Chapter 2
The next morning, waking up to the harsh reality that wasn't a nightmare, Ava and Jason hit rock bottom.
Jason, hair wild, gazed at Ava. She was busy scribbling away on a scrap of paper. He was a wreck and could only mumble, "What are you still writing... aren't you supposed to be a lady... don't you know how to play coy..." He was referring to a morning incident where Ava had kicked him into the bathroom after he'd been squatting outside the door for half an hour, struggling weather to go in.
Jason emerged, face red as a beet, as Ava nonchalantly strolled past him into the bathroom. He was stunned for the rest of the morning.
Ava, on the other hand, was unfazed by his awkwardness. She accepted their reality, fired up her laptop, pulled up Google Maps, located the park pond, and noted down its coordinates and timeline down to the minute. She then pulled up some obscure software, entered the data, and clicked on analyze: "Yesterday afternoon, I jumped into the water. About twenty seconds later, I suddenly felt very strong. What about you?"
Jason was clueless, but seeing Ava so engrossed, he played along, "Me too. I felt like a total mess, even swimming was a struggle. I made it to the shore purely by will."
Ava, the rightful owner of the 'mess' body, remained silent.
The obscure software spat out an analysis result - "Lucky AF"
Ava instantly closed the software, opened a new tab in browser, and typed into Google "What would happen if a soul-exchange incident was discovered in real life". Then she tilted her screen, showing the search results "Dissection", "Research Institute", "Psychiatric Hospital" in bold.
"Jason," her voice was as cold as ice, "I want your take on this."
Absolutely no one should know.
After quickly reaching consensus, Ava, now effortlessly shouldering the backpack that used to make her wobble, followed Jason to his place. Ava was shook when she found out that Jason's crib was just a hop, skip, and a jump from her own in a swanky neighborhood on the flip side of the park, a far cry from her own humble abode.
But she was too shook to take in the aesthetic, "Is your crib always this empty?"
As the door swung open, the lonely vibe hit her like a wave. Jason, cool as a cucumber, gave her a once-over of the pristine living room that looked like it hadn't been touched. He was all business, "The smart lock passcode is ******, don't forget it."
Once they were settled, Jason turned into a ghost, holing up in his study and chilling on the sofa, lost in his own world. Ava was the one who broke the ice, pulling out a notebook, "Let's trade deets about daily routine. I'll go first."
---
Fast forward half an hour, Jason snapped out of his daydream and cut Ava's monologue about her daily grind short with a roll of his eyes, "You just bury your nose in books all day? Don't you ever hit the gym?"
Ava shot him a look, "Why would I?"
Jason was shook. It all made sense why she was such a weakling she couldn't even carry a backpack, "Nah, from now on, you gotta put in at least an hour a day for strength training. Gotta protect the abs I've been sweating for!"
Ava, who was as fond of exercise as a cat is of water, shut him down instantly, "That's a hard pass."
Fast forward ten minutes--
Ava was lowkey shook as she leafed through Jason's end-of-term test paper, "What's the tea with these grades?"
Jason, playing it cool, juggled a pack of smokes, "Aren't they lit? At least I passed English this time."
"… " Ava took a hot minute to process, "Jason, you need a tutor."
Jason stuck a cigarette in his mouth, his voice dripping with disbelief, "In your dreams."
Ava was shook thinking about how he would bomb all his exams using her body in the future, "Jason, please, you know the Brookdale Academy's rules. I'm not asking you to shoot for a scholarship, but at least try not to get me expelled."
"Whatever." Jason scoffed, "What do I care if you get expelled or not?"
He paused, then asked, "You seem to know a lot about me. Even knew I was a Brookdale boy?"
"Oh, about that." Ava was chill when she brought it up, "I had a thing for you in freshman year before you transferred…"
The minute she finished, she caught a look of pure shock on his face that made him drop his cigarette. After a second, she realized her words were bit awkward sauce and quickly added, "Oh, but I'm over it now."
Jason was so shook, he totally missed Ava's last comment.
They hit the urban village just as the sun was setting. Jason came to a halt at the sight of the rundown apartment, avoiding Ava's gaze, "Bounce. If anything goes down, we'll hit each other up."
On the way, Jason copped a new phone, switched to Ava's SIM, and the two officially started their collab. Ava's gaze strayed to the horizon, a rogue thought of ditching the plan flirting with her resolve. But she quashed it swiftly. Her folks were in no shape, physically or mentally, to handle such a plot twist.
Ava, from her diaper days to her adulting phase, had played the role of the sturdy pillar for her brittle family. She exhaled, handed over her heavy-duty backpack to Jason, and vowed, "Thanks, dude. I swear I'll hit the gym daily."
Jason, now lopsided with the weight of the bag, responded with a nonchalant grunt, "Whatever floats your boat."
He was still salty about the deal they'd struck - him hitting the books in return for her promise of working out. All because he'd been blind-sided by her impromptu confession (as if!).
Ava shrugged off his grumpiness. As she turned to leave, she added, "I know I'm asking for the moon, but please, no smokes or boozing around my folks."
The sudden transformation of their goody-two-shoes, straight-A daughter into a vice-ridden rebel would probably send her old-school parents into cardiac arrest. Ava was a tad anxious but also braced for the day she'd have to face the music. After all, Jason had a reputation for coloring outside the lines since his Brookdale days.
His reply was a scoff, and then he sauntered off, bag in tow, without a backward glance.
Ava sighed in resignation, watching his retreating figure. She'd thought Jason's magnetic pull was down to his towering frame and striking looks. But even in her petite, slender body, his charisma was a force to be reckoned with. Talk about star power!
She just hoped that if and when they switched back, he wouldn't have landed her in a hot mess.
*****
Jason, lugging a backpack that felt like it was filled with lead, couldn't recall the last time he'd been saddled with such a load. Muttering about his upcoming fitness regimen, he reached his destination. He paused to take in the sight of the man at the workshop, crafting something from wood under the soft glow of the setting sun. Jason recognized him from the photo Ava showed him . This was Ava's dad, a middle-aged guy who seemed as benign as Ava herself.
Jason instinctively juxtaposed him with his own old man, and the comparison left him frowning. His memory of his father was of a dynamic, ambitious man, always engrossed in his career, constantly plotting his next big play. But here was Ava's dad, at the same age, looking like a tree in autumn, just waiting to shed its leaves. His hair was peppered with gray, his shoulders slumped, and his once handsome features now bore the imprint of weariness.
Jason found himself standing on a sea of sawdust. He remembered Ava mentioning that her dad has mobility impairment, using his knack for crafting to bring in some extra cash.
A lady in an overly fluffy nightgown was haggling over the goods: "Mr. Johnson, I only need a kitchen stool. It's not like it's made of gold, I'll just take it."
Jason's eyebrows knitted together, quickly figuring out that this must be the notorious Landlady Auntie Ava had briefed him about.
Ava's dad had been in an accident years ago, when he lost his job and insurance, and the medical bills had sent them spiraling into debt. They had to beg and borrow from everyone they knew. Their generous Uncle, who was close to Ava's family, proposed to buy their house at a laughable price, a third of its actual worth. Ava's mom, after a tearful meltdown, agreed to the deal. It saved her husband's life, but cost them their home. With affordable rental options in the city being as scarce as hen's teeth, they were forced to bounce around before they found a semi-permanent spot.
Their friends and relatives lambasted Ava's Uncle, who then offered to rent out the first floor of the house to Ava's family. This allowed Ava and her brother to halt their nomadic existence and lead somewhat normal lives.
The Uncle's family, thinking they were the fairy godparents, often paraded their 'kindness' in front of Ava's family. Ava, being a no-nonsense girl, was not remotely embarrassed about her disabled dad or their financial situation. She gave Jason a detailed lowdown, to prevent him from going all Hulk on the Uncle's family - a fallout Ava's family couldn't afford.
Jason was livid when he heard the story, smashing a table lamp in his rage. Ava, being the one in the eye of the storm, calmly reassured him that a house was a small price to pay for her father's life. As for the petty squabbles, they had to suck it up and bear it, much like dealing with Lauren and her squad at school.
Jason, who was used to getting his way, had never been in such a situation before. Despite Ava's repeated pep talks, he was still seething when he met the main players of the story.
Before he could reign in his emotions, they spotted him.
Ava's father's weary face lit up when he saw his daughter. He brushed off the sawdust and called out to Jason, "Welcome home sweetheart!"
This simple, heartfelt greeting diffused Jason's simmering anger. Being a novice at family interactions, he was caught off guard, "Hi. er… Dad"
Maybe because Ava was usually so reserved, her father didn't suspect anything amiss. He dusted off his apron and hobbled over to Jason, reaching out to take the backpack from Jason's shoulder, "Wow, this semester's books weigh a ton!" Jason hadn't felt this sensation in forever and definitely hadn't seen it coming. Remembering the weight of the bag, he tried to reclaim it. "I can..."
Before he could spit out the rest of his sentence, dad gave him a friendly smack on the back of his head, "Don't be a hero, kiddo. It's no biggie. Did you have a blast with your pals yesterday?"
Ava had mentioned she was going to pull an all-nighter with her squad.
Jason was gobsmacked. It felt like forever ago, when his mom was still around, that he had shared such a moment with his now distant dad.
He couldn't tell if it was a wave of nostalgia or something else, but his earlier dread about cohabiting with a bunch of randos suddenly seemed less intense. Jason picked up his pace to match his dad's stride, he was at a loss for words and could only mumble in response to his dad's question, "It was chill..."
"LOL!" A voice cut through his unfinished sentence as they were heading to their apartment - The nosy neighbor, sauntered over, cackling like a hyena, "Who would've thunk it, Mr. Johnson, a cripple barely able to shuffle, lugging your daughter's backpack. Spoiling her rotten, aren’t we?"
The moment this drama queen started flapping her gums, the vibe took a nosedive. Ava's dad's expression darkened at her jibe, feeling even more shamed in front of his daughter. But knowing her savage, razor-sharp tongue, he felt like a sitting duck. All he could do was plaster on a fake grin, hoping to defuse the situation with his usual self-mockery, so she'd get her kicks and leave.
But, plot twist, before he could get a word out, an arm shot out from the sidelines and pulled him in.
"Give us a break, will you please?"
The nosy neighbor looked flabbergasted at the girl who had stepped up to bat for her's dad. She'd been throwing shade at Ava's fam for over a decade and had never seen Ava clap back. TBH, she always thought Ava and her folks were at odds.
But right now, the face staring her down was surprisingly fierce and intimidating.
Jason, having internalized his grievances for days, finally found a punching bag, unleashing his rage like it was going out of style. His usual MO involved a swift kick to any man who crossed him. While he couldn't do that now, his eyes were aflame as he advanced, step by step.
The spoiled, arrogant young master, used to throwing his weight around, was not someone just anyone could handle. His intense gaze sent the lady recoiling two steps back, causing her to trip and land in a flower bed.
Jason bent over and reached out, appearing as though he was about to throw a punch. But instead, he simply grabbed her arm and hauled her up.
"Watch your step," Jason stared at her, his eyes never wavering. After a moment, he let go, his lips curling into a malicious smirk, "Got it?"
With that, his expression softened, and he turned back to Ava's father: "Let's bounce."
Ava's father glanced at the shell-shocked lady, frozen in place, then back at his daughter. He opened his mouth to speak, but no words came. Quickly, he dabbed at the corner of his eye and opened the door.
Jason, ever observant, noticed. It only added to his unease, leaving him at a loss for words.
Jason shot Ava a text about the whole thing, initially just planning to keep her in the loop. The response took for what felt like an eternity. After what looked like a lot of typing and deleting, only a few words finally came through -
"Thanks, Jason. Really."
Jason felt a chill run down his spine.
Why were Ava and her dad so damn sentimental! They were always declaring their love and bursting into tears at the drop of a hat!
