Scent and Insensiblity

Levi was freaking out. He was working his part time job cleaning the Biotechnology building and he smelled like disinfectant. That wouldn't normally be a problem, but he had his history class immediately afterwards and the fates or the gods or some other supernatural entity with a cruel sense of humor had made caused Professor Paulson to assign Eric to a small group project with what had to be the two hottest women on campus.

Deja Hansen was of Indian and Swedish parentage, with cinnamon skin and glossy black hair and a figure that defied explanation. Rhiannon Burns was an Australian attending school in the U.S. to play soccer, her long auburn hair in a constant ponytail, her long toned legs on constant display.

And Monday, when they sat down to discuss their group project, both women had immediately started wrinkling their perfect noses. They scooted as far back from Levi as they could and still communicate. They cut off the brainstorm session as soon as they could. Levi couldn't believe what he thought was good luck turned out to be the worst luck.

So he had planned for today. He came in early. He did the disinfectant work first and trash collection last and he woul have just enough time to bike to his dorm, get a quick shower and change of clothes, then get to class.

And then Dr. Brainerd found him and accused him of ignoring the note he ledt telling him about a Candida outbreak in his incubator. Levi could have sworn there was no such note when he started work, but he'd been **** to clean and sterilize the the incubator and now he smelled like disinfectant AND fungus with 15 minutes until class. Fuck!

He rushed tobthe men's room to see what he could do. He washed his hands and face and cursed himself for not at least stuffing a clean shirt and some body spray in his backpack.

And then he remembered the cologne bottle. He had found it in one of the lab trash cans, one of the ones for paper towels and such, not biohazards. Still, it had annoyed him. There was glass recycling just outside the building! He had pocketed it, planning to recycle it on the way out.

He pulled it out. The bottle was unlabeled. He hesitantly sniffed it. It actually smelled good! Better than disinfectant and fungus, at least! What did he have to loose? He spritzed his neck and wrists an did a quick spritz down tge front of his pants for good measure. He'd probably smell like an 8th grade dance party, but it was bound to be better than when he started.

He rushed to his bike and booked it across campus in record time, oblivious to the chemical reaction going on as his sweat mixed with the mysterious cologne and residual disinfectant. He was only vaguely aware that he smelled better than he thought he would.