My Life is Not a Manga, or maybe...

Harem Scarem: 026

It was just as well I didn't have any specific ideas for next steps to take with Samantha, because as soon as I stepped out of my front door Monday morning I knew they would have come to naught.

"Jill," I said. "What are you doing here?"

Rachel paused behind me, then continued past with a slight smile and nod to Jill before she continued on toward the bus stop. That girl was too considerate for her own good.

Jill stared after her for a second. "She really is living with him," she muttered, before turning back to me with a grin. "I have to take the bus this morning, so since it's on the way I figured I'd walk you to the stop."

"Right. Okay." I closed the door behind me and tried to lock it, but the key was really fighting me for some reason. "Lock, damn it."

"Aw, come on, Xavier," mocked Jill. She stepped up behind me, grabbed the key and my hand both, and gave a solid twist that threw the lock home. "You just have to put some muscle into it!"

I turned slightly and gave her a flat stare, which was easier than I'd expected. She was close! Our noses were practically touching.

"Whoops, sorry!" she said, skipping back. Wait, was Jill blushing? I had no idea how to deal with that. Also, you're the one who suddenly jumped up and practically gave me a hug from behind, and now it's somehow embarrassing? "Um, so, the bus?"

I realized I'd been staring at her without saying anything. "Right, let's go."

As I walked down the steps, my phone dinged. It was a text from Rachel. Bus here. Where are you?

"Shit, the bus is early today!"

"What? Crap!"

The two of us broke into a jog down the block, and arrived at the intersection just in time to see the bus' tail lights turning the corner as it continued in its way.

"Damn it!" I checked my phone. See you at school! Gee, thanks for that, Rachel. "Maybe my mom can drive us? I'm not sure she's up yet, though, and ugh, waking her up is dangerous." I meant that literally. My sister Sasha still has a faint scar above her left eye where Mom nailed her with an alarm clock when Sasha woke her suddenly. Maybe if I just called to her softly from the hallway?

"Let's run."

I glanced at Jill to see her eyes sparkling. "—What."

"The school is, what, maybe two miles from here? That's not all that far. Let's just run it."

"Seriously, Jill? Running to school first thing in the morning wearing our backpacks? I'd rather—"

"What, you chicken?"

"What are you, eight?!"

"Bwok bok bok bok!"

"No way! We're not—"

"Bwok bok bok double dog dare you! Come on! You can do it!" Jill was jogging in place and sort of drifting sideways around me, poking me wherever she found an opening.

"Argh! Fine! Let's go already! Stop poking me! And wipe that beatific smile off your face, you weirdo!"

And that's how I ended up jogging to school with Jill that fine Monday morning.

# # #

Running two miles to school wearing your backpack and normal clothes is not very conducive to talking. Honestly, it's not very conducive to thinking, either, but at least initially I managed.

So here's the thing about Jill: I think I mentioned that I didn't want to try and deal with her inclusion in the harem initially because the childhood friend is a serious contender for Main Girl status. However, that wasn't the only reason I was at a loss with her.