Before he knew what was happening James was in the car with his Dad and being driven to Boy Scouts.
As he sat he felt another tingle come over him, he was still wearing Jared's clothes but looking in the mirror he saw a face that was recognisably his own.
Or rather, it would have been what his face had looked like in Eight Grade. Smoother, younger.
Something was off though. Jared's small clothes, which he was still wearing, continued to fit him, in fact they even felt a little looser than before.
James knew, based on the uniform, that Jared had been small for his age, but now James was back in his own body not only was he still somewhere between 13 and 14 years of age based on his general appearance, but he was now a small 13 or 14.
That was not right.
He had always been taller than average. He remembered being 13 first time round and he had been 5'5" (and within a year, 5'8" and well on the way to the strapping and athletic six footer he knew he was to become).
Somehow his reality had merged with that of Jared, he had gone back in age but despite regaining his own 13 year old body, had somehow lost some of his genetic potential along the way.
James thought back to his Scout troop. What had it been like? There had been a lot of rough games, and what he had enjoyed, and excelled in, as one of the bigger guys there might be a whole lot less fun as a small guy. He remembered that there was one guy who had been the smallest in the group throughout the years: Little Sam. That hadn't looked much fun.
They arrived. James went to change into his uniform only to find that what had felt like a size or two big in the shop now seemed very large and very roomy. He checked the label "Year 13-14: Size Small". How little was he? He not only seemed short but slight as well. Everything about him seemed underdeveloped. This was not how things should be. He recalled always being complimented as a teen about how big and strong he was, and he more than held his own against any of his contemporaries. Not much chance of that now.
Going through to the hall he noticed with a shock that all of his old troop were there, all as he remembered them. They recognised him too and no one seemed surprised at his new smaller stature and build.
He was, by some way, the smallest one there, and felt even smaller in his oversized and ill fitting uniform. Even "Little" Sam (who was there, just as he had remembered) had a good five inches on him, and seemed much larger and more grown in every way.
James gulped. He couldn't be more than 4'4" now. Was he stuck in this body until he grew? Even then was he ever going to reach his original height, or was he still going to end up short, in proportion to his current height.