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Sharon was sitting in the dining room when she heard Luna’s voice from the kitchen. Slowly, she went to the door, trying to eavesdrop.
Luna was talking to her friend, another girl who was wearing glasses.
”It’s so odd to find that sun piece!” Luna admitted. ”And it fits my pendant!”
”You seem to have found a lot of strange things lately that’s linked to your past,” her friend replied. ”Not to mention your dreams.”
”I know, right? I’m still freaked out about the dream about being pushed on the swings by my biological parents. Then to find traces of a swing on that tree…!”
”Luna, either it’s just a big coincidence or you’ve spent time here in your youth… or a very similar mansion and it just looks like this one!”
”Yeah… I’m getting more curious to investigate.”
Sharon shivered. Luna could not investigate… it would ruin everything!
The fact that she had gotten clues about her past thanks to dreams of all things! That sounded insane!
But those dreams were true… Sharon remembered vividly how Bernie built that swingset. She recalled Sol’s laughter as she asked to be pushed higher into the air…
No. She couldn’t know her past. Sharon needed to stop her at all costs.
But how?
She could maybe pretend Ámbar is Sol Benson to not make Luna even consider it a possibility.
No… that would only cause suspicion. Sharon wasn’t sure if Luna even knew about Sol Benson’s existence… and she wanted to keep it that way.
She observed her in the kitchen with her friend. If only she could know how Luna worked…
She had to admit, she knew nothing about her. And she wasn’t sure how to get to know her better either.
Stalk her? Make Rey stalk her? No, they could easily be spotted.
Ámbar could be a valuable person, since she visits the same places as Luna. But the two girls don’t always get along and Luna might not want to open up to Ámbar enough for Ámbar to get to know enough information…
Hm… there had to be something she could do without causing suspicion. A way to get to know Luna better without it feeling too out of the blue for her to suddenly show an interest in her. But how?
"I have to get home," Nina said. "Mora has told my mom about some odd weather phenomenon that's gonna happen tonight and if you're not careful then strange things can occur to you."
"What kind of strange things?" Luna chuckled.
"I have no idea. Mora is a bit superstitious and my mom gets smitten with it. Anyway, I better get home."
"Yeah. Bye!"
Luna decided to prepare for bed. It often took her quite a long time to settle down, cause her mind was just never quiet. Always thousands of thoughts circulated around her.
She thought, eventually, she’d make herself fall asleep. So, she laid down, trying to close her eyes.
Meanwhile in the other side of the mansion, Sharon paced around her room trying to think of a good way to get to know Luna better. She wished she knew Luna’s routine… but who’s to say it was predictable? Maybe Luna isn’t one to follow a routine at all. And it could depend on if it was a weekend or a school day…
Suddenly, she noticed this weird shimmer outside. She opened her window to investigate.
Luna, who had her eyes closed, opened them again when she noticed her room suddenly getting brighter. It seemed to come from outside. Maybe that weird thing Nina talked about. She, just like Sharon, opened her window.
Sharon and Luna, unaware of each other, stared at the night sky from their bedrooms. It looked relatively normal… but the stars were… brighter. Shimmering, almost.
Meanwhile, Mora Barza was in her own house, staring at the same sky.
”If the coordinates are right… I need to do the procedure now!” she told herself. She put on a coat that looked like a king’s cape.
She then closed her eyes and started to hum a melody.
As she finished, she looked back up at the sky.
”I have hummed your melody!” she exclaimed. ”I wish for good luck in my upcoming year of life on this earth! If you desire to grant my wish, then give me lightning now!”
Within the next second, a large lightning hit the ground with an immense sound.
It startled both Luna and Sharon, who were not prepared for it. Yet, they couldn’t keep their eyes away…
Soon, both of them felt deeply tired. Luna closed her window and Sharon closed hers. They then collapsed on their separate beds and fell into a deep sleep.
Mora however was still wide awake. She grinned.
”That will do it! I hope no one had their windows open if they saw it! I feel very bad for those people! Ha ha!”
”Luna… Luna, it’s time to wake up!”
Sharon heard someone entering her room. Her head still felt tired, like she could sleep for several more hours.
She heard Monica’s voice. Was Monica in her room?
”It’s 7:30! It’s time to wake up! You need to go in half an hour and I don’t want you to miss breakfast!”
7:30? Sharon often woke up at 6, feeling well rested. She didn’t recall falling asleep later last night… so why did she still feel so tired?
She almost felt like a teenager who could sleep until noon…
”Luna!”
She opened her eyes, and saw Monica practically jolting her awake.
”What are you doing, Monica?!”
Monica put on an amused grin. ”You’re getting an Argentine accent. That sounded like Miss Sharon.”
”Monica-”
”Well, well! We can do funny impressions later! Put on your uniform and go down and eat. I will come back up if you’re not there in 10 minutes!”
With that, Monica was gone. Sharon squinted around the room. It occurred to her that this wasn’t her room… it was Luna’s.
How did she end up in Luna’s room?
”What is the meaning of this?” she asked. Only now did she realize that her voice sounded… younger. Like a little girl’s…
She looked down at her body. Her sleepwear was a t-shirt and some sleeping shorts. She’d never wear this.
Her hands didn’t look like her own. She peeked at her hair… brown…
Sharon slowly walked up to the mirror in the room. That’s when she got a large shock.
She wasn’t herself anymore. She was Luna.
”This is a dream!” she told herself frantically. ”How do I wake up?!”
It seemed like her body didn’t want to wake up. Ok… how could she solve this?
Better question… if she was in Luna’s body… who was in hers?
”Madrina?”
Luna smiled to herself. Her bed had been so… soft this night. She felt like never getting out of it.
She heard someone open the door. Her mom, probably… she knew she’d need to get up, but it was hard when the bed was so cozy.
”Madrina, sorry if I’m bothering you…”
That was Ámbar’s voice. Luna frowned, and opened her eyes.
”… I wanted to check on you because you didn’t come to breakfast. You’re always so early.”
It just occurred to Luna that she wasn’t in her own room. This room did look very familiar in a way she couldn’t comprehend to why… but she had no idea how she got here.
”Ámbar, I’m sorry, I have no idea how I got here… I might have been sleepwalking…”
Ámbar looked at her worryingly. ”Madrina, are you sick? Is that why you didn’t come to breakfast?”
Luna frowned. ”Why are you calling me madrina?”
Ámbar snickered. ”You’re not feeling well. I’ll let you rest. But promise me you’ll eat something later, ok? I’m going to school. Bye.”
With that, Ámbar was gone.
Luna sat up. Something felt odd… her body didn’t feel like her own.
She stood up. Why did she feel taller? Did she hit another growth spurt? She thought she had stopped growing by now and just had settled to forever being short.
She looked down on her clothes and realized this were not her own clothes. She was wearing a nightgown… a very fancy one at that.
Wait…
Luna went up to nearest mirror, and her heart sank. She wasn’t herself. She was Sharon…!
Or… she was herself… inside Sharon’s body? How did she get inside? Did Sharon eat her?
Wait, wait… how did this happen? Did they switch bodies? How could she get back to her own body?
Sharon hurried to eat breakfast. She couldn’t escape the kitchen, as Monica basically monitored her to eat up.
”Has Miss Sharon woken up yet?” Miguel asked.
”No,” Monica replied. ”Ámbar mentioned something about her being sick.”
Sharon couldn’t take it anymore. She stood up, and started walking towards her bedroom.
”Luna, dishes!” Monica pleaded.
Sharon stopped, sighed, and quickly put her plate in the dishwasher. Then she ran off.
”Where is she going?” Miguel asked. ”The car is waiting for her.”
Sharon practically ran upstairs and bursted her bedroom door open.
There she saw… herself. Standing in the middle of the room.
”You!” she yelled.
”Me!” the Sharon in the room pointed at her. ”Who are you and why are you in my body?”
”Why are you in my body?”
Sharon took a deep breath. "Luna... is that you?"
"Yes? Who are you, and why are you in my body?"
"I'm Sharon."
Luna gasped. "We... we body switched?"
"As unbeliveable as it is... yes."
"Luna!" Monica called from downstairs. "You need to be in the car in the maximum of 10 minutes, or you'll be late! Ámbar is already in the car waiting!"
"You can't be late for school..." Sharon said. "Or... I mean... I can't be late... cause I'm you..."
"What do we do?" Luna asked. "What do I do?"
"Sit down."
Luna sat down, as Sharon started doing her hair, putting it up in the classic bun she always wore.
"I wish we had more time to process this, but time is running out. I have to go to school as you, and you have to be home and work for me."
"But I don't know what to do!"
"If you're in doubt, ask Rey. He is hired to help, and if he doesn't then I yell at him... you yell at him. Now, what classes do you have today?"
"Uh... maths, biology... I don't know, I think literature?"
"You don't seem sure."
"Listen, I mix up schedules and just hope for the best when I arrive at school. I have all the same classes as Nina, so I just follow her."
"And who is this Nina? Is it your friend who wears glasses?"
"Yes."
"Alright. I saw her the other day. Another thing, we need to switch phones. You might need to take important work calls... and maybe people will call me too."
"My friend Simón might call after school!" Luna noted.
"Luna!" Monica called. "What are you doing?!"
Sharon sighed. "I better go. I wish you luck."
"I wish you luck as well!"
"I graduated high school with the highest grades, I think I can handle one day."
Sharon tried the act to be as quiet as possible. The less she said, the less she could accidentally say something wrong.
Ámbar however seemed to notice that something was odd with "Luna" today. Sharon knew her daughter easily could sniff out oddities around her. She just had to keep the act up.
"You're quiet today, Lunita," Ámbar commented.
"I don't have much to say..."
"Well... has something happened? You're having trouble with a friend, or something?"
"No."
"Do you have a test today you're nervous about?"
Sharon had no idea. What would she answer? Lie?
However, Ámbar started snickering. "You don't know if you do, right? That's classic you, not knowing if you have a test or not."
"Exactly... so typically me..." Sharon secretly thanked Ámbar for helping her getting into Luna's character more.
They arrived at Blake, and Ámbar walked away without so much at look at Luna. Sharon slowly followed her, despite feeling lost in the crowd.
What she needed to do was finding Nina...
She wandered around the halls for a while, hoping someone would give her attention.
"Luna! What are you doing?"
She turned around to find a taller, blonde girl approach her. Her hair was a bit messy, like she didn't have time to comb it before going to school.
"Have you seen Nina?" Sharon asked.
"She's already in class. And so should you and I, too! I was just in the bathroom, but let's go before the teacher arrives!"
She followed the blonde girl to a classroom nearby. As she went inside, she saw the girl with glasses that she saw with Luna yesterday. Nina.
"There you are, Luna!" Nina exclaimed.
The blonde girl sat down behind them, next to a shorter red haired girl.
”Am I late?” Sharon asked.
”No, the teacher hasn’t arrived yet. He is late if anything.”
Some minutes later, a middle aged man rushed into the room, apologizing for being late. Sharon found it unprofessional of him. This was a high prestigious school where lateness was not excused.
The teacher then started class. It appeared to be math. Well, Sharon worked a lot with numbers and statistics, so this would be easy.
It actually was surprisingly easy for being one of the most prestigious schools in the country. This level of math felt like what she’d work with in middle school.
To be fair, Sharon was always ahead and got to work with university level math already at age 14, and excelled so well that she didn’t even need to take math classes for a majority of high school. So now she was more bored than anything…
The teacher wrote a long equation on the board. Then he turned to the class, smirking.
”Does anyone know how to solve this?”
Sharon looked around the room. Most people seemed to try to hide behind their books, not wanting to be picked. That felt odd to her. She expected everyone raising their hands, eager and ready to solve this.
The only ones not trying to hide was herself and Nina.
The teacher locked eyes with her.
”Miss Valente… maybe you want to solve this equation?”
He looked at her in a way like it was a joke. Like he expected her to not be able to do it.
”Fine,” Sharon said and stood up. She confidently walked up to the board and within just 10 seconds wrote the answer of the equation. ”It’s pretty simple math.”
The teacher gasped. ”… that is correct.”
A sea of gasps and shocked faces came from the students. Sharon didn’t know why. Didn’t Luna usually participate in class? Not that she ever asked her, but she assumed she strived to be the best. That is the least she can do for Sharon getting her a scholarship.
After class, Sharon got surrounded by the two girls that sat behind her, as well as Nina.
”I’m still amazed you managed to solve it!” the red haired girl exclaimed. ”I sat there terrified he’d pick me.”
”Yeah, I’m lucky if I’ll get a C in math,” the blonde one chimed in.
Sharon frowned. ”Settling for mediocrity is not something you should do at a prestigious school like this. I would be disappointed as a parent to hear that the tuition I pay for the highest education possible only results in my child slacking off.”
For some reason, the two girls started laughing.
”Oh, you’ve gotten influenced by Ámbar, haven’t you?” the blonde one asked, putting an arm around her shoulder. ”You’re even getting an Argentinian accent!”
”Well, Ámbar is the top of her grade and excels in every subject. It’s only natural that I’d want to strive as high as her.”
”Oh, Luna… well, you don’t have to worry about my parents. Of course they’re happy if I have high grades, but they also know my strengths and weaknesses. They expect high grades in my writing essays, cause you know, I write so much music lyrics so they hope I excel at my written school work too… but math? They have never been good at it either, so there they are happy if I just pass.”
”Same here,” the red haired girl nodded along. ”I think most parents recognize their children’s strengths and weaknesses. My mom really hopes for high grades in history and literature, cause that’s what she deems the most important. But math, and science? She’s thrilled if I get a B.”
”You’re setting your children up for mediocrity if you’re not expecting them to excel in every subject,” Sharon said bitterly.
Suddenly, she got a hug from the blonde girl.
"Oh, you're getting corrupted! Don't worry, we'll help you back on earth."
"I think once you're on the rink all the worries go away," Nina assured her. "You didn't roller skate so much yesterday."
"Right! Some roller skating will make you get your nerves off!" the red haired girl agreed.
Sharon hoped she'd not be forced to roller skate today. Her plan was just to attend school and then go home.
Unless Luna had plans today that involved having to roller skate... she needed to contact her.
She hoped Luna was handling the work at home well...
Luna awkwardly walked down the stairs.
"Miss Benson!" Amanda exclaimed. "You didn't eat breakfast... are you feeling well?"
"Yes... I feel..." Luna tried to not let her mexican accent take over, "I feel ok."
Amanda didn't seem too convinced. "Should I get something for you? Tea, or..."
"A strawberry milkshake would be nice! I love my mom's- Monica's milkshakes."
"... as you wish, miss..." Amanda seemed slightly surpised by this request, but didn't seem to want to question too much.
Luna sat down in the couch carefully, as if she wasn't sure if she was allowed to do this.
"There you are, Miss Benson!" Rey exclaimed, walking into the room. "You have a phone call with the client in 5 minutes."
"Right..." Luna replied, trying to sound like she was keeping it together. "... remind me again... what are our other priorities today?"
"Well, besides the client, we..." Rey checked the list. "... no, we're ahead of everything we need to do. Perhaps we could check the statistics over the new investment later."
"But other than that, I'm free?"
Rey looked at her unsurely. "Well, Miss Benson, you're the boss. You hire other people to do the work, and make sure they're doing it."
"So by other means, I can do what I want?"
"Of... course..."
Luna beamed. Of course, she had always expected this. Sharon acted like she was so busy all the time, but Luna always saw her sitting on her butt drinking tea or playing chess with herself. And of course, that was because she hired other people to do the jobs for her. She had chefs, servants, assistants... everyone worked beneath her. And she could just chill...
"Miss Benson!" Amanda announced, walking into the living room. "Here is your milkshake as you requested."
"Thank you, Amanda!"
Amanda put the tray down and curtsied before leaving the room.
"A milkshake..." Rey commented. "That is unlike you, Miss."
"So what?" Luna replied, taking a sip and immediately getting a moustache from it.
"I just... nothing. The client is calling, are you ready?"
"Of course, of course!"
Luna had no idea what this client wanted but she assumed she could just wing it. She was the boss! She couldn't screw anything up!
Sharon felt the classes being fairly easy. Luna's friends seemed surprised over how confident she was today.
In the hallways, she noticed Ámbar speaking with her friends. She had to admit, even though she could not care less about Ámbar's social life... she also was a bit curious.
She moved closer, trying to hear her conversation.
Ámbar's friends were speaking excitedly about something, as Ámbar just seemed to stand there bored with crossed arms.
"Ámbar, what do you think?" her red haired friend asked. Sharon recalled her name was Jazmin.
"About what?" Ámbar replied, not even looking at her.
"About me possibly dating Simón!"
Ámbar rolled her eyes. ”I could care less about that. I need to focus on more important things.”
”Like what?” her dark haired friend asked. Sharon thought her name was Delfina… huh, sounded like dolphin. Who names their child that?
Getting the best grades to secure her way into the school in Paris, is what Sharon thought Ámbar would answer.
Instead, Ámbar answered: ”Like how I can make Lunita stop taking over the rink. She’s the talk of the town as soon as everyone heard Matteo admit on camera that he loves her.”
”I’m still waiting for Luna’s response!” Jazmin exclaimed. ”She didn’t seem too thrilled, if I am being honest…”
Ámbar smiled. ”Well, even if she doesn’t like him back, she’s still getting attention! I need to show everyone how great I am! Which is why my performance at Open Music will blow everyone away.”
Sharon rolled her eyes. Ámbar had always had a jealousy towards Luna that Sharon didn’t really get. What did Luna have that Ámbar didn’t? Nothing, that’s what.
Besides, Ámbar was so perfect. Sharon wished she could keep that image up and not waste her time on such silly things like whatever this ”open music” was.
Before Sharon could listen some more, she suddenly noticed someone put out their arm leaning on the wall as they blocked her view.
”Chica Delivery! How’s your day been?”
Sharon noticed it was Matteo. Ámbar’s apparently now ex boyfriend. She had no idea when they broke up, she just assumed Ámbar didn’t have any problems with him and that’s why she stopped mentioning him.
”I’m fine… Matteo.”
”Great to hear! So what are your plans for today?”
Sharon didn’t know, but she couldn’t admit that. Admitting you don’t know is very unprofessional.
”What… are your plans?”
Matteo shrugged. ”I have no idea. I don’t have a plan. Probably will head to roller and watch Open Music tonight as per usual.”
Oh, so he openly admitted he didn’t know. What an unprofessional boy. Ámbar did right to break up with him.
”Listen, Chica Delicery…” Matteo said, ”I wanna talk about you and me… you never said anything after you heard me confess I love you.”
Sharon had no time for this.
”I didn’t say anything because I don’t care. Also, why are you calling me ’chica delivery’? It sounds like your undermining women by implying they’re all delivery girls.”
Matteo gasped. "No, I... you know I call you that because you... what's wrong? Has something happened?"
"No. You're being annoying, and please use deodorant! It's really unprofessional to block my view and force me to sniff your odor."
She then proceeded to walk away, leaving him speechless.
However, Luna's friends seemed to have witnessed everything. They rushed up to her with looks of eagerness and curiousity.
"What did he say to you?" the red haired girl asked, looking like she expected to hear something romantic.
Sharon sighed. "He was annoying me. I told him off."
"I thought you still liked him!" the blonde one exclaimed. "He was so romantic admitting to everyone on camera that he loved you!"
"So because he claims he loves me, it means I automatically need to feel the same back?"
"Well..."
Nina decided to chime in. "I mean... it's like you with Ramiro, Yam... he always goes around gushing over you and you want to make really clear that you only feel friendship feelings for him."
The blonde girl, who apparently was named Yam, nodded. "Ok, you have a point. But Luna and Matteo feels different..."
"It's exactly the same as you and Ramiro," Sharon said, despite having no idea who Ramiro was. "You're hypocritical assuming there's something between me and Matteo when you want everyone to not assume that about yourself and Ramiro."
Yam looked at her unsurely. "I... absolutely, you're right..." She nodded, seemingly feeling embarrassed.
"Maybe both of you just won't admit your feelings to the boys that love you!" the red haired girl exclaimed.
"Jim! Enough!" Yam hissed. "Why is it so important to you that I'm in love with a boy just because he's in love with me? Luna's right, I'm a hypocrite for even thinking the same of her when I hate it myself."
Was the red haired girl's name Jim? Sharon almost had to roll her eyes. Jim's parents must be one of those bohemian hippies that claim all names are "gender neutral" and name their daughters boy names. No wonder she didn't seem to have any sort of academic ambition.
She never found out it was short for Jimena, but if she did, she'd probably judge Jim for preferring such a bad nickname.
"Everyone calm down," Nina said. "Let's just not talk about boys if it makes us uncomfortable. We can talk about something else, like Open Music."
Jim and Yam lit up. They immediately started babbling about some song and choreography they were doing. Sharon just tuned it out.
She wanted to focus on learning Luna's routine. Besides school, what else was she out doing all day? Luna was like Ámbar, she came home briefly after school to change out of her school uniform, and then she left again. Where did she go?
Perhaps she could ask her as she got home again.
"Well, that call went well!" Luna said with a pleased grin.
She had absolutely no idea what the client wanted. She just answered what she thought was best. In the end, the client thanked her for her kind words that had surprised them, because they thought Sharon Benson was a strict woman who was hard to convince of investments.
Luna really felt like going outside. If she was inside for too long, she grew incredibly bored. So, she decided to go out in the garden.
She was never really allowed to explore it much as she was the staff’s daughter, but now… who would stop her?
She walked around the garden with a big smile, taking it all in.
It wasn’t her garden… but she felt so home in it. Why was that?
Perhaps because she was in Sharon’s body now. Though, even when she was in her own body, this garden just brought a familiarity to her.
She took a deep breath and let all the smells hit her. Then she giggled. She wondered if Sharon appreciated her garden as much as Luna did.
Further away, Monica, Miguel and Amanda stood and observed her.
”Is it just me or is Sharon more cheerful than usual?” Monica asked. ”Ámbar thought she was sick, but she seems really energized.”
”Like Luna, in a way…” Miguel added.
”Maybe Sharon has fallen in love,” Amanda suggested.
”You think so?” Monica asked.
”I’m not sure. But she acts… young and free spirited in a way, like when you just have fallen in love with someone. She reminds me of Ámbar a few years back.”
”Ámbar was free spirited?”
”Yes. As a child she often smiled and was filled with energy like Luna. But I guess puberty made her more quiet and reserved. I still see a childlikeness in Ámbar, but I have a feeling her godmother wants her to get serious now when she’s growing up.”
”Well, Sharon has a high status,” Miguel noted, ”I can understand having different expectations on your child when you grow up in their class society.”
”Even though our lower class isn’t always your fanciest life,” Monica chimed in, ”I think it allows children to be children for a longer time. In higher class societies it feels like they need to be ready to be proper ladies and gentlemen as soon as they reach adolescence. Sometimes earlier.”
”I’m glad Sharon can live out some of her free spirited nature…” Amanda admitted. They watched ”Sharon” as she walked in circles around a tree, feeling the texture of it. They didn’t know why she did that, but it was fun to see her so happy.
Classes were done for the day, and Sharon was relieved to just get home.
Then she felt Luna’s phone buzzing.
The number said ”Simón”. Right. Luna mentioned something about her friend Simón calling today. Sharon answered.
”Hello?”
”Luna! When you come to roller today, can you bring the green beanie? I left it at your house by mistake!”
Oh no. Was she forced to go to Jam and Roller? Was that where Luna went every day, just like Ámbar?
Sharon facepalmed. Of course it’s where Luna would go. Every teenager seemed to hang out at that place.
”Absolutely! I’ll bring it!”
”Great! I’m so excited for you to listen to our new song we’re performing at Open music later! I might even ask you to sing with me!”
”How can I sing with you if I haven’t heard the song before?” Sharon asked.
Simón laughed as a response, which she found very odd. Then he answered: ”I’m gonna show you the song beforehand! I really do wanna sing with you!”
Sharon had not signed up to sing. Her father always thought she had a good singing voice, but the last time he heard it was when she sung Happy Birthday to Ámbar when she turned 7. That was the only one of Ámbar’s birthday parties he attended, because he for some reason wanted to be an involved grandfather for like a month. Sharon was sure that if he knew Sol Benson was alive, he’d spend all the time with her. His real granddaughter. Not Ámbar… she was adopted and shared no biological blood with him. He never could connect to her.
Sharon had to smile a bit when she remembered Ámbar’s 7th birthday, though. Even though the party was filled with screaming children and she got a headache after 2 minutes… Ámbar was still so small and innocent. Sharon had curled her hair and bought her a bright blue dress. In a way, when her father was involved, she too was involved… maybe to not look bad in front of him, but she genuinely remembered feeling… happy when she saw Ámbar open her gifts and blow out her candles. Even though it was too much noise and some child spilled cake on the floor.
What happened to the little Ámbar in curls and a bright blue dress? Little Ámbar who always smiled and swung her legs as Sharon combed her hair? Little Ámbar who so politely asked if she could get a cookie after dinner, and even if Sharon complained about the crumbs, she couldn’t help but form a small smile as Ámbar munched so quietly as she could on the cookie? Did she get lost? Why was Ámbar so… bitter nowadays?
”Luna? Hello?”
Sharon suddenly snapped out of her trip down memory lane and continued her talk with Simón.
”Sorry, what did you say?”
”Distracted again, huh?” chuckled Simón, ”Typical you. Anyway, I just said it’s fine if you don’t wanna sing it. I won’t force you, but if I get in the feels I might want to call you up on stage!”
”Oh… I-”
”I need to practice! See you later!”
Sharon took a deep breath. She needed to get home and talk to Luna, stat.
As she reached the mansion, she followed Ámbar to the front door. However, Ámbar turned around and stared at her judgementally.
”Why are you trying to go through the front door? Go through the kitchen door like all staff.”
”Ámbar, don’t use that tone to me!”
Ámbar scoffed. ”What’s with your attitude? Know your place or I’ll tell madrina that you’re misbehaving, and then it’ll be on your parents! Do you want to risk your parents getting fired for your bad behavior?”
Oh, Ámbar learned from the best… Sharon could be proud of her, but right now it was an inconvenience.
”I am willing to take that risk. Besides, I need to speak with your godmother.”
Before Ámbar could react, Sharon had rushed inside the door. She soon saw herself - well, Luna in her body - sit on the couch looking like she was disassociating into distant space.
”Madrina! I tried to stop her from walking through the front door!” Ámbar exclaimed.
Luna stared at them both surprised.
”Hello! Did you have a nice day at school?”
Ámbar stared at her for a few seconds, before she formed a calm smile. ”You’re still feeling ill, I imagine. Well, I’m gonna change clothes and go to roller. I’ll be home for dinner.”
Now Sharon and Luna were alone, but in the wrong bodies.
”Has everything gone well?” Luna asked.
”I graduated over 30 years ago, these classes felt too easy. I’ve been more bored than anything. How about you?”
”I had a call with a client who wanted you to invest in something, but other than that I have had no idea what to do. Rey seems to do the most work.”
”It may seem like little work, but I’ve worked hard to even get to this position. Listen, your friend Simón called… he wanted me to listen to some song.”
Luna lit up. ”Oh yes! He’s performing at Open tonight! I have to go… or… you have to go!”
”He wanted to sing with me…”
”Well! You don’t have to! Tell him you don’t have the energy or your throat hurts, but make sure to tell him you love him and you’ll still watch him perform!”
”It just feels so insignificant… I’d say to just cancel. We need to figure out how to switch back, anyway.”
Luna suddenly stomped her feet angrily and stood up. ”No! I don’t care how ’insignificant’ it is to you, it’s something important to me and if you’re gonna be me, you’re gonna do it! You’re gonna go there and listen to his song, tell him just how much you love it, and then you’re gonna stay at Open Music and watch him perform! Besides, Ámbar is also performing tonight. She would be happy that her godmother finally watches her perform something. Maybe you can even see her roller skating, cause as far as I know, I have never seen you attend a single competition of hers. The least you can do is watch her practice on the rink. Even if she thinks you’re me. Now, go to my room, put on your best outfit you think I have, and get your butt to Jam and Roller!”
Sharon just stared at her. It was so odd being yelled at by someone who currently inhabited her own body. She had to admit, she had a very authorative voice… and Luna sure abused it.
”Fine… I’ll… I’ll go… and you…!”
”I’ll research the body switch in the meantime,” Luna promised. ”I’m used to researching odd things.”
The second Sharon arrived at Jam and Roller, she felt incredibly out of place. However, no one treated her like that… cause Luna wasn’t out of place here. Everyone greeted ”Luna” with smiles - some guy even asked her if she wanted ”the usual”. She declined anything to eat or drink. She needed to find Simón.
She noticed a guy with a guitar sitting on the stage. As he saw her, he beamed.
"There you are, Luna!"
Sharon immediately recognized his voice from the phone.
"Simón..."
"You got my beanie?"
Right... that beanie he wanted... Sharon had not even thought about it when she went to change clothes. She was too busy finding something proper to wear. Luna's dressing style was... interesting to say the least.
To her surprise, Simón started snickering.
"You forgot it? That's ok. You must be so distracted by everything else."
"Sure... yeah, you know me..."
"I'll get it next time I'm over. Right now what's important is that you listen to my song."
Sharon sat down next to him. Simón proceeded to play his guitar and sing some song that went into Sharon's ear and out in the other.
She was never a big fan of boys with guitars. They all sounded the same, and it was so boring.
But she had promised Luna to cheer and clap. Cause Luna would love this. And she was Luna right now.
Huh. She didn't know why she felt so eager to keep the promise. It was like she felt... disappointed in herself if she didn't.
"So! What do you think?" Simón asked.
"I loved it!" she exclaimed. "Wow!"
Simón frowned at her. "You can tell me the truth, Luna."
Sharon felt slightly offended. She thought she was a great actress. Ok, she didn't know Luna's character very well yet, but she had been fooling people all day.
"I know you outside and in," Simón admitted. "I know when you love my songs and when you're just pretending to not hurt my feelings. But it's ok, Luna! A musician can't always strike gold! Just be honest with me!"
"I did like it!"
"You're lying, Luna. What are you hiding from me?" He seemed genuinely concerned. "We promised to always be open and honest with each other."
He really knew Luna... he could read her like an open book.
So what would Sharon do?
She started wishing she'd switch bodies with Ámbar instead. She knew Ámbar. She shaped her herself from years of planning and guiding her into the right path. But Luna...
Well, that's why she was in Luna's body, right? To get to know her. And once she did, she'd be able to know exactly how to make Luna stay away from ever knowing the truth.
It all came down to what to answer particular people when they spoke to you. This boy seemed to always expect the truth. But if she told him the truth, he'd not believe her.
Hm. Worth a try anyway.
"Alright, I will tell you the truth!" she said seriously. "I didn't quite listen to your song because I switched bodies with Sharon Benson, my parent's boss. I am Sharon Benson, and Luna is in my body."
Simón laughed. This time she expected that.
"You know, Luna?" he chuckled, "You said it with such sincerity I kinda believe you."
It was clear to Sharon he didn't really believe she had switched bodies and who he thought was Luna was actually someone else in the wrong body. But he did still somehow notice she was speaking the truth. Maybe he still could tell that Luna wasn't really Luna right now.
Suddenly, Simón put a hand on her shoulder.
"Maybe you need to roller skate to get some steam off."
"Oh, I'm fine..."
"Luna Valente, not wanting to skate? Are you ill? Listen, I need to prepare for Open Music, but you go skate! I know you'll feel much better afterwards!"
He practically ushered for her to go away. Sharon glanced at the roller skates hanging from Luna's backpack... the only reason she brought them along was because Monica asked if she was forgetting them before she went out the door earlier. Ok... she could at least head to the rink, but she didn't have to actually skate... Simón wouldn't know!
As she got to the rink, she witnessed some teenagers spinning around. There was a bunch of chairs by the side where you could sit down. Sharon guessed she could sit down and watch people skate around until it was time for that Open Music thing.
Suddenly, she saw Nina walking inside the rink. She got up to Luna.
"I saw Ámbar tying her skates," she said, as if it was something to be cautious about.
Ok? So what if Ámbar tied her skates?
Nina seemed to expect that Luna would understand what she meant, so Sharon tried to think about how Ámbar tying her skates had any sort of significance.
Within the next moment, she saw Ámbar rolling into the rink gracefully. She didn't stop - instead she smoothly skated around, even at one point lifting one leg up.
The other skaters went to the side to give her some space. Sharon started to get what Nina meant about Ámbar tying her shoes - she probably thought ”Luna” would skate and asked her to wait until Ámbar had done her skating routine.
Ámbar skated faster and faster. Then she proceeded to leap into the air and spin around several times. A triple axel jump, but Sharon didn't know it was called that.
”I’ve seen her do that several times, and yet I’m always as amazed,” Nina admitted.
”Yeah…” Sharon mumbled. She could just gasp.
Sure, she knew Ámbar was good at roller skating. She had seen her come home with lots of prizes for first place in all those competitions. But… wow. Seeing her here, in the rink…
Why did she feel emotional all of a sudden? It’s not that she didn’t expect Ámbar to be at an amateur level. In fact, the way Ámbar spoke about roller skating, Sharon expected exactly this level of advancement in it from her. Yet… actually seeing it…
Suddenly it felt like she saw Ámbar from a new perspective. Which… she did, because she was currently inhabiting Luna’s body. But still… she thought she knew Ámbar. And yet there were parts she never saw of her. Parts she… kind of regretted not seeing earlier.
Ámbar suddenly stopped skating and leaned against the fence, looking at Nina and ”Luna”.
”Lunita! Why the sad face?”
”I’m not sad!” Sharon lied. ”There’s just a lot of dust here…”
”Well, aren’t you gonna skate?”
”I…”
Nina looked at her concerned. ”Luna, you’re always skating.”
”Yeah, I even once found you sleeping in your bed with your roller skates on,” Ámbar added.
Why did you watch Luna sleep, Ámbar? That crosses a lot of boundaries! I thought I had raised you better!
Ámbar noticed ”Luna”’s angered expression and chuckled nervously.
”Oh. I was just looking for something in your room and found you sleeping with them on. Point is, I know how much you love roller skating, and if you’re not going up on the rink then I’ll help you!”
Sharon was not sure if Ámbar did this to mess with ”Luna” or if she genuinely wanted to be helpful. In a weird way, it felt like Ámbar wanted to do both. Whenever Sharon had heard her speaking to Luna, she could tell Ámbar was putting on an act, but she also noticed how a bit of… genuineness slipping through under the cracks.
"Come on! Get your skates on!"
Both Ámbar and Nina seemed to force the skates on her, helping her tie them and all.
They then made her stand up. Ámbar held her hands as she guided her towards the rink. Sharon just looked down on her feet, trembling in fear.
"Seriously Luna, you look like this is your first time on skates. What's with you today?" Ámbar asked. Her teasing smirk started to get more concerned.
"I'm just... distracted, I suppose."
"No, this is not your normal distraction. Listen, I don't know what happened, but as you always preach to everyone else...", Ámbar proceeded to push her forward, "... roller skating makes you feel better!"
Sharon grabbed onto the fence as quickly as she could, taking a deep breath.
"Lunita, did you switch bodies with Nina or something?"
Nina started giggling from the side. "If that was the case, I'd be borrowing Luna's skates and do incredible tricks right now."
"Well, you've clearly switched bodies with someone, Lunita," Ámbar said. "Just yesterday you almost took over the rink with your figure skating. It was barely space for us others."
Sharon noticed Nina glaring at Ámbar annoyed, as if she didn't agree with the sentiment of Luna not leaving space for others. But then Nina turned to her.
”Ámbar is right though. You’re not yourself today…”
”I’m fine!” Sharon exclaimed.
”You not wanting to skate and not even seeming to know how to skate is not fine to me.”
Sharon wished she could pull off a perfect Luna impression. Make them convinced it was really Luna. And because she impossibly could show off any roller skating skills, she needed to find a reason Luna would have to not roller skate. What would that be?
She wished she knew Luna better. But she didn’t even seem to know Ámbar as well as she thought she did.
”I don’t know what happened,” Ámbar said, ”But if you suddenly can’t skate, then I’ll guide you. Warm you up.”
”Yes,” Nina agreed. ”You always get happier from skating, we just need to unlock whatever made it locked today.”
Ámbar grabbed her arms and started to slowly skate around the rink with her.
”There we go…nice and slow…”
”I’m gonna fall…!”
”You know it’s just not to think and things will go smoother.”
What did she mean by not thinking? Sharon always thought about every step she took.
Then again… Ámbar was a professional roller skater. She must know what she’s talking about.
At the same time, Sharon heard her earlier today. She told her friends that she wanted to make Luna stop taking over the rink. Well, then she should not be helping her get better.
Maybe this was some elaborate plan of hers... but Sharon wasn't sure what she'd get out of it. It felt like at any second, Ámbar would just push her onto the rink floor.
Sharon glanced at Nina. She was Luna's friend. And she seemed to trust Ámbar with this...
Still... Sharon wasn't sure if she completely trusted Ámbar with Luna.
"Let go of me!" she exclaimed.
"Oh, you're ready to skate on your own?" Ámbar asked.
"I'll show you I can skate on your own!"
She couldn't. But she'd rather risk than have Ámbar potentially humiliate her.
Ámbar gently let go of her and she started sliding forward. Right, left, right, left...
Suddenly Sharon realized she neither tripped or fell... she was actually roller skating.
She glanced at Ámbar. To her surprise, Ámbar didn't seem either disappointed or smug. She seemed... cheerful.
"There you go, Luna!" Nina cheered from the side.
"Good job!" Ámbar chuckled. The chuckle wasn't mean spirited... it was more like the type of chuckle you'd do for a small child or puppy who learned a new thing. Which, when you put it in that light, it would mean that she infantilized Luna. The worst thing Sharon knew was feeling infantilized... and yet she didn't feel like that right now. She felt... encouraged. Genuinely encouraged by both Nina and Ámbar.
She couldn't understand Ámbar. She always understood her as herself, even when Ámbar claimed she didn't, but now when she was Luna, she couldn't seem to predict how Ámbar would react to anything.
"Luna, you're lighting up!" Nina commented. "It's like you always say! Roller skating always cheers you up!"
"Yeah, even if you're still stiffer than usual..." Ámbar noted. "But you know... it's just because I know how good you can be."
She always had to be sassy with Luna, huh? Every compliment had a backside.
Nonetheless, in a weird way... even if Sharon was just skating slowly around the rink, she did feel... endorphins...
She couldn't explain it. She wasn't sure if this was her feelings or if it was Luna's body's feelings... but roller skating did make her feel happier...
Huh. No wonder Ámbar so desperately pleaded to get her roller skating privileges back last year when Sharon punished her and took them away. These shoes with wheels were like drugs to those kids...
Luna tried to find all the information she could on body swapping. Most information was fictional stories... but perhaps there was someone who was experienced in paranormal activity maybe knew about real life body swapping.
She tried to figure out if anything had happened before the body swap. She just remembered waking up as Sharon... but what happened before?
She remembered the stars being really bright last night... and then that lightning striked from out of nowhere.
Did the lightning have something to do with it?
"Miss Benson?" Rey asked, walking into the room.
"I'm a little busy right now, Rey," Luna replied.
"It'll be quick. I just wanted to mention that I noticed you speaking to Luna earlier."
Luna turned to him slowly. "How much did you hear?"
"Oh, I didn't hear anything, I just saw you speaking to her. I'm just asking if you're sure of what you're doing."
"Why... why would I not be sure of what I'm doing?"
"Because of Sol Benson."
Luna frowned. "Sol Benson?"
She had heard the name before. She recalled it was Sharon's niece who had passed away. Though, there was a familiarity to the name, as if she had heard it before she moved here.
Rey shrugged. "I'm just hoping you don't accidentally let the secret out."
"What secret?"
"That Luna is Sol Benson."
Luna's heart started beating faster. What did he mean by that? Huh? What?
Her? Sol Benson? How...? Wasn't Sol Benson dead?
"Miss Benson, did you forget that?" Rey asked. "I was there when you read the DNA results. Luna is your niece."
"I need to get out."
"What?"
"I need air!" Luna exclaimed, stomping towards the front door.
"But Miss Benson..."
"Rey! Leave me alone! I need some air!"
"Did I say something to offend you?"
"Leave me alone! Go work on whatever you work with all day long!"
Luna needed to process the information she just got. And she couldn't just ask... because Sharon already knew. So asking Rey would only confuse him, because he already expected her to know.
The ones Luna should ask questions to was Sharon. And Sharon was currently in her body, at Jam and Roller.
She needed answers, and fast!
It was time for Open Music. Sharon usually felt uncomfortable with so many people cheering and clapping, but for some reason it didn’t bother her as much today. Perhaps because she was in Luna’s body, and Luna didn’t have the same uncomfortableness with loud noises.
Simón got out on stage, cheering. ”Hello everyone! Ready for open music?”
Everyone cheered.
”We’re gonna kick off tonight with a brand new song performed by your favorite band!”
Two other boys came out on stage, grabbing an instrument each.
”One, two, three, four!” the boy by the drums shouted and then they started playing the song Sharon had heard earlier.
She still found it to be quite stiff and boring, but everyone around her started clapping along and cheering at them. Simón several times glanced at her, seeming to seek a validation or confirmation she was listening. Sharon tried to put on her best fake smile, although she wasn’t sure he bought it. At the very least, he didn’t force her to sing on stage with him like he had suggested earlier.
As they finished singing, everyone roared with applause. Sharon tried to follow the crowd, but she just couldn’t bring herself to cheer. She was above this low quality entertainment. This is what happens when it’s a free entrance.
Next on stage was Jim and Yam. Sharon recalled they had talked about this in school earlier. They were now wearing matching glittery outfits and looked at each other with glee.
They performed a pop duet together, while doing a choreographed dance. It felt a lot like what teenage girls would do. Sharon remembered back when she was young, girls around her also made dances and songs together that they wanted to perform to everyone. She never understood that.
She had to admit, the girls were good singers - Yam especially. She could probably actually have a career as a musician. But then she should sing something more pleasant, like a ballad or just something slow paced in general. Not waste her time on these pop songs. Even if she and Jim did seem to have a lot of fun.
As the girls finished, everyone once again cheered and clapped at them. Jim and Yam grabbed each other’s hands and looked at each other. Their eyes sparkled, like they knew something that the rest of the room didn’t.
Sharon wondered if perhaps they should stop worrying about boys altogether. They seemed a bit more interested in each other…
After them came Ámbar. She had put on some more flashy makeup and curled her hair a bit.
Sharon knew Ámbar would perform, Luna told her earlier, but she wasn’t sure why Ámbar wanted to waste her time with this. What did she get out of it? She never expressed an interest to be a singer in the first place.
”Woo! Ámbar! Let’s go!” someone from the audience shouted.
Oh. Now it made sense. Ámbar got praise and attention for this.
Personally, Sharon thought you should get praise and attention for more important things, but children Ámbar’s age were so easily entertained.
Ámbar started singing. Sharon had heard her sing before - just during her last birthday she performed and sang with her friends.
But… she felt something inside when she saw her alone on stage. Something… indescribable.
Ámbar didn’t really dance, but she did move around on stage, kicking her feet a bit as she did. At some parts, she crouched down slightly, moving her hips. Sharon had to admit she thought that was a bit too provocative, but Ámbar was also fully clothed and she didn’t seem to be doing it for seduction purposes. So she decided not to comment on it for now.
Ámbar really had a confidence when she performed. Even when performing at the equivalent of a middle school talent show, where there were no stakes, she still tried to act like the best. And she was the best... but Sharon was perhaps biased.
She shouldn't be impressed by this. Ámbar wasn't competing. She was just craving some attention. But... the others that performed on stage seemed to just do it for fun. Ámbar... takes it seriously. She takes everything so seriously, even when she doesn't have to.
Sharon just had to smile. That was her girl, alright. Always striving for the gold, even when it wasn't necessary.
She should praise her more often...
When Ámbar finished performing, Sharon clapped. Loudly. She tried to hide her pleased smile, which would already be in character anyway, cause she didn't expect Luna to cheer on Ámbar too loudly anyway.
Luna stomped through the park fast. She enivisioned the Jam and Roller building in front of her. She needed answers, and fast!
How long had Sharon known this? How come she even found it out? Was this all an elaborate prank?
Suddenly, she bumped into someone.
"Oh, sorry!"
"No worries ma'm, kisses in the air!"
Luna gasped. "Oh, hi Mora."
Mora stared at her. "I... don't think I recognize you..."
Right. "I'm Sharon Benson, I am... the boss of Luna's parents."
"A-ha, and how you do you know my name?" Mora asked.
"Because... Luna, she..."
Mora scanned her up and down. "You're not Luna who has switched bodies with her parent's boss, are you?"
Luna stared at her baffled. "How... how do you...?"
Mora smiled. "Luna, I'd recognize you even if you had transformed into a pebble on the ground. Also, body swaps happen every time I do this ritual!"
"Ritual? What ritual?"
Mora took a deep breath. "So there's this weather phenomenon that happens once a year, and it happened precisely yesterday. If you perform a certain ritual during this weather, you can get good luck for the upcoming year. You know if you've suceeded if a lightning strikes the ground."
"There was a lightning strike last night..." Luna gasped.
"Did you see it with your window open?"
"Yes... I wanted to look at the stars."
"I see! And Sharon, your parents boss, she too must have looked at the night sky with her window open, and that's why you switched bodies."
"But... wait a minute. By that logic, everyone in the country who happened to have their windows open must have switched bodies."
"No. Often you just get an unexplainable fever or headache. Body swaps only happen for very special occasions... and you're a special girl, Luna, so you got lucky with it."
"How do I switch back?"
Mora thought for a moment. "Let's get Luna... or, Sharon, who I assume is in Luna's body, which is your body. Where is she?"
"At Jam and Roller, pretending to be me. I was heading there right now, cause I really need to talk to her."
As they arrived at Jam and Roller, teenagers started to head outside. Open Music must have ended. Luna looked for Sharon to come out.
But first, she noticed Ámbar. And Ámbar noticed her.
"Madrina?! What are you doing here? Has something happened?"
"Where is Luna?" Luna asked.
"What? Why do you need to talk to Luna?"
"This is important, Ámbar! Can you get Luna for me?"
"Alright!" Ámbar went back inside and soon came out with a confused looking Luna... or, Sharon.
"Miss!" Sharon exclaimed, trying to act nonchalant. "You wished to see me? How can I be of service?"
I do not talk like that at all, Sharon, you're terrible at pretending to be me!
"Luna..." Luna said, "I have researched the thing we spoke of earlier, and you need to follow me and Mora here so we can elaborate. Also, I need to speak with you about something else as well."
"What's going on?" Ámbar asked. "What have you researched that involves Luna?"
"Stay out of this, Ámbar!" Sharon said.
"Don't be rude, Lunita!" Ámbar snapped back. "Not in front of my godmother who is helping you with whatever she's helping you with."
Sharon hated not getting the same respect from Ámbar when she was in Luna's body, but what could you do?
Luna, currently believed to be Sharon by Ámbar, suddenly grabbed Ámbar's shoulders gently. "I promise I will explain it all to you later. It's complicated, but right now I'd like you to leave us alone. We need to solve it before telling anyone else. You have a safe trip home, ok?"
Ámbar raised an eyebrow. "Okay... goodbye...?"
"I don't speak like that to Ámbar," Sharon commented.
"Well maybe you should," Luna noted. "Maybe then she wouldn't be so angry all the time."
"Ladies..." Mora said slowly. "I understand you have switched bodies."
"Who are you?" Sharon asked.
Mora laughed. "It feels so weird being asked that from a girl I've met several times, even though I know you're inhabited by Sharon... anyway, I'm Mora and this body swap thing might have been a result of my ritual."
"What?!"
"Let's take a walk, shall we?"
"I just need to say another thing!" Luna admitted, glaring at Sharon. "Rey mentioned to me that I needed to be careful to speak to 'Luna'. Because I might 'reveal the truth' to her..."
Sharon turned slightly pale.
"Sharon... is it true? Am I Sol Benson, your long lost niece?"
Sharon didn’t reply. She just stared at her, anger slowly forming in her face.
”Maybe we should go?” Mora suggested.
”Sharon, answer me! Am I your niece?!”
”I’m gonna kill Rey!” Sharon exclaimed and proceeded to run off.
Well - she tried, because Mora instantly grabbed her.
”Not so fast! We need to get to my house so we can fix your body swap issue!”
”Let me go! I’m a grown woman!”
”Not right now, you’re not. You’re a quite short teenage girl and I can just lift you up!”
She lifted Sharon up and placed her hanging over her shoulder. Luna looked at her, gasping.
”I know it looks weird,” Mora said, ”Seeing me pick up and carry you.”
”No, it’s… fine…”
”Put me down!” Sharon demanded.
”I can help you carry her,” Luna offered. ”Would you like that, Sharon? To be carried by yourself?”
It was a quiet walk to Mora's house, except for Sharon letting out grunts and complaints. Mora carried Sharon all the way, though for anyone not knowing the situation it looked like two grown women carrying a teenager who had a terrible temper tantrum.
As they finally reached Mora’s house, Mora gave Luna her keys.
”Lock the door as soon as I am inside.”
Luna did this. And as soon as Mora put down Sharon on the ground, they prepared to catch her if she tried to escape again.
But instead Sharon just stood there, although she appeared to be twitching a bit.
”You two seem to have something else to figure out before we get to the body switching reversal,” Mora said.
”Sharon…” Luna said slowly. ”Please…”
Sharon suddenly broke down crying.
”Oh, little one…” Mora cooed. ”Sorry, I know you’re a grown woman, but you’re still in Luna’s body… I’m getting motherly instincts…”
She gently grabbed Sharon, who tried to get her away.
”Don’t touch me!”
Luna tried to touch her instead. Maybe Sharon feeling… well, herself, she maybe could calm down. That seemed to work a little bit.
”Sharon… please try to explain to me…” Luna pleaded.
Sharon took quick breaths. ”Can… we… sit down?”
”Of course!” Mora exclaimed, gesturing them to a couch nearby.
Luna and Sharon slowly sat down.
”You weren’t supposed to find out!” Sharon cried. ”You weren’t…”
”So it’s true?” Luna asked. ”I’m Sol Benson? I’m your niece?”
”No! Yes! I…” Sharon tried to desperately calm herself. ”I found out my niece Sol Benson still was alive… I found out that she had been rescued from the fire that killed my sister and… Bernie… our old employee Roberto Muños, he saved her and then… put her at an orphanage in Mexico.”
”Wait, but that’s human trafficking!” Mora yelled. ”He kidnapped her! Why hasn’t he been arrested?”
”Roberto Muños is dead now,” Sharon explained. "He got away with his crimes before anyone found out!"
"But how come he took her to the orphanage?" Luna asked. "You were still alive. You could have raised her."
"Exactly! But Roberto never trusted me... he thought I was insane, sinister... we never got along. So he took her away. Took you away. When I researched where Sol Benson might have ended up, we found out she had been adopted by a couple in Cancún, who had lived in the mansion I had bought. I of course assumed it was the previous owners, but... it turned out the staff adopted a daughter."
Luna looked down on the floor. "Are you... sure it's me?"
"I took a DNA test... as unbelievable as it seems, we are blood related."
"Wow... no wonder the mansion felt so familiar to me..."
"I still can't believe it either..."
"How did you react when you found out?" Luna asked carefully.
Sharon stared into thin air.
"I... I fainted, Luna. I panicked. I just... I can't wrap my head around it. You're not Sol, you're... a staff's daughter. You can't be the heir of the Benson fortune!"
"Well, maybe because you remember Sol as a little girl... and I'm not. And my name is not Sol. Not anymore."
"See! You're not... you don't know anything about the social standards of our class. You've been raised in a working class. If only I had raised you, then maybe... maybe you could deserve the fortune."
Luna frowned. "Sharon, I... I don't want a fortune? I don't care, keep it! I don't know anything about handling finances and I suck at math!"
"Just like Lili..." Sharon started to let out some sobs.
"You know, Sharon... I've been interested in looking into my past. But my goal was always just to understand where I came from and perhaps why I was being put up for adoption. I never wanted to barge in some stranger's home because I am biologically related to them and steal their money. And if you think so, you really don't know me."
"You're right. I don't know you. I actually wished to get to know you so that... I could know how to steer you away from ever finding out your past. But alas... I should have forseen Rey would bring it up. He thinks you're me!"
Luna shook her head. "I'm Sol Benson..."
"No. You're not."
"You're righ... I'm Luna Valente now. That will always be my name."
"Exactly! You are the staff's daughter and nothing changes!"
"But... Sharon. You do understand we can't just sweep this under the rug? I just found out where I came from! That I'm related to you! You understand that I have questions? Millions of them! How were my parents, what did they like? How was my relationship to them? How was my relationship to you?"
"That's enough! I don't want to talk!"
Luna put a hand on Sharon's leg... or, her own leg, cause Sharon inhabited her body at the moment. "I'm not saying we need to talk right now about that, since I too need to process... but you're gonna have to deal with me being curious."
"I'm not ready to deal with this..." Sharon admitted, forming some more tears. "What is Ámbar gonna say? She's gonna throw a tantrum and get out of control!"
"Is that what you're worried about? Having her throw a tantrum?"
"The plan was that she would be the heir of the fortune! Not you!"
"Ok? And who says she still can't be the heir of the fortune?"
"You! Cause you're still alive!"
"But I literally said I didn't care about a fortune! If Ámbar wants it, she can take it! Sharon... does this perhaps have to do with you being afraid that you will lose Ámbar in some way?"
Sharon looked at her, teary eyed.
"Listen..." Luna said, "I think... maybe if it's hard... you'll write her a letter. And you hug her, you tell her how much you love her. I may be your biological niece, but you don't know me very well. You've known her all her life. Of course you two will always be closer."
"I've technically only known her since she was two..." Sharon shrugged, "...she moved in with me when she turned three."
"Wow! Her parents must have been quite negligent to just drop her off! Then you need to make sure you're not abandoning her either like she probably thinks they do!"
Sharon looked at her, confused. "What are you talking about?"
"I thought that's why she acts out so much," Luna shrugged, "She feels like her parents abandoned her."
Sharon sighed. "Luna... maybe it's time we reveal all the secrets. Ámbar doesn't have parents overseas who abandoned her with me. I... I adopted her. Fully. When she was 3. Her biological mother couldn't take care of her and put her up for adoption."
"That... makes a lot of sense... but then, why are you going around lying about being godmother and goddaughter?"
"It's complicated... I got to know her a bit before I adopted her, back when she still lived with her biological mother... so she already had someone she called 'mom'. When I eventually did adopt her and brought her to her new home, I explained to her that from now on, I would take care of her like a mother. She didn't really have it in her to call me 'mom' after already associating that with another woman. So I told her I was her godmother, who had saved her from a poor home and would give her a better life. She liked that. Plus, I also found it to be weird being called 'mom' by someone... And well, besides all that, it helps keep Ámbar safe if people don't know I'm her mother. People could take advantage of her if they knew..."
"I see..."
They just sat in silence for a moment, just letting it all sink in.
"I think it's gonna be too weird to start calling you 'tia'," Luna admitted.
"Yes, you can just continue calling me Sharon or even 'Miss Benson', if you please."
Luna sighed. "It was certainly interesting to be you for a day. To see how people treat you when you're someone else..."
Sharon pondered for a moment before she replied. "As I mentioned, I did want to get to know you more... and now I really have. Walking a day in your shoes... it's not easy. Not because you have a hard life, but because I don't know how you would react in different situations. I don't know what you like more than roller skating, I don't know what would be expected of you to say or do... and I kind of have regretted not getting to know you more. Of course, I didn't think I had to, but once I found out you were my niece-"
Luna suddenly hugged her. Sharon was shocked, but hugged her back.
"Maybe it's time for us to truly get to know each other," Luna said.
"Perhaps..." Sharon replied. She formed a small smile.
Luna then turned to Mora. "So... about the body switch?"
"Oh!" Mora put her hand up. "You take each others hands..."
"Okay..." Sharon and Luna did.
"... you close your eyes..."
"Closing our eyes, yeah..."
"Then you say 'reverse body swap!' three times!"
Luna frowned. "Huh?"
"Do it!"
Sharon and Luna took deep breaths and chanted in unison.
"Reverse body swap! Reverse body swap! Reverse body swap!"
Suddenly, the room started shaking. Mora leaned against the wall to not trip. Luna and Sharon fell backwards on the couch.
They slowly opened their eyes.
"What was that...?" Luna groaned.
"Did it work?" Sharon asked.
"It depends!" Mora said. She pointed at the one looking like Luna. "Who are you?"
"I'm Luna."
Luna then gasped. She looked down on her body. Was it true? Was it really true?
She ran up to a mirror nearby. She couldn't believe it! It was her! She had gotten back into her own body!
Sharon likewise looked herself in the mirror and let out a sigh of relief.
"It worked!" Luna cheered and jumped into Sharon's arms. "We're back to normal!"
"And if you ever swap bodies again, just chant that three times and it'll reverse!" Mora said.
"Well, why didn't you say so right away?" Luna asked.
"You two were in the middle of figuring out some issues! Plus, it's always good to talk about your experience before turning back. Trust me, this is like the third time I've had to help people with this."
"How many people have switched bodies?" Luna asked.
"I'll tell you another day!" Mora promised. "But I can say that it's happened to some people that you know quite well."
"I have to say, I don't trust pshychics that much... or whatever you are," Sharon said, "But you really helped us, so thank you."
"I am a fashon designer, not a psychic. I just happen to do some rituals for good luck sometimes... but yesterday there was this special weather phenomenon and... well, every time I do it I accidentally give side effects to others! Sorry!"
Sharon looked at the clock on the wall. "We better get home..."
It wasn't all good. Not yet.
Sharon and Luna had a long way to go. A lot to process.
But it was a start of something new.
As they got to the mansion, Ámbar stood worryingly in the hallway.
"Madrina! Luna! You're back! What happened?"
"It's a long story..." Luna admitted. "I need to tell my parents I'm home. Excuse me."
Sharon just walked up and hugged Ámbar. Tightly.
"I promise I will explain everything to you. And I want you to know beforehand that you are the most important thing to me and that will never change."
"You're making me feel nervous," Ámbar admitted.
Sharon let go of her, but still kept her hands on Ámbar's shoulders.
"Things are gonna change around here soon... and it might feel weird, scary and you are allowed to have all the emotions you want. But I'm gonna be here for you. Ámbar, I... haven't told you how much you mean to me. And I want to make sure you know that."
"Okay... I... I believe you..."
And Ámbar meant it. She knew Sharon outside and in, and knew when she was trying to manipulate her. This time, she truly felt like Sharon was being genuine. Her tone, her facial expression... that was real.
"Let's eat dinner first," Sharon said. "It's been a strange day for me."
"Of course."
"Oh, and Ámbar?"
"Yes?"
"Have you recorded any of your roller skating recitals? I'd love to see some of them."