“Wyatt we have a problem.”
“Yeah man, it’s pretty bad. But there is some good news! Which do you want hear first?”
Wyatt Quitch groaned after hearing his buddies Cal and Dean. It was just 2 more days before the big homecoming dance and his race for the crown had been nothing but drama and close calls up to this point. Bad news of any kind was the last thing he needed.
“Ugh, seriously guys? Well, I guess I’ll take the bad news first.”
“It’s about the homecoming election. Chuck’s group just put up some movie posters over your campaign ones in the quad.”
“Well, I guess that’s annoying but not the end of the world.”
Cal cleared his throat before breaking the news to Wyatt.
“Well it’s just that um… the movie posters are for the cheesy 80s Teen Wolf movie and some some kids movie called ‘Son of Bigfoot.’
“Fuck! That asshole! And what’s the good news?!”
“The good news is that you’re totally killing him in the online popularity polls so far. Homecoming king is basically in the bag! Chuck is just as bullying his way to votes, but you’re genuinely in the lead!” Dean said pointing at his phone’s latest poll updates.
“Well Thanks guys. But damn those movie posters are embarrassing. Do you think I should shave more? I know my dad was hairy in high school but I wasn’t expecting for it to all hit in the same semester…” Wyatt rubbed his hairy forearm. He would be sporting a full beard too if he didn’t shave so often. The shadow of it popped up every morning. It was a huge point of embarrassment for him, especially when he was in his volleyball uniform.
“I’d say keep it. Current social media statistics say body hair is in, especially with gay stan accounts.” Dean winked.
“It’s just that’s the only part of my body I can do anything about. I mean.. Chuck will make fun of my feet regardless.” Wyatt said staring down at his size 18 sneakers.
Dean let out a light chuckle.
“Relax, if anything they’re hot! You know what they say about guys with big feet right?”
Wyatt didn’t answer and just gave his friend a cold stare.
Cal leaned over and whispered “Real subtle there, casanova.”
Dean shrugged off Cal and responded to Wyatt’s stare.
“Hey don’t look at me like that! It’s that little saying that also bumps you up in the polls.“
Call rolled his eyes. “Dean may be blunt but he’s right. Wyatt, your odds of winning are looking fine. Plus what are you like, 6’5? It’s kind expected you’d have some big grippers man.”
“Can we stop talking about that and just take down the new posters?!”
Before the conversation could continue, the school intercom went off:
-Wyatt Quitch to the principals office-
Wyatt said goodbye to his friends and went to see what the principal of all things could want with him.
When Wyatt entered the office, he was confused at what he saw. Instead of principal Harold, it was some random guy in a suit.
“Hello Wyatt! My name is Mr. Clance. Your principal was kind enough to loan me his office for our meeting today. I’m your school’s “Big Bro Program” liaison. I believe you’ve heard of us?”
Wyatt nodded. “Yeah of course. You guys fund all the sports on campus. You’re actually the reason behind the newly refurbished gym.” Wyatt made an effort to sit up extra straight, these people even funded the homecoming dance.
“I’m glad you’re aware of our program’s contribution to your lovely school! It’s athletes like you that keep our program running you know. You all play a huge role in our successes.”
“Yeah thanks, I guess. Um, why am I here?”
“Well, unfortunately the reason I had to call you in today is that you, Wyatt Quitch, are behind in your obligatory “Big Bro” hours for all student athletes. My employers make sure the school board takes this very seriously. So much so that we explicitly write them into the sign up sheets for all sports on campus.”
Mr. Clance then reached into his briefcase and handed Wyatt a paper. “This is a document with your signature, created right before you enrolled into your current sport.”
According to this you have unfulfilled hours in the “Big Bro” body exchange program. 48 to be in fact. Unless these hours are completed, you won’t be eligible for homecoming king.
“Wait what??? There’s no way Chuck Mayfield has completed these requirements already!!! The dude hardly even does extracurriculars because he’s too much of a meat-head to remember anything outside of sports! He barley is keeping his GPA high enough to even get past that requirement to run for homecoming. Plus we’re both even in the sports front. He does football and I do volleyball.”
“I’m afraid Chuck had his exchange hours waived on account of having a certain number allergies. We have a threshold of 3 for these things to make it easier for middle schoolers to steer clear of certain dangers in their host bodies.”
“So he just doesn’t need to swap at all???”
“That’s correct. The reason we have the deadline in the late fall is due to many students waiting until the end of semester to fulfill they’re required hours. It reeks havoc to have that many middle schoolers swapped into older body’s at once.”
“I-I can’t be the only athlete who didn’t know this?”
“According to your file, you’re a natural talent. So good in fact that you don’t attend practice very often. If you did, you would have noticed your teammates taking the time to communicate with their swapped “Littles”. Your entire team has completed their hours except for you.”
“Please! I’m begging you, is there anyway I can still get these hours and still be eligible to win? I’ve been planning this since freshman year!”
“Well…. most of our swaps take place in increments of time going a little over an hour over the course of a week. However, your record is pristine so I’d like to offer you a deal. You can complete your 48 hours, consecutively. We swap you and your designated “little” for that time and you make up the hours.
“B-but the dance is this Friday. Wouldn’t my “Little” have my body then?!”
Mr. Clance took out his watch. “Hmm, if you come with me to the middle school right now we can get you swapped and on the clock almost immediately. It’ll be cutting it close but we should be able to swap you back right before your precious homecoming.”
Wyatt hurriedly did the math in his head. He would literally be swapped back a couple minutes before the crowing ceremony. Shit, at least he had his outfit picked out. If he could get the middle scholar onboard… Wyatt hated this turn of events but he could tell this was the full extent he what Mr. Chance could do for him.
“That’ll work. Thanks…”
“Perfect! Follow me, we mustn’t delay. I just messaged the middle school and your assigned Little will be prepped and waiting to swap.”
The car ride over to the middle school was brief as it was just down the street.
As he was getting out of the car, Wyatt spied an asian kid standing by the front gate next to what presumably was one of the school staff.
Mr. Clance gave the boy a firm handshake and dismissed his presumed escort.
“This here is Jay, he’s 13 years old has been assigned as your designated “Little.” He’s actually very excited about this! Aren’t you Jay?”
Jay excitedly nodded, too excited to even speak!
Wyatt look down at the kid in front of him. “Gosh, were middle schoolers always this small?” He thought to himself.
“Let’s get a move on boys! The swapping station is right in the front office.”
The boys were led past the ordinary middle school front desk and towards a stainless steel door. Once opened, it led to a pristine metallic room that was utterly featureless aside from a pairs of doors that were almost as reflective as mirrors.
“You can both remove your clothes at this point. And before you protest Wyatt, it’s all in the form you signed.”
“Figures… but still, I heard the swap process was a bit more- uh private?”
“It usually is, but seeing as that you’re making us cut it short on time, we’ll need to forego the usually formalities.”
Wyatt followed instructions and took off his clothes, he winced as his size 18us feet met the cold metal floor.
Wyatt tried his best not to blush from embarrassment as Jay stared at him. He couldn’t tell if it was from excitement or mortification at the thought of have to walk around on such large feet pretty soon…
Jay undressed as well. He was a slightly pudgy but you really couldn’t tell when his clothes were on. Wyatt did notice one thing.. seems this kid was just staring puberty because a certain part of him was more developed than the rest….
“Perfect! Now the body swap process is similar to the concept Schrödinger's cat. Quantum mechanics, paradoxes, and all that. Our scientists are trying to get us to stop explaining like that but it’s more or less true to how this works:
When you hear a ding noise, the two will both enter your respective rooms. It’ll look like a funhouse, a labyrinth-like hallway with mirrors galore, all arranged to face both of you. They’ll be a single transparent panel but it’ll be nearly impossible to differentiate amongst the reflections. Before you get too disoriented you’ll hear a buzzing noise, that’ll be your queue to start counting backwards from 10. Once you open your eyes, turn around, open the door, and step out.”
Before Wyatt could ask any questions, Mr. Clance got a text message.
“There’s the green light to proceed! I’ll be right outside this room ready to greet you both when this is over.” And with that, Mr. Clance existed the room.
Both boys were left twiddling their thumbs as they awaited the signal to enter.
Jay was the first to cut through the silence.
“Hey um, how tall are you?”
Wyatt briefly wanted to low ball his height but the kid was going to be living it anyway so…
“6’8… you might want to be careful around door frames…”
“Woah…”
The sound of the aforementioned *ding* cut through the air. Both boys did as there were told and stepped forward.
The reflective door closing behind Wyatt was seamless. There was no way he would be to tell it even was a door if it he didn’t just remember walking through it.
He looked around. There had be to dozens of panels in what looked like a nauseating cavern of curving hallways. He knew there was space to move forward but it felt claustrophobic he opted to stay in place. Each mirror was taunting him. His tall hairy body was plastered on every other panel. It contrasted Jay, who looked just as awestruck. Mr. Clance was right, there was no way Wyatt could different the clear panel separating him and Jay from a mirror image.
Wyatt was about to get a migraine from all the sensory overload when the buzzer went off. He followed instructions and closed is eyes.
“10… 9… 8…-
It seemed that Wyatt and Jay started simultaneously. His deep voice contrasted that of the middle schooler and echoed through the glass halls.
“7…6…5…4-
Wyatt felt his stomach drop, it felt like he just got on and elevator as his sense of space just flipped on its axis. He kept counting down, his deep voice still echoing through the room.
“3…2…1.”
He opened his eyes. The room was unchanged of course, except for the reflections… What were once Wyatt images now reflected Jay and vice versa. He looked down and was met with smooth torso and the slightest hint of a leftover baby fat tummy. The pair had definitely swapped bodies.
Wyatt stepped back through the door that previously marked the entrance. He was so turned around that he most likely wouldn’t have found it if it wasn’t it literally opening.
As re-entered the steel featureless roomthrough and looked to his side to see his old body. He looked down and saw Jay’s clothes folded at his now puny feet. It was time to get dressed…
Jay put on Wyatt’s button up, opting not to button it all the way, he loved the way his new chest hair poked out the collar. He liked having his big arms exposed to he folded up the leaves and tied Wyatt’s varsity jacket across his waist.
Mr. Clance entered to room. “Judging by the looks on your faces, I can see the process was a success! How does it feel boys?”