Reunion

Mia gave a soft and meaningful smile. “See you tonight,” she said.
Emily was silent for a moment, pondering the meaning behind Mia’s words, but eventually she chose not to bother and left the cafeteria.
As she walked towards her room, Emily couldn’t get Mia’s words out of her mind.
‘Does Mr. Daniel know anything about this? Maybe, when Mr. Daniel was in my body, they were promising something?’
Emily took out her cell phone, her fingers nimbly typing in questions for Daniel about Mia. However, every word formed only ended up being deleted again. The message was never actually sent. “Ah, never mind. Never mind,” she said, trying to reassure herself while taking a deep breath.
Today had been quite a busy day for Emily. Taking a sip of the cooling coffee, she went through the pile of documents she had to file. New contracts, business proposals to review, and financial reports that needed her approval before being forwarded to Daniel.
As the day wore on, Emily finally breathed a sigh of relief. She stretched her muscles and looked at Daniel, who had yet to return from his endless string of meetings. The wall clock showed that work time had ended. Emily packed up her things before heading home. Her footsteps were light as she crossed the shiny floor, leaving the magnificent building behind her.
Today, Emily felt more alive than ever. After days of being trapped in a routine that was completely strange to her, she was now enjoying every second in her real body. At least, she had until the evening before she and Daniel swapped souls again. After a while, Emily finally arrived at her house.
“Dad,” Emily greeted in a trembling voice, hugging Fred tightly.
Fred looked at her with confusion. “Are you okay, Em?”
Emily looked at him with teary eyes. “I miss you, Dad.”
Fred frowned in confusion. “How could you miss me? We see each other every day, Emily. But lately, you’ve been very cold and confined to your room. I feel ignored,” he said, his voice full of incomprehension.
“When I try to share my stories, you just stare at me with this blank, cold stare,” Fred added, mimicking the expression Daniel used to show when he was in Emily’s body.
Suddenly, Emily burst out in a fit of giggles as she saw the funny expression Fred was showing while mimicking Daniel’s expression.
“When I ask, your answers are always short. What’s bothering you, dear? Is something wrong?” asked Fred, concern clearly reflected on his face.
Emily shook her head, then softly said, “Nothing, it’s just your feelings.”
“If you need a confidant, confide in me. I’ll be your listening ear.”
“Thank you, Dad. You are indeed my best father,” Emily continued.
That night, after dinner, the atmosphere in Fred’s house were warm and cozy. Suddenly, the sound of the doorbell broke the silence. Fred, with leisurely steps, opened the door and found a woman standing with a graceful posture, seemingly comparable in age to Emily.
The woman smiled gently. “Good evening, sir. I’m Mia, Emily’s friend,” she said politely.
Emily, who heard an unfamiliar voice from the dining room, asked curiously, “Who is it, Dad?”
Before Fred could answer, Emily stepped to the door and her eyes widened in surprise at the sight of Mia. “How did you get here?”
“Is she really your friend?” asked Fred.
Although hesitant to answer, Emily nodded anyway. “Yes, she’s my friend.”
“Please come in,” said Fred, looking happy to welcome his daughter’s friend.
Mia, with an unchanging smile, introduced herself to Fred, and they chatted for a while. However, Emily didn’t feel at ease with this situation. She was confused and wanted to know what Mia’s purpose was for coming here.
“Actually, I’m here to take Emily out for a while. Can I ask permission for that?” asked Mia with a friendly smile.
“Of course,” Fred replied. “Emily is always free to go out with her friends.”
“I just wanted to spend some time with Emily. It’s been a while, hasn’t it, Em?” Mia asked.
Emily was silent, the uncomfortable feeling still lingering. “Can I talk to Mia for a minute, Dad?” she asked, her voice barely audible.
Fred nodded and gave them some space. Emily pulled Mia into a corner of the room, her eyes searching for answers. “Mia, why are you here and suddenly asking me to leave?”
Mia looked at Emily with a sharp gaze. “So, you finally remembered who I am?” her voice was low but clear.
Emily swallowed, trying to hide her agitation. “What do you mean, Mia?”
“You pretended not to recognize me in the cafeteria yesterday, as if we never spent time together at school. I was hurt, Emily. You’re forgetting all our memories, the memories I’ve always kept,” Mia said, her voice cold and intimidating.
“I told you before that we were going to meet up with old friends today. You didn’t reply to my message, so I came to pick you up,” Mia continued, her smile bitter and forced.
“Sorry, Mia. I can’t go with you,” Emily replied firmly, showing that she would not bow to Mia’s bullying.
“Is that so? But why?” asked Mia, looking for a reason behind Emily’s sharp words.
“There are no good memories between us, Mia.” Emily looked straight into Mia’s eyes, her voice calm yet firm.
“I don’t think of you as my friend, ever.”
Mia’s laughter broke out, cold and mocking, echoing in the cramped room, enough to make Emily feel a chill to the bone. “Is that so? But how, Em?” Mia leaned closer, her smile looking sardonic. “Looks like whether or not you want to, you’re still going to follow me today,” she said, a voice full of menace.
Mia took out her cell phone, and the screen lit up, showing a video of the past that Emily had long since buried deep. There, teenage Emily looked cornered, being treated like a victim by Mia’s gang, who laughed at her cruelly.
Emily’s hands were clenched tightly, holding back the rage that was about to break out. “What do you want, Mia?”
“I just want to ask for your time. Come on, we’re going to have fun today,” Mia said.
“What if I say no?” asked Emily, trying to remain calm despite her pounding heart.
Mia approached Emily, staring intently and whispering right in her ear. “Then don’t blame me if that video gets seen by your coworkers or your father.”
“You’re really sneaky, Mia,” Emily said, glaring at Mia.
Emily sighed, heavy-hearted but determined. “All right, Mia. I’ll follow your request,” Emily said in a low voice. “But I need you to promise me you won’t give the video to Dad.”
Mia looked at Emily for a moment, as if considering, before finally nodding. “You have my word. The video will remain safe as long as you do what I ask,” Mia replied in a serious tone.
After getting Mia’s assurance, Emily felt a little relieved, but still cautious. The two of them then left, meeting Fred, who had been waiting patiently. “We’re leaving now, Dad. See you later,” Emily said, trying to hide her lingering anxiety.
Fred nodded, giving her a warm smile but oblivious to the drama that had just unfolded. “Take care of yourselves,” he said in a caring, paternal tone.
Despite her anxiety and worry, Emily stepped into Mia’s car. In the car, Mia handed Emily a shopping bag. Emily took the shopping bag from Mia with slightly trembling hands.
“Change into this dress,” Mia ordered, her voice firm and undeniable.
With mixed feelings of anxiety and curiosity, Emily opened the bag and found the dress Mia had chosen for her. The dress had a bold and revealing cut, a choice Emily was far from comfortable with.
After a few moments of struggling with doubts and worries, Emily wore the dress in the back of Mia’s car.
Mia waited patiently, and eventually Emily appeared with the new dress beside her. “This dress is too revealing,” Emily protested.
“Where are we going, exactly?” asked Emily, seeking clarity. However, Mia didn’t answer the question, but threw a small box of makeup tools at Emily.
“Fix your look. Your face looks pale,” Mia said.
Moments later, as Mia’s car drove to a nightclub, Emily felt her heart skip a beat. This was the first time she had set foot in a place like this. “What are we here for?” she asked, her voice barely audible over the music that played in the distance.
“Reunion, what else? Come on in,” Mia invited.