"Absolutely the storyline to watch tonight is Notre Dame Sophomore guard Samantha Rainey! She needs just 5 points to reach 1,000 points in her young career. She is on pace to challenge Caitlin Clark and Elena Delle Donne for the fastest to 2,000"

The arena was loud, ESPN was broadcasting it in Prime Time and Sam Rainey was calmly  taking her warm up shots.

Unaffected by the magnitude of the game, Sam was staying cool and treating it like any other game.

In section 103, right by the tunnel the Fighting Irish would use, Ava Stempler sat mesmerized.

Her first big time game and the 9 year old was getting to see her favorite player.

Her Dad had taken her and her best friend Olivia to the game and had splurged on good seats. It was a coincidence that it was lining up to be a game where Sam would set a milestone.

Ava and Olivia talked non stop. In the car, in the arena and in their seats. They cheered warm-ups and as the players came past to get ready, Sam held up her sign 'Sam Rainey is the GOAT'

Ava didn't know if she saw it or not as she screamed out her name.

It was just a few minutes into the game when Sam hit a 3 pointer and hit 1,000 points.

At halftime, Ava got a smile from Sam as she held up her second sign 'I just wanna meet Sam #22'

Ava bounced and squealed at just making eye contact "Ohmygosh Liv! She saw my sign! Did you see that?! She smiled at me!"

Samantha Rainey was a 5'11 guard who could play both inside and outside, driving to the basket or stopping and hitting outside shots. Known for always keeping her long brown hair pulled tightly back in a long ponytail. She had big brown eyes and a bright smile and was a true contradiction. She was aggressive on the court but off, she was quiet and really liked being girly. She wore makeup and loved the chances she got to dress up and the world would think that she was a tomboy who never wore makeup because that's the side they saw on ESPN.

Sam was shy and despite having a NIL deal, she hated having to post on Instagram.

But, she did appreciate having fans, especially little girls who played basketball because of her, who wanted to play like her.

It still blew her mind that people knew who she was; she was just a 20 year old from nowhere Illinois.

The game progressed and Ava cheered the whole time. Notre Dame won 68-54 and Sam scored 27 points to go along with 8 rebounds and 8 assists.

Ava pressed against the railing; she was hoping with all her heart and soul to get an autograph on one of her signs. She clutched a Sharpie in her fist.

Samantha had an on court interview after the game so the rest of the team passed by as Ava watched the Jumbo screen and Sam.

Samantha grabbed a towel and wrapped it around her neck and made her way down the walkway. A lot of fans crowded in but she spotted the girl who had held up the sign at halftime.

Ava saw Sam turn towards her. She started waving frantically.

Sam saw her and smiled and jogged over "Hey! Thanks for the signs…I see you wear 22 too" Sam said.

Ava was absolutely numb, shocked. She just nodded as Sam nodded toward her hand with the Sharpie. She had on her jersey over the top of a Notre Dame shirt.

"Ohmygosh! You're my absolute favorite player!" Ava blurted out suddenly, the words coming in a flood "Yeah I will only wear your number!"

Sam smiled and took the marker but as Ava moved her sign out, she was waved off.

Sam bent down and quickly undid the laces of her game shoes and kicked them off "What's your name?" She asked the girl.

Ava was stunned, it was surreal "Uh…Ava!" She squealed involuntarily and bounced ecstatic.

"Ava, my favorite 22" she wrote on the left shoe before signing "Samantha Rainey" on the right and handing them up to Ava. "Keep playing girl!" She added as she also signed her sign before jogging off in her socks.

Ava nearly fainted. She was dizzy and floating all at once. She felt hands on her shoulders as her Dad and friend congratulated her along with others in the crowd.

Ava stared at the treasure in her hands, her most precious possession. A pair of autographed game worn shoes from her idol. Puma basketball shoes, green, blue and white. She could see the tag on the tongue telling her that the shoes were size 11s.

Ava could feel warmth coming off of them.

A lot of the people around her of course had their phones out so the whole interaction was captured and subsequently, went viral.

Sam got some good press and Ava was the envy of her basketball team.

Ava clutched those shoes the whole drive home. She and Liv talked non stop again.

Once home, her Mom fussed over her endlessly.

It felt like a dream.

Ava carried the shoes to her room and she cleared off a spot on her shelf. Right next to a trophy for basketball on one side and a picture of her and Liv on the other.

Over the next week, she touched the shoes every morning before school and every night before bed.

Ava was a typical 9 year old. About 4'8", she was starting her growth spurt. Her hair was light brown and her eyes were green, her face was pudgy with baby fat cheeks.

On the following Saturday, Ava had a basketball game and it didn't go well.

Ava went 0 for 5 and turned the ball over with a few seconds left that sealed the loss.

No one blamed her, but she blamed herself and she beat herself up over her bad game.

After getting home, she ran to her room and closed the door.

Tears in her eyes, she curled up on her bed. "I'm never going to be any good at basketball!"

She wallowed for a time in her misery before taking a deep breath and sitting up.

She went to the shelf and she picked up Sam's shoes.

She held them to her chest and closed her eyes "I wish I could play like you"

She opened her eyes and stared at the wall "I wish I was you"

She sat in her desk chair and put the shoes on the ground at her feet. "What if I were Sam Rainey?" she whispered. "What if I looked like her? What if I were as tall as her? What if I were her age? What if I could play basketball like her?"

She looked down "What if these shoes actually fit my feet? Like what if they were my size? What if they were made for me?"

Ava was wearing her basketball shorts and jersey still with a white tee shirt underneath. She was barefoot, having taken off her socks and shoes.

Ava put her feet on the outside of the size 11s; they looked tiny in comparison. Her toes looked like they would stop at the bottom of the laces.

She closed her eyes and slipped her feet into the shoes.

Immediately, she felt violently jerked forward and she blacked out.

<thump,thump,thump,thump>

Sam Rainey was frozen, all she could hear and focus on was the beating of her own heart as her other senses started to return to her.

She swallowed and took a deep breath in through her nose as her eyes fluttered open.

Taking in the deep breath confused her as she felt really tight clothes pinching. Her arms, her hips and waist…it felt like her chest was binded.

The smell around her had changed, it didn't smell like her apartment but she did pick up her body spray scent along with sweat and a vanilla scent.

The room was warmer. Her eyes opened and she saw herself. Well, it was a poster of herself taped to a wall.

Purple wall. Poster of herself. Her vision widened. A poster of Kevin Durant. Another of Breanna Stewart.

Sam looked down "What the fuck?!" She muttered seeing that her clothes had drastically changed. "AH!" She exclaimed, having her breath taken away.

A small tight white jersey and even tighter white tee shirt were on her chest. The sleeves pinching into her armpits. "St. Elizabeth Eagles 22"

Her stomach was exposed as a strip of flesh was clearly visible in the way too small shirt.

Sam saw her thighs and tiny blue shorts.

She was sitting in a desk chair in a room that wasn't her own, in clothes that were definitely not her own. "Where the hell am I?" She said as she stood up.

The only thing that fit were her shoes.

No socks but the shoes fit. She looked at them bewildered and dumbfounded. They would fit because they were her own. She recognized them as the ones she had signed and given away a week ago. "But…" she put her hands out and looked at them. Sam felt tingling in her spine which then spread outward over her whole body.

<thump, thump, thump, thump>

70 miles away, Ava Stempler focused on her heart pounding in her chest.

Hyper aware but afraid of moving, she took in a deep breath and she felt a heat rise in her, fear and confusion washed over her. "Am I wearing a pair of my Mom's high heels???!"

She was aware of a strap loose around her ankles and other straps at her toes as she lifted them up. But even then, even thinking back to wearing her Mom's shoes, something still was different. These heels felt even bigger.

Her clothes were super loose. She shimmied her shoulders "Straps?!" She puffed out her chest and felt very soft loose fabric. "Loose at my chest and over my legs? Am I wearing a big dress? Where am I? What's going on?" She thought, her mind racing. She lurched forward enough to realize she was wearing a necklace. Her hand came up and she felt and heard bracelets "Jewelry?"

The room was cooler, it smelled different "Mexican food?"

Blinking her eyes, Ava looked around at unfamiliar surroundings.

A small bedroom with a full size bed, not decorated with anything on the off white walls.

An equipment bag sat in the corner by the dresser. The closet doors were open and Ava saw a lot of clothes. A lot of blue, green, gold and white…then dress clothes "I've never been here! I don't know where I am!" Ava stood up but immediately stumbled, toppling over.

She looked down as she caught herself on the wall. She was wearing a black dress and her feet were swimming in huge black and silver high heel sandals.

Ava swung her head around. There was a full length mirror behind the door.

She gasped, so confused seeing herself in a whole different outfit. "A dress! Heels!" Jewelry!" But it was her looking back from the mirror.

Her body began to tingle. An intense tingling sensation spread over her. She looked at the equipment bag.

Warmth washed over her. "No. No…this can't be…"

It was a very nice bag in blue and gold. There was a stamp on it "Rainey 22"

Ava saw shoes, shorts and jerseys in it "Am I in Sam Rainey's room?! Are these…?!"

She thought for a second "She put on Instagram that she had a charity fundraiser tonight for the school…"

"But that's impossible! I have to be dreaming"

Ava said to herself as her stomach flipped.

She froze but yet, she felt movement. It felt like something was pulling her toes.

They spread apart and as Ava watched in amazement, her toes stretched out and moved further down in the shoes.

Her feet appeared to be growing.

Her jaw dropped as she focused on what she was feeling. She could feel her feet moving, changing.

Her heels slid backwards. Her feet widened until they fully fit the previously huge shoes and her toes stretched out until they reached the tips.

The very shape of her toes and her toenails were changing. Her toes were super long, her big toes were just that, big and full.

She pressed them down feeling them grip the slick surface of her heels.

The ankle straps were now tight.

"Those aren't my feet!" She yelled out, rocking her right foot back on the heel before dropping it and wiggling her feet and ankles just to prove that the shoes wouldn't slip.

She looked up and jumped. The room looked different. It looked even smaller than it had originally been. "Am I growing?" She froze again and focused inward. She gasped anew feeling her arms, legs and back stretching.

Staying still, Ava could feel the dress she was wearing moving on her. She put her arms out as they elongated.

Her hands were growing larger. Her fingers were long and she spread them amazed at the size they had become.

Her fingers no longer looked like her own. She was able to spread them so wide "perfect basketball hands" Ava thought. Calluses on her palms, her nails were trimmed down and plain but these hands were ideal for Ava and she was in shock being in control of them. Her muscles and thoughts moving these hands.

Strength was building up and coursing through her growing body.

She could feel muscles knotting up and expanding just beneath her stretching skin.

Ava's biceps and triceps developed and rose up, giving her long arms defined muscle mass.

As her back lengthened, it widened and strengthened as well. Ava's shoulders tightened and rose up and with an audible pop, came into place.

Giving them a roll, and using her new long fingers, she adjusted the straps on her dress into place; it was starting to actually fit her as she steadily grew taller.

The room around her steadily grew smaller. The reflection in the mirror steadily grew taller.

Ava looked down and saw the floor getting further away as her legs lengthened. The bottom of her black dress had started beneath her knees but now, Ava could see her knees.

Her legs were filling out as they grew longer. Her stomach just kept rising, a feeling like she was riding a fast elevator to the top floor.

Putting her hand to her stomach, Ava felt rock hard abs develop. Strong core muscles; she touched, then pressed and explored a bit, absolutely amazed at her muscle tone.

"So strong. So tight" she muttered.

Ava's thighs were expanding, filling out and growing. Her calf muscles developed as her thighs developed.

Ava's hips spread and her ass popped up and out. Mature curves and a woman's body were emerging as Ava passed through her teen years rapidly in front of this mirror.

She shivered as her chest tingled. An intense warmth swept through her, taking her breath away. "Ohmygod" she moaned out as her nipples puffed up and rose up. Flesh and mass began building up steadily growing larger breasts.

From small bumps with erect nipples to small cone shaped breasts, they rounded out in a modest pair of 34B breasts.

They slowly filled out the cups built into the front of her black dress "I have boobs!" She brought her upper arms in to squeeze them. The sensations rippled through her spine and stomach making her fingers and toes tingle.

The dress had grown tight on her body as it filled out. Ava could feel it clinging to her hips and round ass, to her breasts and stomach as the bottom hem swished off her tight thighs.

Ava's body had changed but she still saw her baby face and stringy hair in the mirror.

But even as she looked, her features began to morph and change. Her green eyes were getting darker, turning brown, getting larger on her face.

Her nose grew longer as her cheeks thinned and her cheekbones became pronounced and defined.

Ava's jawline became prominent and stronger along with her chin. Her lips widened as her teeth changed shape and size, sliding and growing larger and stronger. The few remaining baby teeth she had transformed into full adult ones.

Her ears grew, her forehead lifted, her eyebrows thickened and grew darker and bolder as her hair exploded out.

It darkened and thickened as it grew longer and longer, framing her suddenly mature face.

Ava absolutely recognized the face. She had looked at this face on the poster in her room. This body was her background on her phone as it took a jump shot "This is impossible!" Ava said breathlessly. Her hands popped and explored around her body, touching and rubbing in disbelief "Am I dreaming? This can't be real! Because if it is…if it really is real…then, I'm Samantha Rainey!"

The feel of her hand on her thigh. A hand on her stomach. Fingers running through her dark hair, she simultaneously felt the tugging at her scalp and the hairs around her fingers.

"I'm seeing this! I'm feeling this!" She was trying to rationalize.

Ava had been relatively frozen in place, simply only able to move her feet about to balance and offset her changes.

She looked down and yipped, gasping at how far away her feet and floor were. Her feet did a little hop and dance. Ava absolutely felt her feet against the heels.

She had to steel herself and with a deep breath, she took a step forward. She heard her heels click as she walked right up to the mirror. Ava had to crouch down to keep her face in frame in the mirror.

Her jaw dropped as it really was becoming apparent that somehow, someway, she had actually been turned into Samantha Rainey.

70 miles away…

Sam was so confused. Somehow she had blacked out and "transported here? Wherever the hell here is?" She saw a mirror on the back of the door. Seeing herself only confused her further "what the actual Fuck?"

Sam saw herself but she was wearing a kids set of clothes. Short shorts, tight and barely not ripping, a super tight white tee shirt and a white jersey. But, she had on her own shoes; the shoes she had worn and given away.

Sam's body was tingling, there was a numbness creeping into her extremities "I passed out. I blacked out. I must have hit my head or fainted or something…"

But all of her senses were responding and giving her real feedback.

The feedback she started receiving though shut down her brain with the impossibility of it all. She simply couldn't comprehend it.

Because every sensation and sense began to tell her that her body was changing,  shrinking at first but then other changes proceeded.

"I'm dreaming!" She insisted as her shoulders tightened up and her arms began to shake. They felt like they were pulling backwards, in closer; her hands even looked like they were getting closer.

Sam's stomach flipped and felt like it was rising up into her throat.

Sam's eyes fluttered as she looked around. The room itself seemingly was getting larger around her "What kind of Alice in Wonderland shit is going on?!" She said nervously as the posters in front of her rose up higher in comparison to her eyes.

She looked at the mirror on the door. The top of her head was now visible in the reflection without her crouching down.

With a shudder, the clothes she had been forced into loosened. Not a lot but enough that Sam noticed less pinching, especially in her arms.

Sam looked closer at her arms "Are they…? They don't look the same. It's like they're getting…skinnier" she tried to flex her biceps but saw very little movement.

Her forearms looked smoother, less hair and less defined.

Her muscles were definitely getting slimmer "My arms look like fucking toothpicks!" She gasped "and…and my hands! What's going on with my hands?!"

Sam's jaw hung, quivering as she watched her fingers shrink down smaller and shorter. An overall soft, smoothness was taking over. "My hands look like, like a kid's!"

Ice cold dove into the pit of Sam's body. She looked around the room; a kid's room. Kids clothes. "Holy Shit" she murmured as she slipped down, steadily shrinking in height.

"Should I scream?" She asked herself but that thought scared her even more because it would bring people to her. She was more afraid of who might show up if she started screaming hysterically.

Her clothes puffed out again, feeling lager on her again. Her thighs no longer felt squeezed into the shorts and that was scary. She looked down and could see the strip of her exposed stomach getting covered. Her shirt was dropping lower.

"Oh shit…oh shit…fucking shit" Sam murmured as her breasts shrank back and her hips narrowed. Her ass flattened as her muscle tone diminished all over her body.

Her quads and glutes, her core abdominal muscles, her back…every muscle in her body quivered as they shrank away. Baby fat built up where toned muscles had been.

Sam just felt completely different and frozen as this absolutely impossible transformation happened to her. She shut down. Her mind simply resisted and went into a totally different gear, a coping mechanism that saved her sanity even as her mind had to alter to understand.

"Ava…Ava Stempler…I'm 9 years old…" Facts and faces of who she was becoming were filtering in. But just realizing and stating that in her mind and changing body, she was 9 made her shiver and chilled her to the bone.

She felt her shoes, her own pair of shoes, the only thing that had initially fit her, they were literally made for her, now felt roomy to her.

She wiggled her toes trying to find the ends but she couldn't feel them. She lifted her toes and saw where they were; a full inch back from the ends. The tongue and openings were loose now too. Sam felt a nervousness, a total lack of control gripping her chest.

Looking down, she saw her legs thinning and shrinking down shorter. Her shorts were growing larger and fitting her better.

She shuddered as her breasts vanished, shrinking down so small that they disappeared and became nothing.

So many thoughts were entering her mind that other thoughts leaving didn't alarm her. Thoughts associated with maturity, sexual experiences and thoughts were simply gone.

The room was swallowing her. Everything was so much bigger than it had been. It was dizzying to lose over a foot in height in addition to losing over half her age.

Her tee shirt and jersey fit. Her shorts fit. Her arms and legs were skinny little things sticking out.

She wanted to get closer to the mirror but it felt like she was wearing clown shoes. She stumbled as her shoes felt heavy and she easily slipped her out of them.

She gasped seeing how small they had become but she now lightly jumped to the mirror as she felt a distinctive tingling in her face and scalp.

"Oh no…oh no…" she said in a voice that rose in pitch with each word.

Her cheeks puffed out with baby fat, seemingly taking away every defined and mature line of her face. Her chin rounded, her jaw shifted backwards and her teeth and tongue shrank down. Baby teeth appeared and gaps opened as her lips thinned.

Sam's nose shrank, her forehead smoothed and her ears twitched.

Her eyes grew lighter and appeared larger on her now very childish face.

Her hair grew thinner and lighter as it pulled up and changed shape.

A change rippled through the air around her. An electric charge that had surrounded her, a charge she hadn't noticed until it dissipated, indeed left.

A stillness settled, an eerie quiet. She shivered, barely able to breathe.

One minute, everything was going like always. Sam was getting ready for her Charity event in her apartment. The next,  she was in the body of a 9 year old girl. She had no idea where she was.

Ava trembled picking up a nearby phone that she assumed was Sam's. Her hands shook and her fingers trembled so badly that it took 3 tries to dial the number she wanted.

Sam jumped hearing a cell phone go off. It broke her paralysis though as she frantically searched for it. She recognized the number that was calling.

"Huh…Hello?!" Sam squeaked out.

"Ohmygod Ohmygod…are you?! Um…how do I explain this or say this? Um…who are you and are you in the wrong body currently?!"

Tears came to Sam's little eyes "Yes! Are you? Are you me? You're calling from my number! I'm Samantha Rainey and I was just in my apartment and, and…and now I just, turned into a little kid!"

"I know…I was that kid! Somehow, we switched bodies like Freaky Friday or something because I'm in your body!"

Sam started crying as did Ava as they both talked and admitted how afraid they both were.

Ava quickly admitted to what she had said as she put on the shoes Sam had signed and given to her.

Both were shocked that it had worked.

"We need to get together and try to recreate it to reverse it!" Sam said. Maybe I put on the heels I was wearing…the ones I'm guessing that you're wearing right now"

"Yes I am! They were absolutely huge on me when I popped into them but then I watched my feet grow and change into yours! And now they fit me perfectly" Ava replied.

"We have to try everything! Every combination of shoes and saying things until we switch back"

"But how are we going to get together? The charity fundraiser is a team requirement and then the next three games are on the road!"

"Shoot!" Sam said frustrated.

"Your bags are already packed! It's…I've got to go in like 15 minutes!"

"Okay…um, I guess we'll have to wait a bit. I don't know any other way around it. You won't be back for like 10 days"

"We call and text each other constantly. You should be able to do my school work. But I don't think I can pull yours off. I might have to fake an injury or something…intentionally sprain my ankle until we can switch back"

They both realized that they had some of each other's memories. They knew important people and names at least and both thought they could fake it and learn as they go.

Hanging up shook Sam though realizing that she was effectively stranded and trapped as a little kid for the next 10 days.

Sam took off the dirty clothes. She looked around the room and found deodorant and body spray. The clothes looked so tiny but they fit her perfectly as she put them on.

A knock on the door made her jump. "Yeah" she said weakly, she was still amazed at how her voice sounded.

"Are you doing okay Ava?"

It was her Mom's voice. Sam recognized it and had been hyping herself up for what her next steps would be. "Yeah…I'm doing okay. Just mad at myself" she answered as she opened the door.

Finding herself shorter and smaller and so much younger than the woman on the other side made her stomach flip. It was a real shock and it really put her in her place.

"Aww honey Don't beat yourself up. It just wasn't your day. You'll get them the next time" she said as she reached out and stroked her hair, a look of love and compassion on her face.

"Thanks…I'm just…" she giggled nervously "I let my team down and it just makes me mad. It's not my day…for, so, so many reasons"

"Don't. In the end, it's just a game and you're all kids. This isn't the WNBA! You all have a long time to practice and get better and better. Come on…we're going out to dinner"

Sam had to pause as it hit her as to just how young she had become "I can’t drive!" A shiver hit her as she looked way up at this woman, her Mom, who was so much taller than her. She knew she was only 31 so the math couldn't work out at her real age but by becoming 9, this woman was 22 years older than her.

Sam did feel okay around her. She sensed love and empathy and protective vibes from her. She didn't trust her enough to tell her what had just happened to her "I'll figure this out. I'll get back" she told herself even as she got ready to ride along and go to dinner.

Ava steadied herself in her high heels. She looked in the mirror and fluffed out her hair and checked out her face and makeup "Come on Rain! We gotta go!" was yelled by a passing voice outside her door.

Ava grabbed her bag and luggage that had already been packed and headed out. A whirlwind of people and voices and activities spun around her. Everything was taken from her and she found herself in a car with 4 of her teammates on the way to the charity event.

A few pictures were taken and Ava uploaded them to her Instagram, knowing the password naturally.

The conversations were fluid; absolutely no one could possibly guess that anything was different than usual.

Ava knew what she was doing, everything was just flowing through her head.

She had a great time, met all her obligations and took a ton of pics which got a lot of ❤️ on her account. So many comments about how beautiful she looked and how well composed and mature she was.

At the end of the event, they found they had outfits waiting for them to change into, sweats and comfy clothes for their flight to the east coast, they were playing Connecticut in 2 days.

Ava scrubbed off her makeup, changed her clothes and tied her hair up into a messy top knot before heading out.

She was exhausted and just wanted to sleep.

Ava's mind raced with strange dreams as she slept and was woken up to change modes of transportation from bus to plane to bus to finally her hotel room. Each time she came to, she was a little more certain of who she was.

Sam went to her favorite restaurant for dinner, Culver's. She ran errands and talked with her parents as small details filled in.

By the time they got home, she was exhausted. She quickly checked her Instagram and saw the pictures of…herself? Her favorite player Sam Rainey? Both?

She lay down and slept deeply for the next 10 hours.

Ava was up and at a shoot around practice where her shots were falling. She made cuts and step back jumpers. The playback was memorized in her mind and all her muscles were attuned. Her body, and it was her body, knew what she was doing. She was an elite college level athlete.

Ava woke up with brain fog. She didn't know where she was, she was so confused but it quickly came together "I'm just in my room…what a bunch of weird dreams" She sat up and got out of bed before she froze mid step. Her jaw dropped as it hit her "I'm supposed to be older…and a whole lot taller!"

They text back and forth as both of them did homework that Sunday.

Ava didn't want to let Sam know how easy it was and Sam definitely didn't want Ava to know how hard it was for her to finish.

After a long day at school, Sam came home, did her chores and homework, had dinner and settled in on the couch to watch Notre Dame take on Uconn.

It was an out of body experience.

Sam saw herself for the first time since Saturday when she had been her. She was not controlling her body yet it was performing perfectly, not a single missed step or sign that anything was wrong or different.

Before the game, Holly Rowe did a quick interview with "Sam"

Hearing the voice speaking in that cadence and giving the answers caused a huge lump to form in Sam's throat. Ava was an absolute natural.

The night didn't get any easier for Sam either once the game started.

Within 8 seconds, Ava scored her first 3 pointer. She ran the pick and roll, set her feet and fired a perfect shot. Ava went back on defense and covered her assignment.

Ava was in game mode. She had gone through her routine and warm-ups, did her interview and started playing. It was all completely comfortable to her, like she had been doing this for years as additional practice and game years added to her. She cruised to 33 points, 8 assists and 3 rebounds as they won a tight one on the road in a very hostile environment 64-62. Ava hit 6 free throws at the end to ice it.

Sam watched enthralled "I could do that. That was me" She kept telling herself even as she was having a hard time seeing it, picturing herself doing it.

She went to her room and closed her eyes and concentrated "Samantha Rainey…you are Samantha Rainey" she kept chanting in her head.

She looked at the shoes on the shelf "Those shoes are supposed to fit you!" She got up and held them up, they looked impossibly big and impossible to fill.

It was the feeling deep down inside her that actually worried her the most "Maybe I don't want to fill them anymore"

Becoming Ava, Sam also discovered that she would have piano and voice lessons along with competitive dance. She really enjoyed these activities and had never done any of them previously, basketball had been everything. "Maybe I want to see what else I can do," she thought.

Ava did a post game interview. She had never felt better, never felt so alive or fulfilled "This is where I'm supposed to be. This is what I'm supposed to be doing. This is who I'm supposed to be" she told herself confidently.

The next stop was St. John's University in Newark and on the bus ride there, Ava concentrated "Samantha Rainey…you are Samantha Rainey" she chanted to herself.

The college level work was simple to her. She had every possible basketball skill she needed. As the week went on and the road trip continued, Ava texted less and less.

Sam had dance lessons on Tuesday. She loved it. From the leotards to the shoes, to getting to pull her hair back, she absolutely loved to dance. The feel of it, the way her body moved in rhythm. The music moved her like nothing before, a brand new exhilarating euphoria overtook her.

She had also begun playing the piano and found that she was pretty good. She could sing well and wanted to learn guitar too.

As the week went on, she texted less to Ava.

14 years later…

The marquee outside the venue stated SOLD OUT! Ava Stempler Grammy Award Winner!

It was a 5,000 seat theater in the MGM Grand and it was Ava's 3rd and final night there. It was a special show for her and she wanted to make sure that it was one of her best performances.

As she worked on her makeup, she thought back on just how she got to where she was at.

Onstage after her 5th song, she handed her guitar to a roadie and went to talk to the audience. "Thank you…thank you very much! Las Vegas! How's everybody doing out there?!"

The crowd cheered loudly.

"Awesome! You guys have been a great crowd! I always love playing Vegas! But tonight,  I want to introduce someone very special to me…I'm sure most of you know her name too, but it means so so much to me that she's here tonight" Ava's smile was a mile wide.

"So you all know me as a musician but, let's go back in time to meet little 9 year old Ava!" She laughed "Back then, I was still trying to find my way.  I was taking piano and voice and dance but…yeah I know…my real passion was…get this…basketball!"

The crowd cheered and laughed "I know right! Of course I had no idea at that time I would top off at my massive height of 5'3" she laughed again and put her hands on her hips.

"When I was 9, I got to meet my hero and tonight she's here with us! Ladies and Gentlemen please give a warm welcome to 3 time WNBA MVP Sam Rainey!!!" She squealed as the crowd roared and the spotlight found her in the front row as she stood up and waved.

Sam was in a tight purple dress. Her hair and makeup were on point as the applause rolled in. She had spent her early career with the Las Vegas Aces but was now with the LA Sparks.

"Sam is so important to me! We met…and you can see it…it was a viral moment all those years ago when I got her to stop and autograph her pair of game shoes to me!"

The crowd applauded loudly again.

"That literally changed my whole life guys!"

Sam blushed and nodded from the front row.

"We actually connected again shortly after that and have been friends ever since. She has encouraged me so much and she just means the absolute world to me!"

She clapped and made her way to the piano "I know…you didn't come here tonight to listen to me talk! You want to get to the music!" She started playing the opening notes to her hit song "If I Were You"

After a 2 hour show, Ava made her way back to her dressing room. Sam was waiting for her.

They smiled, squealed and ran to each other and hugged.

They fussed over and talked over the other to begin with since they were so excited to see each other.

"I'm the sweaty one tonight when we hug " Ava said.

"Yeah, usually it's me!" Sam smiled.

Ava collapsed on the sofa with a bottle of water as Sam sat down in the chair and crossed her long legs.

They caught up like always even though they texted multiple times a day.

"It's anniversary day again" Ava said with a smile

Sam laughed "I know…second birthday!"

"Here's to being in the body and life we were meant to be in for 14 awesome years! I have never regretted not swapping back" Ava said.

"To the woman who has become my sister through this…the most talented singer and musician I know…who unlocked talent I would have wasted. We truly became the best versions of ourselves as each other" Sam answered her in toasting them.

"Although I do miss the height sometimes" Ava admitted with a laugh.

"Well once I retire, I won't need it anymore so we will see if we can figure out a way to blow everyone's freaking minds and swap our heights" Sam smiled.