Chat with Mags

"Whhhooooooosssshhhhh...."

Dude, I was just halfway through my coffee when this massive gust of wind hit. You could hear the tents outside going kaboom. Mags' place is right next to the road, so you catch all the noise, but that wind was next-level loud. Then it started pouring, with lightning and thunder to boot.

"Chris, get in here so Pipoy can come in too. You'll get soaked out there. Pipoy! Tsu tsu tsu..." I walked in without a second thought, but then I saw Mags and almost dropped my coffee. Mags is usually this petite girl, but there she was, rocking these super short denim shorts and a slightly cropped white top. Her legs were shining and smooth, and man, the image stuck with me. I nearly spit my coffee back into the cup.

Mags must've noticed because her dimples deepened a bit. She gave me a sneaky grin that I almost missed.

"Come on, Pipoy, let's go inside. There's a perv out there!" Mags said in her usual tone as she turned to head inside with Pipoy.

"Hahaha!! Hey, come on in!" I felt embarrassed. Are girls always this wild? This reminded me of how things started with Jennifer. But with Mags, I wanted to be the better version of myself. I wanted to put her on a pedestal, be the good boy. After the storm I went through with Jennifer, I craved the calm seas with Mags. Especially now that I'm slowly getting over Jennifer. We're family, after all.

"Hey... come on in. I was just joking," Mags peeked out the door and said in her sweet voice, so I went in, still feeling a bit affected by her teasing.

We sat on the sofa, and to avoid making Mags uncomfortable, I started talking about random stuff far from any dirty topics.

"So, it's just you and your dad here... Where's your diabetic grandpa?"

"Oh, he's in Basista. When we visit, I help clean his wounds. He's my mom's dad," she said, steering the convo towards her mom.

"Oh, that's close. I'm from Malimpec, living with my aunts."

"Oh, that's nearby. How long have you been there?"

"We usually spend vacations and reunions there. I even studied there in Grade 2 before heading back to Manila, then returned for 1st year in BNHS. So, almost two years now."

"Okay, so you're kinda new. Do you go to Manila every vacation?"

"Yeah, we're in Bulacan. It's like reversed now. Where I live is where I vacation."

"Hope you stay here till 4th year in BNHS. Any plans to transfer to Manila?"

"I dunno, maybe. I've been here for two years, so I might as well graduate here."

I stuttered a bit, unsure of my words, and my next question got delayed.

"What about you? Planning to graduate here too?"

"Not sure. I told my dad I wanna go to college in Manila. But he said if it's a state-owned school, I need permanent residency in Manila. If not, it's private, and that's expensive. Maybe a scholarship would help."

"But you need high grades for a scholarship, right?"

"Yeah, at least an 85 average in high school and pass the entrance exam."

"Where do you wanna go to college?"

"Maybe PLM."

"Oh, Pamantasan... So you need to graduate in Manila for lower tuition."

"Yeah, that's what I'm thinking. I like it here in Pangasinan, and I've made close friends. It's hard to leave."

"Same here. My mom also says if I graduate in Manila, I can go to PLM or CCM, tuition-free if I pass the entrance. But I haven't thought much about it. Whatever happens..."

We both fell silent. I started thinking about my plans after graduation. College in Manila sounded good, but private schools are expensive, and we can't afford that. But Mags, being an only child, her dad could probably afford it.

"I always thought you and Jennifer were dating, Chris. Turns out you're cousins," Mags changed the topic. I wasn't sure how to react. I wanted to be completely honest with Mags. Would she accept me if I told her everything about Jennifer and me? But it felt unfair to expose Jennifer or discuss our past behind her back.