*In the morning*
I jolted awake, my body still heavy with sleep. Sitting up in bed, I let the dim morning light creep through the window, casting faint shadows across my room. My eyes scanned the familiar space, searching for some kind of clue, a hint of what was coming. Every day brings a new change. What's today's madness going to be?
For the past two weeks, the world had been flipping upside down. Strange, absurd shifts in reality that no one could predict. One day, strangers hugged each other like long-lost friends; the next, people read books upside down as if it were the most natural thing in the world. Most of these changes lasted only a day, but two of them (two maddening constants) stuck around like a curse I couldn't shake. I'd get to those soon enough.
I sat there for a few minutes, lost in thought, replaying the bizarre events of the past days. Men acting like women, women behaving like men, people greeting each other with tongue kisses like it was a handshake... I shook my head, trying to clear the fog. Then my phone alarm blared: 6:00 AM. I was up earlier than usual. Not bad, I thought, though a nagging feeling tugged at my chest. I was forgetting something important. But what? It was like an itch I couldn't scratch. I shrugged it off. If it was that important, it'd come back to me eventually.
I hopped in the shower, the cold water snapping me awake, but that uneasy feeling lingered. I threw on a black t-shirt, jeans, and my worn-out boots. Grabbing the keys to my moped, I muttered to myself, Whatever it is, today's not gonna be boring.
I stepped out of my apartment and immediately ran into her. Mrs. María, my neighbor. Her dark, glossy hair cascaded over her shoulders, framing a face that could've been painted by a master artist. She wore a sleek blue dress that hugged her curves, accentuating every line of her body in a way that made it hard to look away. In her hands, she held a bouquet of flowers and a heart-shaped box.
Her eyes locked onto mine.
Cold, Passionate, Mature.
I swallowed hard.
"G-Good morning, Mrs. María," — I stammered, trying to keep my cool. "You look... as beautiful as always."
She smiled, a dangerous curve to her lips, and sauntered toward me, her hips swaying with deliberate grace.
"Good morning, Erick," — she purred, her voice low and teasing. "You're looking as sexy as ever."
She handed me the flowers and the heart-shaped box. "These are for you."
"Th-Thank you, Mrs.—" I started, but she pressed a finger to my lips, cutting me off.
"Just María," — she whispered, leaning in so close I could feel the warmth of her body. "Or darling, if you prefer."
"O-Okay, María," — I said, stepping back instinctively, only to find my back pressed against my apartment door. "Why the gifts?"
"It's your birthday, Erick. You're eighteen today. A full-grown man," — she said, her eyes glinting with something predatory. She opened the heart-shaped box in my hands, revealing five perfectly arranged chocolates. Before I could react, she popped one into her mouth and, without warning, kissed me.
It wasn't just a kiss. It was deep, invasive, the taste of chocolate mingling with something far more overwhelming. Her tongue danced in my mouth, leaving me breathless and frozen. When she finally pulled back, her lips curled into a mischievous smile.
"Like the chocolate?" — she asked, her hands gliding over my chest, creeping downward.
'What the hell is happening?' My mind spiraled. 'Is this today's change? Is everyone going to act like this?'
"Y-Yeah, it's... delicious." — I managed, trying to buy time, but María wasn't slowing down. Her hand slipped inside my pants, and my body betrayed me with a reaction I couldn't control.
"I'm not a huge fan of chocolate," — she murmured, her voice dripping with intent. "I prefer something... creamier."
Her movements were quick, confident, and I was trapped between her and the door. A warm slickness coated her fingers, and she brought them to her lips with deliberate slowness.
"Mmm, delicious," — she said, licking them clean. "How about we celebrate your birthday tonight at my place? A nice, intimate dinner."
'No, no, no. This is a bad idea.' My brain screamed warnings, but before I could respond, she switched gears with unnerving ease.
"Oh, by the way, could you do me a favor, handsome?" — she asked. "I need you to take Camille to school. She's running a bit late."
"Y-Yeah, sure, no problem." — I said, grasping at the lifeline she'd thrown me.
"I'll go get her."— María said, planting a final kiss on my cheek before heading to her apartment.
I bolted back into my place, tossed the flowers on the table, and shoved the chocolates in the fridge. Stepping outside again, I locked the door and took a deep breath. 'This can't be real.' But when I looked up, there was Camille, María's daughter and my best friend. Her long, glossy black hair reached her waist, and she wore a crisp school uniform—blue tie, matching skirt, and white knee-high socks. Despite looking like a younger version of her mother, her bright, playful eyes and flat chest set her apart. She was a year older than me, but her energy made her seem younger.
"Come on, turtle, I'm gonna be late." — she teased, flashing a grin.
"Who're you calling turtle, sloth?" — I shot back, relieved to see her acting normal.
She shrugged and started down the hallway. We descended the stairs in comfortable silence, the kind only close friends share. At the parking lot, I fired up my moped, and Camille hopped on behind me without hesitation.
"Let's go" — she said, her voice brimming with her usual enthusiasm.
We pulled out of the building, the cool morning air hitting my face.
"Oh, by the way, happy birthday."— Camille said, wrapping her arms around me from behind in a quick hug.
"Thanks... Honestly, I forgot it was today." — I admitted, chuckling.
"Pfft, haha, you're more out of it than usual." — she laughed.
Then, without warning, I felt her hands slip inside my pants. Damn it, not again. This was one of the two permanent changes. Didn't matter who it was (man or woman) if they felt cold, they'd shove their hands down my pants to "warm up." I'd run experiments to confirm it, and it was always me. Always. It was traumatizing at first, and I still wasn't used to it.
"It's warmer here" — Camille said playfully, her fingers brushing against me.
"Hey, stop it! What're you doing?" — I protested, pulling the moped over to the side of a deserted street.
"Idiot? Did you just call me an idiot?" — she said, feigning outrage. Before I could react, she yanked down my pants and boxers and started moving her hand with alarming speed.
"Camille, stop!" — I tried to pull my pants up, but she was relentless.
"That's all you've got? Idiot?" — she teased, picking up the pace. "Come on, say something nice."
"You're an amazing friend! You're beautiful and... super sexy!" — I blurted out, desperate.
"Oh, really? An amazing friend?" — she said, smirking. "Then can I have a taste of my amazing friend's 'juice'?"
"No!" — I shouted, but she was already leaning forward, her mouth on me before I could stop her. It was over in seconds. When she pulled back, she swallowed with a satisfied grin.
"Delicious," — she said, wiping her mouth. "I'm telling you, you could sell this stuff. People would buy it."
'And they'd probably get as addicted and aggressive as you.' I thought, still catching my breath. This was the second permanent change: an inexplicable obsession with... well, that.
"Happy now?" — I asked, exasperated.
"Nope. I want more" — she said, reaching for me again.
"Wait, wait! It's my birthday, can't you listen to me for one day?" — I begged, grabbing her hands.
She paused, considering, then sighed. "Fine. Just for today. But you have to come celebrate with us tonight."
"*Sigh*... Fine, I'll come." — I relented, exhausted.
Camille climbed back onto the moped, and I fixed my pants as best I could. Two minutes later, we pulled up to her school.
"Mom's been planning a gift for you for days." — Camille said as she hopped off. "Don't flake out tonight."
She walked toward the school entrance, leaving me to process the morning's chaos. I revved the moped and headed to the corner store where I worked. Parking outside, I stepped in and called out, "Morning, boss! I'm here!"
The day had barely started, and I already felt like I'd lived a lifetime. What else was this insane world going to throw at me?
Clarifications
1) Generally, each chapter will be divided into three parts, covering the events of the morning, afternoon, and evening.
2) At the end of each chapter, if there are no additional clarifications or notes of interest, I will list the "Changes" that are temporary and permanent.
3) In chapters that take place in the evening, I will include a "vote" where readers can decide whether a specific "change" remains permanent or stays temporary