There she was — glamorous, confident, radiant in a colorful dress printed with oversized watermelon slices and green leaves. On anyone else it might have looked ridiculous, but on Lila it was effortlessly chic. By tomorrow, that dress would be trending. That was the kind of influence she had: over seven million followers hanging on her every post.
Maya, one of Lila’s biggest fans, stood in line watching her idol from a distance. To Maya, Lila had everything — style, money, attention, the perfect life. She scrolled through Lila’s Instagram on her phone while she waited, double-tapping old posts she’d already liked a dozen times before. Anything Lila recommended, Maya tried. Anything she wore, Maya wanted. Maya worked a dull job and often felt invisible. Lila’s body, Lila’s world, seemed perfect.
Lila, meanwhile, stared at the crowd queuing for photos, trying to mask her impatience. She had a major sponsor meeting later and wished fewer people had shown up. She honestly missed the days when she had just four thousand followers. Despite being adored by millions, she constantly felt pressure to be flawless — and yet, behind the smile, she was lonely.
As Maya moved closer, her heart raced. She’d never been this close before. She was trembling by the time the man controlling the queue gestured her forward.
“Are you okay?” Lila asked gently, reaching out to steady her arm. Maya could only nod, unable to speak.
“Would you like a picture?” Lila offered. She was always struck by how nervous people were around her; it wasn’t what she wanted. She wished people would just relax.
Finally, Maya found her voice. “I’m Maya. I love you. I follow you on everything. Sometimes I wish I could be you.”
Lila smiled, studying the quiet, pretty woman before her. “To be honest, Maya… sometimes I wish I could be you.”
Both women swayed, suddenly dizzy. A strange lightness washed over them.
And then the world tilted.
Maya awoke to a crowd of faces hovering over her. A woman was fanning her, another offering water. What’s going on? she thought groggily. She must have fainted. Then she noticed the stretcher being wheeled past — someone was being taken away. Panic flared. Lila!
She sat up too quickly, nearly headbutting the woman with the fan. “Where’s Lila?” she gasped — and froze. That wasn’t her voice.
“Lila, are you okay?” asked a man she recognized immediately — Lila’s manager.
Maya blinked at him. “Why are you calling me Lila?” she demanded, but even as she spoke, she realized what he meant. Her hands flew to her throat, her chest, her hair — none of it was hers. She looked down at herself, at the watermelon-print dress, the perfect figure beneath it.
“Oh my God…”
“Let’s get you to your trailer,” the manager said gently, assuming she was just shaken.
Inside, Maya slammed the door and locked it behind her. The team waited outside, but all they heard was a muffled shout:
“This is so awesome!”
Maya spun in front of the mirror, eyes wide, heart pounding. Staring back at her was Lila — flawless, famous, her. She burst into laughter, running her hands down the dress and over her reflection. Around her, the trailer gleamed with designer clothes, mountains of shoes, and shelves of luxury products.
Throwing open the door, she grinned. “So what’s on the agenda today? Because I am ready to have some fun!”
Meanwhile, miles away, Lila was waking up in the back of an ambulance.
“You’re awake,” said the paramedic. Lila groaned, clutching her pounding head. “Just take it easy. If you’re feeling better, we’ll let you go soon.” He stepped out, leaving her alone for a moment.
She sat up slowly, her body aching. There was a small mirror on the wall. She leaned forward — and screamed.
The reflection staring back wasn’t her own. It was Maya’s.
The paramedic rushed back in to find the young woman collapsed again. “Damn it,” he muttered, checking her pulse. “Better take her to the hospital.”
As the ambulance sped through the streets, Lila stirred once more. Maya. That was her name, she remembered dimly, panic flooding through her.
“Oh God… what the hell is happening?”
Maya sat in the back of the car on her way to a photo shoot, still buzzing with excitement. She was in Lila’s body — living her dream. In Maya’s eyes, Lila had the perfect life, and now she finally got to live it.
No comments:
Post a Comment