What is wrong with me? Why did I run off like that? Why was I so angry? As Skylar paced in the backroom, that boy’s face kept returning to the forefront of her mind.

“Aiko.” The name came to her lips.

Just a few weeks ago, he was a boy she hadn’t thought twice about. When Skylar heard he had gotten very ill, it hadn’t affected her in the slightest. He was a boy in her class. He was quiet and a bit geeky. He wasn’t like the bad boys that Skylar usually dated. She liked a guy who could get into trouble. If he was just a little dangerous, it was sexy.

Hey, I didn’t say my tastes were healthy. I like what I like.

Then, Aiko had suddenly walked through the door of her work and into Skylar’s life. At first, she had thought he was trying to blackmail her. It turned out instead he had wandered in wanting a job, just like how she had ended up here.

Actually, in Skylar’s case, it had been a mistake. She had desperately needed a job and had been going door to door. Skylar had wandered into this place without realizing what kind of place it was, and she had already reached the counter by the time she realized it was a sex shop. Before Skylar could spin around and run away in fear, Bob had asked for my ID. She was thankful that she had just turned 18 and was allowed to be in such a place. Right after carding it, he offered her a job on the spot. Best of all, it paid twice what any other place was offering.

Skylar knew that he had only hired her because he wanted a pretty face to attract the perverts, but she had desperately needed the job. Skylar lived alone with her mom, and her mom had been struggling the pay the bills. That’s why this job was so important to Skylar, even though it had the risk that someone from her school would find out about it and assume the worst.

It turned out that Aiko had just been there for simple reasons, and not only had he not taken advantage of her or the position they were in, but he had even protected her from a local creep. When Skylar saw Daryl upon leaving the shop the previous Friday, she thought her world had fallen apart. It wasn’t just because her secret was leaked, and that he had cruelly tried to take advantage of it and force her into a date after she had already turned him down once before, but strangely, Skylar felt like she was betraying Aiko too.

Yet, she had run in Aiko a short while later, and it was one of the most embarrassing and depressing moments of her life. Skylar felt like scum. She was like the very hoe jealous people who didn’t know her sometimes called her. Skylar wasn’t dumb. She knew what Daryl wanted. He wanted what all boys wanted. She was a pretty girl. She had heard the school had some kind of top five girls, and she was on that list. Many guys had chased after her, and Skylar had turned them all down.

Skylar didn’t want to turn out like her mother. She loved her mother, but her mother had gotten pregnant too young, and her mother’s boyfriend had taken off before Skylar was even born. Now, Skylar’s mom was struggling to raise Skylar on her own. That’s why Skylar had to be responsible and not repeat her mother’s mistakes.

Yet, Daryl had gotten her into a date, and Skylar knew he would use this blackmail to push things farther and farther. She couldn’t say he’d necessarily get her to go all the way, but he would have assuredly tried, and she didn’t know what she would do if it got to that situation. It was scary… and just when Skylar lost all hope, he suddenly lost control of his bowels. He ended up crapping himself, and Skylar got a picture of it. She thought she was just really lucky that their date fell apart. It wasn’t until she saw Daryl threatening Aiko that she realized Aiko had been her savior again.

Aiko was different from the other guys. He was different than the boy she thought he was. He was cool and collected. He never acted childish or immature, even though he was working in such an environment where it’d be easy to act that way. There was also something else about him. She could feel a darkness like he understood true pain and torment. He was polite and kind on the surface, but Skylar felt like just under that surface was a demon waiting to pounce. It left her with strange feelings, like that she wanted to be the woman to soothe the beast within.

Skylar slapped her cheeks. What was she even thinking? She didn’t know what was going through her mind when she went to thank Aiko, but when she saw that other girl, someone who was every bit as pretty as her, and when he called her his girlfriend, Skylar lost it.

Aiko owed her nothing. Skylar had even just been on a date with someone else. He had every right to have a different girlfriend, and he didn’t owe Skylar an explanation or anything else. Yet, there she was, pacing in the backroom, anxiously fearing the moment he would enter the store and she’d need to deal with him. She had left the school immediately and came straight there. In a way, this place was her refuge where she could destress from her experiences in high school. It was only after arriving at the location a tad early that Skylar realized that her high school stress had combined with her workplace, and she’d be given no relief there.

Bob had only remained a few minutes before he saw she was in a mood and ran away. He was a good guy, but he could also be pretty sexist. He didn’t care for woman’s problems and even muttered about how it must be Skylar’s time of the month. She didn’t correct him. She wasn’t looking to explain herself, especially when she noticed a tear on her cheek.

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“Why am I even crying?” Skylar derided herself for being so dumb.

The bell rang, and her body immediately turned rigid. He had come. Aiko had arrived. Skylar took a deep breath and closed her eyes. After a moment, she strutted out to the front to face him. She had no other choice. Skylar had to pretend nothing was wrong and hope he didn’t notice.

“Aik – huh?” As Skylar stepped out with a prepared greeting in mind, she immediately saw a girl on the other side of the counter that she had never seen before.

The new girl was extremely pretty and thin. She had black hair, black eyelashes, and her lips were deep red. Her skin was very fair, and her chest was really big. She was easily as attractive as Ivy, although in a very different way. Ivy had darker skin and a more swimwear model look, while this girl was curvy like a pornstar, with big hips and big boobs, a perfect hourglass figure. She looked like she had more right to be in this store than Skylar.

“Hello, you’re Skylar, right?” the girl asked.

Skylar’s eyes narrowed slightly. “What about it? Did you need something?”

“Yes, I just… I want to know what your relationship with Aiko is!”

Skylar’s heart jumped, and she found herself confused. Why was there some other girl asking about him? He had been haunting her mind, and as if fate was making fun of her, now people were even showing up to talk to her about it.

“A-aiko?”

“Yes!” She responded, a determined expression on her face. “Are you dating?”

“W-we’re not,” Skylar responded bitterly, making a face.

The other girl suddenly looked relieved, letting out a breath. “I see, then it’s not too late.”

The way she was talking, did this girl also like Aiko? What were the chances of that? Skylar suddenly felt a bit bad. Aiko did have a girlfriend in the end, it just wasn’t her. She considered keeping what she knew a secret, but her conscience wouldn’t let her.

“He does have a girlfriend though.”

The girl’s eyes shot up. “He does?”

Skylar nodded. “They seem… close?”

“Who is it?” The girl reached out and grabbed Skylar’s arm, her eyes somewhat scary.

“Ah… it’s a girl at my school… um, Ivy?’

“Ivy?” The girl’s face turned whiter than it usually was. “So… it’s true… I was too late with my potion.”

“Potion?” Skylar blinked and then shook her head. “I’m sorry it’s too late.”

“Too late?” The girl suddenly started giggling. “So, he’s already dating others… isn’t that normal?”

“What?”

“A great man would have multiple women… it’s only natural. That’s what the shaman said.” Her eyes looked around wildly. “I’m not going to give up. E-even if I have to fight, I’ll make him recognize me. He’ll see me as a woman.”

“You’re going to go after him anyway?” Skylar couldn’t help but ask.

“Of course! I love him! If I want him, why would I let a little thing like some other girl get in my way? He told me this from the beginning. He told me he’d be hard to get. He said that if I wanted him, I’d have to take him for myself. That’s why… that’s why I’m going to be the one he loves most!”

Skylar’s mouth fell open. She didn’t even know what to say. How could she even talk with this girl who seemed to be strange in the head? They both liked the same boy, but her determination was so great, it honestly intimidated Skylar. She could never admit her feelings now.

Was that it? Was it true that Skylar liked Aiko? Somehow, hearing this girl confess caused her to realize it too. She liked him. However, he was taken. How could she pursue a boy who was already taken?

At that moment, there was another ring, and both of them turned to see Aiko walk into the store. Skylar’s heart skipped a beat at the sight. It… it really was love. No… love, don’t think that… that’s too much. However, her heart was beating out of control now.

“Lana?” Aiko cocked his head. “I didn’t see you at school today, but the potion seems to have been very successful.”

“Aiko… Ahh… my stomach is still upset.” The girl named Lana’s face blushed. “However, the weight did come off. My parents were super worried and took me to a doctor. He couldn’t explain it either, but I knew it was because of you.”

“It must have been hard on you. I still don’t have a good grasp on my power.” Aiko walked up to her and then of all things, grabbed her sides.

Skylar could only watch as he started to boldly touch Lana in places a boy shouldn’t touch a girl. No, he didn’t touch anywhere forbidden, but unless one was dating or dancing, having his hands on her sides and abdomen was inappropriate. The girl also didn’t resist, letting him touch her repeatedly.

All she did was squirm slightly with a red face. “I-it tickles.”

“It seems that there is no lasting damage.” Aiko declared. “You should be okay to return to school again.”

Skylar finally caught up with their conversation. “She goes to our school?”

The girl’s face turned red as she shot Skylar a look. “I’m Lana… we’re in classes together.”

Lana? Lana… I was in a class with a Lana? I mean, there was Lana… but she was a weird, chubby girl who dressed in… oh… oh… wow!

“I-I was just stopping by for a moment.” Lana didn’t notice as she was focused on Aiko. “I need to go. I-I’ll see you tomorrow, Aiko.”

Aiko nodded. “Yes, get some rest and drink plenty of fluids.”

She smiled as if his basic words were the biggest compliment. “Thanks!”

She turned and nearly skipped out of the store, showing far more energy than the woman in Skylar’s memory had ever done. Just as she was recovering, she noticed Aiko staring at her.

“Wh-what is it?” Skylar responded nervously under his steely gaze.

“I’m sorry.” He spoke quietly. “About before… when we were in that closet.”

“Oh… that… it’s nothing…”

“I lied.”

“What?”

“I lied about Ivy.”

Skylar stared for a second. “She’s not your girlfriend?”

“No, well, that too.” Aiko sighed. “I only had Ivy agree to be my girlfriend as a favor. If you’d forget everything about that encounter, I’d appreciate it.”

Skylar’s head seemed to swim as she considered his words. “Y-you’re saying you’re single?”

“Do not spread it around, but I suppose it is okay if you see me as unattached,” Aiko responded with a shrug.

Skylar’s heart started to speed up again. Why did this make her feel so happy? She shouldn’t be, but it felt like a wet blanket had been lifted and she was in the clouds again. He was saying he was available.