A Phone Call!

Before I could decide what to do, Sherry's phone started going off. Hurriedly, I rushed to silence the annoying, generic iPhone jingle. Picking up the phone, the screen reading "Bestie♡" on a pink, bubbly background caused my adrenaline to spike.

"Shit, what do I do? Do I answer? Do I let it go to voicemail?"

As soon as the phone stops ringing, it immediately begins again with the same pink "Bestie♡" screen.

With a hesitant, strained swallow, I answered the phone.

"Sherry, don't let your memories and mannerisms fail me..."

As soon as the speaker rests by my ear I'm assailed by a teasing scolding, "Sherryyyyyyyyyyyyyyy~ Why ya ignoring me?"

Enveloping myself in Sherry's personality, I answer, "H-hey, Courtney! Sorry, I just got out of the shower!"

I could practically see her pouting in my mind during the brief silence.

"Well, whatever, I'm in town for the day on break and I was thinking of swinging by your place for a bit! You cool with that?"

"Sherry's best friend. In her apartment. With me. In Sherry! Oooooohhhh God! Shit! Fuck! What do I do!? How do I answer!?"

She continued on, "You're in those apartments downtown right? I can be there in a few minutes! Make sure you're all dressed after that shower!~"

The line went dead before I could respond. Sherry's best friend, Courtney, was on the way now and I had little in the way to stop her from showing up! I could try calling her, but from Sherry's memory the odds of that stopping Courtney were slim to none. If anything, the best course of action would to play my role as Sherry and entertain Courtney. Quickly, I hopped off the cushy bed and proceeded to dress myself. A black spaghetti strap top, leggings, and a pair of tennis shoes. A light brushing of makeup using Sherry's skills followed by tying my hair up into Sherry's typical ponytail. Then, after sitting on pins and needles for what felt like an eternity, I finally got a text message from Courtney letting me know she was at the entrance.

Opening the door to the building, Courtney embraced me while giggling. Her wavy brown hair brushed against my face and smelt of peach blossoms.

"How ya been, bestie!," she exclaimed, looking me straight on with a sugary sweet smile.

I hugged her back, "Been doing alright."

After our embrace she gave me a playful tap on the shoulder, "Well, aren't you gonna invite me up?"

Happily taking her hand, I lead her to the elevator, "Right this way~"

We giggled, reminiscing in the fun we'd had before we started college. Boys, football games, county fairs, the whole lot.

Entering the apartment, she reached in the bag she'd brought along and pulled out a box of pancake mix.

"I hope you haven't had breakfast, because I brought all sorts of things to mix in these bad boys!"

Hurrying into the kitchen, Courtney went about pulling out chocolate chips, blue berries, canned fried apples, a can of whipped cream, crushed Oreos... Even rummaging through Sherry's cabinet and bringing out a little jug of maple syrup. Then, continuing to rummage through the cabinets, she dragged out an electric countertop griddle.

"I'm glad you still have this. I didn't want to start making flapjacks in one of your small pans!"

"Courtney seems like a fun person to be around. Spending some time with her will probably do me some good."

I walked to her side, and plugged in the griddle.

"Let's get to work then!"

Excitedly, and with another giggle, Courtney brought out a mixing bowl and wooden spoon to start getting the mix started. Quickly whipping it up, she began making little cakes on the griddle. Handing me a spatula, another in her hand, we went about making pancakes and continuing the conversation we had been having in the elevator. Recalling Sherry's life, and sharing a conversation about it with her best friend was surreal. Every memory flowing to me as if they were my own, making the conversation with Courtney flow so naturally.

"Being a skinwalker is so terrifying. Here's Sherry's best friend, someone who should know Sherry better than almost anyone, and she's talking with me like I'm the genuine article. It's just insane..."

After making a few together, I went back to Sherry's room to pull out her card table from her closet so we could have something to put our plates on when we inevitably sat down on the couch while Courtney continued to make more. In Sherry's room, I once again stopped by Sherry's mirror. I still couldn't believe that I was this gorgeous girl. Letting my spines slip out from my fingers and then retracting them, watching the skin I was in instantly repair itself was kinda trippy. Mesmerizing even. It was almost like my blooming skinwalker side was showing off a small bit of itself to me. To try and push me further into that realm. Like it didn't matter that just beneath this cute visage was a developing monster that had lost their identity, and way of life... These powers could just repair... no... mask that loss with a whole new identity

"Maybe... maybe it won't be so bad... I can really be anyone... do anything... Yeah. Maybe I should explore these powers a bit more..."

I was still kinda hesitant to fully embrace this curse. Earlier I'd almost lost myself in Sherry's personality, and I honestly hated having my life stripped away from me... But if this high I was getting from masquerading as someone's best friend so flawlessly was only a taste of what I could do... it made me kinda want to try to explore this a bit more.

With a confident smirk and a hand on my hip; admiring my reflection I hyped myself up internally. Even if it was just for a bit, I would enjoy these powers for the time being.

Spinning on my heel, I proceed into the closet and slide out the card table. Carrying it into the living room and setting it up in front of the couch, Courtney brought the plates and set them on it.

"Here they are! Blueberry with a drizzle of syrup for you, and chocolate chip & Oreos with whipped cream for me!" She then made a cautionary motion to me, "Hold on. Lemme get us some milk."

She then scampered into the kitchen to prep our drinks.

I then pulled up some rom-com movie on Netflix as she came back and sat our drinks down. We both then plopped down on the couch and began digging into the pancakes while talking college life. Me recounting Sherry's time at community college while she talked of her time at Sandy River Tech. About halfway through the movie she mentioned something that caught my attention,

"So this weekend I'm gonna be in the student section for the football game. I finally have time to go to a game, and I'm so excited!"

Honestly, it made me jealous to hear that. The words of the monster that turned me echoing in my head.

"And now, you’re blessed with the same powers. To indulge in a new life, to play with the memories of your prey, develop your own unique evolutions to push your powers further.”

This must've been the situation it hoped I'd be in. Courtney's skin was essentially the golden ticket for me. But to take it would be to throw away what I loved about my hometown. Sure, she was raised here too. But who's to say I'd stay as her? What if I find a more tempting face at her school? I'd certainly be tempted to fully embrace these powers. The anger I'd felt about losing my job, seeing my hometown ****, knowing those I cared for could be facing a rough future while I went off and enjoyed life with a new face. Could I really do it? That same anger lead me to the beast that initiated my transformation. Could it have been destiny for me to join the ranks of these creatures?

"And Courtney. She goes to Sandy River Tech... the same college as Twan... I could be there in person if I were to wear Courtney. Be there with my best friend. See him succeed in person. Live a college life that I'd opted against for factory work. It could be so much fun... But can I really take that experience from Courtney? Should I embrace these powers?"

Courtney seemed to notice my silence as I was lost in thought.

"Hey, Sherry? You feeling okay? You've just been sitting there for the past few minutes all quiet..."