Not the life that I expected (Patreon)

Alicia took a moment to look around the dimly lit bar, the pulsating beat of the music vibrating through her bones. The bar was alive with the hum of conversation, laughter, and the clink of glasses. Groups of people gathered around high tables, while couples and individuals tried to shout over the music.

But her eyes soon found what they were searching for. Across the room, Ashley sat perched on a stool, her dark brown hair shimmering in the low light. But something was different tonight. Ashley wasn't surrounded by a swarm of guys competing for her attention. Instead, she was deeply engaged in a conversation with just one person. To Alicia's surprise, it was John, a guy from their old high school who was known more for his book smarts than his dance moves.

It was an unusual sight. Everyone in their circle knew Ashley as the life of the party. She was the one who dragged everyone out on a Friday night, ensuring they all had a blast while making fun of every geek around them. From football players to track stars, Ashley always had the most athletic, most popular guys trailing behind her. It wasn't like her to be chatting with someone like John, who was the president of the chess club back in high school and more of an introverted guy.

But this was a welcoming change. Times when Ashley's party spirit took a dangerous turn. Like that night Ashley got so drunk she stumbled into traffic, or the time she went home with a complete stranger. She had always feared that Ashley's wild ways would land her in real trouble one day. So, seeing Ashley now, chatting animatedly with John, made Alicia feel a mix of curiosity and relief. Shaking off her musings, Alicia decided she would check on Ashley in a bit. For now, she'd enjoy the evening and the company of her friends. And maybe, just maybe, she'd also find herself chatting with someone unexpected by the end of the night.

But the reality was that it wasn’t Ashley making these decisions. The real Ashley was long gone after Megan possessed her body permanently with the help of an ancient spell book. John was the easiest person she could talk to because he was the one who helped seal her soul inside of her body through the most depraved of intimacy. A month had passed since Megan became Ashley, and things weren’t getting easier for her.

Megan excused herself from John with a polite smile and made her way to the restroom. The noise from the bar grew fainter with each step. The restroom was a stark and welcoming contrast to the bar's boisterous atmosphere. The room was silent except for the faint hum of the fan. She caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror and paused. She took a deep breath and stepped closer to the mirror, analyzing her beautiful reflection. There was a hint of tiredness in her eyes, a quiet longing for something more. Her makeup was flawless, her dress accentuating her curves, but it all felt like a mask she wore. It would have been easier if her family was rich, but Ashley had been a massive faker who pretended to have more than she really did. This made being Ashley difficult, and maintaining meaningful conversations was even harder.

She leaned closer to the mirror, her fingers tracing the outline of her face. Stealing her rival’s body ended up being a curse for her. Sure, she was beautiful, but her reputation was ruined as an individual. People knew her as the old high school slut, and now that she was in her twenties, people were marking her as a slut willing to sleep with anyone. Unfortunately, since the spell had permanently sealed her into her new body with the help of a willing sexual partner, she didn’t have many options now that she was unofficially dating John. It didn’t help that Ashley’s grades weren’t good enough to get into a decent community college – she was going to have to redo a ton of courses to make anything out of her life. With a heavy sigh, she forced herself to step out into the dancing crowd again, praying for a chance to redeem herself. She just needed to be patient and keep faking her life until she could adjust it accordingly … eventually.