What If the Earth was the other way...?

Behaviour's Change

Brittany Grey

Today is the first of November - the first day of an exciting month. As every month opens up its door to new opportunities, I opened the gates of my life. 

  I get up early with a warm smile on my face and freshen up, ready to get to my first class of the day. I chose a brown frock with a few white strips at the bottom right. I put a matching brown ribbon on my hair and I draw my eyes with eyeliner. I really don't like wearing much makeup.

Anyway, if I get to my class on time on the first day of the month, I feel like I can get it done for the next thirty days. I am weird that way. 

Humming a tune, I opened my door to see Nathalia waiting for me on her bike. 

  “Hey, Britty! Thought we could go together today.” she grins. 

   I suddenly realized that I’d been staring at her.

 With an awkward smile, I chime, “Hey, what a surprise!” 

Nathalia is like a sister to me. She is like this extroverted, hyperactive type. I never, not even in my wildest dreams, did I picture her waiting for me to go to college on my doorstep. She is such a lazy procrastinator that I wouldn't have been surprised if she came late to college. But, I think I made an impression on her and she started being punctual. 

Self imaginary pat Brittany!

Today she wore a white T-shirt, with her blue jeans and blue hoodie. Seriously, does she ever wash her jeans? She always looked the same, with that ponytail and dorky look. I have mentioned how I felt about her outfit, but she has never taken that into heart.

  I fasten the door lock and kick the stand on my bike. 

     * * * 

Bridgenberry University isn’t famous, but it offers a good education. It’s a great place for nerds, that’s for sure. As for me, I’m okay with it. I can make it one more year. At least it’s spacious, and it’s still a college. 

  As we arrived at the school and headed to our first class, Nathalia got out her textbook and began browsing! I was thrown off by this. 

Normally Nathalia was one of those last-minute procrastinators who didn’t open her textbooks unless she had to, and sometimes not even then. Sure, she loves books other than textbooks and those assigned by teachers and to see her willingly read a textbook and seem really invested in it - that was weird. 

 As I mentioned before Nathalia’s been my best friend and we stayed friends since high school. She had just moved from India and was having a hard time coping with life in a completely new country. We met accidentally but became friends quickly. 

It was one winter morning. The next period was Mrs.Brown's class and I was not prepared for the surprise test she was going to throw at us. 

Yes, I found out before class by snooping into the staff room. Anyway, the point is, I didn't study, so I was not prepared. I thought of bunking the period. So, I walked casually after the lunch break towards the gate on the backside of the school building and that's when I saw an Indian girl about my age being bullied by some boys. 

I walked towards them unintentionally and shouted "Stay away you b****y idiots!" 

One of the taller boys, he had a distinct scar on his right eye, snapped his head towards me and sneakered, "What are you gonna do about it, scum?"

I clenched my fist as my face turned a dark shade of red. I inhaled a whiff of air and looked him straight in the eye. "I can always complain. But, I think that won't do any good. You will just get detention or worse a suspension. I was thinking how deep this stone would scar your other eye. I must warn you, I have a nasty aim and I am not afraid of detention. Oh, and I can aim multiple rocks at a time and hit the desired spots, so none of you will escape his fate. What do you say?" I c**k a smile as I grab a hand full of stones from the ground.

The boy with the scar looked at me as if trying to find out if I was bluffing. I just stared at him like nothing  mattered to me.

After a great amount of time, the boys shuffled away, still staring at me and trying to get as far as possible from me. 

I looked at the girl, who was staring at the ground like something very important was written on it. That's when my mind recalled her as the girl from my biology class. I knelt down and squeezed her hand, "You okay there?"

She looked at me and her dirt caked face shot a smile, "Thanks." 

I smiled back and helped her to her feet.

"I'm Brittany by the way. Aren't you late for Mrs. Brown's class?"

She shook my hands, " I am Nathalia. I guess you ought to be in class too?"

"I was planning to bunk." I say as-a-matter-of-factly. 

"I think I can use some air too." 

And that is how a lifetime of friendship was born, with a little help of chocolate smoothies and a few bites of sandwich. 

Also, her family, the Avras, had always been welcoming to me, so we stayed friends. 

  Vanessa, Nathalia’s mom, had always been especially kind, sweet, and caring to me, though sometimes forgetful. She was also a great cook.

  My thoughts drifted away to Mrs Avra’s food, and I almost forgot about Nathalia’s weird behaviour. 

         * * * 

As the days went by, though, her behaviour wasn’t as easy to just forget about, she grew weirder and weirder, collecting old junk and scraps from the lab that even professors deemed as useless. She didn’t engage with me as much as she used to, and after a while, it seemed as if we weren’t even friends.

She even told me not to call her during 6-8 p.m. saying, "I am doing an intense study session to up my grades."

I was suspicious at first, but when  she mentioned her grades, I knew that was genuine.

One day, I really got annoyed that I took one of the pages that was sprawled on the table and that's when she snapped.

"Britty! That is not for you. Can't you see I am working here. Don't you have something else to do? Just give the paper and leave me alone!"

I stared at her and gave the blank paper to her. Why was she fussing over a blank paper and what is this mysterious project of hers?

She grew a bit hostile after that, so I never mentioned anything about the project again. 

Nowadays, the only time Nathalia talks to me is during our drive to college and back. That too, if I mention about her behaviour she glares at me as if I accused her of murder. But, I never gave up on her. 

  A year has passed by and almost before I knew it, it was the first of November again. As usual, I wanted to get to school early, so I waited for Nathalia. 

  She didn’t show up.

  I checked the clock - maybe I’d gotten the time wrong. But no, it was 7 a.m..The same time as we always met up. 

  Where was she? 

  Maybe she got bored of getting to school early and just wanted to go at eight like a normal person. I couldn’t blame her for that, but she could have at least given me a heads-up. 

  I sent her a text message and started my bike. 

She didn't show up at school either. What happened? I was thinking about calling her, then decided otherwise. If she was in her 'hulk mode' (I started calling her this phase that), I didn't want to pay for collateral damage.

  Three weeks passed without any news from Nathalia. The time for “letting her have her own business” was over. 

  I headed to her house after college to check on her. 

  Nathalia’s house is simple and humble. The one-story building was decorated with beautiful paintings - done by Mr Avra, who is actually a very good artist. There was a garden in the backyard - Mrs Avra likes her vegetables fresh. The front door was decorated with pieces of newspaper, and origami and framed photos hung all over the walls. Their undeniable creativity does make their house beautiful to look at. 

I noticed that Tongo was not in his Kennel. Maybe the Avras took him for a walk?

  I ring the doorbell. 

  No response.

  I knock. 

  Nothing. 

  I waited for almost thirty minutes. No answer. Finally I gave up. Obviously, they’re not home. Why didn’t she tell me she would be gone this long? Or where she was going? 

  I returned home, feeling defeated and backstabbed. I had always thought I was Nathalia’s best friend, but best friends don’t just ditch you and vanish for three freaking weeks. When she comes back, she certainly has some questions to answer. 

  Two weeks later, I'm chilling in my house watching Netflix, when I get a call from... Mr Avra?

"Hello?" I ask confused.

"Hello, this is Eric Avra, Nathalia's dad. Isn't this Brittany?"

"Yes, this is Brittany."

"So, I heard you girls are having some fun but could you just give Nathalia your phone?"

"Ah? Nathalia is not here. I thought she was with you! She just didn't show up for three whole weeks to college. So I thought of checking on her and no one was home, so I thought you all were on a family tour." I hear him take quick frantic breaths as I explain.

"But Nathalia informed Mrs Ahima that she is doing something like an exclusive project and will be with you for the last two weeks." He almost sounds worried.

"No,there is no such project like that and it has been a whole month and she never showed up to college and--" 

"A month? Oh my--"  and like that the signal dies.

My mind starts flooding with things. Nathalia was not with Mr and Mrs Avra. She had been lying about an exclusive project. What is wrong with her? More importantly, where is she?

My heart starts beating like a drum. My face gets red and I start breathing frantically. I find my phone sprawled on the ground. The display has cracked. I don't mind that. I just want Nathalia safe. I dial Mr Avra's number. 

I wait for a while.

No reply

I dial Mrs Avra's phone number.

 No reply.

I need to give them time.

 I need to give myself time to digest it.

I go straight to my bed and collapse unto it. I stare at my ceiling.

Where is she? Where are you, Nathalia?