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Osmophobia. Chapter 4. Unstoppable. The next

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morning slowly yawned to life as a great lion.

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A beautiful sunrise was bathing the city skyline.

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Jade was out, as usual, on her morning walk.

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She had a noticeable bounciness and haste to

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her steps. It had nothing to do with that wolf.

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Nothing at all. At least, that's what she told

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herself. Still, she arrived earlier than usual

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for no particular reason. The air was more lively

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and warm today, the kind of air that made you

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feel more energized. The pond below the bridge

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was calm, glassy enough to reflect the vibrant

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morning sky. Jade leaned against the stone railing

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and stared down at the water, her reflection

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staring back up at her with wide, bright eyes.

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She replayed yesterday in her mind more than

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she cared to admit. The calling out? Her bracelet.

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His smile. The lack of everything she was used

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to. She rolled her jade charm between her fingers.

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How could one simple exchange get her in such

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a whirlwind? Get a grip, she muttered under her

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breath. Focus, Jade. It's not even like he was

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super cute. Just another moment in life. Still,

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kinda a cute moment. Jade turned and collapsed

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into her usual bench. Ugh, this is stupid. She

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laid horizontally on the bench, stretching out.

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That's when she noticed him. Jade twisted immediately

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and focused while hiding her face beneath the

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bench's metal armrest, though she could only

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hide so much with her huge tail swaying back

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and forth in the air. She could see Cedric down

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by a nearby tree with a sketchbook in hand, clearly

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engrossed in what he was sketching. He was wearing

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a red flannel and dark wash jeans. He had sleek

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black glasses and was masterfully sketching with

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precision. Jade was frozen where she lay, with

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only her face barely hidden. Okay, she thought

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to herself, what would a normal person do? Maybe

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go up to him? No, that's weird. Maybe pushy.

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He's working. Just leave him alone. But he said

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he would see me later, so... Is this... later?

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Too soon -ish, maybe? Jade caught herself in

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deep thought and jolted out of it with a shake

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of her head. When she looked back up, Cedric

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was looking her way, chuckling to himself. Jade's

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eyes grew wide and she readjusted herself quickly

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to be sitting in a normal pose. What are you

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doing? called out Cedric with a laugh. Jade blushed

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profusely. I'm... I'm a... I'm enjoying the view.

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She cringed. Really? Cedric smiled. Well, good

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morning, Jade. Jade's flushed face evened out.

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Good morning, Cedric. You can call me Rick if

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you want. Everyone does. Jade laughed. I like

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Cedric. It's fancy and, you know, I'm smart.

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He gave a warm laugh. Fine. What are you drawing?

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Cedric looked down at his work. Come and see!

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Jade froze mid -smile. She was being invited

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to come closer? That was new. She slowly got

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up and gently started walking towards him. She

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was hesitant with each step. Surely he wouldn't

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want her to get too close. He shuffled through

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his sketchbook, took off his glasses, and patted

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the spot next to him. Jade's tail fluffed. Next

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to him? Okay. She gently dashed over to him,

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trying not to make a sound. She was worried if

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she was too awkward, he may change his mind for

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some reason. As she got closer, her nose picked

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up something. Sandalwood. Strong sandalwood.

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He hadn't smelled like that yesterday. It was

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way too strong, but in a way, matched his mystique.

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She gently sat down next to the wolf, wrapping

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her giant tail around her legs. Take a look.

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I'd love the feedback. Jade took the sketchbook

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and the rest was pure enchantment. His art was

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stunning. The one he was working on was a beautiful

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cheetah descending a grand staircase. She turned

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the page. An old fox drinking tea in a beautiful

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cabin. Next page. Architecture of a skyscraper

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intricately drawn out with small pedestrians

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to scale at the base. That one was for a client.

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Not my best, but it'll do. Magnificent, she whispered.

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He snickered. Oh, come now, I wouldn't say all

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that. Jade was genuinely taken back, but not

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just from the art. Cedric didn't even flinch

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being this close to her. No, really, this is

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amazing. Wait, you said client, right? Yes, indeed.

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I'm a designer. I help with architectural designs,

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but my dream is to design fashion. Jade started

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to turn the page. Cedric jumped. Oh, wait. Too

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late. Jade looked down and saw a skunk. A skunk

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walking confidently down a city street with headphones

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around her neck. Jade gave a sly side -eye to

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Cedric. The wolf had a very embarrassed grin.

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I, uh, I draw from life. You inspired me. Jade's

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eyebrow raised. Cedric put on an adorable, awkward

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face. Jade's whole face went warm and a full

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laugh burst from her mouth. They both started

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laughing under the tree. Jade hadn't laughed

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like this in, well, like ever. She came up for

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air. Are you serious, dude? These are awesome.

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I look unstoppable. You think so? Well, yeah.

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I'm like doing a superhero walk. I wish. Well,

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hey, I draw what I see. He said, pointing to

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the drawing. This is what I saw yesterday, and

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you are a superhero skunk of awesomeness. He

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took the sketchbook gently back from Jade. Using

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a claw, he cut out the page from the book. Here,

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he said, passing her the picture. Jade looked

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at the drawing, to Cedric, and back at the drawing.

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Keep it, and never forget how unstoppable you

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are. Jade had never felt such pure joy. She reached

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out her paws and took the drawing. As she leaned

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in, she couldn't ignore the incredibly strong

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sandalwood smell. Uh, by the by, she added. Yes?

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You, uh, like no offense, are wearing way too

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much fragrance. Jade winced. Did that sound way

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too rude? Dang it. Cedric's eyes grew wide. Oh,

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yeah, my bad. I've always been told I overdo

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it. Yeah, sorry about that. I have an asthma.

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Jade's eyes went wide. I, um, uh, what? Cedric

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chuckled a little and took a breath. Oh, no worries.

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I can't smell. In that moment, the world froze.

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It almost felt like time itself took a breath.

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Yeah, he continued. My friends always used to

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tease me because I would put on way too much

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deodorant and all that. See, I can't tell, and

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I don't want to smell bad, and, well, it's a

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whole thing. He grinned. Jade realized she was

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just staring. Oh, um, yeah. No, that's fine.

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I got you covered. Maybe just one or two spritzes

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of fragrance will do it. I actually love wearing

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rose and vanilla scents. Cedric raised an eyebrow.

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Jade realized. Oh, sorry, they're like sweet

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and flowery kind of smells. He laughed warmly.

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I'll take your word for it. A small moment passed.

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Just a breath. Jade found herself smiling and

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just being. Hey, he spoke up excited. You know

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that bakery you passed yesterday? I love that

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place. Want to join me there tomorrow? Time took

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yet another frozen moment. Jade's jaw dropped

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and tail flicked in confusion. You don't have

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to, of course. No pressure. But it'd be fun.

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Yes! Jade said a hair too loud. Uh, duh, that

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sounds great. I've run past that place tons of

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times and never stopped in. She remembered yesterday's

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scowling faces like a knife wound. Good

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luck getting me in there. I don't think I'd be

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a popular customer. Cedric smiled. Leave that

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to me. He brushed his paw on her shoulder casually.

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And hey, you're a superhero, remember? No one

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can stop you. Jade lopped eyes with Cedric. See

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you tomorrow morning? Jade swallowed and the

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next words felt like reflex. Definitely. This

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has been Osmophobia. The story continues.