taletober

oct 1

DAY 1

Choose a character. What do they smell like?

...

"Ferdinand Bellpaw?"

"Here." I thanked God my voice didn't crack as I answered Ms. Bleu, our chemistry teacher known for scaring students so shitless their voices couldn't even hold steady as they spoke to her. Nevertheless, I couldn't keep my attention from drifting from the lecture I should be listening to. I decided to risk death by Bleu by allowing my eyes to wander to the seat in front of me. There sat Katey Dickinson, a girl I felt like I'd known for a lifetime. I doubt she even knew my name. But I knew everything about her, from her family to her friends to her cute little habits and places to go when she cried. No, we were never best friends or neighbors or anything cute like that. I hacked into her online diary and read all about her life last week.

As our chemistry teacher turned her portable fan on in the front of the class to demonstrate convection, I breathed in deeply to consume her scent. I wanted to breathe her in forever. She was an intoxicating blend of Cherry Blossom lotion from Bath and Body Works and something sweeter, maybe her natural scent. It was something blueberry, or perhaps caramel. I couldn't put my finger on it.

I leaned my body over my desk a little more to get a better whiff of her, unintentionally causing myself to choke on Frankie Hack's jock-strap-elephant-dropping perfume. I coughed the nasty air from my lungs and decided to investigate more thoroughly later.

When the bell rang to end the eternal hell of chemistry, I timed my steps perfectly to orient myself right behind Katey in the hallway. She had lunch next. I guess I'd have to risk being late to French for a better cause. I followed her to the staircase where I could get close enough without drawing suspicion. We were packed together so tight with the crowd that my nose was smooshed into her hair. I breathed in ever so slightly, just enough to pick up her shampoo.

"HONEYSUCKLE!" I exclaimed.