In My Art

Chapter 7- His Cologne Smells Like Trouble

Song- Whole by Jordan Hart

…/…

“Hey, princess”. I rubbed my eyes and squinted, looking at Bryan’s face. “How did I fall asleep?” “Well, my shoulder was looking very presentable and comfortable and you wanted to have it so badly and I couldn’t deprive you of such joy, so yeah, that was how you fell asleep”.

“Yeah, right! What episode are you in now?” “Well, I paused the series when you slept off, so that’s episode fourteen”. “Wow, I haven’t even gotten even remotely close to the end and I slept off, just wow”.

“Wait, where’s my ice cream?” “YOUR ice cream? Oh! You mean that beautiful concoction you made that I absolutely enjoyed and is down there sitting pretty in the waste bin”. I gasp and say, “You dare not!” He smiles at my facial expression.

“Tie your rage in a knot, I put it in the freezer. Took a little out of it and put the rest in the freezer”. “Okay, thanks”. “And yeah, I met the rest of your roommates, ID, and what’s the name of the other one?” “I’ll be sure to tell Lexie that you forgot her name”. “It was momentarily! I’ll just deny you”.

“Of course, you will. Hey, do you think we can still go get that food now?” “I mean, it is kind of late but yeah, we can try”. “Okay then, let’s go”. “Wait, you’re not going to change or do makeup and all of that stuff girls do before they go out”.

“Bryan, are you trying to say I don’t look presentable and that you don’t want to be seen with me?” I asked, knowing that wasn’t what he meant at all.

He gasps and says, “Women! You look okay, Char”. I turned fully to look at him now, “I just look okay?”

He hits his palm on his forehead and this time, I can see the frustration setting in. “You look absolutely ravishing and breathtaking, your royal highness”. “Better,” I say, smiling. “Don’t you worry about how I look, the kids can handle it. They have probably seen Godzilla before”.

We laughed, walking out of the room. In the living room, Lexie is the only one sitting, watching a movie. “Hey, where’s Jane and Ty?” “Hey, they went out with Ian and ID”. My eyes almost popped out of their sockets, and I made a facial expression to Lexie, saying “Okay, cool”. Lexie mirrored my expression, saying, “I know!”

“Anyways, Bryan and I are going to get food, so yeah. I’ll be back soon, bye”. “Bye,” she says in response. “Bye, Lexie,” Bryan says before shutting the door to the suite.

…/…

After a series of convincing Bryan that it’s totally fine for him to let me walk alone to my dorm since the restaurant is closer to his dorm, he finally agreed to let me walk back to mine as long as the first thing I do when I step inside is call him.

I hugged him good night and began walking to my dorm. So far, I like the poetry of the night. I have never been one to go out in the night for anything, not to talk of a date which that totally was. I’m lost in my thoughts as I walk slowly when I hear someone say from behind me.

“Hey, Freshman, long time no paint”. I stop in my tracks because there’s only one person since I started my life in the four walls of college that has called me Freshman and I gave up looking for him like two weeks ago and now he’s right behind me. Maybe I should have done a little bit of makeup like Bryan said.

“Don’t worry, you can turn around, I’m not going to kill you and dispose of your body or anything”. I finally turned around with a nervous smile hanging from the corner of my lips. “It is you”. The way he says that gives me the idea that he had been trying to look for me.

“I didn’t think I was going to see you again. You know, I actually thought you’d come by the Art Space, so sometimes, I’d look for you but I never did see you, and now you’re here”. I couldn’t stop the new expression that made its way to my face; the amazed expression.

He actually tried to find me, just like I was trying to find him. “I tried to look for you too”. “Huh,” he dragged out, nodding, wanting to turn this into a ‘me-chasing-him’ situation, maybe he’s forgetting that he just poured out his heart to me.

“It’s not like that, I only wanted to thank you for getting me ice cream that day, but I don’t think I ever asked for your name, not like you asked for mine anyway”. “What are you talking about? Of course I know your name”.

My heart forgets to beat for a second, is he really telling me that he looked for me so much that he knows my name now? “It’s Freshman, and it has come to stay”. I try to resist my palm from hitting my forehead but it happens anyway and then I punch him and to that, he laughs.

“How have you been?” “Oh, I’ve been amazing, it’s not like TSC wants to kill me or anything, plus I really do enjoy listening to the lecturers go on and on about their past abusive relationships inspired by characters in a book and how they can relate to social stigmatization in their hearts but never have the guts to actually seek a therapist”.

“Have you ever considered Sarcasm as a side job?” “Only sometimes,” I replied, almost immediately. The smile we share makes my heart warm. I love this level of comfort, it makes me feel like all is right in the world, and I’m so glad I didn’t wear any makeup. I can feel the cool evening breeze on my face.

“So, how is getting over your ex going? Any progress?” Of course, he remembers, that was the reason he offered to get me ice cream, the very first and last time we met. “Uhm yeah, I’m okay now. I mean, he hasn’t called since then and I think it’s for the best. So yeah, I’m good”.

He shrugs and then bends to whisper, “Guess what, it’s his loss”. I can’t help but want to take a deep breath because his cologne was everything at that moment. I smiled in response to what he said. “I can’t argue with that”.

“There’s that smile”. “Okay, you’re good. You’re really good. I am smiling way too much”. He shrugs again and says, “I try. So is there any new guy trying to woo you? I mean, I’m sure guys are dying to have your hand in marriage, but has anyone in particular been of interest to you”.

How can he even say that? Does that mean he isn't interested in me? Or is this just a way for him to know if I’m still single or not? I was about to reply to his question when a call came through. “s**t! Bryan”. “She cusses. Nice to know”.

“Sshh”. He pretends to zip his mouth and throw the imaginary key to the imaginary padlock away. “Nice to know you’re still alive”. “I am so sorry. I haven’t gotten to my dorm yet”. “Really? Are you good?” “Yeah, I met an old friend of mine and we’ve been talking ever since”.

Mystery guy makes a face when I say friend which I can only interpret as, “Oh we’re friends now!”

“Do I know this friend?” “Nope, I’ll tell you about it tomorrow in class. Thanks for dinner though”. "You’re welcome. I’ll talk to you tomorrow”. “Okay then, bye!” “Bye”. Then, he hangs up.

“Wow Freshman, does this make me your very first friend in TSC?” I shove him playfully and then he laughs. “How can I be your friend though? You don’t even know my name”. “I think Mystery Guy will just have to do it for now”.

He leans in to whisper again, “Is that what you’ve been telling your friends?” “Pride isn’t sexy”. I’m amazed at how fast I come back to my senses because his cologne smells like trouble.

“Oh, but it is”. “Whatever rocks your ship, Princess”. “And now, we’re at nickname level. I think we’re moving too fast, Freshman”.

I rolled my eyes and said, “I have to head back to my dorm now, it’s getting pretty late”. “Alright then, you still don’t want to know my name, that’s really cool, I like it”. Only if he knew he couldn’t be more wrong. The curiosity was eating me up, enjoying every bit.

“Oh yeah, how are you doing?” I asked him before leaving. “Thought you’d never ask”. I smiled at him this time, saying, “I’m sorry. I got caught up in my own stuff”. “I’m not complaining,” he replied.

“Hold up, did you go to a special school for this?” “Trust me, you wouldn’t believe me if I told you, but to answer your original question, I’m very well, thank you. I’ll go into details the next time we meet, maybe over ice cream”.

A sassy response came to my mind. I truly was enjoying the game but exhaustion made me keep my mouth shut, my legs were already sore from pacing and there was no platform for us to sit. “Yeah, okay”.

“Bye Freshman!” He said as he turned to leave. He couldn’t be serious. No name? Again? “How are we supposed to meet up for ice cream if I don’t even know your name?”

“It’s a small school, I’d find you”. He sketches a salute to me and walks away. I can’t help but be amazed, he’s smooth.

…/…

My eyes are about to shut from having the best evening. I don’t know the best part of it, the movie and dinner with Bryan or the small talk with Mystery Guy, but either way, I had fun. My mind is on its way to Dreamland when my phone rings.