"I'll get as much information out of Sarah as I can" Zoe said as she started the bathwater.
"Fine. Just..." i said pausing. i couldn't believe what i was going to say. "Just don't hurt her."
Zoe turned to me, stunned. "When did you get so protective of Sarah Fucking McMillan?"
"The second she ended up as my stupid sister. I'm no longer the one giving you winkles, mom. Sarah is, and I don't want to see you do something misguided like you did with me. This Sarah is actually nice if the stone's magic means she is stuck with us, i do not want to be in the position has she has me begging to remain in this form. You know the old Sarah would tease me mercilessly at best. Just get information, mother."
Zoe glared at me. "Okay young lady. Bath time. Strip"
"What?! Can you least turn around" I asked, knowing that Zoe would stay even if I had nicely asked for her to go.
"No. You've got everything I have. Get in" Zoe ordered. I quickly complied and got into the bath, covering myself with the bubbles. Truthfully, my teen memories were all getting hazy. I knew I should be uncomfortable, but things seemed natural as if things were supposed to be. The thought of being a boy seemed icky and gross, which meant I was in trouble. I needed a solution. Fast.
"Don't you find it creepy? I'm a six year old girl".
"All I see is my cute, girlish daughter, Joanna. May you dream of princesses, fairies and mermaids" Zoe said.
"Mommy!" I squeaked, frightened. The growing girlish side would like all of those things, but I was more afraid of the stone. It seemed to like irony, and I was half expecting to see my legs fuse and a mermaid tail sprout out of the bathtub. It would had been a little girls' dream, but I knew what nightmare it would truly be. "Don't say such things!"
"Why not?"
"Because I do not want to be part fish"
"I don't want to have my daughter point out winkles. Consider us even, Joanna"
I pouted as Zoe got me out and started drying me and got me into my pajamas. I screwed up my nose. Frozen. "Really?"
"Well, you name is Anna" Zoe said with a smirk.
"Very funny. I.. hey!" I got a thought.
"What is it?"
"I know how to solve our problems. We use the stone to switch our bodies! You don't have to be old then, mommy, and I can start getting back to normal" I said excitedly.
Zoe's reaction surprised me. She instantly screwed up her nose. "No way that is going to happen. I'm not letting you deform my beautiful body.."
"Beautiful body? When did you care about that? Has a part of Sarah rubbed off onto you? Or have you finally gone blonde" I demanded.
"No" Zoe said stiffly. Not even my blonde jab seemed to had fazed her. "I can see things backfiring badly. Anyway, you need your sleep."
"I'm not tired!" I protested as Zoe lead me to my room, which was pinker, frillier and girlier than ever.
"Good night, Annie" Zoe said maternally as she tucked me into my new princess canopy bed.
