Switch

After school Brian pulled into his driveway, turning the engine off. He had asked his girlfriend if she wanted to come to his place instead of having to deal with Scott after school like she normally did, and Julia had accepted the offer, but for different reasons Brian had told her that his parents would be out of the house until about five in the evening, his baby sister McKenna would be at the babysitter's until that same time, and his brother Brent would be holed up in his bedroom, sure to leave them alone. Seeing the opportunity of being alone with Brian for the first time outside of school since the switch had happened (besides the short car rides to and from school), Julia took it.

She couldn't figure it out still, but there was something about Brian that was pulling her in. She knew the longer she was stuck as Natalie, the more likely she was to fall for Brian, and that could prove dangerous. But Julia didn't want to stay away from him either...

Stepping out of the car as Brian did the same, Julia noticed the garage door in front of them was open. It wouldn't have really been cause for much attention to her if it weren't for the jet black and silver motorcycle she saw sitting near the back wall.

Side-tracked, Julia tentatively moved closer to the open door. She had never been on a motorcycle before and didn't know anyone in her school even had one, and looking at the bike and thinking of Brian, she knew that it was his. He looked the part.

A small grin on his lips as he watched the reaction his girlfriend gave when she looked at the bike, Brian stepped up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist. Julia could feel his warm breath against her neck as Brian's chin rested on her shoulder, and the feeling gave her chills.

"You wanna ride it?" Brian whispered, also looking ahead at the gleaming motorcycle. It wasn't new in years, but it was new to him. His father had an older one before that Brian had taken Natalie on a few times, but he had never shown her to the new one. He could bet she was dying to get on it.

Pausing a moment as fear filled her stomach, Julia thought it over. She didn't know how safe it was...but it did look like it would be fun...

"Yeah," she breathed out and Brian let go of her, leading her into the garage and to the bike.

"Alright, put this on," Brian said, handing her a silver helmet. Julia pulled it on as Biran pulled his own jet back helmet over his head, and when he saw her flip the screen up to look at him, Brian smiled and did the same.

"You're going to want to keep that down when we're going," he said with a wink, and then went to pull the motorcycle out of the garage. Julia smiled. With the rest of Brian's face covered by the helmet, Julia was able to get a really good look at his eyes. She'd never really taken the chance to look at his eyes before but now that she had, Julia thought they were captivating. She liked the way Brian's eyes sparkled in the sun, changing between a dark honey brown to a rich chocolate. When Brian's eyes met with hers, Julia felt like he could really see her; just the way he looked at her was like he really cared. But then she would remember that she was in Natalie's body, and Brian had absolutely no idea.

Coming back to her senses when Brian called out to her, Julia saw he was already seated on the bike. An air of uncertainty about her, she stepped up behind him, swinging her leg over before sitting on the back of the bike and wrapping her arms tightly around Brian's middle.

"Hold on tight," Brian said over his shoulder, feeling Natalie's body mold against his like it always did before he revved the engine and pulled the bike into gear.

As soon as the tires moved underneath her and the wind began to rush by her, Julia's grip around Brian's middle tightened considerably. The sound of the engine filled her head despite the helmet covering her ears as the two raced out of the driveway and down the street. Thankful for the light jacket she was wearing as the wind whipped past her, she smiled the biggest smile she had in a long while. On that bike, holding onto Brian for dear life as the world sped by, she felt alive.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

After the motorcycle ride, which Brian told Julia she'd had the 'death grip' throughout, the two entered the house.

"You want anything to drink?" Brian asked as he kicked his shoes off and headed to te kitchen, Julia following close behind.

"Just water," she answered, watching as Brian pulled two glasses from the cupboard before filling them at the tap and handing one to her. "Thanks," she said quietly before taking a sip as Brian did the same. She noticed him smiling at her as he set his glass down on the counter.

"Come here..." Brian beckoned just above a whisper, motioning with his finger for Julia to take the few steps toward him. Unable to deny him, Julia went to Brian, looking up into the dark pools of his eyes, feeling content. If this was the way Natalie felt all the time when she was with Brian, Julia understood why they'd still be dating.

"What?" Julia whispered, feeling her throat and lips go dry. Brian watched her pink tongue dart out, swiping over the flesh of her lips, and without another word he leaned down and kissed her. Eyes flittering closed, Julia reveled in the feeling and the taste of Brian's lips, clutching at his waist with her free hand as she pulled herself closer.

Sooner than Julia had wanted, the kiss ended, Brian resting his head against hers.

"I haven't told you today..." he whispered, taking her hand in his and lacing their fingers.

"What?" Julia asked.

"That I love you."

Julia could practically feel her heart melting at the sincerity of his words. Brian and Natalie really loved each other.

Feeling partially torn inside, her stomach flipping this way and that as she tried to decide her response to what Brian had said, she made up her mind.

"I love you, too," she whispered before leaning up to attach her mouth to Brian's again. She broke away for a moment, but only to take a sip of her water and set the glass down on the counter before she quickly kissed Brian again. Her eyes threatened to roll into the back of her head when Brian nipped her bottom r lip as she wrapped her arms up around his neck. Once Brian's tongue probed into her mouth, Julia sighed, her fingers tangling with Brian's hair. She tried not to smile and break the kiss when he moved his hands down from her hips to her behind, gently squeezing as his tongue pressed back and forth with hers.

"Ew, do you think you guys could get a room?" a male voice asked, causing Brian to pull away from his girl.

"Sure, we'll just take yours," he shot back, and Julia turned to see a boy who was unmistakably Brian's younger brother, Brent.

Sighing and rolling his eyes, Brent headed to the fridge beginning to dig through it for something.

"Come on," Brian whispered to Julia, grabbing his glass of water as she did the same. Taking his outstretched hand, Julia let him lead her into the living room where they sat down on the couch Grabbing the remote, Brian turned the television on and set his drink down on the side table next to him. Turning to Natalie, he smiled and put his arm around her shoulders, watching as she smiled and leaned into him before kissing her temple.

Eyes focusing on the TV once Brian had looked away, Julia couldn't help but continue to think of him. Brian was, to put it bluntly...perfect. Julia had never met a guy like him before, and she knew that this was the kind of boyfriend a man should be.