“Come on Jen…I’ll give you a ride home” I said to my best friend as we left school for the day.

“You are so lucky that you have your own car” Jen said.

“Oh…I know” I replied as I got in behind the wheel of the Honda Civic and started it up.

“You get your own car and you always have the run of the house to yourself…I’m so jealous” Jen said.

I just shrugged.

“Where’s everybody this weekend?” Jen asked.

“Orlando” I replied as we pulled out of the parking lot and headed for Jen’s house.

“If my parents were gone every weekend with my sister; I would party non-stop. Your parents are lucky that they have you for a kid” Jen said.

“Yeah…”

I headed for the grocery store after I dropped Jen off. I wandered the aisles picking up my food for the next four days in what had become my usual routine.

Jen could say that my parents were lucky to have me and I was lucky to get my own car and a lot of independence at only 18, but that’s not how I usually thought about it.

I regarded myself as the invisible woman and I had been for the last six years. It was six years ago that my younger sister Darby began to show a true gift for gymnastics. Ever since then, my parents whole world has been getting Darby further in the world of competitive gymnastics with their ultimate goal being a place on the Olympic team.

For a few years, I went with them on the non-stop tour of competitions but after I turned 16, my parents were more inclined to just leave me at home. They got me a car and always make sure I have money for food and other basics and they trust me to not trash the house.

So yeah, I have my independence, but at what cost? My parents couldn’t tell you the name of a single one of my teachers or my friends. Their whole world revolves around Darby and it’s all I hear when they’re at home; so for me, this is my life.

Oh, and don’t get me started on Darby herself. Miss Queen of the World barely even acknowledges that she has a sister. Sports were never really my thing: I’d much rather read a good book or watch a movie or check out a new indie band. She has lived and breathed gymnastics all her life and after being told that her spot in the Olympics was almost a given for her…well…an ego check has never been cashed by that girl.

I was lying on the couch, reading on Sunday afternoon when I heard the car pull into the drive. I sat up to at least give the impression that I was interested. Darby was the first through the door and by the scowl on her face; I was guessing that the weekend had went poorly for her.

She slammed the door shut behind her, gave a growl and stomped up the stairs. I followed her footsteps until her door slammed shut.

I cocked my head and waited for the next wave to come in.

My Mom came in next carrying a 1st place trophy and crying. She never even glanced in my direction as she too headed up the stairs. I heard her outside my sister’s door say “We will fight this Darby…This isn’t over…We’ll figure something out if it’s the last thing I do”

I sat up as I watched my Dad take multiple trips out to the car to bring in all their luggage. After his last trip, I finally asked “What’s up?”

He turned toward me with a look of genuine surprise at hearing a voice “Oh Delaney…it’s you”

“Yep…I do live here and all” I replied.

Dad sighed and let his shoulders slump “We got some bad news on the ride home…”

“Oh…” I added waiting for more.

“Yeah…the Olympic Committee has had a rule change; all team members must be 18 to be on the Olympic squad so with your sister only being 12 right now, she’ll only be 17 in 2020 and that means she won’t even be eligible until the 2024 games”

“Um…” I replied.

“Don’t you see how that’s a total disaster for us! 9 more years of hoping she stays healthy. She’ll be 21 by that time; I just don’t see how we’re going to make it” he shook his head in disgust and wandered off murmuring under his breath.

All I could do was stand there and blink in disbelief.

The next morning at breakfast, it was still awkward.  I came in during the middle of the discussion between the three of them.

Darby sat at the table with her arms crossed and a perpetual frown on her face “It is not fair!” she said for at least the one thousandth time. “They can’t do this to me…they are ruining my entire life”

“I know sweetheart” my Dad replied and tried to pat her on the arm.

Darby yanked back from his touch and hissed “You’d better fix it is all I have to say” She looked at me and added “None of this concerns you Delaney”

My Mom glanced up at me and then back to Darby “She doesn’t know Honey”

“No. She doesn’t” Darby said icily.

I grabbed a granola bar and headed out the door without a word and headed to school.
When I got home that night, I started to head straight upstairs when I heard my Mom call out my name from the living room. “Delaney…can you come in here for a minute?”

I went in a found my Mom sitting perched on the very edge of the couch with a smile plastered on her face. My Dad stood next to her looking nervous and my sister stood in the middle of the room looking pissed as usual.

“Honey” my Dad began “We need you to do a favor for your sister”

“What now?” I asked.

“Well, it’s kind of complicated to explain” my Mom said to me “But if you could pick up that red stone off the table, I would appreciate it”

Without a second thought about the rock, I picked it up.
“Good” my Mom said.

I heard my sister let out a snort of breath through her nose and saw her stomping toward me. She was wearing a baggy t-shirt and baggy shorts, not her usual attire at all. Being a gymnast, she was quite tiny in stature. She was only 4’9” at 12 years old, not that I was a giant at 5’5”, but I was still quite a bit taller than her.

Darby stopped in front of me and picked up a blue stone that was sitting on the table. “Thanks sis” she said sarcastically.

I was confused and my confusion only increased as my Mom closed her eyes and said “PAWS RIEHT SEGA”

I felt a jolt in my chest all of a sudden and I swallowed as she continued “Darby shall age 6 years to 18 as Delaney regresses 6 years to 12. Swap their ages as the stones shall allow it”

“What?” I said. I opened my hand and saw that stone I was holding was now blue in color and glowing. I looked at Darby’s hand and saw her stone was now red and also glowing bright in her hand.

“What’s going on?” I asked.

“Well you see sis” Darby said beside me. “Turns out there’s something that you have that I need; your age”

“What are you talking about?”

“Delaney: I know that you heard about the tragedy that poor Darby now faces. She wouldn’t be eligible to compete in the Olympics for 9 more years” My Mom began. “That was unacceptable. So I have taken matters into my own hands; or rather your hands”

“I still don’t understand” I admitted.

“To put it simply Delaney…I found these magic stones that allow two people to swap an attribute from one to the other. You are going to swap your age with Darby”

“Like Hell I will!” I shouted and took a step back. As I did, I realized that my shoe was loose and my heel popped out of it. My back felt tight, like it was constricting in a muscle spasm.

“Too late…little sis” Darby said with a smirk. “Before you know it, you’ll be 12 and I’ll be 18. That way I can make the Olympics next year and get my gold in Rio”

“But…but that’s impossible” I said as I felt my bra strap droop off my shoulder and my sleeves begin to cover my hands.

“Is it?” Darby said. “Looks like you’re already getting younger Laney” she added with a laugh.

I felt the room get larger around me. It seemed like I was on an elevator that was going down as I felt my stomach rise up. My shoulders pulled in instinctively and I held my upper arms tight against my sides.

Darby stepped directly in front of me and she did look bigger than before. She was growing taller and older. She lifted up her baggy shorts as her thighs grew longer and even stronger than before.

“Wow…check out my legs now” she said.

I gasped as I realized that my jeans were getting loose on my waist and were about to fall off. I managed to catch them just as they gave way and I held them up with my right hand. My bottom lip quivered as I inhaled and asked “Why? What did I ever do to deserve this?”

“Nothing Honey…it’s just more important that Darby be given every opportunity to achieve her dream” my Mom answered.

My shoes were several sizes too big for me and I could feel my feet sliding in them as they shrunk. I stepped out of them easily and saw my smaller feet and toes briefly before my long jeans covered them up.

“Ha” Darby said and I looked across to her “I’m even taller than you now too…shrimp”

It was true; I had dropped several inches in height and she had gained them. Darby topped out at 5’3” but I had dropped back down to 5’1”

I realized that my jeans were so loose because my ass had disappeared. I had lost most of my curves and body shape as I dropped back in years. I clutched at my chest and while I could still feel something on my chest, they were dwarfed by a bra that was much too big for me. My hips and ass had flattened and pulled in and my legs, particularly my thighs, had gotten skinnier.

I stared in awe as I watched Darby’s face mature before me. Her lips filled in, her nose grew slightly longer, her cheeks became defined and her eyes more expressive. Her hair thickened and darkened as she aged up as well.

My face began to tingle and I saw Darby’s face light up in delight “Oh Wow…this is so cool!” she yelled. “I’m actually watching you get younger than me”

While my left hand kept a hold on my jeans, my right hand came up to my face. I touched my nose as it shrank back. I felt my cheeks round up against the palm of my hand. My eyes narrowed and feeling them shift inward was very odd to say the least.

My lips began to tingle and I know I had a look of extra confusion as I felt a weight enter into my mouth. Slowly and reluctantly, I moved my tongue out behind pursed lips and ran it along the front of my teeth. My tongue immediately registered the unmistakable metallic tang of braces. I had worn braces from 11 to 13 and I was right back squarely in the middle of them all over again.

“Oh little Laney…smile for your big sister” Darby said and punched me in the shoulder.

“Shut the fuck up” I yelled out. Tears of embarrassment and anger formed in my eyes.
“Aw…is the little baby going to cry?”

“Shut up! How could you do this to me?” I yelled first at Darby before I spun to look at my Mom.

I stared at her and said softly “How could you…”

She looked back at me defiantly “I did what I had to do”

Darby took another step back and now that I fulfilled what she needed, she once again proceeded to ignore me. She turned her back to me as our Mom stood up and went to her “Nothing is going to stop you now Honey” she said.

Darby took in her new body. She was taller and much stronger and sturdier than before. She flexed her arms and rose up onto her toes, watching her calf muscles extend “Wow…this feels so amazing” she said.

Darby pulled her shirt taut against her toned stomach and chest. “I’ll need sports bras now, but I don’t see any downside to this at all” she said and began to leave the room.

I stood there in utter and total shock. My mouth hung open and I was unable to move. I looked to my Dad, who had remained silent throughout all of this. “Dad…?” I managed in a slightly higher voice that was also slightly muffled by the braces on my teeth.

He merely shook his head before he lowered his gaze to the floor. “I’m sorry” he mumbled as he too left the room.

I felt another round of tears forming before a voice in my head screamed out “NO! You’re not going to cry! You’re not going to act weak!”

I brought the palms of my hands up and pressed them hard against my watery eyes. As I did, my pants dropped to around my ankles and I felt my t-shirt flutter a bit against the tops of my thighs.

I looked down at my skinny bare legs and said “I’m 12”

I stepped out of my pants and took a wide step away from them. I pulled the collar of my shirt out and looked down the front. It was too depressing to look at for long though and instead, I shuffled toward the mirror in the hall.

The sound that I let out when I saw my reflection was part sarcastic laugh, part exasperated sigh. “Holy Shit” I managed as I ran my fingers over my young face and through my lighter hair. “How did they do this to me?”

I looked down and saw the blue stone by my feet. I picked it up but I had no idea where the other one went to; I guessed that Darby still had it but that wasn’t going to do me any good.

I went upstairs to my room and looked at all the clothes that no longer fit me “What am I going to do?” I asked no one in particular, so I was surprised when I heard my sister’s voice coming from my doorway.

“You’re going to pack up whatever stuff you want to keep: We’re moving to Houston” and she was gone.

I sat down on the corner of my bed. I blushed as my feet lifted off the floor, no longer able to touch. I pulled my hair back away from my face, still amazed at what had just happened to me…to us. “How could you do this?” I asked the air.

I reached up under the back of my shirt and unhooked my now useless bra. I pulled it out of my sleeve and threw it across the room.

“Can I come in a minute?” my Dad asked sheepishly from the door.

“Dad?” I said somewhat surprised and still adjusting to my new voice and the feel of my mouth.
He came in and took a seat across from me on the bed. He sighed before he simply said “I’m sorry Honey…I really am. I know you won’t believe me and you have every right to hate me and everyone else in the house. I…”

“Dad…what happened to me? How is this even possible? I’m a kid again…and Darby is an adult now. How can she be 18 instead of me, just tell me how am I 12 again”

“I don’t know how it works: I just know that your Mother was so blinded by protecting and helping Darby that she did…this”

“And now we’re moving too. It’s just way too much for me here…I just can’t even…”

My Dad reached over and hugged me “I’m going to make sure you have it easy after this. I know it’s not much, but it’s the best I can do for you. You’re going to get your high school diploma and even though you’re going to have to be on the road with us from now on, I’ll make sure it’s at least an easy ride for you”

I shrugged my shoulders; what other choice did I have. “Thanks”

He got back up and stumbled from the room like a man who didn’t even really know where he was at anymore.

I rifled through the back of my closet until I found some old shorts that I had outgrown last year. They were big on me, but at least they stayed up. I found some old tank tops that I could now wear instead of a bra underneath my all too big shirts. I started making piles in my room of everything that I no longer needed.

***

14 months later…

“There’s a nice shot of Darby Martin’s family up in the stands cheering her on” the male announcers’ voice rang out.

“Yes, that’s Dad Tom. Mom Tammy and her little sister Delaney all anxiously awaiting the scores of Darby’s floor routine…and here they come” the female announcer replied.

“Yes! Darby Martin has won the women’s all-around gold medal! It’s an astounding accomplishment for this beautiful young lady!” the announcer screamed out as Darby’s scores came up on the board.

When I saw the score, I knew that I had to jump up and cheer with all the enthusiasm that I could muster. I clapped and hugged my Dad as my Mom cheered and cried on the other side of him.

Inside, I was still pissed.

Mom and Dad rushed down to the floor and left me up in the stands by myself. I put my feet up on the chair in front of me and let my mind wander as the arena erupted around me.

I thought back over the past year and what had happened since the day Darby and I swapped ages.

I know now that I was in a state of shock. Mom had already informed the school that I wouldn’t be back but since I was only a few weeks away from graduation, I got my diploma anyway.

Technically, I’ve been home schooled since we moved but not really. I just travel with my family to all of Darby’s meets and practices. I turned 13 again and got my braces off again so at least I’m a teenager again.

Darby is still as insufferable as ever, if not more so now and it’s only going to get worse now that she’s won.

A small part of me was holding out hope that if she lost, they would swap us back to make her younger again and give her another chance under a different name.

I made my way down to the side of the arena to watch the medal ceremony and then I went back to our hotel where I had to watch my sister talk all damn night to every reporter there.

I couldn’t get any rest though because the phones were ringing off the hook with endorsement calls and the deals that Darby was going to strike. Her agent came in and started yelling into phones.

I lay back on the hard hotel bed and smiled. I rolled the blue stone between my fingers in the low light from the open window when the door opened and Darby flipped on the light and came strolling into the room.

Sitting up I managed a grunted “Congratulations…you got your gold”

Darby put her hands on her hips and smiled with her head tilted towards me “Thanks Laney”

I sat up and crossed my legs in front of me as she took a seat at the edge of the bed. “You know my agent has already struck deals with Gatorade and Wheaties”

“Awesome” I replied “So what happens next?”

“Well I’m going to the NBC studio to sit down with Bob Costas and then I’ll talk with the Today show and tomorrow at 10, I’m supposed to be at the ESPN set. We’re all flying straight to New York after the closing ceremonies; I have photoshoots to do and I’m already booked with Jimmy Fallon and I’m sure more talk shows will come after that”
I dropped my head slightly.

“Look…with winning and endorsements come even more responsibilities. I can’t just swap ages back with you now. What would it look like if I was suddenly a 13 year old now?”

“I think it would look like it’s supposed to look like…you are 13 Darby” I protested.
“No I’m not…you are” Darby said. “You’re just lucky we only took you down to 12”

My mouth opened in shock.

“And besides; those stones are only good one way. There never was any way back once it started. Face it sis; you are and always will be my ‘little’ sister”

My heart dropped in that instant.

Darby stood up “The whole world has seen you on TV announced as Darby Martin’s little sister. You need to just sit back and enjoy the ride Laney”

I ran my tongue across my teeth in frustration. I stood up, still an inch shorter than Darby.

She folded her arms across her chest “Face it…there’s nothing you can do about it”

I watched Darby turn and stride back out of the room as she gave out a slight laugh “Ah little Laney…you crack me up”

Second Feature

“Okay Hailey…you can take it easy out there; it’s just practice” Coach Walters said to his star player.

“You should know by now coach that I don’t ever take it easy; on anyone” Hailey said as she rubbed the softball against her thigh. “If they can’t hit me…they shouldn’t be out here”

Hailey Mitchell was a senior at Truman High School and was the star athlete of the school. She had started all four years in soccer, basketball and softball and had accepted a scholarship to Oklahoma for softball after turning down Notre Dame in soccer and Tennessee in basketball.

After she preceded to strikeout every single other member of her team in batting practice, her coach pulled her aside.

“Look Hailey; save it for the game. You don’t have anything else to prove out here in practice. You should try mentoring some of these girls and showing them how to play, not trying to show them up”

“They need to come out here and play hard, if they were any good they could hit me” Hailey said defiantly.

“Sports come naturally to you Hailey, that’s not the case for everybody. These other girls are working hard and trying hard…” Coach Walters said to her.

“Then tough shit for them” Hailey interrupted him.

“You’ve never had to work hard to be good, like I said, it’s always just came to you. How would you like it, if one of these other girls had your natural ability and you had to scrap just to make the team; would you go easier on them then?” Coach Walters said.

“No” she said as she stared into his eyes. “Don’t tell me that you’re jealous too. I mean you never had any good years as a player did you? That’s why they say, those that can’t…coach. Watching all those recruiters knock down my door must have been hard on you, huh skip”

Coach Walters just laughed and shook his head as Hailey stared him down. He just patted her on the shoulder and said “Ah Hailey…I’ll see you at practice tomorrow” and she ran off the field but not before she looked over her shoulder with a look of pity and contempt for her coach and the rest of her team.

Don Walters wasn’t exactly fond of his star player. Sure, they had won a lot of games, but she was arrogant and didn’t appreciate her natural ability. She never tried to work with any of her teammates and she had never had any fear of not making the team. She had waltzed through every sport easily, but that was about to change.

The next day, Don saw Hailey chewing out one of the freshmen before practice even started.
The freshman girl was named Sophia Waterson and she would never be as good as Hailey even if she did nothing but play softball 24/7.

“You can’t do anything right out there” Hailey screamed at Sophia. “God Sophia…why do you suck so bad?”

“Hey” Don yelled as he approached the two. “You need to apologize to Sophia; we don’t talk to our teammates that way”

“Make me” Hailey said putting her hands on her hips definitely. “What are you going to do if I don’t? Kick me off the team…the only thing that will do is get you fired coach” she added with a sway of her head.

“Hailey…I’ve warned you” Don said barely able to contain his anger with her. He grabbed her hand with the softball and then grabbed Sophia’s hand. He put Sophia’s hand on top of Hailey’s and closed his eyes for a brief second before he removed both of their hands and looked at Hailey and said “Why don’t you grab a bat…you can be first up in BP”

“That’s what I thought” Hailey said as she turned her back and walked away. She pulled her long brown hair into a new ponytail and grabbed her helmet and bat and strode confidently up to the plate “Now who are you going to get to pitch to me?” she said as she stepped into the batter’s box.

“I think Sophia here can pitch to you” Coach Walters said.

Hailey laughed and Sophia eyes went wide “I can’t pitch coach…I’m barely hanging on in right field…now you want me to pitch to Hailey Mitchell? She’ll light me up for sure and it will only give her even more reason to pick on me”

“Trust me” Coach Walters said as he looked into her eyes.

“Hailey!” he called out to her. Their eyes met and Hailey felt strange all of a sudden. She shook her shoulders and swung the bat a few times to warm up.

Don put the ball into Sophia’s mitt and smiled. “I think you’ll do better than you think…just throw it in there” he said as he backed up a few steps.

Sophia was a bundle of nerves. She rarely pitched and when she did, she got lit up like a Christmas tree. She couldn’t believe how bad this practice was going and it was just starting. Sophia took a deep breath and went into her wind up. She threw the ball as hard as she could and closed her eyes waiting to hear the inevitable ping of Hailey’s hit.

Hailey dug her left foot into the dirt waiting for the pitch. She saw it leave Sophia’s hand. She stepped up with her left foot, ground her right foot down and pivoted her hips and shoulders into the swing like she had done thousands of times before.

<Clang>

The ball bounced off the chain link fence behind Hailey; she had missed.

The gasps and sounds of shock from every one of the players reverberated through Hailey’s body. “What the f…how in the hell did I miss that?” she thought as she lowered the bat to the corner of the plate.

Sophia’s eyes were wide now in shock “How did I…she missed! I just threw a strike past Hailey Mitchell” ran through her mind.

“Throw her another one Sophia” Don called out.

Sophia reached down into the bucket next to her and pulled out another ball. She wound up and pitched. This time though, she kept her eyes open and watched as the ball seemed to be going much faster than she had ever thrown before along with the fact that she could see it rising as it neared home plate.

Sophia raised her glove in anticipation and then dropped it down to her side in shock as Hailey swung and missed again.

“Damnit” Hailey yelled and pounded the ground with the end of her bat. “You’re just lucky that’s all” she called out and pointed the bat at Sophia “There’s no way you can get another one past me” she called out as she dug in at the plate.

Sophia picked up another ball and rolled it across her palm. She wound up and threw it towards home. Sophia watched as the ball began to spin and just as it reached home, it dove to the side and she watched Hailey miss even worse than the last two times.

Hailey was dumbfounded. Her mouth hung open as she stood at the plate “How did she do that?” she said to herself as she removed her helmet and walked out of the batter’s box.
The other players didn’t say a word; they knew not to piss Hailey off.

Sophia looked around at her coach “I told you that you’d be fine”

“But…” Sophia began to say before she heard Hailey yell “You think you’re so hot…why don’t you step in and I’ll pitch to you freshman…see if you can hit me”

Hailey already had her glove and was trotting out to the rubber. Sophia looked around before she jogged past her to get a helmet and bat. “I’m going to light you up…you won’t even see my pitch, let alone touch it” Hailey said as they passed.

As Sophia stepped in, she half expected the first pitch to come right at her head but she got into her stance anyway.

Hailey was fuming on the mound “Little bitch try to show me up…I’ll show her” she went into her windup and threw it as hard and as fast as she could.

<PING>

Hailey spun and watched the ball sail high overhead and into deep left field, clearing the wall.

Hailey’s stomach sank and every nerve felt on edge as she slowly turned back around, mouth open.

Sophia stood at the plate, just as shocked that she had connected with the pitch but as she thought about it, the ball just seemed to hang there, like it was waiting for her to hit it.

Hailey’s cheeks burned red with anger and embarrassment; she pointed her glove at Sophia and shook her head. “You got lucky”

Hailey wound up and determined to get this pitch past the weak freshman standing at the plate, threw it as hard as she could.

Sophia took her stance and once again it seemed like the pitch was in slow motion for her. She dug in a swung clean through the ball and as he follow through took her around, she saw the sharp line drive streak right back at Hailey.

Hailey finished her pitch and a split second later, she threw up her glove in front of her face in pure panic reaction as she dove for the ground as the ball zipped right past her face, missing her by an inch.

Hailey was breathing heavily as she lay in the dirt. She sat up and heard her coach yelling out to her to see if she was okay but she didn’t respond. Finally she stood up and dusted herself off, thoroughly confused at what was happening to her.

“Okay that’s enough for right now ladies…let’s go take some outfield practice…pop up drills” Coach Walters called out and the girls all ran out to the outfield. Hailey lingered for a moment at the mound before she grabbed her glove and trotted off to the end of the line.

A few more girls filtered in behind her before Sophia formed the true end of the line.
At Hailey’s turn, the coach hit a high pop up that Hailey immediately rushed in for before she realized that she had read it wrong in the air and it was going behind her. She began to back pedal until her feet tangled and she went down in a heap and the ball thumped on the ground next to her as she threw her hands over her head in fear of getting hit on the head with the ball.

It was then that she heard something that she had never heard directed at her before; laughter. The other girls were giggling and snickering at her total lack of playing skills. Hailey got up and through beet red cheeks yelled “Shut Up” at everyone before she put her head down and headed for the back of the line.

Sophia meanwhile saw the ball perfectly off the bat and glided effortlessly over and fielded her pop up cleanly.

Hailey misplayed her next fly ball too, she kept shifting her position and was a few feet too far up when it came down and the ball glanced off the top of her glove and hit the ground. “FUCK!” she screamed.

“Watch your language Hailey” Coach Walters yelled.

Hailey stomped off the field and went over to the bench. “What is wrong with me today? I can’t hit…I can’t pitch…I can’t field…what the fuck?” she mumbled to herself. She remained on the bench for the rest of the practice, watching in wonder at how effortlessly Sophia was playing.

After practice Sophia had just stepped back out of the locker room with her backpack and the rest of her school stuff when Hailey was suddenly in front of her.

“Hailey…I…” she said as she looked up into the angry brown eyes of Hailey Mitchell.

Hailey was 5’10” and had a good 6 inches on Sophia. She jabbed her index finger into Sophia’s chest and Sophia took a staggering step backward. “Not so tough out here now are you bitch” Hailey spat out at her new rival.

“I don’t want any trouble with you Hailey” Sophia said.

“Well it’s too late for that; you’ve got plenty of trouble with me. I’ll teach you to show me up like that out there…you have no idea who you’re messing…with?” the end came in the form of a question because Hailey was growing confused. She had been staring down at the little twerp who had shown her up in practice and then, she wasn’t looking down anymore; they were standing nose to nose.

Sophia was growing taller and Hailey was getting shorter.

As Hailey tried to spit out her next insult, she had to shift her eyes and began to look up at Sophia. Still trying to act tough she said “You…you’d better not…um…”

But as their heights shifted, Sophia just crossed her arms over her chest and gave an impatient look down at Hailey. She tapped her foot and stared her down in the most condescending way she could.

“Um…” Hailey said as Sophia brushed past her and walked off the field.

As she watched Sophia walking away, Hailey looked down at herself “What just happened? Wasn’t I bigger and a better player than Sophia?”

The next day at practice, Hailey was warming up and playing catch with a girl named Maria when Sophia came out of the locker room. She broke off to go confront her once again.

“Hey” she called out and Sophia turned around. “I want another shot at you today. You might have hit me yesterday, but I bet I can get you out today”

Sophia looked down at Hailey and said “Sure…you’re on”

Hailey rushed to the mound and dug in as Sophia stepped up to the plate. The first pitch came in and Sophia drilled a line drive down the third base line. As she did, Hailey’s arms shrank down a bit and Sophia’s bulked up.

The second pitch was even slower than the first and Sophia cranked the ball deep into center field and over the fence. As the ball sailed away, Hailey’s legs diminished in strength and got skinner and weaker while Sophia’s tightened and gained strength and balance.

The third pitch was an absolute rainbow that hung up for Sophia to tee off on. As it shot over the left field wall, Sophia’s ankles and wrists strengthened as her center of gravity adjusted giving her a natural glide and stance as Hailey’s wrists and ankles weakened and she became somewhat of a klutz; awkward and gangly.

“Still got nothing on me” Sophia muttered through a smile.

Hailey walked dejected off the mound and took up her position in right field as the coach called for a full scrimmage.

By the end of practice, Hailey had struck out three times and even bobbled a roller and she almost missed her cut off throw.

“Rough day out there today huh” Sophia said to Hailey as they headed off the field.

“Shut the fuck up” Hailey yelled. “I don’t want to talk to you!” She grabbed her books as Sophia grabbed her backpack “You’re just a fresh…man” Hailey said as she looked down at the books in her hand.

“Algebra 1…General Science…Spanish 1…what the hell these are books that a freshman would have” Hailey mumbled as she began to regress back to her freshman year. She ran her tongue over her teeth and felt the metal tang of braces again. Small changes began to take place. Her breasts reduced down a bit smaller, her legs thinned and shortened. On top of the braces appearing, so did a few pimples. Her eyes widened as the last few years of school melted away from her.

“No…I’m a senior…I’m not…” she looked over at Sophia.

Sophia gathered up her Spanish 4 notes along with her Chemistry book and slid them into her backpack. She shook out her long hair as even more sophistication and confidence came onto her more mature face. A deepness and understanding flashed in her eyes and she adjusted her shoulders as she turned towards the younger girl next to her.

She flashed a brilliant smile towards Hailey and said “I remember how hard it is being a freshman. If you’ll let me help you; I can give you some extra pointers and tips and coaching throughout the year Hailey”

Hailey shook her head and smiled her brace face smile. She looked up to the tall, strong, naturally gifted Sophia as her mentor. “You don’t know how much this means to me Sophia. I mean you’ve been all-state in softball the last three years and you’re going to take the time to help me out”

“No problem girl…it’s like coach always says…you’ve got to help out the younger players who might not have a natural gift for the game” Sophia said as she patted Hailey on the back.