Intern Julia

Julia nervously shifted the folder with reports from one hand to the other, standing in front of her new boss. Her heart was pounding in her chest, and her palms were slightly sweaty. She never thought she’d find herself in a situation like this: in someone else’s body, with someone else’s responsibilities, and, most importantly, with someone else’s fears. "Why am I so scared? It’s just a job..." — the thought flashed through her mind, but the inner tension did not subside.

— Miss Williams? — Richard’s low, slightly tired voice sounded. He looked at her with mild confusion, clearly not understanding what was going on. — Have you prepared everything for the meeting with the clients? I hope there won’t be any delays?

She nodded nervously, recalling how, in her previous body, she had always judged employees like this. She used to think that all their fears and worries were just a sign of weakness. But now, being in the body of this intern, Julia began to understand that every comment from the boss could feel like a threat to lose one’s entire life.

— Yes, sir, — she murmured, avoiding his gaze. — Everything’s ready. I checked the documents three times.

Richard sighed and, as if not paying her much attention, sank into his chair, absorbed in his thoughts. When he did this, Julia always felt as if he was barely holding back his irritation while talking to her. Back when she was in her own CEO body, she always tried to be straightforward and tough. But now...

“God, this is so humiliating,” — she thought, shrinking her shoulders, trying to look as small as possible. She never imagined that something even remotely resembling her old mannerisms would feel so threatening now.

Several months had passed, and Julia still couldn’t get used to the sensations in this new body. Every day, every movement, even the voice — all of it reminded her how much she had changed. And the worst part was the emptiness that had formed between her and her former self. The real Julia, the intern who now lived in her body, was reaching out less and less. At first, they tried to help each other, to keep their lives intact, discussed things, called each other to the office — but now, all their contact had dwindled to short, dry emails. Julia couldn’t just walk into the CEO’s office like some intern, and their communication was always tied to him... to her, this new CEO who, judging by the rare meetings, seemed to be increasingly settling into his new life.

“You know it’s me... Why are you ignoring me? Why are we trying less and less to find a way to get everything back?” — she asked herself, looking at his messages. But no answer ever came.

— And yet, — Richard’s voice pulled her out of her thoughts again, — I still don’t quite understand why you’re so nervous. — He squinted slightly, as if suspecting something. — You’re sure... everything’s okay?

“Yes, everything’s fine! It’s just that I’m a former CEO trapped in an intern’s body, trying not to mess up and keep my life together!” — she wanted to scream, but instead, she forced a weak smile.

— Of course, sir. It’s just... — She swallowed. — I wanted to ask, is everything alright? — The question slipped off her tongue before she could stop it. A silly, naive question.

Richard frowned, obviously thrown off. She froze inside. Why did she say that? She knew she shouldn’t openly show her feelings like that. In this situation, he was her boss. And if anything went wrong, she really could get fired. And then...

— Of course, everything’s fine, — he replied, but there was a strange note of concern in his voice. He was studying her, as if trying to catch something slipping out of his grasp. — But you’ve been acting strange lately. Try not to worry, Julia. — He said her “new” name a bit more softly than before, and it made her flinch.

“Could he sense something? But no, that’s impossible...”

Julia took a deep breath, trying to pull herself together. She was a CEO, for God’s sake. Even if she was in the body of a young intern, she still had her mind and experience. She could handle it. She just needed to keep going.

— Thank you, sir. I... I’ll try.

He nodded, his gaze lingering on her a bit longer than usual, and then he returned to his papers, as if nothing had happened.

Julia’s internal dialogue didn’t stop. “Why do I crave his approval so much? I know who I really am!” — she mentally shouted at herself and then froze, realizing that deep down, she truly feared his disapproval.

“No, it’s all because of the body. It’s just the intern’s body... her fears, her reflexes. It can’t be that I’m really feeling this!”

But that was self-deception. Julia knew that every time Richard looked at her so intently, she began to think she could lose this job. And then lose everything. In this body, she had nothing — no experience, no power, no status.

“God, I really am afraid that he might fire me...”

Her eyes stung from the realization. It was humiliating to feel this, but it seemed that now she was just one of the ordinary employees. One of those she once mercilessly managed and didn’t even notice people like herself.

And somewhere out there, in her old body, the intern probably didn’t even think about her anymore. Or... maybe he had simply decided it was better not to deal with the former boss?

“We don’t even talk anymore,” — she remembered bitterly. Why? He wouldn’t just leave her in this body... would he?