The sun shines through her floral-printed curtains as she tries to ignore the fact that her alarm for school is about to go off. Her luxurious, full-size bed is far too warm and inviting to leave; it is practically begging her to stay. Abigail Burgess is the luckiest girl in the world, and she knows it. The comforter covering her is so silky that she fights to take it off, and taking her heat with her, but her parents don't like it when she ignores her alarm. So, she forced that warm comforter off her and reached for her alarm before it could reach her. She got up and looked in the mirror that highlighted her warm olive skin, which featured the hickies her boyfriend Derek left as a present for her on both sides of her neck. It made her smile to herself as she felt excited just thinking about him. A goofy smile spread across her face as she remembered their passionate make-out session last night. He always told her what he liked about her, but she wished the rest of her wasn't as chubby, but at least Derek didn't seem to mind.

She started to comb her hair with her wide-tooth comb before she straightened it. Why was she cursed with this frizz? Especially, when the rest of her family didn't have thick curls as she did, and it made her wonder why she was cursed with them. Abigail wished that she had the body and hair like her favorite singer, who was on every poster in her room, that showed her love of pop. She put on a spaghetti string top, a definite win for Derek, who chose her over all the girls in her grade. He could see any girl that he wanted, but he chose her, and his dark green eyes were things of a dream when they were on her, and she loved his light brown, messy hair, and golden tanned skin. She was hoping he would forget that she was a virgin.

She covered her top with a light cable knit turtle sweater that was in her favorite color, lavender, and a cute skirt, to hide the marks. Hopefully, Derek would meet before first period. Before heading downstairs, she applied a light layer of lip gloss.

In the kitchen, her mom, Vivienne, with her signature red hair like many on her side of the family, was preparing breakfast, and her dad, Patrick loved a whole spread of bacon, eggs, and toast as he read the paper. Vivienne set a plate in front of her dad before giving him a quick kiss, which he smiled at her like she was hung from the moon, and Abigail could see why, especially with how small she was, the freckles that made her look like a model, and just... awesome.

"Here is your plate, Abigail." Vivienne placed her plate in front of her.

"Thanks, Mom," she smiled, before digging in.

"How was the meeting yesterday, dear?" Vivienne asks her dad.

"A wreck, you think that I was talking about logo blocks, and not about medicine." Her dad's short brown hair looked almost blond under the light, as he rolled his eyes like Quinn would when they complained about homework.

"Abigail, did you finish your homework?" her dad asked.

She most definitely did not; she got distracted by daydreaming about her boyfriend and making a YouTube or TikTok video.

"I'm almost done, I just want to ask my friend about the end." She gave a half-truth.

Sometimes, she wondered why she didn't look more like her parents, but then she decided it didn't matter. What matters is keeping Derek happy so he stays her boyfriend, and being cute and trendy like her friends, rather than being academic or responsible. She was going to text him when she got to her car, so he knew that she was still thinking about him, and that way, he would have time to change his mind about her.

"That sounds like a good plan," her mom smiled.

"Thanks, Mom."

Her parents fell into an easy discussion about her dad's work, as she scrolled through her friend's social media, thinking about video ideas that could make her an influencer, and if her followers would like the outfit that she was wearing, even though it was for Derek. Despite wanting to give him everything, she hoped that it didn't make her look like she was easy online, especially considering she was still a virgin.

"You'd better go off to school, Abigail, you don't want to be late," Patrick said as he set down the newspaper.

"You're right, I'd better grab my bag," she replied.

"Here's that coffee money I promised," Vivienne handed her some cash.

"Thanks, Mom." Her parents were wonderful. "See you soon!"

Abigail was so ready to take a nap and get over this day. School was so tiring and boring at the same time; her backpack was heavy with the books and homework she didn't want to deal with, and she was counting the minutes until she opened her front door. The only good part of school was being with Derek and hanging out with her friends, besides being able to drive her blue hybrid Volkswagen to and from what felt like education prison. Pulling up to her spot in the drive away, she noticed that her dad was home way earlier than he normally would be. Which was really odd, but maybe he was sick like he had been during COVID.

Opening up the front door, she was hit with the smell of peanut butter and chocolate cookies, which was something that her mom only made for special occasions. But she didn't know any special occasions that were happening, so it sounded like laughter and chatter coming from inside caught her off guard. Abigail had a feeling of displacement that she couldn't explain, and she didn't like it. So, she made her way to the kitchen, where the noise was coming from.

There was a girl her age between her parents, who both had never looked more in love than they did with this stranger, who looked at them as if they were the answer to her prayers. The girl with the same red hair as her mom sat small between them, in a dress that gave her cottagecore vibes, especially with the sunflower and daisy pattern on the dress. Whatever this was, it screamed like it was not good news for her. The stranger with her family's hair looked sweet and kind, which made it worse. And what made this devastating was that she looked more like she belonged than Abigail did.

"I'm so sorry you lost them, but we are so grateful that you are now where you belong." Vivienne brushed the identical red hair of the stranger next to her.

“And I’m so grateful that you both are allowing me into your lives, especially when you already have a daughter,” she said in a soft, musical voice that didn’t match how drop-dead beautiful she was.

"You don't need to worry about that. There is no comparison," her dad’s eyes lit upwhen he smiled at the girl.

The girl looked sad but happy at the same time, but all Abigail wanted to know was what she was doing in her house and in her spot in the family.

"What's going on? And who is sitting in my seat?" She had to know.

"Oh my," her mom exclaimed and almost looked ashamed.

"Well, it's kind of a long story, Abigail," her dad started.

"I should go," the stranger said, looking down.

"No, you're here to stay, dear," her mom said as she ran the back of her hand down the girl's freckled face.

Dear? They didn't call her dear or anything but her name. Why was this stranger so special?

"I don’t understand," Abigail questioned.

"This is April. She had been living with the people she thought were her parents until a few months ago," Patrick answered.

"Thought?" Please don't she prayed, "What do you mean by thought?"

"Well, Abigail, our dear April was switched at birth," Vivienne leaning into April as if to hold her close.

There was that word again, dear.

"What does that have to do with our family?" Abigail said, but at this point, she knew; she just didn't want to expect it.

"April is our daughter," Patrick said, and he might as well have stabbed her in the heart.

"Excuse me? What about me?" she couldn't help but ask. It was like the world fell off its axis, and everything was wrong.

"I'm not trying to replace you," April said softly as tears filled her eyes.

"Replace me?" She repeated, the word replace echoing in her mind.

Because that was exactly what it felt like, her parents had gotten someone new.

"If she’s your daughter, then what does that make me? Are you getting rid of me?" She was freaked out.

"You will always be our child, and we would never get rid of you, Abigail. We love you," her mom replied.

"Everything will be fine," her dad added, and he saying it like a promise.

It had been a few days since the arrival of April, and nothing and everything seemed to change at the same time. Everyone seemed to take to April right away. Abigail's friends loved her, her teachers, the neighbors, and even her boyfriend Derek had taken a liking to her. Then her parents, Vivienne and Patrick, were at home more, making time for April, and Abigail tried really hard to not make it personal, especially when she knew that ASpirl just lost the people she called parents in a car crash.

"Your friends are so nice, and think you so so much for showing me around," April gushed, looking innocent and her red hair shining in the sun.

"It's not a problem, I'm happy to do it," she said, even though it was more like she wanted to be happy to do this.

She wasn't sure how she didn't notice it before, her medium olive skin compared to April's fair porcelain skin, or her frizzy dark thick hair, compared to April's and her parents' thin fine hair that had a shine that she was jealous of. And here April was just showcasing the differences between them all. From their thin, tall, lanky frames to her being short and having curves. She should have known before now that she was not with her biological parents. Even though her dad said everything would be fine, nothing felt that way. None of that was April's fault, and she kept trying to remember that.

"Does Derek have a girlfriend? Because I think that he was flirting with me, and he is so so cute, I think I like him?" April's question felt like a repeated gut punch.

"Um, yeah," she stuttered, "I'm his girlfriend."

"I'm sure that I just read that wrong then, that one hundred percent is my fault," April apogled, but it didn't stop the sick feeling in her stomach.

They walked into the kitchen where April started to pull out some ingredients from the refrigerator, "I'm making egg white bites with cottage cheese, did you want any?"

April didn't take long to get very comfortable here.

"Sure, but do you mind if mine is with Swiss? I don't like cottage cheese, and I can help," Abigail said, grabbing both cheeses from the fridge.

"I would love that, and I love how you're not afraid of living in your own body. I don't think I could have the confidence, which is why I use cottage cheese, because I want to lose five pounds," April smiled as she grabbed the frying pan.

"You are really nice to say that," she smiled back.

That was a compliment, but it didn't land like one for Abigail. She was well aware of their differences, and she could tell April meant well, but all it did was bring up her insecurities, even if April was trying to bring up her own.

It had been a few days since the arrival of April, and nothing and everything seemed to change at the same time. Everyone seemed to take to April right away. Abigail's friends loved her, her teachers, the neighbors, and even her boyfriend Derek had taken a liking to her. Then her parents, Vivienne and Patrick, were at home more, making time for April, and Abigail tried really hard to not make it personal, especially when she knew that ASpirl just lost the people she called parents in a car crash.

"Your friends are so nice, and think you so so much for showing me around," April gushed, looking innocent and her red hair shining in the sun.

"It's not a problem, I'm happy to do it," she said, even though it was more like she wanted to be happy to do this.

She wasn't sure how she didn't notice it before, her medium olive skin compared to April's fair porcelain skin, or her frizzy dark thick hair, compared to April's and her parents' thin fine hair that had a shine that she was jealous of. And here April was just showcasing the differences between them all. From their thin, tall, lanky frames to her being short and having curves. She should have known before now that she was not with her biological parents. Even though her dad said everything would be fine, nothing felt that way. None of that was April's fault, and she kept trying to remember that.

"Does Derek have a girlfriend? Because I think that he was flirting with me, and he is so so cute, I think I like him?" April's question felt like a repeated gut punch.

"Um, yeah," she stuttered, "I'm his girlfriend."

"I'm sure that I just read that wrong then, that one hundred percent is my fault," April apogled, but it didn't stop the sick feeling in her stomach.

They walked into the kitchen where April started to pull out some ingredients from the refrigerator, "I'm making egg white bites with cottage cheese, did you want any?"

April didn't take long to get very comfortable here.

"Sure, but do you mind if mine is with Swiss? I don't like cottage cheese, and I can help," Abigail said, grabbing both cheeses from the fridge.

"I would love that, and I love how you're not afraid of living in your own body. I don't think I could have the confidence, which is why I use cottage cheese, because I want to lose five pounds," April smiled as she grabbed the frying pan.

"You are really nice to say that," she smiled back.

That was a compliment, but it didn't land like one for Abigail. She was well aware of their differences, and she could tell April meant well, but all it did was bring up her insecurities, even if April was trying to bring up her own.

"I think that you are the nice one, not many people would be so sweet under the same circumstances, and I really appreciate how so so kind that you have been, you have no idea what that means to me," April looked back before she separated the yolks from the egg whites.

"I don't think that I am doing anything special, but I am glad that you feel good here." That wasn't exactly the truth, but it wasn't exactly a lie either.

"Thanks," April put the cottage cheese in her portion.

"So, you said that you were living in South Carolina, where you were born, like I was?" she asked as she mixed the Swiss cheese in her portion.

"Yes, I'm assuming we were probably both born at the University Hospital, which is what my birth certificate said, which was a teaching hospital with a lot of medical students and residents, which is probably how it happened in the first place. Not only that, I read that about five years ago, the hospital was sued because a baby boy who was born stillborn was switched with a baby girl who was born in the next room about eleven years ago." April explained.

"I remember that, which was a big scandal, and both parents are still in court over custody of the ten-year-old. Her name is Christina, but her biological parents, the Atogakis, keep having trouble with all that. I know that it feels like everyone I have heard talk about this situation is divided about it. It's also probably a big reason why the hospital's name was changed to Grand Views Hospital," she said as she handed April the spatula.

"At least no one will be fighting over us, but I wonder if they will have to change their name again, because we prove that it's a pattern," April had a nervous giggle.

"They should probably just shut down."

It was an odd thought, because her parents were her parents, but the thought that her biological parents, who April grew up with, were dead, and even if she wanted to, she would never get to meet them, was a lonely thought, but she tried not to think about it.

"That's true," April agreed as she poured the egg whites into the molds in the frying pan. "You know, I have always wanted a sister."

"I did too, and we both share parents now, so I feel like we qualify as sisters."

"I'm so so glad that you said that," April said.

It had been oddly quiet from her boyfriend Derek until he sent her a text inviting himself over, and she was over the moon. Which had Abigail preparing by straightening her hair and putting on her new cute green sundress with the baby ruffle short sleeves and the layered tiered skirt. It was a little tight on her because she had been stress eating more, but she was looking really cute. Once she put on her ballet flats, she headed downstairs and into the kitchen, where April was working on some homework at the dining room table.

April looked up and said, "Oh wow, look at you! That dress makes you look so so vibrant, the green and style really highlights your unique olive skin, I don't think that I would never have enough confidence to wear a dress like that. I'm way too small and shy to wear something that tight and short, but you really, really fill it out."

"Thanks," she smiled.

Why did that not sound like a compliment? She really needed to work on her insecurities, because it wasn't April's fault she couldn't take a compliment.

"Is someone coming over?" April asked as she opened her notebook.

"Oh yeah, Derek texted me and said that he is headed over," she answered.

"Well, there is no way he won't like what he sees, especially since you're so so comfortable in your own skin. I think that it's great that you're not afraid to show off your shape," April flipped the page in her textbook before jotting something down.

"You shouldn't be either. There are so many girls who would kill to have your figure," Abigail let her know, especially since she was one of them, and she felt like April's comments rubbed her the wrong way, but she knew that was because April was the real daughter of her parents, but it was fine because they were sisters now.

When there were repeated knocks on the front door, Abigail knew it was Derek and headed there, where April got up to follow her. It kind of irritated her that she was following, but this was now April's house too, and she just wanted to be friendly. She just wished that it wasn't with her boyfriend, whom April got confused and thought was flirting with her. However, she knew she was making a mountain out of a molehill, and she was just being crazy.

"Hey," she greeted as her smile grew as she saw his messy, swept to the side hair and his tanned skin that was lighter than hers.

She has been missing him.

"What are you wearing?" Derek scoffed as he walked past her and went right in front of April, "well well, aren't you a sight for sore eyes."

She frowned, "What's wrong with my dress? I thought that it was cute."

"Abby baby, you look like you are about to pop out of it. Go change, you are embarrassing the both of us." Derek didn't even turn to look at her.

"Okay," she answered before rushing past him, before tears threatened to fall.

As she was rushing off, she heard April say, "Oh, you can't be saying things like that."

She felt like every insecurity was put on display, and she knew that Derek was right. He was one of the most popular guys in school, and the fact that he chose her was a miracle. And Abigail just got way too comfortable; she needed to remember she was the lucky one, and work to keep him. After going through her whole closet, she found a skirt that didn't look too small on her and put on an oversized sweater over a tank top, then went back down.

Right before she stubbed her toe while walking in the kitchen, she thought she saw Derek's hand rubbing up and down April's back, but she knew better. Derek was a good, loyal guy.

"Are you okay?" April looked concerned.

"Yeah, thanks."

"Have you ever thought about dieting?" Derek brought up the sensitive topic that he promised he wouldn't.

"Derek," April gasped, as she dragged out his name, "you can't ask something like that, plus there is nothing wrong with Abigail, you should feel special about being with someone so real. It’s actually so so refreshing to see a guy date someone with such a different look, instead of just chasing the tiny minis. You’re lucky to have a girl who is so sweet and completely devoted to keeping you happy. You should treasure that."

"Stop being so nice," Derek rolled his eyes, and Abigail thought she saw almost a smirk on April's face. "You're living with someone with the perfect body shape, and you're still not getting that. If you want to lose your virginity to me, you need to try harder."

"I will, I promise," she agreed.