I have been like this for several days, going to Ate Carmen's office. She is an office staff in a private company in Manila
"Good morning, Ms. Carmen!" greeted Kuya Erning.
He is the diligent janitor of the company. "G-Good morning, Kuya Erning," I replied with a smile.
Everyone is happily exchanging greetings, welcoming the beautiful morning. They all call me 'Carmen,' but the truth is, I am not really Ate Carmen. Inside the elevator, I can't help but feel restless. Why does this have to happen to the two of us?
Last month, after attending church in Baclaran, an elderly person approached us. He was asking for alms, saying it was only for food. But then, Ate Carmen got angry and treated the old person rudely! She even pushed the old person forcefully, almost causing them to fall to the ground. We didn't know that—
"Buddy, I think my wife put a curse on me. My body is in so much pain!" the man next to me suddenly spoke.
He was facing the guy who is also an office staff like Ate Carmen. The man replied, "Witchcraft isn't real! What you actually have is a hangover!" he jokingly responded to his companion.
They thought witchcraft wasn't real? They were mistaken. Witchcraft is real. That's why Ate Carmen and I ended up like this because we were cursed by a witch!
We didn't know that the old person was actually a witch. That day, the old person took out two dolls. He recited an incantation and suddenly pulled a strand of Ate Carmen's hair.
Ate Carmen and I were shocked when the old person suddenly ran away. When we chased after the old person, they vanished. The next morning, we screamed in shock. Our bodies had switched!
We returned to our original bodies the following day. We thought it was just a one-day body swap, but it wasn't. Ate Carmen and I alternate in switching bodies.
Because of this, we searched for the old person again. We went back to Baclaran multiple times. We even tried asking the old person, but... nothing, we failed.
So, while we still don't know what to do, we temporarily pretend and don't let others know about our situation as Ate Carmen and I.
The elevator doors opened. I entered the office and made my way to Ate Carmen's cubicle. There was a personal computer and a stack of papers on the desk.
"Carmen, have you finished the task I assigned to you?" Sir Henry asked me.
He is Ate Carmen's supervisor in the HR department. Thankfully, Ate Carmen taught me at home what I should do here.
"Yes, Sir Henry, I have finished it," I politely replied.
"Very good! By the way, President Valdez is calling for you."
Mr. Valdez? Oh no! I suddenly felt nervous. What does Mr. Valdez need from me again? This is the third time he has called me and talked to me in his office. He is the president of the company. According to Ate Carmen, she is the only child of Mr. Chairman, the owner of Victory Corporation. Whenever I'm in Ate Carmen's body, he summons me. I can't help but wonder what's going on between Ate Carmen and Mr. Valdez.
I quickly made my way to Mr. Valdez's office, taking a deep breath before knocking. I opened the door and entered.
"G-Good morning, Mr. President?" I glanced around. It seems he wasn't there. I took a step forward when suddenly—
"Oh, it's you! Come here!"
"P-President!" I exclaimed.
I was startled when he tapped my shoulder from behind. He was outside, so there was no one in the office. I always feel nervous when I talk to him, probably because of the age difference between us. He's Ate Carmen's boss, so I can't do anything that might jeopardize her. Just relax, Charlotte!
The thing is, I feel like I'm melting whenever I catch a glimpse of his gentle face. He speaks calmly, and the blue sky comes to mind whenever we have a conversation. Oh! Mr. Valdez is handsome. Maybe he already has a girlfriend.
"Excuse me? Are you okay?" he asked, puzzled.
"H-huh?" I was surprised by his finger snap.
Oh, it's so embarrassing. I only saw him for a moment, and I was already dumbfounded. How could I not be, with his good looks and dignified presence? Whenever I'm in Ate Carmen's body, I see him as clean and, hmm... he smells so good.
"I've been speaking here for a while now, and it seems like you're not listening, Ms. Carmen Montreal," he asked seriously.
He sat in the swivel chair and leaned back. He placed both hands on the desk and twirled the pen in his fingers.
"Sorry, Sir," I apologized.
"Never mind! I just have something for you to do, which is why I called you. Since you don't seem to want to listen to me, I'll just send these to Mr. Choi."
"O-Okay, I'm sorry again," I replied, feeling embarrassed.
Mr. Valdez shook his head. He gestured for me to leave the office. Wow, I was really nervous. I hope I won't be lectured by Sir Henry Choi when he gives me the papers on my desk.
I finished my day at work in Ate Carmen's shoes, and I went home exhausted. I just wanted to lie down on my bed. But when I entered my room, I was infuriated by what I saw.
"A-Ate? What did you do in my room?!" I was shocked to see the state of my room.
My clothes were scattered everywhere, and she was lying on my bed, even though she had her own room! I really dislike it when my things are disorganized.
Frustrated, I shouted at her, "Ate!!" She just looked at me and smiled.
I noticed the earphones plugged into her ears. No wonder she didn't respond; she was listening to music on her phone. I approached her and took the phone from her hand.
"Hey!" she exclaimed.
"I've been talking to you earlier. I asked what happened to my room? It looks like a hurricane passed through it," I asked irritably.
"Oh, is that all? Well, clean it up then! Give it back!" she snapped.
"See, because of your bad behavior, we've been cursed by a witch!" I retorted angrily to Ate Carmen.
Sometimes, I can't stand my older sister's bad attitude. It's just the two of us living together in this house, and she acts like that. Our parents died in an accident three years ago. Ate Carmen worked hard to provide for us and get by each day.
Perhaps, because of what happened to our parents, she became bitter. She needs to be strong for the both of us. But still, that's not an excuse to mistreat others. Tears started to well up in my eyes. I bit my lip and sniffled. She suddenly tapped my head.
"I-I'm sorry! Don't cry, you know I hate seeing you cry." She ruffled my head and apologized.
I immediately smiled. "I knew you couldn't resist me." I grinned.
If there's something good about my sister's character, it's her role as an older sister to me. I can truly feel that she takes care of me. The weariness from my long day at the office faded away.
"Come on, Ate, help me clean up the mess you made."
"You're really good at acting, huh?"
"Heh-heh!" I smiled.
She had no choice but to help me tidy up. I observed Ate Carmen while she was in my body. I could clearly see how disorganized I was in my movements. Oh well! But I couldn't help but envy her body too.
Ate Carmen had long, straight, and shiny blonde hair. She dyed it because it's trendy at work. Her body was slim, with a large chest, tall and model-like stature, fair skin, and smooth complexion.
She possessed so much beauty. Talent agencies even approached her to become an actress, but she declined. She said she was content with her job. What mattered to her was that we get by and that she could provide for my education. That's something I can be proud of her for. She's hardworking.
As for my body, it's that of a grade 10 student. I'm tall and skinny, and I have a flat chest. We both have fair skin. My hair is very dark, long, and slightly curly. I usually tie it up in a ponytail.
It was only now that I really paid attention to my own body. I can say that I'm cute, but not as beautiful as Ate. I even have freckles on my face, unlike her flawless skin.
Sigh! I miss going to school regularly. I want to be with my best friend Aleyah and see my crush, Luke. I want to go back to my old body!
I shouted in my mind when suddenly the door opened. Ate walked in and sat on my bed.
"Hey! What's happening to you?"
"Ate, knocking is free before entering!" I replied sarcastically.
"Idiot! I just wanted to know if you're taking care of my body. I've been telling you not to eat junk food!" she reminded me.
"I am taking care of your body, Ate. But what about you? I'm worried about what you might be doing in my school?!" I retorted.
She didn't respond. She stood up, peeked through the door, smiled, and closed it completely. I scratched my head. Ate is suspicious. Oh no! I hope she didn't do anything mischievous. It's not like in the movies where bodies switch. The difficult part for us is that we alternate!
I immediately find out whenever she does something mischievous at school. Like yesterday when I arrived, I found out that she had gotten into an argument with a senior. Oh, I was so embarrassed.
Thinking about Ate's mischief at school, I yawned. I'm feeling sleepy; I should go to bedI woke up the next morning feeling refreshed. As I stretched, I realized that I was back in my own body. It seemed that Ate Carmen had returned to her own body as well. I quickly got ready for school and headed downstairs to find Ate already preparing breakfast.
"Good morning, Ate," I greeted her with a smile.
"Morning, kiddo," she replied, returning the smile. "Sleep well?"
"Yeah, I feel great today," I said, sitting down at the table.
As we ate breakfast together, I couldn't help but reflect on the previous day's events. Despite our occasional disagreements, I was grateful to have Ate Carmen as my sister. She had been there for me since our parents passed away, doing her best to provide for us and ensure that I had the opportunities I needed.
"Hey, Ate," I began, hesitating slightly. "I just wanted to say thank you for everything you do for me. I know we have our differences, but I appreciate all the sacrifices you make for us."
Ate Carmen paused and looked at me, her expression softening. "You're welcome, little sis. I may not always show it, but I care about you a lot. We're family, and we have to stick together."
I smiled warmly at her. "I know, Ate. And I care about you too."
After breakfast, we cleaned up together and then went our separate ways. I headed to school with a renewed sense of gratitude for my sister. Throughout the day, I couldn't help but think about our bond and how fortunate I was to have her in my life.
When I returned home in the afternoon, Ate Carmen was already there, preparing dinner. I offered to help, and we spent the evening cooking and chatting. We talked about our day, shared funny stories, and even made plans for the weekend.
As we sat down to enjoy the meal we had prepared together, I felt a sense of contentment and warmth. Despite our occasional disagreements and differences, we were a team, supporting and caring for each other. Our bond as sisters was strong.
As the days and weeks went by, Ate Carmen and I continued to navigate life together. We had our ups and downs, but we always found a way to work through our differences and come back together. Our relationship grew stronger, and I learned to appreciate her even more.
Looking back, that incident of switching bodies turned out to be a strange but valuable experience. It allowed me to see things from Ate Carmen's perspective, to understand her challenges and frustrations. It also made me realize how much we relied on each other and how important our bond was.
From that day forward, I made a conscious effort to express my gratitude and love for Ate Carmen, not just in words but also in actions. Our relationship continued to flourish, and together, we faced whatever challenges life threw our way, knowing that we had each other's backs.