"She's always the same. When we watch a horror movie, she's always so tense and involved..."
I'm happy to see that Alice has retained almost all of her personality despite the major change she's experienced. That we've both experienced.
Two months ago, a mysterious event occurred across the world: in an instant, the bodies of many people swapped, without warning or explanation. Alice and I were on vacation in Asia at the time, and we found ourselves in the bodies of two local passersby near us on the street. Luckily, a boy and a girl of similar age to ours. But unfortunately, we also found ourselves with bodies of the opposite gender! I went from being a 28-year-old boy to a 29-year-old girl, Alice from a 27-year-old girl to a boy of the same age. After the first few days of global chaos, we managed to prove our identities and return home. Obviously, the world is still in shock, but things are slowly returning to normal.
It's hard to accept how much our lives have changed. Honestly, I don't like being a girl; I don't feel comfortable in this body. Alice and I are trying to help each other, but we still have a long way to go. For example, today she gave me a makeup lesson because "a beautiful girl like me needs to know some basics to enhance her face." It was incredibly boring and annoying... Overall, she's adjusting a little better, but she obviously has her problems too. We'll have to decide on new names within the next month, according to the government's decision. It will be an important symbolic step. We'll probably both choose names similar to our current ones: I'm thinking of switching from Josh to Josie, Alice will probably choose Allen. Incredible, I'll be engaged to an "Allen". Will I have to call him my boyfriend? Will I have to call myself his girlfriend? Will I be "Josie, Allen's girlfriend"? My head spins just thinking about it... too many things have changed and are changing. But amidst this chaos, seeing Alice be herself even in a different body makes me happy and relaxes me. It reminds me that my soulmate is still here beside me, ready to face every challenge with me.
But thinking about all this I'm missing the movie. Usually when Alice gets nervous during a horror movie, I hold her in my arms here on the couch to relax her. Should I do it again, like I always have? I'd show her that I'm still myself, and I think that would please her, too. But part of me would like it to be her doing the hugging, with those strong arms... Uh-oh, maybe as the days go by in this body I'm changing a little after all. I hope that doesn't happen to her too, or at least I think so... Well, let's say I hope she stays 90% the same Alice, but maybe I could accept a 10% of Allen every now and then...
