College life as Laura

I was woken up by a ringtone I both recognised while feeling unfamiliar at the same time. Slowly opening my eyes, I tried to stop it, before realising that I wasn't in my bedroom.

“Huh?” I was confused, until I recalled yesterday's events. Glancing down, I was greeted by a skinny and very feminine body. “That wasn’t a dream… I'm really Laura…”

I got up and approached the mirror in the room. Reflected back was a cute tomboyish girl with bedhead hair and comfy pajamas. I couldn't help but smile blissfully. I felt so wonderful since I borrowed Laura's skin.

“It might take some time for me to get used to this… It still feels so surreal,” I muttered, caressing my cheek.

I opened the wardrobe and decided to pick some clothes easy to remove, for when I'd restore Laura. A pair of baggy cargo pants and sneakers, a large t-shirt, and a sweater jacket. A comfortable look for a cute tomboyish girl. No makeup was needed, I just completed my look with a pair of sunglasses.

“Why does it feel so good to be a woman?” I wondered while checking myself out. Laura was quite attractive, I couldn't deny it.

After a quick breakfast, I was finally ready to experience college. I almost forgot to grab Dahlia's spats shorts before leaving. I needed to hide all traces of my presence. Putting on Laura's bag, I was about to reach the door when my gaze landed on the skateboard in the corner. Laura rarely left without it, especially on college days. When my hand grasped the board, Laura's knowledge flashed more vividly in my mind. I knew exactly how to use it.

I grinned, excitement growing even stronger. “Oh, this day is going to be fun~”

When I got outside, I dropped the skateboard in front of me and put a foot on it. My borrowed instincts kicked in instantly, and I propelled myself towards the campus. Adrenaline rushed through my body as I laughed almost like a giddy child. Laura's muscle memories made it feel so easy, it was incredible! I was really riding a skateboard, and it was so exhilarating. I never knew it'd be so fun!

It didn't take long for me to reach the campus, and a wave of nostalgia washed over me. I came here sometimes back when I was still with my ex-girlfriend, Sarah. I leaned against a wall and lit up a cigarette while reminiscing about her. She was a PhD student in French philology, a bright and cute blonde woman with whom I shared a lot of interests. Her heterochromic eyes always mesmerised me, and she was always so energetic and enthusiastic about her passions. We broke up shortly after Claire joined me, because I felt like I needed to focus on taking care of my sister for the time being, and we kinda lost contact about two months ago.

Exhaling the smoke, I sighed. I missed her company, I had to admit. But especially now with my condition, I knew I couldn't get back with her. Or any other human, for that matter. Dating a human girl would probably be really awkward, and I didn't believe many would be courageous or crazy enough to accept me should I reveal my nature to them. I could just never mention my real identity and try dating while pretending to be a human, and while my skinwalker side seemed content with this, the thought left a sour taste in my mouth.

Ah, my life got so much more complicated…

I was about to take another puff of my cigarette when I spotted Dahlia approaching. She was smiling but seemed a bit tense.

“Hey Dahl,” I said, relaxing slightly.

She came to rest next to me. “Good morning, Laura. How are you?”

I exhaled a circle of smoke before replying. “I'm alright. Mostly.”

“Mostly?”

“I still feel guilty for what we did to Laura yesterday. And for enjoying it…” I admitted more shamefully.

Dahlia looked away. “I see. I… feel the same, in all honesty. I let Li-, I mean Dahlia influence me too much. I kind of lost control…”

Her declaration surprised me. “It can happen?”

She quickly put a hand on my shoulder. “O-oh no, it won't happen to you, don't worry. It's just… one of my specificities.”

“Specificities?”

Dahlia closed her eyes and sighed. “It's complicated. There's a lot to-”

“Dahlia, Laura!” A familiar voice called, interrupting Dahlia. A voice I could instantly recognise thanks to Laura's memories.

“Oh, hey Sherine. What's up?” I replied with a smile.

Sherine was a cute tan girl Dahlia and Laura befriended when they started college. She was Iranian-American, her mother having moved here as a teenager with her family. She was shy with strangers and a massive nerd, loving manga and games.

She'd get along well with Claire, I internally chuckled.

She coughed before smiling back. “Think I got a cold. But I'm fine.” She did seem paler than usual.

“You're sure it's smart to come today? Maybe you should rest?” Dahlia suggested.

After another cough, Sherine shook her head. “Nah, I'm good, really.”

Squishing my cigarette, I shrugged. “Well, if you say so.”

Some students were already walking inside the building, and I couldn't help but observe them while talking about mundane stuff with Sherine and Dahlia. I felt a pang of jealousy as I saw all these people being able to attend college and study whatever subjects they wanted.

Back when I was still a naive high-schooler, I wanted to go to college, to study law and become a lawyer fighting for justice and against corruption. But being disowned by my father shattered this dream and left me surviving, scraping by painfully by working low-paying jobs after low-paying job. And while I didn't hate working as a bartender, it didn't allow me to truly live the life I've always wanted.

Although, this jealousy quickly got replaced by another feeling: excitement. Excitement that I now had the possibility to act on these desires and actually attend college. I could study whatever subject I liked, or heck, I could work whatever job I wanted. The curse seemed to offer endless opportunities for my future, but I also knew I had to be careful not to lose myself and my ideals. I already slipped yesterday with Dahlia, I couldn't underestimate just how powerful my emotions were now.

Men didn't seem to interest me in the slightest, for some reason, so my gaze mostly focused on the women. I was already imagining myself slipping inside one of them to experience college life and have fun, party with friends, and just finally enjoy life to the fullest. I wondered what kind of life they all had, from the nerdy blonde with a bag full of pins to the chubby emo girl full of piercings and tattoos.

But one person in particular caught my attention: an absolutely breathtaking Asian girl wearing fancy designer clothes and with impeccable makeup. The way she walked towards the building, it was full of confidence in herself, as if she owned the campus. She seemed to not give a single care to the people around her, like they were all beneath her. Laura's memories told me she was named Seo-Yun, and was apparently a popular model online. And that she was a massive condescending bitch.

Seo-Yun didn't pay us any mind as she disappeared inside the building. Dahlia did seem to notice where my gaze lingered to, though, giving me an amused smirk. I had a feeling we'd have a conversation about that afterwards, once we'd have some privacy.

The three of us then entered the lecture hall, finding seats near the back of the room. It didn't take long for the professor to walk in and start the lecture. I fully immersed myself inside Laura's personality, letting her guide me throughout the class, taking notes and paying attention to everything said. Economics never was my strong suit, but with Laura's soul within me, it was a breeze to understand. I was honestly really enjoying it, and Dahlia and Sherine's company only made it even more fun.

During lunch break, Dahlia and I separated from Sherine and went to the bathrooms. Far from the entrance, Dahlia checked her make-up in the mirror, but glanced curiously at me. “I saw you stare at the students, specifically Seo-Yun. She's a beauty, isn't she?”

Standing next to her and arranging my hair, I nodded. “Seems like an understatement, I was stunned. But Laura's memories aren't painting a good image of her.”

Dahlia chuckled. “Yeah, she's a real bitch. But apparently she was way worse in high-school if what I heard is true.” She leaned closer and whispered in my ear. “If you'd like to try her out, I'd be happy to help you, Ed~”

My cheeks reddened as I imagined myself inside Seo-Yun's flawless skin. Becoming such a beautiful woman who had everyone's attention wherever she walked was incredibly appealing. Wearing those designer clothes, posing as a model… Thinking about it was making my abdomen warm again.

“It's really tempting, I might take you up on your offer at some point. But I already made plans with Claire first.”

She raised an eyebrow. “Hmm, what plans?”

“I'll be joining her in the police, see what it's like,” I explained.

Dahlia smiled. “Oh, sounds like a fun idea. You can be with your sister while exploring your powers more. And I'm sure you'll easily find some rotten assholes there too,” she concluded with a snicker.

I laughed. “Yeah, I thought the exact same thing.”

Dahlia finished reapplying some make-up and took a step back. “Anyway, I’m getting hungry, so let's get back to Sherine. We can talk more after class.”

I nodded. I was also starting to feel hungry, and the cafeteria here was apparently fairly decent for a college one.