Losing and winning, Part 2

This fictional account contains adult language and themes.  If such language
and themes offend you, please do not read farther.  Copyright 1999 by
SSTORYMAN.  All rights reserved.  Permission is granted to reproduce this
story in any form and for any purpose as long as this notice is reproduced
and no financial remuneration is received, directly or indirectly, by the
person reproducing it.

LOSING AND WINNING

2.	Like Mother, Like Daughter.

	Kate Carlson looked at her watch.  It was after six on Tuesday night.
Kim was late.  But that didn't surprise Kate.  Every time they got together,
Kim was late.  A waitress took Kate's order.  Kate explained she'd be joined
by a friend.  In the meantime, she ordered a Diet Pepsi.

	Kate lit a cigarette.  She looked at the pack of Marlboro Lights
100's.  It was her pack!  She smiled as she exhaled an initial cloud of
smoke.  A lot had happened in the last week.  As she took her second drag,
Kate reminisced about that first meeting with Kim last Tuesday....

	For several months Kate had been working in her dad's office after
school.  In tax season, everyone at the office was stressed.  It was
difficult working with people who were all older.  After all, she was only
16.  She liked Kelly, her dad's receptionist, but Kelly was 30.  At 25, Kim
Kettering was the only one in the office close to her age.  For some strange
reason, Kim seemed willing to be her friend.

From the start, Kate adored Kim.  She was coolness personified.  Kim was
everything Kate hoped to be; a woman of the world; independent, insolent and
glamorous.  She liked how Kim talked.  It was so ... irreverent.  Kim used
profanity without embarrassment.  Kate liked that.  If she talked "tough,"
she felt self-conscious.  But Kim never gave a second thought to how people
reacted.

	When first Kim suggested they get together last Tuesday after work,
Kate was thrilled.  She knew Kim would need to smoke, so she got them a table
in the restaurant's smoking section.  She remembered how their conversation
began that fateful night ....

	"Sorry I'm late," Kim apologized, taking a seat.  She looked
gorgeous, but then, she always did, with her blond hair and beautiful face.
"I had to buy cigarettes," she went on.  "I haven't had one since lunch.
Fuck!  I hate running out."  She paused to light one from the pack she'd just
opened.  "Oh, God!" she sighed, after taking a long drag.  "That's the best
feeling in the entire fuckin' world!"  She took another hit and again inhaled
deeply.  "That's much better," she smiled with satisfaction, letting smoke
slowly escape from her nostrils in twin streams.  "Do you smoke, Kate?"

	Kate was surprised by the question.  "No," she sputtered.  "I don't."

"Don't be embarrassed," Kim laughed.  "Tell the truth!  You've never even
_tried_ a cigarette?  Not even once?"

	Kate smiled, now even more embarrassed.  "No," she whispered shyly.

	"God, too fuckin' bad," Kim retorted, with a superior air.  "Have you
ever thought about smoking?"

	"Oh, yeah," Kate admitted cautiously.  "A friend of mine at school
smokes.  She's been smoking for a year now.  Her mom smokes, so she steals
her cigarettes.  But her mother doesn't know or, if she does, she's never
said anything about it."

	"Really?" Kim asked eagerly.  She seemed genuinely interested.
"What's your little friend's name?"

	"Alyssa.  Alyssa O'Brien."

	"Alyssa," Kim repeated slowly, letting the word roll off her lips.
"Alyssa.  Ah, that's a pretty name.  Alyssa must enjoy smoking.  Otherwise
she wouldn't got to all that trouble.  I mean, she has to sneak around like
that all the time.  Tell me, Kate.  Has Alyssa ever encouraged you to smoke,
too?"

	While waiting for an answer, Kim took another long drag.  She
conspicuously inhaled the smoke and held it inside.  As she did, her breasts
elevated slightly, as if to clear the way for the maximum amount of smoke
inside.  To demonstrate her enjoyment, Kim turned her head and slowly exhaled
a tight stream of blue-gray smoke through smiling lips.  The significance of
this performance was not lost on Kate.  It did look like fun!

	"Yeah, Alyssa teases me about trying it," Kate admitted, watching
Kim's luxurious exhale.  "Alyssa likes smoking.  You look like you enjoy
smoking, too."

	"I do.  I love smoking," Kim nodded enthusiastically.  "I started
smoking when I was about your age."  She gave a wicked smile.  "You should
try it, Kate."  She offered her pack.  "Want one?"

	Kate hesitated.  "I don't know," she replied.  "I'm not sure."

	"Oh, go on," Kim urged with a licentious grin.  "What have you got to
lose?  All that bullshit about smoking you hear in school is just that - it's
pure bullshit!  The truth is, smoking is fun.  I never regretted learning to
smoke.  Alyssa likes it.  You will, too."

Kate smiled as she remembered this simple conversation.  In fact, she had
been quite curious about smoking.  A lot of cool kids at school smoked.
Alyssa was one of those, and she'd been Kate's best friend for years.  Alyssa
loved to smoke.  She smoked extra long cigarettes, called Max Menthol 120's.
Alyssa looked so classy holding a cigarette between her fingers.  More than
once, she'd encouraged Kate to try one.  She was intrigued, but afraid.  Last
Tuesday night she admitted that to Kim.

	"I am curious.  But I don't know how my parents would react."  Kate
hesitated.  "No, I do know.  I'd be crucified if they found out.  That's why
I haven't.  God, my parents would kill me if I started smoking."

	Kim laughed, as if she knew a delicious secret.  "No shit?  Well, if
that's your only fear, don't worry.  We'll keep it our own private, little
secret," she whispered in a conspiratorial tone.  Kim's confident smile and
the determination in her blue eyes clearly communicated to Kate that she
wouldn't take 'no' for an answer.

"No one else will know," Kim went on.  "Unless you want them to know.
Otherwise, it'll just be between the two of us girls.  You might be wrong
about your parents.  For example, your dad is pretty cool with me smoking in
his office."  She smiled again, the smile of a woman who was pleased with
herself.  "He relaxed the office no-smoking policy for me when I asked.  I'll
bet your dad wouldn't be as pissed as you think if he knew you smoked.  But
of course, there's no need for him to find out."  She smiled and held out her
pack again.  "Go ahead.  Take one."

	Kate hesitated.  Then she decided:  Hell, why not?  Kim was right.
No one else would ever know.  She had an opportunity to experiment with it,
right here, right now, with no risk.  She was curious about it.  Shit!  This
was great.  It was a golden opportunity, one not to be missed.

	"Okay," Kate announced defiantly.  She reached out and removed a
cigarette from Kim's outstretched pack of Marlboro Lights 100's.  "What the
hell," she smiled.  "Why the fuck shouldn't I try it?"

	"Good girl!" Kim replied with delight.  "I promise, you won't regret
this!"  Slipping her own cigarette into her mouth, Kim picked up her lighter
and flicked it for Kate.  The flame burned bright.  "This is going to be so
much fun," she giggled, allowing her cigarette to dangle as she talked to her
protégé.

	Kate raised the cigarette to her lips and easily caught the flame.
She'd seen Alyssa do this many times.  She knew enough not to inhale, at
least not yet.  The smoke tasted bitter, but not as bad as she expected.

Kate smiled again.  She remembered how Kim smoked with her last Tuesday,
carefully coaching her how to hold the cigarette, how to puff, and so on.
She'd felt pleased and excited.  Smoking was much easier than she
anticipated.  Becoming accustomed to the flavor and the feeling of smoke in
her mouth wasn't hard.  All in all, the first cigarette was fun.  But Kate
particularly grinned as she remembered her first inhale.  That occurred with
her second cigarette of the evening, which she smoked after dinner.

Kate pulled the smoke down into her lungs.  "Oh my God," she gasped, holding
it inside her young body for the first time in her life.  Her lungs tingled
with pleasure.  The feeling was so satisfying!  It felt wonderful!  Kate
pursed her lips and blew a plentiful stream of blue-gray smoke into the air.
"Oh my God," she repeated.  "That was so cool!"

"You like it?" Kim asked rhetorically.

Kate nodded enthusiastically.  "God, I love it," she smiled.  "I feel a
little dizzy, but man, what a rush!"  She returned the cigarette to her lips.
"I want to try it again."

"Go ahead," Kim smiled pleasantly.  "My philosophy is, if you enjoy it, keep
doing it, again and again!  Don't stop."  She watched as Kate took a long
drag and again inhaled smoke into her virgin lungs.  "Feels pretty damn good,
doesn't it?" she said confidently.

Kate grinned and nodded enthusiastic agreement.  "Shit, yes!" she whispered.
Very slowly this time, she exhaled another voluminous stream of milky white
smoke.  "This is great," she gasped.  Wisps of smoke accompanied her words
this time.  "No wonder you and Alyssa love to smoke!  God, I feel good!"

"Of course you do," Kim sighed happily.  "Some people don't react so
positively when they're inhaling smoke.  You're taking to it like a fish to
water."  Kate began a repeat performance.  "Be careful," she warned.  "Don't
overdo!  Don't make yourself sick."

"Like hell."  Kate smiled as she wrapped her lips around the filter and began
another hit.  This time she sucked harder, hollowing her cheeks like she'd
seen Kim and Alyssa do.  As she finished the drag, she inhaled.  When she
did, Kate's breasts visibly lifted up, just as Kim's did, as she allowed her
lungs to receive as much smoke as possible deep inside.

"You look like you're having fun," Kim commented dispassionately, blowing
smoke of her own into the air from between pursed lips.

"No kidding," Kate gasped, straining to retain the inhaled smoke in her lungs
as long as she could.  Finally, unable to wait any longer, she pursed her
lips and exhaled.  The stream of smoke she released from her mouth was
endless.  Kate grinned effervescently.  "I'd like to keep smoking, if that's
okay," she beamed.  As she talked, bits of smoke continued to escape from her
mouth.  That was cool, too.

"Be my guest," Kim agreed with a satisfied smile.  "God, I didn't think it'd
happen so fuckin' fast, but I knew you'd like it.  I'm glad you do."

That night, Kim said she should keep practicing.  Kate smiled as she
remembered the words of advice.  Practice, practice, practice.  As if I
needed encouragement, she recalled with a giggle.  Kim recommended she smoke
at least three cigarettes each day.  At the time, Kate couldn't imagine how
that would be possible.  Kim asked the question that solved the problem and
changed Kate's life.

"Tell me, Kate.  You have your own car, right?"

"I do," Kate replied.

"Do either of your parents ever ride with you?"

Kate thought.  "No," she answered.  "Mom and Dad both have their own cars.  I
can't remember the last time either of them rode with me. My Honda is pretty
damn small," she smiled.  "It's not exactly a family car."

"Perfect," Kim grinned.  "So, just smoke in your car.  It's simple.  Smoke as
much as you want."  She lowered her voice.  "They'll never find out," she
giggled.  "They'll never know what's happening, until it's far too late."

A smile spread across Kate's pretty young face.  "Christ, you're right," she
admitted.  She grasped Kim's hand across the table.  "You're a fuckin'
genius, Kim," she exclaimed.  "I can do four or five cigarettes every day if
I smoke in my car.  And the only people who will know are ...."

"The only people who will know will be people like Alyssa," Kim said,
finishing the thought.  "Your friends at school will all find out.  But who
the hell cares?  Alyssa smokes!  So do most of the other cool kids.  Don't
they?  See?  It's perfect!  In fact, I'll bet Alyssa will love smoking with
you in your car."  Kim lit another cigarette.  "You'll discover it's fun
smoking with friends.  It's especially fun if you're not supposed to be
smoking," she added with a wink.

It all made perfect sense.  But Kate's final concern had been how to get
cigarettes.  She wasn't worried about the smell of smoke on her clothes,
since she did her own laundry.  But Alyssa had a hard time maintaining an
adequate supply.  How would she deal with that?  Kim solved that problem,
too.

"God, that's easy," Kim smiled, exhaling a cloud of smoke.  "I'll just buy
'em for you.  Hell, I don't mind.  Give me money at work, and I'll bring you
cigarettes the next afternoon.  I remember how tough it is to buy cigarettes
when you're under age," she smiled whimsically.  "I'd be glad to keep you
supplied with smokes."

Kate shook her head.  "Wow," she exclaimed.  "I don't believe it.  I've been
curious about smoking ever since Alyssa started.  But I couldn't figure out
how it would work."  She grinned.  "You're like a fairy godmother, Kim.  This
is great!"

"I only want to help," came Kim's quick reply.  "I love smoking.  You will,
too.  As long as you're careful, you won't get caught."  She made a funny
face.  "Actually, you will get caught eventually.  It's inevitable.  If I
were you, I'd get hopelessly addicted as fast as I can, before your parents
find out.  Then, when they realize you smoke and they scream at you to stop,
just cry and tell them that although you'd like to, you can't quit because
you're hooked!  That's what I did.  My mom figured out I smoked, but by the
time she did I'd been smoking for so fuckin' long there was no way I could
stop it.  Once they figure that out, you're home free!"  She gave Kate a
self-satisfied look.  "If you really want to smoke, there's no way your
parents can stop you.  So go for it!  Enjoy!"

In the midst of her reminiscing, Kate looked at her watch.  It was six
thirty.  Like last week, no sign of Kim.  Kate sighed and lit a second
cigarette.  One thing was certain.  She unquestionably enjoyed smoking while
she waited.  It was, as they say, something to do with your hands.  She
exhaled through her nostrils and slowly sipped her Diet Pepsi.

After their meeting last week, everything worked out just as Kim predicted.
At first, Kate was nervous smoking on her way to school.  But her uneasiness
disappeared on the second day.  She liked nicotine in the morning.  It mixed
well with her morning coffee.  Her private school was thirty minutes from
home.  She had plenty of time to smoke.  In fact, by Friday morning Kate
smoked two cigarettes on the way to school.  She lit her first one less than
half a block from home, and finished her second cigarette before arriving at
school.  It seemed like the more she smoked, the more she enjoyed it.  So she
decided to go one step farther.  By the end of the first week, she was
smoking three cigarettes each morning during her thirty minute trip, throwing
the last one from the window as she pulled in the high school parking lot.

Alyssa was delighted to learn that Kate had become a smoker like her.  But
Alyssa was astounded Kate smoked in her car.  Alyssa was jealous.  Kate
started giving Alyssa rides to and from school each day, and they smoked
together.  Like the morning trip, it started with one cigarette each
afternoon.  But by the end of the week both Kate and Alyssa were smoking
three apiece.  Kate then went to work for a couple hours, and smoked another
cigarette on her drive home.  After dinner, Kate and Alyssa hung out at a
coffee house.  They found a campus area coffee house that permitted smoking.
By the end of the first week, Kate was smoking half a pack a day, and loving
every minute of it.

Kim was buying cigarettes for her, so maintaining a supply was no problem.
The same wasn't true for poor Alyssa.  Her daily consumption was exceeding
the number of cigarettes she could safely filch from her mother.  In passing
Kate mentioned the problem to Kim at work one afternoon.  Kim offered a
solution.  If Alyssa came up with the money, Kim would buy cigarettes for
her, too.  Alyssa wanted her mother's brand, Max Menthol 120's.  They'd be
hard to find, Kim feared, but she located a store that carried them.  She
bought Alyssa a whole carton, and Kim clandestinely passed it to Kate at the
office the next afternoon.  Alyssa was in heaven when Kate gave her the
carton the next day.  Alyssa's supply problem was solved.

Tonight Kate had agreed to meet Kim for dinner again after work.  In only one
week, Kate smoked three packs of Marlboro Lights 100's and was into her
fourth.  Kim knew of her progress, because she was providing the cigarettes.
But even so Kim told Kate she wanted a detailed report from Kate's own lips.
She wanted the kind of detail which was impossible to convey at the office.

It was after six thirty when Kim finally appeared.  She wore a tight black
dress with a white cardigan sweater draped over her shoulders.  She had a
small gold cross on a chain around her neck, which rested upon her ample
breasts, providing the outfit's only accent point.  Kim looked and finally
saw Kate.  She smiled broadly and waved.

Kim's grin expanded as she looked at the table.  Her protégé was stubbing a
cigarette in the ashtray.  From the ashtray she saw that, in only fifteen
minutes, Kate had smoked two cigarettes.  That's great, Kim thought.  She's
seriously smoking!

Kate returned Kim's smile.  She was glad to see her friend, and it showed.
She gave Kim a big hug when she arrived at the table.  Kim put her small
black purse on an empty chair.  It was stuffed to overflowing.  Kate knew
why.  Kim arrived with more cigarettes!

As they embraced, Kim smelled stale smoke on her teenage friend.  The strong
aroma permeated both Kate's clothes and her hair.  The odor wasn't subtle.
Kim grinned again.  Her pupil was past mere experimentation.

"Well, I was right, wasn't I?" Kim bubbled.  "Obviously, you like smoking."
She motioned toward the butts in the ashtray.  She sat in the chair across
from Kate and ran her fingers through her long blond hair as she stared at
her teenage friend.

As Kim settled, Kate lit a third cigarette.  Kim decided it looked less like
a decision and more like a reflex reaction.  It was something Kate did almost
without thinking.  Kim smiled at this realization, and quickly lit a
cigarette of her own.  She studied Kate's movements.  The long initial drags
filled Kim with satisfaction.  After only a week, Kate smoked like a veteran!
Before the evening ended, however, she intended to take Kate to the next
level.

Oblivious to Kim's musings, Kate tipped her head and exhaled a long plume of
blue-gray smoke toward the ceiling.  "You were wrong," she announced in a
mysterious tone.  "I don't like smoking.  I fuckin' love it," she said with
an enthusiastic grin.  "God, I'm already smoking half a pack a day.  Alyssa's
smoking more, too.  She appreciates you buying her cigarettes.  We're smoking
a lot together.  But I guess you figured that."

Kim nodded.  "I knew it wouldn't take long 'til you two would be smoking
together all the time.  It sounds like everything's going great.  I bet you
and Alyssa are growing closer as friends, too.  That's a side benefit!"  Kate
nodded with satisfaction.

Kim watched her protégé, holding the freshly lit cigarette high in the air,
cocked just so between her long, supple fingers.  From the tip of the
cigarette, smoke wafted gently toward the ceiling.  Kim sighed.  The sight of
Kate smoking excited her a great deal.  Kate was tall and pretty.  She was a
lovely girl.  Her brown hair was stylishly permed, and her taste in clothes
was both expensive and impeccable.  With the addition of a cigarette in her
hand, she looked like a rich young woman of twenty, much older than a mere
teenager.  Kim paid a well-deserved compliment.  "God, Kate.  Now that you
smoke, you look much older and more sophisticated.  You look damn good!"

Kate acknowledged the tribute.  "Thanks," she answered sincerely.  She
manicured her cigarette in the ashtray.  "I feel damn good.  I like how
smoking makes me feel.  I told you I smoke three cigarettes driving to school
every morning, and two or three more each afternoon."  She took another drag.
"I'm starting to feel cravings," she added with a giggle, before pausing to
exhale.  "That's what Alyssa calls them anyway.  It means I'm getting hooked,
doesn't it?"  Her excited tone communicated far more pleasure than concern.

"That's exactly what it means," Kim said proudly.  "Are you worried?"

"Oh, no," Kate replied.  "In fact, I like the mildly frantic feeling I get
whenever I want another cigarette.  Or maybe I should say, when I _need_
another cigarette.  But I'm worried that the more I smoke, the harder it'll
be to keep it secret from my folks."  Kim was busy with a long drag of her
own, so Kate went on.  "They're not stupid.  They'll start asking questions
about why I smell so smoky all the time."

Kim grinned deliciously.  "I know a secret," she said softly through a smoky
exhale.  "But you must promise not to tell anyone.  Not your father.  No
one."

"Sure, I promise," Kate whispered back, leaning forward.  "What is it?"

Kim sighed.  "I've been talking with your dad about smoking," she said in a
hushed tone.  "I've been telling him how much I love to smoke, how it relaxes
me and how it makes me feel so good."  She leaned closer.  "You know what I'm
talking about.  Well, he's definitely interested.  So, I told him he should
try smoking!"

"You're shitting me!" Kate exclaimed, in loud disbelief.  Her father?  No
way!  "You didn't say anything about me smoking, did you?"

"God, of course not," Kim replied, grinning from ear to ear.  "But the point
is, I think your dad is going to start smoking.  And very soon!"

Kate looked confused.

"Don't you get it?" Kim continued enthusiastically.  "If your father gets
hooked on cigarettes, he's becomes your ally.  He'll love smoking.  Once he's
in, I'll tell him you smoke, too.  I'm sure he'll be sympathetic.  The battle
will be over.  There will be nothing your damn mother can do about it at that
point."  She sat back with a self-satisfied smile.  "What do you think?"

"God, I don't know," Kate confessed.  Instinctively, she silently pulled long
and hard on her cigarette.  Smoke cascaded down into her waiting lungs.  It
felt ... so good, so relaxing.  She pursed her lips and deliberately exhaled.
"I can't imagine my dad smoking.  That's all."

"Look, I'm doing this for you, Kate.  If we play our cards right, you'll be
allowed to smoke at home!  Because your dad will be smoking there, too."  

After talking for too long, Kim paused for a drag.  It was a long, hard hit,
the kind a veteran smoker takes when she needs a massive amount of nicotine.
Slowly and purposefully removing the cigarette from her lips, she carefully
inhaled and held the smoke inside her chest, letting her breasts rise
slightly as she did so.  Then she started her exhale, only to pause and pull
some smoke back in again through her nose, from where it took another welcome
trip back down into her lungs.

"Kim, can I ask you something?" Kate finally said.

"Sure," Kim smiled.  "What is it?"

"Is there something going on between you and Dad?"

"What do you mean?" she asked innocently.

"I mean, you are Dad sleeping together?"

Kim looked horrified.  "What gave you that idea?" she said with a disdainful
laugh.  Seeing Kate was serious, however, she took a deep breath.  "I admire
your dad," she admitted.  "He's one of the most sensitive and kindest men
I've ever met."  She blushed.  "But I've never thought of him in ... in that
way."

"Okay," Kate said as she crushed her cigarette in the ashtray.  "Here's
another question.  Why are you so eager to help me smoke?"

"That's easy, silly girl," Kim replied.  "I myself love to smoke.  And I love
seeing other people fall desperately in love with my best friend, Queen
Nicotine!  Do you want the truth?  I really get off seeing non-smokers turn
into smokers.  Converting non-smokers is a big turn on for me.  I'll be
honest with you.  I've been doing this with my friends since I was your age.
I'm personally responsible for at least twenty different people becoming
smokers over the last ten years.  And I'm damn proud of it.  I want everyone
to learn the joys of smoking."  She drew on her cigarette.  "I hope you don't
think you're the only one I've helped start smoking, Kate.  Because you're
not."

Kate looked guilty.  "I'm sorry," she stuttered.  "I appreciate your help and
all your encouragement.  And it worked.  Now I love to smoke, too.  I really
do.  It's just that it all seemed ... I don't know ... so weird or
something."

"Don't worry about it," Kim smiled.  "C'mon.  I'm done with this one, but I
don't want to wait.  Have another cigarette with me.  Let's both light up.
It'll make you feel better."

Kim shook two cigarettes from her pack.  She offered one to Kate, who took it
between her fingers and waited.  In a moment, the flame erupted from Kim's
lighter.  Kate leaned forward and caught it.  Kim watched Kate's initial hit
as she lit her own.  Kim double-pumped and involuntarily exhaled a small
burst of smoke during the second drag.  She then released the inhaled smoke
from her nostrils.

"It's great to light up, isn't?" Kim smiled.  "Every time.  It always feels
so damn good!  God, I love it.  Okay.  Here's the deal.  By this time next
week, your dad will be smoking.  I promise you.  If he likes it, and he will,
I'll meet him for dinner here after work next Tuesday night.  But you'll be
here with me when he arrives, and we'll be smoking together.  When he sees
you smoking, he'll be surprised.  But I'll explain that you're already a
confirmed smoker.  If he gets parental, I'll say it'd be hypocritical of him
not to let you keep on smoking."  She paused.  "What do you think?  Does that
sound good?"

"I don't know," Kate admitted.  She tapped some ashes from her cigarette.
"God, what if he goes ballistic?"

"He won't," Kim assured her.  "Trust me.  I can talk your dad into anything.
But for this to really work, you should look more like a confirmed smoker.
We need work on your technique to convince him that you're hooked."

"What do you mean?"

"You've got to graduate from those little, silly-assed, baby-sized puffs you
take," Kim said sweetly.  "You need to take big, long drags and inhale like a
seasoned smoker."

Kate felt defensive.  "What's wrong with my smoking?"

"Nothing," Kim laughed.  "But your dad needs to think you're hopelessly
hooked.  I know him.  He won't have the heart to make you quit if he thinks
you're addicted.  But to get away with that little white lie, we've got to
change your image.  You need to look like a veteran smoker."

"Okay.  How do I do that?"

"Easy," Kim replied.  "Each time you drag, count to five before you inhale.
Make every hit much longer and harder.  Sometimes you already do that, but
not consistently.  To do it regularly, exhale from your nose and empty your
lungs while you're pulling on the cigarette.  Pull hard enough to hollow your
cheeks.  Like this."

To demonstrate, Kim put her cigarette between her lips.  She sucked extremely
hard.  Her cheeks caved in, and the cherry end glowed bright.  With her free
hand, she counted as she pulled, raising one finger after another.  When she
reached five, she removed the cigarette from her smiling lips.  She opened
her mouth and sharply inhaled.

"Now, count to five a second time while you hold the smoke inside," Kim
added, again demonstrating by holding up her fingers.  Upon hitting five, she
tipped her head and exhaled through pursed lips.  A seemingly endless stream
of smoke flowed from Kim's mouth.

"See?  Simple," she said confidently.  "If you smoke like that, he'll think
you've been smoking for months, maybe years.  Then when you say you can't
quit, he'll believe you."

"Let me try," Kate agreed.  Eagerly she breathed out through her nose to
empty her lungs.  She put the cigarette between her lips and began.  While
Kate sucked, Kim slowly counted.

"One, two, three - that's the girl, hollow those cheeks!  Five!  Okay, now,
inhale!  Pull that good, thick smoke deep inside those pretty little lungs of
yours!"

Kate breathed in, filling her lungs with more smoke than ever before.  Her
chest visibly expanded to receive the vapors.  Again, Kim slowly counted.

"One, two - don't exhale yet! - three, four, five.  Okay, now, slowly blow it
out!"

Kate pursed her lips and exhaled.  At first, the stream seemed minimal.  But
the longer she blew, the more smoke appeared.  She was surprised how much
smoke escaped.

"How was it?" Kim asked.  Her grin made it clear she expected a positive
answer.

"Fine," Kate agreed.  Wisps of smoke continued to escape as she talked.
"I've never held it that long before.  God, it felt good," she giggled.
"Real damn good!"

"Of course it did," Kim acknowledged.  "Honey, you're giving your body
nicotine.  Your body loves it.  And the more it gets, the more it likes and
the more it wants.  Try it again."

Kate's cigarette returned to her lips.  She puffed hard, silently counting to
five while Kim whispered encouragement.

"C'mon, Kate.  You can suck harder than that!  Let's see those cheeks cave
in!  Let me see you suck on that thing!  Yeah, that's it!  That's my girl!
Okay.  Now, inhale real deep and hold it in there!"

For a split second Kate opened her mouth and pulled the smoke down into her
lungs.  She smiled while she waited, tapping her fingers on the table while
the smoke soaked into her satiated lungs.  One, two, three, four, five.  She
tipped her head and blew, allowing her lungs to finally release all the thick
smoke held deep inside.  Again, the stream was long and ample.

"You sounded like a goddamn cheerleader," Kate laughed.  She manicured her
cigarette in the ashtray.  "But I like it.  It feels so good!  Even better
than before.  Do you really think this will convince my dad I'm a serious
smoker?"

"Absolutely," Kim smiled.  "Practice that during the next week, and I promise
you.  Anyone will think you've been smoking for years, baby!"

Kate stared at her cigarette.  "To be honest, it's real nice smoking that
way."  A growing smile covered her pretty face.  "It won't be hard to
practice," she acknowledged.  With that, she took one last puff before
stubbing out the cigarette.  Her cheeks hollowed as she took another long,
hard drag followed by a demonstrative inhale.

Kim interrupted Kate's silent counting while she held the smoke.  "Okay, when
you reach five this time, instead of exhaling, just start talking to me.  Let
the smoke flow from your mouth naturally while you talk.  Go ahead.  Try and
see what happens!"

With her lungs still full of smoke, Kate smiled and nodded in agreement.
"Okay.  Hi, my name is Kate Carlson," she began.  "I'm a smoker and I like to
....  Oh, God, you're right," she giggled.  Smoke erupted from both her mouth
and nose, mixing with her words as she spoke.  She pursed her lips and
exhaled the balance.  "That's really neat!"

"Of course," Kim agreed.  "That's how hard-core smokers do it.  They're not
interested in getting rid of the smoke.  Quite the contrary.  They like it to
keep it inside, so they let it out as slowly as humanly possible.  They
ignore the need to exhale."  She looked at Kate.  "You've got a great future
as a smoker, honey.  By next Tuesday, your dad'll be on your side.  I
guarantee it."

The waitress finally took their order.  Kate and Kim ate and chatted about
music, the office, boys, and other things.  The waitress emptied the ashtray
when she brought the food.  But this would be Kim's eighth cigarette at the
restaurant.  Kate had matched her, smoking each time Kim lit up.  And she'd
smoked two before Kim arrived.  That meant she'd smoked ten cigarettes in two
hours!  Strangely pleased to realize how much she'd smoked, she shared the
calculation with Kim.

"Wow," Kim smiled, still holding the unlit cigarette.  "You're a real smoker
now.  Do you feel like joining me again?  I just love smoking after a good
meal."

"Yeah, why not?" Kate grinned, accepting still another Marlboro Light 100
from her older friend.  "To tell the truth, I've been looking forward to
another one all during dinner."

"Good," Kim said.  With her cigarette dangling, Kim offered Kate a light.
"That's another good sign, sweetie.  It just means your body is demanding
more nicotine.  I love that feeling.  Sometimes I don't want to wait.  So I
just smoke while I eat.  That's really fun.  But let's not disappoint your
body's understandable desire for more nicotine right now!"

The flame hit the tip of Kate's cigarette.  She took a long, hard initial
drag, letting her cheeks collapse.  She pulled as hard as she could.  She
followed by sucking the smoke deep into her lungs.  She held the smoke
inside, looking pleased and satisfied.

Kim smiled.  Kate indeed had the look of a veteran.

"Kim, can I ask something?" Kate said curiously.  Instead of pausing to
exhale, she just kept talking, letting smoke escape as she did.  "Smoking
this way makes people think I've been smoking for awhile because novices
don't inhale so much or so deep.  Is that right?

"Sure," Kim agreed.

"But smoking like this will also make me _get_ hooked faster, won't it?"

Kim gave a Cheshire cat grin.  "Oh, yes, I suppose it will," she nodded
cheerfully.  "Of course.  The more nicotine you give your body, the harder it
becomes for your body to survive without it.  Do you have a problem with
that?"

Kate shook her head.  "No," she said simply.  "I want to be a smoker.  But I
want to be clear about what's happening.  We're trying to convince my dad I'm
hopelessly addicted.  But by smoking this way, I'll make that happen, won't
I?"

"Yeah," agreed Kim.  Kate was taking another long, hard drag.  With her
cigarette between her fingers Kim pointed them at Kate.  "Honey, if you keep
smoking like that, I promise you, you'll wind up just like me," she laughed.

"Good," Kate smiled, purposely not exhaling but again letting the smoke
escape as she talked.  "Because that's exactly what I want, Kim.  I want to
be just like you."

"Don't worry.  You will be," Kim promised with a wicked smile.  "You will
be."

When it was finally time for Kate to go, Kim paid for dinner and, on the way
out, gave Kate two fresh packs of Marlboro Lights 100's from her black purse.
As Kate left, she looked back at Kim.

"Aren't you coming?"

"No," Kim said pleasantly, running her fingers through her long blond hair.
"I'm having another cup of coffee."  She pointed to her briefcase.  "I
brought some stuff from the office.  I'm going to work.  But go ahead.  Have
a good evening."

"Okay," Kate replied hesitantly.  "But I don't want to abandon you."

"Don't be stupid.  I've got work to do.  I'll see you at the office tomorrow
afternoon."

"You're going to sit here and keep smoking, aren't you?" Kate said with a
mock pout.

"Yes, I am," Kim answered.  "But so what?  Are you jealous?  That's natural.
Someday you'll be able to smoke whenever you want, too.  Now, go!  I'll be
fine.  I like smoking alone almost as much as I like smoking with my friends.
Go smoke in your fuckin' car, Kate Carlson!"

"Okay," Kate said sadly.  She gave Kim a quick hug.  "Hey, thanks for
everything, Kim.  Let me know how it goes with my dad.  God, it'd be so cool
if he starts smoking!  My mom will be really pissed."

"That will be cool, won't it?" Kim eagerly agreed.  "I'd love to see the look
on your mother's face when she finds out!  She'll be so mad she'll probably
pee her pants!"

Kate nodded.  "Mom would let him smoke if he insisted.  She'd have to.  He's
an adult, and he paid for our house.  So if he wants to smoke at home, he'll
get to.  If that happens, it will only a matter of time until I'm smoking
there, too.  Dad's always been lenient with me.  I get whatever I want from
him."  Just thinking about the possibility, Kate let out an excited giggle.

"That's my plan, Kate," Kim replied confidently.  "You'll be smoking at home
before you know it.  See you tomorrow."

In leaving, Kate didn't notice the tall man seated in the back of the bar who
watched her go.  When she was gone, he stood and slowly walked toward Kim's
table.  Smoke was rising from yet another cigarette between her fingers.  She
was reading a stack of papers, immersed in work.  Periodically she paused to
place the cigarette in her mouth.  Otherwise, she was totally focused.  She
didn't see him approach the table.

"How'd it go?" the man asked gruffly.  

Kim jumped.  "Oh, God," she gasped.  "I didn't know you were here."

"I waited in the bar," the man said slowly.  "I wanted to see it myself."  He
smiled gravely and shook his head.  "I can't believe it.  You actually taught
my daughter to smoke!"

Kim stood up and put her arms around the tall man.  Still holding her
cigarette, she gave him a long kiss.  "I told you I'd take care of it, Tom,"
she said with a smile.  "It's working like a fuckin' charm.  Kate's gone now.
So, sit down," she offered, cocking her head and giving him a suggestive
smile.  "Join me for a drink?"

"Sure," he smiled back.  "Why not?"

The waitress returned.  Tom ordered a beer, and Kim followed suit.  As the
waitress walked away, Tom pulled a pack of Marlboro 100's from the inside
pocket of his navy blue sport coat.  He put one in his mouth.  Before he
could light it, Kim offered the flame from her own.

"Here you go, baby," Kim cooed.  "I love smoking with you."  Tom took a long
drag.  "Hey, let me have one of those, too," she asked impulsively, picking
up Tom's pack of Marlboro 100's.  She put a long, cork tipped cigarette in
her mouth and lit it up.  "Mmm," she sighed, letting it dangle from her
pouting lips after an initial inhale.  "These are good, Tom.  I love these.
They're stronger than the ones I smoke."  She tilted her head and squinted at
him.  "But this isn't the only thing I want in my mouth tonight," she added.
She dragged and inhaled a second time, the whole time with the cigarette
smoldering between her lips.  "Do you like how I look, Tom?"

"Just tell me about it," he said, ignoring her seductive come on with the
dangling cigarette.  "What happened?"

After a long, hard drag, Kim french-inhaled.  "Okay," she sighed.  "Your
little Katie is now smoking half a pack a day."  She paused to slowly exhale
some smoke from her nostrils.  She noticed Tom's cock harden.  He gazed
longingly at the tendrils of smoke escaping from Kim's pert little nose.  "I
know you love to watch this," she chided.  "But listen."

"I'm listening," Tom replied with a wicked smile.

She took another puff, inhaled, and this time talked through her exhale.
"Here's the deal.  Kate's smoking in her car every day.  She smokes three
cigarettes on the way to school every morning.  She also smokes on her way
home in the afternoon with her friend Alyssa.  Alyssa apparently encouraged
Kate to try smoking, but she never did 'til I came along."  She gave a wicked
laugh.  "She loves smoking!  When she's driving to work in the afternoon, she
smokes again."  Kim beamed a big smile.  "That's ten cigarettes a day, after
only a fuckin' week!  She's also starting to feel cravings."  Kim giggled.
"She'll be hooked in no time.  The way she's smoking right now, taking long
drags and inhaling oh-so-deeply, God, it's already happening."

"Did you tell her about me smoking?" Tom asked, taking a drag on his Marlboro
100.

"I told her I was working on you.  I predicted I'd have you smoking in
another week," she said, obviously pleased with herself.  "I pointed out that
once you were smoking, you'd insist on smoking at home.  She knows Lynne
can't stop you from smoking if you want, and she also figures she can wrap
you around her little finger and get permission to smoke with you."  Again,
Kim gave an evil smile.  "She's already looking forward to it.  She wants to
keep smoking, all right.  Don't worry about that!"

Tom nodded.  "Does she suspect anything?"

Kim frowned.  "I don't know.  She asked if we were sleeping together.  I said
no.  But I'm not sure she believed me.  In a way, I'm glad she brought it up.
Eventually, I'll blame our affair on her innocent question.  I'll say that I
never thought about fucking you until she brought it up."  She smiled
wickedly.  "The pieces are now strategically placed on the board.  We'll be
ready to make our move in no time."

Tom shook his head.  "There's only thing I care about.  I don't want Kate to
go with Lynne when I get divorced.  I can't wait to lose that cold,
analytical bitch of a wife.  But I don't want to lose my daughter."  He
smiled ruefully.  "Kate means everything to me."

"I know," Kim nodded.  "I like her, too.  She's a good kid.  Don't worry.
Kate's already one of us.  If she follows my instructions, very soon she
won't be able to quit, even if she wanted to.  But I seriously doubt she'll
want to.  She'll never choose to live with Lynne.  When you two split, Kate
will choose you, because you'll let her smoke."  Kim blew Tom a kiss.
"Eventually she'll be choosing me, too.  After you leave Lynne, you and I
will start dating.  It'll be casual at first.  One thing will lead to
another.  Eventually you, Kate and I become one happy family."  She took a
drag from the gold Marlboro 100.  "But we'll be a happy family where everyone
smokes," she added with a delectable laugh..

"God, I hope this works," he sighed.  "Your idea to turn Kate into a smoker
was pure fuckin' genius.  It's perfect.  Once she's hooked, she'll never want
to live with her non-smoking mother.  I feel guilty about getting Kate
started smoking, though."

"Like hell!"  Kim flashed a wicked smile.  "Don't lie to me.  You liked
seeing her smoke, didn't you?  You enjoyed watching.  Admit it, Tom.  I can
see it in your eyes."

Tom said nothing.  He just sat and stared.

"I know you," Kim added.  "You liked watching Kate put a long white cigarette
in her mouth and take one of those long, hard drags, didn't you?  You
absolutely loved seeing your little daughter pull that thick, rich tobacco
smoke deep down inside her young, pink lungs.  She's your flesh and blood,
but you couldn't help watching.  You liked seeing her purse those sweet young
lips and release a combined mouth-nostril exhale.  Didn't you?"

Tom hung his head.  "I love seeing any woman smoke.  Even my daughter.  But
it was different than watching you.  It was almost sexual, but in a strange
way.  Not like when I watch you, Kim.  It was just ... satisfying seeing Kate
enjoy herself.  I love smoking, and I love watching women smoke.  Do you
think it's bad that I like seeing Kate with a cigarette in her mouth, seeing
her enjoy the feeling that comes from inhaling smoke deep into her lungs?"

"No," purred Kim.  "I understand perfectly.  There's nothing wrong.  Nothing
at all.  In fact, I liked seeing it, too.  It makes me hot."  She stopped for
another puff and opened her mouth.  The smoke hung in mid-air for a split
second before disappearing down her throat.  She talked while holding the
smoke inside.  "You'll see her smoke again.  But next time you'll see up
close and personal.  Next Tuesday night Kate will smoke for you at this
table.  You'll enjoy that a lot."  Kim finally exhaled.  "Of course, you'll
act surprised, and concerned," she went on.  "But because you've also
supposedly just discovered the joys of smoking, you'll tell her you
understand her desire to smoke.  You'll say it's ultimately her choice.
Later, you'll mention a big fight with Lynne about your smoking.  You'll tell
Kate that regrettably you've decided to leave the cold-hearted bitch."  She
showed a mischievous grin.  "Of course, Kate will be heartbroken.  But she'll
have to choose with which parent to live."  She shook her head.  "Poor little
Kate!  What a tough decision!  I wonder who she'll choose?  You or her
mother?  If she chooses you, she can smoke to her heart's content.  Oh my
God," Kim exclaimed mockingly.  "Will it make her decision easier?"  She
laughed hard and took another long drag.  "It'll work perfectly.  You'll
see."

"God, I hope so," Tom said quietly.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

	Kate was in a hurry.  She wanted to be on time getting Alyssa.  She
looked at her watch.  She still had time to get to the coffee house by eight.

	Kate frowned as her Honda hurtled down the highway.  Something about
Kim's story wasn't right.  Why would Dad be talking to Kim about smoking?  It
made no sense.  There was something going on with Kim and her dad.  She
feared her dad was fucking her cute little blond friend.  The idea of him
cheating on her mom was disturbing.  Kate and her mom didn't exactly get
along, but she didn't want them to get a divorce.  She'd seen Kim and her dad
exchange glances at the office.  It didn't look platonic!  She liked Kim and
appreciated her help with smoking, but Kate was unhappy about what this might
mean.

	She sighed.  She knew something that would make her feel better.
Without hesitation, she cracked the car window and fished her cigarettes from
her purse.  She smiled as she picked up a newly opened pack.  At this rate,
by the end of the day she'd have smoked 20 cigarettes.  That thought
strangely pleased her.  She didn't trust Kim's intentions toward her father,
but she enjoyed indulging in Kim's dirty little habit.

	The car's cigarette lighter clicked.  Kate reached for it.  As she
held the burning element against the tip of the cigarette dangling from her
lips, she sighed.  God, it tasted good!  Remembering Kim's advice, she took a
long, deliberate first drag.  Mmm, she thought as she counted to five.  It
felt good to take such prolonged and fervent drags!  Smoking made her feel
happy!  She inhaled the smoke deep inside her young lungs.  Again, she
counted to five.  It felt so good deep down inside!  She wondered if smoking
could ever be routine.  She doubted it.  She loved it.  She finally released
the smoke in twin streams from her nostrils.

	Smoking seemed to sharpen Kate's faculties.  She frowned as she took
another practiced drag.  Kim was hiding something.  The question was, what?
She took a third hit.  Something told her she'd find out by next Tuesday
night.

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