Vanilla Cologne

I remembered it was a sunny Saturday afternoon. Me and my parents were going to the mall. I looked out the car window. My parents were happily chatting while I quietly sat at the backseat of the car.

As we arrived at the mall, my mother told me that I could walk around the mall by myself while they went grocery shopping but I had to meet them back at the parking lot after an hour.

I nodded and quickly said goodbye. 

For half an hour I roamed around the mall, going into random stores and stopping at food stalls to eat. I went and sat down on the nearby bench infront of my favorite store. I always went to that store every time I went to the mall.

It was the Local Scents Shop. They sell perfumes, colognes and scented candles. I went inside and quickly went to the aisle where the colognes were.

The reason why I love going to this store so much is because of the vanilla cologne they sell. I love the scent of vanilla. Although I've never bought the cologne ever because it was for girls.

That day there was a girl about my age who was looking at colognes. Her face was covered by her long straight brown hair. I was curious to see her face. I was even more curious when I noticed she was infront of the vanilla cologne bottles.

I went nearer and pretended to browse at random colognes but I was actually observing her through my peripheral vision. She got a bottle of vanilla cologne and went to the cashier to pay. 

As she passed, she smelled just like vanilla. I followed her. She was done paying and was leaving the store. 

I finally saw her face and was struck in awe. She was beautiful. Her eyes were bright and green like jade, she had a small straight nose, her cheeks were flushed in the lightest pink and her lips were  perfect and full.

I stared at her like a blind man who aquires sight and sees the sun for the first time. She probably felt uneasy and creeped out so she hurriedly left the store. She dropped her vanilla cologne in her hastiness. I picked it up and looked for her but she was nowhere to be found.

That was the first and the only time that I saw her. Ever since then I went to that store every Saturday hoping she would come, but she never did.

It was forty years ago. I am now an old man. Today is a Saturday and I am going to visit the store.

I go inside and look around to see if she is here but just like every Saturday afternoon I didn't see her. I smile sadly and start heading to the exit. I accidentally bump into a lady.

She smelled just like vanilla.