Elise’s voice, thin and reedy in Caelan’s broad chest, squeaked, “Hey, Rach! I hope you don’t misunderstand everything, but I gave my boss a go signal to get my things at the apartment… You see—”
Before she could stammer out a further explanation, Caelan’s voice, deep and resonant, cut through the line. “I think it’s a high time to let your best friend know that we’re in a romantic relationship, and we’ve agreed to live together.”
The silence on the other end was thick enough to choke on. Then, Rachel’s voice, usually bubbly and bright, was laced with disbelief. “What? You guys are… hooking up?”
Elise’s heart hammered against her ribs. This was a disaster of epic proportions. She tried to wrest the phone back, but Caelan held it firm.
“Yes, Rachel,” Caelan continued, his voice smooth as polished marble. “Elise and I… we’ve been seeing each other. Things moved quickly, but we’re very happy.” He paused, giving Elise a pointed look. “Aren’t we, darling?”
Elise could only manage a strangled squeak that sounded suspiciously like a strangled chicken.
Rachel’s voice was a mixture of stunned silence and incredulity. “But… but Elise is… she’s…” Rachel trailed off, clearly searching for the right words.
Caelan, ever the smooth operator, filled the void. “She’s wonderful, Rachel. Incredibly intelligent, fiercely independent, and… surprisingly adventurous.” He chuckled, a low rumble that sent shivers down Elise’s spine. “We’re quite the pair, wouldn’t you say?”
Elise, trapped in Caelan’s body, could only glare at him. This was going to take some serious explaining later.
Rachel finally found her voice, though it was shaky. “I… I don’t know what to say. This is… a lot to take in.”
Caelan pressed on, his voice a carefully constructed narrative. “We understand. It’s a bit sudden, but we wanted you to hear it from us. We’re planning on moving in together soon, so expect to see us around more often.”
Elise, through gritted teeth, mouthed, “You are insane!” Caelan simply winked.
Rachel’s voice was hesitant. “I… I guess I’ll need some time to process this. But… I’m happy for you both, I guess?” The uncertainty in her voice was palpable.
Caelan smoothly ended the call. He hung up, then turned to Elise, a smirk playing on his lips. “Well, that was… interesting. I think we’ve bought ourselves some time.”
Elise, still struggling to process the audacity of his actions, could only manage a weak, "You're unbelievable." The situation was still a disaster, but at least, for now, they had successfully avoided a major crisis. But the long-term consequences of this lie were still looming large.
"Well, I guess I should let your boyfriend handle your things, Elise... And I hope we can talk face to face in a few days because I want to know what really happened." Rachel finally gives Caelan permission to get Elise's things.
The click of the door closing echoed in the otherwise silent apartment. As soon as Rachel’s footsteps faded into the distance, Elise exploded. She ripped the suitcase open, scattering clothes across the floor in a chaotic explosion of pent-up frustration.
“Why did you tell her that we’re hooking up?!” she shrieked, her voice raw with anger. The words tumbled out in a torrent of barely controlled fury. “That’s insane! Completely insane!”
Caelan, still in Elise’s body, leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed, watching her with an infuriatingly calm expression. He picked up a stray sock and examined it with detached interest.
“Well,” he said, his voice even and measured, “it’s the only valid reason why I’m at your apartment right now, isn’t it? You can’t exactly tell your best friend that you’ve magically swapped bodies with your boss.” He tossed the sock onto the pile of clothes. “Besides,” he added with a shrug, “it’s not entirely untrue. We are spending a lot of time together.”
Elise’s eyes widened. “That’s not the point! We’re not… we’re not dating! You’re making this a thousand times worse!” She gestured wildly at the scattered clothing. “Now, she thinks we’re a couple! She’s going to be so confused!”
Caelan sighed dramatically. “Look, it was a quick solution to a very messy problem. We bought ourselves time, didn’t we? Time to figure out how to get back into our own bodies. And let’s be honest, Rachel’s going to be more interested in the juicy details of our ‘relationship’ than the intricacies of body-swapping magic.” He smirked. “Besides,” he added, a mischievous glint in his eye, “it’s not like it’s a complete lie. We are spending an awful lot of time together, aren't we? And who knows what the future holds?”
Elise stared at him, speechless. She was so furious, so frustrated, so utterly overwhelmed that she couldn’t even formulate a proper retort. He had a point, a frustratingly valid point. The lie had bought them time, and now, the damage control started. But the thought of explaining this to Rachel… the sheer absurdity of it all… it was enough to make her want to scream again. This was going to be a long, long week...
=================================
The next few days were a blur of frantic activity, clandestine meetings, and increasingly elaborate lies. Caelan, in Elise’s body, focused on maintaining the charade with Rachel, while Elise, in Caelan’s, desperately tried to find a solution to their predicament. Their apartment became a war room of sorts, strewn with research papers, half-eaten takeout containers, and crumpled notes filled with half-baked theories.
One evening, after a particularly grueling day of pretending to be a successful businessman, Elise collapsed onto the sofa, exhaustion etched onto her face. Caelan, having just finished a phone call with a concerned Rachel, sat beside her.
“So,” Elise began, her voice weary, “Rachel is starting to suspect something. She keeps asking about our ‘relationship,’ and her questions are getting increasingly pointed.”
Caelan sighed. “I know. I’ve had to resort to increasingly ridiculous stories about our whirlwind romance. I’ve told her we met at a ‘high-stakes corporate espionage event’ and that we bonded over our shared love of competitive underwater basket weaving.”
Elise snorted. “Underwater basket weaving? Really?”