The year is 2011. There has always been more to Caspian Johansen than meets the eye. For one thing, he’s always felt he’s lived in the wrong body, although he could never tell his family and friends, those he loves most, for fear of losing them. And so, in order to be what everyone expects him to be, he marries and has children. With the approach of the twenty-fifth reunion of his high school graduating class, Cas hopes to reunite with his best friends. When his wife flatly refuses to go, his daughter encourages him to not let that stop him, so he goes, in spite of the fact he’s certain his ulcer is acting up again.
Cas is greeted with pleasure by his friends, even though it’s been years since he last saw them. As they begin to catch up, pain lances through him, and he’s rushed to the emergency room. Once there, doctors determined it’s not an ulcer acting up, but an aortic dissection. He’s taken to the OR, and while on the operating table, something strange happens -- when Cas regains consciousness, he finds himself back in 1986, a senior at Lewis and Clark High School, and in the body he was always certain he ... she ... should have had.
Honey Taylor is the girl Cas has always had a crush on, although he never acted on that crush, deeming Honey as way out of his league. In this version of 1986, things aren’t quite the same. In this new right body, will Cas finally take a chance on dating Honey? And when she’s given the option of going back, will she take it?
Where was I? Why did my body feel so ... I stopped to think about it. For the first time in my whole life, it actually felt the way I’d always thought it should.
“What happened? Where am I?” I blinked. I knew the words had come out of my mouth, but they sounded husky, not at all like my usual tenor. How could that be me?
“I warned you not to try to stand too quickly,” a warm female voice said.
“Huh?”
“People can faint after they’ve donated blood. Mr. Delaney, would you mind seeing Miss Johansen gets home safely?”
Miss Johansen? How many people were here, wherever here was?
“Sure thing, Nurse Grant.”
I froze. I recognized that voice -- it belonged to Mitch, one of my four best friends.
“And since this is the last period,” the nurse continued, “neither of you will need an excuse slip for missing class.”
“Thanks.”
“Could you care for a Twinkie, Casandra?”
Who the fuck was Casandra? Color heated my cheeks as I realized I’d spoken those words aloud. “Sorry, nurse.”
“You’re Casandra, Cas.”
I was? I blinked and stared into Mitch’s eyes. “I am?”
“Did you hit your head and give yourself amnesia?” He laughed and leaned close enough so his warm breath caressed my ear. It did nothing for me, which I regretted. It would have made my life so much easier if I dated my best friend. “And you know, if your mom ever heard a word like that cross your lips --”
I cringed. She’d died in a drunk driving accident more than two years ago, along with my dad, and I still wasn’t over it.
“I’m sorry,” I said again, although I had to admit a little resentfully. Mitch knew -- how could he say that to me?
“I’m your friend. Why are you apologizing to me?” Mitch seemed confused, and I felt bad about my reaction.
“I’m being a burden.”
“Now you sound like Steph when he has to talk to his mom and dad. Stop it. You’re not a burden. Here, eat this.” Before he could unwrap a Twinkie, someone else grabbed it. “Hey!”
“I need that, Delaney. I gave blood, too you know.”
Mitch snatched it away. “Piss off, Richards. You had yours.”
“I’m Casandra’s boyfriend.” He was? “What’s hers is mine.”
Male chauvinist schmuck. I did not like this dream.
Mitch growled at him. “Go. Away. You’re not wanted here.”
“Casandra, are you going to let him talk to me like that?”
“Um ... yes?”
“You heard the woman, dickface. Beat it.”
He curled his lip at Mitch and scowled at me.
“Was I supposed to be upset by that?” I asked after he stalked off.
“Nah. Richards is such a pain in the --”
Nurse Grant cleared her throat.
“Sorry, ma’am. Dating Dickface doesn’t say much for your taste in men, Cas.”
It didn’t. Why was I going out with him?
Meanwhile, Mitch unwrapped the Twinkie and shoved it into my mouth.
“Thanks,” I mumbled around it.
“You should thank me. This was the last one. Walt, Mike and Steph would have taken it, but I saved it for you.”
“You’re a good man.”
“Damn straight I am. Besides, that’s what friends are for.”
I nodded, wiped some cream from the corner of my mouth, and sucked it off my thumb.
“This’ll raise your blood sugar, and you’ll feel better.”
I took another bite into the Hostess treat and hummed in pleasure. “I haven’t had one of these in ages.”
“What are you talking about? These are your favorite -- you had one at lunch yesterday.”
“I did?”
“How hard did you hit your head?”
I probed the spot on my head that ached, and winced when I found a large bump. “Ouch.”
“Nurse? My friend has a boo boo.”
“You’re a laugh riot, Mitchell.”
“Ah. You’re feeling better.”
“No, I’m not. I’ve got a boo boo.”
“Who’s got a boo boo?”
I recognized that voice. It was Honey Taylor, the girl I wished I could date, although I never admitted that out loud. I groaned and buried my face in Mitch’s shoulder.
“Do you need the nurse?” Honey asked. She sounded concerned, which made me want to vomit. I wanted her to be hot for me, not feel sorry for me.
“No, no, Cas is okay. Thanks, though, Honey.”
“Well ... if you’re sure --”
Don’t go ...
“We’re sure. But Cas appreciates your concern.”
I drove my elbow into his side and he grunted.
“Are you okay, Mr. Delaney?” the nurse asked.
“Uh ... I’m fine, just bit my tongue. Thanks again, Honey.”
“Okay. I’ve gotta boogie back to class. I don’t have the excuse of having passed out to get to skip Statistics.”
“Thanks for your concern, Honey,” I murmured.
She patted my arm -- she honest to God touched me! I was still afraid to look.
After a few moments, Mitch whispered, “It’s okay, Cas. She’s gone.”
