Kid At Heart

Chapter One

On Sunday morning, as soon as I woke up, I knew there was something different about today. I couldn't yet put my finger on it but knew that it will eventually come clear to me.

After I stretched my arms up above my head, I notice that they are longer then usual and decide that I was tired and must be imaging things. When I push my body further up the bed and bump my head on the end, I realise it just wasn't my imagination in the first place.

'Crap, that was painful.' I hiss as the pain shoots through my head, and at the same time I realise that my voice sounds a bit different, a bit more grown up. Doing closer observation, I lift the warm quilt off me and look at my chest. To my surprise, the first thing I saw was boobs.

Holy crap, I have boobs!

Something was definitely not right here.

I then get off the bed and run to the bathroom. I look in the mirror and notice that I definitely not look like a eight year old girl anymore. It was easy to tell that this grown up girl in the mirror was me, but there was something wrong. I didn't look the same as I did yesterday at all.

After running into mum's room and raiding her wardrobe for something I could actually fit into suddenly being a teenager, I head downstairs to get breakfast. I grab the box of Weet-Bix out of the cupboard and turn around to face my mum. She stills, her eyes fixated on me.

'Who are you?' She asks slowly, walking towards me with a careful look. 'You look like somebody I know.' She stares into my eyes, trying to make sense of it all.

I sigh as I look at her. 'I'm Penelope, your daughter.' I say as her eyes widen in shock. 'Something happened to me last night and suddenly I'm a teenager. I know that I look different now but I swear I'm the same girl and that the only difference is just that I'm older.'

'Do you really think I would believe that you're my daughter?' She laughs humourlessly. 'The whole age-swaping thing happens in movies, not real life.There's no way you would be Penelope, even though you look like her. Just tell me who you are already please.'

Anger fumes inside of me. I know it's hard to believe, but why can't she just damn see that I am her daughter? 'For goodness sake mum, it is Penelope! Why can't you believe that?' I scream out of frustration. 'Here's your damn proof. I'm eight years old, my best friend is Cassandra and my birthday is March 12th! We went to the park yesterday with her and her mum and I passed out suddenly when we got home last night. Is that enough for you, mum?' I take a deep breath.

She continues to look at me in shock, and I realise that she doesn't believe me. 'I don't know what you are doing here, or what your name is, but I know that you need some help.' I try so hard not to cry. 'Why don't you spend some time in the house for as long as you need to? You can share the room with my daughter Penelope, I'm sure she won't mind it.' She smiles.

'Thanks, ma'am.' I say as I go back upstairs with a heavy heart. She doesn't believe me, her own daughter, just because I look different. I understand it's hard to believe but I was hoping she would have some sort of mother-daughter mind reading powers or something like that.

At least she was still being friendly.

I then decide to go outside and try to seek out Cassandra. If my own mother didn't believe me, then my best friend would have to. Walking up to her house, I manage to sneak over to the backyard, where she usually hangs out. Once she is in my line of vision, her eyes fixate on my chocolate brown eyes. 'Who are you?' She asks. 'And how would you know I'm back here?'

'I'm Penelope, your best friend.'  I say, yet her expression hasn't changed. 'I know I look a lot older then yesterday, but a bright light in the sky yesterday made me fell unconscious and I guess this was the result.' I look at my body and back at her. 'I know we talked about growing up quickly and embracing youth yesterday, and I didn't expect it to happen overnight like that.'

My best friend smiles. 'That's okay, I believe you.' She looks at the surprise on my face and giggles. 'I know you so well that it's kinda obvious and besides, you are one of my only friends who knows that I love hanging out here. Did your mum believe you?'

I look down at my feet. 'No she didn't, no matter how hard I tried to prove it to her.' I whisper. 'She hasn't banned me from the house though, even though I'm a lot older now.'

'I'll help you with this situation.' Cassandra exclaims, running over and clutching my hand. 'If she doesn't believe you, at least I know it's you, Penelope. We can do this together.'

I smile but soon I heard a voice from inside. 'Cassandra, who are you talking to? Are you alright?' Her mum calls out, her footsteps getting closer to the door. With a quick goodbye, I sneak back through to the front and run towards my own house. Thank goodness someone believes me.