The sound of clinking glasses echoed faintly in the background, mingling with the low murmur of voices. A soft orchestra played a soothing melody, and the air was thick with a sickly sweet floral perfume. Kelly blinked several times, trying to get her bearings.
She was no longer in the teacher’s lounge, surrounded by books and whiteboards. She stood in a grand, luxurious hall, filled with a crowd of elegantly dressed people. Golden light spilled from crystal chandeliers above, casting a warm glow over everything. Kelly looked down at herself and nearly gasped aloud.
The crimson dress she wore was something straight out of a fashion runway: long, with a daring slit up her leg, and intricate gold embellishments that shimmered under the lights. But more striking than the gown was the body she now inhabited. It wasn’t hers.
A tall, statuesque woman with perfectly styled dark waves and piercing blue eyes stared back at her from a mirrored wall. Kelly took a step back, her heart pounding, but the reflection mirrored her movements exactly.
“What the…” she whispered, raising a hand to touch her face.
Before she could finish her thought, a cold, masculine voice cut through the air.
“Lorelai, how much longer do you plan to ignore me?”
Kelly whirled around, coming face-to-face with a man. He was tall, with perfectly combed chestnut hair and a black suit tailored to perfection. His sharp brown eyes bore into hers with a mix of disdain and exhaustion. She recognized him instantly. Ethan Cross, the male lead of the romance drama she and her best friend, Julia, had binge-watched the night before.
You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.
“This can’t be happening,” Kelly thought, her breath catching in her throat.
“Well? Cat got your tongue?” Ethan pressed, crossing his arms. “Hard to believe, considering you always have something to say, especially when it’s about ruining someone else’s life.”
Kelly opened her mouth to respond, but no words came out. Her heart raced as the pieces began falling into place. She wasn’t herself anymore. She was in the body of Lorelai Duval, the scheming and manipulative villainess who spent the entire drama tormenting Ethan and Maya, the kind-hearted heroine.
“I… I need… to get out of here,” Kelly stammered, taking a step back.
Ethan arched an eyebrow, clearly suspicious.
“Get out? We’re in the middle of your big charity gala, Lorelai. You don’t exactly strike me as the type to abandon the spotlight.”
“Charity gala?” Kelly thought, scanning the room again. And then it hit her like a freight train. This was the night. The infamous event where Lorelai would publicly humiliate Maya by spilling wine on her in front of everyone. A scene so detestable, it had solidified her as the most hated character in the series.
“I can’t let that happen,” Kelly thought, panic rising.
“Excuse me, Ethan,” she blurted out, attempting to sidestep him.
Before she could make it far, another figure appeared in her path. A young woman in a soft blue dress, her smile warm but hesitant. Maya Lin. Kelly’s heart clenched at the sight of her.
“Miss Duval,” Maya said, her voice gentle but unsure. “I just wanted to thank you for inviting me. It’s such an honor to be here.”
Kelly froze. Maya looked even sweeter and more vulnerable in person than she had on screen. That smile alone made Kelly’s stomach twist with guilt.
“Of course,” Kelly said quickly, her voice softer than Lorelai’s usual sharp tone.
Maya tilted her head slightly, a look of confusion flickering across her face.
“Are you… okay, Miss Duval?” she asked.
Ethan, standing nearby, frowned.
“That’s a good question,” he said, his tone suspicious. “Since when do you talk like that?”
Kelly felt her panic spike again. She needed to leave before she slipped up any further.
“I’m fine,” she lied, forcing a tight smile. “If you’ll excuse me.”
She turned and hurried out of the hall, ignoring the whispers that trailed in her wake.
“That doesn’t make sense,” Ethan muttered to Maya, watching her retreating figure. “Lorelai never backs down.”