The mixing of scents was intoxicating. Almost 600 different scents mingling along with the pheromones exuded when we were nervous, excited, or feeling attracted to someone. It was one of the best parts of social gatherings. Pausing for a moment, I could tune in and out, experience them as a glorious whole like a symphony, or conversely, I could hone my senses to focus on a single scent in the crowd. I focused on my olfactory system, searching, exploring ... No vetiver. He hadn't come. Not that I thought he would, but I couldn't help feeling sorry for Cathy and some of those whose reason for attending the reunion was to see him. I, however, was relieved. I didn't know what I was going to tell people about our work relationship, and facing 598 people I never thought I'd have to see again was hard enough. The exception was Cathy, who looked radiant in her wine-colored dress. She was obviously having the time of her life, Charles or no Charles. She'd found a table with two chairs an

He drew me back to the table where his old high school friends sat pretending not to watch us. "Sorry, everyone. I've got to take Elena away. But it's been a blast." He began to shake hands with all the males at the table. The females got up too, giving him quick, distant hugs and pecks on the cheek. Jennifer was the last to come up to us. She looked at him with pouty eyes, put a hand on his chest and moved in closer. "Why don't you stay a little longer? The dancing is just getting started. I remember you having good moves." Charles smiled politely. "I think not." "Then at least take this," she said, holding a small scrap of paper close to her cleavage where his eyes would have to take in every curve. To my surprise, he looked down at me instead. "Ready?" I nodded. Jennifer's eyes went to me and she frowned. "Surely you two aren't..." Charles looked at her and smiled. "Aren't what?" "It's just... I mean..." "It was good to see you, Jennifer," Charles said firmly, putting a han

I woke up early and immediately began working.My employee handbook lay open on my desk, my highlighter out. I knew there were company policies about quitting without notice, but my research and journalism skills kicked in and found the exact phrases I needed to get around them."... hostile work environment...," I included. "Acknowledge I forfeit unemployment compensation..."By the time I was done, I knew I had a strongly worded document that would convince HR to leave me alone. I CC'd Charles and sent it off, feeling a weight leave my shoulders as the computer's whooshing send-noise accompanied the disappearing email.I stood, stretched, and then made breakfast. I wanted to start my job search right away. I had a little savings, but I also didn't want to blow it all at once. The sooner I was on my path to my dreams the better.I was halfway through my steak and eggs when my phone dinged. I picked it up, thinking it was Cathy."You'll regret this, Elena," it read. My mouth went dry a

The interior of the department was not at all what I expected. There were the same types of cubicles, but various styles of music came spilling out in a cacophony of sound. And while the soundscape was active, there was almost no actual movement. I looked around and saw an office at the far end with glass walls. Inside a tired looking woman sat staring at something on her screen. I went in that direction. As I passed the cubicles I glanced right and left, smiling at people who looked up, startled away from their phones or online shopping at their computers. I certainly wasn't a good judge, but it appeared people were doing more recreational things than working. The woman in the glass office looked up and saw me, making eye contact and beckoning me inside. She stood up briefly, her vaguely smoky scent pleasant and mild. "Elena?" "Yes." "Welcome to Social Scene. I'm Sally Lugano, but most people call me Sal." She reached her hand over her desk and shook mine. "Charles says you w

I was annoyed. And yet something was different. This time there was something in his smile that was daring me, something more childish, as if he was issuing a fun challenge rather than the aggressive, domineering commands I'd seen in the past few days. I thought back to high school. He wasn't the only person to be wrong judging outward appearances during that time. I'd obviously been wrong too. He'd thought I was a doormat and I thought he was perfect. Turns out neither of us had been correct. This version of him, however, was a little less horrible, a little more like someone I could deal with. That, combined with the way he was smiling at me with his blue eyes, made me smile back. "You're on. If Sally rejects my idea, I'll have dinner with you for the month." "At 8:30." "Yes, yes, fine. At 8:30. Why so specific?" He shrugged. "I have a schedule, and a guy gets hungry." * The orphanage's front was an imposing facade of brick and windows. It was stark and quiet, without any p