise your eyebrows and give yourself a smile. Anthony's not a bad looking fellow, and it's odd that he hasn't got a girlfriend. Of course, he's been sweet on Toni Nilsson for a long time, but has never had the nerve to ask her out on a serious date ...
Wait a minute. That's something that could be fun, and it would do your friend some good, too.
In his bedroom, you take out his cell phone and call Toni up. You feel Anthony's own nervousness well up inside you, but you're able to keep it in check. After all, it's not like you'd be asking her out on behalf of yourself—
"Hey, Toni, this is Anthony," you say when she picks up. "I was feeling kind of bored, and wanted to see what you were doing."
"It's only ten thirty in the morning," she says with light amusement. "You must get bored real easy."
"Eh," you casually reply. "My schedule for the day's so empty it echoes. Come on, be my friend."
"Well, Julia and I were talking about seeing a movie this afternoon." She names a chick flick that has just opened. "But you probably wouldn't be interested."
"If you're there, I'm interested," you reply. "You wanna get some lunch first?"
The upshot is that you arrange to meet her and Julia at a burger place next to the theater at one o'clock. That's not an optimal set-up, but it is a start. A more serious problem, you reflect as you dig through Anthony's pockets, is that he doesn't have any money.
"I have a lunch date with Toni Nilsson and a friend," you tell Anthony's mom when you're back in the kitchen. "Can I borrow twenty dollars?"
"You mean can you have twenty dollars," his mom corrects you with a note of disapproval. She straightens up from the dishwasher. "I want some chores out of you before you go."
You grimace: You didn't possess Anthony so you could do housework, but it looks like there's nothing else to do but agree. Instead, though, so you step out of his body. He blinks and shakes himself and glances around, looking a little confused. "Um, okay," he says uncertainly.
"Good. You can finish taking care of these dishes, and then you can get out the vacuum cleaner."
Anthony sighs, and you snort. There's gotta be a way to take care of this, you think.
You step back into the living room and step into Mr. DeFranco's body; without pausing, you take out his wallet and rifle through it. He's got almost two hundred dollars in twenties ...
You brush past Mrs. DeFranco without saying a word as she—looking very pleased with herself—passes out of it. "I overheard you saying you had a date this afternoon," you say to Anthony. You hand him five twenties, and then give him two more. "Maybe you should think about upgrading your wardrobe." He looks startled, and then gratefully takes and pockets the cash. "I'll smooth things out with your mother. You just make sure you come back with one really nice shirt and pair of khakis." Anthony almost runs from the house.
As soon as he's gone, you realize you've earned yourself an unexpected bonus: you've got the house and the lovely Mrs. DeFranco all to yourself, and you're in her husband's body. But maybe you should stick close to Anthony and make sure he doesn't screw anything up before his date.
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