Chapter 23- Scents

Lanie's POV:

I was stunned. I don't know what to do or say. 

I just stared at Yshmael surprisingly. He can really play well. That's what I thought, but the sincerity I'm seeing in his eyes right now told me that he's serious. He's not playing a game or what. 

Yshmael heaved a sigh. "I'm sorry if I surprised you. I never planned this. Telling what I'm feeling and everything, it just happened."

I tried to smile but I can't fully do that. Here I am, seeing this side of Yshamael. Not confident, uncomfortable and having a hard time explaining his self.

"Tss," I heard him sighed. "This is really hard. It's too sudden but I'll wait for your answer."

I stayed still.

"The only answer that I'll accept is YES Maelanie. I won't take a NO." Yshmael said arrogantly.

"Huh?" He's at it again. He's being a jerk again. The butterflies I felt earlier was replaced by annoyance.

"What? It is not fair if you reject an Aronzaga. And one more thing, I can surely make you fall for me." He said, raising his brow.

I just shook my head. "You can't force love, Mr. Aronzaga." I emphasized his name.

He was not even shaken by what I said! He leaned closer. 

My eyes widened in shock when he's just inches away from me.

"Of course," his voice is as sexy as his eyes. "I'll make sure that you will accept me with your own accord." He said, definitely.

I hate the way he smiled at me. I pushed him and distant myself.

He did not complain. He even let me go.

I know I'm attracted to him. Since day one! I realized it just now. He has this presence that will make anyone like him despite of his cold and snob personality.

"Stop playing games, Yshmael." I badly told him, rendering my heart that still pounding faster.

He just shrugged his shoulder. "I'm not into games, Maelanie, but if you insist that I'm playing right now, then I'm willing to be a player for you."

I just rolled my eyes. I unconciously fanned myself with my hand. It's freaking hot!

"I'm serious." He said, out of the blue.

His stare is as hot as him. It was full of intensity, making my knees tremble. 

"Stop t-teasing me..." I heard the crack on my voice. I stuttered! Oh please, God help me!

"But you are my kind of tease." He answered then stepped closer.

I decided to went out of the room, but he held my arm and made me leaned the door, blocking with his body.

"I'm having a hard time confessing and telling these things, so please, take me seriously." I heard a plea in his voice.

I can feel his breath on my skin. I can smell a cool mint coming from him. Unaware, I put my hands on his chest.

"I'll wait." He whispered again. "While seducing you."

We stayed in that position for a few more seconds. His gaze is mesmerizing. I also felt his heartbeat in my hands. It was like a music with a sweet but intense melody.

I winced as I heard the buzzing sound of a buzzer. Someone is entering the room! 

I heard the buzzer again, making me escape from Yshmael's grip. I pushed Yshmael and opened the door, the same time the main room's door was opened.

I saw Greyson entering the room with two more male students.

"What are you doing here?" Yshmael asked, raising his brow.

One of the male students looked at me maliciously. He is tall and he has one dimple on his left cheek. "Why? Are we disturbing something, Yshmael?"

Yshmael chuckled.

"You are on my territory, Gregor. Watch your words." He calmly said but I hinted a threat on his voice.

Gregor smirked. 

"My apologies, Yshmael." The other students came between Yshmael and the one named Gregor. "I just need to complete my team in my department. And Maelanie's part of my department that's why I'm here. I'll just borrow her for today, Yshmael." He said while staring at me.

I tried finding what he'd said in my memory but I found nothing. I have no clue on what he's talking about.

Gregor raised his left brow. "It seems that you don't have any idea about our department and the festival, Little Miss."

He's mocking me. 

"She's currently a member of The Wardens, that's why she's quite busy. We gave her a lot of assignment," Greyson explained.

"I understand," the other guy commented and offered his hand. "I'm Leo Lee, the president of Chemistry Department, our department for the coming festival. Also, I want to know if you can participate for the final meetings and preparation for our department. I need all of my team members, the festival is just in a few days."

I quickly took his hands. 

I'm really out of myself lately! I made my Department's president find me!

"I'm sorry," I said sincerely. I can't believe that I really forgot the festival!

"It's alright." Leo said. "I know we're all busy as a students but I have to borrow your time for our department's final meeting."

"Sure. Sure." I nodded. 

Leo just stared at me blankly then turned to Yshmael.

"Then, we'll go ahead." He then turned his back and went outside the room. 

Gregor followed him.

I glanced at Yshmael, he playfully smiled at me. I just rolled my eyes as I ambled out of the room.

Leo and Gregor waited for me outside. They kept explaining while we're walking.

"We are producing our self made perfumes for the Festival or anything that involve scents like candles or artificial flowers and such." Leo said as we walked.

"Our target is the first and second day of the festival which is known as the Outsider's day," Gregor added. "Those days are the days that the Academy will let everyone enter Saint Augustine. The students and people outside the Hespheria, they are all welcome here. They will be also our customers for the said days. And we are talking about Saint Augustine's festival here, so we're expecting high profiled customers. That alone is our main reason why we have to produce products that are rare and more than what they're expecting." He added.

Leo glanced at me. "Our department's goal is to own the market during that days." Leo started briefing. "Saint Augustine gave us those kinds of customers. All we have to do is to entice them with our products."

I just listened. I'm amazed by the fact that they really put their thoughts to this event. Leo also wanted our product to be discovered by everyone. 

We reached a very huge laboratory, exclusively for our department.

The laboratory is really big and it has three parts. The left side is the biggest, it has also two parts: the first one is for the perfumes which are our main products and the other one is for our secondary self-made products, scented candles and scented artificial flowers in a glass jar.

That part is full of the finished products and though it has a glass wall, I can still smell the scent of the different variety of flowers they used.

The middle part is the testing area, I saw some students testing and experimenting some liquids.

The last part is the smallest part of the laboratory. It serve as a conference room that is obviously for meetings purposes. 

I'm embarassed just by looking at them. They are so busy with everything while I'm busy for digging some informations about the Aronzagas.

"This is our department's place, Maelanie. We have some finished products here and I heard you won as the Young Perfumist in your former school. That's why I want you to critique some of our products. So that we'll know if we need some enhancement or not." Leo said while accompanying me to a tall glass cabinet.

I saw the perfumes with a label on their bottle.

I felt excited as I smelled the mixed aroma on the air.

I remember myself when I'm younger. I still remember how I learned and studied scents. The memories of my younger self's dream is still on me. I can say that, that is one of the reason why I won as Young Perfumist in Vienna back then.

My eyes locked on the small bottle with a grizzled color. It looks like a bottle with water from the outside.

"We chose Four Seasons as our theme and this one is Harmony," Leo pointed the one I'm holding.

I nodded. I spayed some to a scent strip. I fanned the scent strip and let the scent envelope me.

Woods. Freshness. Nature. Blossoms.

I closed my eyes as I smelled the scent. The smell is evident. The scent of the perfume is familiar, but I'm sure that the familiarity is not from a perfume or such. I know, I smelled it somewhere.

"Spring." I uttered.

"You really have a strong sense of smell. This is our almost product three years ago." Leo explained.

"Almost?"

He was stunned. He looked around us. My forehead wrinkled as I observe him.

Everyone here is quite busy with what they are doing. Even Gregor is in his white robe while holding a test tube.

"Well, I have been a member of this department since three years ago. Our president back then suggested that we're launching our self made perfumes for our role in Festival. The whole deparent agreed, we did our best. Four Season is her idea also, and Harmony is her first ever self made perfume, but we failed to participate in that Festival."

"Why?" I asked nervously. 

He smiled sadly. "She disappeared few days before the festival. Since then, the Chemistry Department never participated in any Festival until now, I'm determined to launch her products."

Trembling, I lifted the bottle and took a peek on the initials under it.

"W.S." It's not yet confirmed but I have a hunch already.

"It stands for Wilemna Salazar." His voice is full of longing.

I held the bottle tightly. I don't need to connect the dots anymore. They are all coming to me, altogether.

❤