Chapter 26

"Hello?" Sarah said groggily, picking up her phone.

"Hi.. Is this Sarah?" A female voice asked.

A little out of it and annoyed, Sarah responded, "Yes.. who is this? It's like.. nearly midnight!"

The voice on the other end sounded apologetic. "Sorry, Sarah.. it's Freia.

"Wait.. what?" Sarah clumsily sat up in bed, now wide awake "Freia!?"

"Yeah.. hi.." Freia said, sounding uncertain.

Many emotions coursed through Sarah, but the first to come out as anger. "You bitch! Where are you? Do you have any idea how long I've been looking for you?!"

There was a pause and heavy sigh. "I deserve that.. I'm sorry.. for leaving and everything."

There were no words that could make Sarah accept an apology from Freia. "Sorry?! We had a deal?! And then you just up and leave me like this for four fucking years!?"

"I'm sorry.. Look, I'm calling because.."

Sarah cut Freia off, furious. "I lost my job, my boyfriend, my friends... You fucking ruined my life, you loser. We need to change back. It's well overdue."

Another heavy sigh was let out before Freia responded. "Again, I'm sorry about all of that. I got carried away and took everything too far. I.. have my regrets.. lots of regrets actually.. and I'm trying to make up for it."

"The only way to make up for it is to change back to the way things were. I'm so done being fat."

"I would've thought you'd have lost the weight?" Freia said, sounding a little surprised.

"Fuck you. I tried. It's harder than it seems." Sarah conceded.

"I know.. believe me.. I know. At least now you know what it's like to.."

Sarah cut Freia off again. "Don't try to turn this into some sort of morality lesson. We had a deal, and you fucked me over. Plain and simple.. Now change me back."

"How much weight have you lost?"

"That doesn't fucking matter!"

"I just want to know."

"Nothing."

&qu ot;Really?"

"Yeah, not a pound. I'm even heavier than when we swapped." Sarah admitted.

"Oh.. how much heavier?"

"Like 50 pounds.. maybe more." Sarah sighed.

"Oh okay.. I can work with that." Freia said, sounding relieved.

"Sarah..?"

" ;What?!"

"I'm sorry that I made fun of you for having a fat fetish."

"I.. What?!" Sarah was caught off guard

"I.." Freia sounded conflicted. "I shouldn't have made fun of you.. I didn't.. I didn't understand at the time."

"What the fuck are you talking about?!"

"I just need to know.. do you still.. do you still have a fat fetish?"

Though Sarah was still furious, she answered Freia's question all the same. "Always have. Always will."

"Okay.. I'll swap again, Sarah."

Sarah nearly dropped the phone, speechless at first. "..Thank you.. I.. Oh god, thank you." Pure relief filled Sarah's heart, realizing that this would be her last day as a fat person.

"Will this work over the phone?" Freia asked.

"It fucking better. If it doesn't, we're meeting up the first chance we can." Sarah snapped.

There was a long pause. "Um.. That'll be hard to do. I don't think I can get to you."

Shrugging off Freia's weird comment, Sarah pushed forward. What? Whatever... we'll cross that bridge if we have to. Do you remember the words?

"I do."

"Okay, on the count of three.. two.. one.."

Both girls started speaking in unison. "My burden is yours, and yours mine, for tomorrow you will carry the weight I bear until it is undone."

After the spell was said, Freia spoke first. "And that's it?"

"That's it. Where are you calling from? If this doesn't work, I want your number to figure out how we can meet up." Sarah said, looking for a pen and paper on her bedside nightstand.

"If this doesn't work, I'll call you, Sarah. I promise." Freia said, sounding sincere.

"Okay.. you better."

"I will. And Sarah?"

"What?"

" ;I'm sorry.. *click*." Freia hung up the phone on Sarah, ending the conversation.

"What a bitch." Sarah said aloud, putting her phone aside and focusing on the prospect of waking up skinny in the morning. Then, with optimistic thoughts filling her mind, Sarah drifted off to sleep, excited for everything to return to normal.