Play a bit more with Lasse

Jacinta, now fully embodying Laura, sat contemplatively in the cafeteria. Her devious mind was already weaving the intricate web of her next moves. Even as she enjoyed the simple pleasure of a salad, her thoughts were on Juliette – a potential ally in her scheme against Lasse, or perhaps another skin to slip into if the opportunity presented itself.

The day trudged on uneventfully, with Jacinta playing the part of Laura to perfection. She attended classes, exchanged pleasantries with teachers and students alike, all the while gathering information and observing potential targets for her next transformation.

Finally, the school day concluded, and Jacinta, still in Laura's skin, made her way to the agreed-upon meeting spot with Lasse. The smoothie bar in town was buzzing with the sounds of blenders and casual conversation. She spotted Lasse sitting at a corner table, his eyes nervously scanning the crowd until they landed on her.

"Laura! Thank God you're here," Lasse blurted out, nearly knocking over his untouched smoothie in his haste to get up.

Jacinta sat down gracefully, maintaining Laura's warm demeanor. "Tell me everything, Lasse. Who took the pen?"

Lasse leaned in, his voice hushed with urgency. "It's Jacinta. She's got the pen, and I have no idea what she plans to do with it."

"Oh no, that's terrible!" Jacinta feigned shock and concern. "Jacinta, of all people... We need to get it back before she does something drastic."

"I know, I know," Lasse agreed, running his hands through his hair. "I have a plan, but it's risky. I'm going to confront her, try to reason with her, maybe even trick her into giving it back."

Jacinta, inside, was laughing at the irony of the situation. The mouse was planning to bell the cat while the cat was sitting right in front of him, disguised as his confidante.

"We'll do this together," Jacinta reassured him, all the while thinking about the next steps of her own plan. "You can count on me."

After the meeting, Jacinta made her way back home, stopping to pick up the tomato sauce and oregano as Juliette had requested. The domestic act was almost amusing, a stark contrast to the manipulations that occupied her thoughts.

Upon returning, Juliette was already starting dinner. "Took you long enough," she quipped without looking up from the pot of boiling water. "Did Lasse have a lot to say?"

Jacinta shrugged off her bag and placed the groceries on the counter. "You could say that. But don't worry, I won't let his drama drag me down."

The evening passed with the usual roommate banter, but Jacinta was only half-listening. Her thoughts were on Lasse's plan, how she could twist it to her advantage, and what moves she would make next in this high-stakes game of deception.

As Juliette went to bed, Jacinta stayed up, texting Lasse under the guise of Laura, feigning support and plotting her next move. She had to be careful, though – one wrong step, and her cover could be blown, ruining the plans she had for the pen and the power it provided.

But for now, Jacinta was in control, a predator in sheep's clothing, ready to pounce when the moment was right. And as she finally turned in for the night, her last thought was a simple one: the game was on, and she was winning.