Let's get some coffee...

You pull out of the driveway. Starbucks doesn't sound too bad, despite it usually upsetting your stomach. That might relax your nerves after that run in with your stepdad. You didn't want to think about it. Cindy certainly didn't want to. This felt like a huge invasion of privacy. As you make your way through town, it feels a little different. You've seen this street thousands of times, but through these eyes...everything seemed nicer...? You shook this feeling off and got into a mindset more like your own.

...

...

Energized by your iced white chocolate mocha, you begin your drive to work.

While you sip your drink, you notice your car is parked next to Emily’s car. Silently, you pray you’re allowed to see yourself while in Cindy’s body. You’d feel like a klutz if you blew up the world because of something so quickly avoidable. You stopped in the employee bathroom to gushy up before clocking in. You were already late, so there was no need to rush anything else. You’ll just make up for the time lost if need be.

Your khakis pants held snug to your frame, and your red shirt complimented your complexion and bust. You stared at yourself in the employee bathroom, still debating whether or not you were attractive or not, however.

Now clocked in, you dive straight into your workload. Cindy’s drive joins your knowledge of the store to work, which allows all of her regular workload to be completed in record time! Shocked by your achievement, the manager buys you a soda and a candy bar on your first break and then prompts you to cover a break for your “real self.” You shivered at the thought, unsure if you wanted to talk to yourself while outside your own body. That sounds so weird.

The manager notices your discomforts and misinterprets it as nervousness for working in a department Cindy wasn’t usually scheduled in. “It’s easy!” He promises. “Just ask Klaus about the basics. You clearly learn fast!”

You wanted to tell the guy to soak his head but deflated once you realized Cindy’s mind wasn’t going to let you be rude to someone she saw as her superior. On your way out of the break room, you run into Emily‘s boyfriend. His stare lingers on your body more than you like, and you shift your weight and try to look taller, but instead, you show off your moderate chest. He smirks and looks up at you.

“You’re a hard worker, superstar!”

“Thanks,” you sigh. “I couldn’t have done it without the help of Klaus. He taught me basically everything I know about the place.”

He stares at you but with a little bit of a prideful expression this time. You can tell he’s got some opinions about your remark, but he keeps it to himself…mostly.

“Klaus’s a cool guy, I guess, but I could show you a lot more if management ever allowed it,” he brags. “I’ve wanted to hang out with you a bit more, and the best way to do that is to blow the breeze on the clock.”

You didn’t know whether or not Cindy had any opinions about this guy, but you could tell by her emotions that she didn’t particularly like the dude in the slightest.

“Maybe some time,” you manage. “But until then, I’ll just vibe with Weber, the coolest guy in his department.”

Emily’s boyfriend shrugs, not liking the praise you give yourself. “Whatever. I’ll see you around, don’t have too much without me on the sales floor.”

“Ch’yah,” you say. “I’m already having a blast!”

“Without you,” you mumble under your breath.

Anxiety swells in your stomachs as you get closer to where the REAL you work. You think it’s going to be weird seeing yourself. You just hope you don’t do anything stupid when you finally meet yourself.

“Aaaand…there. He. Is.” Cindy says without your guidance. “Cute.”

Cute??

“Hiya!” You chirp, striking a smile, playful pose. You watch yourself turn around and then meet a pair of cold, dead eyes. “Oh, God!”

The cliche saying “the lights are on, but no one is home” rang inside your head as you stared at yourself.

“What’s the problem?” Klaus said.

“I look like **** warmed over me, is all!” You shouted back.

“Well,” your lips moved, and your voice came out. It was weird hearing yourself through someone else’s ears. But, to be honest, you thought you sounded pretty cool. “That’s what happens when the literal spirit of life is sucked out of you. You can’t expect the person to look the same when all your emotions and human personality is taken from you.”

Klaus looked at you, up and down. You blushed for some reason and held your breath. “You look like garbage when Cindy's soul is in charge.”

You frowned, but you guess that made sense. You felt Cindy’s good-natured characteristics surge at random. She was a seriously happy person, almost to the point of it being annoying.

“Cindy,” you heard yourself call out. Your true self was standing a few feet in front of you now, extending a hand out with some keys. “I’m going on break, and you’re covering me.”

“Right,” you mumbled, feeling light-headed suddenly. “Wh-what’s the deal? What needs to be done?”

“Nothing,” Klaus said. “Just help whatever guests come up and take care of them. I’ll be back soon.”

“OK.”

Klaus called out over the walkie that he was going to go on his first break and that Cindy was covering. You began to walk your department and discovered some people were looking at the product. You had to double-take some of the items. Despite being yourself inside Cindy’s body, not everything came with you. You’d have to shake this uneasy feeling and sound confident if you were going to talk to anyone about some of these accessories, phones, or laptops. “What the hell is a Ryzen chipset??”

After 5 minutes of re-familiarizing yourself with the area, you decided it was time to approach someone and ask if any of them needed help…