Sharp Edges

Alexander, not Alex or Al, stood six feet three inches and weighed two hundred and twenty pounds, all muscle. Everything about Alexander, from his male model looks to his perfectly tailored attire, was the epitome of the well-put-together man. His wit was every bit as sharp as his appearance. By simply walking into a room, Alexander commanded everyone’s attention.

Katherine, not Kat or Katie, exuded confidence and beauty in equal measure. She had the body of a well-trained athlete. Her face radiated a soft, disarming smile, and her deep blue eyes were those of an enchantress. Katherine’s ensemble was sophisticated and tastefully seductive. Her intellect bordered on genius. Katherine’s mere presence sucked the oxygen from any room.

Given the social circles, the two moved in, it was inevitable they would find themselves at the same event. Alexander and Katherine entered from either side of the banquet hall where a charity event drew much of the state’s social elite. The attendees milled around, sipping drinks and making small talk. The women—some married, others single—casually encircled Alexander, hanging on his every word. Operating in full seduction mode, they casually placed a hand on his arm or chest, pretending to emphasize some obscure point in the story being told. A few women pushed their shoulders slightly forward to enhance the cleavage visible in their low-cut cocktail dresses. The attention stoked Alexander’s ego into a barely containable inferno.

On Katherine’s side of the hall, men followed her every move like rutting bulls. They regaled her with tales of long-past sports heroics or a significant business victory that only happened because of their perceived dynamism. They were at Katherine’s mercy to do with what she pleased. Their attention was intoxicating, even for someone accustomed to being fawned over by the opposite sex.

The event was about to begin. As is usual at gatherings like this, couples had separated and wandered off to speak with friends and acquaintances. Now it was time to find their partners and take their assigned seats. Several women stubbornly remained in Alexander’s orbit; likewise, several men refused to leave Katherine’s side, much to the consternation of their significant others. Men glared at Alexander as they guided their partners to the waiting tables muttering, “Back off, she’s with me!” The women were far less restrained when it came to reclaiming their escorts from Katherine’s spell. The word “bitch” was uttered more than once. The proverbial knives were out by both male and female attendees.

Music played as the master of ceremonies stepped to the podium and gently but firmly asked everyone to be seated. All eventually complied and took their assigned seats, except for Katherine and Alexander. The two people magnets faded into the background and out through the main entrance.

Once outside, the couple didn’t appear as irresistible as they had minutes earlier. Their animal magnetism diminished in the evening breeze. A short man with a poor attempt at a comb-over and a pronounced paunch approached the two.

“So, did things go as expected?”

“Much better than we thought it would, Professor,” replied Alexander.

“We had them eating out of our hands,” interjected Katherine. “People were so attached to us I thought a brawl might break out when their partners came to drag them away.”

“Well, I’ll review the data, but I think it’s time to market this unique pheromone-based fragrance. With this product, even someone like me might get the occasional date. I think we should call it, Sharp Edges,” proclaimed the Professor.

“Social Disruption, is a more realistic name,” quipped Alexander. The trio laughed and headed back to the lab satisfied with the results.