23. The Switch

The Switch

JAMIE

Somethings not right. I’ve felt it since the moment Gabriella let me hold her tightly in my bed. She looks the same as she usually does, she sounds the same, but something is off. It was little things at first, like how she spoke out more. Started touching us more, then at lunch she got all flustered and ran off the moment Melody entered the cafeteria. In the last couple of weeks, we’ve gotten to know Gabriella fairly well, there’s no way someone like Melody would get to her, which only makes me more suspicious that something isn’t right.

My curiosity wins out and before I can second guess myself, I tell the guys I’m heading back to our dorm to grab something. Neither of them seem to think anything is up, but I do and now’s my chance to find out.

I follow Gabriella into the hallway. Watching as she walks briskly through the crowd. She’s practically jogging as she goes from door to door, pokes her head in then repeats at the next one. Each time she stops, she looks back over her shoulder, forcing me to duck behind the people milling around waiting for the bell. She’s just poking her head into the Elemental history classroom when someone grabs my arm, yanking me into the janitor’s closet.

“Don’t speak, I need you to hear me out.” The voice is familiar but I can’t place it, I reach my hand out for the light switch but she’s quicker than I am, flicking it off after a split second of light. “Is there a way to remove a glamour from someone?”

“Of course, but glamours rarely work without an object to tether the powers to.”

“Fuck. What kind of object?”

“Who are you?”

“Never mind that, what kind of object?”

“Something the person wouldn’t take off. A ring, a piece of jewellery.”

“Any chance it could be a fabric item?”

“Well yeah, I suppose. What is this all about, who the hell are you?”

There’s a rustle of fabric then the light is flicked on. My eyes are deceiving me. I swear they are. Right in front of me is….

“Gabriella?”

“Thank fuck!” She runs her hand through her hair and then bends over, picking up a handmade friendship bracelet off the floor. “April gave this to me the day she took me in, I never thought it could be used against me. Bitch is going to cop it big time for this.”

“Bitch? Who?” I frown, turning back to the door. I wrench it open and look down the hall to where I last saw Gabriella. She’s still there, talking to someone I’ve seen around but never spoken to. “If you’re the real Gabriella, then who the fuck is that?” I point to the girl I thought was her.

“Apparently her name is Melody. I’m guessing that’s Parker’s ex.”

“She’s a dead girl if he finds out what she’s doing….” I trail off, realising just how bad this is. Not only has she been pretending to be Gabriella for a few days, but she’s been cosying up to all of us. She even tried kissing me when I woke up with her in my arms. “I think I need a bleach bath. I feel violated.”

“Please don’t tell me you fucked her thinking she was me. That’s seriously creepy.”

“What? Why would you even suggest that?”

“You said you feel violated.”

“I only meant she’s been sleeping in my bed. I’ve been… Hugging her.” I mumble the last part, hoping Gabriella doesn’t hear me properly.

“You were… You know what never mind. I don’t even want to know. Let’s just help pull the wool off the other’s eyes and then we can get some payback. Was she ever able to tell you two apart?”

“No, she wasn’t. Payback sounds good though. What did you have in mind?”

“You’ll see.” The way she winks at me sends my mind into the gutter. I need to focus though; I’ve got a lot to make up for and considering how I feel about the real Gabriella… I’ve got a lot to prove as well.