Hailey and Her Team

Part 1

— Hey, why do you all look so miserable, huh?! — Lily's loud voice rang out too cheerfully, too loudly, especially considering that no one in the group had said a word for the past few minutes. She threw her hands up and smiled, trying to break the oppressive silence. — This is a whole adventure! We finally found a lead, and we’re getting our bodies back!

Silence. No one responded. Only the dry leaves rustled under their feet, and somewhere in the distance, an unknown forest creature chirped. Finally, trailing behind the group with a sullen look, Vivian snorted, adjusting the sleeve of her tight green sweater:

— I don’t get why we’re all acting like this is the end of the world. So, we became girls, so what? Maybe it’s for the better.

Vivian spoke with the kind of lazy acceptance of someone who had made peace with the inevitable. She didn’t even stop, just shrugged wearily and tugged at her slipping sleeve. The others stayed silent. Even Lily, with her endless enthusiasm, suddenly bit her tongue. Because they all knew—this was about to explode.

— For the better?! — Hailey was the first to snap, turning sharply as her long dark hair flared in the sunlight like molten threads. — Vincent, for fuck’s sake, what the hell?!

— Vivian, — she lazily corrected, rolling her eyes. — You should get used to it, Hailey.

— Oh, you’re doing this on purpose, huh?! — Hailey clenched her fists, feeling an overwhelming urge to just punch that sweet, smug face. Even though it still held traces of Vincent’s old, burly features, it was now too… feminine, too soft.

Vivian just raised an eyebrow, clearly enjoying the moment.

— Oh, sorry, — her voice dripped with syrupy mockery. — What, gonna run off and whine to your boyfriend?

Hailey flinched, feeling something twist painfully inside her. That hit harder than any punch. Lily covered her mouth, giggling, and the others, even if they tried to hide it, definitely appreciated Vivian’s sarcasm.

— He’s not my boyfriend! — Hailey felt her insides tighten into a knot. Her voice came out sharper than she intended, and Vivian only smirked, tilting her head slightly.

She could feel the heat flooding her face. Alex. That… that nerd they had laughed at for years, she and Liam, Emmett, and Simon. The guy they kept around just for kicks. He was pathetic, always clinging to them, scared of girls… And now? Now he was always there, smiling, cracking jokes, making moves, trying to “rekindle” their love after Hailey had told him to fuck off a month ago—like they’d been dating for years.

But they hadn’t.

At least, not to her. Not to the other girls standing here with her.

— Oh really? — Vivian drawled with fake surprise, chuckling. — Well, he sure doesn’t think so. Poor Alex… keeps chasing after you, wondering what happened to his beloved girlfriend, waiting, hoping that love will return.

Hailey clenched her fists, feeling her fingers tremble with anger. Everything was wrong. Completely fucking wrong.

Just a month ago, she was a guy, goddammit! And Alex… yeah, okay, he did get along with Hayden better than anyone else in their group. He often laughed with him about how Alex awkwardly tried to flirt with girls, they talked about games, memes, life.

But now…

Now, this was unbearable.

Part 2

— Oh, fuck off… That asshole gave me a bouquet of 101 roses yesterday, — Hailey spat out, quickening her pace to get as far away as possible from Vivian’s smug face.

A synchronized “Ooooooh” of teasing followed in response.

— A hundred roses?! — Lily even stopped, smacking her cheeks like it was the most ridiculous gift in the world. — Alex is so in love with you, and you’re still running from him! Shame on you! Did you at least find a vase for that miracle?

— My mom had a vase, — Hailey muttered, trying to suppress the urge to storm into the bushes and scream from frustration. — I gave them to her. Now she’s over the moon. Says Alex is the perfect young man and that I’m being too cruel.

— So you kept them?! — Lily couldn’t hold back her laughter, her voice ringing through the gloomy forest, bringing it to life.

— God, Hailey, you’re seriously acting like a classic bitchy girl from a movie! — Vivian drawled, shaking her head. — All like, "Oh no, I don’t like him," but you sure didn’t throw the flowers away!

— Fuck off! — Hailey snapped, feeling anger boil inside her. — That was my mom… — A lump formed in her throat, and one thought kept hammering in her head: "What the fuck, what the actual fuck?! Why am I even explaining myself?!"

She shoved her hands deep into her shorts’ pockets, hoping no one would notice her fingers shaking. The situation was beyond fucked. Not just uncomfortable—fucking unbearable.

Alex, that perpetual nerd, that wimp they only kept around for laughs, was now suddenly her boyfriend. And apparently, had been for a while.

For him, they’d been together for two years.

TWO FUCKING YEARS!

And the worst part? He was actually a good guy. Caring, sincere. He listened to her, brought her coffee in the mornings, sent sweet texts, gave her flowers… Just last week, he made a dumbass playlist of songs that “reminded him of her.”

The mere memory of that stupid playlist made her skin crawl.

— I got my period today, — Emma muttered, breaking her silence, lowering her head and shifting uncomfortably in her black T-shirt, as if trying to find a better position.

A dull, almost indifferent statement, but it hit like a damn church bell.

The group instinctively slowed down, glancing at each other as if Emma had just announced her death sentence.

Lily, still glowing from her jokes about Hailey and her “boyfriend,” suddenly froze, furrowing her brows.

— Oh… — was all Lily managed to say, her usual cheerfulness dimming, like someone had quietly turned down the volume inside her soul.

Emma walked with a slight hunch, her head lowered. Her short dark hair stuck to her sweaty forehead, and her lips curled into a crooked smirk—not from amusement, but from the bitter sting of realizing what was happening to her.

— Fuck, I didn’t think it would feel this shitty, — Emma muttered, squirming in her shorts.

A tense silence followed her words.

Every single one of them knew exactly what she meant.

They had been in these bodies for a month now. A month. Long enough to get used to the long hair, the uncomfortable bras, the way clothes now hugged their figures differently than when they were guys. Long enough for their new reality to become… real, even if every fiber of their being screamed that this was all wrong.

But this? Periods?

This was a whole different level of reality.

Part 3

— I told you this shit sucks, — Sophie muttered, absentmindedly fidgeting with the strap of the yellow food bag. — I hated myself for almost a week when mine started.

— Yeah, just like the rest of us, — Lily noted with a shrug. — But at least now you know what it feels like. You’re officially part of our suffering club.

— Your club, — Hailey corrected, narrowing her eyes. — I haven’t… — she waved her hand like she was swatting away an invisible threat, — had that yet.

— Lucky you, — Emma muttered darkly, hunching over even more. She looked like she just wanted to curl up in a ball and wait for this nightmare to pass. — I feel like someone turned on "Let’s fucking kill Emmett" mode inside me.

— Did you take any pills? — Vivian asked, finally finding her voice again.

— Yeah, — Emma nodded, grimacing. — But they don’t really help.

— They won’t the first time, — Lily shrugged. — Your body’s still freaking out.

— No shit, — Emma grumbled. — Fuck, I was a dude a month ago… and now I’ve got fucking periods.

— By the way, Hailey… — Lily suddenly spoke up, her tone way too playful to mean anything good.

— What?! — Hailey snapped irritably. She had already put some distance between herself and these smug-ass girls, but apparently, it wasn’t enough.

— You do realize that if you haven’t had… well, that yet, — Lily widened her eyes dramatically and paused, milking the moment, — it could happen anytime now. Maybe even today?

Hailey froze. Something unpleasant twisted inside her.

— Fuck off… — she muttered through gritted teeth, but it didn’t sound as confident as she wanted.

— No, seriously, Hailey, — this time, Vivian spoke up, but there was almost no mockery in her voice. Just a weird, sticky kind of seriousness that sent a cold shiver down Hailey’s spine. — You do understand that if you still haven’t had… well, that, — she paused like she was picking her words, though everyone already knew what she meant, — maybe you should start thinking about it. What if you’re… pregnant? From Alex, of course.

Hailey stopped dead in her tracks.

Her legs, which had just been furiously marching forward over the rocky path, suddenly felt glued to the ground.

Inside, everything clenched—like an invisible corset had tightened around her stomach.

Pregnant?

From who?

That fucking idiot Alex?

No, no, no. That’s impossible.

She didn’t even want to think about it, but Vivian’s words, spoken with such lazy certainty, dug into her brain like burrs clinging to fabric.

— Are you out of your fucking mind?! — Hailey spun around sharply, her voice cracking into a yell, but there was more than just anger in it—there was fear. — What the fuck are you even saying?! I’m not… I don’t even want to think about that! I never… I would never… — She cut herself off, feeling her throat tighten and her cheeks burn.

This new reality—this fucking joke of a world where she had always been a girl—had been driving her insane for a month.

But the idea that she might have… with Alex…

That was too much.

Lily, still clutching her bag of mandarins like it was her personal good-luck charm, coughed awkwardly, clearly trying to lighten the mood, but her usual enthusiasm was starting to crack. She raised her hands like she was surrendering.

— Come on, girls, let’s not… It’s just a theory, right? We’re all a little on edge because of this whole trip. The artifact is out there, we’re gonna find it, and everything will go back to normal!

But her words just hung in the air—useless, like last year’s leaves rustling under their feet.

Even the way she said girls didn’t faze Hailey anymore.

She just kept staring at Vivian, who only gave a slight shrug—like she hadn’t said anything out of the ordinary at all.

Part 4

— I’m just saying, — Vivian went on, shifting from foot to foot, — that you don’t even know what really happened in this so-called "past life" of yours—the one he now thinks is real. You two were dating for two years, all lovey-dovey and shit.

— Nothing happened! — Hailey was practically shouting now, her tanned skin flushed red with anger, fists trembling. — I didn’t… I would never… with him… this is fucking bullshit!

But then Sophie spoke up—the one who had been silent this whole time, trailing slightly behind with the yellow food bag slung over her shoulder. Her brown T-shirt with white sleeves looked wrinkled, and her dark ponytail was slightly disheveled. She lifted her gaze, something strange flickering in her eyes—a mix of awkwardness and exhaustion.

— Actually, Hailey, — she started quietly, almost in a whisper, fiddling with the bag’s strap, — I, uh… I heard something from Kate, you know, the one from uni who hangs out with us… She said that you and Alex… well, you two were, uh, close. And not just close, but… — Sophie hesitated, her cheeks tinged pink, — people said you were kinda… you know, wild in bed, super open about it, and that you, um… did stuff for him that most guys only dream about. And that he, well… bragged about it. About how you…

— WHAT DID I DO?! — Hailey cut her off with a scream so sharp it echoed through the forest, making birds in the distance take flight.

— Sucked him off, — Vivian said casually, her voice smooth, her smirk wide. — And on the regular. We all already know, we just didn’t say anything ‘cause we didn’t feel like dealing with you losing your shit again, like a goddamn fire alarm.

Hailey froze.

The color drained from her tanned face, her eyes widening in pure horror.

She sucked in a sharp breath, like someone had just dumped a bucket of ice water over her head.

The other girls fell silent, exchanging glances filled with awkward intrigue, as if waiting for the inevitable storm to hit.

And it did.

— You… you all have lost your fucking minds, haven’t you?! — Hailey’s voice cracked into a shriek as she spun toward Vivian, jabbing a finger at her like a prosecutor in court. — Do you even hear yourself, Vincent?! I would never… never, with that… with that fucking nerd… I’d rather die than…

She choked on her own fury, then suddenly went silent, pressing a hand to her mouth.

Her face twisted.

And everyone noticed how her shoulders started to tremble.

— Oh, here we go again, — Lily sighed, shaking her head, but the usual teasing in her voice had dulled. She shifted her bag of mandarins to the other shoulder, looking at Hailey with something between pity and curiosity. — Seriously. You’ve been on a goddamn rollercoaster all month, Hailey. Screaming one second, crying the next, then going totally silent like you’re not even here. We’ve all been whispering about it for a week now, wondering if you’re, y’know… actually pregnant.

— WHAT?! — Hailey screeched, her throat straining from the sudden, piercing sound.

Someone in the group actually winced, half-deafened.

Her hands flew instinctively to her stomach, fingers clenching like she was trying to hold something inside her—something she couldn’t even process.

— You… you’re all insane! Me?! Pregnant?! From that… from that fucking idiot?! I’d rather jump off a cliff than… than this!

Part 5

— She’s right, you know, — Sophie finally spoke, shifting the yellow food bag to her other shoulder. Her voice was quiet, almost lost among the rustling leaves, but there was a strange firmness in it. — You’ve been on edge all month. One second you’re pissed, the next you’re silent, then… well, remember last week when you almost started crying because you dropped your phone?

— That was my phone, Simon! — Hailey barked, though deep down, she knew she had overreacted. Later, she had blamed it on her new female hormones. This whole fucking month had flipped her upside down, and she hated every second of it.

— And don’t forget how you said your sushi "smelled like fish" when we ordered delivery, — Vivian added suddenly, like she was getting some twisted satisfaction out of Hailey’s reaction. — Even though you were stuffing your face with it before and literally said you loved fish. And then you ate nothing but crackers for three days.

— Yeah… — Emma muttered, hunching over even more, like something was squeezing her stomach from the inside. She ran a hand over her chest, wincing. — I was also thinking about how you, uh… complained that your breasts hurt, like someone stuffed rocks in there?

— So what?! What the fuck are you all even talking about?! I’m not—

Hailey suddenly fell silent.

She slapped a hand over her mouth, her eyes widening like she had just swallowed something sharp and awful.

Inside, something clenched—not just in anger, but in a weird, sticky way that crawled up from her stomach to her throat. She swallowed hard, trying to force it back down, but instead, her face twisted, and she turned away from the girls, pressing her hand harder against her lips.

Lily, still holding the bag of mandarins over her shoulder, furrowed her brows, a flicker of concern crossing her face. She stepped forward but hesitated as Hailey suddenly doubled over, bracing one hand against her knee.

The group froze, exchanging glances—Vivian with a lazy smirk, Sophie with detached curiosity, Emma with tired solidarity written all over her face.

— Hailey, what’s wrong? — Lily’s voice was softer than usual, but there was still a sharp edge of concern beneath it. — Are you okay?

— I’m fine! — Hailey snapped, but her voice wavered—and then it hit her again, harder.

Her stomach twisted violently, like something inside was being wrung dry.

Her mouth filled with a sour taste, and before she could stop herself, she stumbled sideways—toward the nearest bush.

And then she threw up.

Hard.

The sound was sharp, wet, sudden, splattering onto dry leaves and rocks. The stench hit her nose instantly, making her gag and cough as she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand.

— Oh shit, — Lily froze, her eyes widening. — Are you okay?

A low, ragged groan was the only response.

Hailey gripped the rough bark of a tree, her knuckles turning white. Her insides felt like they were flipping over themselves, the ground beneath her seemed to shift, and a high-pitched ringing filled her ears.

Cold sweat trickled down her spine, soaking the back of her orange tank top. Her hair clung to her temples, damp with sweat.

And that disgusting, sickly-sweet taste in her mouth…

Part 6

— Want some water? — Sophie rummaged through the yellow bag, pulling out a bottle as she inched closer to Hailey, as if afraid a sudden move might spook her.

Hailey waved her off, still bracing herself on her knees, half-expecting this wasn’t over yet. And then, without warning, tears welled up in her eyes—unstoppable, hot, salty streaks rushing down her face. She hurriedly wiped them away with the back of her hand, but they just kept coming. It was fucking impossible to stop, like someone had cranked open a valve inside her, and now everything that had built up over this nightmare of a month was pouring out all at once.

— I… I’m fine, — Hailey forced out through clenched teeth, but the desperation on her face was painfully obvious as she looked at her friends. — It’s just… probably nerves… This fucking female body and… you are driving me crazy! You and this whole situation—god, fuck you all…

She lowered her head and squeezed her eyes shut, trying to suppress the tremors running through her.

It was shame—hot and unbearable, spreading through her chest too vividly to ignore.

And to make things even worse, her damn breasts once again decided to remind her of their presence, swaying in this hunched-over position like two fucking balloons.

— Just drink, it’ll help, — Sophie repeated softly, trying to keep her voice as gentle as possible.

Hailey exhaled sharply, finally straightened up, and grabbed the bottle. She took a few gulps, feeling the cool liquid soothe her burning throat. But the damn tears still wouldn’t stop, and now she was getting pissed at herself for not being able to pull it together.

— What the fuck is this? — she muttered, glaring at the bottle like it was somehow responsible for her problems. — I…

Her throat tightened again, cutting her off.

— Fuck, I sound like some whiny little girl! — Hailey sniffled, clenching her fists and pressing them against her eyes, as if she could physically force the tears back inside. But they just kept flowing, endless, relentless.

Her stomach twisted slightly, and she instinctively grabbed at it, feeling the tightness inside. Then, out of nowhere, a weak smile flickered across her lips.

— Maybe it’s just my period after all… and not… not whatever you all are thinking, — she mumbled through her tears, then suddenly let out a laugh.

A bitter, almost hysterical laugh.

— Jesus fucking Christ, I’m hoping it’s my period! Hayden, look what the fuck you’ve become! You went into some cool cave, huh? Thought you’d strike gold, find some ancient artifact?!

Her laughter rang through the forest, raw and broken, like dry branches snapping underfoot. It clung to the trees, bounced off the rocks, and came back as a pitiful echo—mocking her, laughing at her.

Hailey straightened up, still clutching her stomach, and wiped her face roughly with the back of her hand. Wet streaks remained on her skin, but she wasn’t crying anymore.

Her breathing was ragged, unsteady, like she had just resurfaced from freezing water.

— Enough, — she exhaled, her voice hoarse but firm. — We’re done with this. Let’s go. We’re finding that fucking artifact, we’re fixing this mess, and…

She stopped herself, cutting off whatever words were about to come out with a sharp wave of her hand.

Her fingers were still trembling, but she shoved them into the pockets of her shorts and started walking forward.

Without looking back.

Part 7

The others followed, but this time without their usual sharp remarks. It was as if nature itself had sensed the heavy silence and decided to leave them alone with their thoughts. Or maybe it was simply time to keep moving before the sun set completely and the forest grew too cold.

Lily silently shifted the bag of mandarins to her other shoulder and caught up with Hailey. She wanted to say something—maybe crack a cheerful joke about how lucky they all were to end up in these bodies, or how soon they’d get to enjoy new perks, like free entry on ladies’ nights at clubs. But when she glanced at Hailey’s sullen face, she hesitated. Something twisted inside her—she should say something to support Hailey, but suddenly, every word felt unnecessary.

Emma and Sophie walked behind them, barely talking. Emma kept pressing her hands against her stomach now and then, even letting out quiet groans when the path sloped upward. Sophie tried to help, reaching out a hand or nudging her with her elbow, but Emma just winced, keeping her distance. As if dealing with all these new sensations in her body wasn’t already uncomfortable enough—touch, any kind of gentle contact, felt even more foreign than the backpack strap digging into her shoulder.

At the very back, walking a little slower, was Vivian. She kept glancing around—as if making sure everything was still under control. Had Hailey broken down into tears again? Had Emma collapsed from the pain? But mostly, her thoughts were elsewhere.

A strange idea kept circling in her mind: what if the artifact doesn’t turn them back? What if it only made things worse—made them even more feminine, or twisted them into something even more fucked up?

And the truth was…

Vivian wasn’t entirely sure she wanted to be a man again.

Meanwhile, Hailey picked up her pace, climbing the hill with sharper, more determined steps—like she was trying to physically exhaust herself just to drown out the conversations. Her legs ached, and the lingering spasm inside her still hadn’t fully faded, but she pushed forward stubbornly, forcing every thought about her nausea out of her head.

"Period," she repeated to herself like a mantra, like a fucking lifeline. "It’s just my period. Nothing else. There’s no fucking way I’m pregnant with that dumbass nerd’s kid..."

But deep down, she knew.

She knew that even the period she was desperately hoping for—this cruel joke of a "lifeline"—wasn’t likely. And that all the pieces were fitting into an entirely different picture.

But there was one thing she was absolutely certain of.

She wasn’t giving up until she found that goddamn artifact.

And took back her life.

Her real life.