Jenny and Tim both heard the sound of a car pulling into the garage. "Mom's back already? Dammit."
"It's okay," Tim said. "We can shut the door and just be real quiet with our changes. She should go about like everything's normal."
"Yeah, except it's not normal for you to be here alone with me so late! If Dad finds out he won't let you near me for a month."
Tim started to understand how their reality was adjusting to the changes. As Jenny's boyfriend, his presence in her room did look suspicious...
"Okay, I think I have an idea," Jenny said as she began clicking around on the computer.
"Uh, hey, what are you doing?" Tim said, peering over Jenny's shoulder. From downstairs came the sound of the front door opening and shutting rapidly, followed by the rustling of Jenny's mom. Tim felt a knot in his stomach at the realization that she was likely headed up the stairs. It only took a couple of seconds for him to realize the feeling was actually because his body was changing.
"What are you doing?" he hissed, clasping his arms around his torso as if to stop himself from shapeshifting. He could have sworn his whispering voice was oddly high-pitched.
"Mom won't freak out if she sees me in here with my BFF. Just play along or we're in big trouble!"
"BFF?!" came Tim's hushed and girlishly squeaky exasperation.
Jenny's mom appeared in the doorway. "Jenny, I was halfway to the shops when your father called. He thinks there's another oil leak in the car. It stalled out and I came back here to fetch a bottle of oil. I'm going to be a little longer than an hour. Tina, you might not have a ride home until late."
Tim stood frozen, until he got a gentle nudge from Jenny. "Oh. Uh. Okay, Mrs. A. I don't mind."
"I didn't think you would. Help yourself to a snack, girls. If we get the car running your father is coming home with the dinner."
Mrs. Airs hustled back down the stairs and the girls heard her go into the garage for the oil. Soon she left the house entirely and her car could be heard pulling away and fading into the evening.
Jenny and Tina exhaled simultaneously. "Way to be cool," Jenny said as she jabbed Tina with her elbow.
"You just turned me into a girl in five seconds flat! I had shell shock. And besides...change me back!" Tina looked down at her new body for the first time. She was wearing clothes similar to what she was wearing as a boy, except the color of her shirt was now a light pink. She glanced over to the vanity mirror that had appeared when Jenny grew into a teenager. Tina saw herself as a very cute teenage girl with straight chestnut-brown shoulder-length hair and full, kissable lips.
"No way! I've gotta admire you for a bit," Jenny said, getting out of the chair and joining Tina at the mirror.
"If I'm gonna stay this way, at least let's give you your awareness back so you can remember being a guy."
"Maybe I'll turn myself into a guy later, Tim--I mean Tina. But there's way too many things I'd rather do first...not the least of which is see just how good of a girl you make!"