Mimi Turns Pretty - SOON TO BE PUBLISHED ✅

Chapter 12

Present Day

I woke up nang medyo may hangover pero manageable naman. I look around the room at wala si Ollie, si Kuya lang tulog pa sa kabilang kama.

I check my watch and it's almost 6AM. Naalala kong may plans pala kami ni Chase today so I take a quick shower and change into a two-piece swimsuit but I put jean shorts and a sleeveless shirt on top of it. I can remove it naman kung sakaling kailangan ko mag-swim.

Kahit na may pagka-insecure ako sa itsura ko, I can wear swimsuit kapag kailangan. I usually wear nga sportsbra and bicycle shorts when I jog in the morning, it's normal sa US so nasanay na rin ako nang ganoon ang suot. Mas weird kasi doon kapag 'di ka nag-swimsuit sa beach.

I leave my stuff sa room and lock it behind me.

Malamig ang hangin and I wished I could run na lang sa beach muna and enjoy the sunrise pero nakita ko si Chase sa beach waving at me. I give him a small wave rin and he runs towards me. He's wearing boardshorts and a sleeveless white shirt.

"Good morning!" ang ganda ng ngiti niya so I smile back.

"Hi. Good morning!"

He gestures sa beach, "Let's go?"

I look behind him and see a speedboat, "Ah okay."

Umikot ang paningin ko sa beach, marami na ring gising sa batch namin and I see them running sa beach or swimming. I remember what Ollie told me last night. I'm only 22, there's a lot I can still do with my life but I have to start living now. I walk beside Chase and decide that I'll just go with the flow and enjoy.

We get to the speedboat – it looks expensive, mukhang high end ang speedboat na ito. I wonder if it's Chase's. We get on it and then umalis si Manong na nakasakay doon, akala ko siya ang magda-drive. Kumuha ng isang life vest si Chase at inabot sa akin, "Here. Safety first."

I put it on at naglagay rin siya, kinawayan niya si Manong, "Thanks Kuya Dex! Balik ko mamaya."

Kumaway lang sa kanya si Kuya, "Yes Sir Chase, abangan ko na lang po mamaya. Ingat po kayo!"

Tumayo ako at lumapit kay Chase na nasa harapan, "Hey, tayo lang ba?"

He looks at me, "Uh, yes. Is that okay?"

Live my life daw, so I have to start now. Kung sakaling may balak itong si Chase sa akin, which I doubt – Ollie knows I'm with him now. Nasaan ba 'yong si Ollie?

I shrug, "It's fine. Akala ko lang may kasama tayong iba."

He smiles, "Sorry if I wasn't clear yesterday."

I sit on the opposite side of him and he sits on the driver's side.

"Saan ba tayo pupunta?" I ask.

"Around." He grins.

And we're off.

***

Chase and I went boating sa mga kalapit na coves doon. He kept telling me about the sights, saang lugar na kami, kaninong pag-aari ang mga lupa doon.

We finally stopped at a cove na halos walang tao, green na green ang tubig so I'm sure it's quite deep na. He removed his vest and his shirt, "You want to go for a swim?"

I'm here naman na and the water looks amazing so I take off the vest, my shirt and shorts and I put my hair up. I look back at Chase and he's just there looking at me with a weird look on his face.

"What?" I ask.

Tumikhim siya, "You know you could at least warn a guy."

I look back sa damit ko, I'm not wearing anything indecent. I'm wearing a two piece lang naman and it's not even showing too much so I ask, "What do you mean?"