Kiss & Switch

“MAGGIE, aren’t you going to school today?” Madison asked her daughter when she noticed that she’s not hurrying to eat her breakfast. “Is there something wrong? You seemed silent.”

Maggie looked up and smiled at her mother. “I’m fine, mommy,” she said and took a bite of her bacon and egg sandwich. “My headache is not going away, and it kinda distracts my focus,” she added and pressed her fingers on her temple. “D’you have some meds, mom?”

Madison gave her one tablet of ibuprofen and a glass of water. “After the meal,” she said and sat in front of her. “Does it really hurt? Why don’t you skip classes today and go with me to the clinic?”

“Hell no, mom,” she said with a chuckle. “I don’t want to skip the only days that I will see Dustin.”

“Is he the cute guy on the psychology department?” Madison asked that made her daughter smiled sweetly. “Did you talk to him?”

“Nah,” Maggie replied. “He’s snobbish. And, he only talks to the professors. I’ve never seen him talk to other students, except with his classmates.”

“Maybe he’s just avoiding getting attention from other girls,” her mom said. “You say he’s a popular guy, right? If he talks to other female students, it might cause issues.”

Maggie frowned. “That’s kinda illogical,” she complained. “He’s a psychology major. He should practice social interactions.” She pressed her lips together. “He’s far different from Uncle Jacob, even though they’re both on the same field.”

Maggie’s mother didn’t speak, and she got used to it. Every time she mentioned Dr. Jacob, her mom always switched to her not in the mood mode. And for over her twenty years of existence, she never saw her talked to the doctor politely. Whenever he’s visiting their house, her mom is always pretending to be busy in the kitchen. 

“Mom,” Maggie called her mother’s attention. “Don’t you want to remarry?”

Madison stopped putting bacon on the loaf. “I’m busy in our bakeshop; I don’t have time for that.”

“But, mom. It’s been seventeen years since dad died; I think you should find someone that could be your life partner,” she said and stared at her mother. “How about Dr. Jacob?”

Her mother dropped the fork on her plate. The impact caused noise around their kitchen. “I want to spend my life taking care of you, Maggie. You’re the only one that I have.”

Maggie’s mind went blank for a second, then her headaches again. She caught her head and groaned in pain. She heard her mother raised on her seat and held her shoulders, but she swept her hand away.

“Maggie, what’s happening to you?” Madison asked her in a startled voice.

She drew her brows together as she struggled to see what’s in front of her. But after just a few seconds, everything went clear again. She looked up and smiled at her mother. “Mom, why are you looking at me like that?”

Her mother looked at her questioningly. “Does your head still hurt?”

Maggie knotted her forehead. “It hurt last night, but it’s gone now,” she said. “But I will bring ibuprofen, just in case my headache kicks in again.”

Madison stared at her for a moment as if she sees something in her. “Are you sure you’re okay? Your head ached just awhile ago.”

“No, it didn’t,” she said, brows still furrowed. “I’m fine, mom. Stop worrying about me. It might cause you fine lines,” she added and laughed. “Just kidding.”

Madison finished her breakfast and raised from her seat. She kissed her mom in the cheeks before she hurried outside their house and got in the family car. Their driver, who was her nanny’s husband, nodded at her with respect.

“Good morning, Maggie,” he said and smiled.

“Good morning, Sir Tonio,” she replied. “How’s Palma? Isn’t she going to visit me? It’s been years since I last saw her.”

The old man’s expression suddenly changed. “Your nanny is a little busy with our children, but I will tell her that you asked for her.”

“Thanks,” she said, then remembered that she will take the bus today. “Ah, Sir Tonio, could you please drop me at the bus stop today? My classmate and I agreed to take the bus together.”

“But, Ma’am Madison told me to bring you to school—”

“Just for today, please?” she cut off. “I promise I will not tell my mom about this.”

The old man swallowed hard and nodded. “But, please, be mindful of everything around you, Maggie.”

Maggie knotted her forehead. “I’m not a kid anymore,” she said and laughed.

After just a few minutes of driving, they reached the bus stop only on time. Maggie quickly got out of the car and ran towards the bus. She looked inside and found Dustin sitting on the last seat, and all the seats near him were occupied. The only chair available was in the middle.

Maggie went to the vacant seat, and because it was beside the window, she has to pass by the man sitting on the aisle. “Excuse me, sir. Could you please move a little?”

The man smirked but still moved an inch so she could squeeze herself in the seat. As the bus moved forward, Maggie noticed the man beside her dozing off. She ignored him and took out her phone to get stolen shots of Dustin. His seat at the back was elevated, making him visible for her.

She giggled when she saw him on her screen. Dustin was oblivious that she’s taking stolen shots of him. Maggie was to record a video when she felt something warm caressing her leg under her school skirt. She looked down and found the man’s hand going in and out of her skirt. 

“Don’t make noise if you don’t want to be killed,” he threatened her in a throaty voice.

Maggie’s chest hammered wildly. As her heart rate went up, she felt the pulsating ache on her temple, making her stared blankly at her skirt for a couple of seconds. She then blinked twice and angled her phone’s camera towards the man’s hand under her dress. She shifted it up for a second. Then took out something from her bag.

“What if I killed you first?” Maggie asked and stabbed the ball pen in the man’s left eye.

***