Hidden Away

Chapter 5

Isabella POV

As soon as we reached the service desk, I smelled the most amazing thing: a mixture of petrichor with hints of pine and sandalwood. As soon as I inhaled it, my heartbeat immediately began to slow and the knot in my chest subsided. I was curious not only how the scent calmed my senses, but what exactly was it? I have never smelled any cologne that has smelled so delicious, maybe essential oils? How you captured the scent of petrichor though, was beyond me.

“Well look who it is! I was beginning to think we would never see you around here again.” The older man turned around, interrupting my train of thought. As I took in his face, I realized it was Mr. Miller, the owner of the bowling alley and good friends with my mom before she died.

“Mr. Miller, it is so good to see you! You haven’t changed at all” I smiled at him.

“I try my best,” he said, as he pretended to fluff hair on his head that he didn’t even have. I laughed at his goofiness.

“So I’m guessing you’re here for your special bowling night before your birthday huh? I was so sad to hear about Sara, she was so full of life… but I’m so happy you finally came back, how about the first round on me?”

“Thanks so much, Mr. Miller. I miss her so much, but you should be thanking this one” I said, as I gestured to Danny standing right next to me,”she encouraged me to get back to things I loved with my mom, and I couldn’t be happier that I’m here” I truthfully told him.

“Well I’m so glad to hear that! What shoe sizes do you need?” We told him our shoe sizes and then we headed over to our lane to start our game.

We got through our first game and Danny won.

“Since it’s your birthday tomorrow, how about you just buy the first round?” She teasingly asked me.

“Sounds fair,” I responded. We were getting ready for a second game when the waitress rolled over and we decided to get a whole pizza, supreme style.

Danny totally kicked my butt at bowling. Granted, she had a bit of an advantage. I came to learn that she was a three-time bowling league champion. So I really had no chance in hell. She kept getting strike after strike it felt like. Finally after the third game, I gave up.

We returned our shoes and headed home. I was beat, both figuratively and literally. I wanted to conserve as much energy as I could for tomorrow. This was definitely going to be a birthday to remember.

We pulled into our driveway and headed into the house.

“Is Alex coming home tonight?” I asked Danny, nonchalantly. After a minute of no reply, I turned around to look at her. She stared at me with her arms crossed and a giant grin on her face.

“Are you ever going to tell him?”

“Tell him what?” I asked innocently. I’ve never talked to Danny about my feelings for her brother, but she can read me like that back of her hand, so it’s not surprising that she already knew.

“Don’t try to act like you’re not totally head over heels in love with my brother, Izz. You’ve never said anything, but I see the way you look and talk about him….. to be honest though, I don’t think you should wait up. Sure Alex is a great guy— he’s my brother. But I think there’s something even better out there for you.” She lectured me.

I stayed quiet and looked down at the floor. I wasn’t sure how to respond.

“I tried to tell him today,” I confessed as I sighed

“Oh Izz,” she said as she walked over to me and gave me a hug.

“It’s okay, really. Besides, he’s with Lisa. It’s not like he would break up with her to be with me….” I told her as I stepped back from the embrace,” I’m going to go take a shower and go to bed, thanks for tonight, it was great going back there”

“Alright, Izzie, good night”

I walked to my room and headed straight for my bathroom. I turned the water on and stripped down to nothing. Goosebumps covered my body as soon as my heated flesh hit the icy water. Even though it was night time, it still got pretty hot. Arizona summers are hot all day long, even when the sun is long gone. For that reason, I usually took colder showers during the summer. I made it less cold as my thoughts trailed back to that scent I had caught when we first arrived at the bowling alley. I didn’t think about it too much while we were there, I was having too much fun. I hadn’t been that carefree in so long… all because of a scent.

I began my hair and body washing routine while thinking about that incredible aroma. All of a sudden, I felt this aching need in my core. It’s been a while since I’ve gotten some, so it makes sense my urges are surfacing. I’m anything, but a virgin and I’m not ashamed. Losing my virginity to my boyfriend of two years on my 18th birthday was everything I had imagined it to be. Shortly after we started dating, I told him that I wanted to wait until I was 18 and he was actually okay with it. He never made me feel guilty for wanting to wait. It happened on my 18th birthday. His parents went out of town for the weekend, so he made me dinner, we drank some champagne, and made love. It was magical. I was floating on cloud nine, until two days later, when he dumped me. He said it was because he was leaving earlier than planned to get settled for school, but I knew deep down that the s*x was all he was waiting for. He just had a somewhat reasonable excuse. I’ve had a couple flings since then, but I haven’t wanted a real relationship unless it’s with Alex.

I start running my hands over my body, as the urges are coming on stronger. I grab one of my breasts and start rubbing it while pinching my n****e, as my other hand trails it’s way down my flat stomach, reaching my soaked p***y. I start to think about Alex walking around in the morning with nothing but low hanging basketball shorts when I insert my middle finger. I start to pull my finger in and out when I realize how wrong this feels. I usually don’t have a problem pleasuring myself in the shower while thinking about Alex, but this time it doesn't feel as good…. I slowly pulled my finger out and just stood there under the water. I stood there in a confused daze as I came to realize that I was thinking about that scent when I started getting wet. But how?

After finishing with my shower, I put on a pj set and braided my hair. I laid down under my covers when I looked at the framed picture on my night stand and sighed. It was a picture of my mom and I the night before my 18th birthday, the last time we went bowling together.

I grabbed it and looked it over. Her shoulder length wavy locks hung down, framing her round face. You can barely see her beautiful jade green eyes because they’re scrunched up, but they pop because of the dark red blouse she’s wearing in the picture. She has the biggest smile on her face while she is holding me in her arms.

I closed my eyes as silent tears fell down my face,” I miss you, Mom.”, I whispered. I touched two fingers to my lips and then placed them on my mom’s face. I put the frame back on my night stand and then snuggled into bed. I stared at the moon as I drifted into a deep sleep.