Skate Into My Body

Chapter 5: "Secrets, Showers, and Shower Gels"Untitled Episode

Riley cinched the hockey bag around her neck, preparing for aching arms at practice. Her legs trembled, her cheeks blazing as though slapped by the handle of a snow shovel. Hockey was ruthlessly hard. Why did Connor make it seem so easy?

She ran into the locker room, counting off in her head: Don't be strange. You're Connor. You're home.

She could smell it: body spray, rubber, and sweat on her face. She struggled not to lose it all.

The rest of the team already were stripping off clothes, laughing, and throwing towels around. Riley glared a beat too long, losing sight with forgetting she was in Connor's body.

"Yo, Blake."

someone yelled. "You comin' to the shower party or just hangin' there like a creeper?"

Riley's eyes snapped open. "S-Shower?"

Logan, bare-chested, dripping wet, walked by and grinned. "You okay, bro? You look like you've seen a ghost or something."

"Yeah," she said quickly, stepping back. "Just, uh. left something in my locker."

She turned around and bumped into the bench, staggered.

Logan's eyebrow went up. "You're freaking out weirding now or something."

Riley had clutched a towel and slapped it around her shoulder like she had the foggiest. "Just tired. So tired. Legs are spaghetti."

"Hmm," Logan said, raising an eyebrow. "You didn't cuss once today. Did you whack yourself on the head?"

"I'm going straight?" she attempted half-heartedly.

He grinned, shaking his head. "Whatever. Don't be missing team dinner tonight. Coach will kill your sorry butt if you don't make it."

Logan strode off and Riley gazed downward in the direction of the showers—then turned around. She enveloped herself in the towel like armor and stepped out of the locker room.

Later, again in Connor's dorm room, Riley fell onto the bed face-down. Her shoulder muscles were screaming. She was bruised everywhere. She rolled over onto her back and sighed.

"This body is killing me," she growled.

Her phone beeped. Connor had texted her.

Connor: Don't tell me you missed the protein shake.

Riley: Come on now?! I almost ran into a naked hockey shower! I need a milkshake!

Connor: NO MILKSHAKES. Protein, and that's it. That body's an athlete, not a bakery.

Riley: Your team-mates are sweaty, drunken brutes. And Logan's being weird.

Connor: Logan's always weird. Just wait for my routine. You can do that, huh, princess?

Riley scowled at the phone.

Riley: Good. But I'm taking the longest hot shower in the history of time.

At school, Connor sat at a tiny table at Riley's favorite café, staring directly at Zoe. Her eyebrow was already raised.

"So, are you going to tell me why you've been behaving like an alien for the past few weeks?" she asked, sipping her vanilla latte.

Connor absent-mindedly stirred Riley's hot chocolate. "What do you mean?"

Zoe moved in closer. "You, Quinn, are emerging from your shell. You stood up to that pesky kid in econ, ate half a tray of bacon, and now you're. sipping hot chocolate with me like a cool guy."

Connor fought back from losing his mind. "Uh, maybe I'm getting older?"

Zoe raised an eyebrow. "You also called a poem 'sick' yesterday."

Connor winced. "Okay, that was a bad moment."

Zoe regarded him for a slow blink, then smiled. "You know what? I like it. You're more. human."

Connor's eyes widened in shock. "Thanks? I think?"

Zoe settled back. "Don't get me wrong—I loved shy Riley too. But this one? She's got a little spark. It's fun."

Connor allowed his eyes to drop into the cup. For an instant, he was strangely. flattered.

Zoe rapped his forehead.

"Ow! What was that for?"

"Checking you're alive."

That evening, in their own chat room, tucked away so he could view it in private, Riley messaged Connor.

"I'm complaining,"

Connor took a breath. "What now?"

"You didn't warn me about ice baths. I opened the door and shrieked like a squirrel entering acid!"

"Was anyone in earshot?"

"Yes! Logan overheard. He thinks I've lost my mind."

Connor laughed. "Sounds rational."

"Oh, and the protein shake tastes nasty, gym sock flavor!"

"Hey, do that or pass out in practice."

"I also almost collided with the shower room when your entire team was nude. Thanks for the trauma."

Connor choked on a laugh. "You should relax."

"No, you must suffer. Tomorrow, I'm adding glitter to your shampoo."

"Touch my hair, and I swear—"

"Alright. But we have to have rules."

Connor paused. "What type of rules?"

"Ground rules. For getting through the other person's life. We can't pretend. Just do things."

Connor massaged his forehead. "Fine. Let's get on with it."

"Rule number one: Don't flash body parts we shouldn't flash. On purpose or by accident."

"Agreed."

"Rule number two: Be nice to my friends, particularly Zoe. She's not stupid."

Connor paused. "She's. fine. I'm just looking out for myself."

"Rule three: Don't make me flunk. Maddox doesn't like me anyway."

"I answered a poetry question wrong!"

"I told them yearning was constipation," Connor laughed so hard that he was about to choke.

"Fine, fine, maybe I'll let you do my essays," Connor finally said.

"Deal."

They were quiet for a minute or two.

Then Connor got up, "Rule four: Don't mess up my team's hope at regionals. We need to win that one."

"I'm trying! Your body doesn't like me."

"Alright, then, love it. Work more."

"Gee, thanks, Coach."

"And rule number five. no kissing anybody. In my body."

Riley scowled. "I wasn't!"

"I'm kidding. If Logan kisses me—um, you—I'll rip up."

You mean you'll cry?

"No, I mean—bleah, never mind."

More silence.

Then Riley grumbled to himself, very softly, "This is weird."

"Right," Connor said. "But. sorta funny too."

The next morning, Riley tried Connor's gross routine again: run at six a.m., protein shake, push-ups, and then shower in an ice-cold shower.

She ran for three minutes and then screamed, "I HATE EVERYTHING!"

Half asleep, Logan looked down the hallway. "Dude, are you okay?"

Riley whirled around him with toothpaste smeared on her face and a towel stuck in her hair. "Peachy!"

Logan frowned. "You just uttered 'peachy'?"

She stood frozen.

He raised an eyebrow. "You're not getting all poetical on me again, are you?"

Riley shook her head robotically. "Not at all."

Connor was attempting to braid Riley's hair in her dorm room while simultaneously viewing a YouTube tutorial.

"Why does she need to have five brushes?" he grumbled. "And what is even dry shampoo?!"

Zoe knocked and came in.

"Morning, bestie! Time for—oh. You. braiding your own hair?"

Connor's brain-twist froze halfway through hair-half-done mess. "I like. learning?"

Zoe grinned. "Okay, who are you, and what did you do to Riley Quinn?"

Connor grinned. "It's a long one."

Zoe grinned back. "Well, I like this new story. So don't quit."

Connor glared down at the braid and blinked. Being Riley might not be so bad.

Anyway, they were going to have to take their last bow there. And soon.