The Swap

Epilogue

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I set down the mascara brush and looked at myself in the mirror. I felt a ball of nerves in the pit of my stomach.

I almost didn't recognize myself. It wasn't that I looked any different- older maybe, but nonetheless the same.

I was afraid. Of what exactly, I had no idea. Rejection, maybe.

My reflection stared back at me with brown eyes, accented by winged eyeliner and mascara. My cheeks were pink with natural blush, caused by my conflicting emotions. My lips were colored with dark burgundy lip stick. I had hoped that this familiar makeup routine would give me back my old confidence, but it seemed nothing would help now.

I couldn't say that my confidence had vanished, because it hadn't; I was still far from shy. It seemed my confidence just wouldn't be enough to calm me this time.

A light knock on the door caused me to turn around, meeting my sister's gaze.

She smiled. "You look awesome."

I let out a breath and turned back to myself in the mirror. "I don't know if I can do this, Mel."

I heard her approach me and soon her reflection was standing beside mine in my vanity mirror.

"Of course you can." She said. "I told you that you have nothing to worry about. If anything, I should be the one worrying."

I rubbed my sweaty palms on my jean-clad thighs and let out a shaky laugh. "The tables have really turned, haven't they?"

"I guess they have." Melanie laughed along with me. "But I'm serious, Brynn. You have nothing to worry about."

I took one last glance at myself in the mirror before nodding and standing up. I walked to the door and grabbed my backpack from the floor beside the doorway.

"Well, we better get going then. Wouldn't want to be late." I said, letting a smile form on my lips.

Although I was nervous, I was also really excited.

It was the first day back to school after winter break and, as of one week prior, Melanie and I were both enrolled in her school.

I'd made the decision to leave my homeschooled life behind and join the public world of education. After spending almost have a year with Melanie's peers, I'd really grown attached to not only them, but the feeling of public school too.

I liked that it was constant and that you saw the same people every day. It was comforting.

But now I was turning into a puddle of nerves because this was going to be my first time seeing or speaking to anyone since they found out about the swap. I was hoping that they wouldn't hate me the way that I thought Jaxon did.

Jaxon.

I smiled at the thought of him. He was part of the reason why I decided to transfer. Getting to go to school with my sister and my boyfriend simultaneously for the first time sounded amazing to me. Much better than seeing over-paid teachers twice a week to turn in a 50-page-long packet.

Melanie and I made it downstairs and into the kitchen where my parents were sitting in their pajamas.

"Oh, girls, you look beautiful!" My mom gushed.

"Excited for your first day back?" My dad asked.

We both shrugged and I tried my best to look semi-normal. "It's just school, dad." I said and I could almost feel Melanie's "Oh, really?" look.

My mom came over and hugged us both. "Well, you both have fun then, alright?" She stood in front of me and placed her hands on my shoulders. "Don't worry, doll, they'll love you."