Sunday Morning Revelations

The campus café was nearly empty, save for a few tired students nursing cups of coffee and cramming for midterms. Jason—no, whoever he was now—sat in the back corner, hunched over a steaming mug, fidgeting with the sleeves of his oversized hoodie. Names didn’t feel like they belonged anymore. Jason was a mask that no longer fit, and the new one—whatever it was—hadn’t settled into place. Every breath felt like it belonged to someone else.

The door jingled as Kevin walked in, looking half-asleep in a wrinkled T-shirt and sweats. Jason’s stomach twisted. He had no idea how to even start this conversation.

Kevin scanned the café, eyes landing on Jason. He hesitated, confused, then walked over. Jason had expected this moment to feel like relief. Instead, it was like watching someone walk past her grave, unaware it belonged to her.

"Uh, hey," Kevin said, rubbing the back of his neck. "You said you were Jason?"

Jason exhaled sharply. "Yeah, dude. It’s me."

Kevin stared at him for a long moment, then smirked. "Alright. You got me. Good prank. Who is this? One of the theater chicks?"

Jason groaned. "Dude, it’s me. Jason Carter. Quarterback. Your best friend since freshman year. You and I got kicked out of Sigma Chi’s party last month for stealing their mascot."

Kevin chuckled. "Okay, I did tell you to leave that goat alone—" His smirk faded. "Wait. How do you—?"

"Because I was there, Kevin!" Jason hissed. "Because I am Jason!"

Kevin’s eyes narrowed. He leaned forward, studying Jason’s face. "No way. No freaking way."

Jason buried his head in his hands. "I woke up like this, man. I don’t know how, I don’t know why, but I need your help."

Kevin let out a slow breath. "Alright. Say, for a second, I believe this—and I don’t, but let’s say I do—what the hell happened?"

Jason hesitated, then gritted his teeth. "There was this girl at the Kappa Delta party. She gave me a shot. I don’t remember her name, but she knew me. I think she did this to me."

Kevin raised an eyebrow. "What’d you do to her?"

Jason winced.

Kevin’s eyes widened. "Oh shit, did you—?"

"Dude, I don’t even remember her!" Jason snapped. "But she sure as hell remembered me."

Kevin exhaled. "Okay. That’s insane. But let’s say I believe it. What’s the plan? Because you cannot go back to the frat house looking like that."

Jason slumped in his chair. "I know. That’s why I texted you. I have nowhere to go. And I need to tell Coach something before he starts wondering why his starting quarterback disappeared."

Kevin drummed his fingers on the table. "Alright. First things first—we need a new identity for you. You can’t be Jason Carter. Too many people know you."

Jason frowned. "You’re saying I need a fake name?"

"Well, do you plan on telling everyone that you’re actually a guy who got magically transformed overnight?"

Jason sighed. "Fair point."

Kevin thought for a moment. "How about… Jessa?"

Jason groaned. "That’s just Jason with extra letters."

Kevin shrugged. "Fine, what about Jess? Short, simple, close enough to your real name that you won’t screw up and forget it."

Jason—Jess—sighed. "Yeah. Fine. Jess works."

"Cool. Now, where are you gonna stay?"

Jess hesitated. "I dunno. A hotel? Your place?"

Kevin gave her a look. "My dorm room barely fits me. You need something long-term."

Jess rubbed her temples. "You know any girls who need a roommate?"

Kevin frowned. "Maybe. I can ask around. But what about football?"

A heavy silence fell over them.

Jess bit her lip. "If I don’t play, I lose my scholarship."

Kevin exhaled. "Alright. We tell Coach you got injured. Something that’ll keep you out for a while, but not bad enough for him to ask too many questions."

Jess nodded. "A concussion?"

Kevin shook his head. "Too many protocols. He’d want to see medical records."

Jess sighed. "Torn hamstring?"

Kevin considered. "That… could work. You’d be out for weeks. He’d bench you, but your scholarship wouldn’t be in immediate danger."

Jess slumped back. "Alright. That’s the plan, then. New identity. New place to stay. Fake injury."

Kevin grinned. "And in the meantime, we figure out how to fix this mess."

"Yeah. Sure. No problem." Jess managed a laugh, but it cracked around the edges. She didn’t feel like Jess. She didn’t feel like anyone. Just a shadow pretending to be real.

But as she sat there, sipping her coffee with hands that weren’t hers, she had a sinking feeling that this wasn’t going to be that simple. Her name was gone. Her body didn’t belong to her. Her future hinged on lies. And worst of all—there wasn’t a single piece of her that knew if Jason Carter had died in that bed… or if he was still in there, screaming behind her eyes.