### Chapter: A Week as Each Other
Kenith couldn't shake the thought of being Trevor for just a little bit longer. All day at school, his mind had been racing, replaying the closeness of Trevor’s family, the simplicity of living in a more grounded, connected household. His time as Trevor over the weekend had given him a taste of something he hadn’t known he was missing, and now he wanted more. The more he thought about it, the more he realized that one weekend just wasn’t enough.
By the time the last bell rang at school, Kenith had made up his mind: he was going to swap with Trevor again. This time, for a whole week.
Without giving Trevor much of a choice, Kenith cornered him in the school bathroom. Trevor, who had grown used to the *Chronicle* app and the occasional body swap, assumed this was just another one of Kenith’s wild ideas. At first, he was excited, thinking they were about to try something new with the app.
But when the familiar glow of the app settled and Trevor found himself staring at his own reflection in the mirror—Kenith’s perfect, enhanced body looking back at him—he realized something was different. And not in a good way.
“Isn't this great?” Kenith’s voice, now coming from Trevor’s body, squeaked out, his high-pitched tone breaking in that awkward way Trevor’s voice always did. He ran his hands through Trevor’s messy light brown hair, feeling the texture between his fingers. His face broke into a smile, his new weaker, smaller hands exploring his body with excitement.
But Trevor wasn’t smiling. He tugged at the tight, expensive top Kenith had on, feeling completely out of place in his best friend’s body. “I don’t like this, man,” Trevor said, his voice deeper and smoother in Kenith’s enhanced form. “I want to be me again. Can’t we just do something different with the app? I’m tired of this already.”
Kenith rolled his eyes and splashed water on his hands at the sink, clearly not bothered by Trevor’s discomfort. “Dude, it’s going to be fine,” Kenith said, his voice casual. “You get to live my rich, perfect life for a whole week. You’ll get used to it. We’ll swap back next Sunday, I promise.” He flashed Trevor a grin as he walked out of the bathroom. “See you tomorrow.”
Trevor stood there, frozen in place, watching in disbelief as Kenith—now in Trevor’s body—sauntered out of the bathroom like everything was perfectly normal. Panic set in as Trevor realized Kenith was serious. He *wasn’t* swapping back, not yet. Trevor ran out of the bathroom, his heart pounding, hoping to catch Kenith before he left.
But by the time he made it outside, all he could see was his mom’s car driving off in the distance, carrying what she thought was her son, Trevor. Except it wasn’t Trevor—it was Kenith, happily heading home to experience another week in Trevor’s shoes.
Trevor sighed, defeated. He turned to see Sam, Kenith’s older brother, pulling up in his small car. Sam waved at him, completely unaware of the swap, thinking he was waving at Kenith.
Trevor, still in Kenith’s body, felt his stomach drop. He wasn’t ready to spend another night—let alone a whole week—pretending to be someone else. And Kenith had left him no choice.
As Sam approached, Trevor plastered a smile on his face, trying to act as natural as possible. “Hey, Sam,” Trevor said, his voice steady, though inside, he was still reeling.
“Hey, Kenith,” Sam replied, ruffling Trevor’s hair just like he always did. “Ready to head home?”
Trevor nodded, swallowing the lump in his throat. He didn’t know how he was going to handle this, but for now, he had no choice. He climbed into Sam’s car, wondering how he was going to navigate this week in Kenith’s perfect life.
His thoughts drifted back to his own body—his own life—and he couldn’t help but feel a pang of longing. Would Kenith really give it back after a week? Or was this going to turn into something more permanent?
As Sam drove off, Trevor looked out the window, his mind racing with a thousand thoughts. He just hoped he could convince Kenith to swap back before the week was over. If not, he was in for a long, confusing journey.
The car ride was quiet, and Trevor found himself trying to adapt to Kenith’s world, hoping that by the end of the week, he’d be back at himself.
But right now, he wasn’t so sure.
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Facing the Truth
Sam had known for days that something was off with Kenith. Yesterday, on Monday, Kenith had been quieter than usual, more withdrawn, almost sad. It wasn’t like him. Normally, Kenith loved teasing Sam, playing pranks, or just being his energetic self. But last night, Kenith had spent hours outside playing sports—alone, kicking soccer balls, shooting hoops, running drills, like he was trying to distract himself. When Sam joined him, trying to cheer his little brother up, they played basketball together. Kenith, of course, won easily—his perfect, enhanced body was leagues ahead of Sam’s normal 16-year-old one.
Despite the odd behavior, Sam hadn’t pushed him about it. He just enjoyed the time together, seeing Kenith smile, even if it felt forced. Still, something was bothering him. It wasn’t until the next day, when Sam finally asked Kenith to use the *Chronicle* app to make him better at sports too feeloing well bad for getting bettin by a 5 years younger brother, that things came to a head.
To Sam’s surprise, Kenith—who usually jumped at any opportunity to show off the app or help Sam—said *no*.
That’s when Sam pressed harder, and Kenith—who was actually *Trevor* inside Kenith’s perfect body—finally broke down. Trevor tearfully explained everything. How *he* had been the one in Kenith’s body at Disneyland, and how Kenith had taken his body, promising to return it by Sunday. But it was only Tuesday, and Trevor was already feeling lost in Kenith’s life, desperate to get back to his own.
As Sam watched his little brother’s enhanced body cry, it didn’t matter who was inside it. He wrapped Trevor in a tight hug, comforting him. “It’s going to be okay,” Sam said softly. “You beat a 16-year-old at basketball yesterday, and you’ve got an amazing body right now. Try to enjoy it.” But Trevor wasn’t just worried about playing sports—he was worried that Kenith was stealing his life.
Sam knew what had to be done. Leaving Trevor in Kenith’s body with their dad—who, for once, was home and happily playing soccer with his “son”—Sam tracked down Trevor’s home address. He had to get to the bottom of this, and he needed to talk to Kenith.
As Sam walked through the neighborhood where Trevor lived, he couldn’t help but notice the stark difference from their own life. The houses here were small, run-down, the streets quiet and a little worn. Trevor’s family home—a tiny bungalow—looked cramped and modest. Sam couldn’t imagine what it was like living here compared to the larger house he and Kenith shared. The realization that Trevor lived like this, in such a tight space, made Sam’s heart ache a little.
And then he saw them.
Kenith—now in Trevor’s skinny, smaller body—was laughing, running around the yard with two older girls, clearly Trevor’s sisters. They were playing *Marco Polo*, Kenith blindfolded, his arms outstretched as he tried to tag his sisters while they giggled and dodged him. Kenith was wearing just a pair of shorts, no shoes or socks, his messy brown hair sticking out in every direction. He looked nothing like the enhanced, muscular Kenith Sam was used to seeing. This boy was skinnier, messier, and a lot more carefree.
The girls, who seemed to be around 15 and 17, were playfully teasing their brother, but it was clear how much love they had for him. The whole scene was warm and connected—Trevor’s parents were sitting outside, watching with smiles on their faces, clearly proud of their kids. There was a closeness here that Sam hadn’t seen in a long time in his own family.
Sam stood there, watching Kenith laugh and stumble around with the blindfold, yelling “Marco!” as the girls replied “Polo!” and quietly dodged his reach. He couldn’t help but feel a pang of guilt. Kenith looked *happy*, genuinely happy, in a way Sam hadn’t seen for years. Maybe it was this simple, connected family life, or maybe it was the challenge of living in a normal body that made Kenith so carefree. Either way, it was different.
Suddenly, Kenith—still blindfolded—stumbled too close to the edge of the yard, and as his sisters giggled and pulled off his blindfold, he spotted Sam standing there.
“*Sam!*” Kenith yelled, his voice excited and full of surprise. Without thinking, he shouted Sam’s name, blowing his cover. His sisters stopped laughing, confused, while Trevor’s parents looked up curiously.
“Who’s that, Trevor?” one of his sisters asked, clearly wondering why her little brother knew some wealthy-looking teenager.
Kenith stammered for a second before quickly explaining, “Uh, that’s Sam! He’s... um, Kenith’s brother from school.”
The explanation seemed to work, and Sam smiled awkwardly, playing along. “Yeah, I wanted to ask Trevor something about... school stuff. Is it okay if we talk for a minute?”
Trevor’s parents didn’t seem to mind, giving their permission for the boys to go talk in private. Sam led Kenith, who was still in Trevor’s smaller, weaker body, to a quiet corner of the yard, away from prying eyes.
As soon as they were alone, Kenith—still wearing Trevor’s body—immediately hugged Sam, wrapping his skinny arms around his older brother. “It’s great to see you, Sam! I’ve missed you. It’s been, like, four days, and—”
Sam pulled back, his expression serious. “Why have you stolen your friend’s body and life?”
Kenith froze, his face paling. He hadn’t expected Sam to come at him so directly, and for a moment, he was speechless. His usually carefree attitude faltered, and he looked down at his scrawny hands—Trevor’s hands. For the first time, Kenith realized how deep he’d gotten into this.
“I... I didn’t mean to steal anything...” Kenith stammered, his voice small in Trevor’s body. “I just... I liked it here. Trevor’s family, his life—it’s so... connected. I wanted to be part of it. Just for a little longer.”
Sam’s face softened slightly, understanding his little brother’s feelings. But this wasn’t right. “Kenith, you’re taking something that isn’t yours. Trevor’s scared. He thinks you’re going to steal his life forever.”
Kenith sighed, running his hand through Trevor’s messy brown hair. “Look, I’m going to give his life back on Sunday,” he muttered. “It’s just... nice to have a family that’s close again. Like ours used to be, you know?” His voice was soft, filled with a kind of longing that made Sam hesitate. “It’s not like I’ve ever stolen someone’s life or anything.”
As he said that, Kenith’s thoughts wandered back to when all of this craziness started, years ago. Back when he had first swapped with Riley, his younger brother at the time. He remembered how strange it had been to take on a whole new identity, and eventually, how he became comfortable—*happy*—as Kenith. That transformation had changed everything, and now, standing in Trevor’s skinny, normal body, he was struck by how easy it was to slip into someone else’s life.
“I’m just having fun,” Kenith continued, his squeaky voice betraying his emotions. “I mean, Trevor’s got sisters who actually *want* to play with him, parents who are always around, who talk and do stuff with him. It’s... different. It’s what I remember our family being like, before Dad got too busy with football and Mom with her friends.”
Sam sighed deeply, folding his arms. He knew his younger brother had a point. Their family wasn’t the same as it used to be, and he couldn’t deny that he hadn’t been spending enough time with Kenith. Lately, his own world had been filled with friends, his girlfriend Emily, and everything that came with being 16. Maybe he had been neglecting his little brother. But still, this wasn’t the solution.
Sam took a step closer, lowering his voice. “Kenith... I get it. I know it feels good, but you can’t stay like this. You promised Trevor you’d swap back on Sunday. And if you don’t, I’ll make you. You might have his body, but that’s not gonna stop me. I’ll drag you back if I have to.”
Kenith swallowed, glancing down at the ground. “I’m not stealing his life,” he insisted, though his voice lacked the usual confidence. “It’s just for fun. I’ll give it back... I promise. I just need this for a little longer.”
Sam sighed again, this time more softly. He stepped forward and hugged Kenith—Trevor’s body—making sure they were alone so no one else could see the tenderness between the two brothers. He held him tight for a moment, feeling how small and fragile his brother felt in Trevor’s skinny frame.
“Fine,” Sam said after a long pause. “But Sunday, you’re going back to being yourself. No more excuses. You hear me?”
Kenith nodded slowly, feeling a strange mix of relief and sadness as Sam pulled away.
With a final glance back, Sam watched as Kenith returned to playing soccer with Trevor’s sisters, laughing and smiling like he belonged there. The family looked perfect, so connected and happy. Sam couldn’t help but feel a pang of guilt. Maybe if he had been around more, Kenith wouldn’t feel the need to escape into someone else’s life.
Sam turned and started walking back toward their own house, determined to make things right. He knew he needed to talk to Trevor, who was still stuck in Kenith’s enhanced body, and reassure him that everything would be fine. It wasn’t fair for Trevor to be caught up in this mess.
When Sam got home, he found Trevor—still in Kenith’s body—sitting on the couch, playing video games. Trevor glanced up nervously as Sam entered the room.
“Did you talk to him?” Trevor asked, his voice filled with concern.
“Yeah,” Sam said, sitting down beside him. “He promised he’ll swap back on Sunday. He’s not going to steal your life, Trevor. You’ll get your body back.”
Trevor let out a sigh of relief, leaning back into the couch. “Thanks, man. I was really worried there for a minute.”
Sam gave him a reassuring smile. “Don’t worry. You’re gonna be fine. Until then, enjoy the games, okay?” He motioned to the video game console. “I know your parents don’t have stuff like this at home.”
Trevor grinned, picking the controller back up. “Yeah... I guess I can enjoy it for now. But I’ll be glad when things are back to normal.”
For the rest of the night, the two of them played video games, the tension from earlier easing away. Sam realized that this whole experience had opened his eyes. He needed to be a better brother to Kenith. He couldn’t let things slide the way they had been. When Kenith came back to his own life on Sunday, Sam was going to make sure things changed for the better.
But for now, they had to wait. And so, the chapter ended with Trevor—still in Kenith’s perfect body—enjoying a rare moment of peace, while Kenith, somewhere across town, basked in the warmth of a family life that, for just a little while, he could call his own.