“Thanks for coming over tonight Cassandra…you are; without a doubt, Shannon’s favorite sitter” Melinda Adams said.

“Aw…thank you! I love getting to watch Shannon; it’s just so much harder now that I’ve started college” Cassandra Whitlock replied.

“How’s that going so far?”

“So far so good…it’s different than High School; that’s for sure, but I love it” Cassandra replied as she unlaced her brown boots.  “I’m also working in the cafeteria there too in the afternoons”

“That’s great….every dollar counts” Mrs. Adams said as she put on her coat.

“There she is: What’s up Shannon?” Cassandra said as Shannon came down the stairs with her Dad.

“Cassandra! I thought I heard your voice” Shannon said as she wrapped her arms around Cassandra’s waist and hugged her tight.

“Told you we had a surprise for your babysitter tonight kiddo” Matt Adams said as he also put on his coat.

“You haven’t got to watch me in a long time” Shannon said as she separated herself from Cassandra’s stomach.

“I know…I’ve missed you squirt” Cassandra said as she knelt down to Shannon and ruffled her hair.

“Come on” Shannon grabbed Cassandra’s arm and started pulling her toward the living room.
Cassandra gave a weary smile to Matt and Melinda as they stepped out the door “Since we’re going out with your parents; you know its dinner and a movie so we should be home around 11 okay”

“Sounds good” Cassandra said as she was led into the living room “See you later and have a good time”

“So…what do you want to do first?” Cassandra asked the now very hyper 7 year old in front of her.

“I just got the Wii U and I want to beat you in Mario Kart” she said as she grabbed the remote and flipped the source. Soon, Cassandra found a controller thrust into her hands and Shannon sitting right next to her.

Cassandra adjusted herself on the couch; she was wearing black leggings and a long red and black flannel button down shirt with a plain white tee under it. She settled in for her losing turn as she knew Shannon would beat her.

Shannon was in jeans and a pink hooded sweatshirt and her bare feet came up off the floor as she settled back into the couch. She pushed her long strawberry blond hair out of her eyes and began the race. She was Peach of course and made Cassandra play as Bowser.

While they played, Shannon asked a ton of questions about college and what had been going on since the last time Cassandra had seen her. Cassandra answered every question and patiently played out until she had lost several races in a row.

“All right squirt…that’s enough for tonight; let’s get you something to eat” Cassandra said as she got up from the couch. Shannon trailed a step behind her. Cassandra checked her phone as she walked through the room and she put it on the fireplace mantle as she walked into the kitchen. “What do you want?” she asked.

“Um…chicken nuggets” Shannon replied.

Cassandra headed for the freezer and pulled out the bag. As she arranged them on a plate for the microwave she heard Shannon start in on her next round of questions. She closed her eyes and thought “Oh to be that young and curious about everything”

Shannon bounced onto one of the high bar chairs at the edge of the room, feet dangling and kicking as she said “College sounds so cool…I wish I was in college”

“Soon enough” Cassandra replied.

Shannon put her chin on the counter and watched Cassandra get out forks and ketchup and napkins for them. She tilted her head a bit as she saw Cassandra have to lift up on her tippy toes to reach two plates in the cupboard. “You must be shorter than my Mom…she never has to reach to get the plates” she said.

Cassandra just smiled as she gathered everything up and brought it across the room; for some reason, she ran across the room and slid in her socks to a stop at the counter. “That was fun” she said putting the plates down and puffing out a hard breath out of the corner of her mouth to flip her hair out of her eyes. “I haven’t done that in a few years”

Shannon laughed and swung her feet back and forth until she banged her ankle off the bottom rung. She put her feet on the cold metal bar and reached down to rub her ankle “That’s weird” she thought “Usually I can barely get my toes to touch the bar if I stretch really hard” but she looked down beneath herself and confirmed that her heels were resting squarely on the bar and her toes were even further down. Slowly, Shannon eased herself off the stool, barely dropping before her feet hit the ground. She stood up and looked around. Cassandra had her back to her, watching the timer on the microwave. Shannon stared at Cassandra’s back. The bottom of her shirt was at a point about halfway between her waist and her knees.

Shannon walked slowly around the counter towards her babysitter. Shannon was really confused: When Cassandra had arrived earlier and Shannon had given her a hug, her head was below her breasts; but now as she stood behind her, she was at Cassandra’s shoulders. “Um…Cassandra?” Shannon said nervously.

Cassandra spun around “Shannon?” she said suddenly.

Shannon wasn’t prepared for what she saw when Cassandra turned around and as she took in what she saw; Shannon let out a scream “AHHHHHHH! Cassandra! What’s happening to you?!”
Cassandra took a staggering step backward and looked Shannon up and down “Muh Me? What’s happening to you?!” she replied with rising panic.

To Cassandra’s eyes, Shannon didn’t even look like herself. Cassandra’s brain was running overtime; Shannon looked like a young teenaged girl now, not a seven year old. She was much taller and her face looked more mature. She noticed that the bottoms of her jeans were now up her calves instead of resting on her feet. “Uh don’t panic Shannon” Cassandra said as calmly as she could, but it also registered in her that her voice didn’t sound right as she said it.

Shannon glared at Cassandra; something was wrong, she didn’t even look like Cassandra anymore. To Shannon’s eyes, she looked too young and small to be Cassandra. It looked like her shirt was going to fall right off her shoulders and her leggings looked baggy on her legs and Shannon would swear that they were tight a few minutes ago.

Shannon continued to grow as Cassandra continued to shrink. They now stood eye to eye with each other but as Shannon grew another inch and Cassandra dropped one; it was Cassandra who let out the scream “AHHHHHH! Shannon! You…You’re…” it now dawned fully on Cassandra “You can’t be bigger than me” she said in a higher pitched voice

“I know” Shannon said, her voice getting deeper “Why am I taller than you?”

Cassandra’s hands went to her face. Her hands were balled up and she pressed them tightly to her lips and shook her head back and forth violently. “I don’t know!”

They continued to get farther and farther apart in height. Cassandra continued shrinking while Shannon continued to grow.

But they weren’t just changing sizes, everything else was changing too. Cassandra now had to fight with her sleeves to keep her hands from being swallowed up in them. Her fingers were getting smaller and thinner as her arms and shoulders also became narrower. She could feel her bra sliding around loosely on her small chest and her pants were about to let go off of her narrow hips and skinny thighs.

Shannon’s sweatshirt had started off as several sizes too big now pulled taut across her widening back and expanding chest. Her jeans had become unbuttoned as her hips expanded and her body matured. The seams along the insides of her thighs burst open as the pressure built behind the fabric. Her long and full legs ached under the tight jeans.

Cassandra brought her hands up to her hair and she ran her fingers through it. It seemed shorter and thinner than usual and she began to hyperventilate as she watched Shannon’s face.

Shannon’s delicate and childish features were changing before Cassandra’s eyes. She watched as her eyes deepened, her cheeks rose up and became defined along with her chin and jaw. Her nose grew longer and fuller and her hair darkened and became fuller and thicker. Shannon was now a young woman.

Shannon watched in shock as her babysitter shrank smaller and smaller before her eyes. She now towered over the college girl who could barely hang on to her clothes. Her eyes widened as she realized what was happening to them. She saw Cassandra’s now very short and very skinny body, not the body of a 19 year old, but much closer to the body of a 7 year old. She watched as her face became more and more immature and child-like. Her cheeks became full and round, her eyes became smaller and her nose pulled way back. Freckles broke out across her nose and cheeks as her lips thinned and she looked up and into Shannon’s eyes.

“Oh my God Cassandra” Shannon said in a deep and mature woman’s voice “You look like a kid”

Cassandra looked down at herself and saw her huge baggy clothes swimming on her “Look like” she said in a high pitched childish voice “I am a kid”

Then she looked over at the very tall and mature looking Shannon and she stuttered out “Shan…you…you’re…a…”

Shannon looked down at herself. She noticed that her jeans were ruined. The stitches had also burst along the bottoms as they rode up her calves to go along with the tears in her thighs and at her waist. Her sweatshirt was extremely tight; the sleeves rode up her arms and her stomach was out in the open. “…not a kid anymore” she finished for the tiny babysitter.

“Okay” Cassandra said as she put her hands out in front of her “There’s no need to panic Shannon…we will figure this out” she said unconvincingly.

“I’m not panicking” Shannon replied.

“Well….I kinda am” Cassandra said letting her arms flop by her sides.

Shannon didn’t know what to do; she had never had a kid freak out in front of her before; she had been that kid until a minute ago. She bent down on her knees to get eye level with Cassandra. As she knelt, she felt more of her jeans give way and rip apart exposing even more of her thighs.

“Don’t cry Cassandra” she said and put her hands on the young girl’s shoulders.

“Buh…but…” Cassandra cried out between hitching breaths, “I’m supposed to be buh…big; not you”

“I know; I know” Shannon said reassuringly “But right now; I am the big one and now I guess I have to watch you and keep you safe and calm”

Cassandra’s tears flowed freely and she buried her head in Shannon’s shoulder. Shannon hugged her tightly and stroked her hair.

Cassandra pulled back when she heard her phone going off in the next room. “Oh No; I can’t answer that…not with my voice sounding like this” she cried. She went to go get it though and found out that everything was now more difficult. First of all, her socks were too big and her feet slipped on the floor. Then all the rest of her clothes were too big and baggy and she had to hold onto them just so they wouldn’t fall off of her and worst of all, she couldn’t even reach her phone on the fireplace mantle; it was too high for her.

Cassandra began to cry again as she felt the presence of Shannon above her. Shannon picked up the phone and looked at the number since it had stopped ringing, “It’s not either one of our Mom’s numbers so we’re at least okay there” she said.

Shannon looked down and said “Come on: let’s go up to my room and get you some clothes that at least fit you”

“I don’t want to wear your clothes” Cassandra protested.

“You can’t keep wearing those huge things” Shannon said “And besides…I need to change too; these things are strangling me”

Shannon took to the stairs and Cassandra reluctantly followed, stomping her way up the high stairs. When they reached Shannon’s room though, they were both in for a surprise.
Shannon flicked on the light and gasped “This isn’t my room” She looked around at the unfamiliar surroundings in awe. The walls were no longer pink, but instead a light gray. Her bed was now a full size and covered in a black comforter and not the pink and green floral pattern. There wasn’t a single toy in sight and a high school diploma sat framed on the dresser with the name Shannon Marie Adams on it.

“No way” Shannon said as she picked up the frame.

Shannon then glanced up and caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror on her dresser. “Oh” she said putting down the diploma and gently bringing her hands to her face. She saw that her hair was no longer blond, but now a light brown color. She ran her fingers through it, surprised at how soft it had become. She admired her new grown up look and she turned sideways to get a better view of her figure in the ruined clothes that she had on.

Cassandra cautiously made her way into the new room “What happened to your room?” she asked innocently enough.

“I have no idea” Shannon said as she turned to the girl She opened the drawer and found that her clothes had changed inside of them as well. She pulled out a bra where her socks used to be. Curious, she strained to get the tight sweatshirt off and she revealed her new chest to both of them. She quickly fastened the bra though and it fit her perfectly. Her mouth hung open in shock. She next tore the remainder of her jeans off of her in shreds and replaced the ruined panties she had on with a pair from her dresser that fit her new body. In the bottom drawer she found several pairs of women’s size 6 jeans. Shannon pulled out a pair and easily stepped into them and buttoned them up.

Patting her stomach and adjusting her bra, she opened her closet and pulled out a red University of Maryland sweatshirt and put it on. She fluffed her hair out of the hood and stood grateful but still confused in her room.

Shannon turned and found Cassandra looking into the mirror. She could see the sadness and confusion in her eyes in the reflection.

Cassandra was horrified at the fact that she barely cleared the dresser to even see her childish face reflected back at her. She just couldn’t believe or understand what had happened to them. Her tongue had explored inside her mouth and now she bared her teeth to revel that she not only had baby teeth, but also that she had two missing on the bottom. “No” she said “I don’t deserve this. Why am I a child again?”

Cassandra had to work to free her hands from the bottoms of her sleeves so she could get her tiny hands up to feel the blank spot in her gums. “It’s like I’m seven again…like I never was big at all”

Shannon was hanging back when Cassandra turned and said “We have to go to my house. I have to see my house”

“Yeah…that’s a good idea” Shannon agreed. She saw a pair of black flats on the ground and slipped her feet into them and they headed back downstairs.

Cassandra headed straight out the door in her socks since her boots wouldn’t fit anymore. Shannon had to hustle to keep up with the determined girl steaming to her house next door.

Cassandra opened the door and immediately began to scan her surroundings. The furniture looked the same but there were two pairs of small shoes on the rack by the door.

Cassandra could feel her heart racing as she went into the living room. She immediately looked to the wall where her senior picture was, “No” was all she said at the sight. There was a school picture hanging on the wall, but it wasn’t that of a high school senior, but rather a second grader that she recognized all too well.

She noticed that a Junie B. Jones book sat next to her spot on the couch and a few toys were lying on the floor now as well. She hurried next into the kitchen and saw artwork on the fridge door. A farm scene with the name Cassie Whitlock written in black crayon in the corner, “No” she repeated.

Shannon stood by the front door as Cassandra went on her frantic search down the hall of the ranch style house. She eased down the hall and sighed heavily at the sound Cassie made when she entered her room.

Cassie’s scream went on for several seconds and Shannon made her way down to the doorway. Purple paint adorned the walls and a bright yellow C sat above the bed. The bed was messy and had a purple comforter and purple sheets on it.

“It’s gone” Cassie said very low “It’s all gone…all my stuff” she said picking up a small shirt.

Shannon was stunned by the changes in both of their rooms, she realized that they hadn’t just swapped ages, but they had swapped realities as well. Shannon was now the college student and Cassandra was now the second grade girl. “Um Cassie” she said.

Cassandra turned to Shannon “How is this happening…Why is this happening Shannon?” She folded her arms, still encased in her huge shirt.

Shannon could only shake her head “I don’t have any idea…really, I don’t know. I am just as confused as you are”

Tears formed in Cassie’s eyes once more, but she fought them off this time “I can’t just stand here feeling sorry for myself” she said wiping her eyes and wiggling her shoulders to get out of the large plaid shirt. She continued to undress from the baggy clothes, quickly finding replacements in her new size. “I can’t stand having a little girl body again; it’s so…so…yucky”

She surprised herself with her choice of words. “Why can’t I think of any better words?” she asked herself. “It’s like my vocabulary is getting, um, less”

Shannon remained silent on that topic; she had a sneaking suspicion that more changes were occurring in them as they had continued on. The physical changes had happened suddenly and very noticeably; but there were definitely mental changes happening now. Shannon knew things that she had never studied in school yet, but thoughts were flashing into her mind, she hoped that with these changes, Cassie would calm down some and have a better acceptance of what had happened.

Shannon did feel bad for Cassie; losing 12 years and the body and mind that she had earned was a bum deal, but so was skipping those years for Shannon. She was missing years that Cassie would get twice, so they both had to sacrifice something for this change.

“So do you think that when we were changing; that there was like a moment, when we were like, exactly the same age?” Cassie asked.

Shannon looked up and thought back to their transformation “Yeah; I mean, I guess there probably was a moment when we both would have been 13. There was a moment when we were the same size, so there must have been”

“Cool” was all Cassie said in reply. She sat silently for a moment before saying “Shannon: I don’t know how to drive a car anymore” with a shy smile.
Shannon smiled back knowingly.

“We’ve swapped ages and we’ve kind of swapped rooms and lives…so, are we switching minds now too?” Cassie asked.

Shannon looked down at her feet and said “Yeah…I think so” She looked up. “I’m gaining your knowledge and…” she shrugged “…and you’re regressing back to what you knew at seven”

“I thought so” was all she said. She looked down and then back up “I guess it won’t be so bad” she said. “I mean at least I know now that I’ll turn out okay. It’s just; I have to go through everything all over again”

“Yes you will” Shannon said as she walked to Cassie and knelt down before her. She put her hands on Cassie’s shoulders and said “You’re going to be just fine”

Cassie looked into Shannon’s eyes and said “So are you…you’ll do just fine too”

Shannon stood back up to her full 5’9” height and asked “So, can I do your hair?”

Cassie smiled and replied “Only if I get to do yours”

After Cassie’s hair was pulled up into pigtails and Shannon’s was done in a side ponytail, Shannon proclaimed “Oh, you look so cute Cassie!”

They went back to Cassie’s living room and settled in to watch Cassie’s favorite movie; Frozen.

After Cassie fell asleep on the couch, Shannon carried her down the hall and put her to bed. She went back to the living room and was watching an old episode of Tosh.0 when Cassie’s parents came in.

“Hi Mr. and Mrs. Whitlock” Shannon said as they entered.

Cassie’s Mom smiled and said “You’re 19 now Shannon; you can call us Jeff and Amy”

“I know…it’s just that I’m not used to that…Amy” she said with a smile.

“She didn’t give you any trouble, did she?” asked Jeff as he took out his wallet.

“No: Not at all, we had a great time tonight” Shannon replied.

“Good to hear”

“She is such a sweet girl” Shannon said as she slipped on her shoes. She picked up a small backpack and said goodnight and headed out the door.

Shannon walked back to her own house and came in through the front door. She picked up the pair of brown boots that were still sitting there undisturbed from earlier and carried them upstairs with her. She could hear her parents in their bedroom and she said “Did you have a good time tonight?”

“Yeah honey, we did. How was your night with Cassie?” her mom replied in a tired voice.
“Oh…it was just fine” Shannon said as she went to her room “Good Night” she added as she closed the door.

Shannon sat down on the edge of her bed. She put the boots down at her feet. She slipped out of her own shoes and tried on the boots that Cassandra had worn over that evening. Shannon found that they were too small for her, so she placed them in the back of her closet. She opened up the backpack and looked once again at the black leggings, white t-shirt and plaid flannel shirt that she had gathered up in Cassie’s room. She went over to a spot in front of her own dresser and picked up the shredded jeans and small pink sweatshirt that she had started her night in. With a slight smile, she shoved them into the backpack along with Cassandra’s clothes and placed it in the back of her closet with the boots. The only evidence of what had happened that night was quietly put out of sight and mind.

Shannon undressed and got into bed.