---------
The sun beat down on the Los Angeles set, but the heat was nothing compared to the pressure Jenna (in Ameya's body) felt radiating from the cameras. After a night of grueling study—and a few frantic text messages to the real Ameya—she had finally memorized every syllable of her dialogue.
She stood in her mark, her heart drumming a frantic rhythm against her ribs. She wasn't just an idol today; she was a woman fighting to keep another woman's career alive.
A Suspicious Leading Man
Before the director could call for silence, her co-star, Julian, stepped into her space. He was leaning against a prop table, his eyes scanning her face with a piercing intensity that made Jenna's skin crawl.
"Is everything okay between you and Rico?" Julian asked, his voice low enough that the crew couldn't overhear. "You've been... off. Even for you."
Jenna blinked, momentarily caught off guard. Rico? She scrambled to remember Ameya's usual tone. She gave a stiff, quick nod. "Everything is fine, Julian. Why wouldn't it be?"
Julian didn't look convinced, but the director's voice cut through the air.
"Positions! Scene 42, Take 1. And... Action!"
The transformation was instantaneous. Jenna channeled every bit of her stage presence into the character. She delivered the lines with a precision that surprised even the director. The emotion was raw, the timing was perfect, and the chemistry—at least on camera—was undeniable. She nailed the scene in a single take.
-------
As the crew began to reset for the next shot, Julian walked over to her, a mocking smile playing on his lips.
"You did great," he said, though his tone held a sharp edge. "But... why did you take thirteen takes yesterday? I actually thought you weren't feeling well. Or maybe you just forgot how to act overnight?"
Jenna offered an awkward, tight-lipped smile. How should he know? she thought bitterly. He has no idea he's talking to an idol who is literally forcing herself to act just to survive the day. "I was just... finding the character," Jenna sighed, looking away.
Suddenly, she felt Julian's hand reach toward her head. Her reflexes, honed by years of warding off overzealous fans, kicked in. She reached up and grabbed his wrist with a grip that was far firmer than Ameya's usual gentle touch.
"What are you doing?" she snapped, her eyes flashing.
Julian looked startled, his hand frozen mid-air. He slowly opened his other hand to reveal a small, dry leaf. "Relax," he said, his voice dropping to a smooth, patronizing register. "There was a leaf in your hair. I was just taking it out."
Jenna didn't let go immediately. She stared him down, her voice cold and clear. "Don't get too close to me. Got it?"
Julian's confusion turned into a slow, dark smirk. He pulled his hand back, bowing slightly in mock surrender. "You're acting strange, Ameya. Very strange."
Jenna watched him walk away, her chest heaving. Oh no... am I making it too obvious? she panicked. She tried to soften her expression, calling out behind him, "I'm not acting strange! I'm just focused!"
But Julian didn't turn back. He just kept walking, that knowing smirk still etched on his face.
Jenna leaned against a trailer, rubbing her temples. How does Ameya usually act with him? she wondered. Is she friendly? Is she cold? She let out a long, exhausted sigh. Acting was supposed to be Ameya's dream, but for Jenna, it was becoming a living nightmare.
----------
The Weight of the Secret
The mansion in Los Angeles was quiet, the air conditioned stillness a stark contrast to the chaotic noise of the film set. Jenna (in Ameya's body) slumped against the door of her bedroom, her muscles aching from the tension of pretending to be an actress all day.
A soft, firm knock echoed through the wood. Jenna froze.
"Ameya? You in there?" Rico's voice was low, vibrating with a warmth that didn't belong to her.
"Why is he knocking now?" Jenna whispered to herself, panic rising. "How am I supposed to avoid him in a house this big?" She took a deep breath, smoothed out Ameya's silk blouse, and pulled the door open.
Rico stood there, his expression softened. "Come," he said gently. "Mom is leaving for the airport. She wants to say goodbye."
Jenna followed him downstairs, her heart heavy. Clara stood by the grand entrance, her luggage already being loaded into a black SUV. She looked at Jenna with such genuine maternal love that it made Jenna's chest ache with guilt.
"I have two hours until my flight," Clara said, reaching out to cup Jenna's face. "Take care of yourself, Ameya. You look so tired, sweetheart."
She turned her gaze to Rico, her eyes narrowing playfully. "And you—take care of my daughter-in-law. Don't you dare bully her while I'm gone."
Rico offered a small, weary smile. "I won't, Mom."
As Clara pulled Rico into a final hug, she leaned in, whispering loud enough for only him to hear—though Jenna caught the tail end of it: "Haven't you proposed yet? Do it quickly. I can't wait to officially call her my daughter."
Rico's smile faltered, a flash of deep pain crossing his eyes before he masked it with a nod. Jenna stood there, smiling awkwardly, feeling like a thief standing in another woman's paradise.
Once the car pulled down the driveway and disappeared, the atmosphere shifted. The lightheartedness vanished. Rico turned to Jenna and grabbed her hand, his grip firm but desperate.
"Ameya... don't avoid me anymore," he pleaded. "For the last two days, I've been waiting to talk to you. But you leave for the set before I'm awake and come home so late. We need to talk. We need to clarify everything."
Jenna's mind raced. Clarify what? I can't tell you I'm not your girlfriend. I'm your friend Michael's fiancé trapped in your fiancé's body! "But... I..." she stammered.
"Please," Rico interrupted, his voice cracking. "I don't want another separation between us. I can't lose you again."
Jenna looked into his eyes and saw the raw vulnerability there. She realized that one wrong word from her could destroy the life Ameya had worked so hard to build. I have to play along, she thought. For Ameya's sake.
She slowly nodded. Rico's entire body seemed to relax, and a genuine smile broke through his gloom. "Then let's go somewhere quiet. Just us. I'll go get ready."
As soon as Rico disappeared into his suite, Jenna's phone vibrated. It was a call from her own number—Ameya (in Jenna's body).
"I have an idea!" Ameya's voice was urgent, cutting through the silence of the hallway. "I think I've found where this issue started. It's the ring—my granny's ring. I'm going back to my old family house to find answers."
"Wait for two days!" Jenna hissed into the phone. "I'll come with you. We can go together!"
"No, I can't wait," Ameya said, her voice dropping to a somber tone. "We have to shift back before your wedding. I can't delay this, Jenna. More than that... we can't keep playing with Rico and Michael's emotions. It's not fair to them."
Jenna leaned against the wall, closing her eyes. "You're right. It's cruel."
"I need you to call my father," Ameya instructed. "I'm going to tell him I'm visiting, but he needs to hear it from 'Ameya' too so he isn't suspicious. I'll tell you exactly what to say."
Jenna listened intently, nodding as Ameya laid out the plan. The stakes had never been higher. While Jenna prepared for a "date" with a man who wasn't hers, Ameya was beginning a journey into the past to reclaim their futures.
-------
Dolls and Diaries
The upscale mall restaurant was bathed in soft, golden light, but the tension between the couple at the table was anything but warm. Jenna (in Ameya's body) sat stiffly, watching Rico across the table.
Rico sighed, reaching across the linen tablecloth. "I'm sorry, Ameya, if I hurt you. But..."
Jenna's mind whirled. Wait, he hurt her? What did this guy do? She felt a protective surge for her friend. Let's see if I should finish him off right now, she thought, narrowing her eyes.
"I shouldn't have let my jealousy get the best of me," Rico continued, his voice dropping. "I know it's just acting... but that scene. The kiss. The way he blew into your eyes... it made me see red. I got angry, and I took it out on you."
Jenna scoffed before she could stop herself. "What? You got angry at her for doing her job?"
Rico blinked, looking confused. "Ameya? Why are you talking about yourself in the third person?"
Jenna froze, her heart skipping a beat. "I mean... I'm still angry! How could you not trust me?"
Rico grabbed her hand, his thumb stroking her knuckles. "I'm sorry. But try to be in my position. You know how it feels. Even Jenna got jealous when Michael had his first on-screen kiss."
Jenna's eyes nearly popped out of her head. Wait... how does he know that? Did Michael tell him? A flash of irritation flared in her. She slammed her hand on the table with a loud thwack.
"Ameya!" Rico jumped.
"Yes, well!" Jenna snapped, her inner idol coming out. "She had her own reasons! Don't bring her into this or blame her!"
Rico held up his hands in surrender, a small smile appearing. "Fine, fine. I won't bring her up. Do you forgive me?"
Jenna exhaled, trying to settle back into Ameya's gentler persona. "Fine. I overreacted too. I can understand the jealousy."
Rico's face lit up. "Then let's go." He didn't wait for an answer, dragging her toward the mall's brightly lit play area. Jenna watched, mesmerized, as he focused intensely on a doll-grabbing machine. After two tries, he successfully hooked a plush bear and handed it to her with a smirk.
"For me?" Jenna asked, surprised.
"Of course," Rico teased. "You're my girlfriend, aren't you? Who else would I give it to?"
Jenna gave a strained, awkward smile and took the doll. Suddenly, Rico stepped into her personal space, leaning down until his face was inches from hers. His gaze dropped to her lips.
"So... you have to give me something in return," he whispered.
As he leaned in for the kiss, Jenna's instincts screamed. She shoved the plush doll directly between their faces. Rico's lips hit the soft fabric of the bear instead of hers.
Rico pulled back, looking disappointed but not angry. He narrowed his eyes. "Are you still pissed off at me?"
Jenna shook her head frantically.
"Then why can't I kiss you?" Rico asked, his tone shifting from playful to suspicious. "What happened to you? You've been acting so strange since yesterday."
Jenna's breath hitched. Oh no... is he finding out?
Just as the silence became unbearable, Jenna's phone saved her. She saw the caller ID—it was Ameya.
"I'm not acting strange! I just have to answer this!" Jenna blurted out, scurrying away to a quiet corridor.
On the other end, Ameya (in Jenna's body) was sitting on the floor of her dusty, abandoned childhood home. She was surrounded by piles of yellowing books and old furniture. In her lap was a tattered leather diary.
"Jenna! I found a way!" Ameya's voice was breathless with excitement.
"Really? What?"
"I found the entry! My grandmother wrote about the woman who gave her the ring. It's a witch, Jenna. A real one. Granny wrote down exactly where she lived."
Jenna felt a chill run down her spine. "What? A witch? Ameya, stay put. Don't go there alone. Wait until I can get a flight out. It's not safe!"
"I can't wait," Ameya said, her voice turning solemn and determined. "Every minute we spend like this, we're lying to the people we love. We're playing with Rico and Michael's hearts. I have to go now."
"Ameya, listen to me—"
Click.
The line went dead. Jenna stood in the middle of the mall, staring at the screen in horror. Witches in this world? Why won't she listen? Behind her, Rico was still watching her, his suspicion growing by the second.
--------
The Boundary of Time
The taxi dropped Ameya (in Jenna's body) at the edge of a bustling metropolitan neighborhood. She clutched the tattered diary to her chest, her eyes darting between the faded ink and the modern landscape.
According to her grandmother's notes, this was supposed to be a place of ancient power, a "threshold between worlds." But as Ameya stood there in the bright afternoon sun, all she saw was a peculiar, empty lot.
The lot was massive, a strange void in the middle of a high-rise district. It was surrounded by a weathered stone wall, but curiously, no developers had ever built upon it. Towering glass buildings loomed over the wall on all sides, peering down into the flat, grassy ground like silent giants.
"Is this the same place?" Ameya whispered, her voice trembling. "I suppose... everything changes over sixty years. Concrete grows where trees used to be."
She found a rusted iron gate and pushed it. With a haunting groan of metal, it swung open. The moment she stepped onto the dry, yellowed grass of the ground, the air turned ice-cold.
The Vanishing World
The transition was violent.
Without warning, the mid-day sun was swallowed. Thick, bruised dark clouds rolled in from nowhere, swirling with a speed that defied nature. Ameya panicked, her heart hammering against her ribs as she spun around to look at the exit.
Her breath caught in her throat. The city was gone.
The glass skyscrapers, the sounds of honking cars, and the stone walls had vanished into a grey mist. In their place stood a gnarled, dark forest that seemed to breathe. The dry grass beneath her feet turned into thick, viscous black mud.
She shrieked, jumping back as the cold muck seeped into Jenna's expensive boots.
"What am I seeing?" she cried out, her voice swallowed by the dense, heavy air of the woods. "This can't be real. I'm... I'm inside the diary."
She forced herself to look forward. Through the skeletal fingers of the leafless trees, a flickering light appeared.
Ameya gasped, her knees nearly buckling. There, nestled in a clearing of mist and shadow, sat the exact same hut she had seen in her dreams. It was a crooked structure of rotted wood and moss, its windows glowing with an eerie, rhythmic pulse of violet light—the same color as the glow of the rings when they shifted.
The door of the hut sat slightly ajar, creaking in a wind that Ameya couldn't feel. She knew that behind that door lay the secret to her and Jenna's stolen lives, but the closer she got, the more she felt the forest itself trying to pull her soul right out of Jenna's body.
She took a step forward, the mud clinging to her like hands reaching from the grave.
---------
To be Continued.....
---------