Flipping the Switch

Chapter 2: Surreal Saturday

Author's Note: I know, I know, I still haven't updated I Can't Stand Hiccup. But I've been having so much fun writing this story! When it isn't being a pain in the ass, that is. This chapter took me FOR-EVER.

Thank you so much to everyone who left me reviews on the first chapter! :3 They make me feel special, and let me know that someone is actually reading these things. I am also aware that this set-up (for those who have figured it out already) is completely unoriginal, but originality isn't what I was going for anyway and I thought it would be really fun to use for a HTTYD fanfiction, so I did!

Anyway, this chapter was tough to write, and as always I don't think I'm completely satisfied with it. But now that this one is out of the way the reeeeeal fun can begin. (I've used that word like three times now!) I hope you enjoy this next installment, and remember that reviews are VERY MUCH appreciated! MUAH.

My alarm woke me up the next morning. I groaned, my head tucked snug beneath my pillow. I fucking hate it when I'm nice and warm in blissful sleep when suddenly my alarm demands that I wake up against my will. I reached my hand out and groped around for the snooze button. When my fingers landed on its smooth plastic surface, I slammed the buzzer off and escaped back into sweet silence. I had plenty of time before school started, I'd be fine.

Wait a second. It's Saturday.

"Astrid?"

I flew up into a sitting position on my bed and scanned my surroundings. This wasn't my room. I could tell that I was in a girl's bedroom by the baby pink walls and white furniture. Had I crashed at Tuff's house last night? In his sister's room? No, this couldn't be it. She had Metallica and Iron Maiden posters plastered everywhere, and her walls certainly weren't pink. This room was even bigger than Tuff's fucking living room. Where the hell was I?

"Astrid, are you up, honey? Practice is in forty-five minutes!"

Astrid? Was I in her house? This had to be a dream.

My eyes flitted to the bedroom door. And, to my horror, it was covered by a huge Justin Timberlake poster. It shook as a person began knocking rapidly on it from the other side. "Wake up, Astrid, you'll be late!"

I was in Astrid's house. I was in her room! I had to get out of here. But how...

I looked to the left of the room in my groggy state and stared right back at Astrid's reflection in a mirror above a white wooden vanity. My eyes widened, and when I lifted my right arm up and slowly waved it up and down, so did the Astrid in the mirror.

It wasn't her reflection. It was mine. And I was in her bedroom now because I was her.

"Holy shit!"

My voice came out light and strangely feminine. When I attempted to hop out of bed, my foot got tangled in the thick comforter and I landed with a hard thud on the glossy wooden floor. A teddy bear squeaked as it fell onto my head. "Oopf!"

"Astrid? Are you alright in there?"

"Uhh... Yeah! I'm fine!" I responded in my new, all-too-weird girl voice as I yanked my foot from the blanket's grip. "Urghh... Come on!" A stuffed purple unicorn flew at me when I finally freed myself from the sheets, this time landing on my face. I huffed and quickly cast it aside. Then I pushed myself off the floor and into a sitting position against the side of the bed. "Ow," I muttered as I rubbed my elbow where it hurt from the fall. "Pain always reassures you that you're alive," my father would always say. Yeah, sure. There were plenty of other more pleasant things than pain that reminded me I was alive.

Then it hit me. This wasn't a dream. I was awake and living in reality.

My stomach dropped. I had to get home.

I looked around, thinking about how the hell I was gonna escape from this place. I could probably sneak out through her window if there was a tree outside or something. Classic teen movie shit. I stood up on my knees to look over the bed, and my eyes immediately landed on a door across the room that had been left slightly ajar. Soft light peered through the narrow space between the door and the doorway, indicating that it had to be a bathroom. Not a closet.

I scrambled around the bed and jolted towards the bathroom door. But before I'd even gone three steps, I tripped over the same fucking purple unicorn toy and fell on the floor again. I was even more clumsy in this new body.

"Astrid, what is going on in there?"

Before I could respond, an older woman sporting turquoise warm-up pants burst through the door. She had the same tall, lean figure as Astrid, with similar high cheek bones and blonde hair, though it lacked the same luster that Astrid's had. She couldn't have been older than forty-five, her pink lips holding a fake plumpness to them. There was no doubt that this woman was Astrid's mom. She looked around the room and then noticed that I was on the floor. Again.

"Uhhh... Hey, mom," I said meekly, my voice a bit shakey as I used the bed to hoist myself up. This was her mom, right?

"Astrid? What are you doing?" the woman asked as she placed her hands on her hips. "You'll be late for practice if you don't hurry up and get dressed. Coach is expecting a lot from you. The competition is only a couple weeks away!"

I pretended to follow. "I... I know. Sorry."

Astrid's mother lifted an eyebrow. "Well, I'm going to the gym now. Your keys are on the counter." She turned around and headed out the doorway, closing the door behind her. "Don't be late."

I gave an affirmative nod just before the door closed completely. Justin Timberlake stared back at me once again. For a few seconds I stood there in a daze, struggling to register the past two minutes. Suffice to say, it was extremely difficult to wrap my head around the fact that I was now Astrid. But what about the real Astrid? Where was she?

I was in Astrid's body. Not the way I preferred, but my consciousness had replaced hers. This didn't make any sense.

That didn't matter now. I had to get home and try to figure this out.

This time I walked towards the bathroom, taking extra-careful precautions not to encounter anymore stray stuffed animals. When I passed a short white shelf next to Astrid's bed, a picture framed in pink caught my eye. I narrowed my eyes and stepped closer to take a better look, discovering that it was a picture of Astrid and that brute Snotlout at the annual summer carnival. A sausage arm was hugged tightly around Astrid's slender shoulders, an I'm-Too-Cool-to-Smile expression on his face. I immediately took the photo and slid it under the bed.

Yeah, I know. Real mature.

When I opened the door and stepped inside, my mouth dropped open. Astrid's entire bathroom was pearly white. And so clean. Smooth, white colored marble covered the entire floor, a porcelain bathtub on one side and a shower and toilet on the other. The counter across the bathroom was long and elegant, a wide mirror stretching across the wall above it. Two tall windows on opposite sides of the counter looked out into high-class, white suburban paradise. Soft morning light poured in and brightened the entire bathroom. It gleamed as if it were a fucking bathroom in heaven.

I noticed that a pair of workout clothes had been folded nicely and set atop a cushioned footstool at the side of the counter, so I padded across the cold tiled floor and scooped them up. Then I remembered something. I had to change. As in, out of these pajamas and into those tight little gym shorts. In Astrid's body...

"No. No way. That's fucked up," I muttered to myself as I resisted the urge to pull back the waistband of the Spongebob shorts I wore and take a peek. I was so pathetic.

But I had to do this, right? I had to change out of these clothes and into those. I couldn't go outside dressed like this.

It would be perfectly fine as long as I didn't stare... Too long...

I took in a deep breath, and then I closed my eyes as I began scooting out of Astrid's pajamas. I may be a guy, but I still hold some amount of decency.

Now, this was a lot tougher that I'd expected, but I couldn't disrespect Astrid like that. Getting into her shorts was easy. The tank top would be easy. But the sports bra presented the real challenge.

I pulled my t-shirt over my head and then groped around for the bra on the counter. God, I can't believe I'm doing this, I thought as I attempted to bring the thick, stretchy material around my head and shoulders. "Come on, come on..." I muttered, struggling to make it fit.

"There!" I breathed, instantly relieved when I got the stupid thing on. I grabbed the tank top and slipped it on, feeling victorious. Then I opened my eyes to gaze back at the reflection in the large mirror before me.

I was instantly mesmerized. Despite the messy bed-hair and absence of makeup, Astrid was still an angel. Long, slender legs and narrow waist. Flat stomach, perfect hips. The tiny grey shorts and tight blue tank top I wore hugged her body in all the right places. And her face? Flawless.

I'm wasting time. I gotta go.

I snapped out of my spellbound state and hurried out the bathroom. But before I reached Astrid's bedroom door, a buzzing sound stopped me in my tracks. I squinted and turned towards Astrid's nightstand across the room, spotting a pink-studded cell phone with a lit-up screen. I went over and snatched it up. Maybe it would provide some clues as to what the fuck had happened last night.

"1 New Message: Steven"

I narrowed my eyes and flipped the screen out. She had a Sidekick. When I opened the message it said "Morning baby, thinkin of u alredy. Hav fun practice."

Delete.

"Tool," I muttered as I closed the screen and pocketed the cell phone.

I had no time to take in the splendor of the Hoffersons' home as I scurried down the spiral staircase and into the kitchen downstairs. Immediately spotting Astrid's car keys atop the counter, grabbed them and then hurried out the front door.

And, behold. Astrid's car.

"No way."

A grin stretched across my lips when the car sitting out in the driveway quickly reminded me that Astrid drives a BMW. A shiny, white 750. And now it was mine to drive.

"Fuck yeah!" I said under my breath as I pointed the key remote at the gleaming beauty. Its lights blinked on and off as the little beep indicating that the doors were unlocked went off. When I climbed inside the car, I sat there for a moment to take in the feel and smell of the smooth, tan leather interior. It was good to be Astrid.

For now, at least.

I turned the car on and began backing out of the driveway, a little nervous, but at the same time excited to be handling such a car. I guess I didn't have to sneak out of Astrid's house after all. Instead I could zoom out of the neighborhood in style.

~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~

My dad was gone on one of his usual business trips this week, so when I approached my house I was able to pull into an empty driveway. But then my heart sank when I realized that I didn't have a key to get into the house. No one was home to let me in. I huffed. Well, I guess I could go through the backyard. We have a spare key hidden in a pot out in the yard, so I would be fine. Hopping the fence would just be a pain in the ass.

"Hello?" I called out instinctively when I stepped inside the kitchen. The sound of my voice- Astrid's voice- still made my spine tingle. I didn't really expect anyone to answer me, but it was my way of confirming that no one else was in the house. As I climbed up the stairs towards my room, I began thinking about how I'd figure out this predicament that I was somehow caught in. Check the Internet? And what was I supposed to tell my friends? Would they believe me or just call me- call Astrid crazy?

Surreal. This was all so surreal.

"Thief!"

Just as I pushed open my bedroom door, a person jumped out into the doorway from behind the wall, holding up one of my guitars as if ready to strike me with it. My eyes widened and my mouth fell open. The guy froze, his expression matching mine.

It was me! Hiccup!

"Holy shit," I breathed.

The color drained from the impostor Hiccup's face, the guitar still raised above his shoulders. My fucking guitar, that he was about to smash my head in with. Maybe this really was a dream. I was about to say something, but then he suddenly raised the guitar higher with a menacing look on his face. "Impostor! Give me my body back!"

"Huh?"

He released a blood-curdling battlecry and came at me with my black Schecter. "Whoa! Hey!"

"Give me my body back!"

Just as he took a swing at me, I sprinted out of the hallway and hurried down the stairs. "Hey, take it easy!" I called out when I got to the bottom of the steps, turning in his direction. He appeared around the corner at the top of the stairwell, holding my guitar high up in the air by the neck. "Get back here!" he cried. I took that as another indication to run for it. I immediately darted across the house and then sought refuge in the kitchen, hiding between the stove and the island counter. I held my breath.

This was nuts. Here I was, hiding in my own home from a psychopath doppleganger who accused me of being a thief and an impostor. Then I began to think. Now that I was in Astrid's body, someone else had taken place in mine. Could it be-

"There you are."

I yelped and jumped to my feet, turning around. The maniac prepared to take a second swing at me with my guitar, but I quickly extended my arms and grabbed hold of the neck, stopping him.

"Hey, careful with that! That's my fucking guitar you're holding!" I cried out, yanking the guitar from his grip. The impostor Hiccup's hostile expression softened into a wide-eyed stare. He drew in a sharp breath. "H-Hiccup...?"

I narrowed my eyes and tilted my head. "Yeah, I'm Hiccup. You're the impostor, not me."

He swallowed, still staring at me with the same frightened-puppy-dog expression. "It's me."

I blinked.

"Astrid."

My stomach fluttered. I suddenly felt light-headed. "Astrid?"

Now I understood. This was the first piece to the puzzle that had suddenly turned my life upside down. Why hadn't I realized this before?

Astrid and I had switched bodies.

~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~

"How could this happen?" Astrid cried out, balling her hands into fists as she paced back and forth across my bedroom. To say that it was fucking bizarre to see her act through my body is an understatement. I sighed, my heavy-lidded eyes following her as I sat slumped on my bed, hand under my chin. "I like, don't even know you!" she whined.

I didn't want to admit that that kinda hurt, but I will now. Sure, we weren't friends and had only met last night, but she had to say it like I was some complete stranger.

"What am I gonna do about school? What about the cheer team?"

"Just calm down, okay? We'll figure this out."

Astrid froze in place. I squinted and then sat up straight. "What? What's wrong?"

She turned on her heel to face me, eyes wide with horror. "The cheer competition!" She flew at me and grabbed me by the shoulders. "You're supposed to be at practice! What are you doing?"

I returned the same saucer-eyed expression. "Me?"

"Yes. You," she responded, shoving me as she let go. "And what's with your hair? You didn't put it up? And where are your shoes? Didn't you put them on after changing?"

Again there was an abrupt silence as she stopped in her tracks yet again. "What is it this time?" I groaned.

Astrid suddenly pushed me down on the bed, baring her teeth. "You're wearing different clothes than what I wore to sleep! I know how you high school boys are. You better have not done anything!"

I threw my hands up in submission. "I didn't see anything! I swear!"

"You better not be lying," she snapped, her voice raising in pitch as she pushed me harder into the bed. I would have secretly dug it if we weren't in this weird situation in which she was me and I was her.

"I'm not! I'm not!"

Her eyes turned into slits. Then she released me and walked away from the bed. "Fine, fine. I believe you. But I'm warning you-"

"You can trust me."' I pushed myself up, back into a sitting position. Then I narrowed my eyes and smirked. "But what about you?"

She whipped around. "What are you talking about?"

"You're a guy now, remember?"

She raised her chin defiantly, crossing her arms. "So?"

I chuckled. "How was that morning wood treating you, Astrid?"

Her lip jutted out, narrowed eyes as cold as steel. "You're a dick."

"And now you have one. What's it like?"

"Ugh... Stop it! We're not talking about that. You need to get to practice now!"

I raised my palms up. "Hey, I'm not a cheerleader. I don't know anything about cheerleading."

"Well you're going to have to learn, because you're me now. You are a cheerleader!"

I lifted an eyebrow, tilting my head slightly. "Wait. You're serious. You really want us to be each other?"

Astrid's shoulders fell, her hands falling at her sides. She drew in a breath through her nose.

"For now," she replied, speaking more calmly. "Until we fix this, you're me and I'm you. If we tried telling everyone that we like, switched places, do you think they'd actually believe us? They'd think we're crazy." She placed her hands on her hips. I winced. She made me act so... girly.

But Astrid was right. Whether we liked it or not, we were stuck like this. Not for long, hopefully.

"Well... What should I say when I show up late to practice?"