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My Only Wish

Chapter Four

Payson manages cleans all the milkshake off of her, but it looks like the shirt is ruined. The strawberry milkshake had seeped into it and looks like it's stained. It doesn't matter much considering Kelly's closet is like a store in itself. It even rivals the walk-in closets Lauren and Kaylie have at their houses, which is something Payson had thought was impossible till now.

After washing up, Payson takes some time to explore Kelly's gigantic house out of pure curiosity. She peers into rooms and each of them (other than Kelly's, which is frankly, a big sty) looks like something out of a home and lifestyle magazine or pictures in a hotel brochure. Everything is orderly and looks almost unused. The furniture is lavishing and expensive. Payson isn't exactly surprised that Kelly Parker is a spoiled little rich girl. It at least explains a little.

As Payson grabs a bottle of water from the refrigerator and stands in the silence, she expects to hear a car pull in the driveway or the sound of the door being unlocked. However, that doesn't happen. Payson can't help, but wonder where the Parkers are exactly. Despite being decorated with such nice, expensive things, the house feels so empty.

It's so quiet that when the doorbell rings, Payson jumps at the sudden sound.

Now who could that possibly be?

Payson goes to the door and answers it. A rush of cold air hits her and Payson shivers. She looks up to find Nicky in a thick black coat, rubbing his hands together. She's about to ask what he's doing here. Then she remembers how they drove to Denver Elite together just this morning. The look on his face tells her that he's thinking about the exact same thing.

"Really, this thing you do where you ditch me is getting old, Parks," he says.

Crap! With all the milkshake drama, Payson totally forgot about how he was her ride.

"I am so sorry, Nicky!" she says immediately. Payson doesn't know if she could ever convey to him how bad she feels. "I completely spaced. I haven't been having the best day and—"

"Did you, Kelly Parker, just say sorry to me?" he asks, looking confused with his fingers splayed across his chest. "And you just called me Nicky again."

"I—I—"

"Seriously, what game are you trying to play?" Nicky asks, narrowing his eyes at her.

Payson folds her arms over her chest. "No game."

Nicky laughs. "You're Kelly Parker. It's always a game."

Payson doesn't know what to say to that and when Nicky takes a step towards her, she stands her ground like the real Kelly Parker probably would do. Nicky sees this in the way he looks her up and down, probably calculating his next move. He brings his hand up to caress her cheek and takes hold of her chin, gently tilting her face so their eyes meet. His eyes are still narrowed suspiciously as if searching her face for the answers, but Payson is pretty sure he's as empty on his side as she is on hers.

"You know, I heard about the milkshake thing in the parking lot. And I know you've probably already got your entire elaborate revenge plot cooked up in your head, but they're just stupid girls, Kel. You don't have to do anything. Just let it go. You can practice that 'walking away' thing we've been talking about," Nicky says. Their faces are so close then. "I could make you forget…"

His low, sexy voice trails off and Payson closes her eyes and waits to hear him continue, but he doesn't. Suddenly, she feels his lips press hard against hers and it takes her completely by surprise. Payson associates kissing Nicky with California and an almost dream-like atmosphere and a touch that's as light and gentle as the flutter of a butterfly's wings. This, being kissed in the doorway, is fast and hard and almost sinful. When she feels his tongue trace her bottom lip, Payson presses her hands against his chest and shoves him away from her.

It hurts her to see Nicky looking so hurt, but this feels too wrong.

"Y—you need to go," Payson says.

"Kelly—"

"Please go," she says through gritting teeth.

Being the gentleman he is, Nicky respects her request and starts walking backwards and out the front door that's been open this entire time. He's wearing an expression that asks what is wrong with you? But even more heartbreaking, it sort of looks like what did I do wrong?

"So I guess you don't want to go pick up the Christmas tree tonight," he says. Nicky isn't standing that far away from her, but he sounds so distant.

Payson firmly shakes her head from side to side. "Maybe some other night."

"Alright. Just text me," Nicky says. "I'll see you later, Parks."

Payson shuts the door after him. Her head is racing. She has no idea what just happened. Her lips are still wet from kissing him and all she can seem to do is stand there and replay the last few minutes in her head. She tries to figure out how she could have handled that better, something she could have said so Nicky wouldn't have looked at her like that. Payson has no clue.

Some time later, Payson takes a step away from the door and the bell rings again.

Who could it be now?

Payson opens the door and she comes face to face with herself. There's her face and her blonde hair that's pulled back in a simple low, ponytail. The tip of her nose is red, probably from the cold and she's wearing the sweater her grandmother bought her last Christmas. What's almost unrecognizable is the pissed off look on her face, eyes narrowed and jaw tense.

It's weird to be yelled at by yourself especially when the words are, "Give me back my body, you bitch!"

Making a sound that can only be described as a "war cry", Kelly sprints forward and slams the door shut after her. Then her hands go straight for Payson's neck, obviously trying to strangle her. Payson just backs up, panicked, as her mirror image starts to choke her.

"K—Kelly, STOP! Kelly, you're going to hurt you—yourself!"

With her hands still on her neck, Kelly pauses. "Keeler? Is that you in there?"

"Yeah! Now let go!" Payson shouts, pushing her away.

The two girls stand in the foyer and just stare at each other. Both are seeing the image that they should see when they look in the mirror. Neither can seem to form words as the silence settles in. This moment right here is the definition of out-of-body experience.

"Let me guess," Payson says calmly. "You woke up this morning and you…you weren't you. You looked like me."

"Oh God. It's so much more than just looking like you, Keeler," Kelly says. "I was lying in your bed. In your house. My voice sounds like you. Everyone I meet thinks I'm you. I'm living your freaking life! It's like a freaking nightmare that won't end! What the hell is going on?"

"I have no idea," Payson says. If she weren't so confused and scared, she'd probably be offended; however, the fact that Kelly Parker finds her life unsatisfactory is the least of her worries right now. "The last thing I remember is getting home from that Christmas party and going to sleep."

"Same here," Kelly says.

Payson can't help herself from laughing. "Well, I'd say you did a little more than sleep last night."

Kelly's about to ask her what the fuck she's talking about when the realization hits her.

"You woke up with Nick this morning," Kelly says flatly.

"Ah, so you call him Nick?" Payson asks. "That's why he freaked out every time I called him Nicky."

Kelly groans. "Oh God times two. You're ruining my life, aren't you?"

"It's not like I'm doing it on purpose," Payson says. "I can't imagine practice at the Rock went that much better for you."

"Don't worry. I avoided your little friends. That's the last thing I needed today. They're probably a little overly sensitive about me rejecting them, but I could have easily made things ten times worse if I did talk to them. Rest assured, Keeler, your precious friendships with the teamies will survive." Hearing this, Payson breathes a sigh of relief and Kelly smirks. "So when were you going to tell me you're an artistic gymnast now?"

Payson stiffens.

"Tisk. Tisk. Look at us. Me, the former National Champion, and you, downgraded from my top competition to an artistic gymnast," Kelly laughs bitterly. "Oh how the mighty have fallen, haven't we?"

As much as she wants to disagree just to argue with Kelly Parker, Payson really can't.

"How did you get here anyways?" Payson asks.

"Oh, your little friend, Tucker, gave me a lift," Kelly explains. She pats down the top of her head, smoothing down the stray strands. "I have helmet hair, don't I? Or, well, you have helmet hair."

Payson's eyes widen. "You rode her from Boulder on the back of Austin's motorcycle? I bet you didn't even tell my mom you were leaving, did you? Are you trying to get me killed? If the weather doesn't do it then my mom sure will."

Kelly groans. "One, I rode to Austin's house on his motorcycle and then we took his car here. Two, what's with your mom? She's been on my ass all day."

"It's because she's my mom. It's what she does. It's what they all do. Did she ask any questions? She must have known right off the bat that I was acting strange," Payson muses. "By the way, you do have parents, don't you?"

"Hmm, that's debatable," Kelly says.

"What's that even supposed to mean?" Payson questions.

"Can we just focus here?" Kelly asks. "How did this happen and how do we reverse it?"

"Your guess is as good as mine," Payson says. "Alright. Tell me what you remember from last night and don't leave anything out. Every little thing can be important."

"Keeler, you're sick. Go Google porn. That's what it's for," Kelly says.

"That isn't what I meant and you know it! Wow and you're telling me to focus?" Payson sighs and crosses her arms. Cooperating with Kelly Parker definitely goes down as things she is not fond of. "So there was the Christmas party…"

"Right," Kelly says. "And I left early because it was probably the stupidest waste of time. Plus, Nick was playing nice-nice with Kaylie Cruz. If that didn't kill the festive mood for everyone then I don't know what did. I grabbed my coat and then I left…and I saw you out front looking up at the sky and I was about to tell you how stupid you looked, but then there was that shooting star…"

It's like a light bulb goes off in Payson's head. How could she have forgotten?

"And you made a wish," Payson says tentatively.

Kelly nods. "Yeah, but it was stupid."

"So what did you wish for?" Payson asks eagerly.

Kelly immediately narrows her eyes. "None of your business, Keeler."

"Um, I'm stuck in your body, Kelly. As far as I'm concerned it is my business," Payson says.

Kelly looks away. "What did you wish for?"

Payson sighs. It's not that she wants to do things Kelly Parker's way, but if she doesn't, they'll probably talking in circles all night. "I wanted to be a power gymnast again."

Kelly can't stop herself from laughing out loud. "And you got that wish."

"Your turn," Payson says quickly. "What did you wish for?"

Kelly's eyes tilt downward almost like she can't even bring herself to look Payson in the face any longer. She almost looks…vulnerable. Payson doesn't know what to think of this observation. In this moment, Kelly Parker looks more human than pain in the ass from hell.

"I wanted to know what it was like to have a real family," Kelly confesses.

Payson thinks of this big, empty house and the parents Kelly refuses to address. She then thinks of her own family who are probably home in Boulder and worried sick wondering where she is. It makes sense. As far as typical All-American families go, the Keelers are the perfect candidates.

"And you got your wish," Payson says slowly. "We must have made our wishes at the exact same time and somehow they came true."

"This is crazy," Kelly says. "Do you realize how crazy you sound right now?"

"How else would you explain this?" Payson challenges.

Kelly goes quiet. She really doesn't know how to explain this at all.

"So what are we supposed to do?" Kelly asks. She sounding completely unhinged, borderline helpless. "I can't live your life. I don't know how to be anyone but me and that's probably going to piss off a lot of people in the process."

"Your life isn't a walk through the park either," Payson says. "Do you get milkshakes thrown in your face every day or was today some special occasion?"

Kelly suddenly looks serious. "Who Milkshake Faced you? I never get Milkshake Faced."

"I don't know who she was. Blonde. Short. Gymnast. She didn't look too emotionally stable. She said something about you tattling to Marty on her about something," Payson says.

"Jenna," Kelly says. "Tell me, was there a curly haired bitch-looking girl with her?"

Payson would never think to describe someone as "bitch-looking" ever, but when Kelly says it, an image automatically comes to her mind.

"Yeah," Payson says. "She was watching the entire time. Smiling."

"Stephanie. God, I hate her. I don't care if you believe me or not, but just so you know, I didn't tell Marty shit. Stephanie must have told Marty herself and then told Jenna I was the one who tipped him off. Hmm, sneaky," Kelly says. "Okay. So this is what you do. I'm going to send a text and tomorrow morning you drive by the pet store. Wait at the back door and a guy named Jimmy is going to give you two hundred of his most annoying, ugly crickets. Then in the parking lot, her sister, who hates her just as much as I do, is going to slip you the keys to Stephanie's car—"

"You know, Nicky says you should just walk away," Payson interrupts.

Kelly scowls. "And where's the fun in that? Especially since Stephanie actually deserves it."

Payson shakes her head. "I don't even understand how you two are friends…"

"Eww. Stephanie and I aren't—"

"No," Payson says. "I mean you and Nicky."

"And you want to explain to me how you and Lauren Tanner are friends?" Kelly counters.

Payson doesn't reply. Kelly does have a point.

"Anyways, you've seen Freaky Friday before, haven't you?" Kelly asks. Payson shakes her head. No. "Well, that's unfortunate. My point is that all the movies and things I've seen it looks like our only option is to let the wish run its course, which sucks because I'm an instant gratification kind of girl."

"There must be a book or something that could give us answers," Payson muses.

"It's past six. The Denver Public Library is closed," Kelly says. Payson gives her a weird look. "What? Kelly Parker owns a library card. Real shocker."

"Is there a Borders or Barnes and Noble nearby?"

"Yeah, there's one a few blocks from here," Kelly says.

"Let's go," Payson says. "If we don't figure this thing on tonight then you need to get home before eight or else my mom is going to completely lose it."

Kelly giggles. "What? Is she going to ground me or something?"

"Probably," Payson answers.

"Wait, parents actually do that in real life?" Kelly asks. She looks genuinely curious.

Payson just nods her head and Kelly still looks at her with such wonderment. She doesn't know where Kelly's parents are and something tells her that asking about them is out of the question. Something struck Payson hard when hearing what Kelly wished for. Maybe it's the way she looked when she said it or what it actually is. Despite how Kelly can say horrible things sometimes, moments like that convince Payson she isn't all that evil.

Before they leave, Kelly insists on going up to her room and grabbing a few things to bring back to Boulder incase they don't find a quick fix while roaming the aisle at the bookstore. Payson waits impatiently by the door as Kelly grabs random things and stuffs them into a bag. Kelly then suggests that they hold onto their own cell phones, screen calls and forward important text messages to each other. At least they'll have something that makes them feel a little like themselves. They just need to keep them out of everyone else's sights.

The bookstore is a failed attempt. They look through the spirituality and occult section, even science fiction and the children's Christmas books. Well, actually, Payson searches relentlessly. Kelly looks around for a bit, gets bored, goes with her Freaky Friday theory and picks up an issue of Us Weekly.

The problem Payson finds with the many sources she pulls off the shelves is that these are mostly works of fictions. They don't provide any directions for reversal. Once Payson exhausts her brain and Kelly makes her way through every celebrity gossip magazine on the rack and has given Payson her opinion on each article, they decide to call it a night and drive back to Boulder. They must have lost track of time because it's nearly 10 PM when Kelly's car finally pulls up in front of Payson's house.

"You do know how to drive, right?" Kelly asks sharply.

"For the tenth time, yes," Payson says. "I drove from Denver Elite back to your house and your car is still in one piece. There's your GPS. I think I'll be fine."

"Alright. Crash my car and you're dead, Keeler," Kelly says threateningly. She reaches to unbuckle her seat belt and looks between Payson and the lit house in front of them. "So do you want to go inside and get anything?"

"No. It's fine," Payson says. "Plus, the second you step in there my mom is going to verbally destroy you."

"Joy," Kelly says, leaning back into the leather seat of her car.

"Need I remind you that you did wish for this," Payson says.

"Whatever," she responds.

"Just…be good to them, okay?" Payson says gently.

"I'll try," Kelly says, looking down at her tangled fingers. Her voice is so soft and unlike the Kelly she's used to. In an instant, Kelly's narrowed eyes cut through the dark and find Payson. "And don't you dare have sex with Nick."

Payson looks appalled Kelly would even ask. "Of course I won't."

"I'm serious," Kelly says for emphasis. "Don't even kiss him or flirt with him because, really, Keeler, the fact that it's you doing all of that in my body with him thinking it's me is beyond sick. Don't even tell him about any of this."

Payson nods. "We can't tell anyone."

"Not like they'll believe us," Kelly scoffs. "I already tried with your sister and your mom. They thought I was trying to be funny or having a mental, hormonal breakdown. It was not pretty."

"It's probably best to leave that one alone," Payson says. "And try to be nice to my friends."

"I will try to not engage, but I can't make any promises either," Kelly says.

"No. You're going to be nice or…" Payson puts on her confident, game time expression. "Or I'll cut off all your hair."

Kelly glares. "You wouldn't."

"You want to rest it?" Payson says. It's obviously a bluff, but Kelly eventually relents and agrees.

They share a gaze before Kelly leaves the warmth and safety of her car and goes out into the cold. Payson moves behind the wheel and starts the engine. Standing on the front porch of the Keeler house, Kelly watches Payson drive off with her car and her face and her life. Once she takes a moment to mentally prepare for what's waiting for her inside, Kelly unlocks the front door with her keys and goes inside.

Walking through the house that's entirely too quiet, Kelly sees a pile of boxes with 'Christmas decorations' scrawled on the side in permanent marker. They're yet to be touched. There's a light on in the kitchen and right when Kelly is about to turn right around and head for the stairs, she hears a tight voice call out for Payson.

Kelly's hands curl into fists and she inwardly curses as she walks into the kitchen. There she finds Kim sitting at the kitchen table with her hands cupped around a ceramic mug. Standing there, Kelly purses her lips, trying to quickly piece together some sort of careful explanation or excuse that sounds like an apology, but isn't one. This type of confrontation is so far out of her comfort zone that Kelly has no clue how to handle it.

"Look, before you say anything—"

"Sit," Kim demands. Kelly doesn't like her tone and when she's about to make that known, Kim just looks at her with such disappointment it's overwhelming. Again, she repeats, "Sit."

Kelly doesn't know what comes over her or why she feels so submissive, but she does as she's told. She pulls out the chair across the table and sits down, squirming against the cold seat.

"I'm going to tell you the situation as calmly as I possibly can and then you need to try and help me understand because, frankly, Payson, I can't make sense out of a single thing," Kim says tightly. Kelly holds her breath. "First, you defied Sasha and threw a little temper tantrum, refusing to train."

"It wasn't a—"

"I'm not finished," Kim cuts her off. Her voice rises both in volume and anger. "You spend the rest of the day doing God knows what, avoiding me and your coach and your friends. Then I get word that you disappeared and the last time you were seen you were on the back of Austin Tucker's motorcycle? His motorcycle, Payson! I didn't know Austin Tucker was even on your radar. How did that happen? And now you come home past ten o'clock at night. You haven't called once to check in. What were you thinking?"

"I…I guess I wasn't," Kelly says. In her head, Kelly thinks, no one usually cares enough to want to know this stuff.

"You're damn right you weren't!" Kim shouts. Catching herself, the woman stops and presses her fingers to her temple. "Alright. Let's hear it. What's going on?"

"I can't tell you," Kelly says. It must be the wrong thing to say because Kim looks enraged.

"I've had to put up with a lot lately, Payson. This whole family has and right now you aren't making any of it easier," Kim says. "I've blamed it on your body changing and the hormones before, but now…now I'm not sure that's a good enough excuse anymore. So what is it? Tell me what's going on. Honey, we tell each other everything."

"Not this," Kelly says, shaking her head. "You couldn't possibly understand what I'm going through right now. You can't possibly get what it's like. I don't feel like me. I feel like a completely different person and everything is so screwed up. Believe me, if I tried to tell you everything, you'd think I was crazy. No. I can't."

"Payson, just tell me," Kim nearly begs.

Shaking her head and fighting the tears, Kelly glares and snaps, "Why do you even care?"

"Because I'm your mother and I love you damn it!" Kim screams.

Instead of fighting and bitching, Kelly Parker sits there in a stunned silence. Kim sighs and tells her to go to bed and they'll talk about a punishment in the morning. Kelly remains in a state of paralysis. She doesn't think she's ever heard someone say that to her before. Not ever.

A/N: Thanks for the continued support of this story! Now I hear that every time you review, an elf gets a free rum & egg nog at the bar after work. C'mon. They're working hard for us, the least we could do is get them a little more drunk a little quicker. 10 more days till Christmas!

xoxo