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"I don’t know anything!" I insist Again, I’ Whatever story they’re playing out in theirto be this one I lower my voice--I don’t want them to hear more I don’t want to do this "I don’t know," I say "I really don’t know"

Why? Why is this happening tofor even a second that it irl I look at her Her heart is breaking She is looking atI don’t understand I don’t understand why Her hand is et h

"I know it’s a lot" Her voice is hurt Her voice is coet the words out "It’s not possible"

"It is," she says "I’m the proof"

Proof Proof is a fact None of this is a fact This is a feeling All of this is a feeling

No It’s thousands of feelings So many of them yes So many of them no

She wants me to believe--what? That she was Justin That she was Nathan That girl in school Other people

How can I believe that? Who would ever believe that?

It cannot be a fact

But it’s still a feeling The yes It’s there

How can I let myself feel that? How?

"Look," she says, "what if we ain tomorrow at the same time? I won’t be in the same body, but I’ll be the same person Would that make it easier to understand?"

Like it’s that simple Like that couldn’t be a trick

"But couldn’t you just tell someone else to come here?" I point out If I can be suckered by one person, why not another?

"Yes, but ould I? This isn’t a prank This isn’t a joke It’sFact

"You’re insane," I tell her If she actually believes what she’s saying, how could she not be?

But she doesn’t see that You know I’ain I search for the lie in her eyes The flaw And when I don’t see it, I decide, Fine, it’s ti her what her naan Powell"

"No," I say "Ifrom body to body, there has to be a name for the person inside

I’ve thrown her She wasn’t expecting this question I wait for her to back away froot her

But she doesn’t laugh She hesitates, but she doesn’t laugh

"A," she finally says

At first I don’t get it Then I realize--she’s telling me that this is her name