Read Not In My Body! :: Just A Woman in a Man's Body!

heard a foreign language again, it was being yelled this time. Making out a few words, at least she assumed they were words, but not knowing what any of them meant. Then she made out one word, Rishika, which she guessed was the name of the female who replying from outside the door - in English.

“But ma, he’s still asleep. Can I just go there myself, take the bus? I’m going to be late.” More Hindi followed and then a defeated sigh came from the girl, Rishika.

Seconds later, Rishika was bursting into Kartik’s room. “Get up, lazybones, you gotta take-” She faltered upon seeing him already sitting up.

"-What?", Maisie stumbled her reply, confused at hearing her new voice.

"You're awake, that's not like you."

Maisie rubbed the back of her head. "...Today it is."

Rishika's shock washed away and she adjusted her attitude to be more determined, less caring. “Good. You’re taking me into town to meet my friends. Ma said. I need to go, like five minutes ago.”

“What?”, Maisie groaned in her new deeper voice. “It's Sunday... isn't it?” Given that she wasn't home, or technically herself, she wasn't sure if it was still the next morning or not.

“Kartik, get up and take me now or I’ll tell mum about the goree ladakee I saw you kissing in your Uber home last night. So get up, lazybones, I’ll grab your keys and wait in the car.”

“Okay,” was Maisie’s only reply after Rishika left the room. Then she pulled herself up onto her feet and grabbed a pair of track-pants and sneakers from the floor. Although she did do "the sniff test" before putting them on. After pulling on a mildy whiffy sweatshirt, she left the room and stumbled downstairs. Luckily, the front door was open, making it easier to navigate outside. Getting outside faster also help settle her stomach to get away from the intense smells of cooking and spices.

Rishika was tossing the keys upwards and catching them again. “Hey, I know you’ll probably say no like you usually do, but I have my learners and you are the BEST big brother ever! Can I please drive?”

Maisie found herself finally realising the situation she was in in this person’s body. She had to drive, someone who generally avoided it at all cost. This was not ideal. “Can you-?”

“Of course, if you’re in the car.” She clasped her hands together, excitedly, over the keys.

“Go on then.” Maisie let out a relieved sigh.

“What did you drink last night, Zac?”, cereal man asked. Then after just putting another spoonful in his mouth, he changed his question, “Better yet, why did last night have to be the one I couldn't make?!”

ignored him, listening to the ringing in the receiver. She grew more impatient the longer it rang in her ear, worried about her boy. At least until she heard his voice on the other end and her shoulders dropped by half an inch.

“Zayn, my big boy,” she told him with relief, obviously not with her voice. “Is grandma or grandpa there?”

Flicking her gaze up to meet cereal man's, his expression was one of both shock and confusion, mouth gapping open like a fish.

“It’s… Vikki. Can you get one of them, please?”, She hestitated. Suddenly even more aware that she was not herself and just how oddly she was behaving.

'Who is Vikki?', the cereal man was mouthing to her.

She heard her son drop the receiver with a thud; hearing her boy run to someone that wasn't her filled her heart with dread and pain. Listening to inaudible background noise, she knew she should answer Cereal Man. But how could she tell him she needed to hear from her son? She couldn't, because as far as she could work out, this man she was inside hadn't any children.

"I, uh...", she stammered. Then she thought about it, 'What would this guy say? Could he be calling a girlfriend? Was he straight? She couldn't know that. Keep it simple and vague, that's more believable. He said he wasn't there last night after all'. Finally she answered, "...Just a woman from last night."

Cereal man nodded and continued spooning his breakfast into his mouth, clearly satisfied with that answer. Although Vikki wasn't aware of her success as her eyes bulged in disbelief at what she was hearing on the other end of the phone. Questions flooded her mind, 'What was happening? How was this even possible? How have I somehow switched bodies with a man I don't even know?'

Her eyes flickered upwards to the cereal man, who was staring at her once again, with his spoon hovering above the bowl. She turned her back to him and spoke with a hushed sarcastic voice, "You think? I'm in yours too." She then lowered her voice even more. "I'm going to come over to you and we'll sort this out. If my mother is still there, can you send her home? Then just read a book with Zayn, just, you know, stay still. Don't go anywhere. Look after him."

Then she pressed end call.