It's a Max Phoebe Thing

Author's Note: I'm sorry if this gets a little confusing. I'm writing under the assumption that everyone is actively thinking about the fact that their bodies are switched, so when I say "Phoebe did this" you all realize I mean Phoebe, who is in Max's body, did this. Though, there are a few times where the narration will draw attention to the fact that they are looking at their own body, and I feel like that is where it starts getting more confusing. If it becomes unclear who is doing what, let me know. In my head, I naturally know exactly what is going on, and the way I write it makes sense to me. I hope it makes sense for everyone else, too, but I get how following a body-swap story could actually be really tough. TV and movies are clearly a more effective medium for the device, but I personally think I'm doing an adequate job keeping things straight. Anyway, enjoy the chapter, and let me know what you think. :)

Chapter Three

Phoebe's hands were trembling as she took her seat, making sure to sit in Max's usual spot at the end of the table and leaning back in the chair. "Good morning," their mother said, dropping a kiss on both of their heads as she laid plates of pancakes in front of them. "Was something the matter, Phoebe? You ran down here in a hurry."

Phoebe barely managed to stop herself from saying something. She's not talking to me, she thought, she's talking to Max. It was starting to dawn on her just how difficult it could be to keep their secret. She and Max are just so different.

"Uh, no not really," Max said, mouth full. Phoebe never spoke with her mouth full! Phoebe kicked him under the table. He seemed to recognize his mistake as he swallowed down the food quickly. "I just thought I left a notebook down in maaah... Max's lair, and I need the notes in it to study for a quiz on Monday."

"Oh," their mom said, fully convinced. "Did you find it, then?"

"No," he admitted. "I must have left it in my locker. I'll get the notes from Cherry later."

Breakfast continued in silence. That was good. If no one was talking, there was no way they would notice Max and Phoebe weren't acting quite themselves. Unfortunately, that silence wouldn't last forever. "So, Max," their dad said, voice taking a stern edge. "Are you going to tell us what you were doing out so late?"

Phoebe's eyes went wide and she shot a glance over at Max. His lips were pursed, and he was staring down at his plate. He couldn't exactly lie because he was currently Phoebe. And, like anything else, Phoebe had to begrudgingly admit that Max was right about her lack of lying ability. The rest of the family was staring at her, waiting for an answer. "Noooo?" she tried.

Max clearly wished he could say something, anything. "That's not an answer, mister," their mom warned, eyes taking on their dangerous glint. How did Max do this all the time? Coming up with plausible, convincing lies on the fly was hard. Or, maybe, he had stockpiled and memorized a list of lies he could tell depending on the situation, so he wouldn't have to worry about coming up with something when Mom and Dad put the heat on him. Either way, Phoebe really hated being Max.

She opened her mouth, ready to just come clean and tell them what had really happened to both of them. One look at Max, though, made her waiver. He glanced up at her under her own thick eye lashes, worrying his bottom lip. He knew she was about to blab, but he, for some reason, wasn't trying to stop her. For some reason, that tugged at something inside of her. Maybe it was just the fact that her own face was pouting at her, or maybe it was Max's plea not to get him in infinitely more trouble, but whatever it was, it worked.

"Okay, fine," she sighed, dropping her fork on the plate with a light clatter and holding her hands up in mock defeat. Max had already been caught and grounded. It wasn't like telling them 'why' would hurt any more. "The guys and I wanted to catch a movie."

"And asking didn't cross your mind?" Dad asked, raising his eyebrows. "It's a weekend, we probably would have said yes. Come on, Max. Do you think I'm stupid?" Max bit his lip a bit harder, this time probably trying not say something.

Dang it! The lie had seemed much more convincing in her head. Okay, Phoebe, she thought, trying to calm down. Just think. Think... Think... "Well," she said slowly, "not exactly. See, it was an R-rated movie, sooo..." She shrugged.

Surprisingly, Max let out a silent sigh of relief. Being grounded for two weeks was a realistic punishment for sneaking into an R-rated movie past curfew, so it wasn't like she just got Max in even more trouble. Max caught her eye once more. There was a small smile there as he mouthed the words, 'thank you.' She simply nodded in return.

Phoebe stopped listening to whatever her parents were saying after that. Something about responsibility and trust, maybe? She didn't care. She ate slowly. How had things ended up this way? At the moment, her life felt a lot like one of those Saturday morning cartoons she and Max used to watch when they were kids. The quirky cast of character somehow found itself in yet another wacky situation, this time their bodies switched. Chaos and craziness ensues as they try to switch back while keeping a low profile. Is that what would happen?

Or was it permanent? Were they stuck like that forever? Surely that wouldn't be the case. Max and Colosso would be able to figure out something, some convenient solution that would sort everything out, leaving their parents none the wiser, just like in the cartoons. Doubt filled her though. She didn't want to be Max forever, and she was positive Max would absolutely loath the idea of being her forever.

The whole situation was frustrating. She felt awkward in Max's body. It was like laying in bed and not being able to get comfortable, or wearing someone else clothes and they didn't fit quite right. Max was taller than she was, even if just by a little, and heavier too. She felt unbalanced.

She couldn't even imagine how weird it must have been for Max to be in her body. He looked positively miserable, shifting his weight constantly. And Phoebe wasn't the only one who noticed, it seemed.

"Phoebe, sweetie," Mom said, eyes now full of motherly concern, "are you alright?"

Max tried a lighthearted smile, but it was a bit too tense. "Yeah, of course," he lied. "I think I just slept a little weird, is all."

~OoO~

All in all, breakfast could not have ended soon enough. Billy and Nora ran to play outside, and their parents left to do whatever it was they did on Saturday mornings. "We should get back down to the lair," Max said under his breath as they took their dishes to the sink. "I'll meet you down there in a minute." She nodded and turned away. "Oh, don't forget to take the slide!" he hissed.

She did. Colosso was waiting when she got down there. "How was breakfast?"

"Agonizing and slow," she said, plopping down on the edge of Max's bed. "Max should be down in a minute. I really hope you've thought of something."