Realistic or Modern Two Halves of a Whole [Reboot]

[mon]

Acacia Romans woke up to a room that was not her own, in a body that was not her own.

She is greeted by clean walls and sharp angles, shelves lined with trophies and awards, and the smell of clean linen with the faintest whiff of lemon. It catches her off guard and though she usually wakes in disarray, this is the most confused she's ever been.

This is definitely not her room. The hell storm of a place she stays in was more of a disaster site than a room, but it was a location the raven-head would proudly declare as hers. This was the complete opposite and it oddly reminded her of her sister. Could it have been that she was kidnapped in the middle of the night and brought to her sister's room?

Knowing the Romans family, the possibility was not completely far-fetched. In fact, the more Acacia pondered on it, the more likely it seemed. Damn Romans. If they wanted her back home couldn't they have just called her?

Acacia was grumbling as she got out of bed, scratching her stomach as she waddled to the bathroom. She could swore her chest was smaller than she remembered it to be, but it wasn't something she took to mind. Toothbrush in hand, she began brushing her teeth, only lifting her eyes when she noticed a stranger's reflection in the mirror.

"WHAT THE FUCK?" she---or he nearly choked on her??? toothbrush, spatting out the paste, her hands slammed the bathroom counter. Her exclamation brought a worried face to view: a man in his late thirties or early forties.

"You alright there, sport?"

"H-huh?" Acacia stared at the man, her hands on her body. Another man appeared, "You should get a move on Ty. You're going to be late for school if you don't hurry."

"Huh?"

The man beside him nodded, giving a quick peck on his husband's cheek. "That's right. I'll send you off today. After that, your father and I will be out for the week again." He gave Acacia, or well, this... Ty person an apologetic look before returning back to the kitchen. The other man left as well and Acacia, despite being confused as hell, was quickly able to piece together the situation.

After being ushered quickly to school, she took the time on the way there to learn as much as she can about the person she was in. How was not something she wanted to stress on yet. If she thought about it now, she knew she would freak out. Her fingers itched for a cigarette but it seemed this person did not smoke at all.

She was relieved to see that at least this Ty person studied in the same school she was but what bugged her was that she knew nothing about this kid aside from the fact that (1) his notes were extremely detailed and well-organized, (2) he seems to play some sort of sport and (3) he wasn't that bad looking---at least by Acacia's vain terms. It puzzled her how she did not know of his existence until now and it irritated, more than perplexed.

She was practically scowling as she roamed the halls, coming to the theory that if she was in this body, perhaps right now, he was in hers. If that was the case... Damn! She better find him before he does something weird.

 

[PlotBrownie]

It was the strong smell of cigarettes that woke him up, making him scrunch his nose in annoyance, but he tried to ignore it in favor of getting more sleep and hoping the smell came from the window he left open and not his dad getting back into the habit he and Papa worked so hard helping him break.

His pillow smelled even stronger and that finally forced Tyler to open his eyes to be met with pillow cases that he was positive weren't his. He reached out to grab it and examine the pillow closer when he noted that these were also definitely not his hands because sure he liked nail polish on a girl but not on him.

Frowning in confusion and concern, and secretly hoping he's dreaming because he's had weirder dreams before, he quickly got out of bed and onto his feet and noted that as he suspected he was not in his room. He searched for a mirror and found a full length one in the corner kind of covered by a pink sweater (also not his). Tyler was in front of it and pulling off the sweater in a second.

A teenage girl stared back at him. Blinked when he blinked, moved when he moved, she even slapped herself and he felt the sharp sting on his cheek. Tyler was not one for yelling but that did not mean he wasn't internally screaming. He was about to do some external screaming as well when he heard the door open and a man in a suit came in with a tray that had a mug and a plate on it.

"Oh good, you're awake, Miss Romans. I made breakfast." He said as he set the tray on a desk Tyler had only just now noticed and before the boy, girl?, could even speak the man was already out and had even closed the door behind him.

Romans. Romans. Did he know any Romans?

He turned back to the mirror and stared at his reflection till it struck him. Acacia Romans.

Sweet baby Jesus, this was Acacia Romans.

And if he was here then that meant... Oh his dads are going to freak.

After quickly eating the offered breakfast and drinking the bitter coffee, he was more of a tea person but he had a headache and he guessed it was because this body needed caffeine, he spent half an hour trying to get dressed while not looking because he was a gentleman mind you, and collected as many clues as he could get his hands on.

He managed to get her notes, though from the variety of different hand writing he could tell that not all of them were strictly hers if any. Her locker was no where near his but that's okay. She carried lip balm in strange places. And she smoked. A lot. That explained the smell.

She also had a driver who offered to take him to school and since he didn't know the area he went with him and pretended to listen to music so he wouldn't need to take part in a conversation, Acacia's locked phone gripped in his hand like a stress toy.

After being dropped off he made a beeline for her locker, briefly disappointed when he didn't find her (or him) there, but he was also grateful no one else was waiting for her either and he didn't run into anyone who wanted to stop and chat so far. Tyler had no other choice but to wait for her. She'll have to come by eventually. Right?

 

[mon]

Seeing herself at her own locker was really an out of body experience, but instead of being stunned at how bizarre the sight was, Acacia had her mind on more important matters.

Like trying to figure out what the hell was going on.

"You!"

The moment she sees him, a finger jabs in his direction like a spear and she's running towards him at top speed, down the hallways, well-ignoring the yellow 'caution: wet floor' signs. The body she's in is faster than what she's used to. She ends up practically colliding with the boy---herself?? despite her best attempts to skid to a stop. The soles of her sneakers shriek in protest.

"You there! Who are you?" She's not shouting but the volume she's speaking at is not soft either. Hands slam on either side of her(?) his(?) head, pining the stranger that was in her body to the lockers behind her. Being a head taller in this Tyler kid's body, it was quite easy to loom menacingly over "herself". The act catches the attention of those nearby. They stare at Acacia---or well, Ty---like he has a death wish. No one with enough common sense would yell at, let alone kabedon, the mad dog. If that was the real Acacia, she would've likely knee'd him up between his legs, but it wasn't.

If fictional stories had taught her correctly, the one in her body right now ought to be Tyler. It was the most logical conclusion to this illogical situation.

Looking at herself closely, eyes narrowed in a glare, she muttered lowly to herself, "Wow, I'm actually pretty cute huh?"

She was close enough to see Tyler's reflection in her eyes. Definitely far too close for anyone's comfort cept her own. The faces of the spectating students flushed red.

 

[PlotBrownie]

Poor Tyler barely had time to register the massive body sprinting at him at full velocity before it collided into him, drawing a soft 'umph' from him in protest.

Instinctively, his hands pushed to shield him, pressing against his own chest as he tried and failed to put some space between them, feeling like a cornered animal, figuratively speaking, being a cornered human, literally speaking.

As he registered what the gi-... other person was asking, his own face kept getting closer and closer and Tyler squirmed under his own gaze, the back of this body's head pressing against the locker. Eyes darting away to break the uncomfortable staring game, he scanned their surrounding and noticed that almost every other student in the hall was either openly staring or pretending not to while still doing it. Some might be close enough to even hear the question he was asked. Everyone is already wondering what the hell is going on, their little... accident will be public news in no time if this idiot keeps talking so loudly.

He caught his own mouth opening again as Acacia prepared to say something, but his (her) hand had already shot up and slapped over it before his brain could register that her comment, while vain (and completely true), was not incriminating.

Still, she's still going to get them in a load of trouble before Tyler got to his second period, and they needed to talk. Now. Privately.

"Shhhh, are you trying to make me look crazy?! Everyone is probably wondering what I'm on right now." He told her in a hushed tone before turning to glare at the onlookers, who looked away as soon as they saw Acacia's murderous glare.

He turned back to.. well himself.. and tried to decide whether he should remove his hand yet or not, though he was temporarily stunned by how huge his pores were up close. And since when where his freckles this prominent?

He removed his hand and used both to firmly push her back enough to be free, before grabbing onto her (his) forearm in a firm grip to lead the girl to a more secluded area without the onlookers. He took the closest door to his left and cursed his luck when it ended up being the janitor's closet.

Oh people were going to talk now.

"Look," He said as soon as he closed the door, "I don't know what's happening just like you but let's not let the whole school know, okay?" He snapped.

 

[mon]

The hand to her mouth took her by surprise and she muffled a few words before deciding to give in.

"Are you trying to make me look crazy?" The boy in her body had hissed, which was rich since it was technically come from her. At this, Acacia had to raise a brow. If she was trying to make someone look crazy, she would've done much worse, like lick the hand that was held over her mouth for example.

...Which was also exactly what she did.

It always seemed to serve the trick in getting someone to pull their hand back, usually with a yelp or screech. If it hadn't succeeded, Acacia would've resorted to spitting.

She hadn't noticed the crowd she drew in until it was mentioned. Though with Acacia, there were always eyes on her, if not from fear then envy. She smirked, amused to see the stranger fully utilize her death glare.

So that's what she looked like when she glared huh? It was pretty impressive, albeit Acacia was vainly confident to begin with. Instead of feeling ashamed, she was rather proud, wanting to laugh aloud when she was dragged into the janitor's closet.

"Oh my," she mused, looking around the dark stuffy room. It was damp and it smelled of detergent. For someone who was in another person's body, she was awfully lackadaisical about it. "Aww, is this what I look like when I'm angry? How can people be scared of this. I'm adorable!" she said, reaching over to pinch her own cheek.

An uncharacteristic smirk stretched on Tyler's face, one that was 100% Acacia and 0% Ty. There was a notable glint in amber eyes, promising no good as she leaned over.

"But this is awfully inconvenient," she narrowed her eyes, "You sure you have no idea what's going on? This isn't some kind of bogus curse you've placed on me to get closer to me, right?" Her accusations were as brash as her actions. In no moment's time, she had Tyler pinned against her again, this time there was less space for him to move away given how cramp the janitor's closet was.

 

[PlotBrownie]

His first instinct was to swat her hand away when she pinched her own cheek, still caught up in trying to wrap his mind around all of this when she dropped her question.

His eyes widened at the accusation, probably making him comical because Acacia already had proportionally wide eyes that now only got bigger. He couldn't even tell if she was being serious or not, Acacia didn't strike him as someone who believed in that bullshit.

But then again, last night he didn't think this was even possible.

"Me? Why the hell would I do that? And I think this might be considered as a little too close." Tyler pointed out with a large gesture over the body he's in, speaking with an irritated tone in his voice that annoyed him because this is not how he sounded like when he was irritated.

Tyler's eyes went from wide in shock to normal in irritation and now they narrowed in suspicion as he got the idea that maybe a curse was involved.

"What about you? You're acting so nonchalant about this whole thing. Messing around, looking like this is actually entertaining." Tyler pointed out, folding his hands defensively over his chest before he found it uncomfortable feeling something there. Not sure what to do with his now free hands, he thought to put more space between him and the intimidating girl-in-his-body, as much as the janitor's closet would allow.

"Aren't you at all worried we won't switch back?" He asked, forefinger poking his own, flat, chest. "Unless you're the one who caused this. In which case, no reason to be scared of the question if you already know the answer, Acacia Romans."

Ok, that was good, he felt more in control of the situation now that he managed to turn the table. Now if he could keep it up-

"If that is even your real name." He blurted out before he could think, going straight from mind to mouth with no filter. It sounded cooler in the movies but now that he finally had the chance to say it, it sounded pretty dumb.

He could see her lips twitching in repressed laughter which will bubble out any moment now, making his shoulders slump. There goes his chance at being the intimidating one with the questions.

 

[mon]

There's a number of reasons why someone would be out for her, considering how it wasn't just the school she attended that treated her like a black sheep but her very own family found her a nuisance, a stain on the Romans family. Regardless of the reasons for enmity, even Acacia had to admit that this was too strange and far too... bizarre for it to be a simple hateful curse. It was a phenomenon beyond logical comprehension, and thinking logically about this situation was pointless, thus Acacia made no effort to try.

Even her whimsical accusation seemed far-fetched now that took a second to think about it. She highly doubt a regular high school boy had the power to swap their bodies, and yet she was stumped with no other logical explanation.

If he wasn't the one who did this, then who did?

Of course, Acacia's expression denied any feelings of confusion or anxiety. Even in mental turmoil, she was taught at a young age to keep her feelings in check under a stern and in-control composure. While Acacia may not have gotten the 'stern' bit right, she definitely still alluded a sense of smug confidence. The very same confidence that the person in her body was pointing out as nonchalance.

She supposed, there was truth in his answer however. A part of her did find this oddly entertaining and it was this part of her that suppressed that other vast majority of her that was just as confused and panic as Tyler was.

Her lips curled as the senseless accusations poured forth from her own lips. It was humorous, especially given where they were (a high school janitor's closet) and the gravity of their situation. Try as she might (and she really didn't try too hard), Acacia failed to keep her laughter in and ended up bursting out in a loud laugh.

"You think---HAHAH--I, Acacia Romans, PFtt-- AHAHA-- would waste my time, researching and finding a way to swap bodies---hehaHAHA-- with some random guy I barely know? HaHAHAH Oh god," she wheezed, her words broken up by heaves of laughter. There was barely any space in the closet to double over, so instead, Acacia simply laughed almost into the nook of her own body's neck as she laughed, her hands holding her tummy.

"I don't know if you're an idiot or trying to be a comedian," she shook her head as her laughter died down into chuckles. A tear had formed in the corner of her eye at how hard she had laughed.

"But listen kid," The tone in her voice shifted into something more serious, almost threatening if only it had came from her own body and not Tyler's. A hand slammed near the side of her own body's head, hitting the wall behind her. "I don't give a shit enough to playing magic tricks. And I sure as hell, am not forgiving enough to excuse this level of bullshit. If you're innocent of all this like I am, I have no reason to make your life a living hell." Though her lips were pulled into a smile, her eyes were raging with an anger that failed to match. "I trust you'll give me no reason to either since you know what I can be like."

She finally pulled back, giving Tyler his personal space. Kicking the janitor door opened, she turned back to look at him.

"That is, if I'm really even Acacia Romans," she said in a snicker, a tease to his wild accusation. Eyes rolling in amusement, Acacia left the janitor's closet. She glanced briefly at the clock above the lockers and stopped herself midway. "Hey, what class are you in?" she asked simply, her expression falling from entertainment to boredom. "I'm guessing you're not the type to skip classes."

She glanced down at her apparel and how his books were neatly organized in his backpack, nothing out of place, everything was where it needed to be. Heck, he even smelled like a good boy. Clean, innocent, like a puppy.