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Ocean slumped in the school alleyway, her hands shaking and her head swarming with thoughts.
She couldn't get this thought away, the thought of smoking.. the thought of her parents being proud of her smoking.
Her hands shakily reached into her satchel bag, grabbing the pack of cigarettes and a lighter.
She swallowed loudly, taking one out of the box and lighting it.
She hated this. Yet she couldn't stop it. This had been happening every day for the past few months.
Every time she dragged the lighter back into her bag, she remembered how it cruelly started.
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She was clean. Every time her parents offered her a smoke, a puff of weed or bottle of alcohol she declined.
She was good.
She was strong.
But one night changed everything.
She walked out of her room, tip toeing to the kitchen to get a glass of water.
Most of the glasses were soaked in weed, so she was careful with which one to choose.
She took a glass, pouring an old jug of water into it, just half of the glass.
She left her glass on the counter, going to the bathroom. Stupid desicion.
When she walked out to the kitchen, she drank the glass of water.
So dumb. So naive and dumb.
It tasted off. Vividly like alcohol. She dropped the glass, it shattering like the pieces of her sobriety.
She ran to the sink, spitting out the remaints of her drink.
She was too late.
Her mother must of drugged the glass or something, but it was ruined.
Years of sobriety gone in a chug of alcohol induced water.
Ocean was one to get drunk with one shot, so she could barley stand up straight.
Her mother walked over to her, smiling sinisterly.
"Do you want a cigarette dear?" She smiled, taking one out of her pocket and lighting it, putting it into Ocean's hand.
Ocean was pressured. She shakily took it to her mouth.
Thats where it all started.
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She brang the cigarette to her mouth, slowly breathing it in and out.
She stared at the brick wall.
She wasn't meant to be this.
"Ocean?" A deep voice called out, making Ocean jump and drop the cigarette.
His eyebrows furrowed, before he looked down and saw the burnt cigarette on the ground.
She stared at him, tears pricking in her eyes. Shit.
"Is that.. yours?" He asked, his accent thickening.
She looked away, curling up into a ball. God, why did he have to see her doing this.
He slowly walked over to her, dropping his bag next to him as he knelt down to her.
"Why?" He asked, concern in his voice.
"It's- It's nothing." She shakily said, her voice becoming more quiet.
He looked at her worried, not knowing what to do.
"Do you want hug?"
She looked at him, tears streaming down her face.
"Yes." He pulled her in, as she leaned into him, staining his shirt with years of built up tears.
He rubbed her back soothingly, until she was calmed down.
"Why do you smoke cigar?" He asked, his voice thick with worries.
"I.." She cleared her throat, before replying.
"My mother got me addicted to smoking.. a few months ago." She replied, voice barley audible.
"Oh." He whispered, looking at her fragile frame. How could they do that to her?
He frowned, as it all clicked into place.
The way Ocean always looked tired and agitated during choir, the way her clothes stunk of smoke.
"I used to smoke." He said, his accent thick.
"You did?" She asked, looking up at him with concern.
"Yeah. When my mama brought me here." He sighed before continuing,
"It took a while to stop smoking." He admitted, looking at the brick wall.
"I stopped, but it was hard."
Ocean looked at him, seeing a new more vulnerable side of him.
"Oh."
Ocean stared at the ground, feeling ashamed.
"Hey."
Ocean looked up at him, eyebrows furrowing.
"It will not be uhm- easy." He cleared his throat before replying,
"But I will be here with you. "
He put his hand on hers, holding it.
She smiled.
She had an addiction to fight.
But she didn't have to do it alone.