“I look so freaking adorable from up here, hold up, let me take a picture of you.” My girlfriend blocked the path in front of me, snapping away with glee. She seemed excessively thrilled, almost as if this hadn’t been an accident. Although I didn’t initially mind the swap, the more I watched how Tracy behaved in my body, the more I suspected she might have orchestrated it.
“I’ll go put us on the list, babe; it’s probably a long wait.” She was practically skipping through the parking lot. I had managed to negotiate some sandals, so it wasn’t too hard to keep up. The place was familiar; we had been here once after a promotion I got at work. She had always been fascinated by the fountain at the center of the restaurant. I expected her to request a seat by it, but I didn’t anticipate her to be so flirty. “—it’s where we tied the knot,” Tracy continued, fabricating stories. “And your nails, oh my god, you knew what you were doing with those eyes, girl.” Maybe ‘flirty’ wasn’t the right word…
Sure enough, we found ourselves seated by the fountain, surrounded by a circle of tables occupied by other couples. I didn’t realize I had instinctively crossed my legs when we sat down. It made me wonder what other mannerisms I had unknowingly adopted. I hadn’t noticed many so far, but there were likely a few. Tracy couldn’t suppress her grin as the waiter approached our table. “Any drinks for the young couple? Perhaps a bottle? We have an assortment.” Tracy made the selection for both of us, setting the tone for the rest of the evening. She tried to pass it off as playful, but I could sense the twisted pleasure she derived from belittling me.
“Isn’t it nice how easy this is?” Tracy giggled, her fingers tracing along my arm on the table. There was a mischievous sparkle in her eye. “I mean, look at you—so delicate and dainty. I could really get used to this.” Her words stung, affecting a deeper vulnerability in my new form. It wasn’t just the physical transformation, jarring as it was with its soft curves and intense sensations, but also how her perception of me had shifted. “Don’t be so upset, babe. No man likes a mopey woman.”
