Switch

The next day at school seemed to go by in a blur for both Natalie and Julia. It was already Friday, the start of the third full day of their bodily switch, and frankly, Natalie couldn't wait to get back in her own body.

Throughout the day, Natalie saw all her friends like she always did and wanted nothing more than to go up and talk to one of them. She couldn't believe how rotten things for Julia really were on a day to day basis. It seemed her parents were always out of town on business instead of spending time at home with their daughter like they should have. Julia's friends were the meanest, cattiest girls she had ever met in her life. Sure, Natalie's own friends could be downright cruel -- but only when provoked and given reason to retaliate. Julia's friends had no rhyme or reason for the torment they put on other people except for maybe their own unhappiness. And then there was Chad....

Up until the switch, Natalie had never had reason to fear a man. Brian was the sweetest, most gentle person in her life, despite his gruff exterior. She could never understand why so many of their fellow students seemed to be afraid of Brian, because if they knew Brian in the way Natalie did, they would certainly think otherwise. But Chad was an entirely different story. And trying to dodge someone looking for her was no easy feat. Natalie knew he was trouble from the moment she met him at the start of the ninth grade, four years previous. Being placed in Julia's shoes only showed Natalie that her gut instinct of him was correct. He was nothing but a womanizing jerk, and Natalie didn't know why Julia even bothered to be with him. She could certainly do much better.

Julia, on the other hand, was having a better time with Brian and the rest of Natalie's friends than she ever had since high school had started. It seemed that the more time she spent around them, the more she felt like she did before she had ever changed. It even seemed like she had a conscience, because after she and Brian had kissed in his car the night before and had shared smaller kisses throughout the school day, Julia felt that she needed to tell Natalie. She couldn't understand why she was so compelled to do so...but she knew she had to do it.

So when the end of the school day had come, she didn't hesitate to grab her own body by the arm and pull Natalie toward the bathroom before she had to leave with Brian.

"You seem terribly eager..." Natalie muttered as Julia turned and closed the bathroom door to ensure their privacy. "What's up with you?" Turning back to face her own self, Julia bit her lip.

"There's something I should tell you..." she said, but didn't go any further. Sighing, Natalie crossed her arms.

"You didn't get in a fight with Brian again, did you?" she asked, hoping that wasn't the case. There was only so much Brian would deal with before things would inevitably come to an end.

"No! Nothing like that...but it does involve Brian," Julia said, moving to stand against the wall opposite Natalie. "You remember how you told me he can get...kinda...hands on?"

"You kissed him, didn't you?" Natalie asked, knowing that it was true.

"Not exactly. He kissed me...but I guess it's more or less the same..." Julia answered, and she couldn't help the smile that came to her lips when she thought of the first time Brian had kissed her. "God...he's..." she sighed.

"Amazing?" Natalie supplied, watching as Julia nodded. Smirking, Natalie let out a small snort. "You don't have to tell me. Trust me, I know these things." Though she didn't say anything more, Natalie couldn't help but feel extremely jealous of Julia. She couldn't kiss her own boyfriend, let alone talk to him, and Julia got to do it every day, for as long as they were stuck like that.

"So, Brian mentioned this bonfire on Saturday. What is it?" Julia asked after a moment of silence. Grimacing, Natalie remembered the plans she had made with her friends a few days before school started. It had become a sort of tradition between them that they'd break in the new school year with a bonfire party on the beach after the first week of school.

"Well, a group of us all go make a pit fire on the beach and have some drinks. Zack or Brian will probably play guitar It's just a time to relax and have a good time before the school year gets in full force," Natalie explained, thinking of the past three bonfires she'd gone to, and trying not to dwell on the fact that she would miss out on the fourth and possibly last bonfire she and her friends would be able to have as a group.

"Since we're on the topic of weekend plans, is there anything you had set that I'll have to do?" Natalie asked as she quieted her mind.

"Not really. I don't really do much on weekends, believe it or not. Usually just go shopping...spend my parents' money. I guess that's their way of 'apologizing' for never being around," Julia muttered as she walked over to one of the mirrors, running her fingers through the dark hair she still wasn't used to having on her head. "Oh!" she exclaimed. "Chad's football game is at six on Saturday. You can't miss it, or he gets really angry."

"Great. Football and angry guys are just my favorite," Natalie grumbled, but she could already think of the consequences that would arise if she were to skip the game. "Do you ever do anything you want to do?" she then asked.

"It's not that easy. I'm not even sure I really know what I like to do anymore. Everyone else controls my life by the expectations they hold over me," Julia answered, her voice almost a whisper as she looked down to the floor.

Nodding, Natalie stood up from her position leaning against the wall. "I guess I'll see you on Monday, then..."

"Yeah. Maybe by then, things will have sorted themselves out."

"I highly doubt that."