Melissa changes herself

Melissa's heart skipped a beat at the knock. "Coming!" she called out, quickly shoving the strange gun and its note back into the box and sliding it under her bed. She smoothed her hair and opened the door to find her best friend, Carmen, standing there with a huge grin on her face.

"Girl, you will not believe what just happened," Carmen said, brushing past Melissa into the dorm.

"Uh, come in, I guess," Melissa muttered, closing the door.

Carmen flopped onto the bed and started scrolling through her phone. "So, I heard Daniel asking about you after class. What’s that about? Spill the tea."

Melissa blushed, walking over to her desk and pretending to organize her books. "Nothing! He just... needed help studying for the test tomorrow. That’s all."

"Right," Carmen said, sitting up and narrowing her eyes. "And I’m Beyoncé. Come on, you’ve had a crush on that guy since forever. This could be your chance!"

Melissa groaned, leaning against her desk. "Yeah, sure. Because a guy like Daniel is totally interested in a nerdy girl like me. Let’s be real, Carmen."

Carmen raised an eyebrow. "You don’t give yourself enough credit. You’re beautiful, and honestly, if he doesn’t see that, then he’s the dumb one."

Melissa appreciated Carmen’s encouragement, but her mind drifted back to the odd package. Her gaze flicked to the bed, where the box was still hidden. Should she tell Carmen about it?

Before she could decide, Carmen stood up. "Alright, I’m heading out. But seriously, make your move. You’ve got this, chica." With a wink, she left the room.

Melissa locked the door behind her and exhaled. She turned back to the bed and retrieved the package. The gun looked like something straight out of a sci-fi movie—sleek, metallic, and covered in strange symbols that glowed faintly when she touched it.

"Transform yourself or someone else into your wildest fantasies," she read aloud again. The note wasn’t signed, and there was no way to tell who sent it. "This has to be a prank," she muttered.

But curiosity gnawed at her. What if it wasn’t? What if it actually worked? She glanced at the mirror again, taking in her reflection. Her wavy black hair framed her delicate face, and her glasses perched on her nose. She wasn’t unattractive, but she’d always wished she could look... different. More confident. More like the girls Daniel usually talked to.

"No way," Melissa said, shaking her head. "This is ridiculous."

Yet her fingers itched to pick up the gun. Slowly, she raised it, aiming it at the mirror. She hesitated for a long moment before whispering, "Just a small change. Something subtle."

She pressed the trigger.

A faint hum filled the air, and a soft beam of light hit the mirror. Melissa gasped as the reflection in the glass began to shimmer, twisting and morphing before her eyes.

When the light faded, she stared at herself in shock. Her face was the same, but her body... she was taller, curvier, her figure more pronounced. She looked like someone straight out of a magazine.

Melissa stumbled back, nearly dropping the gun. "What... what just happened?" she whispered.

Before she could process what she’d done, another knock came at the door.

"Melissa? It’s Daniel."