"Aria, we're leaving now."
The words hit Aria like a bucket of ice water.
From her hiding place on the shadowed balcony, she froze, her heart slamming against her ribs as her mother stood at the ballroom entrance, elegant as ever, already reaching for "Aria"… who wasn't her.
Ava.
Aria's breath stuttered. Panic surged through her as she rushed down the stairs, skirts gathered in her hands, trying to reach Ava before it was too late.
But Ava was already being pulled away, wide-eyed, frantically scanning the crowd for Aria.
Aria followed from a distance, mind racing. Think, think, think… there has to be a way to switch back.
Ava's phone buzzed.
Ava: What do we do now? Oh my God, we're screwed!
She typed with trembling fingers as Mrs. Harrison guided her toward the exit.
Aria: Make up an excuse. Say you need to use the bathroom.
They were already outside when Ava blurted out, a little too loud:
"Um… Mom, I need to go, can I use the restroom?"
Mrs. Harrison stopped mid-step.
She slowly turned, brows lifting in surprise as her gaze settled on Ava.
"Mom?" she repeated, the single word dripping with confusion.
Ava froze.
"Since when do you call me that?" she asked.
Ava swallowed hard.
Aria, watching from several feet behind, felt her stomach drop.
"Umm… Mother. I meant Mother," Ava corrected quickly, forcing a shaky laugh. "Haha… I guess the kids here are already rubbing off on me. Haha…"
Her laugh was awkward. Painfully awkward.
From her hiding spot behind a pillar, Aria dragged a palm down her face.
Mrs. Harrison's brows knitted together as she stepped closer, pressing a cool hand to Ava's forehead.
"Are you alright, dear? You sound… different."
Ava froze.
"I… I'm fine, Mom… " Mrs. Harrison's eyes snapped up. Ava cleared her throat. "I mean… Mother. Sorry. I just… really need to use the restroom."
Mrs. Harrison studied her for a moment longer, suspicion flickering in her eyes.
"Alright, dear. Let's go together," Mrs. Harrison said gently, turning to lead the way.
"NO!"
The word shot out of Ava like a firework.
Mrs. Harrison stopped mid-step, eyes widening. "What… Did you just say?"
Ava's soul nearly left her body.
"Haha… NOT what I meant!" she blurted, waving her hands frantically. "I mean… I don't want to stress you, Mother. You should relax. I'll go alone. Haha…"
Her laugh wobbled like a broken violin string.
Mrs. Harrison blinked slowly, the suspicion now crystal clear on her face.
"You're acting strange, dear. Let's go together," Mrs. Harrison said finally, her voice firm in that elegant, motherly way that felt less like a suggestion and more like destiny.
Ava's smile twitched…Tightly.
She could practically hear Aria screaming on her phone from her hiding spot.
"Together?" Ava repeated, her voice cracking like dry wood. "Haha… great! Wonderful! Perfect! Just what I wanted!"
Mrs. Harrison raised a brow.
Ava swallowed hard.
Oh, we are SO dead, she thought.
Mrs. Harrison kept her hand placed gently but firmly on Ava's back as they walked.
Ava forced a smile that felt like it was stapled to her face.
Aria, from a distance, followed the two of them with the energy of someone watching her own life explode in slow motion.
This was NOT the plan.
They reached the restroom entrance, and Mrs. Harrison said softly, "Go on, dear. I'll wait right here."
Ava froze.
Aria froze.
Even the air froze.
She's waiting? Right outside the door?
This was a nightmare.
Ava swallowed. "Oh! Um… Mother, you don't have to wait. I'll be quick."
Mrs. Harrison folded her arms lovingly. "No, no. I'm not letting you wander alone; you look pale tonight."
Ava mentally screamed.
Aria silently mouthed, GO. NOW.
Ava gave one last awkward laugh and stepped inside.
Aria slipped in behind her seconds later, pretending to be another guest.
"Aria?" Ava whispered from a stall.
"Second cubicle," Aria whispered back, slipping into one beside her.
Mrs. Harrison's heels clicked just outside the restroom door. She was stationed.
Guard mode activated.
There was no way they could swap clothes now. None.
Ava whispered urgently, "What do we do? What do we do? WHAT DO WE DO?"
"Phones," Aria whispered back. "We can at least switch phones."
Ava blinked. "That's it?"
"That's all we can do without her catching us," Aria hissed. "Hurry before she checks on you."
Ava slid her phone under the stall barrier.
Aria slid hers back in exchange.
Both phones unlocked immediately with Face ID.
Same face.
Same bone structure.
Same confused destiny.
Ava stared at Aria's phone. "Wow. Technology is wild."
Aria sighed. "Ava, focus."
There was a gentle knock on the door. "Aria? Are you alright in there?"
Ava's stomach dropped. "She's talking to me."
Aria whispered sharply, "Just say you're fine!"
Ava squeaked, "Yes, Mother! Just… washing my hands!"
"You're in a cubicle," Mrs. Harrison called back gently.
Ava winced. "Uh…Yes! Washing… the door?"
Aria slapped her forehead silently.
Mrs. Harrison exhaled with deep motherly concern. "Dear, come out when you're done."
Aria whispered, "We're doomed."
Ava whispered, "We definitely are"
"I guess we can't switch back for now. Please don't do anything stupid. You are already doing a terrible job" Ava whispered finally. She looked like she could cry any moment from now.
"Don't mess up my life too, okay?" Ava replied before taking a deep breath.
She finally stepped out of the cubicle, smoothing her borrowed dress and rehearsing Aria's posture in her head.
Mrs. Harrison gave her one long, searching look, then nodded.
"Come, dear. Your father is waiting outside."
Ava plastered on a soft, elegant smile, the kind she had seen Aria use earlier.
Just before she exited, her phone buzzed.
Aria: Don't do anything stupid. I'm right behind you.
Ava's lips twitched. She typed back quickly:
Ava: No promises, sis.
Aria emerged a few moments after Ava slipped out, her heart hammering. She pressed her back to the tiled wall, waiting until she heard their footsteps fade.
When she finally stepped into the hallway, she was met with a loud voice…
"AVA!"
A voice thundered across the corridor.
Aria froze.
A tall figure sprinted toward her, eyes wide, frantic, and unmistakably relieved.
Her breath caught.
Oh no… oh no no no—
The person skidded to a stop right in front of her, chest rising and falling sharply.
"Ava, where the hell did you go? I've been searching everywhere!"
Aria blinked.
She knew that voice.
It was the boy from earlier.
Zack.
"Why… Why are you calling me that?" she whispered, eyes widening in horror.
Zack reached for her shoulders.
"Ava, don't play dumb. We need to talk."
Aria's blood ran cold.
Before Aria could even think, the words tumbled out of her mouth:
"I don't want to talk."
Zack stopped, like someone had hit pause on him.
His face fell, the hurt so visible it made Aria's stomach twist.
"Oh," he said quietly. "Right. You're… still upset."
Aria blinked. Upset? About what?
But she kept her expression neutral, just like she always did.
Zack let out a slow breath and straightened up.
"Fine. You don't have to talk," he said gently. "Let me just take you home. You shouldn't be wandering around alone."
Home.
Aria's heart flipped in panic.
But Zack was already guiding her toward the exit, oblivious to her internal chaos. She followed stiffly, trying not to look like a kidnapped mannequin.
Outside, the night air hit her face like a slap. She clutched her phone, screen lighting up with Ava's messages.
Aria typed with shaking fingers as Zack opened the passenger door for her:
Aria: Problem. Big problem. I'm with your boy.
Aria: He wants to take me home.
Aria: What do I do???
She hit send just as Zack walked around to the driver's side and slid in beside her.
The engine rumbled to life.
Aria's pulse thrashed in her ears.
She wasn't going to Ava's home.
She was being dragged into Ava's entire life.
***
Mrs. Harrison led the still-panicking Ava toward the limo, her heels clicking softly on the marble floor. The driver opened the door, and Ava forced herself to breathe normally as she climbed inside.
Mr. Harrison was already seated, typing something on his tablet. He looked up briefly.
"There you two are. We'll be leaving City B first thing tomorrow morning," he said. "Matthias won't be joining us anymore, his father asked him to return early."
Ava let out an involuntary sigh of relief so loud that both parents glanced at her.
She quickly covered it with a fake cough. "Ahem… sorry. Um… allergies."
Mrs. Harrison gave her a puzzled look but said nothing.
The moment the limo door closed and the engine hummed to life, Ava's eyes dropped straight to her phone. She typed like her life depended on it.
Ava: Aria where are you???
Ava: We didn't switch omg I'm literally in the limo with your parents.
Ava: Say something please before I die here.
She kept glancing up, nodding at whatever her "parents" were saying, pretending to be present while her heart galloped in panic.
Mr. Harrison continued talking casually, unaware of the chaos unraveling in his daughter's seat.
"When we get back to City A, we'll rest for a day before the Crescent Hill dinner. Make sure your schedule is clear." Mr. Harrison said finally. He looked up, expecting some form of acknowledgment from his daughter—
Only to find "Aria" hunched over her phone, thumbs moving at lightning speed.
"Ara… " he began.
Ava jerked upright, nearly dropping the phone. "Yes! Yes, I'm… totally listening," she said with a nervous smile.
Mr. Harrison raised a brow. "You've been glued to that phone all evening. Who are you texting so intently?"
Ava froze for one terrifying second before forcing out a laugh. "Ahaha… just… school group chat. Lots of assignments. You know how it is. Super urgent."
Mrs. Harrison shared a confused glance with her husband.
"Alright dear, we'll leave you to it" Mrs Harrison said, shrugging before leaning back in her seat.
The limo glided smoothly through the quiet streets, the city lights flickering past the windows. Ava's fingers flew across her phone, her eyes glued to the screen as she messaged Aria frantically.
"Where exactly do you live?" Ava typed, biting her lip. She couldn't believe how complicated this had gotten.
There was a pause. A long, tense pause.
Then Aria's reply appeared.
Aria → Ava: City A.
Ava froze, her heart skipping a beat. City A? That wasn't just a little distance. It was practically another world. Her mind raced. If they were going to pull this off… the logistics alone were insane.
She looked up from her phone, glancing at the calm interior of the limo, the soft hum of the engine, and the oblivious Mr. Harrison sitting across from her. Her thumb hovered over the screen, trembling.
City A…
Everything had just gotten a lot more real