Old habits die hard

Despite his initial fear, David found himself arguing back when Rachel accused him of leering. "I'm not leering," he said reflexively, before adding, "If anything, you're in the wrong for exposing yourself like that to me." He realized what he was doing but couldn't stop himself from continuing: "Besides, we both know the real reason you're being so brash with me is because you're embarrassed and trying to cover for your shyness."

David's face must have looked like a mask of shock as Rachel's cheeks flushed. She glanced away, avoiding his gaze, and began fidgeting in place, clearly flustered at being seen through. It took David a moment to catch up with the bizarre situation: not only had he turned his macho roommate into a girl, but somehow managed to convince her she was in the wrong.

Hesitantly, David stepped back, gesturing awkwardly for Rachel to walk past him. Seizing the opportunity, she dashed by, almost knocking him over as her small towel fluttered around her, barely keeping her covered. She slammed her door behind her, leaving David standing there in stunned silence.

The realization of just how powerful his words had become sent a cold shiver down David's spine. What would happen if he said something like "I'll die of boredom" or "I have zero fucks to give"? His mind raced with questions: Is everything he says permanent? Reversible? How does it handle vague wording? Can it affect more than people? Does it work only when telling others, or is it anything he says?

David walked back to his room, deep in thought. He closed the door behind him and took a deep breath before saying aloud: "I know all of the rules of the curse I'm currently under." Closing his eyes, he waited for something to happen, but realized with frustration that he didn't feel any wiser about the limits of the curse.

Undeterred, David tried again. He stood in front of the mirror on his closet door and said: "I have a well-toned, very healthy body." His eyes felt like they were burning holes into his reflection as he searched for any changes, but there were none. Slumping onto his floor, David racked his brain for another approach.

And then it hit him, the missing piece of the puzzle was that he needed someone to lie to in order to test the curse. But that realization came with a big problem: he needed someone else present to do so.

David sat there, pondering how to proceed. He knew he had to be careful, but the temptation to experiment with his newfound power was growing stronger by the minute. Little did he know, his next move would change everything...