~*~DISCLAIMER: It SHOULD be well understood and quite obvious that we 3 cool gals DO NOT claim to own any part of the great show that is Charmed. HOWEVER, these characters ARE of our own copyright, and only the IDEA of the show Charmed will hold familiar to any of you (everything else is original). So Enjoy! ^_^~*~
Janelle
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Walking along the tan colored sidewalk adjacent to the black pavement that is the normally busy street that leads to the main entrance of her college, University of Florida, however now momentarily subdued as it was later in the evening, Janelle Ember lightly inhaled the familiar warm air, it caressing her caramel tinted cheeks.
"It's only a few blocks down from the campus, and yet I manage to find myself arriving late ANYWAY...all thanks to that NObody freshman, and that...that book worm..." She thought with slight bitterness as she approached her destination: a brightly lit house from the inside, with numerous movement of shadows brewing about. As she knocked on the door, straightening the front of her white blouse and black capris, fluffing the back of her short, black and auburn streaked curls, her mind wandered back to earlier that night prior to leaving for this party.
"...I have NO idea why, but for SOME reason those two rub me the wrong way...and I'm normally neutral or cheery with everyone else...I don't even KNOW them that well, either, except that they go to the same college as me, on the same floor in the dorms, and in gym class together...and yet..."
Suddenly her thoughts were interupted by the simultaneous occurrence of the door opening, and a guy she didn'toesn't recognize greeting her, then by an overwhelming, warm sensation that eerily washed over her which caused her to fall gingerly to her knees in mixed shock and surprise.
"WHOA, there! Are you all right, sweetheart?" Taking in a few deep breaths, regaining her composure, she looked up at the guy who now held her tightly around her waist, his jet black hair cascading down upon his shoulders, his overly tanned visage smirking down at her, and his beer sodden mouth blowing the toxic fumes in her face as he spoke.
"...Uh...yeah...yeah, I'm all right. I just um..got a little...light headed, was all; thank you, though..."
"No, thank YOU, baby! I take it you're here for Rachel's party, right? Well, come on in, honey! Now this party can REALLY begin now that YOU'VE arrived!"
Smiling faintly with distinct disgust riddled upon her face, Janelle nodded lightly as she slid by him and walked inside.
"...Right...thanks...and the name's Janelle, NOT 'baby...'"
"Oooh, an ICY one! That's all right, though! I like the challenge! I'll check you out later, ba--I mean, JANELLE! Enjoy the party!"
"..Yeah...enjoy dancing alone for the rest of the night..." She muttered to herself as she walked steadily away from the nuisance and quickly blends into the sea of fellow college students who were already there, mingling with one another or dancing on the vast floor inside the hostess' large house. Finding a place beside the snack table, helping herself to the array of different foods set out for the guests, a sad smile began to spread across her face as her mind reflected upon the particular guest at Rachel's party she was hoping to see...the sole reason she had even bothered to go, considering how she and Rachel really didn't even know one another that well.
"...Oh, I really hope he'll actually NOTICE me this time...then again, if he's with--"
"..Excuse me...Janelle, right?" Startled, she nearly choked on the bit of carrot in her mouth as she whirled around, her brown eyes meeting with the familiar gray eyes of a tall, young man with tawny colored skin and short, wavy, ash blonde hair, a usual strand gently falling into his eye, a feature upon his face that usually drove her mad. Upon at last realizing that she was merely standing there without responding, she cleared her throat, blushing furiously as she swiped her front teeth with her tongue to double check for any bits of carrot leftover before flashing her best smile his way, responding.
"Oh! Uh, y-yeah! Yes, that's right! My name is Janelle, and you're Charlie...C-Charlie Laeson...
Charlie smiled warmly back at her, nodding, sticking a hand into his pocket while his other hand held his cup of beer.
"Yeah, that's me! I've been wanting to say hello to you, since we have the same English Lit. class together, but I just never got the chance to do so."
"Ohhh, my God...I can't believe it...he actually NOTICES me! AND wanted to say hello! Finally! The one guy on campus that I'm actually interested in is interested in me, back!" She thought hazily to herself before responding, trying desparately to conceal her excitement.
"Oh! Yeah, well, that's ok, Charlie! I mean, you're saying hello NOW, right?? And uh...yeah!" The two of them laughed at this, hers more through sheer nervousness than anything else as she watched her obvious crush take a sip from his cup.
"Yeah, so, I wanted to tell you that I thought you did a really good job on your presentation about that Robert Frost poem; I never really found any of his poems to be that interesting until you 'dissected' that one in particular, and got me into it. You're definitely good in that class; I bet you don't even have to study for those hard tests, huh?" Blushing, an appreciative smile spreading across her face, Janelle looked down at her sandals.
"...Well, I dunno..I just...get it...you know?"
"Yeah...well, maybe--"
"Charlie! Baby, THERE you are! I have been looking ALL over for you!"
Looking up quickly, startled by the third party voice to intervene in on their conversation, Janelle rested her eyes upon the party's hostess and Charlie's steady girlfriend, Rachel, who swimmingly approached the two of them. Charlie turned around to greet her with a smile and tender hug.
"I was always here, Rache; you know I wouldn't leave you OR the party like that." Rachel smiled slyly at her boyfriend as she leaned forward to plant a light kiss upon his lips, her long dark brown hair resting against her slender back, and her short, black leather skirt slightly riding up as she did so.
"..Well, I should hope NOT, babe; you wouldn't want your girlfriend to start crying, now would you?"
"..I SWEAR she added the 'girlfriend' comment just to rub it in...as if I didn't ALREADY know who she was..." Janelle thought with sarcasm, clearing her throat lightly as she turned her back to them, reaching forward to pick up another carrot stick as she heard Charlie begin to explain to Rachel why he'd left her.
"I was just coming over to say hello to my fellow English Lit. classmate; the one I told you about?"
"Ohhh...you mean, the one who never studies and gets all the good grades, and thus makes the rest of we college students look bad?"
Janelle, cringing, allowed a firm frown to grow upon her face as she bit bitterly into her carrot stick.
"...Oh, I'LL make you look bad, all right...cheap floozy..."
"Uh, not exactly, hun; but she IS pretty smart. Um..." Turning around, sensing Charlie was about to speak her name, Janelle is only greeted with a blank expression upon his face, a crooked smile playing upon it.
"...Janelle..."
"Right! Right, Janelle! Sorry about that! Janelle, this is my girlfriend, Rachel; Rachel, this is Janelle."
"Yeah, we've already met once before; we have gym class together...Hey, Rachel." Janelle offers, smiling lightly at the brunette as she herself smiled a sugar coated grin at her before responding, purposely tracing a finger across Charlie's chest.
"Why, hello there, Janelle! Didn't think you'd actually show when I extended an invitation to you earlier this week..."
"I-I'm sorry?" Janelle stammered, forcing a smile, blinking with faint confusion.
"Oh! Well, YOU know! I've heard that you've always been one for humor, so I figured that you'd get my little joke, was all! But, since you're here, you might as WELL stick around! Come on, babe; let's go show these people how to REALLY dance!"
"..Nice talking to you, Janelle; see you in class..."
"...Yeah...see you..." Janelle answered with feigned enthusiasm, trying to desparately mask the embarrassment that was brewing inside her just then, watching the couple disappear into the growing crowd.
"...Well, THAT was the most horrifying moment of my life...nice going, Janelle! Didn't EVEN want to come to this stupid party of the biggest witch on campus, and yet you did anyway? WHY?? All for a GUY who's taken and undoubtedly not even interested in you to begin with ANYhow!" Pausing, she takes a deep breath, calming down.
"But, wait! No...I was never one to run away with my tail between my legs, and I'm not about to start now!...Even though I AM talking to myself like a loser...I'll just stick around a while longer, mingle, and have a little fun!"
The music began to grow louder just then, the people becoming more riled up as she watches Charlie, the object of her affection, and Rachel, the snob of HIS affection, finish up the number on the dance floor, her arms wrapping around his strong neck as the two of them continued to dance closer and closer together.
"...And yet, while I am not particularly fond of that girl at the moment..." Janelle trailed off, closing her eyes as she sighed lightly, whispering to herself, continuing.
"...I wish I were HER right now..." As those words were said, an overwhelming feeling began to grow from deep within the pit of her stomach, the same sensation from earlier when she'd first arrived at the party washing over her once more. Snapping open her eyes, she quickly clutched her stomach as she raced out of the room and to the nearest bathroom. Finally finding one, she swings the door closed behind her, rushing to the toilet and opening her mouth, ready to release whatever leftover fragments of food that apparently wasn't agreeing with her to cause her stomach so much distress. But nothing ever came out. When the sensation finally subsided, Janelle slowly pushed herself from off of the floor and slinks over to the sink, her eyes cast downward instead of towards the mirror as she began to wash her hands.
"...Well, that was definitely weird...Whomever heard of a vomit feeling sort of nausea and NOT then inducing vomitting? Bet it was those carrots...she probably spiked THOSE, too...Screw this, I'm outta he--"
Janelle abruptly cut herself off when her eyes elevated towards the mirror to gaze upon her reflection...only to be greeted by that of Rachel's instead.
"AHHHH!! Oh!! Oh!!" She clutched the front of her blouse, trying to calm herself down as the reflection of Rachel did the exact same procedure.
"Hey, is everything all right in there??" Slowly turning her head towards the voice behind the closed door, her eyes still glued to the mirror and the new reflection, she managed to murmur a faint reply.
"...Uhhh...yeah...I just saw a...a rat, that's all...More like a GIANT rat..." Hearing footsteps walk away from the door, the concerned individual clearly satisfied with the response, Janelle leaned forward towards the mirror hurriedly, her face twisted in confusion, disbelief, and genuine disgust.
"My GOD! What's HAPPENED to me?? I look like...I even SOUND like Rachel!!" She continues to panic as she squeezes her eyes shut, muttering frantically to herself.
"This isn't happening...this is just a dream...a really BAD dream that I'll be waking up from right.....NOW!" Janelle let out a mortified groan when she opened her eyes to see that her reflection was still not her own. Slowly raising an overly manicured and tanned hand up to her "new" cheek, she lightly whimpered to herself as her mind raced with thoughts of how this might have happened.
"Ok, ok...calm down, Janelle; no sense in having an aneurysm over this! There has to be a perfectly logical, perfectly sane reason behind all of this...I know! I'm hallucinating! Maybe she really DID spike those stupid carrots, and the effect is this! Yeah! So uh...I'm just gonna go back out there, get some fresh air, and everything will be just fine!"
Inhaling with an unsteady manner, Janelle shakily grasps the doorknob and slowly swings it open, walking out of the bathroom as if nothing peculiar had just occurred.
"Ok! So far, so good! No one's said anything, and no weird glances! Ooh! There's the door! Some good ol' fresh air should do the trick!" She hurriedly, though trying to do so calmly despite her best efforts, pushed the screen door leading to the front of the house open, taking another deep breath of the warm night air. Walking over to one of the many vacant porch chairs, Janelle sat down in one in a far corner, burying her face in her hands as she lightly moaned into them.
"...Are you ok, babe?" She jumped with a start as she heard the familiar voice of Charlie calling out to her, her eyes widening with surprise as he smiled back down at her, taking a seat next to her.
"I, uh...uh..."
"I just left you inside in the kitchen; how'd you get out here so fast?"
"Oh geez...that means I still look like--"
"Rachel, you don't look so good...maybe you drank too much beer..." Charlie started, raising a strong hand to Janelle's back and gently rubbed it, a worried smile playing upon his face.
"My GOD...HOW is it that all of the evil, rotten girls get all of the nice guys??" Janelle thought to herself in awe before answering.
"..Oh! Well, uh...I guess I just needed some..fresh air! Oh! Um...Babe!"
"Really? Well, if the air isn't helping you to feel better, maybe THIS will..." Janelle blushed ferociously as she watched her crush lean forward to kiss her, his eyes closing in anticipation. She jumped up out of her seat, nervous, before he could, however, letting him fall face first into her now vacant seat.
"T-That's ok! Because you know what? I am feeling MUCH better now! I really am! And now, I'm just gonna head on back inside and...host Rachel's...I mean, MY party! Yeah, I'll just go now, and--"
"Whoa, are you SURE you're all right, Rache? Because back inside you were practically ripping my clothes off, which is why I left to go get some air to cool off. And now that I'M making advances on YOU, you've suddenly gone all timid on me? I've never known you to be that way ever since we've started dating.."
"...YEAH, I can IMAGINE..." Janelle reflected, blushing and nervously giggling as she watched Charlie rise from his seat, advancing towards her and a mischievous smile forming upon his flawless visage.
"Yeah! Well...I think maybe I might be coming down with something, and I don't want you to catch it!" Smirking, Charlie lightly grabbed her waist and pulled her close, whispering.
"...I think I'll take my chances..."
And with that, Charlie once again leaned forward and planted a gentle kiss upon her nervous lips, she closing her eyes in spite of herself.
"This is wrong...this is DEFINITELY wrong...but, WOW..what a kisser..." As the two of them continued to kiss, they didn't even hear the screen door swing violently open, crashing against the side of the house.
"WHAT the HELL is going on, here?? I leave you for TWO minutes, and you're all over some...some common TRAMP, Charlie??!" Startled, Janelle and Charlie pulled away, a confused look upon his face while an embarrassed look cascaded upon her own as she ducked behind the tall boy, seeking refuge.
"Oh, gee! I DEFINITELY think that NOW would be a great time to leave!" She thought hastily as the events began to unfold.
"RACHEL?? What are you--?? No, wait! I was kissing YOU! How'd you get over there??"
"Oh, PLEASE! Don't give me that lame a$$ excuse! You know FULL well whom you were kissing, and it WASN'T me!! So! Who IS she?? Hmm?? Or have you stopped trying to catch the girl's name before you decide to make out with her behind your girlfriend's back??!" Rachel exclaimed as she rolled her eyes, scoffing with disgust as she angrily pushed her boyfriend.
Taking this clear distraction as an opportunity to escape, Janelle quickly and as steathly as possible, creeped down the porch stairs, thanking God that this particular street was dimly lit in general as she hurried behind a nearby bush.
"Sorry, Charlie, but it's either you, or ME. And while I'm not afraid of that overly ripe tart, there's NO conceivable way I'd EVER be able to explain THIS..."
"Baby, just let me explain! I--hey, where'd she go?? Oh, my God, am I going insane??"
"No! But you ARE going girlfriendless, because it's OVER between us!" Janelle could hear the two of them say before their voices got softer and more distant, the two of them obviously deciding to adjourn their tete à tete inside instead. Seizing the opportunity, she quickly walked away from the house and across the street, lowering her head towards the hard ground so that no one passing by and heading to the party could recognize her as Rachel.
Nearing the corner that would lead her the rest of the way back to the campus, Janelle stopped abruptly, exhaling and then inhaling heavily, finally realizing that she hadn't been breathing for the past few minutes.
"...I have...NO idea how to explain what just happened...I don't even know how or WHY it happened...but..." She trailed off, looking down at her hands, thankfully finally recognizing them as her own.
"At least it's over...AND I got a kiss from Charlie Laeson...now I KNOW there is NO way that anyone else tonight can top MY night's adventure..." Janelle concluded, lightly smiling to herself and in spite of herself once again, shaking her head lightly and resuming her walk, stuffing her hands into the pockets of her capris as she headed back to her dorm.
Janelle
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Walking along the tan colored sidewalk adjacent to the black pavement that is the normally busy street that leads to the main entrance of her college, University of Florida, however now momentarily subdued as it was later in the evening, Janelle Ember lightly inhaled the familiar warm air, it caressing her caramel tinted cheeks.
"It's only a few blocks down from the campus, and yet I manage to find myself arriving late ANYWAY...all thanks to that NObody freshman, and that...that book worm..." She thought with slight bitterness as she approached her destination: a brightly lit house from the inside, with numerous movement of shadows brewing about. As she knocked on the door, straightening the front of her white blouse and black capris, fluffing the back of her short, black and auburn streaked curls, her mind wandered back to earlier that night prior to leaving for this party.
"...I have NO idea why, but for SOME reason those two rub me the wrong way...and I'm normally neutral or cheery with everyone else...I don't even KNOW them that well, either, except that they go to the same college as me, on the same floor in the dorms, and in gym class together...and yet..."
Suddenly her thoughts were interupted by the simultaneous occurrence of the door opening, and a guy she didn'toesn't recognize greeting her, then by an overwhelming, warm sensation that eerily washed over her which caused her to fall gingerly to her knees in mixed shock and surprise.
"WHOA, there! Are you all right, sweetheart?" Taking in a few deep breaths, regaining her composure, she looked up at the guy who now held her tightly around her waist, his jet black hair cascading down upon his shoulders, his overly tanned visage smirking down at her, and his beer sodden mouth blowing the toxic fumes in her face as he spoke.
"...Uh...yeah...yeah, I'm all right. I just um..got a little...light headed, was all; thank you, though..."
"No, thank YOU, baby! I take it you're here for Rachel's party, right? Well, come on in, honey! Now this party can REALLY begin now that YOU'VE arrived!"
Smiling faintly with distinct disgust riddled upon her face, Janelle nodded lightly as she slid by him and walked inside.
"...Right...thanks...and the name's Janelle, NOT 'baby...'"
"Oooh, an ICY one! That's all right, though! I like the challenge! I'll check you out later, ba--I mean, JANELLE! Enjoy the party!"
"..Yeah...enjoy dancing alone for the rest of the night..." She muttered to herself as she walked steadily away from the nuisance and quickly blends into the sea of fellow college students who were already there, mingling with one another or dancing on the vast floor inside the hostess' large house. Finding a place beside the snack table, helping herself to the array of different foods set out for the guests, a sad smile began to spread across her face as her mind reflected upon the particular guest at Rachel's party she was hoping to see...the sole reason she had even bothered to go, considering how she and Rachel really didn't even know one another that well.
"...Oh, I really hope he'll actually NOTICE me this time...then again, if he's with--"
"..Excuse me...Janelle, right?" Startled, she nearly choked on the bit of carrot in her mouth as she whirled around, her brown eyes meeting with the familiar gray eyes of a tall, young man with tawny colored skin and short, wavy, ash blonde hair, a usual strand gently falling into his eye, a feature upon his face that usually drove her mad. Upon at last realizing that she was merely standing there without responding, she cleared her throat, blushing furiously as she swiped her front teeth with her tongue to double check for any bits of carrot leftover before flashing her best smile his way, responding.
"Oh! Uh, y-yeah! Yes, that's right! My name is Janelle, and you're Charlie...C-Charlie Laeson...
Charlie smiled warmly back at her, nodding, sticking a hand into his pocket while his other hand held his cup of beer.
"Yeah, that's me! I've been wanting to say hello to you, since we have the same English Lit. class together, but I just never got the chance to do so."
"Ohhh, my God...I can't believe it...he actually NOTICES me! AND wanted to say hello! Finally! The one guy on campus that I'm actually interested in is interested in me, back!" She thought hazily to herself before responding, trying desparately to conceal her excitement.
"Oh! Yeah, well, that's ok, Charlie! I mean, you're saying hello NOW, right?? And uh...yeah!" The two of them laughed at this, hers more through sheer nervousness than anything else as she watched her obvious crush take a sip from his cup.
"Yeah, so, I wanted to tell you that I thought you did a really good job on your presentation about that Robert Frost poem; I never really found any of his poems to be that interesting until you 'dissected' that one in particular, and got me into it. You're definitely good in that class; I bet you don't even have to study for those hard tests, huh?" Blushing, an appreciative smile spreading across her face, Janelle looked down at her sandals.
"...Well, I dunno..I just...get it...you know?"
"Yeah...well, maybe--"
"Charlie! Baby, THERE you are! I have been looking ALL over for you!"
Looking up quickly, startled by the third party voice to intervene in on their conversation, Janelle rested her eyes upon the party's hostess and Charlie's steady girlfriend, Rachel, who swimmingly approached the two of them. Charlie turned around to greet her with a smile and tender hug.
"I was always here, Rache; you know I wouldn't leave you OR the party like that." Rachel smiled slyly at her boyfriend as she leaned forward to plant a light kiss upon his lips, her long dark brown hair resting against her slender back, and her short, black leather skirt slightly riding up as she did so.
"..Well, I should hope NOT, babe; you wouldn't want your girlfriend to start crying, now would you?"
"..I SWEAR she added the 'girlfriend' comment just to rub it in...as if I didn't ALREADY know who she was..." Janelle thought with sarcasm, clearing her throat lightly as she turned her back to them, reaching forward to pick up another carrot stick as she heard Charlie begin to explain to Rachel why he'd left her.
"I was just coming over to say hello to my fellow English Lit. classmate; the one I told you about?"
"Ohhh...you mean, the one who never studies and gets all the good grades, and thus makes the rest of we college students look bad?"
Janelle, cringing, allowed a firm frown to grow upon her face as she bit bitterly into her carrot stick.
"...Oh, I'LL make you look bad, all right...cheap floozy..."
"Uh, not exactly, hun; but she IS pretty smart. Um..." Turning around, sensing Charlie was about to speak her name, Janelle is only greeted with a blank expression upon his face, a crooked smile playing upon it.
"...Janelle..."
"Right! Right, Janelle! Sorry about that! Janelle, this is my girlfriend, Rachel; Rachel, this is Janelle."
"Yeah, we've already met once before; we have gym class together...Hey, Rachel." Janelle offers, smiling lightly at the brunette as she herself smiled a sugar coated grin at her before responding, purposely tracing a finger across Charlie's chest.
"Why, hello there, Janelle! Didn't think you'd actually show when I extended an invitation to you earlier this week..."
"I-I'm sorry?" Janelle stammered, forcing a smile, blinking with faint confusion.
"Oh! Well, YOU know! I've heard that you've always been one for humor, so I figured that you'd get my little joke, was all! But, since you're here, you might as WELL stick around! Come on, babe; let's go show these people how to REALLY dance!"
"..Nice talking to you, Janelle; see you in class..."
"...Yeah...see you..." Janelle answered with feigned enthusiasm, trying to desparately mask the embarrassment that was brewing inside her just then, watching the couple disappear into the growing crowd.
"...Well, THAT was the most horrifying moment of my life...nice going, Janelle! Didn't EVEN want to come to this stupid party of the biggest witch on campus, and yet you did anyway? WHY?? All for a GUY who's taken and undoubtedly not even interested in you to begin with ANYhow!" Pausing, she takes a deep breath, calming down.
"But, wait! No...I was never one to run away with my tail between my legs, and I'm not about to start now!...Even though I AM talking to myself like a loser...I'll just stick around a while longer, mingle, and have a little fun!"
The music began to grow louder just then, the people becoming more riled up as she watches Charlie, the object of her affection, and Rachel, the snob of HIS affection, finish up the number on the dance floor, her arms wrapping around his strong neck as the two of them continued to dance closer and closer together.
"...And yet, while I am not particularly fond of that girl at the moment..." Janelle trailed off, closing her eyes as she sighed lightly, whispering to herself, continuing.
"...I wish I were HER right now..." As those words were said, an overwhelming feeling began to grow from deep within the pit of her stomach, the same sensation from earlier when she'd first arrived at the party washing over her once more. Snapping open her eyes, she quickly clutched her stomach as she raced out of the room and to the nearest bathroom. Finally finding one, she swings the door closed behind her, rushing to the toilet and opening her mouth, ready to release whatever leftover fragments of food that apparently wasn't agreeing with her to cause her stomach so much distress. But nothing ever came out. When the sensation finally subsided, Janelle slowly pushed herself from off of the floor and slinks over to the sink, her eyes cast downward instead of towards the mirror as she began to wash her hands.
"...Well, that was definitely weird...Whomever heard of a vomit feeling sort of nausea and NOT then inducing vomitting? Bet it was those carrots...she probably spiked THOSE, too...Screw this, I'm outta he--"
Janelle abruptly cut herself off when her eyes elevated towards the mirror to gaze upon her reflection...only to be greeted by that of Rachel's instead.
"AHHHH!! Oh!! Oh!!" She clutched the front of her blouse, trying to calm herself down as the reflection of Rachel did the exact same procedure.
"Hey, is everything all right in there??" Slowly turning her head towards the voice behind the closed door, her eyes still glued to the mirror and the new reflection, she managed to murmur a faint reply.
"...Uhhh...yeah...I just saw a...a rat, that's all...More like a GIANT rat..." Hearing footsteps walk away from the door, the concerned individual clearly satisfied with the response, Janelle leaned forward towards the mirror hurriedly, her face twisted in confusion, disbelief, and genuine disgust.
"My GOD! What's HAPPENED to me?? I look like...I even SOUND like Rachel!!" She continues to panic as she squeezes her eyes shut, muttering frantically to herself.
"This isn't happening...this is just a dream...a really BAD dream that I'll be waking up from right.....NOW!" Janelle let out a mortified groan when she opened her eyes to see that her reflection was still not her own. Slowly raising an overly manicured and tanned hand up to her "new" cheek, she lightly whimpered to herself as her mind raced with thoughts of how this might have happened.
"Ok, ok...calm down, Janelle; no sense in having an aneurysm over this! There has to be a perfectly logical, perfectly sane reason behind all of this...I know! I'm hallucinating! Maybe she really DID spike those stupid carrots, and the effect is this! Yeah! So uh...I'm just gonna go back out there, get some fresh air, and everything will be just fine!"
Inhaling with an unsteady manner, Janelle shakily grasps the doorknob and slowly swings it open, walking out of the bathroom as if nothing peculiar had just occurred.
"Ok! So far, so good! No one's said anything, and no weird glances! Ooh! There's the door! Some good ol' fresh air should do the trick!" She hurriedly, though trying to do so calmly despite her best efforts, pushed the screen door leading to the front of the house open, taking another deep breath of the warm night air. Walking over to one of the many vacant porch chairs, Janelle sat down in one in a far corner, burying her face in her hands as she lightly moaned into them.
"...Are you ok, babe?" She jumped with a start as she heard the familiar voice of Charlie calling out to her, her eyes widening with surprise as he smiled back down at her, taking a seat next to her.
"I, uh...uh..."
"I just left you inside in the kitchen; how'd you get out here so fast?"
"Oh geez...that means I still look like--"
"Rachel, you don't look so good...maybe you drank too much beer..." Charlie started, raising a strong hand to Janelle's back and gently rubbed it, a worried smile playing upon his face.
"My GOD...HOW is it that all of the evil, rotten girls get all of the nice guys??" Janelle thought to herself in awe before answering.
"..Oh! Well, uh...I guess I just needed some..fresh air! Oh! Um...Babe!"
"Really? Well, if the air isn't helping you to feel better, maybe THIS will..." Janelle blushed ferociously as she watched her crush lean forward to kiss her, his eyes closing in anticipation. She jumped up out of her seat, nervous, before he could, however, letting him fall face first into her now vacant seat.
"T-That's ok! Because you know what? I am feeling MUCH better now! I really am! And now, I'm just gonna head on back inside and...host Rachel's...I mean, MY party! Yeah, I'll just go now, and--"
"Whoa, are you SURE you're all right, Rache? Because back inside you were practically ripping my clothes off, which is why I left to go get some air to cool off. And now that I'M making advances on YOU, you've suddenly gone all timid on me? I've never known you to be that way ever since we've started dating.."
"...YEAH, I can IMAGINE..." Janelle reflected, blushing and nervously giggling as she watched Charlie rise from his seat, advancing towards her and a mischievous smile forming upon his flawless visage.
"Yeah! Well...I think maybe I might be coming down with something, and I don't want you to catch it!" Smirking, Charlie lightly grabbed her waist and pulled her close, whispering.
"...I think I'll take my chances..."
And with that, Charlie once again leaned forward and planted a gentle kiss upon her nervous lips, she closing her eyes in spite of herself.
"This is wrong...this is DEFINITELY wrong...but, WOW..what a kisser..." As the two of them continued to kiss, they didn't even hear the screen door swing violently open, crashing against the side of the house.
"WHAT the HELL is going on, here?? I leave you for TWO minutes, and you're all over some...some common TRAMP, Charlie??!" Startled, Janelle and Charlie pulled away, a confused look upon his face while an embarrassed look cascaded upon her own as she ducked behind the tall boy, seeking refuge.
"Oh, gee! I DEFINITELY think that NOW would be a great time to leave!" She thought hastily as the events began to unfold.
"RACHEL?? What are you--?? No, wait! I was kissing YOU! How'd you get over there??"
"Oh, PLEASE! Don't give me that lame a$$ excuse! You know FULL well whom you were kissing, and it WASN'T me!! So! Who IS she?? Hmm?? Or have you stopped trying to catch the girl's name before you decide to make out with her behind your girlfriend's back??!" Rachel exclaimed as she rolled her eyes, scoffing with disgust as she angrily pushed her boyfriend.
Taking this clear distraction as an opportunity to escape, Janelle quickly and as steathly as possible, creeped down the porch stairs, thanking God that this particular street was dimly lit in general as she hurried behind a nearby bush.
"Sorry, Charlie, but it's either you, or ME. And while I'm not afraid of that overly ripe tart, there's NO conceivable way I'd EVER be able to explain THIS..."
"Baby, just let me explain! I--hey, where'd she go?? Oh, my God, am I going insane??"
"No! But you ARE going girlfriendless, because it's OVER between us!" Janelle could hear the two of them say before their voices got softer and more distant, the two of them obviously deciding to adjourn their tete à tete inside instead. Seizing the opportunity, she quickly walked away from the house and across the street, lowering her head towards the hard ground so that no one passing by and heading to the party could recognize her as Rachel.
Nearing the corner that would lead her the rest of the way back to the campus, Janelle stopped abruptly, exhaling and then inhaling heavily, finally realizing that she hadn't been breathing for the past few minutes.
"...I have...NO idea how to explain what just happened...I don't even know how or WHY it happened...but..." She trailed off, looking down at her hands, thankfully finally recognizing them as her own.
"At least it's over...AND I got a kiss from Charlie Laeson...now I KNOW there is NO way that anyone else tonight can top MY night's adventure..." Janelle concluded, lightly smiling to herself and in spite of herself once again, shaking her head lightly and resuming her walk, stuffing her hands into the pockets of her capris as she headed back to her dorm.