The unfamiliar alarm blaring in my ears should have alerted me immediately that something was wrong. The scent and feeling of the covers around my alarmingly small body should have been the second clue. But, of course, I didn't notice a thing until I opened my eyes to a very PINK room. Fairy lights over the head of the bed where my feet just happened to be resting on the very pink, floral pillow case.
Another thing that should have clued me in was the lack of weight on my chest, and the long hair that stuck to the sides of my sweaty face.
I choked a little on air as I jolted upright, nearly falling out of the bed. The small hands and the missing presence of the small tattoo on my right wrist caught my attention next. The lack of metal in my lip when I sank my teeth into it further increased my anxiety and had me squeaking a bit. I stood up off the bed after catching my bearings for a moment, attempting to breathe deeply as the thought 'It's just a dream' kept repeating over and over in my head.
Softly, with the tiny feet attached to overly thin legs, I walked over towards a floor length mirror that was set next to the bedroom door.
I squeezed my eyes tight as I tried to keep my breathing steady. What I had caught a glimpse of nearly had me panicking.
I opened my eyes and stared at the reflection of a small girl that stared back. A strangled scream escaped as I tried to contain it. I covered my mouth and the young girl mimicked the action.
"It's a dream, a dream, it has to be, this can't be real, no way." I was almost hysterical as I let the words filter out like a fully released tap. "No fucking way. No way!" I almost shouted, small hands gripped tightly at long brown locks. Wild blue eyes stared fearfully back from the mirror. Tears welling up in them.
I quickly pinched myself several times. The pain just made more and more tears fall. My family. My friends. Everyone. No way. This can't be real! I can't be a child again! I can't be here! My baby! My child! My brothers! No. No!
A scream ripped from my throat as I fell to my knees, a sob letting go as I hugged myself as tightly as I could.
Thumping steps echoed from the hallway and a second later a panicked couple stormed into the room, the woman had long beautiful straight light brown hair, and wide panicked blue eyes. A yellow robe wrapped around her body, it was slightly skewed like she had fallen asleep in it.
The man had short, curly darker brown hair and dark green eyes, a start of a goatee and a smattering of freckles across his cheeks. He had long lashes around his eyes that I couldn't help but notice. He was wearing blue plaid pajama pants and a gray tshirt.
"Jessica! Honey! Are you okay?" The woman asked, her eyes wide as she crouched onto the floor by my side.
Jessica? Who? Oh… She's talking to me.
"Why were you screaming honey?" The man crouched on the floor too, his hand resting on my head.
Memories swam in my head all at once. A throbbing headache followed soon after. It made my stomach turn, the amount of pain that hit at once. "Dad…" My voice was small, it hurt to talk. "I don't feel so good." I felt like I was going to hurl at any moment.
With a panicked motion and quick thinking, he had a small pink trashcan in front of my face right before I threw up everything in my stomach.
A cool hand was on my forehead in moments and I was quickly ushered back into the bed. "You're running a fever, honey. Stay in bed and I will bring you some water to rinse your mouth." The woman, this girl's mother, said gently.
"Mommy?" A tiny voice said and my bleary gaze moved to the doorway and there stood a little boy, the spitting image of his father, dark curly brown hair and bright green eyes, freckles splattered across his cheeks and nose.
"Max, Honey, Jessica is sick. Why don't you go down to the living room and watch some cartoons while daddy fixes breakfast." I knew this boy was around 6 years old. This body that I currently inhabited was probably around 12 years old, I can only guess from her memories of a birthday candle and the number 12 on balloons. I felt nauseous again when I thought about it. The very idea that I didn't make it long enough to see my son turn 2 years old. I moaned softly as I sat up and hurled again into the trash can. This is definitely going to the dump when I'm done.
A glass of water was handed to me and I rinsed my mouth quickly, spitting the water into the trash and I sipped the rest of the glass.
"Get some rest, dear." The woman gently brushed the hair from my face.
"Okay…" I mumbled, sudden exhaustion slamming into me like a freight train, my heavy lids slammed shut before I could even say another word.
To be honest, I couldn't really tell you how long I had been in and out of consciousness. I just know at some point I had been taken to the doctor simply because I just kept throwing up whatever I ate and could barely keep water down.
I remember a doctor mumbling something about scarlet fever but that didn't really make sense to me.
When I finally regained consciousness enough to sit up, I was told I had been in and out for a month. My… Mother was at my bedside when I woke up officially. It was confusing. My mind was fuzzy and the room was so white it hurt to keep my eyes open.
So far I've been able to keep food down for the last day or so. My body was feeling weak and I DEFINITELY lost weight. So now I look like Skeletor and I'm not exactly ecstatic about it.
"When can I eat more solid foods?" My voice whined out. It was high pitched and grated on my ears. When can I get a deeper voice?
"The doctor's have to make sure you aren't going to throw anything up, introducing solids so early might not be good on your tummy." Mom said.
It's been a few days now and it's still so weird for me to call her that. "Okay, mom." I sighed. It also felt weird to call her that. My memories say one thing, but my heart said another.
A knock at the door alerted us both to a new visitor. The same curly haired man from before stepped in with a wide smile. "Hey kiddo!" he said happily, walking in, the same little boy from before practically hanging from his hand walked in with him.
"Jessie!" He shouted, slipping his hand free and running the short distance from the bed to the door, climbing up with the help of our mother.
"Hey, Maxie." I smiled. How could I not love this kid? He was so sweet.
"Are you all better now?" He asked curiously, his wide green eyes looking at me hopefully.
"Not quite, Max, I still need to stay for a few more days while they check and make sure everything is in working order!" I smiled at him, ruffling his hair.
"Awww." He pouted, taking my hand and holding it, his green eyes focused as he traced the visible bones in the top of it.
I sighed and looked at my parents. They both had relieved expressions. I couldn't bring myself to tell them I wasn't their daughter… Looks like I have some bonding to do! This is gonna be awkward.
It took a whole week before I could even go home. Home… that's gonna take a lot of getting used to. Even standing in the familiar living room. With its faded blue couch and almost brand new brown recliner… I was feeling homesick.
"What's wrong honey?" Dad walked up to me after he dropped a bag of groceries in the kitchen.
"Nothing dad." I smiled up at him. I fingered the long brown hair at my shoulder and sighed. "Actually… Do you think I could get a haircut?" I asked. The long hair was a nuisance. I had boy-cut hair in my past life. Being emo/punk with gauges and piercings and all. "I think I'm due for a change in style." I smiled sheepishly at him, hoping he wouldn't be the type of man who thinks girls should like pink and wear dresses and keep their hair long.
"Sure kiddo, we'll talk to your mom about it after dinner." He smiled warmly at me and it made my heart flutter anxiously. I smiled a little more genuinely and nodded. This man really cared for his daughter… who was now me.
"Thanks, dad…" I murmured.
A week after coming home, I found myself with a cute wavy bob and dressed head to toe in every non-pink item I found in my closet, standing in front of the entire classroom of 12-year-old children.
"Now that Jessica is back, why don't we give her the cards we all made for her." The teacher called sweetly to the class, her hand on my shoulder.
I felt a blush creep up my neck. "You guys didn't have to…" I murmured, causing half the class to come to a screeching halt. Apparently, I've been acting very out of character for the original Jessica. Her parents don't seem worried, so long as I'm healthy.
A small, dark-haired, glasses-wearing girl shyly made her way up to the front of the class to hand me a card that was covered in pink glitter and hearts. I smiled a bit vacantly, accepting the card. Memories told me this girl was Angela Weber. A nerd and a geek. How creative of this body's previous inhabitant.
"Thanks…" I muttered. A blond boy with baby blue eyes smiled widely at me as he handed me his card. It just said "Get Well" on it in black sharpie. Nothing creative on it.
"Gee thanks," I muttered, the boy was called Mike if memories are serving me correctly. These kids were looking strangely familiar… on a weird level.
"You're different." Lauren sat next to me at lunch. "You're not so annoying, what happened? Did you hit your head too?"
I sneered a bit, I've never really liked Lauren, she constantly picked on Angela who I preferred over her. "No, I just had my life flash before my eyes and realized I didn't want to be labeled as a snobby wannabe princess."
She bristled, as though I attacked her personally. "What is wrong with you?" She sneered at me.
"Nothing, I just decided to not care about how people see me." I smiled at her, "Now can you move? That seat is for Angela." I waved said girl over, she was smaller than me, but I knew somehow that was going to change.
"You!" Lauren stood up, face red with rage. "You'll regret this Jessica Stanley!" She cried.
"I doubt it, Lauren Mallory." I smiled gleefully as I waved goodbye to her as she walked away.
"What happened with you and Lauren?" Angela asked softly, as though she were afraid to ask.
"Nothing, I just decided I didn't want to be friends with her anymore," I responded, shoving a carrot into my mouth. With this second chance at adolescence, I was definitely going to eat better and actually maybe exercise more.
"But why? She's like… your best friend." Angela seemed genuinely confused.
"Well, I guess that makes you my best friend now." I smiled widely at her.
She blinked her wide, doe-like brown eyes at me through her thick lenses. "O-okay!" She smiled hesitantly.
I nodded. "You won't regret this Angie! I promise." I grinned at her.
Well that marks the end of chapter one! I really hope you enjoyed this rewrite of It Had to be Jessica! I hope to get more chapters posted sometime this year! For those who are new to our Jess' story, welcome! To the OG readers! Welcome back! I really hope this version is more enjoyable than the previous as I will be working very hard on putting in more detail, specifically in the relationship between Jessica and her family.