~Switcheroo~(1x1)~(Turningly Filled)~

[WitchAlchemist]

(o-o that makes you two hours ahead of me. O-o Hmm..*throws sleeping dust on you* Sleeeep *hypnotic voice* SlleeEEeePpp. o_O are you an insomniac?)

Darren bit his tongue at Jaime's words, his new hand moving to slip into Jaime's new one and give it a firm squeeze. "Jaime.." And then worry washed over his face anew at the reminder. "If we can switch back.. Where did these necklaces even come from, did you really not know what they would do?" The other had said he hadn't done this, and Darren decided he would believe Jaime..but still, how did he get ahold of necklaces like these and know nothing about them?  

[The Lacey Bear]

((I don't think so, but...maybe. idk...lol Maybe only sometimes?))

Jaime squeezed Darren's back and nodded. "If..." he sighed. "I wish I knew where they came from. I mean, yesterday, I was surfing, looking around at random sites. I came across a site talking about these-- how if you wore them you could switch places with another. But I swear, I didn't order them or anything. They somehow....they were by my bed this morning, and...and I put one on, keeping the other with me. I didn't think they were real." Jaime looked in Darren's eyes, almost pleading with Darren to believe him.  

[WitchAlchemist]

(o-O Hahaha, sometimes works. T__T Good luck on sleeping..tea or hot chocolate are supposed to help. So it warm milk with honey but I tried that once and it wasn't awful but it was just..weird. *scrunches nose at the weirdness*)

Darren listened and gave an annoyed look. "They have these online?" As if there weren't enough troublesome wares online, why not add switching necklaces to the bloody lot? He noticed then the way Jaime was looking at him and he hesitated. Why was Jaime being so nice now? He didn't believe Jaime to be capable of manipulating him, but still..Darren gave a half-smile as he stood on tiptoe and stretched his arm out to ruffle Jaime's hair. "I believe you, Jaime." And then he went back down, setting that arm by his side though he made no move to stop holding the other's hand, "Let's find that website then and see what it says. There's gotta be instructions on how to use these things.." Darren hoped.  

[The Lacey Bear]

((Hot chocolate makes me hyper...lol. But I'll be fine. I don't have to work long tomorrow so I'm feeling an after work nap is in order biggrin ))

Jaime chuckled a bit when Darren ruffled his hair. It was like having the old Darren back, because he didn't have to put on such a front with his "buddies." "Shouldn't I be doing that to you, squirt?" he chuckled, giving Darren a nudge with his elbow. He noticed neither of them had let the other's hand go, but for some reason, he didn't care. "But seriously...thanks for believing me. We can go back to my house. It might be in my browsing history," he suggested.  

[WitchAlchemist]

(o-o haha, niice. o-O I thought it was a silly thing to use as a sleep aid..it's CHOCOLATE. But it opens up your blood circulation or some such nonsense. o_O Hahah, afterwork nap! Yay! O_O tomorrow is my last day of school till Monday! *praises pilgrims for Thanksgiving*)

Darren bit his tongue again as he was called squirt. He knew the other was being playful, and he was glad for it..but this was not his body and he felt like he was wearing an uncomfortable bit of clothing that didn't quite fit. He felt his most comfortable with Jaime around, but he felt no comfort at all being Jaime. Darren stuck his tongue out, "Dream on, short stuff." But for the first time in a while, it sounded more like an endearment again. At the rest, he nodded, "Alright then.." His hand lingered a moment in Jaime's giving it another squeeze before he released it, glancing around to make sure everything was in order before heading for the door. "We need a contingency plan..if this doesn't work.."

Darren held open the door for Jaime and when they were both out, he continued speaking while walking towards the parking lot, "I guess we could pull off being each other.." He ran a hand through his hair, expression troubled before becoming pained as he stopped walking, pessimistic thoughts getting to him as he turned to look up at Jaime, "What are we going to do if we can't fix this, Jaime..if we're stuck?" Darren's hands clenched slightly, clearly upset by the thought.  

[The Lacey Bear]

((Yea, all of my coworkers are going home, and so I'm stuck here. Having to work on Thanksgiving. I want to be back in school! crying ))

Jaime smirked at being called short stuff. Not only because it was no longer meant harshly, but also because of the irony. "If this doesn't work, I...I just don't know Darren," he said with an exasperated sigh. "Let's just hope this does, and go from there. It has to work, though...it..it has to..."  

[WitchAlchemist]

(T__T WHAT?! Why?! - and as for the Switcheroo website, it shouldn't be on..as if it never existed! *maniacal laughter*)

Darren considered that before nodding, forcing himself to calm a bit. He glanced into the parking lot, their cars were, by another quirk of fate, right next to each other in the back corner. "We'll have to drive each other's cars.." This was not going to be fun, a different car, a different body..would it be hard to drive this way? "Once we get to your house, we can explain things to your mom, otherwise you won't make it through the doorway. She hates me now." A woman who'd once treated him like a fond nephew.

Meanwhile, he'd apparently made this decision regarding both of them and Jaime's mother without consulting Jaime. And though he didn't know it, Jaime's mother was out of town for a week on business with her fiance, Tyler. They were both corporate heads, very successful too. Jaime's dad, like Darren's, was a no-show. Although Darren's dad at least called in from time to time..sending holiday cards with money inside. But Darren had always done his best to make every holiday, birthdays included, great for Jaime even without his father being there. Darren took his role as best friend to heart.

Their fighting had killed him, and the past two holidays they'd spent apart had made the holidays seem gloomy. And their relationship now..what was it anyway? Jaime, despite his newfound power, had actually been rather nice..more like his Jam, his nickname for the other, again. The nickname, aside from being name appropriate, sprung from a jam fight that erupted when they were seven years old..the kitchen had been a mess, but they'd loved every moment.  

[The Lacey Bear]

((They're all in college, and I'm done. Plus I'm the mgr, so I get to be the loser who stays here sweatdrop
Plus...I was thinking the same thing on the website...lol))

Jaime grew quiet as they walked towards their cars. Darren's was a stick-shift, and though it had been a while, Jaime was sure he could remember how to drive it. "We won't have to worry about my mom," he said. "She...well, she's out of town with Tyler." He added a bitter tone to his voice when he said his mother's fiance's name. To her, Tyler was great. But Tyler treated Jaime like he didn't exist. As they reached the cars, Jaime took out the keys to Darren's 1993 Mustang GT, with a 5.0 engine. Midnight blue, it was sleek and stylish, with a massively built engine and transmission. A perfect car for someone of Darren's high school social standing. After he unlocked it, he turned to Darren. "Don't worry," he said with a smirk. "I'll take care of your baby."  

[WitchAlchemist]

(o-o great minds think alike! O-o manager? Rock on! I work at Wal-mart, haha. I'm in-stock, so I pretty much do whatever..but they keep putting me in fitting room(answer phones, open doors) which is the easiest job ever and I love it <3) ) (o-o I loved the car description, didn't entirely understand it but yay! <3 haha)

Darren heard the bitter tone and knew why it had come. He'd been around to meet Tyler, who'd been in Ronila's life for about five years. The guy was a great guy, treated Ronila wonderfully, had always been polite to Darren, he was a well-liked fellow. But for some reason, he seemed determind to ignore Jaime..which of course, had made him hate the man unconditionally. He put his hand on Jaime's shoulder and gave it a comforting squeeze before releasing it, watching as Jaime pulled out Darren's keys. His mother was a prominent lawyer, highly successful and she made plenty of money on her own. She also got payments from her rich ex-husband, Darren's father, who felt enough guilt or obligation to pay what he felt his portion was. Six grand a month, Tony was head of his own company and several minor businesses, so he did very well indeed.

At the smirked words, Darren arched a brow, seeming both amused and annoyed, "You'd better, Sheila doesn't take kindly to abuse." Sheila was what he'd named his car after hearing an Austrailian man speaking on the radio while trying to come up with a name.

And then he turned to Jaime's car, a Subaru Tribecka. Black and not a bad car, not flashy, but a nice car nonetheless and reliable. It had a DVD near the front and a navigation system. Ronila had insisted on it, for both safety and her own personal choice in giving her son his birthday car. He reached into Jaime's pocket, his pocket at the moment and pulled out the keys before clicking it to unlock as he opened the door. Darren paused, before looking to Jaime and in a spur of the moment thing, grinned old Darrenishly, though it came out a bit odd on Jaime's face as he said playfully, "Bet I can beat you to the house even in your car, short stuff."

They'd played similar games before, good-natured competition that ended in laughter or tackling each other to roughhouse. There wasn't really ever a winner, since it was all in good fun, though Darren had the advantage at tickle-torture, headlocks, and noogies. Jaime had speed on his side, where Darren had strength.  

[The Lacey Bear]

((Yea, its temporary, so I'm trying to get another degree starting in the summer or fall smile And I did the Wal Mart thing...cashier...ugh. And thanks for the car props. I used to have one, so I know a lot about stangs...lol))

"Sheila?" Jaime chuckled. Shaking his head, Jaime laughed to himself. Darren could always think of nicknames that would easily stick. Not to mention, he had a knack for naming inanimate objects. He used to have names for his bicycles, his big wheel and...well, he wasn't going to go there. He only found out about that nickname during a round of truth or dare.
"Don't you have enough faith in your Sheila that she can take a little ol Subaru?" Jaime teased back at the challenge. "We'll just see I suppose." Jaime slid down into the leather racing seats in Darren's car. Chrome shifter, chrome racing pedals, a completely tricked out stereo...it was definitely a "man's" car. Sliding the key into the ignition, Jaime pressed in the clutch and gently turned the key. Firing right up, the engine roared like a lion staking its claim on its pride. Pumping the gas pedal a couple times, he looked over at Darren to make sure he was ready before he took off.  

[WitchAlchemist]

(What degree do you have now? O-o *can't cashier till eighteen* o_O Oh, sweetness, haha, did yours look like that?)

Darren pouted, "It's a good name! Very..kangarooish." Despite the common belief, Darren could be rather strange himself sometimes and saying random things was not out of character for him. He was a regular goofball when it came to it. At the tease back to his challenge, he realized this wasn't exactly a win-win for him. If he beat Jaime, that would suggest his car was beatable..or Jaime wasn't the best of drivers, if Darren lost..well, that spoke for itself. But it was all in good fun, so he didn't really care beyond a passing thought. "Your car doesn't even have a name? Ha! I'm tempted to root for my own car and I'm not even one driving it."

Darren felt..not so bad, despite the situation..he'd missed playing with Jaime like this. As Jaime got into the car, he slid into Jaime's and glanced around. He'd not been in it really, since by the time they could drive..they hadn't been friends any longer apparently..the seat had been adjusted along with the steering wheel for Jaime, who while not being a midget, was still not likely to make the basketball team so to speak. And Darren himself was taller than many of his friends, which always made them an interesting pair since so many people mistook Jaime for Darren's little brother despite the vast physical differences, Darren's albino hair to Jaime's dark, greenish hair.

As the other fired up his engine, Darren grinned at him and gave a little wave before feeling confident enough to take off as well. He headed out the same way, although since only one could get out at a time, Jaime was in the lead..for the moment. As they hit the street, he did a fancy move by shifting into another lane so quickly the car behind him honked, but he laughed and sped a bit, waving to Jaime again as it seemed he might take the lead.  

[The Lacey Bear]

((BS in Biology. I'm looking at a Doctorate in Chiropractic, or a Nursing degree. And I wish smile But one of the guys that was in the mustang club basically had that car. But I think this is going to be my last post of the night...I'm going a little brain dead...lol))

"Midnight," Jaime reluctantly admitted with a chuckle when pressed about the name of his car. Running his hands over the curve of the wheel, he looked back over at Darren. Seeing Darren was ready, Jaime smirked and shifted the car into first, spinning wheels behind him a bit, as he was not used to the power of the car.  

[WitchAlchemist]

(o-o holy snickers. o_O alrighty, have a good night! Happy almost Thanksgiving! <3)

Darren had grinned and laughed at the name, not mockingly, more happily than anything else. He noted the other spinning the wheels a bit and grimaced, but he trusted Jaime. As it was, despite his fancy maneuver, the car was not operating as he was used to..it was a smooth car, but not in the gliding, powerful way his car was and he nearly rear-ended someone trying to get the hang of it.  

[The Lacey Bear]

Jaime quickly got the car under control. He was not used to so much power, and so it took a little getting used to. Shifting smoothly into second gear, he had much better control over "Sheila" and was cruising easily out of the parking lot. Pausing only at stopsigns and turns, Jaime sped down the nearly unoccupied road that led to his semi-rural house. It was an old farmhouse that had been elaborately restored. Large and white, it was like a scene from a Thomas Kinkade painting. There were trees dotting the front lawn, a large wrap around porch and even an understated gazebo. Around back was an old barn that had been refurbished to be used as a garage, as well as a large swimming pool. Thankfully in Jaime's opinion, the house was close enough to town. However, it was far away enough that it was quiet, and you could actually see the stars at night. As Sheila hugged the road, taking the curves with ease, Jaime reminisced about the many nights that he and Darren had camped out under those same stars, laying on their sleeping bags outside and pointing out constellations.
One night in particular stood out...it was the last time they spent the night together before things began to change between them. Darren was telling Jaime about a girl...how great she was, how much he truly cared for her. Jaime could tell that Darren was head over heels for this girl...she had already taken time between the two of them away with Darren's pursuit. When Darren began to talk about her with such admiration, Jaime felt...jealous. He tried his hardest to hide it, though. The last thing he wanted to do was to burst the bubble of his best friend. He laid there, watching Darren talk so lovingly about the girl that would come to rip their friendship to shreds. The words washed over him, but were not absorbed. He was concentrating on how the moonlight was hitting Darren's face. Darren had just begun to grow out of his childish features, and the moonlight was accentuating the angles of his more defined jawline.
Sighing, Jaime pulled himself back to reality when he saw the driveway for his house approaching. Finally slowing, he downshifted, preparing to drive slowly up his gravel drive. Bobbing up and down, Jaime had to admit...even though the car had speed, it felt every single bump in the road.