Wakey wakey, Grace

“Mhmm… what…?”

Bleary eyes, caked full of sleep opened, gradual awareness returning to Grace as she came to on the toilet. The cubicle she was in was a little dingy, with some writing in sharpie marker on the walls, and the dull, uninspired fluorescent lights providing not quite enough light.

Contrary to the uncomfortable position she was in, she felt relaxed, and even refreshed. An increasingly familiar feeling to her, one she’d been indulging in more and more over the weeks…

Her eyes shot open as the cognizance of what that feeling meant came upon her. It was the comfortable, dreamlike state she always felt after being worn! That meant… Alex had taken her off and restored her. But far from the familiar comforts of their apartment, he’d left her somewhat exposed, weird and public.

“Heyy, Grace, are you in here? Me and Aaron are getting a little worried…”

A girl’s voice rang out, close. It sounded familiar somehow, like Grace should recognize it. Memories of that voice seemed to coalesce in her head, a spirited rendition of “Don’t Stop Believing” by Journey making itself known, before all those other memories rushed in after it.

She could remember the presentation, images from her own point of view of confidently relaying all the information she’d carefully studied. She’d even told some jokes, sounding so uncharacteristic coming out in her cute, shy voice in front of the class, yet garnering much more appreciation from them due to how unexpectedly delightful it was.

Then talking to some classmates, agreeing to go to karaoke, even singing a rock song in front of people?? Grace shivered a little, not sure whether she should be horrified Alex had acted so uncharacteristic in her skin, or in awe at how cool he’d made her look… Grace felt a little sad even thinking about it.

“He makes a better Grace than I do… I’m so grateful he can take my place like that, but I do wish I had his confidence for real…”

An expression of sadness threatened to spill out onto Grace’s expression, before it was frozen in surprise as a strangely familiar face rounded the corner.

“There you are!”

The girl who stood outlined by the bathroom lights in the cubicle entryway was cute, a smiling blonde with a small build who somehow seemed bigger just by **** of personality alone. Her patched overalls, stripy shirt and the cool vintage glasses perched on her nose gave her a confident vibe, like she knew exactly who she was, and totally lacked the insecurity Grace felt sad for embodying.

“Jenny… that’s her name…”

It was always strange having close, recent memories of a person you’d never met. Grace had experienced it a few times, Alex chatting to other tenants of their building when he was out in her skin, Grace acting a lot more shy running into them the next day.

“Are you okay?”

Jenny’s brow furrowed a little in concern, as she stepped into the cubicle with Grace, extending her hand. Grace paused for just a second, nerves over being so close to someone who was realistically a stranger, yet she had such vivid memories of now, before taking Jenny’s hand. A big, sudden pull, and Grace was standing, stumbling a little onto the smaller girl, who held her up with surprising strength while laughing.

“Hey, hey! If you wanted to cuddle me, you just had to ask!”

Grace’s face lit up red with a blush, but Jenny seemed so happy and relaxed now that their bodies were touching, without even a trace of embarrassment. Internally, Grace found herself wishing she could be more like Jenny, more like a ray of sunshine rather than a soft grey cloud.

“A-ah, I-I’m sorry Jenny, it’s just, that pull was so fast, and I just-”

“Hey, Grace. It’s more than okay. You don’t have to rush to explain. I’m not mad at all. Really, I’m the opposite.”

Jenny parted from the impromptu embrace, her face still so close to Grace’s, as she smiled tenderly. Inside her chest, Grace could feel her heart begin to race faster, being so close to a girl as cute and confident as Jenny inciting all sorts of dangerous bi-curiosity. Breaking the spell all at once (or maybe just moving it down the road a little), Jenny pulled Grace behind her out of the toilets, a small human dust devil catching Grace in her flow.

“But enough of that, we need to get back to karaoke! You were so amazing earlier, I can’t wait to hear you again!”

The door to the booth was pushed wide open, as Jenny pulled Grace into a booth that once again straddled that bizarre line between freshly familiar and utterly alien.

“Hey, where have you two been! You missed my song?”

“Aww, I’m sorry Aaron! Grace must have been having a nap or something in there. What did you sing, out of interest?”

“Mr. Lonely, by Bobby Vinton.”

Despite herself, Jenny laughed, as Aaron just gave her a baleful look.

“Okay, okay, I’m sorry! You have to admit though, that’s pretty funny!”

“Hmm, yeah, sure…”

“Okay then, I’ll tell you what. I’ll buy us a round of drinks now to make up for missing your amazing performance, and Grace will listen to your next song. Sound fair?”

Aaron looked unsure for just a second, before breaking with a smile and a laugh.

“Okay, well you know I can’t resist free drinks Jenny. Deal!”

Throughout all of this, Grace had just been listening. In the background, blending in with the wallpaper, as usual. Her heart melted just a little seeing Jenny and Aaron interact, the easy back and forth of their banter providing clear evidence of their friendship.

“I… I wish I could have friends like that. I know that’s what Alex was trying to do here…”

Memories of Alex in her skin talking to the mirror, his speech to her so kind, so thoughtful, so encouraging, echoed around her mind. It was so crazy how different she looked when it was all him behind the driver’s seat, the way he made her body appear when he wasn’t cloaking himself in her mannerisms and shy girl persona. The woman in the mirror seemed so confident, so fun, so charismatic when it was just him inside her. Internally, a pain blossomed, a weird mix of almost worshipful adoration for her boyfriend, and jealousy that he was a better Grace as well as a better Alex.

“-ace. Hellooo, earth to Gracie?”

Jenny’s voice cut through the sudden gloom, waking Grace up to the reality of the moment.

“Does that sound okay to you?”

Grace’s eyes looked into Jenny’s, before darting to Aaron’s both of them waiting for her answer to a question she was totally clueless about.

“D-does what sound okay?”

Jenny’s patient smile put her at ease, even if it was more a mercy than anything else.

“Chill here with Aaron, okay? I’m getting us some more drinks.”

Jenny squeezed Grace’s hand, a small show of affection and comfort, before heading out the door, Leaving Grace with Aaron.

“Okay, okay, I can do this! I just have to be normal, and talk to him! How hard can it be, right? I have a whole host of memories talking to him anyway, right?”

“You okay? You look nervous.”

Aaron’s smile was just as genuine and comforting as Jenny’s, just in a different way. He embodied more of the steady surety of masculinity, compared to the feminine comfort and affection that Jenny was filled with. Both of them felt really good to be around, though…

“A-ah… yeah. Yeah, I’m okay.”

Grace smiled, catching the hint of a blush appearing on Aaron’s face even in the relative darkness of the karaoke room. It seemed like even saying that much was enough for her to feel more relaxed.

“Well good, because you’re in for an awesome rock spectacular tonight!”

He boomed it through the microphone, Grace giggling despite herself at his showmanship as she sat on the couches and smoothed out her skirt. The speakers boomed as the ever distinctive sound of the opening piano to Toto’s “Hold the Line” caught everyone’s attention, before the confident and powerful guitar followed it.

Aaron posed up, launching into the first verse like a true rockstar.

“It’s not in the way that you hold me. It’s not in the way you say you care…”

Just like Jenny had been, he wasn’t necessarily the best singer, but his energy really was infectious. Grace found herself clapping along, even to the start of the song and seeing her new friend acting so shameless.

Playing up to the moment, Aaron began to strut around, acting the part of the rockstar. He made his movements exaggerated, really blasting out the notes. The door flew open, and he turned with a slight panic that he might be looking stupid in front of some stranger, before Jenny rushed in with a tray of shots and cocktails.

“Don’t stop because of me! I was rushing cause I didn’t want to miss your performance.”

Aaron just looked to the side, before singing out the next line of the chorus.

“Love isn’t always on time…!”

Jenny couldn’t help but laugh at how perfect it all was, passing a shot Aaron quickly downed during the instrumental break, and taking one with Grace too. The shy girl gagged at the harsh burn of the vodka, straight spirits really, really not being in her ordinary wheelhouse.

“Gosh, you really looked like you’re suffering there.”

“Ahh- ehhm, ye-yeah. I don’t normally drink.”

“Not even at parties?”

“I… I usually don’t go to parties.”

Jenny looked a little surprised, though only a little.

“Because you don’t want to, or…?”

“W-well… uhm. I guess… I don’t usually have anyone to go with…”

Jenny handed her a cocktail, which she gingerly accepted.

“What is this?”

“A long island iced tea!”

“How, ehm, how strong is it?”

“It’s called ‘iced tea’, how strong could it be?”

Jenny’s voice was so persuasive, as she lulled Grace into a false sense of security. Grace raised the glass to her lips, and drank, finding the cocktail went down easy after drinking straight vodka.

“Oh! Mhmm, yeah. This is pretty good!”

“I’m glad that you like it…”

Jenny’s smile held multitudes as she looked over her sweet new friend.

“… but hey, don’t think I forgot what you said. About not having anyone to go with, I mean. Look, me and Aaron go to parties, and we even have a few more friends too, if you can believe that. The next time we’re having a get together, or going to some student houseparty or something, you’re invited, okay? You have to be at a few parties to get that real college experience, you know?”

“Th-thank you Jenny!”

Grace beamed, simply, happy appreciation all over her, before she took a particularly long drink. She seemed to really be enjoying her cocktail. Aaron finished up his song with a flurry, as Jenny and Grace cheered and clapped, letting him bow in exaggerated fashion.

Now it could be time for Grace, the real Grace,