Chapter 1

I had a crush on a boy named Nathan Evans.

I had liked him quietly for seventeen years, ever since he stood up for me when I was four and being bullied by other kids.

I even worked my way into the same university just to stay closer to him.

But on the day I finally worked up the nerve to have a courier deliver my love letter, the courier totally screwed me over.

By some crazy mix-up, the courier ended up swapping my love letter with a letter from a sugar daddy to one of the campus sugar babies.

And even worse, that message, along with everything in the envelope, ended up posted on the campus forum.

The first image showed the letter. It read: [Babe, you've been doing well lately. This is your reward. Come back to my villa in three days and serve me again. Don't forget to wear the little tail when you come.]

The second image showed the contents of the envelope: six hundred dollars and an unopened condom.

I explained on the campus forum, but it didn't help. Nathan and I were both dragged into online harassment.

People believed what they wanted to believe, not what was true.

Nathan's professor called him in. He tried to explain, but his classmates still shut him out and bullied him. In the end, he jumped from the roof.

With no family left and nowhere to go, I decided to keep vigil by his grave for forty-nine days before ending it all to follow him.

He was laid to rest in a cemetery in his hometown.

I stood in front of his grave, crying my heart out, full of regret.

Suddenly, a swirl of black smoke rose from the grave, and Nathan's ghostly voice echoed, "So you're the one who messed everything up."

Just my luck. Not only did my confession flop, but he was mad at me too.

Guess I had it coming. I wished I had never tried to confess my love.

"After forty-nine day, I'll come be with you," I whispered to him.

Twenty-one days after his death, I collapsed in front of his grave.

When I woke up, it felt like something heavy was crushing my back.

I thought I was hallucinating, until I saw my reflection in a puddle on the ground. I had turned into a pig.

And to make things even more ridiculous, I saw another pig on top of me in the reflection, trying to mate with me.

Shocked out of my mind, I immediately struggled free and bolted.

"Josh, this sow's way too skinny. She's not up to standard. No wonder she's not cooperating," a man said.

"Forget it. Let's get another pig," the man named Josh replied.

'Get another pig? Please, let me be the one you swap out,' I wished desperately.

There were so many things I hadn't even tried yet in life. I really didn't want to lose my virginity like this. The more I thought about it, the more freaked out I got, and I started bawling.

So there I was, a sow running frantically around the pen, tears rolling down my snout.

"Well, I'll be damned. I've been raising pigs for years, and I've never seen a sow bawling her eyes out during breeding," the first man said. "Maybe there's something wrong with her?

"But that can't be it. I looked her over. She's healthy, just a little on the skinny side."

"Never mind. Let's swap her out," Josh said.

So, I got shoved back into the pen with all the other sows, thanks to that stupid pig prod.

Honestly, the feeling of getting poked by that thing was awful. I was so freaking embarrassed.

Why did humans have to invent such a ridiculous torture device?

Why weren't there any pig rights activists when I needed them?

It hurt so bad.

No way. I had to get out of here.

Late at night, I snuck out of the pigpen, slipped through the gate, and bolted straight out of the town.

I dashed straight to Nathan's grave and angrily devoured the apples left on his tombstone.

After sobbing my heart out and snorting in rage, I curled up and fell asleep right in front of his grave.

*****

When I woke up the next morning, I found myself in a private pen.

Inside, there was a brand-new, cozy pig bed all set up, and a fancy feeding trough filled with all kinds of fresh fruit.

Just as I was wondering who had snatched me up while I was out cold, Josh walked in, wrapped his arms around my back, and started crying his heart out.

"Son, is that you? Who would've thought you'd let me know you were back in such a way?" he said.

Thanks to his superstitions, I was treated like royalty.

But honestly, this was so not okay. A man and a girl shouldn't be this close, especially since this man was Nathan's dad, Josh Evans.

So I started wriggling like crazy, trying to break free.

But to my surprise, Josh refused to let me go.

"Son, I'm begging you, if it's really you, give me a spin," he pleaded desperately.

I glanced around with my piggy eyes, weighing my options, and finally decided to go with it. So I obediently spun in a circle right where I stood.

"It really is you. Son, don't you worry. Even if you've become a pig, I'll still take care of you for the rest of your life," Josh said.

I gave a sheepish little nod, feeling kind of guilty.

When Josh saw me nod, he started bawling his eyes out.