Don’t be such a coward

– Oh, come on, just try it! – My friend's voice rang out right next to my ear, her hands nearly forcing mine to reach for that tiny bottle with the suspiciously shimmering liquid. I turned away, trying to break free, but Victoria wasn’t about to give up.

– Vicky, stop it! – My new high-pitched voice filled me with disgust. That thin, shrill sound came from my own throat, but it felt like it belonged to someone else. I weakly tried to pull away, but Victoria didn’t even seem to exert any effort. She was now stronger than me, much stronger, because I had drunk something… something wrong a week ago. – What even is this?

She laughed, a mischievous note in her voice that always made me uneasy.

– It’ll help you… not worry so much about your new situation, – she giggled, pushing the bottle closer with intent. I tried to break free, but she remained unyielding.

– You’re insane! – I jerked away, trying to shove Victoria off, but her hands held me effortlessly. This was absurd. I had only become… well, like this a week ago. Everything had happened too fast, and I still hadn’t gotten used to the new body, and now she had found a way to make things even worse.

– Relax, – Victoria whispered, almost playfully. Her voice was soothing, though it only made things worse for me. – You can’t escape this anyway. You know it’s going to be permanent, right?

A chill ran through me. "Permanent."

That word echoed in my head. I was already struggling to get used to my new height, the feeling of long hair, the constant discomfort of the ill-fitting clothes.

– Victoria, – my voice trembled, and I hated how high it had become. It was like someone had cranked the “girlishness” up to the max. – You’re joking, right?

– Oh, don’t be such a coward, Emily! – She called me that name again, the one that wasn’t really mine, but she kept repeating it. – You like it, admit it!

I wanted to protest, but she swiftly tilted the bottle, and a few drops fell onto my lips. Instinctively, I licked them off, and the world around me instantly shifted. Heat spread through my body, from my chest to my fingertips.

– Damn it, what did you do?! – I recoiled from her, but it was too late. The warmth flowed through my body like a wave. My chest tingled, and my head felt fuzzy.

Victoria simply tilted her head, watching me with open curiosity, like she was observing the results of some experiment.

– Oh, you have no idea how fun this is going to be, – she said with a sly smile, ignoring the panic in my eyes.

My fingers trembled as I raised a hand to my face. My skin… had it always been this smooth? Right? And… my hair, oh god, it looked terrible! I needed to do something with it, urgently! My hand froze halfway to my face. I blinked several times, trying to understand what was happening in my mind. Something was off. Not with my body, but with… what?

– What… what is this? – I whispered, but the words didn’t sound the way I expected. They were filled with strange embarrassment, hints of anxiety… about what? My appearance?!

Victoria, noticing my confused expression, grinned even wider.

– Oh yes, it’s starting… – she stepped back, giving me some space, clearly savoring the moment. – So, tell me, what are you thinking about?

I froze, licking my dry lips, and looked again at my hands, which seemed to be moving without my control. Something clicked in my head, and my thoughts became tangled, no longer my own. Instead of worrying about what was happening to me, I suddenly began fixating on how I looked—how my hair looked, how my skin felt, what Victoria might think of me…

– What am I thinking? – I whispered, staring at my hands. My thoughts were all over the place, but one kept surfacing, becoming clearer: I needed to fix myself up. I looked… awful. Suddenly, I was overwhelmed with the urge to grab a mirror and fix everything. Listening to myself, I felt anxiety over… my hair. It really did look messy, and for some reason, that suddenly seemed unbearably important.

– Well? – Her eyes sparkled with pleasure. – Tell me.

– I… I need to do something about my hair, – the words slipped out before I could stop them, and it was so humiliating that I blushed.

She laughed, tossing back her perfectly styled curls.

– Oh, darling, I knew it! – Her laughter was filled with triumph. – See? I told you, soon enough you wouldn’t worry about your "condition" anymore. You’ve got new priorities now.

– Why do I… – The words stuck in my throat. I didn’t understand what was happening, but most of all, I didn’t understand myself. – Why do I care about this?

– It’s fine, just finish the rest, – her voice was soft, almost tender, but I knew she was up to something. Victoria pushed the bottle a little closer, and I froze, feeling two opposing desires battle within me. One part screamed at me to stop immediately, that this was a trap, that I was losing myself, losing control. But the other… the other part started to doubt, thoughts began surfacing that were never mine.

– I don’t… – My voice shook, the words drowning in fear and an odd sense of surrender. – I don’t want to…

– Oh, stop it, – Victoria narrowed her eyes, her gaze gleaming with a victorious fire, – You’re almost there, Emily. – She repeated the name, her look piercing right into my thoughts. She knew I was fighting with myself, knew how close I was to giving in.

My fingers reached for the bottle without my permission. My eyes widened—it wasn’t me, this couldn’t be me. Inside, everything screamed to resist, to run, but… something pulled me toward the bottle, toward the thought of giving in. Maybe she was right? Maybe it would be easier if I just let go of control?

– You want this, – Victoria whispered, her voice now almost soothing, like an old friend offering a solution to all my problems.

The bottle was in my hand. My fingers trembled, but I couldn’t force myself to put it down. Everything in my head was a mess. Cold sweat dripped down my back, and my heart pounded too fast. Victoria watched silently, her eyes gleaming with anticipation.

My lips touched the rim of the bottle. One sip—and everything would change. I looked up at Victoria. Her smile widened, expecting victory.

I suddenly froze. Something clicked inside me. This bottle, all of this… it wasn’t right. But I couldn’t move. The liquid inside seemed to be calling me.