Not His Girl

Leave It To The Lesbian To Shut Him Down

“Can I come?” Duke asked, and in response, I slammed the door shut behind me. Then, just because I didn’t know how pervy Duke would get, I locked it.

 I pressed my hands to my eyes for a moment, and I let out a groan before walking over to my closet. I flipped through the clothes until I found an acceptable number, and I pulled it out of the closet. I slipped into the maroon, spaghetti strap dress, and then I shrugged on a light blue denim shirt. I left the buttons undone, and I rolled up the sleeves until they were right below my elbows.

I ran a brush through my hair, which had miraculously decided to behave today, and then I wove into a loose side braid. After concealing the dark circles under my eyes, I brushed some mascara onto my eyelashes and smothered my lips in chapstick. I looked at myself in the full length mirror I was using, and I shrugged.

“This is as good as it’s gonna get,” I muttered to myself, and I turned away from the mirror.

I shoved my homework, which I’d managed to finish late last night, into my backpack, and then I shoved my feet into a pair of strappy black sandals. I slung my backpack over my shoulder, and after mentally preparing for the day to follow, I walked out of my room and down the stairs to the kitchen.

“Morning,” I announced as I set my backpack down on one of the chairs at the kitchen island.

“Good morning, Harper,” my mom replied as she poured her usually cup of coffee. I noticed that she was actually wearing a work outfit consisting of a plum pencil skirt, a crisp, white button down with a pair of black heels.

“Are you going to the office today?” I asked, raising my eyebrow. My mom worked as an editor of a bimonthly literary journal, and she spent five out of the seven days of the week working from home, if not more than that. However, there were those occasional days where she’d actually have to get dressed and go to the office.

“Yeah,” my mom stated, “the journal is supposed to go out in a few days, but we’re missing a piece from one of the authors. I have to go sort this mess out, which will probably take all day, so I’ll be home around six or seven. Your dad is also working late, so you need to figure out dinner for yourself and Duke.”

“But I was going to go to the studio,” I replied, sticking out my bottom lip like a typical teenager. I wasn’t actually planning on going today, but I didn’t want to have to spend the majority of my night with Duke.

“I don’t care, frankly,” my mom said, putting her hands on her hips, “you can take him if you want, but Duke is new here, and I expect you to help him settle in.”

“Thanks Mrs. Lynch!”

I had opened my mouth to protest further, but before I could say anything, Duke’s voice sounded out innocently from behind me. I turned around to see him standing in the doorway, clad in a pair of dark jeans and a white v-neck shirt. Of course, his clothes clung to his body in a way that showed off his muscles, as that is the way the universe works.

Duke turned to me, and as innocently as he could, he said, “I’m sorry, Harper. I don’t mean to be a burden.”

I had to resist the urge to snap at Duke and tell him he was full of shit, and I crossed my arms over my chest. “You’re not,” I muttered, and that’s when I heard the sound of a car honking from my driveway.

“That’s Olive,” I said, quickly grabbing an apple from the fruit bowl on the island, “Time to go!”

“But I didn’t get breakfast,” Duke replied confusedly, and I shrugged.

“Take shorter showers next time,” I suggested, and then I grabbed my backpack, kissing my mom on the cheek, and hurried towards the front door. My dad was just coming downstairs, and he looked like he was still asleep.