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Why I Hate Magic - Part IV Chapter 14 Neither Daniel nor Gloria spoke as they sat on the park bench outside of the theater. Daniel had finished explaining to Gloria everything he had learned from Dr. Suspendo and he decided the best course of action was to allow Gloria a few minutes to soak everything in. As they sat in silence, Daniel stared at the sky, his heart heavy with the news he had recently learned. Gloria stared at Daniel. Gloria could not believe that the person she was looking at was really her best friend. A part of her hoped that this was some kind of cruel joke. Better a prank then the truth. Certainly there were pieces of Daniel that she still recognized in the strange face that she stared at. His eyes, mouth and ears had not changed much, although they seemed newly boyish in conjunction with the rest of his body. His hair was still the short, close cropped style that Daniel had worn since she met him, though it now seemed to be slightly longer in combination with Daniel's smaller head. She couldn't get the impression out of her mind that she was looking at Daniel's younger brother. Or sister, as the case may be. Gloria finally decided to break the silence. "Who do you think cursed you?" "I'm not sure," Daniel replied, his eyes not wavering from their skyward gaze. As Daniel watched the tiny lights of an airplane cross the sky, he couldn't help but feel that he did have an idea about who might have cursed him. Daniel had not forgotten about the rock that he had thrown through the candle shop window. Although he did not see any witnesses, could someone have seen him? Could he have upset someone with power? Although he felt that his drunken antics were a strong clue towards uncovering the source of his curse, Daniel was not quite ready to admit his crime to Gloria. "What are you going to do?" Gloria asked, still staring at Daniel. As Daniel shifted uncomfortably under Gloria's gaze, his coat opened slightly. Gloria caught a glimpse of her own blouse and jeans on Daniel, but did not say anything. "I don't know," Daniel said. "The magician told me that there was nothing I could do. She said that I shouldn't fight it; there is no point." "Is that how you feel?" Gloria asked. "Is there nothing in your life worth fighting for?" Daniel finally turned away from the sky and looked into Gloria's eyes. "You know what scares me the most about this whole affair?" he asked. "I'm afraid of forgetting. When reality shifts, I don't know what will happen. Will I still have the same parents? Will I still be in the same college? How much is my life going to change? What am I going to loose?" Gloria remained silent. "I'm afraid of forgetting what you mean to me," Daniel continued. "After reality shifts, I don't know what will happen to me but the number one thing that scares me is loosing you. I'm afraid that when my life changes, you won't be a part of it anymore." Her eyes damp with tears, Gloria put a hand on Daniel's face. "Maybe we'll still be best friends," she said, softly smiling. "Yeah and maybe we'll even do each other's hair," Daniel bitterly replied. Daniel couldn't take it anymore. He was tired of hiding behind stupid jokes. He stood up and faced Gloria. "Yesterday you told me that you loved me," he said. "Or maybe that you used to love me. I don't know. What I do know, is that because of some goddamn curse, I may never get the chance to tell you the same thing. I don't want to loose that chance." "What are you saying?" "I love you, Gloria. I think I always have. I loved you from the day we met. Maybe even before then." Though tears were beginning to stream down her face, Gloria could feel herself start to smile. "You're smart, sexy and funny. You're the kindest, most considerate person I've ever met. You've got beautiful blue eyes that are like an ocean - and by 'like an ocean' I mean full of mystery and magic not jelly fish and giant sharks. I could spend days just gazing into your eyes and I would - if I wasn't so afraid of drowning in them." "Daniel-" "Wait. Let me finish. I've wanted to say this for far too long. I have a whole speech memorized." Gloria laughed. "Oh sweet Jesus, your laugh is like a lullaby - soft and soothing and totally infectious. If I could, I'd make it my ringtone and travel the country, putting my phone number in roadside bathroom stalls so that every time some sex-starved trucker called looking for a glory hole I would think of you. You really are the most amazing girl I have ever met - or am ever likely to meet. I love you Gloria and I'm so sorry I drove you away." Daniel offered a hand to Gloria, pulling her up so that she stood eye to eye with him. "You asked me if I have anything worth fighting for," Daniel said. "The answer is yes. I have you." As she rose, Daniel had barely begun to process the fact that they were now the same height before Gloria leaned forward, closed her eyes and kissed him. Hard. Chapter 15 Daniel and Gloria were walking back to Daniel's apartment, holding hands, when they began to near the candle shop. Daniel sighed and began to slow down, bringing Gloria to a halt. He looked into her eyes, saw her smile and knew that he had to tell her the truth. "Gloria, you don't know how happy I am right now," he said. "I realize now that I'm willing to fight with all my strength to prevent this curse from overtaking me. I want to be with you for the rest of my life - and not as your girlfriend, but as your boyfriend." "We don't have to talk about this right now," she said. "Let's just concentrate on finding out who cursed you." "Well, that's the thing," Daniel said. "I think I know who cursed me. Last night, after we fought, I did something really bad." Gloria frowned. "What did you do?" "I kinda broke a window." "You broke a window? What are you, Dennis the Menace? Whose window did you break?" "The candle store's." "What? Why would you break their window?" "I blamed them for you wanting to go to the show last night. I feel really bad about the whole thing. I was drunk and I was stupid." Gloria was starting to look really upset. "You should feel bad," she said. "That was a terrible thing to do. But do you really believe that the Leons cursed you? They're the sweetest couple around." "Aren't they wiccans though?" "And what? Being Wiccan means they cursed you? Wiccans don't cast spells, they celebrate nature. It's not like they fly around on broomsticks and make poisonous apples." "Well I just talked to a magician who doesn't perform magic. I can't afford to rely on assumptions. I have to talk to them. At the very least, I have to go and apologize." "Well, I agree with you there. You should also probably pay them back for the window you broke." "Whoa... Let's not get ahead of ourselves here." As Daniel and Gloria approached the candle store, they were both shocked to see that the window had already been fixed. Daniel put a hand up to the glass, surprised to see that it looked good as new. As Daniel peered into the darkened store, the sudden appearance of a man's face in the window caused him to jump back, falling on his ass. "We're closed," the man said. "I just need to talk to you real quick," Daniel pleaded. "Hey Mr. Leon," Gloria offered. "Gloria!" A wide smile crept over the face of the man on the other side of the window "Come in, come in." Mr. Leon opened the door and let his two visitors in. "I'm sorry to bother you so late, but my friend has something he would like to tell you," Gloria said, motioning to Daniel. The shopkeeper turned to look at the young man who now seemed more like a frightened-looking boy. "I'm very, very sorry that I broke your window, sir," Daniel said. "I was drunk and I was stupid and I wasn't thinking and I want to buy you a new window." "It's a little late to buy me a new window, no?" the shopkeeper said, laughing. "Why are you laughing? I broke your window and I'm so sorry. Please you've got to take this curse off of me." "Curse? What curse?" "The curse that you put on me for breaking your window." "Little boy, I am upset to learn you broke my window. It took all morning to install the new one. But you are not the first person to break my window this month. You will probably not be the last. We live in the Bible belt, son. We're lucky to not be chased out of town with torches. If I was to put a curse on everybody who broke our store window, I wouldn't have any time to sell candles. I would be hunched over a bubbling caldron all day, no? And besides, what makes you think I can even put a curse on somebody? I'm no warlock, I just sell candles." "But you're Wiccan," Daniel said, desperation showing through his voice. "Listen little boy," the shopkeeper said. "I'll let you in on a little secret. I'm not a Wiccan, I'm a lapsed catholic. So is my wife. This whole Wiccan business sells more candles. Breaks more windows, but sells more candles." "You're not Wiccan?" Gloria asked, slight disappointment showing through her voice. "No, not so much," the shopkeeper replied. "Gloria, you should take your little friend home. It is late and you should not be indulging children in such fantasies of magic and curses." "Says the man who pretends to be Wiccan," Gloria bitterly replied. "If you didn't put the curse on me, who did?" Daniel asked. "Why am I changing?" The shopkeeper laughed. "For a boy your age, change is a natural process. Everybody goes through puberty. You're just changing into a man." "No, I'm fairly certain that isn't the case," sniffed Daniel. Gloria thanked the shopkeeper and led Daniel out of the store. "I can't believe he's been lying to me this whole time," Gloria said, once outside the store. She turned to look at Daniel and saw the disappointment in his face and felt terrible. Daniel could feel his hope fizzle away like a soda's carbonation as it sits out in the sun. His only lead towards removing the curse had been a bust. He no longer had any idea where to begin. It was hopeless. "What am I going to do now?" Daniel asked. "I don't know," Gloria said. "I guess you can start by making a list of everybody you've ever offended and go from there." Gloria could see the look of despair in Daniel's eyes. She could see hopelessness beginning to settle in and it frightened her. "Listen, why don't I stay with you tonight? I'll give you a hand and together we'll fight this thing. You seemed to have stopped changing for now. Maybe the curse is on hold for a while." "Okay," Daniel said, softly smiling. "I'd really like it if you would spend the night." "That settles it then. It's a slumber party." Daniel feigned laughter. Gloria's joke didn't seem at all funny in light of the current situation. "We need to stop by my place first," Gloria said. "I want to pick up a change of clothes." Gloria slipped her hand inside Daniel's hand and together they walked toward her apartment. Chapter 16 Gloria and Daniel stayed up late that night. Together the two of them looked through Daniel's yearbooks, phone directories and MySpace friend lists, compiling a list of everybody that Daniel had ever been rude to. By three in the morning, though, they had come up with nothing. Nobody on the list seemed to be capable of possessing magic, as far as Daniel was concerned. It was decided that they would have to resume their search in the morning, when Daniel could actually call up some of the names on the list and ask for apologies. "You don't want to accidently get cursed again if you wake up somebody at three in the morning," Gloria said. "You're right. I just wish there was something else we could do right now. I need to take my mind off of all of this." Gloria smiled and put her hand on Daniel's. She still could not get over how smooth and soft Daniel's skin was. She loved Daniel; there was no longer any fighting it. Could she really pass up this last chance to be with the man she loved? "Daniel?" she asked. "Are you still a man ... down there?" Gloria motioned towards Daniel's crotch. Daniel smiled. "All present and accounted for." Softly Daniel took Gloria and led her to his bed. For the second time, Daniel and Gloria made love. That night, after sex, the two of them fell asleep, wrapped in each other's arms. Chapter 17 Daniel was the first to wake up. Stepping carefully, so as to not wake Gloria, Daniel slowly crawled out of bed and tiptoed toward the bathroom. Daniel turned the shower faucet on, letting the water heat up. As he turned to the mirror and saw the face that looked back at him, though, all thoughts of a shower were quickly forgotten. Thin, delicate eyebrows, beautiful hazel-green eyes, large and luscious lips, a tiny upturned nose. The only thing that remained distinctively Daniel on Daniel's head was his trademark close-cropped haircut. Otherwise Daniel appeared to be an older version of his kid sister. On his chest the very beginnings of tiny breasts had begun to bud. From the neck below he looked like a girl at the earliest stages of puberty. Petrified, hand's shaking, Daniel slowly peaked inside his boxers. While his penis and testicles were still there, they had shrunk to an almost ridiculous size. Daniel stood there, half clothed, looking at himself in the mirror. There was no getting around what happened. During the night he had changed and now looked more female then male. There was no point in hiding it. He had to tell Gloria. "Gloria," he whispered. As soon as the name escaped his lips, Daniel shot a hand up to cover his mouth. His voice had adopted the husky purr of a woman. He heard Gloria stirring in his bedroom. Daniel quickly grabbed a t- shirt from the floor and put it on, hoping to cover up his new developments. The shirt hung like a nightgown over his tiny frame. Gloria walked into the bathroom, yawning. Catching sight of Daniel, though, she stopped in her tracks, her mouth dropping. "What happened? I thought the curse had stopped?" "Apparently it wasn't finished," Daniel replied. "Is it over now? Have you finished changing?" Daniel glanced down at his chest and crotch and sighed. "You still remember who I am, so I guess I still have some more changes to look forward to." "When did this happen?" "I guess while we were sleeping. I'm starting to think it only happens when I sleep. Every other time that I've changed, it was right after I had taken a nap or been asleep." "If you knew that you were going to change, why did you fall asleep last night?" "I didn't know for sure that this would happen," Daniel said, his voice shaking. "I guess there is no denying it now, though." "We need to get to work," Gloria said. "Before we run out of time." Chapter 18 Daniel and Gloria spent the morning making phone calls. Daniel, no longer recognizable over the phone, found it necessary to pretend to be his own sister. No matter how many calls he made, he could not get over hearing the foreign voice that was coming from his mouth. Worse, as the morning went on, Daniel slowly began to realize that the voice in his head, the one that he used to process thoughts and work out problems, also sounded female. In fact Daniel was starting to forget what his old voice even sounded like. As the morning went on, Daniel and Gloria called old friends, enemies, girlfriends and professors - anybody who Daniel could have upset at some point. As Daniel talked on the phone, he couldn't help but feel they were on the wrong track. He was calling people whom he hadn't had any communication with months, sometimes years. Even if these people had the power to do so, why would they have waited until now to curse him? Despite his skepticism Daniel knew that he did not have much else to go on. Out of all the people they were able to reach, though, no one confessed to holding a grudge on Daniel. Things were beginning to seem hopeless. By noon, the two of them were frustrated, exhausted and hungry. Daniel needed to stretch his legs. So, as Gloria talked on the phone to Daniel's freshmen roommate, he found himself walking into the bathroom and staring at his face in the mirror. Daniel was amazed at how much his face at changed, yet remained oddly familiar. Daniel noticed that he still had a tiny scar on his forehead, a souvenir from the first time he had attempted to ride a bike without training wheels. Daniel had fallen from the bike and hit the pavement hard. He remembered his mother softly humming as she dabbed at his forehead with a wet paper towel. She brushed back his long hair and told him not to cry. Wait - that wasn't right. Daniel had never had long hair as a child. Before Daniel could stop and consider what was happening to his memories, he noticed that Gloria was standing beside him. She walked over and wrapped her arm around Daniel, leaning her head on his shoulder. "We'll fight this," Gloria said. "It's not over yet." Daniel turned to look at Gloria. She smiled at him. Daniel knew that as long as Gloria was there for him, he could never stop fighting. He would stay awake for the rest of his days if it meant keeping Gloria a part of his life. He loved her so much. Daniel slowly bent his head forward, hoping to kiss Gloria and draw strength from her. Before his lips could touch hers, though, she snapped her head back, a look of disgust momentarily showing on her face. "I'm sorry," Gloria said, realizing what she had just unconsciously done and noting the hurt look on Daniel's face. "It's just that ... You just don't look like your old self anymore. You don't look like Daniel. You don't sound like Daniel. You're just so different. Kissing you like this ... it's different." Daniel leaned forward and whispered into Gloria's ear, trying his best to deepen his voice into some resemblance of his former self. "I'm still Daniel inside." Once again he attempted to kiss her, but once again Gloria leaned away. "I'm sorry. I just can't do this. Not now. Not while you look like that." Gloria took a few steps back, each step breaking Daniel's heart more and more. "I'll tell you what," Gloria said, hoping to escape the awkward situation she found herself in. "Why don't we go get some lunch and then we'll go back to making calls." "I'm not leaving the house looking like this," Daniel said, frowning. "OK. Will you be all right if I leave you here alone?" Gloria asked. Daniel looked away from her and frowned. "Yeah, go ahead. I'll be fine. I'm a big boy." Gloria, saddened by the turn of events, grabbed some money from her purse and left the room. As Gloria left Daniel was flooded with a mixture of emotions. He was upset that Gloria had left him now, in his moment of need, but he could also sympathize with her. He did not know how he would have been able to react if Gloria had been the one changing into a man. Daniel crossed over to the bed and sat down on the edge. Gloria had gone to get food, but Daniel could not imagine eating right now. He felt sick to his stomach. His life had become some kind of surreal joke. Every sensation that he experienced felt foreign. He felt like he was wearing a thick suit of armor that he needed to shed. Daniel stared at the purse Gloria had left behind. Daniel hoped Gloria had taken her cell phone with her, in case he needed to get in touch with her. He slowly walked over to the purse and picked it up, looking inside for the phone. It was gone. Daniel was relived to know he could reach Gloria if he needed to. He began to set the purse back down on the floor but paused. Slowly, as if in a trance, he slung it over one shoulder and walked over to the bathroom mirror. He made a mock pose in front of the mirror, turning his hip sideways, sticking his chest out and pursing his lips. He bent forward, sticking his ass in the air and holding a hand up to his mouth, in shocked surprise. He stood up, put on a false smile and blew himself a kiss. Daniel was shocked at how convincing he was. If it had been a window, and not a mirror, that Daniel was looking at, he would have been aroused by the woman flirtatiously prancing in front of him. Is this what I have to look forward to, Daniel thought to himself. Is this who I will become this time tomorrow? He sat the purse down on the bathroom counter and began to walk away. But then something shiny from inside the purse caught his attention. It was a tube of lipstick. Daniel walked back to the purse and picked the lipstick up. He stared at it for a second and then, without thinking, Daniel opened the tube and applied the makeup to his mouth. Daniel stared at horror at his reflection - his lips were now a dark shade of red. The horror slowly turned to amazement, though, as Daniel saw that he had not only managed to put on the lipstick, but had performed the task as if he had been doing it all his life. But then, like a thick cloud slowly dissipating in his mind, Daniel began to remember that his mother had taught him how to apply makeup when he was a young girl. Wait. Something was wrong. What was happening to his brain, Daniel began to madly wonder. He stared at himself in the mirror and pursed his lips. Unconsciously he found himself looking in Gloria's purse again. He soon found some powder, eye shadow and mascara. Unable to stop himself, he quickly went to work and before long, he had applied a layer of makeup to his face. Daniel was surprised by the effect. The small amount of makeup that Daniel had applied to his face had managed to remove almost every trace of his old life. He had surrendered his face to the opposite sex. Staring at his reflection Daniel felt that it was possible that he could now even be considered beautiful by some. As he studied his face, he conceded the fact that he would now turn heads ... if not for his hair. Daniel looked down at his bathroom counter and saw a bottle of gel. Squirting off a dollop, Daniel rubbed it into his hair, spiking it upward. With just the little bit of gel he had managed to transform his boyish close-cut hairdo into a cute pixie style. The effect was complete. Wait. This is wrong, Daniel thought. He shouldn't be doing this. In a moment of clarity Daniel picked up a washcloth and prepared to wipe the makeup off of his face. Before he started, though, a thought crossed his mind. Daniel walked out of the bathroom and crossed to his bed, where a set of clothes lay. The outfit that Gloria had worn yesterday was now laid out on the bed. Slowly he lowered the jeans he was currently wearing onto the ground. His boxers, already loose on his frame, fell quickly afterwards. Daniel picked up a pair of panties that he had pealed off Gloria's willing body the night before. He quickly slid them up, over his own legs and around his waist. The fabric was soft on his skin, comforting. Daniel picked up Gloria's jean skirt and slipped it up, over his newly long and slender legs. The hem came up to his upper thigh, showing off his legs. While Daniel had previously not been keen on wearing shorts due to what he felt were overly hairy legs, Daniel noted with a dry sense of humor that he wouldn't have to worry about people calling him Wolfman again. Daniel wiggled his toes, still painted crimson red. Daniel unbuttoned the blouse that he had been wearing and sat it on the ground. His chest was sore, his skin sensitive from rubbing up against the shirt's fabric all morning. As Daniel bent down to pick up a black shirt that Gloria had left on the bed, he noticed that his budding breasts seemed to jiggle. Daniel wondered how large his breasts would eventually get. Would he have to put up with people staring at his chest all the time? Daniel picked up Gloria's black halter top, the front of it decorated with a glittery guitar. He slipped the halter over his head, feeling the fabric cling to his body. When he raised his arms, he noticed that his smooth belly showed. Daniel walked over to the bathroom again and looked in the mirror. It was amazing. With the makeup and clothing, Daniel felt that he looked completely and utterly like a girl - A girl with very small breasts. That would probably change soon, Daniel thought to himself with a heavy heart. Daniel did not know how long he stared at himself in the mirror. Minutes passed, maybe even a half hour. Eventually, though, he was snapped out of his trance by the sound of his door opening. "Gloria?" he softly called out. "Is that you?" "Hey man, where are you? There's this guy talking smack on Halo and I need your help shutting him up." It was Brian. There was no way that he could see Brian like this. Daniel quickly ducked in the bathtub, pulling the shower curtain closed behind him. "Dude what's the deal? Where are you? I didn't see you leave with Gloria. Don't tell me you climbed out of the bedroom window again. Because that was so lame." Daniel adjusted himself in the shower, in the process accidentally knocking over a shampoo bottle. Brian heard the noise and walked into the bathroom. "We're not playing hide and seek are we? Come out, come out wherever you are." Daniel could see Brian's silhouette, standing on the other side of the curtain. Daniel's body tensed up. How was he going to explain what had happened. "I'm about to rip open your curtain. You better not be naked behind there." Brian pulled the shower curtain open and saw Daniel, makeup, outfit and all. "Oh, hello," Brian said, blushing. "Do I know you?" Brian doesn't recognize me, Daniel thought, simultaneously relived and frightened. Daniel had changed so much that his own roommate did not recognize him. If they were to see him, would his parents recognize him? As Daniel stood like a deer in headlights, he found that his appearance was not the only thing that had changed. Daniel began to notice a change in perspective. As Brian stood over him, smiling, Daniel took in his roommate as if for the first time. He had never noticed how handsome his roommate was before. Try as he might, Daniel could not take his eyes off of Brian's well-built muscles, except to look at his big brown eyes and charming smile that showed off a perfect set of white teeth. Brian brushed his long blond hair out of his eyes and offered Daniel a hand, helping him get out of the bathtub. "I'm a friend of Daniel's," Daniel said. "Sure. I assumed as much. Why are you're hiding in his bathtub, though?" "I'm waiting for Gloria and him to come back." "Okay... So why are you hiding in his bathtub?" "You scared me. I didn't know who you were." Brian smiled and Daniel felt his pulse quicken. Something was happening and Daniel did not like it. "Well, please allow me to rectify that situation. My name is Brian Carter. And you are?" "Danielle," Daniel found himself saying. Danielle? Why would he say that? Things were happening to fast. Daniel did not like the way his body seemed to be acting on autopilot. "Are you sure we don't know each other?" Brian asked. "I feel like we know each other from somewhere." As a look of confusion swept Brian's face, Daniel realized what his roommate was talking about. Brian wasn't just referring to the fact that Daniel's new female form retained some resemblance to his former self. There was something deeper at play here. Like the warped childhood recollections Daniel had uncovered, Daniel could see in the back of his mind the faintest glimpses of memory as they danced, like blurry visions of the past. Through a hazy fog of uncertainty, Daniel thought he saw himself and Brian at a college football game. Unlike any of the football games he had actually gone to see with his roommate, though, Daniel was dressed in a low-cut skirt and a tight sweater. He and Brian cheered as the team scored a touchdown, celebrating their team's victory with a kiss. "I don't think we've ever met," Daniel lied. "Do you live around here, Danielle?" Brian asked. Daniel recognized Brian's tone of voice. He had heard it many times before - whenever Brian tried to pick up girls at the bar. "I'm a student," Daniel said, continuing to get nervous. "I'm a student too," Brian said, grinning. "I study law, but what I'd really like to study is your anatomy." Daniel's face turned scarlet from blushing. Although he had heard Brian use this line before and knew exactly where it was going, he found himself taking the bait. "Does that line normally work on girls?" Daniel asked. "No. In fact, most girls find it's a terrible line. But I find that terrible pick-up lines are normally a great ice breaker. Is our ice broken yet?" Danielle flashed Brian a huge smile. Her roommate was as predictable as ever. Even still, though, Danielle found she was drawn to Brian's smile, like a moth to an electric lamp. Oh my God, Daniel thought. I've got to stop this. I'm flirting with my roommate. Daniel tried to walk past Brian and leave the cramped confines of the bathroom, but Brian blocked his way. As Danielle brushed against Brian's chest, she felt her heart quicken even more. Brian put a hand on Danielle's bare shoulder. Daniel could feel his roommate's pulse through his fingers. The heartbeat matched her own. "Are you sure we don't know each other?" Brian asked. "I feel like I've seen you before - maybe at a football game?" The memories were starting to become a little clearer for Daniel. He could recall the flutter in his heart as he stood next to Brian in the stands. He could smell Brian's musk, heavy and reassuring. He could taste Brian's lips. Daniel backed up, away from Brian. It wasn't just the football game. There were other memories that were becoming more and more clear for Danielle. There was the time that the two of them went country-western dancing. Brian had held Danielle close to him as they swayed to music. Daniel could recall feeling safe and secure in Brian's big arms, sheltered from the rest of the world. Danielle felt herself longing for that kind of shelter again. There was the night the two of them went to a movie but spent the entire night making out. Daniel remembered being unable to sleep that night, her mind replaying the same intoxicating kisses over and over again as she touched herself. Daniel remembered the first time he touched Brian, the thrill and arousal it brought the both of them. She remembered the time Brian touched her. Standing in the bathroom Daniel tensed up, the memories of that night's pleasure replaying through her brain. Danielle also remembered the time that Brian had introduced her to his parents. Daniel could still remember how nervous she was as she met Brian's mother and father. There was nothing to be worried about, though, Danielle remembered. Brian's mother had given Danielle a beautiful golden necklace. Brain said that the necklace, while stunning, paled in comparison to Danielle's eyes. How Danielle wished she could hear Brian speak those words again. But no. None of this happened to Daniel. It happened to Danielle. These memories were not real. Daniel's feelings were not real. Even as Daniel fought against the feelings that flooded through his body, another memory had started to come into focus. This memory threatened to engulf Daniel. Danielle remembered crying as he looked down at Brian and the sparkling ring that he held. Daniel remembered being unable to say anything but "Yes." Yes. Yes. Yes. Over and over again until it hurt. This memory sent chills down Daniel's spine. He was afraid of what it meant, what was happening. At the same time Danielle was having a hard time remembering an instance when she had felt happier. Danielle could feel her memories of Gloria, Daniel's love for her, ebbing like the tide, slowly washing away into oblivion. On one hand he was loosing touch with his past - his reason for living. Gloria's eyes stared at him, like an endless sea. Daniel wanted to rush into the sea and drown, awash in her beauty forever. But then there was this other life, these equally pressing emotions that stirred in her new body. As much as Daniel loved Gloria, Danielle loved Brian. Deep within his/her heart, two souls battled for control. Daniel/Danielle found himself/herself starting to tear up, torn apart by conflicting emotions. "Is something wrong?" Brian asked, showing genuine concern for this strange girl he met in the bathroom who was beginning to cry. "Was it something I said?" "No, it's fine," Daniel said, choking back his tears. "You need to go, though. I need to be alone right now." "Will I ever see you again?" "Probably," Danielle said, sniffling, "probably real soon." Daniel tried to push Brian out of the door of the bedroom, Danielle's hand lingered on Brian's chest. Before he shoved him completely through the door, though, Brian bent down and kissed Danielle on the mouth. Daniel, surprised, gently touched his lips. "Till next time," Brian said, taking a bow and leaving Daniel alone in his room. Danielle watched Brian go and then crumpled to the floor. Brian was engaged to him. No, not to him. Brian was engaged to Danielle. Danielle could feel hollowness in her soul. It felt as if a chuck of her life was missing. Daniel tried to fill that hole with memories of Gloria, packing in as much love for her as he could, but Danielle had tasted a love so deep, so reassuring, that it had filled her with faith, powering her. With a love like Brian's, there was nothing else that mattered. Daniel could feel himself getting drowsy. Something was happening; he was having more and more trouble staying conscious. As Daniel sat, sobbing in the bathroom, he struggled to remember more and more of his life with Gloria, basking in the warmth these memories radiated, afraid of the growing strength that Danielle was showing. Chapter 19 Brian heard Danielle shut the door behind him. There was something about that girl that was special. He could not put his finger on it, but it buzzed in his ears, sending tingles down his body. The girl was beautiful, that was obvious. There was something more, though. Something deeper. Brian saw his future in the girl's eyes. He saw his destiny. Looking into this girl's face, seeing a glimpse of something strange and wonderful, Brian felt that he was destined to be with this girl - to be her best friend and lover. He would do anything to be with Danielle, he thought. Whatever the cost. Brian smiled and did a small jig. "What are you so happy about?" Gloria was standing by the front door, holding a couple of bags from McDonalds. "I just met the most beautiful girl in the world," Brian said, grinning ear to ear. "Where at?" Gloria asked, nervously. "In the spare bedroom. She said she was waiting for you." What spare bedroom, Gloria wondered. Was Brian talking about Daniel's room? Was reality already beginning to shift? "Did this girl say who she is?" "Her name is Danielle," Brian said, already lost in his dreams. Gloria dropped the food bags and ran into the room. She heard a soft crying coming from the bathroom and saw Daniel sitting in the corner of the bathroom, crying. Gloria could not believe her eyes. Daniel was dressed in the outfit that Gloria had worn the day before and his face was covered with makeup. Even though mascara ran down her cheeks and her eyes were red and puffy from crying, Daniel looked beautiful and that scared Gloria more then anything ever had before. Gloria sat down on the floor next to Daniel. "Daniel?" she asked. The girl continued to cry. "Danielle?" "Don't call me that," Daniel said. "Please, don't call me that." "Oh thank god," Gloria said. "You're still you. I thought you had forgotten." "I want to forget," Daniel said through tears. "I want to forget everything." "What are you talking about?" "Oh Gloria, I'm glad you're here. I don't know what to do. I remembered Brian. I remembered being in love with him. Memories are starting to creep into my brain and take root. Memories of Brian. Memories of the two of us together." "Don't worry. You'll forget those memories when the curse is over." "I don't want to forget them. I want to forget everything else." Gloria's heart shattered. "When I was with Brian, I felt safe. I felt loved. I could feel his warmth as it entered my body and it felt like I could be sustained on that warmth forever. Everything faded away - my worries, my fears, my anxieties. Life with Brian was bright and shiny and I think it was the closest I'll ever get to paradise." Gloria looked into the face of this girl and realized that she could not see Daniel staring back at her. She did not recognize this girl. "What about us?" Gloria pleaded. "Have you forgotten about the way you feel about me?" "Won't you give me this chance at love, Gloria? Won't you let me feel that warmth?" "No, Daniel. I'm sorry, but I'm not going to let you go. I'm not going to let you forget about me that easy. I love you too much." Gloria could see the pain in Daniel's eyes, but she pushed harder. "You say that Brian fills you with warmth? Well, you're my warmth and I don't think I could bear to loose that. So fuck Brian. Fuck him because I called dibs on you." Gloria could see something shift in the girl's face - something slight, yet powerful. "Gloria, I'm starting to loose control," the girl said. "The other me is starting to take over." "You've got to fight this Daniel. You're strong. And together we're stronger. We can take on this curse. Don't give up on me." "I don't want to Gloria," the girl said, sobbing harder then ever. "I love you so goddamn much. Don't let me go. Don't let me go." Gloria grabbed Daniel's face and pulled it close to her own. "Look at me," she said. "You are my boyfriend, not Brian's." Gloria kissed Daniel. As they locked lips, the kiss seemed to go on forever. Gloria could taste the lipstick on Daniel's mouth, but more importantly, she could feel the man she loved returning. When the two of them finally separated, Gloria looked at Daniel. Even through the makeup and the outfit, she instantly recognized Daniel, staring back at her from his own eyes. Daniel was back and Gloria was never going to give up. "What are we going to do?" Daniel asked, wiping tears from his eyes. "I'm out of ideas." "That's why you've go me, babe," Gloria said, smiling. "It's going to be okay. There's a cure." "What are you talking about?" "While I was buying the food, I was able to reach Nicole on the phone." "Who?" "Dr. Suspendo. After you talked to her last night, Nicole had done some research on her own. She said that if you are indeed only transforming in your sleep, then the curse isn't as strong as she thought it was. If you wait long enough, the curse with wither up and die on its own. All you need to do is stay awake for the next twenty-four hours. After that you'll begin to change back and reality will go back to normal." "That's all? If I stay awake, everything will go back to the way it was?" "You'll be the same old you again." "Thank God," Daniel said, crying again - this time tears of joy. "For a minute there, I thought I really was going to loose you." "You'll never loose me," Gloria said. She hugged Daniel tightly, not ever wanting to let go. Chapter 20 Outside Danielle's door Brian listened. Brian did not claim to understand what was happening. A part of him still remembered Daniel and, now that the muffled voice of Gloria had cleared certain things up, Brian could retroactively recognize certain aspects of his roommate in the girl who had taken his heart by storm. Stronger then his memory of Daniel, though, was Brian's desire to recall the memories that Danielle had spoken to Gloria of. The girl had talked as if Brian and her had been together in the past - had even been engaged at one point. While Brian could not recall any of these memories, he desired with all his heart to remember them. The whole situation seemed impossible, yet the two girls' talked of realty shifts and magic. Brian began to wonder if something larger was at work. Brian did not understand what curses or magicians had to do with anything but he knew without a doubt that he had met the girl he was meant to spend the rest of his life with. As Brian strained to hear the muffled voices of Gloria and Danielle, he grew angry. What right did Gloria have deciding who Daniel could and could not become. She claimed to love Daniel, but who was she to say that her love was stronger then Brian's love for Danielle? What gave Gloria's love credence over Brian's? If reality was changing, who was Gloria to try and stop it? Brian could not access any of the memories that Danielle had spoken of, but she had spoken of them as if they had happened. When reality shifted, Brian supposed he would have those memories too. If Gloria stopped Daniel from becoming Danielle, she was killing the chance of any of those memories actually coming to pass. Danielle spoke with conviction of her love for Brian and Brian knew in his heart that he loved Danielle. They were meant to be together. It was fate. What right did Gloria have to try and stop fate? In the end it would come down to who was willing to fight harder for the person they loved. Daniel's body would become a battleground for two people's fight for true love. Brian felt as if something larger then himself was pushing him, driving him to see this reality shift occur. Brian knew that he would not let anybody or anything stand in the way of his love for Danielle. If order was to be served, if he was to be joined with the girl he loved, Brian knew what he must do and time was running out. To be concluded...