what's the name?

Chapter 8

I was in the midst of packing my clothes when Mariel burst into my room, her eyes scanning the array of perfumes on my dresser.

"Sis, can I borrow one of your perfumes?" she asked, her voice filled with anticipation.

"Which perfume?" I inquired, turning to face her.

"This one, oh no, this Victoria's Secret one. May I?" she pleaded.

"I'm planning to bring that one tomorrow," I replied, causing her face to fall.

"Oh, then how about this one? You know your classmate Lena? The girl you hate? She smells like this," Mariel said, pointing to a bottle. My attention immediately shifted to the perfume in question: Tom Ford Black Orchid.

"Mariel, do you know the exact name of Lena's perfume?" I asked, a hint of curiosity in my voice.

"Yeah, uh, what's that again... uh, Saint Laurent Black Opium...? I kind of forget, but it's something along those lines, sis. Why do you ask?"

"How do you know?"

She sighed, as if reminding me of something obvious. "I'm in scouts, remember? We sometimes check students' bags. I checked hers once and saw the perfume in her bag. It's a bit overpowering. Your perfume smells a bit better, but they're really similar if she doesn't spray too much."

I nodded, processing the information. "Ahh, in that case, take my Victoria's Secret."

"Huh? But you said you were bringing that tomorrow," she pointed out, her brow furrowed in confusion.

"I changed my mind; I'll just bring my vanilla-scented one instead."

Mariel looked at me suspiciously but nodded nonetheless, grabbing the Victoria's Secret perfume. As she was about to leave, something caught her eye.

"Sis, what's that? I've noticed you've had it up for a while now," she said, pointing to a series of five drawings pinned to the wall of my room. Each drawing depicted a different individual: a blond girl, a girl with braces, a dark-skinned girl, a boy with a tattoo on his neck and arm, and another boy with a mole on his neck and lips.

"Uh, that... that's just my reference material because I have to draw something, but I haven't started yet, hehe. I just made a reference sheet," I stammered, grabbing her shoulders and gently pushing her towards the door.

"Oh? They look familiar in some ways..." Mariel commented, her eyes still fixed on the drawings.

I laughed it off, hoping to deflect her attention. "You're just seeing things. Now go pack your bag." With that, I closed the door, a sense of unease settling over me. I turned back to my packing, the images of those five faces lingering in my mind.