Unscented | I
from the Stellaluna Falls story universe
I must have offended the Moon Goddess, because Silas was in every class of mine this semester. I had the majority of classes with Cat as well, because we were majoring in the same degree — English. I recently found out that Silas was actually majoring in English as well as Jax. I have no idea why they decided English was a great major for their particular life paths. I mean both of them also were dual majors — English and Computer Science. I suppose it didn’t really matter what they majored in on the mundane level. They didn’t need to worry about making an impression. Their lives were already fated to go down a certain path.
The weekend classes that nonhuman creatures had are actually the ones that were significant. Even there, he and I seemed to follow the same path — Otherworldly Politics and Otherworldly History. I was a feminist at heart. It was probably due to my promise to my mom. It was almost like a rebellion against the natural order of things.
For a month, Cat and I went to our classes. I focused on my studies. I hadn’t answered any of Eli’s texts or calls even though my heat was last week. I probably looked like the walking dead, hopped up on sedatives. At least I wasn’t jumping anyone’s bones, right?
It had been getting stranger and stranger though. I noticed Silas and Jax watching Cat like a hawk whenever she was around. We were sitting in class and I noticed Cat shift in her seat. She was tense and squirming as her eyes focused upon something. I glanced in the direction she was looking in. Jax was staring right at her.
Of course, my eyes instinctively shifted to Silas and I got lost in his turquoise ones. Breaking eye contact, he elbowed Jax and whispered something to him. What the hell were those two up to?
For two years, Jax never took notice of Cat. Both of them never really paid much attention to her, because she was a human. Silas only did when he stepped in for that bullying situation, but other than that, he probably forgot she existed. But Jax never had any run-ins with Cat. He didn’t even know her name. He once called her Cara and Cat being a tongue-tied lovesick puppy was too flustered to correct him.
“Do I smell or something?” Cat whispered to me. “Am-Am I wearing my shirt inside out?”
I raised an eyebrow, looking her over to make certain it was on correctly. “Your shirt is on right. As for smell…” I breathed in for dramatic effect and smelled a strong scent of roses, blueberries, and pears. I paused in surprise. When did she start wearing strong perfume?
Horror crossed her face. “Oh, god, do I smell bad?”
“Relax. Relax.” I patted her hand. “You smell fine. You actually smell pretty good. Is that a new perfume?”
She frowned at that, glancing over at me strangely. “You know I don’t wear perfume.”
“You’re really not wearing perfume?”
Cat’s face fell. “Great. I stink and that’s why people keep staring at me.”
“People?”
“It’s not just them. Other people keep looking at me strangely when I walk by them. I stink.”
No, it was because your scent was much stronger for some reason! How did i not notice she smelled differently? She slouched in her chair. Humans usually didn’t have a strong scent. I sometimes smelled it on her when she was looking at Jax a little too long and probably daydreaming of him screwing her into the mattress.
“It’s not because of that,” I gasped. “Seriously. You don’t smell bad at all.” Just strong. Really strong. “Just tell them all to mind their business and fuck off.”
She cracked a smile at that, but she kept silent and looked ahead at Professor Everton. I chewed my bottom lip. Once again stole a look over at Silas and Jax, both were now looking at me. I knew they heard our conversation. I glanced over at Professor Everton and realized her back was turned for a moment to write something on the board. I quickly flipped them off with a matching dark glare to boot. They both just smirked at that before I rolled my eyes at them and refocused my attention on Professor Everton.
After class, Tyler met us halfway to the student center. Tyler put his arm around Cat and she quickly burrowed into him. My eyes scanned the faces of everyone we passed and I did notice the strange looks she was receiving. People would then whisper to each other and she would tense up even more at the attention.
Not wanting to eat dinner at the Dining Commons, we grabbed something quickly in the small cafe at the Student Center. We nabbed one of the tables with the comfy chairs lining the open windows. Even Tyler noticed the attention Cat was receiving and he glanced from her to me.
“Am I missing something?” he whispered.
Cat flushed. “Ivy literally said I stink.”
“I did not--”
I scowled at her, but Tyler cut in and looked guilty. “Oh, so you know?”
What the fucking hell? I glanced over at the idiot. I wanted to throw something hard at him. Cat’s face fell at that. She blinked back her tears and I knew she was just trying to keep herself together. I tossed half of my sandwich at Tyler and smirked triumphantly when it smacked into his face. It fell spectacularly over him.
“Fuck you, Statson.”
I rolled my eyes. “I didn’t say you stink, Cat.”
“Well, she smells slightly like wet dog--”
My eyes flashed. “You stupid vam…” Shit. I had to stop myself from finishing that sentence. I took a deep breath before addressing him, because Cat looked absolutely mortified now. “She doesn’t smell like a wet dog, you idiot. She smells like roses, blueberries, and pears. It might be strong, but she doesn’t smell like a wet dog.”
He snorted. “I don’t know what you’re on, but she doesn’t smell like that at all.”
“You know I’m right here, right?!” she gasped in exasperation. “I can hear you.”
“Babe, I’m sorry.” He sighed then shrugged. “Just take a shower or something, alright?” I shook my head at him. This was one of his crowning moments of stupidity. Cat was on the verge of crying and he didn’t get that at all. He groaned when his eyes focused on something. “What the hell? Why are they always around?”
I turned in my seat and spotted Silas, Jax, and the rest of his stupid inner Pact walk into the student center. People were quick to greet them. Popular little shits, weren’t they?
Silas stopped for a moment when some girl stopped him and chatted his ear off. Jax and the rest of the guys continued on. Tyler glowered at them as they walked passed our table, but not before, Jax glanced down at Cat. He almost stopped for a moment as concern colored his face. Well, at least he understood Cat was this close to having a meltdown and actually giving a shit! Russell ran right into him and they both stumbled a little before they walked into the cafe.
“I swear if he looks at her one more time, I’m going to deck him,” Tyler hissed.
Cat frowned, glancing over at her boyfriend. “Wh-What?”
“The stupid dogs--”
I growled and threw the other half of my sandwich. Great. Now my dinner was ruined by idiots. Tyler gave me a dirty look and rolled his eyes. “Calm your fucking tits.”
“Don’t ever talk about my tits, Tyler,” I clapped back.
My cheeks burned when Silas paused for a moment right in front of us, overhearing my statement. He looked back and forth between Tyler and me. What the fuck? Why did he always turn up at the stupidest times? I jumped to my feet and I got up into his face. My rainbow colored waves swung around my face, distracting him for a moment.
“Maybe, you shouldn’t eavesdrop on conversations,” I huffed at him, pushing my hair over my shoulder.
There was amusement in his eyes. “I’m a guy, Statson. Mention tits I’m probably going to stop even if it’s about yours.”
I heard Tyler actually laugh at that, but I didn't even look at the idiot since my eyes were watching turquoise eyes dropping from my face to my boobs. Embarrassed, I shoved him out of my way. Fucking guys and their stupid dicks. Or maybe stupid werewolf female hormones, because I was so turned on by Silas's attention to my boobs.
I walked back into the cafe to buy another sandwich. I avoided bumping into Silas as I crossed the area to get to the cashier. Once I paid for my stuff, I walked back over and found Cat and Tyler whispering something.
“What if it’s some sort of joke?” she asked.
Tyler shrugged. “I wouldn’t put it past them.”
“Joke?” I asked as I unwrapped my sandwich. Maybe I’d actually get through eating this damn thing this time.
Cat sighed. “What if it’s just some sort of joke or bet?” Her eyes shifted to Silas and the rest of the guys now just standing near the staircase that leads upstairs. “They all keep looking over here. They never knew I existed and now they’re always looking at me.”
The worry on Cat’s face bugged me. This girl already went through a lot of shit. She didn't need it from these stupid idiots. My eyes slid over to said stupid idiots in question. They were all whispering to each other like gossip queens and glancing over at Cat just like she said. I couldn’t make out the words completely, but they definitely did say her name.
Yep, that was it. I had enough. I was going to get down to the bottom of it. Before I could reevaluate what the fuck I was doing, I was heading over there. Was it wise to invade their territory? Probably not. Did I care? I made a promise to Mr. B and I intended to keep it.
“Ivy!” Cat squeaked. “Come back!”
My eyes locked on Silas and my frustration focused. Oh, yeah, it was going down. It pissed me off to no end that people picked on Cat. Sure, she was a little shy and socially awkward, but that gave them no excuse to torment the poor girl. It just made them weak not Cat.
