Chapter 29: The Reveal (Ava in Leo’s Body)

Chapter 29: The Reveal (Ava in Leo’s Body)


I sit on the edge of the bleachers in the main gymnasium, the air thick with the scent of polished wood and sweat. My hands, Leo’s hands, tremble as I clutch my phone, rereading Jade’s last text: We’re meeting at Flat Fifth. NOW. You and Leo. No excuses. My stomach churns, not just from the caffeine I’ve been chugging to stay awake, but from the dread of what’s coming. Leo, stuck in my body, is probably freaking out just as much. Two days until the volleyball trial and Battle of the Bands, and everything’s falling apart. Jade’s videos, Noah’s questions, my shoulder, our shoulder, torn to pieces. We can’t keep this up.
I glance at Leo, sitting across from me in my body, his knees bouncing. My face looks wrong on him, too tense, too fidgety. “You ready for this?” I ask, my voice low, still weirded out by how deep it sounds in Leo’s throat.
He snorts, my own hazel eyes glaring back at me. “Ready? Jade’s gonna rip me apart, and Noah’s probably halfway to figuring it out himself. We’re screwed, Ava.”
I lean forward, elbows on my knees, Leo’s knees. “We stick to the pact. We tell them everything. No more lies.”
He nods, but his fingers, my fingers, twist the hem of my volleyball jersey. “Yeah. Everything. Including how I wrecked your shoulder.”
“Don’t,” I snap, pointing at him. “We’re in this together. You didn’t mean to, ”
“Stop it!” He stands, my body looking smaller than I’m used to. “I pushed too hard. I ruined your shot.”
I stand too, towering over him in his own body. “And I’m the one who didn’t tell you how bad it was! We’re both idiots, okay? Now let’s go before Jade storms in here.”
We trudge across campus, the frost crunching under our shoes. The quad’s quiet, just a few students huddled under lampposts, their breath fogging in the cold. Flat Fifth is a five-minute walk, but it feels like forever. Leo’s heart skips a beat, literally, and I press a hand to my chest, wincing. His meds are in my pocket, but I haven’t taken them today. Too much to juggle.
Inside Flat Fifth, the warm glow of string lights does nothing to ease the knot in my gut. Jade and Noah are already there, sitting at a corner booth. Jade’s arms are crossed, her dark eyes drilling into us the second we walk in. Noah’s calmer, but his brow’s furrowed, his fingers tapping his coffee mug like he’s piecing together a puzzle.
“Sit,” Jade says, her voice sharp enough to cut glass.
I slide into the booth, Leo’s lanky frame awkward as I try not to bump the table. Leo-in-my-body sits next to me, his shoulders hunched. I can feel Jade’s stare burning into us.
“Explain,” she says. “Now. Because I’ve got videos of you, ” she points at Leo in my body “, playing like you’ve never touched a volleyball, and you, ” she jabs a finger at me “, suddenly singing like you’ve got a soul. What the hell is going on?”
Noah leans forward, his voice quieter but just as firm. “And don’t lie, Leo. You’ve been off for weeks. The band’s noticed. Riley’s noticed. Even the barista here asked me if you’re okay.”
I swallow, Leo’s throat tight. My eyes flick to Leo-in-my-body, and he gives a tiny nod. It’s now or never. I take a deep breath, feeling the weight of his lungs, his heartbeat stuttering again.
“Okay,” I say, my voice, Leo’s voice, shaking. “This is gonna sound insane, but… I’m not Leo. I’m Ava.”
Jade’s jaw drops. Noah freezes, his mug halfway to his mouth.
Leo-in-my-body jumps in, his voice, my voice, high and urgent. “And I’m not Ava. I’m Leo. We… swapped bodies. Like, for real.”
Silence. The kind that makes your ears ring. Jade’s eyes dart between us, her mouth opening and closing like she’s trying to find words. Noah sets his mug down hard, coffee sloshing over the rim.
“You’re joking,” Jade says, but her voice wavers. “This is some kind of prank, right?”
“No prank,” I say, leaning forward. “It happened after that night at The Amp. When… when Leo trashed my lyrics.” I glance at him, and he flinches, my own face twisting with guilt.
“I was a jerk,” Leo says, his hands, my hands, clenching into fists. “I humiliated her, and that night, I… I wished I could be anyone else. So did Ava. And then we woke up like this.”
Jade slams her hands on the table, making us jump. “You’re telling me you’ve been living each other’s lives for weeks? You, ” she points at Leo “, screwed up my best friend’s volleyball trial, and you, ” she glares at me “, are out there singing Leo’s songs? Are you serious?”
“I know it sounds crazy,” I say, holding up Leo’s hands. “But it’s true. I’ve been trying to be Leo, playing guitar, singing, dealing with his… his heart condition.” My voice cracks, and I press a hand to my chest again, feeling that irregular thump.
“And I’ve been trying to be Ava,” Leo adds, his voice soft. “Volleyball, classes, her family pressure. But I messed up her shoulder. Bad. It’s torn, Jade. She’s out for the season.”
Jade’s face crumples, her anger shifting to something softer, more broken. “You idiot,” she whispers, staring at Leo-in-my-body. “Why didn’t you tell me about your shoulder? I could’ve helped.”
“I didn’t know how bad it was,” Leo says, his eyes, my eyes, glistening. “Ava hid it. For her scholarship. For her family.”
Noah’s staring at me now, his expression unreadable. “So that’s why your songs changed,” he says. “’Invisible Echoes,’ ‘Static Dreams’, that was you, Ava?”
I nod, my cheeks, Leo’s cheeks, burning. “Yeah. I… I used my lyrics. I didn’t mean to steal his spotlight, Noah. I just, ”
“You didn’t steal anything,” Noah cuts in, his voice firm but not angry. “Those songs were the best we’ve ever played. But why didn’t you tell me? I’m your best friend, man.” He catches himself, shaking his head. “I mean, Ava.”
“I wanted to,” I say, my hands twisting together. “But we were scared. If people found out, we’d lose everything, Battle of the Bands, the scholarship trial, all of it.”
Jade’s still glaring, but her eyes are wet now. “You let me think you were falling apart, Ava. I thought you were depressed or… or worse. And you, ” she turns to me “, you knew about her shoulder and didn’t stop her?”
“I tried,” I say, my voice breaking. “I told him, her, to go to Dr. Kim, but, ”
“But I was too stubborn,” Leo interrupts, his hand grabbing mine under the table. My own fingers feel small and calloused against his, mine. “Ava’s been keeping me alive, Jade. She’s been dealing with my heart condition, my parents, my everything. She’s… she’s amazing.”
I freeze, my heart, Leo’s heart, skipping again. He’s looking at me, my own face staring back with an intensity I’ve never seen. “Leo, don’t, ”
“No,” he says, squeezing my hand. “You’ve been braver than I ever could’ve been. You took my songs and made them real. You faced my life, my messed-up heart, my messed-up head, and you didn’t give up.”
Jade’s mouth softens, her eyes flicking to our joined hands. “You’re… serious about this,” she says, almost to herself. “You’re not just swapped. You care about each other.”
Noah leans back, exhaling. “Okay, this is nuts, but… I believe you. I mean, the way you’ve been acting, Ava, ” he points at me “, it makes sense. Leo never played like that. And you, ” he looks at Leo “, you’ve been way too quiet on the court. It’s like you’re both… better versions of each other.”
“Better?” Leo laughs, but it’s shaky. “I ruined her scholarship, Noah.”
“And I tanked your shot with Blackwave,” I say, my throat tight. “We’re a mess.”
Jade shakes her head, her voice softer now. “You’re both idiots, but… I get it. You were trying to protect each other.” She wipes her eyes, glaring at Leo. “But you’re not off the hook for lying to me, Ava or not.”
“I’m sorry,” Leo says, his voice small. “I didn’t know how to tell you. I was scared you’d hate me.”
“Hate you?” Jade snorts, but her eyes are warm. “I’m pissed, yeah, but you’re still my best friend. Even if you’re… in there.” She points at me, then back at Leo. “This is so weird.”
Noah chuckles, breaking the tension. “No kidding. So, what now? You’ve got two days until everything goes down. You gonna keep pretending?”
I look at Leo, and he nods, his jaw, my jaw, set. “No,” I say. “We’re done pretending. We’re telling Coach Barrett and Riley tomorrow. And we’re gonna try to fix what we can, together.”
“Together,” Leo echoes, his hand still in mine.
Jade rolls her eyes, but she’s smiling now. “You two are ridiculous. But… I’m in. Whatever you need, I’ve got your back.”
“Same,” Noah says, raising his mug. “To the weirdest team-up ever.”
We laugh, the sound shaky but real. For the first time in weeks, I feel lighter, even in Leo’s body. His heart skips again, but I squeeze his hand, my hand, back. We’re not fixed. We’re not winning. But we’re not alone anymore.