Jon finished her first day of school as an exchange student without much fanfare. Apparently, becoming an exchange student like this was not an exceptionally new thing... her wish had changed history and students had been doing this for the last decade or so. Only a few students at each school were accepted, and everything was paid for by government grants, to "increase understanding between young people". Most of the other students still called her Bethany, and reacted to her the same as before. It seemed that was considered the polite thing to do... after all, the point of the exchange was to live another person's life for a year. A few asked what it was like, did it hurt, who was she before, etc. Jon didn't want to admit that she had been a boy, so she told those who asked that she had been a girl named Jenny Gibson.
Bethany was quite popular, and most of the students she met treated her well. She caught some covetous glances from more than a few of the boys, but most of the girls seemed to want to be her friend. A few seemed jealous or spiteful, but Jon ignored them.
A rumor passed through the school that Scarlett Layton had fucked the hell out of some nerdy guy named Steven, and he was bragging to everyone that would listen. He showed off a pair of black silk panties that she had left behind. A couple of other students confirmed they had seen her running away from school, naked but holding her clothes up to cover herself, sobbing. Jon recalled that Scarlett was the girl she had confronted outside PE class that morning, the one that had ironically called Jon a slut, until Jon knocked her down and told her off. (Editor's note: At least this is the way Jon remembers it now, since everyone who did not hear the wish now recalls Scott as Scarlett).
Jon got on the bus and rode it to her stop. Getting off, she saw she was in a fancy neighborhood. Trees lined the streets, the houses were all mansions with 2 stories with large front yards. Many had a circular driveway. Searching her memory, she found Wilder home and walked up the driveway to the huge house with pillars in front. As she approached a cute girl wearing a maid's uniform opened the door. "Welcome home, Miss Bethany. How was school today?"
"Um, it was fine Rachel... anyone else home?"
"No, miss. Your father is still at work and won't be home until very late, and your mother has gone to the country club with her friends. She said she would not be home for dinner, and that I should make you whatever you'd like."
"How about a nice steak?" Jon replied. The maid/cook/housekeeper Rachel seemed to think it was an unusual request, and Jon remembered that Bethany was a vegetarian. "Oh, I'm through that vegetarian phase Rachel, I'll be eating meat from now on, but I'll have a salad with the steak."
"Very well miss. Shall I have dinner ready by 7?"
"That will be fine Rachel," Jon said as he entered the mansion. Antique furniture, a crystal chandelier, and a wide arcing staircase leading to the second floor met her eyes. 'Wow,' she thought to herself, 'Bethany's family must be rich! I wonder how she'll adjust to the limited Gibson family budget?' She climbed the stairs, her breasts and her cheerleading skirt bouncing as she trotted up the stairs. She knew her room was on the second floor, and she was eager to get a look at it.
Opening the door, it was a very girly bedroom. There was a large frilly bed with several stuffed animals on it. A chest of drawers and a dressing table stood on one wall, covered in make-up and jewelry. She had her own private bathroom and shower connected to her room, and a balcony that overlooked the back yard. She saw a large walk-in closet, and on the walls were several posters of boys like that werewolf kid from Twilight, and Justin Beiber. The room was very neat, though she knew that was more due to Rachel cleaning up than Bethany's own tidiness.
"This is my room for the next year," Jon whispered, still hardly believing it was true.
