switched

Chapter 1: It started with the Rain

Jessica

If you would have told me three months ago that I would end up sitting in a holding cell in prison with three celebrities and two of my closest friends, I would have told you that you were crazy. Bat shit crazy.

Three months ago I would never have even thought of stepping foot in a prison, or of any reasons why I would be stepping foot in a prison.

Now all I'm thinking of is how the footsteps of the guard send a soft echo through the silent hallway connected to our cell, how so much has changed since three months ago, and how, surprisingly, I had not a single hint of regret.

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"What do you mean we're breaking up?" Chase shouted at me. "I mean it's over! This relationship is over, done, finished!" I yelled with a flourish of my hands, my face red and flushed with exasperation.

"What did I do, huh? I never cheated on you--"
"The brunette? You don't count that as cheating?"

"It was one text!"
"It might've been more for all I know!" I shouted back at him, trying to lace my voice with as much anger and pain as possible.

"And I just can't deal with all your weird habits anymore--"
"Oh yeah? What weird habits?" Chase shouted as he took two large steps towards me, fuming with anger and disbelief.

"Anytime someone starts talking about flowers, you start doing squats! No sane person does that!"

I tried my best to keep a straight face as the laughter of our classmates filled the theater around us.

"That's a medical condition and you know it!" He said as he marched even closer towards me, his face burning with anger.

"Medical condition? Yeah right," I scoffed. "And don't even get me started on your collection of salt shakers--"

"Freeze!"

Mackenzie shouted from the ring of students around Chase and I. On cue we froze, me with my finger pointed towards Chase in accusation and him crossing his arms and glaring at me.

I felt her fingers tap my shoulder and a mixture of disappointment and relief flooded through me. I never liked to be tapped out, but my face was so tired from frowning for so long.

She took up my position of finger wagging as I headed back to the circle with a smile on my face.

"I told you young man, if you don't clean your room this instant you--"

The ringing of the school bell interrupted her.
"Game over kids! See you all here tomorrow afternoon. Your monologue recitations are tomorrow, so make sure you get lots of rest tonight!" Ms. Finch shouted to us as we hoped off stage to grab our books.

"Out of all the weird habit options you could have chosen, you chose 'squats when he hears conversations about flowers'? What kind of person comes up with that sort of thing?" I heard Chase say behind me.

"A person with a lovely imagination. Besides, I kind of thought it would be funny to see you do squats on stage," I said to him over my shoulder as we walked out of the theater.

"With these quads? You might've swooned. 'Oh Chase, how I adore you and your quads, and those magnificent eyes of yours' " he raised his voice as he mimicked me, and I couldn't help but laugh.

"You flatter yourself. I do not sound like that, and I would never be dishonest with you. Your eyes are shit brown, just like mine. Far from magnificent."