Cassandra's POV
"Trying to help; oh, that's rich!" with a humorless laugh, I said. "Your idea of 'helping' is to get rid of everything we are and replace it with what we are not!"
"Not everything, Ca, err, David!" turning red, Amelia yelled. "Just what doesn't work!" she huffed. “In your case, nothing works!”
"I'm fine the way I am, thank you!” furious, I countered. I pointed to my old body. “So is Cassandra!”
"Is that why you two agreed to swap bodies!?" screaming, Amelia asked. she slapped a hand over her mouth the moment the words left her lips but it was already too late.
"You- You're really Cassandra!?" pointing at me, Mark asked.
I sighed, throwing Amelia a dirty look, then turned to Mark. "Yes, I was Cassandra." looking at him, I said. "Now, I am David as there is no way to reverse the switch."
For a moment, Mark turned from me to Cassandra then back to me before slumping as if his entire world had come to an end. I had seen Mark depressed before but this time he looked truly hurt. "Why did you do it?" his voice miserable, he asked. "I know you two are twins and all but swapping bodies?"
Dad sighed then briefly explained the situation, throwing Amelia a 'we'll talk later' look. "In short, our house is saved but the lives of two of our family members are turned upside down for a while." finishing his explanation, dad said. "We'd appreciate it if you did not allow this to leak out."
"You mean I could swap bodies with someone so I wouldn't have to be short all the time?" a strange look in his eye, Mark asked. "I can be.... normal?"
He turned to his sister Sarah but she quickly shook her head. "Don't even think about it, Mark." she said. "I like my life the way it is, thank you."
"Who is offering this body swap?" looking interested, Maria asked. "Is the process painful? Are there any side effects?"
"Um… why don't we talk about it in the other room, Maria." guiding her out, mom said. "I'm sure our kids will be fine on their own for a short while."
After they had left, Amelia quickly turned to Mark. “You don’t need to swap bodies with anyone, kid.” serious, she said. “All you need is a few changes in your looks and attitude.”
“Hold on!” stepping in front of Amelia, Sarah shouted. “What’s wrong with how Mark looks or acts!?”
“Are you blind!?” Amelia shouted back. “Look at him! He practically blends into the crowd, his clothing alone makes him invisible!” she scoffed. “I’m surprised he’s not getting stepped on in the halls!”
Mark whimpered a little at that, backing away slightly. It was clear to me that Amelia’s words had hurt him. “You are being rude to our guests!” angry, I hissed.
Amelia turned to me, annoyed. “You stay out of this!” waving me off, she yelled. “You had your chance and blew it! Don’t screw up Mark’s chances too!”
“Do- Do you really think I have a chance?” daring to speak, Mark asked.
“Don’t even entertain the idea, Mark.” Pulling him towards her, Sarah said. “She just wants to make you a puppet, another one of her custom made friends.”
Amelia liked to change people she saw as having ‘potential’ and worked to make them popular with her circle of friends but no one else. Sarah was popular in her own way, which is the only reason Amelia left her alone. Only now her sights were on Mark and I knew her ‘help’ would only risk placing a rip between Mark and his family. I turned to David who seemed just as worried for Mark.
“I don’t see Mark in your circle of friends.” scoffing, Amelia said.
“He’s two years ahead of me, you bitch!” furious, Sarah said. “He’s not in my grade but my friends all know and like him just fine!”
“Then why not help him be more popular, more outgoing!?” planting her hands onto her hips, Amelia screamed. “What’s the matter, afraid he may up stage you!? If you ask me, you are the bitch here!”
Sarah charge Amelia and I was forced to pull her away as David held Amelia back. “Stop this, Amelia!” pulling her away, I demanded. “You are going too far!”
“Easy, Sarah!” struggling with her, David said. “She’s not worth it!”
“I'm worth my weight in gold!” screaming, Amelia protested. “You are killing Mark, leaving him in the shadows like he is!”
“You take that back!” tears forming, Sarah screamed. “I protect Mark every day!”
“Shut up, Amelia!” in a threatening tone, David yelled.
“Just let me put him in a different outfit!” struggling, Amelia yelled. “You’ll see I’m right! Let me help him before he becomes a complete loser like my brother and sister!”
Mark looked down at his clothing. “Am I really… a loser?” crying, he asked.
“Don’t listen to her, bro!” pleading, Sarah called out. “She’s just trying to get under your skin!”
“I don’t care what you say about us, Amelia!” losing my temper, I said. “Only insulting the kids of mom’s childhood friend is a new low, even for you!”
“That’s enough!” with a furious scream, dad commanded. “David, Cassandra, let them go!”
Reluctantly, David and I obeyed. Amelia and Sarah broke away and began to throw each other death stares before mom walked between them. “I will not have any cat fights in this house, understood!?” fiercely, she asked. “Shake hands and end this, now!”
After each giving an angry huff, Sarah and Amelia quickly shook hands the turned their backs to each other while dad pulled me aside with Ms. Harris following. “May I assume you and your, um, sister were breaking up a fight?” looking at me, he asked.
“We were all arguing.” Honestly, I replied. “Sarah and Amelia got hot under the collar during this and went at each other, we held them back, we kept arguing.”
Dad sighed. “I know you and your twin are going through a rough spot right now and Amelia does not help that but I would expect you’ve learned to tune her out by now.” Scolding, he said. “Anyway, Ms Harris has a larger problem and I need your input.”
“What’s wrong?” turning to Ms. Harris, I asked.
"David, the doctors told me that Mark is giving up.” To my horror, Ms Harris said. “He’s so depressed, being so small and ‘unseen’ that he doesn’t want to live anymore. The body swap may change all of that.”
“What!?” terrified, I asked. I remembered his reaction to our body swap. “Doesn’t Mark get a say in this?”
“That is why we need your input and later, the input of the rest of the family to help Ms Harris make a decision as how to proceed.” Seriously, dad replied.
“I have been trying to pull Mark out of his depressive state but it’s a losing battle.” Tearfully Ms Harris said. “Sarah has been trying to help by protecting him from any bullies she catches picking on him but…” she paused. “David, listen to me, I’d rather live in the body of my child, knowing he will live on as me, than to helplessly watch him die because he sees no point in living."
I teared up, giving Mark a look of pity before turning back to Ms Harris. “This is not a decision I can make for you, Ms Harris.” Wincing, I said. “But I will talk to Mark, if you like.”
Ms Harris smiled. “Thank you.”
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