The next day when Rin stepped out of her apartment she was in the Eberhard Anheuser High School uniform.  While Evy and Mila wore both their skirts as miniskirts well north of the knee, Rin wore hers as a maxi skirt that went down to ankles.  She ran into Evy first.

“Hi!  You just moved in, right?  I’m Evy.”  Evy extended her hand to shake as she said it.

“Yes, Rin.”  Rin simply stated as she somewhat reluctantly took Evy’s hand.

“You must be a student at Eberhard too.” Evy guessed.

“Yes, I’m not really excited about transferring in on my senior year.”

“Oh?  I guess that’s hard.  I’m a sophomore.”

Rin blanched.  Evy was a solid foot taller than her.  “You’re a sophomore?”

“Why is that surprising to everyone?” Evy laughed.

“Sorry.”  Rin replied.  “Almost everyone is taller than me, but you’re especially taller than me.”  Rin could have made a similar statement about breast size.

“It’s not all great being tall!  It really limits my dating options.”  Evy explained.  

Well Khan is tall enough for you.  Rin thought, and then blushed.  Why had her mind gone straight to him?  

“I give a ride to the other students who live here.  Do you want to join us?”  Evy offered.

“Sure, that sounds better than the bus.”  They started down the stairs when Rin realized who the other students included.  At the bottom of the stairs Mila and Khan were waiting for them.  “Him?”  Rin snarled.  “You give a ride to him?”

“Yes?”  Evy was confused.  “Is that a problem?”

“He’s a deviant weirdo!” Rin yelled.

“Why you saying this?”  Mila asked 

“It’s fine.”  Khan moved to cut off the conversation.  “I’ll take the bus.  I don’t need to spend a car ride being told how I’m an evil slumlord.”  Rin turned red with anger.  Khan turned and walked off.  He knew it wasn’t his finest moment.  But he had completely failed to establish boundaries between himself and his tenants yesterday.  Today he would do it, starting with making his own way to school.

*

On the bus Khan was sitting by himself.  Charles, who did photography, was seated behind him.  Charles got up and leaned over Khan’s seat.  “What’s the matter Mr. Moneybags?  Forget to plug in your Range Rover last night?  Why aren’t the two hottest girls in school chauffeuring you today?”

There was so much wrong with Charles’ loaded questions, that Khan didn’t know where to start to reply.  So he just gave a response that he thought was most likely to end the conversation.  “Yeup.”

Charles squinted at him, unsatisfied, but uninterested in continuing this conversation.  Charles sat down and kicked Khan’s seat several times.

*

After school Khan collapsed on the sofa when he got home. The ride back had been hot, bumpy and taken an extra half hour over being driven.  He hadn’t appreciated how nice it was to get a ride in a luxury SUV until it was taken away.  However, it for the best, he told himself, though he was struggling to think of specific reasons why it was for the best.  There was a knock at the door.  Khan went and answered it, it was Mila.  This was a pleasant reversal, it was usually him that went to her.  “Hi Mila, what’s up?”

Mila went straight to the point.  “Rin said us what happened.  You needs to apologize.”

Khan grimaced, he should have realized that Rin would tell other people.  “It was an accident.  I couldn’t see, I couldn’t hear.”

“I know you didn’t doing it on purpose Khan, but you still did it.”  Mila explained “And you’re acting like it didn’t matter, but it mattered to Rin.”  Khan didn’t have a response to this.  “I know you doing the right thing.”  Mila added.

*

Shortly after talking to Mila, Khan slinked up to 201 and reluctantly knocked on the door.  Izumi answered the door.  “Khan.” she simply said.  Rin stood at a distance, staring daggers at him.

“I just came up here to apologize.”  Khan said.  “I didn’t follow the instructions properly for using the ghost scanner and Rin got hurt because of it.  When I heard ‘reach out’ I should have just repeated that, instead I acted carelessly.  Rin, I’m sorry that I touched you inappropriately.”

 “Thank you for that Khan.”  Izumi replied warmly.  She turned to her daughter  “Rin, is there anything you want to say?”

“No.”

“Rin.”

Rin looked at the floor while she spoke.  “I’m sorry I slapped you.  I know it was an accident.”

“No, you don’t have to apologize.”  Khan countered.  “I deserved it.  And now I know I should never offend you again because you have a powerful arm.”

Izumi chuckled, Rin did not.

*

The next day Khan was walking to the bus stop in the rain when Evy’s Range Rover pulled up beside him.  Khan looked around as if this might be a trick.  Rin rolled down the window.  “Just get in.”  She rolled her eyes as she spoke.  Khan didn’t have to be told twice.

When they got to school Charles, who did photography, watched with his mouth agape as Khan walked into the building alongside Evy, Mila, and Rin.  Khan thought about saying something but chose not to.  Showing up with the three hottest girls in school was statement enough.