Alan was squatting down and reflecting over his life when he heard Rui's giggling.
The thread of rationality finally snapped. " are you serious? You think its funny?"
Rui denied verbally yet still kept grinning. " No! no, I don't think it is funny. It is just… you look super cute in pink."
Alan yelled with all his might, " first, I am not cute, I am handsome. Second, its not pink, its peach blossom color. Get your facts straight."
But peach blossoms are pink too. Rui thought in her head but didn't let it out , " Okay. It's 'peach blossom' and you look handsome. Now, tell me what is the matter? Did someone bully you?"
Alan sighed a long sigh, " Rui, who'd bully me? Nothing of that sort happened. Its just my fucked up luck. You remember that night one month ago, when you and I got trapped in orgy sex party?"
Rui frowned and became serious, " Yeah. How can I forget?"
" You remember the guy we were following, the heir of Richards group?"
Rui was now getting an ominous feeling about this, " Don't tell me, he is here."
Alan eyes brightened, " Exactly! He is here… in my class.. in my major. That ice cold jerk gives me chills. Rui, what am I gonna do?"
" Wait.. he is here? Really? Oh my god!" Rui was shocked. Both of them were speechless, offending someone so high profile, is unaffordable for omegas like them. It felt like the fate was playing with them. What if he found out? How are they ever gonna face such a giant? They kept dwelling over it when the light bulb in Rui's head lighted up.
"Alan, you jerk. You gave me a heart attack. What's there to be scared of. You don't remember? We were wearing masquerade masks the whole time. We never took them off. He never saw our faces. He never gonna recognise us." Rui relaxed and placed hand on his shoulder, " You jerk, how can you act so dramatic."
It suddenly dawned upon Alan that Rui was indeed right. He never took off his mask. So, that guy actually never saw his face. Therefore, most probably he will never know that they were the one who stalked him that day. Alan relaxed too.
What a nuisance, he was worried for nothing. Both of them giggled and guffawed for a while. Then, Rui got call and they headed back to the cafeteria for lunch.
When they were outside the cafeteria, a handsome guy with jet black hair welcomed them, " Rui, where did you run off to? When I got back from the counter and saw you nowhere, I thought you ran away. Thank god, you didn't." the gentleman finally noticed Alan standing next to him." This is?"
" Oh I am sorry. Let me introduce you to my friend, Alan. Alan, this is Ben, my classmate from elementary school." Rui replied.
" Ouch! Classmate? That sounds so distant. Aren't we childhood friends?" Ben teased Rui.
" Excuse me. I don't want a friend who didn't even contact me for years. And also, I am an omega now, I can not afford friendship of a magnanimous alpha like you." Rui replied with sarcasm. " Alan, let's go. I am hungry."
Several years ago, Rui and her family used to live in the suburbs. When she went to elementary school, she made her first friends. Ben was one of them. Ben and Rui were best friends in elementary school. They were so cute and inseparable that everyone called them the three musketeers. There friendship was so cute and pure that others used to envy them. But after graduating, they never saw each other again.
Somehow,they were in the same major now and were able to meet again after such a long time. It all felt surreal. Even though, Rui was an omega now and they stood on different levels of social hierarchy, they still trusted each other. Maybe, this is what childhood friendship does to you. Years pass and season change but friends from childhood always hold a special place for each other in their heart.
The three of them sat down and started chatting to each other. Alan was quite vigilant about this newcomer. Subconsciously, he kept secreting the pheromones against this alpha who approached them. After the therapy, he has learnt how to slow down the secretion but being in presence of an unknown alpha accelerated the secretion. While Rui was unable to notice it, Ben felt a little disgusted by the smell of burning wood. He fidgeted and felt uncomfortable all over. Alan realised the situation and stood up, " you guys continue to talk. I have to call someone. I will be in a minute." He walked out inorder to calm down.
He went away and so did the smell. Ben was amused, so it was really him who secreted such awful pheromones.
" Wow! That was shocking. How do you even deal with this guy?" Ben tried to laugh it off.
" What? What do you mean?" Rui frowned.
" I mean that smell. How can you even sit next to him. Oh god! That smell is just suffocating. Is he a savage or something?"
"Hey! Mind your tongue. Do not disrespect my friend in front of me. What the hell is all about this smell? He smells like sandal wood and I like his scent. I really will not tolerate you offending him like that." Rui was stern. Alan was like a brother to her and she will never stand someone disrespecting him.
Ben sat there all confused. He definitely smelled charcoal, so what is the sandalwood scent Rui is talking about. He really felt like he touched Rui's reverse scales. Are his senses betraying him? How could that be? An alpha can differentiate scents since his youth. He can't be wrong. But then, what is all this about?
" Wait, you don't smell charcoal and alcohol like scent. As if a whole green tree and it's ripened fruits are set on fire?" Ben saw Rui's expression getting cold. " Rui, I am not messing with you. It was definitely a very suffocating smell. I swear to god, I had no intention of disrespecting you or him." Ben replied with sincerity.
If it was before, Rui would have punched the person by now. But now, she knew everything she needed to know. She wasn't the same old naïve person anymore who would lose her temper without a reason. "Oh no. I get it. Actually Alan is a savage omega and his glands dysfunction sometimes. You are a stranger to him. Maybe that's why it got out of hands."
"Oh… I am really sorry. I had no idea." Ben lowered his head. Ben wasn't exactly a gentleman but for the people he cared about, he was always soft. He really wanted to be friends with Rui and he wasn't ready to lose this friend for such a stupid reason. Yet he was still confused, " I don't get it. Why didn't you smell that odour while you were just sitting next to him?"
" I don't know the real reason too. But Alan says, it's because he doesn't feel threatened by my presence and my pheromones calms him down." Rui replied after thinking for a while.
" Wow…so you are special for him?" Ben was a little jealous.
Rui gave a warm and gentle smile. " Yeah. I guess. We are both really special to each other."
Ben was stuck by lightning. That smile, that gentle serene smile, he has missed this smile for so long. The smile that he fell for. This person right in front of her was his first love and his only love. Back then, she used to smile like this too, for someone else. Just like she does right now. How he wished, this smile was for him. How he wished he could just steal this person and her smile. This sense of déjà vu was heartbreaking. For once, just for once, can she smile like that for him. Ben contemplated.
Rui saw the dazed expression on Ben's face and felt a little guilty, " Hey Ben, I am sorry too. I think I went too far. I just get overprotective when it comes to Alan."
Ben was envious. What's there to be protective about? Isn't he capable enough? Even though he was an omega, he was as tall as him. Why does that pink baby needs protection? The lava slowly overflowed out of Ben's head. His volcano of jealousy was active now.
"Oh…he is back. Here, I will sit next to you. You just focus on my scent and you won't feel that uncomfortable anymore." Rui stood up and sat on the opposite side.
" Okay. Isn't this a blessing in disguise." Ben grinned and whispered to himself. He was feeling ecstasy. His first day of college turned out to be so beautiful. Oh god…this mesmerising scent of rose petals…
" Did you say something?" Rui asked.
" Who? Me? No. No." Ben shook
his head. Then after some thought, he said, " Rui, how about this, whenever we all hangout together, always sit next to me. That way, it won't be uncomfortable for all of us."
Rui thought this idea was great. If Alan will make new friends, won't that be better. She replied with a smile, " sure."
" Thank you so much." Ben beamed with smile. (My man took the opportunity to seal the deal.)
" Oh no. Don't thank me. I am doing this for Alan. I don't want him to feel embarrassed about himself. Other than his scent, he has so much to him. He is a great guy and I hope you will try to understand him." Rui replied.
Boom. The volcano erupted.
Jealous… Ben felt so jealous.
Alan, who just came back after calming himself down saw Rui and Ben sitting together. He suddenly felt a sudden air of hostility from the other side. Has he done something wrong?
" Ahem! You guys didn't order yet?" Alan asked.
Rui smiled, " We were waiting for you. Now let's order our regular menu. Ben, what do you wanna eat?"
Ben was shocked. Regular menu? How many meals did these two had together?
" Ben? Hey Ben?" Rui interrupted Ben's train of thought. " are you okay?"
" Yeah. I am. You guys order first, I am waiting for my brother." Ben replied.
Rui's eyes popped out, " Your brother? Are you talking about Mike? Tell me that's not true." Rui grabbed Ben's hand.
" Yeah. It is him. You remember him?" Ben asked, a little disappointed. Mike was the third musketeer and his maternal cousin. When they were young, they lived together and went to the same elementary school. They both were the first friends Rui made at school. And Mike was the other person that Rui used to smile for.
" Offcourse. How can I forget him? He used to like my scent so much that he always followed me around. He even asked me to marry him when we were kids. He was the cutest kid and I liked him so much back then… how is he? He goes here too? Oh my god…this is so exciting," Rui giggled.
" Oh." Ben felt extremely sad. How she failed to recognize him but remembered his brother? How she failed to remember him protecting her, but remembers his brother following her? Maybe, he was nothing but background to her. An extra who wasn't even necessary in her life.
" There he is." Ben pointed at the entrance.