Checking In

“Sooo,” Lisa sighed, nursing her coffee, “Have you been making any progress?”

“Nothing yet,” Jack, in Lisa’s best friend, Serena's body, sighed, “I feel like I’ve tried everything.”

“Jack,” Lisa looked around at the brunch-goers around them before leaning in, “it’s been three months since you managed to turn yourself into a ghost and possess Serena. I want my brother back.”

Jack slumped further back into his seat, a strand of Serena’s hair falling over one eye, “You think I don’t want my own body back? It’s hard being a girl. I didn’t exactly plan to get stuck in your best friend.”

Lisa sighed, “So how’s it been going? I haven’t seen you in forever.”

Jack squirmed and picked at his salad, "Well, I tried to pick up her old job at the gallery, but I think everyone suspects something’s off. I’m not even sure if Serena’s boyfriend believes I’m her anymore."

“Yeah, how’s it been going with Brad? Have you two, you know…?”

“God, no,” Jack said, cheeks flaring in a way uncharacteristic of him but deeply familiar on Sam’s face. “I’ve been avoiding him as much as I can. And I definitely don’t feel like I can just tell him, hey, your girlfriend is actually a dude.”

“Have you tried?” Lisa asked, sipping her coffee again and eyeing him over the rim.

“Telling him?”

“No, you know, being with him.”

“Lisa!” Jack glanced around as if checking if anyone overheard, though no one seemed the least bit interested in them. 

“Alright, alright. I’m just saying, maybe it would help.”

“You’re insane."

Lisa shrugged with a mischievous glint. "You'd get a lot of insights if you just let yourself experience things, you know."

Jack shook his head, trying not to smile, “This is exactly why I haven’t been hanging out with you.”

“Come on, you know Serena’s been my best friend since we were kids. I know her better than anyone. Maybe even better than she does.” 

“So?”

“So… She’s, like, really into him. She would always go on about how great the sex was.”

“Seriously, stop,” Jack protested, but he was smiling now, the crooked grin a strange echo of the old Jack, the real Jack.

Lisa raised an eyebrow, “You’re considering it.”

Jack narrowed his eyes at her, though he couldn’t keep a straight face.

“Not a chance,” he said, but his voice wavered, a touch of curiosity creeping in.