My birthday wish

“Happy birthday indeed,” Bella laughed upon seeing the balloons at the corner of her eye. She looked back into her beautiful eyes and admired the sparkling life in them. “God, I love your perfect blonde hair. It’s been a while since I’ve been blonde.” The reflection of her firm chest and gorgeous face made her smile widen. She brought her freshly pampered hands together, unable to contain her excitement, giggling quietly to herself as she admired her profile in the mirror. Her skin was smooth and youthful, her body full of grace and vitality. Everything about her new body felt incredible, a dream come true. After decades of feeling trapped in an aging and frail form, she felt alive again.

Yet in the corner of the mirror, she caught sight of her granddaughter, Paula, crying in her old body. Her old body was 72-years-old, frail and worn, strapped to a wheelchair, helplessly watching her grandmother flaunt her youth and vigor. The contrast between the two was a harsh reality, a poignant reminder of the magic's cruel twist.

“I can’t believe you were so willing to do this for me,” Bella said, her voice dripping with gratitude and sly satisfaction. “All it took was you agreeing – that’s all I needed. Your mom, sisters, and everybody else brushed me off. But you were the only one willing to say yes to give me a single day in your body. It’s too bad you didn’t realize that I meant to make this all permanent.” She playfully swayed her hips and squealed with joy. “I haven’t been able to move like this in SUCH a long time.”

“Nana, please,” Paula cried, her voice breaking with despair and disbelief. “I have a dozen friends. Why are you doing this to your own family?" The poor girl tried to undo her seatbelt, but she let out a soft groan. “What did you do to my head?”

“Your mind’s starting to fade,” the body thief said. “It’s not easy being my age. It’s actually very hard – it requires a bit of magic. Since you’re not very experienced in that regard, you’re having a hard time keeping up your cognitive functions. Don’t worry, once you’re in that body long enough, you probably won’t even know your body’s been stolen.”

“But why me? Please, nana, I need to know. I know hundreds of potential people – they’re prettier, healthier, more popular. I can invite them over. I’ll do anything, just don’t let me in this body!”

Bella turned to face Paula, her eyes darkening as she revealed the truth behind her actions. “It’s a little harder than that,” the witch admitted, her voice tinged with both regret and satisfaction. “The spell does work on people outside of the family, but I can’t just have ANY body. My future vessel needs to have witch’s blood. That’s hard to come by if you’re not familiar with the family. Thankfully, your entire family is clueless about your magical potentials. I made sure that nobody except for me would know how to maximize our abilities. But guess what - it’s a good thing I’m in your shoes, Paula. I’ll live your life so much better than you ever could.”

The room grew cold with the weight of Bella's revelation, and Paula's tears flowed freely, a mix of anger, betrayal, and helplessness washing over her. She had trusted her grandmother, never suspecting the true intention behind the seemingly innocent request. Her youth, dreams, and future had been stolen from her in an instant. Bella, however, was unapologetic, her newfound youth fueling a dark and selfish ambition. She saw a second chance at life, a chance to fulfill desires and ambitions that had long been buried. The bond between grandmother and granddaughter had been shattered, replaced by a twisted game of power and manipulation as Bella permanently stole Paula’s life.