The Game of Life Exchange
Chapter 1
The valedictorian’s trashy ex–girlfriend stole
my scooter.
It blew up on her, and she ended up in the
ICU.
He didn’t blame me, though.
Instead, Mark, the valedictorian, gave me a
champion golden retriever.
Then he confessed his undying love.
It was all a bit much.
Until my birthday, anyway.
Inat’s when I put on the St. Christopher
medal my best friend, Danny, gave me.
That’s when I realized I’d swapped bodies
with the dog.
I tried to prove who I was.
They chopped off my paws and tossed me in
the canal.
As I lay there, bleeding out, I saw my old self.
She smirked and spat on me.
“You really thought he would want you?” she
sneered. “Get real.”
Danny looked thrilled.
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“Jen’s back!” he yelled. “All that play–acting
with Mark was worth it.”
Mark started crying.
“As long as you’re here, I don’t care what
body you’re in,” he sobbed. “I’ll always love
you.”
Turns out, Jen, the trashy ex, was Danny’s
sister.
After the scooter accident, her soul latched
onto the dog.
Mark and Danny planned the whole thing.
All to get her back.
Realizing I was just a pawn, I died cursing
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them all.
I woke up staring at Mark and that stupid
dog.
It was the day he gave it to me.
This time, I’m getting the dog fixed.
1.
“Sarah, I’ve been crushing on you forever. Will
you go out with me… and keep Buddy?”
Mark, the valedictorian, was holding a leash
attached to a golden retriever.
He looked so eager.
Danny, my best friend, chimed in.
Г
“Sarah, you hit the jackpot! Mark never looks
at anyone. He spent a fortune on that dog.”
“Don’t blow it!”
I didn’t say anything.
Mark thought I was shy.
He tried to push the golden retriever into my
arms.
I stepped back, nearly falling into the fountain
behind me.
Mark didn’t even look at me.
He instinctively shielded the dog.
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Danny grabbed my arm.
“Sarah, watch it! You almost hurt Buddy!”
I couldn’t help but laugh.
Last year, Mark’s ex, Jen, stole my scooter.
The cheap battery exploded and she got
trashed, and had to get life flighted.
He gave me a fancy dog as an apology.
Then he confessed his love.
I was thrilled.
I put Buddy in the new apartment my parents
bought me.
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Around Mark, Buddy was an angel.
Alone with me, it was a whole different story.
One minute I was fine, the next the dog
lunged.
I got bit.
I rushed off to get a rabies shot.
When I got back, the apartment was
destroyed.
Pee and poop everywhere.
The furniture was shredded.
Even the roses Mark gave me were ruined.
L
Buddy turned and glared.
He smirked.
I freaked out.
I called Mark and Danny.
When I told Mark what happened, he didn’t
believe me.
Danny looked skeptical too.
“Buddy’s a sweetie. You’re probably
sleepwalking.”
I opened my mouth to protest.
Mark cut me off.
L
“If you don’t like Buddy, I’ll rehome him.”
Days later, Danny strapped a new medal
around my neck.
Then he put my old one on the dog.
Everything went black.
Next thing I knew, I was in the canal.
No arms.
No legs.
Just bleeding and barking.
I learned the truth then.
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Jen was Danny’s sister.
She was stuck in the dog.
Mark and Danny planned everything.
They swapped my life for hers.
I glared at Mark.
“No thanks. I’m not into guys… or dogs.‘
I turned to leave.
Danny started to shout.
Mark held him back.
“We can’t force it. I’ll find a new home for
<
“We can’t force it. I’ll find a new home for
Buddy…”
He was testing me.
I didn’t care.
They were determined to screw me over.
This time, I’d beat them at their own game.
I was still confused, but I knew that the body
swap was important.
Was it the medal Danny gave me, or my
birthday that made it happen?
I had to be careful.
I couldn’t scare them off.
Г
I was wrong, though.
Even without Buddy in my apartment, things
were still terrible.
When I got back on the weekend, my
apartment was trashed.
It was worse than before.
The necklace my mom gave me was broken in
pieces.
Buddy was tearing up the couch.
What was he doing here?
He did all this on purpose.
Г
Because my scooter hurt her.
She was the one who stole it.
It wasn’t my fault.
Why was she acting crazy?
I had enough.
I grabbed his mouth and picked him up.
Buddy struggled and whined.
The door opened.