DISCLAIMER: I do not own the Mansingh family.
"Congratulations to Natara Mansingh, who attained 2200 out of 2400 in the SAT!"
Waves of applauses drowned the entire hall, as the graduates tried to catch a glimpse of this girl, Natara Mansingh. To the seniors in Miami High, she was the Southeast-Asian nerd, with raven lack hair and braces on her teeth. She was Miss Outcast, unable to fit in, let alone making friends.
Yet she surprised them by what they saw, as if their eyes were deceiving them.
The teenage girl standing right in front of them on the stage was absolutely gorgeous. Her jet-black hair was up to her chest, with the natural straightness that every girl would kill to get it. Her chocolate brown eyes were sparkling with surprise, content and indifference, and a wane smile painted her lips.
Her dress was a sleeveless, black silk one. The fabric hung snugly to her curves, highlighting her long legs. Surprisingly, the dark dress complimented her witty eyes and natural mane, instead of making her look like a black doll.
Holding to the microphone, she softly spoke, and people would've mistaken her for a native American with her flawless English, if not for the tan skin that betrayed her.
"I was surprised to hear that I got such a high mark. With all mock tests I had done before, I had barely gotten higher than 2000, so the fact that I got 2200 came as a shock for me. I would like to thank my friend, Jane Williams, for tutoring me with Mathematics, for I'm sure her efforts in helping me contributed to my results today. Thanks Jane, and best of luck to you all in the coming years in college!"
The brunette fixed her gaze on a Caucasian girl, who had equally dark hair. Her hair was curled, and her eyes were of a sparkling sapphire, hinting her intelligence and sharp mind. The caucasian, undoubtedly Jane, smiled at Natara, her faithful and loyal friend.
"Class, you may choose your partner for this project. Remember to include the discovery and symptoms of the syndrome you've got, and possibly any possible solutions for this project. This is due two weeks later, and will be counted as half of your psychology final grade."
Everyone tugged at his or her best friends, except Natara Mansingh... and another girl.
Natara Mansingh was discriminated against ever since she switched into Miami High, mostly because of her Southeast-Asian descent. To add to the ethnic difference, she wore braces, and her huge, black nerdy glasses and white shirt and navy skirt made her look even more like a clerk than a student.
The other girl was completely different. She was a caucasian, and her brown hair laid on her back like layers of curls. Her eyes were highlighted with mascara, showing her long eyelashes and frighteningly natural blue eyes. She wore a sharp pink tank, with a white miniskirt. Her high heels, at least 3 inches high, clanked whenever she walked. No, she wasn't discriminated because of her good looks; it was because she was the Principal's stepdaughter.
Desperate to finish the project, annoyed that she was the odd one out - again, Natara walked to the Caucasian girl.
"Um, so... do you mind if I pair up with you?" Natara carefully asked, ready to be rejected and do the project on her own. Again.
The girl nodded. "Sure... I need a partner anyway. I'm Jane Williams."
"Natara Mansingh, but call me Nat," Natara shook her extended palm.
Ever since then, Jane and Natara became the best of friends. Natara knew that Jane could always be counted on, and so did Jane.
Natara went off the stage, and walked around the hall to take her seat next to Jane.
"Thanks, Nat," She softly whispered.
"Anytime, Jane. You did help me a lot," Natara smiled.
As graduation finally came to the end, and hats dropped to the ground, Natara took Jane by the arm and went to see their business teacher.
She knocked on the door.
Knock.
Knock.
Knock.
Jane peeped by Natara's side and widened her eyes. "Is Mr. Richmond here?"
"That's weird, Jane. I thought he never left this room," Natara chuckled, yet a frown was on her forehead.
Suddenly, the door was yanked open, and a very agitated Mr. Richmond greeted them.
"Girls, I don't- Oh, I'm sorry, Ms. Mansingh, Ms. Williams."
"Well, Mr. Richmond, how many girls confessed to you today?" Jane joked with a laugh.
"Twenty, Ms. Williams!" Mr. Richmond shook his head, exasperated.
"Mr. Richmond, it's undeniably that you're the epitome of handsomeness and intellectual in this school," Natara interjected, cooly.
"Ms. Mansingh! I heard that you managed to get into Quantitative Finances in college with Ms. Williams! Congratulations, and don't forget to visit me if you need any help – though I highly doubt it," He chuckled.
"Thank you, Mr. Richmond; we should get going," Natara nodded, then left with Jane.
"Nat! Do you want to go on a vacation before college starts?" Jane chirped.
"Not too long, Jane; I want to do some prep for classes," Natara replied.
"It's college, Nat! Have some fun buddy, you only live once," Jane paused as she saw Natara nod, "I take it as a yes then! How about to San Francisco? I really wanted to see the Bay Area and…"
Natara smiled, and went home to arrange the trip.
They scheduled to leave for San Francisco a fortnight later, and they would stay in a hotel owned by Natara's father, Raj.
Jane never made the trip. Two days before the arranged departure, Natara got the most shocking news in her life.
"Good evening. May I speak to Natara Mansingh?" a voice, unfamiliar to Natara, spoke.
"Speaking."
"Natara, I'm Elaine Davis, principal of Miami High."
"How may I help you, Principal Davis?" Natara feared that it came out too formal, yet she wouldn't dare to be disrespectful to her principal, even if she had already graduated.
"Call me Elaine, Natara; you're no longer in Miami High. I'm not sure how you'll react to this…" Elaine's voice broke.
"What's the matter, Elaine?"
"Jane… she…"
"What happened to Jane? Is she sick?"
"She is dying."
The world shrank around her, and she could feel a swirl slowly engulfing her from the outside to the inside; and from the inside eating her to the outside. No, Jane couldn't be dead. Elaine must be joking. Jane is alive… she would go to San Francisco with me…
Natara cracked a humorless laugh. "Stop joking, Elaine-"
"I. Am. Not. Joking," Elaine used her sternest voice, and Natara's laughter subdued.
As Natara calmed down, Elaine began telling Natara how Jane died. Jane had gone to see her biological mother, and she was killed on the way. She was mugged, brought to a dark alley and raped. She retaliated and slapped the abductor, who was aggravated and pulled out a gun. Before she could react, the abductor pulled the trigger, and the bullet travelled straight into her brain.
Natara sat on the floor in her large bedroom, tears clinging onto her face and dripping on the floor. Slowly organizing her thoughts, she heard the door slowly open, and she looked up to see Raj, her loving father.
"Father," she stood up, and nodded in respect.
"Natara, what happened? I've never seen you cry except when you were still in the cradle," Raj patted her back.
"Jane… she is… inj-j-ured…" Natara broke into sobs.
Raj froze, unable to utter a word.
"Jane Williams? The girl who slept over few nights ago?"
Natara nodded in reply.
"Do you want to go to the hospital? I can drive," Raj offered.
"Thanks father," Natara tightly pressed her lips together.
The drive to the hospital was silent. Natara didn't know what she should do once she saw Jane lying on the bed. She couldn't bear to see the cheery and bubbly Jane lying there, totally helpless and feeble.
Natara bounced up the stairs and reached Jane's ward, almost tripping over the rug.
"Easy, Natara," Elaine's deep voice echoed beside her.
"How's she?" Natara struggled to keep her calm, yet her voice was shaking and barely above a whisper.
Elaine's eyes were red and puffy. "She only had minutes left… you can… go in…"
Without words, Natara rushed into the ward and collapsed at Jane's side. Tightly holding onto Jane's hand, she let tears fall freely.
"Jane, Jane, don't go… don't!" Natara screamed, and she felt something softly squeeze her hand.
"I'm sorry, Nat; I'm sorry," Jane softly whispered, her eyes rimmed red.
"Stay alive, okay? Jane, stay alive. For me. For Elaine. For our trip."
"Goodbye, Nat," She softly said, her hand gradually letting go of Natara's.
Natara felt something clenching at her chest, and she welcomed darkness with opened arms.
"Detective? What happened to Jane?" Natara frantically asked the detective standing in front of her.
"Ms. Mansingh, we are sorry, but we can't identify the murderer and abductor of Jane William's case-"
"SHE IS NOT JANE WILLIAMS. SHE IS MY FRIEND. She died two days before we could go on our graduation trip, and you're now telling me the murderer had escaped?" Natara screeched.
"We're sorry." With that, the detective left the room.
Natara sank into a chair, fury tearing through her.
"Fine. If you can't catch that S.O.B., I will."
With that, she exited the room, and headed to the admission office of Florida International University.
"Good afternoon. I would like to switch my majors," Natara calmly spoke.
"Sure, sweetie. Please give me your name and student number," the lady at the reception replied.
"Natara Mansingh, and I haven't got my student number since I am going to enroll this coming September."
The lady looked up her profile, and said, "Natara, you are going to study Quantitative Finances. Which major would you like to switch to?"
"Psychology. Criminal Psychology."
"Natara!" Someone shook her violently, and she jolted awake. She sat up, ignoring the spins in her head.
"Father?"
"Natara, you're awake," Raj sighed in relief.
She deliberated. Taking a deep breath, she said, "I'm going to catch that guy who murdered Jane."
Raj raised an eyebrow.
"I'm not going to do Quantitative Finances. There's no point in doing so if my best friend has died and nobody is going to do it with me. I'll do Criminal Psychology instead. Father, please," Natara softly pleaded.
Raj sharply inhaled, before glaring at Natara.
"I'm extremely disappointed in you, Natara. I'm no longer your father." With that, Raj stormed out of the room.
Days passed, and Natara was finally discharged from the hospital after numerous counseling. She didn't head home; she knew she wasn't welcomed. Instead, she headed to the family attorney's office. A plan had formed in her mind.
"Good afternoon, Ms. Mansingh. How may I help you?" The lady at the reception, Abigail, asked.
"Good afternoon, Abigail. I would like to see Attorney Toelle," Natara politely replied.
Abigail picked up the phone, murmured few words into it, paused for a while, and looked up.
"You may go in, Ms. Mansingh. Attorney Toelle's office is the last down the corridor," Abigail smiled.
"Thanks," Natara nodded, and headed down the long, dimly lit corridor. She stopped at the last room, and knocked briskly.
"Come in!" A man's voice said.
Natara pushed the door open, and nodded at the man standing at his desk. She walked up to the desk and offered her hand. "Natara Mansingh, daughter of Raj Mansingh. Nice to meet you, Attorney Toelle."
"Nice to meet you too, Ms. Mansingh. Please take a seat," Attorney Toelle shook her hand firmly, then sat down at his desk. "How may I help you, Ms. Mansingh?" He asked.
"I would like to change my last name."
"Why would you suddenly want to change it, Ms. Mansingh?" Attorney Toelle cautiously asked.
"I would like to enter law enforcement, but I would like to avoid preferential treatment arising from my surname," Natara replied.
Toelle paused for a second, looking at Natara's face, then took out a form from his desk.
"What's your date of birth?"
"24th October, 1980."
"ID number?"
"097-31-8254."
"What would you like your new name to be?"
"Natara Williams. Natara Janelle Williams."