The Secret Switcheroo

Chapter 2: Who Are 'You'?

-Neo-

I would have never thought something like this would greet me the moment I opened my eyes.

The horrified expression appearing on 'my own face' actually surprised me more than seeing my body in front of me. It took me a while to gather my wits, and I snapped back to attention when 'his' scream echoed loudly in the room. It was annoying as hell, so I shouted for him to shut up but it seemed to me that it scared him even more.

'Damn it. What's going on anyway?'

I observed 'my body' as it walked closer to the window in a trance. Seeing as he pinched himself in the arm, I mimicked his movements and a burst of pain made it clear to me that this - is reality. Bizarre, but true.

"Stop pinching, that's me. I'm Neo Racinelli, and I don't think we're dreaming." I said exasperatedly, seeing as he didn't let go of that poor arm and kept on pinching. I took the lead in introducing myself, and when I was about to question the frozen, stupid creature by the window, the door suddenly burst open and a bunch of doctors and nurses came in, along with two people dressed in suits.

Seeing the two, I sighed. I guess I shouldn't be surprised, as things had been serious with me being sent to the hospital.

"You're awake," the doctor in lead straightforwardly said. "Your guards told us you were screaming your head off -" the doctor coughed when the two people in suits glared at him in unison. "- pardon me for my words. They told us you were up and about, do you feel uncomortable anywhere?" The doctor readied his pen and clipboard, looking at 'Neo' questioningly.

'Neo' stared at them confusedly, and looking as if he made a great decision, he pressed his lips into a thin line and stuttered out.

"That, I think a mistake happened here. You see-"

"Neo." I glowered at 'him', gritting my teeth and mouthed the words 'shut up'. We can't risk having them think we've both gone crazy. What if they decide to isolate us? If it comes to worst case scenario, we might get shipped to a mental or research institution with what we have right now and become guinea pigs. And I'm certainly not having that. Not a damn chance.

"We're fine. What's our situation?" I asked frostily, my half-lidded eyes giving off a faint pressure as I gazed at their team of doctors. I could sense some skeptical looks thrown in my direction, and I remembered that they prioritized the Racinelli family member and not this unknown person I am now stuck in. Damn it.

"Well?" I pressed, and the doctor in lead cleared his throat when he saw 'Neo' staring at them questioningly. The doctors behind him looked at us in confusion, but I didn't care and just glanced at the bewildered doctor coldly.

"I must say, it was quite a miracle for the both of you. Falling from such height and with the b****y mess you arrived in, I had expected some fractures but you both only had some superficial wounds. A few gashes in the back and along the arms, with just a bit of treatment, you'll be good as new."

"How many days has it been?" I asked, remembering the trip and the subsequent pile of work after it.

"Both of you had been unconscious for two days. You can actually get discharged today if you wish." The doctor offered while flipping through his clipboard.

I calculated the days, and judged that the trip must have been over by now. No use going back there, everyone might have already been sent home today. Guess there's nothing I could do about it.

"We'll get discharged today. Both of us." 'Neo' said suddenly, staring out the window like he's seeing something for far away. The two bodyguards grunted in acknowledgement, and they followed behind the retreating doctors after they uttered some words for the wound treatment and disconnecting us from our IV drips.

The door closed with a soft thud, and a deafening silence enveloped the both of us.

"Who are you anyway?" I asked in a low voice, my mind in a whirl as I thought of how to address this strange problem we're having.

"Rina Lune Serratos, seventeen, and female." Rina said stiffly, her eyes lowered as she gave emphasis to her last word.

'A girl?'

I stared at my chest in surprise, and sure enough there's the tell-tale bulge of breasts, and my mind went blank for a minute. I didn't notice earlier for we were both wearing hospital gowns, and I was speaking in a low voice since I woke up.

'What shitty luck is this? If we don't change back, do I have to cross-dress for life? I can't, I'm a man through and through!'

"You idiotic, meddlesome brat," Rina suddenly cursed, glaring my way with pure anger in 'his' eyes. If I had to be honest, it still feels weird no matter how calm I may be, seeing my own body acting in the way I never imagined I would do.

"If it weren't for you, how would we end up here like this?! You're such a bothersome unlucky brat, why were you even there in the first place?!"

I could feel a vein in my head throb as I listened to Rina rant.

"That goes to you too. Why were you there that night? I wouldn't have to follow after you if you didn't sneak out!" I shouted back in anger, the uncertainty of our situation and annoyance got into my head making me explode.

"Why would you even follow me? I knew it, you were planning something since that afternoon I kicked you. Ha, it was a kick well-deserved!" She huffed, rolling her eyes in schadenfreude as she stomped over in front of me. I glared back, letting my pressure roll off in waves without backing down.

"Stupid! I'm doing patrol that day, of course we'd run into each other. Don't change the topic, why did you sneak out that night?"

"I lost the bracelet grandma gave me because of you! Why else would I go into the woods in that wee hours of the night. If anything, this all stemmed from your meddlesome ways!" She righteously defended, pinning all trouble in my name. The heck, how shameless could this one be?

"Couldn't you have thought to search for it in the morning?" I asked flatly, quite sure that her stupid brain didn't work right that night.

She choked on her anger, stunned into silence as her eyes rolled in thinking of words to rebut. Sure enough, she didn't bring her brain that day.

I sighed.

"Just shut it. I went after you that night because aside from checking on where you'd go, I was about to return something of yours that I found in the woods."

Right after I explained, as if we're staging a show, the two bodyguards entered bringing our things and confirming with us that we could get out anytime now.

Our phones, a flashlight, and our bags laid on the bedside table, and also a red-stringed bracelet that I deemed the source of all this trouble.

I glared at it as Rina happily hopped over to the table and snatched up the dirty bracelet covered in dried blood.

"I finally found it grandma," She murmured while giving it a kiss, and I noticed that the two bodyguards went stiff after seeing that scene.

'Can I strangle her? She's too stupid to act normal.'

She suddenly froze as we stared at her unblinkingly.

"Uhm, you two are?" Rina asked tentatively, making the corner of my eye twitch uncontrollably in frustration. I seriously don't talk like that!

"I'm Luke, and she's Jessa sir. We're you're bodyguards." Luke introduced calmly, and Rina just nodded and looked at me, her eyes seemingly asking 'what now?'.

"Clothes." I muttered. "We're leaving."

Jessa quickly placed the paper bag she's holding onto the bed and retreated to Luke's side after it.

"What about me-her? Did you get hers too?" Rina asked with eyebrows raised, and Luke shook his head, answering in a flat tone.

"She isn't the one we're supposed to take care of."

I sighed. If this body swapping problem never happened to us, I would have left ages ago.

Rina glanced at me guiltily, probably realizing what I was thinking and quickly ordered them to get me a change of clothes in her body size.

Jessa quickly went out and came back after a few minutes. Rina gazed at her curiously, prompting Jessa to explain.

"There's a department store in the opposite street. I'm a frequent customer, so.." Jessa trailed off, and Rina dismissed the both of them to wait outside.

"Well, excuse me." She mumbled and went into the bathroom in a flash, bringing along the bag of clothes that were supposed to be mine.

'One, two, thre-'

I tapped my index finger against the bed, and sure enough, the door opened quickly and a topless Rina dashed to my bed.

"Sorry, wrong clothes." The bathroom closed with a bang, leaving me in the bed clutching onto women's clothes. I glanced at it and stripped off the baggy pants, slipping into the black jeans Jessa bought. I proceeded to take off my top, but before I could get to the second button Rina burst out of the bathroom in a flurry.

"Stop!" She suddenly held onto my hands, pressing it against my chest rendering it immovable.

I just raised an eyebrow at her abrupt behavior.

She suddenly blushed, startling me.

This image is too disconcerting, my face.. that damn blushing face isn't me!

"I bet I'm not wearing a b-b*a. I'll help you wear it. " She stuttered, and I froze as I understood what she meant.

I turned around stiffly, my lips pressed into a thin line as I closed my eyes and took off my top.

She guided my arms through the straps and snapped the lock behind me. My eyes flew open and I jumped in surprise when she suddenly cupped my chest. I looked behind me and I saw 'myself' looking so serious in arranging the brassiere.

"What? It's my body anyway." She shrugged.

"I feel constricted, stupid. I thought you were planning to choke me." I told her. She just rolled her eyes and I glanced up, noticing the two shocked guards at the doorway, bringing a tray of food in each hand.

I looked down and realized our posture was quite ambiguous in other people's eyes.

Rina noticed the guards behind us and quickly dressed me up while covering their view.

I slipped into the shoes Rina laid beside my feet and stood up, patting off non-existent dust and collecting my things.

"Eat it yourselves, we're leaving." Rina muttered and picked up her bag and phone from the table, while safely tucking away the bracelet into her pocket.

"Then we'll leave right away with you, sir." Luke told her and left the trays at the table, turning around to follow after us with Jessa.

"No, you guys stay and eat. We'll go. Alone." Rina declined, seeing as I shook my head and headed out first.

I don't like being followed around by them, it's irritating.

Rina closed the door and we ambled down the hallway to the elevator. Pushing the button for the ground floor, I leaned against the elevator wall, calculating what could be our next best move for now.

I'm in her body, and she in mine. I can't go home, and neither will I let her go in my place and make a fool of herself there.

I pinched the center of my brows and sighed.

This is one heck of a pickle we're in.

The doors opened with a ding, and I walked out first. Avoiding the rushing nurses and doctors on the way, we finally left the hospital and stepped onto the sidewalk, keeping silent all throughout.

I noticed a coffee shop across the street, so I turned around to tell her to follow me. But just as I opened my mouth, Rina brushed past me, walking away without caring to look back.

What the-!

"Where do you think you're going?" I asked gloomily, yanking her back to face me.

"What? I'm going home. Mr. Whiskers is probably hungry by now." She replied, confusion apparent in her eyes as she stared back at me. I sighed. Did she knock her brain loose?

"Stupid. You're going home like 'that'? How would you explain this to your family huh?" I gazed at her with reproach, gesturing at 'my body' she's residing in.

She made an 'oh' sound, and said matter-of-factly, "I don't have a family. I only have Mr. Whiskers at home, so it's fine."

I paused, stunned into silence by her words.

"Then let's discuss this at your home." I mumbled and motioned for her to take the lead, mulling over her words. We walked in silence, with me trailing behind her as we took a few turns in the streets. She suddenly stopped when we reached a bus stop, and I followed her as she went up and settled at the seats at the back beside a teenage girl, who shyly glanced up at Rina. The bus seats were full, so I just opted to stand and held the bus straps.

"Sit here." Rina gestured to her seat and stood up, and I quickly replaced her, earning the girl's glare beside me.

I just ignored her and stared outside the window, watching as the speeding bus made its way around the city.

I was about to doze off when Rina shook me, telling me we've arrived.

"Hey, you haven't paid yet." The driver reminded as we were about to go down the bus. An ominous feeling creeped in me as I watched Rina fumble around her pockets.

"Ah, here it is." She exclaimed and I saw her fetch a pink wallet with cat designs from her bag, and the driver and a few passengers gave her a few curious looks full of meaning.

'Damn it, why is it pink!!'

My face darkened yet I just waited for her to finish paying and followed her out. I could still feel the passengers gazes towards Rina, making me frown.

"Is it just me, or they're looking at me weirdly?" Rina asked suddenly, falling into step beside me. I just glanced at her amd looked away, ignoring the stupid person who has no sense of awareness.

She shrugged when I ignored her, and walked ahead to lead me to her house. Two streets after, a well maintained bungalow came into view just as we rounded the corner. Rina walked to the front porch and opened the door after fishing for her keys from her pink wallet.

That damned pink wallet.

"Meow? Mr. Whiskers~" Rina called out as we entered into the living room. Her drawling manner of speaking using my voice made me shudder.

"Shut up. Don't talk like that." I scowled, making Rina pause in her search.

" Then you try it. That's my voice anyway, maybe Mr. Whiskers will listen." She countered, and turned to enter the kitchen. I heard the distinct sound of kibbles being poured and a soft meow sounding out. I slumped into the couch beside me and waited for her to finish.

Rina came back after a few minutes and sat down on the couch opposite of me, placing a plate of cut fruits on the coffee table.

"Now what?" She asked and munched on the apples.

"Let's exchange basic information for now. Maybe this'll go away by tomorrow." I suggested and crossed my legs, tapping my finger against the pillow on the couch.

She blinked and sat up properly.

"Rina Luna Serratos, seventeen, and turning eighteen this fall. Uhm, I live alone. I told you this earlier, what else?"

I sighed.

"Neo Rain Racinelli. Seventeen. School council president, son of the CEO of Lutz Company, so that's why I had those two guards earlier." I explained, taking note of her question to Luke and Jessa at the hospital.

"Oh wow. I don't really know what company we're talking about, but I guess your identity is big huh? " She replied cluelessly.

I took a deep breath and calmed myself. Whatever, it doesn't matter if she's unaware of such things.

And before long, night came and Rina went to the kitchen to make up some dinner. Though she went back out again looking troubled.

" That, I don't have anything here aside for some apples. Do you want to order some take out?" She asked as she pulled out her phone from her pocket.

"Stupid. I'm not eating, where do I sleep?"

I waved her off and stood up lazily. I followed behind her as she walked down the hallway and opened the door to a simply designed room.

"This is the guest room and there's a bathroom inside, mine is right here, so just knock if you have anything to ask." She shrugged and sauntered to her room, closing her door with a bang.

I ignored her and directly slumped to the bed, closing my eyes and wishing all this had never happened.