Samuel couldn't believe the sales pitch for the perfume, but then in his situation he figured he no longer had anything to lose. At 24, he had watched all his friends form stable relationships, some even getting married and having children. But he was unable to hold onto anyone for more than the first few dates. Was he entirely to blame? Or was it just bad luck? Either way his self-confidence eroded further with each woman who ghosted him, until he was firmly sure he was destined to be single.
That wasn't so bad, really, since the process had also made him lose interest in actual, physical relationships.
That was until he met Fiona.
He had never understood what "love at first sight" meant until he saw her. Tall, pale, with flaming red hair and a dusting of freckles across her face, big green eyes and an hourglass figure... she was almost unfairly perfect, the kind of person who turned heads regardless of gender or orientation. When she walked into a room, people noticed. When she left, people would start talking - about her.
And damn if she wasn't out of his league. Oh, he had chatted with her, made small talk, worked with for projects, had drinks with her and friends... but he could not bring himself to ask her out. Samuel was so hopelessly in love that he was convinced that she'd laugh at him and never talk to him again. At least being able to hang out with her is better than not seeing her at all.
Then he found the perfume. "What have I got to lose?" he had said to himself. And that's how he had ended up in his room, staring at the mirror. His parents were out for the time being so he had some privacy (he didn't like having to live with them any more than anyone else does). He had finally managed to get a strand of Fiona's hair off the chair where she had been sitting - it could only be Fiona's, long and red as it was. Of course, nothing would have made him take a pair of scissors to her lustrous locks.
Samuel dropped the hair into the bottle and took a deep breath, looking at himself in the mirror. A 6'0'' white man, with short black hair, brown eyes, and average build. Okay, maybe slightly chubby, he thought with a wince. Nothing special. Nothing that stood out. Dead average. But if I'm what Fiona finds most attractive... she'll be all over me. It has to work.
He grabbed the perfume and, wincing, sprayed himself several times, and once more for good measure.
"How... long is this supposed to take?" he said out loud, already beginning to feel silly.
He wouldn't have to wait long, but the results may not be what he was expecting.