1 - Preparing to Meet Mago

*ARLENE’s POV*

"Why MAGO?" Patricia asked, her brow furrowed with concern as she leaned against the dorm room desk.

Before I could answer, Janine, lounging on the bed, jumped in. "Patricia, she likes Mago.”

"But why not Kaz or Angelo?" Patricia pressed, her voice rising with frustration, “They’re both sweet guys, and nothing like MAGO CONCEPCION.”

Janine rolled her eyes, cutting in again, "You can't just force her to like someone else, Pat. It doesn’t work that way.  It’s like asking you to stop obsessing over Stuart.”

Patricia let out a sigh, throwing her hands up in surrender. “I’m just worried, okay?  Arlene is way too innocent for Mago.  That guy is a playboy – no, scratch that, he is a manwhore, a monster in bed! He doesn’t date anyone unless he knows it’s going to end in his bed.  And Arlene…” Patricia turned to me, her voice softening. “Do you even have any experience… with sex?”

Her question made my stomach twist. I shook my head in answer to her question.

"See?" Patricia said, exasperated, waving her hand in the air.  “That’s exactly what I’m talking about!”

I forced a small smile, hoping to hide the unease creeping into my chest. "Don't worry," I said, trying to sound more confident than I felt. "I can take care of myself.”

Patricia gave me a skeptical look, but I continued. “Besides, it’s too late to back out. Unless, of course, you’d prefer to go as his date instead."

"Hell, no!" she blurted out, shaking her head so hard her ponytail swayed.  The very thought seemed to horrify her.

Everyone knew MAGO CONCEPCION—the campus Casanova who left a trail of broken hearts behind him. But despite that, girls still flocked to him. They wanted to be the one to tame him, to claim the elusive man who never promised more than a night. And, despite knowing all of this, I couldn’t deny it—I was one of those girls. I wanted him to notice me. Even if I wasn’t sure what would happen next.

Patricia studied me with an intensity that made me shift awkwardly in my seat. Then, she moved closer, her voice dropping as if sharing a secret. “If you want Mago to notice you, we’re going to have to make some changes.”

I frowned. “What’s wrong with how I look?”

I stood up, spinning around to show her my outfit—a simple, modest sundress that I thought looked perfectly fine.

“If we were heading to the library, you’d be perfect,” she said with a smirk. “But we’re not going to the library, Arlene. We’re going to the beach. That’s Mago’s playground. You’re going to be surrounded by gorgeous, bikini-clad girls fighting for his attention.”

I chewed my lip. She was right. Compared to the girls that usually orbited Mago, I felt like an afterthought. No matter how much I hated to admit it, I needed her help.

“Okay,” I sighed. “Do your worst.”

Patricia’s eyes gleamed with excitement, like a lioness ready to pounce. She wasted no time rummaging through my wardrobe, tossing aside clothes that weren’t “beach-worthy.” Janine laughed as she watched from the bed, throwing in a few teasing comments.

An hour later, Patricia had me in a tight, flattering swimsuit under a flowy beach cover-up, and my face was expertly made up. But when she reached for my glasses, my heart stuttered.

“W-what are you doing?” I asked, my hands instinctively flying up to snatch the frames from her grasp.

Patricia held them just out of reach, shaking her head. “No, no, no. You don’t need these. Your vision is fine without them. Besides, they make you look… older.”

I blinked, feeling oddly exposed. “But—can I at least keep them on until we meet Mago?” I pleaded, clutching at the last piece of my comfort zone. “People aren’t used to seeing me without them. If I look good without my glasses, I want him to be the first to see me.”

Patricia paused, considering my words. “Fine,” she relented with a sigh. “But after that? No more glasses. If you want Mago to notice you, we have to go all in.”

Her tone left no room for argument, and I nodded in agreement. She had a point. I couldn’t half-commit if I wanted to stand out.

Janine burst into laughter, her eyes sparkling with mischief. “Well, that’s Patricia’s superpower! No one can ever say no to her.”

I couldn’t help but chime in, “With the exception of Stuart. Only he can say no to her.”

Patricia shot me a mock glare, crossing her arms with a playful pout. “Not for long,” she declared, her voice dripping with determination. “Just wait. I’ll make sure that soon, he’ll be powerless to resist me.”

Her confidence was infectious, and I felt a flutter of excitement at the thought. If she could weave that kind of magic, maybe I could do the same with Mago.