Chapter 3 - The Guild

Morgan led me to a private study room at the far corner of the 6th floor of the library. She turned on the light, then we both entered and took a seat. Seconds later the Guild arrived.

Jasmine, Sydney, and two male students walked in.

“You know Jasmine and Sydney,” Morgan did the introductions. “This is Antonio and Gabriel.”

I stood up and shook their hands. The crazy thing is - I recognized Antonio and Gabriel.

Antonio was a political science major who was always going door-to-door getting people to join various causes. Tall and skinny. A fast talker. He’s knocked on my door before. Everyone knew him. He was everywhere.

Gabriel was the university football team’s star running back. I had never seen him up close. Only from afar. He was huge. Toned, fit, his body was two of me.

“Daniel,” Antonio said warmly. “It’s so great to finally meet you. The girls have said so many good things about you. “I’m Antonio, the president of our Guild.”

“It’s nice to meet you Daniel,” Gabriel said. “You’ve been a celebrity for the past twelve hours. All the girls have been talking about is Daniel.”

“Me?” I asked, glancing at the three women standing there, then back at the sports star. “You’re the celebrity. I can’t even believe I’m even talking to you both.” 

“We’ve told the others everything about you,” Morgan teased.

“Everything?” I wondered if Jasmine had shared all the intimate details of our encounter last night. And if there could ever be privacy among the members.

I looked at the five students standing in front of me. The lesbian roommates, the activist, the sports star, the blonde bombshell. If you included me, you could play “One of these things is not like the other” because I stood out as a nobody.

“Shall we go over the rules?” Sydney asked.

“Whoa, wait,” I said, stopping everything. “I have one more question.”

“Sure, Daniel,” Antonio said in a soothing tone.

“Why me?” I asked, pointing at them both. “I’m nothing compared to Antonio or Gabriel or any of you. I’m a nobody.”

“We want a diverse group,” Antonio replied. “We’re down a male. And we need a life where we can just enjoy the college experience without the immense pressure.”

“It’s great to actually go to a real class,” Gabriel added. “Not that crap I’m enrolled in.”

“The fact you’re a loner is a plus,” Sydney added.

“You mean a loser-”

“No way!” Antonio corrected. “Daniel, you’re not a loser. Even if you think you are. Not anymore. We’re friends, and we’ve got your back.” He wrapped his arm around my shoulder. “D, you’re about to embark on an adventure like no other with us. You’re about to learn the most intimate of details about each member of the guild, and in turn we will learn all about you. We’re going to be closer than most siblings.”

“So…” I stuttered looking at Gabriel. “I… could be… you? Playing in a real game-”

“Absolutely,” Morgan said. “We’ve all done it. 

“Remember that run against State last week?” Jasmine asked.

“Yeah, that won the game!” I said, amazed.

“That was me,” she gushed.

“Really?”

“And when Barkley lateraled to Gabe and he threw that touchdown bomb to Wilson, week 1?” Antonio said. “That was me.”

“Yeah,” Gabriel added, “but it was also you who fumbled away an easy touchdown right before halftime.”

That got the whole group laughing.

“That wasn’t me,” Antonio replied. “That was A.”

“This is…” I said, stunned, ”like playing a real-life video game.”

“Exactly,” Gabriel said. “Except we are the players and can trade the characters.”

Sydney spoke up, “And that time Morgan went to Washington and met the president - that was me,” she laughed.

I looked at Morgan and Sydney. “You met the President?”

“So, If you swap with Gabriel we’ll teach you the plays,” Sydney explained. “And If you swap with Jasmine, you’ll learn bioengineering. If you swap with me, I’ll teach you music. And of course, you’ll teach whoever is Daniel how to be… Daniel.”

“Well, that last part won’t take too long,” I joked.

“I like the sense of humor,” Sydney replied.

“I still don't see what being Daniel gives the group,” I said, confused.

“Some god-damn peace and quiet,” Morgan emphatically replied. “I had a great time last night just being DD for your friends.”

I felt like I was being sized up. The five Guild members were looking at me as a role to play. I didn’t know how to feel about that. But since I was excited to play them, too, I suppose it was fair.

“Ready for the rules, D?” Antiono asked.

“Yeah.”

“Rule Number 1,” Antonio announced. “Welcome to the Secret Guild of Body Swappers. We are role players. We are here to play a role. Each of us has our own unique rules. You as the body’s owner get to make those rules.”

“Rule Number 2,” Gabriel said. “We call the body by its given name and pronouns. We call our spirit or soul, your essence, or whatever you want to call it, by your first initial.”

“Is that why Morgan keeps calling me D?” I asked.

“Precisely, D,” Morgan replied. That got a laugh from the others.

“Rule Number 3,” Sydney said. “With that being said, you are to role-play the body you’re in. You say and do whatever they normally would. And if you must break character, use your first initial.”

I nodded.

“Rule Number 4,” Morgan said. “Daniel is your body. You can get him back whenever you want. Or keep him. When you are in your own body you can refuse a swap, no questions asked. However, when you are in a different body, you are expected to cooperate with a swap request. No getting greedy on us.”

“Rule Number 5,” Jasmine said in the most serious voice. “Don’t fall in love with one of us.”

That took me by surprise, and it was a gut-punch, coming from her. “W- why?”

“We’re all playing a part, D,” Gabriel explained. “You will be too. There’s no telling if the emotions are real and who your emotions were ever directed at.”

That was a sobering thought.

“Rule 6,” he continued. “No swapping with outsiders unless given permission by the group.”

“So,” Antonio asked, clasping his hands. “You’ve already been Morgan. Wanna give someone else a try?”

I wasn’t expecting that so soon. “What? Now? So soon?”

“No time like the present. How about for one week?” he looked around at the group. “Assuming your schedule is open,” he added. Everyone nodded. “One week?” I echoed. “So, I’d have to go to class as that person? For a week?”

“It’s not as hard as it looks.” Antonio said. “You’ll do great, D.”

“Who do you want to be?” Gabe asked.

I was nervous. It felt wrong to pick. I also cringed at being put on the spot. “I… dunno.”

“We can pick for you if you want,” Morgan smiled. “You should really take a turn in each body just to get familiar with us.”

The rest of the group seemed to have leaned forward as if they were non-verbally volunteering.

“Pick me,” Jasmine sweetly offered, batting her luscious eyes flirtatiously. 

I looked at Jasmine and gulped. I could be her? But I was crushing on her so hard ever since I saw her at the club. I even had sex with her last night. It never occurred to me until this moment that I could actually be her.

Jasmine pulled the stone out of her purse and placed it on the table. “So, what do you say, D?”

I nodded enthusiastically. “Yes. Let’s do it.”

“It takes five seconds of constant contact of two people with the stone to initiate the swap,” Antonio explained.

Jasmine picked the stone back up and held it in her palm. 

I reached out and held her hand with the stone.

Five seconds later, the room spun. This was the 3rd time I’ve done this, and I was already used to spinning, closing my eyes, and holding onto something stable.

I opened my eyes and I was seated where Jasmine was, holding hands with Daniel. I let go of his hand and the stone and looked at my hands. I was now Jasmine.

“Welcome to the Guild, D!” Antonio announced, as the rest of the Guild members cheered.

* * *

The rest of the Guild meeting was whirlwind. Sydney asked for help with a calculus exam and swapped with Gabriel. Morgan then volunteered to be the keeper of the stone for the week, just in case I developed dysmorphia and had to turn back to Daniel. I just sat there taking it all in. I listened to the members discuss guild matters. Sometimes I got distracted by my new body.

I was given homework by the Guild. I had to come up with rules for being Daniel. I had no idea what to put down. Not something I’d ever thought of before now. It would have to wait. Maybe I could get ideas from the others in the guild.

The new Daniel assured me that he wouldn’t do anything crazy until he was given the rules. I agreed.

Sydney drove Morgan and me back to… our apartment.

When I walked back into the apartment, I thought how crazy this was to be here again. I turned to Morgan. “So how do I be Jasmine?”

“That is a great question,” she replied. “Follow me.” I then followed her into the bedroom we were in last night. “This is Jasmine's room. I’m in the room down the hall, past the bathroom.” She opened up the top drawer of the nightstand and pulled out a composition notebook. “We each keep a journal. Some of us keep a handwritten one. Some keep it on their phones. This is Jasmine’s. When you swap into someone, read their journal so you’re caught up on their life.”

I took the journal and flipped through the handwritten pages.

“I’ll leave you alone for a bit, Jaz,” she said walking out of my room. I smiled at hearing her refer to me by Jasmine’s nickname. It made this fantasy all the more real.

I sat down on the bed. It was the same bed from last night, but it felt different now. I rationed that it could be any number of factors, not just that I was in a different body, but that was probably a big factor.

At the front of the notebook was a stapled paper titled “Rules of Jasmine,” containing all of the same information I was asked to fill out.

Her full name is Jasmine Davis. She is 19 from a small town in Texas. She has a younger sister in high school named Willow. Her parents call weekly on Sunday night - which means I should be expecting a call from them tonight. Her major is Bioengineering and she’s currently a sophomore. Her current semester class schedule is hanging on the wall. Jasmine was straight until college. She had 2 boyfriends in high school. She started experimenting sexually with girls last year after a bitter breakup. She’s been in the Guild for about 10 months, having been recruited by Morgan.

There was a list of approved sexual partners. Morgan was on that list, so was everyone else in the guild - minus Daniel of course. There were names I didn't recognize. Male and Female. Jasmine is bisexual.

There was a list of “Nos” but the top three were: No smoking. No recreational drugs. No tattoos or new piercings.

I opened my purse and pulled out my cellphone. It was installed with a face-recognition lock which instantly unlocked once I looked at it. I scrolled through my contacts. I saw the latest text from Morgan asking the group to meet Daniel in the study room. I scrolled through messages and most of them were Guild members. There were a few messages from family members.

I flipped to the middle of the book and read the last written page of the journal, written this morning.

“Sunday, September 28. Last night I went out clubbing with Morgan and Sydney at Bar Luna. I met a handsome boy named Daniel. He’s in my lit class. He was crushing on me hard at the club. It was kinda cute. After discussion with the other girls we decided to bring him in. Morgan volunteered to swap with him.

I had an amazing time with D. She took to being Morgan so well. We had fun dancing, and when we got home we had the most amazing sex. She made me cum four times! I can’t wait to learn more about D. He’s going to be a fun addition to our group.”

I was blushing hard at reading this. If this is written here, that means everyone who will ever be Jasmine will also see this. I closed the journal and went to see Morgan. 

She was sitting in the living room, scrolling through her phone. 

“Hey, Morgan.”

“Hmm?” she said looking up at me with a smile.

I held up the journal. “So… there are no secrets within the Guild?”

“Nope,” she replied.

“About last night,” I said. “You said you’re only roommates?”

“We, Jasmine. We are roommates.”

“Right,” I replied, trying to remember that I’m Jasmine now. How could I forget?

“We’re friends with benefits, since you haven’t read that entire journal yet,” she sighed. “D, I was being a good wingwoman last night. I told you we were dating because I thought Daniel was some random creeper. Usually that scares the creeps away.”

“Thank you, M,” I smiled.

“Whoa,” she said. “First of all - Rule 3 - don’t break character. Second, what makes you think I’m M?”

I was taken back at that revelation. 

She leaned back and began laughing. I'm sure the look on my face was worthy of her reaction. 

"Wait, so who are you, really then - on the inside?” 

“We never ask who anyone really is unless we have to. It helps us to 'stay in character', and it helps to keep things exciting."

"Whoa, wait. So, if you’re not M, that means last night… might have not been… J? Who did I have sex with last night?"

"Jasmine. Last night you were Morgan, and Morgan had sex with Jasmine."

The gears in my head were grinding and I was getting confused. “Wait - the Guild members I met today. Were any of them in their original bodies?”

She shrugged her shoulders. “We don’t know. Isn’t that exciting?”

“So who did I have sex with last night?”

“Me. You’re Jasmine. Last night you had sex with Morgan.”

“No, who did I- D have sex with?”

“I haven’t the slightest clue, D. And you know what - It doesn't matter. Nor should it. All that matters is that Morgan and Jasmine had sex. And you- are Jasmine now.”

“It matters because…” I paused.

“Rule 5,” Morgan sang, anticipating my rationale.

It finally dawned on me that for this person, whoever she actually was, this was all an exciting game. I was never going to get a straight answer from her. And maybe that’s the way it had to be. The person who took my virginity last night was a mystery. 

My smile turned into a smirk as a lightbulb finally came on in my head. I knew how to play her game now. I needed to get back into character, because she wants me to be in character. I hadn’t really found my “Jasmine” character yet, so I tried to put myself into Jasmine’s shoes. From my own memories, she had sex with Morgan last night and she loved it. She said it was amazing. Now, me as Jasmine wants to show her gratitude to Morgan. “So you’re saying we had sex last night?”

“Bingo!” she returned that mischievous smirk I remembered from the bar. “You remembered.”

“So,” I said, dropping the journal, and sauntering over to Morgan. I draped my hands around her neck. “Wanna go again?” I brought her in for a long kiss.

“Hmmm,” Morgan said, nibbling on my lip. “D, I thought you’d never ask. You do owe me for last night. That should’ve been me with Jasmine,” she pouted.

“Rule 3, no breaking character,” I reminded her, climbing up and straddling my roommate's lap. “My name is Jasmine.” 

“Now you’re getting the hang of it,” Morgan said, bringing me in closer. 

I suppose my homework can wait until later.