'Hello.'

The doorbell rings as I run up to the door and open it up to see Mariah. She's dressed casually and comfy with her oversized t-shirt and baggy shorts. I don't know how she makes boring clothes look so fashionable.

Mariah walks in and sits on my couch as usual; we get ready for our monthly binge of Community. I'm more of a fan while Mariah tags along since I finally convinced her after weeks of sulking.

'Brooke, are you rich?'

I look back at Mariah. 'You serious or are you joking?'

"I'm being serious. You're out here with a hoodie made out of rare material That's designed by this expensive designer, Rouge. How the hell did you get that?'

Mariah picks up the same hoodie which Derek almost wanted throughout. The coffee stain was visible, but the hoodie still looked great.

'So, what's the original price.... since I got it at a different price online.'

'$500.'

I cough, fighting to swallow whatever comes up my windpipe. 'Thank God, I got it cheap. I-it was the last one too.'

'Yeah. How lucky. Now come on, back to the show.' Mariah turns up the volume and sits down awkwardly.

Please don't tell me she's like this because I didn't tell her. Hopefully, she's not that petty. I look back at the hoodie and feel the material made from it. I can feel my monthly water bill as stroke the hoodie in order. I smell the hoodie and get a whiff of caffeine and a strange, sweet smell. I couldn't put my finger on it and continuously smelt it. It wasn't perfume as both males and females still have some strong qualities in their aroma.

'You weirdo.'

I look up to see Mariah looking at me. 'Stop smelling your own hoodie.'

I place the hoodie down before getting a sudden realisation - this is Derek's hoodie.

I felt my cheeks go bright red. He mostly likely wore this a lot (since this was his favourite hoodie) and I'm over here smelling it like no tomorrow.

What's wrong with me?

Wait, wouldn't that mean that Derek smells like that? Weirdly sweet. The sudden urge I have to smell it again is immeasurable.

Jesus, Brooke. Calm yourself down.

You're not this wild animal who smells people's scents. That's weird. So weird.

Thank God Mariah doesn't know that's Derek's hoodie I'm smelling casually.

***

'Have you ever smelled someone else's clothes?'

It's a different day, this time I'm at Eloise's house, baking caramel slices. We had finished pouring in the caramel layer and placed the baking tray in the fridge.

Eloise looks back at me as if I murdered a man.

'W-what.... w-who....Brooke.' Eloise rubs her forehead before checking my temperature and vitals.

'You must be crazy. Are you regularly going into strangers' houses and-'

'No! What! W-why would I do that? I am just curious since I saw it on the internet. That's all.'

Eloise gives me a look. 'Some people do it but get attracted to the smell a little bit too much. I swear people on the internet are complete weirdos.'

I avoid eye contact. 'Yeah. Weirdos.'

I must be going insane. I gotta buy some scented candles later.

Vanilla maybe.