Smoke And Mirrors, Part 31

This fictional story contains adult themes and descriptions. If such offends
you, read no further.  All persons and situations depicted are fictional, any
similarities to real persons or events is purely coincidental. All rights
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Smoke & Mirrors
Part 31: Graduation Day:

Giselle easily continued her pack a day consumption for the remainder of the
week. Serge had called a couple times. Giselle continued to keep her
increased consumption a secret. Now she didn't even think twice about
smoking. She knew that she now needed to smoke, and continued to satisfy her
ever more frequent cravings.

On Tuesday night, she had joined the "Bridge" girls for what had now had
become their weekly game. This time, Giselle had stocked up her purse with an
already open pack and an extra pack of the VS 120's that she had picked up at
the convenience store on the way. She thought it might be nice to smoke
Bonnie's brand, after the complements that Bonnie had been given her during
their last visit. Bonnie eyebrows rose when she saw the package. "I see you
have seen the light. Longer is better."

Giselle smiled and replied, saying that she was just giving them a try for a
change. She admitted to herself that she did like the longer look of these
cigarettes, and although they were a little light for her tastes, they were
still very smooth, and somehow creamy. She wondered if she would have the
courage to smoke one of these long cigarettes in front of Serge. She knew how
sexy Bonnie looked when she smoked. She reminded herself how good she had
looked when she watched herself in the mirror. Yes, she would smoke one in
front of Serge just to see what he would say. She smiled mischievously to
herself.

That evening, she did not run out, but managed to smoke an entire pack in
just four hours. She was taken aback to discover how easy this had been.
Lighting up every 15 or 20 minutes seemed so natural. They were all smoking
at that pace. She just joined into the rhythm. There were no longer any
negative side effects. She couldn't remember the last time that she had felt
even the slightest bit dizzy. She started to get a bit concerned. She knew
Serge would be home on Thursday and Suzanne would be arriving with Jill later
that same night. She knew her consumption had gotten way out of hand,
exceeding her quota almost daily. That Tuesday, she had smoked nearly two
packs in one day.

By Wednesday morning, she placed the remaining 120's in the kitchen drawer,
and proceeded to finish her last pack of VS 100's. There were only five left.
As she sat drinking her morning coffee, she smoked all her cigarettes in a
row, until she finally felt satiated. She decided not to take her 120s on her
lunch date, knowing that she would be able to have a cigarette from the
carton that Tammy was sure to have brought.

She nervously waited in the restaurant for Tammy, realizing for the first
time that she was without her cigarettes. As she sat there, she watched as
other patrons lit up. The urge returned. She nervously looked at her watch,
tapping her fingers on the table. It was only five after. She would wait a
bit longer. Her nerve endings started to scream and her hands began to
tremble. She scanned the restaurant. Her eyes caught the glowing light of a
cigarette machine. She waited and continued to drum her fingers on the table.
The waitress came by and asked if she wanted some coffee. A cup was quickly
poured. As the hot liquid reached her mouth, her hunger for a cigarette
overtook her. She knew that she had no choice. She started to look in her
purse and was relieved to see that she had plenty of change. She walked
quickly to the machine with a sense of urgency. Her eyes started to scan the
available selection as she heard the coins dropping systematically into the
machine. She could not see any packages of VS. She started to feel frantic.
Her eyes went back and forth. Marlboro, Marlboro 100's, Marlboro Menthol's
100. Well at least they were menthol, she thought. Her hand shook as she
placed the coins in the slot. She pulled the knob and heard the clunking
sound as the package slid into the tray. Success, she thought. She quickly
walked back to the table with her treasure. She nervously opened the pack.
She lit up, drawing heavily. The smoke was rich and strong. She felt it's
calming effect. She had so desperately needed a cigarette. She continued to
drag heavily, as her body's tension subsided. Although the Marlboro's were
not her brand, they still had the same satisfying effect on her. As she was
taking her third successive five second drag, her eyes caught Tammy
approaching. She inhaled, and then she sucked again, double pumping almost
instinctively. The smoke was strong and thick. The volume of smoke was
massive.

Tammy watched Giselle's performance, and smiled as she sat down. "I'm
guessing that you have finished the carton?" she said with a Cheshire cat
grin.

Giselle smiled, as she took another long symbolic drag before answering. "To
tell you the truth, I finished it about two hours ago. I just bought these in
that machine because I ran out"

Tammy smiled as she said, "It looks like you are really enjoying your smoking
now Giselle. That exhale you just let go was simply amazing. Did I just see
you double pump?" she said, smirking.

"You bet I did." Giselle said rather proudly.

"So was I right? Has it gotten a lot better? Are you enjoying your smoking
more?" Tammy asked.

Giselle thought for a moment. Ironically, she had not even thought about that
part of the bet. She had only concentrated on reaching the quota. She began
to gather her thoughts. She was enjoying her smoking, but was she enjoying it
more? She then realized what Tammy had meant; the more you smoke the more you
enjoy it. It was true. She was smoking more and enjoying it just as much, but
more was better. Plus, it just felt so wonderful to keep relieving those
urges.

"Well, Tammy. Let me put it this way." She took an extra long drag, then
after holding it in for what seemed to be an eternity, exhaled another think
voluminous cloud. "I think I have become totally possessed. Did you bring me
my prize?" she asked.

Tammy smiled. "A deal is a deal," as she removed the carton from the bag and
put it on the table.

Giselle felt terribly proud. She had shown this young girl. She moved the
carton closer to her. She drew deeply on her Marlboro Menthol, enjoying the
stronger smoke.

"Hey, aren't you going to at least offer me a cigarette, Giselle?"

Giselle blushed. "Oh Tammy, I'm so sorry. Sorry about the brand, but that's
all they had in the machine." "When you need a cigarette, any cigarette is a
good brand," she said as she deeply double pumped. Giselle still marveled how
this girl could smoke, as it took her nearly four full breaths before she had
cleared her lungs. After the ladies had ordered their lunch, Tammy moved the
conversation to the subject she was interested in. "So Giselle, now that you
are smoking more, what does your husband think about this?"

Giselle blushed. "Well, actually, he's been out of town this whole time. He
gets back tonight."

"So what are you going to do?" Tammy said challengingly.

Giselle nervously reached for another cigarette in spite of the fact that
the arrival of food was imminent.

"Well, I'm going to smoke whenever I want. No matter what he says. He'll find
that out today when he gets home from his business trip." Giselle said, not
quite knowing how she would handle her husband.

"I'm impressed. I'm glad you feel that way. I'm proud that you are going to
show him who's the boss. You go girl," she said, laughing.

Giselle took an extra long drag. "After all it's a woman thing, isn't it? And
I can't wait until I can get back to my regular brand," as she patted the
carton of VS 100's on the table.

They both laughed.

As the lunch was quickly consumed, the girls immediately lit up again.

Tammy marveled at Giselle's transformation, as she noted how fiercely Giselle
lit up, continuing her deep long inhales. She could see the smile come across
Giselle's face as she exhaled the long plume of smoke upwards. She was in
smoker's heaven as she relieved her craving. She was now fully addicted, and
there would be no turning back.

She had lost the bet but that had always been the plan. Tammy knew that she
would be soon be seeing Giselle at her cigarette counter every week
replenishing her supply over and over again. She smiled. It had worked like a
charm. Giselle was smoking like she had smoked all her life. She would have
to smoke no matter what her husband would say. Welcome to my club Giselle,
she thought, smiling with satisfaction. In celebration, she even bought
lunch.

Unfettered by any feelings of guilt and with her mother's blessing, Suzanne
finished her pack of full strength VS's that Wednesday night. She continued
drawing long deep drags every time she smoked. Her body had quickly adjusted
to the stronger full flavored cigarettes.

Jill had finally arrived home about 11:00 pm. As she sat down on the couch
and lit a cigarette, she noticed that Suzanne was smoking. She could see from
Suzanne's excited and happy disposition that something was in the air. She
glanced down at the ashtray and saw the seven cigarettes.

She casually remarked to Suzanne as she motioned to the ashtray, "I thought
you were going to try to cut back?"

Suzanne smiled sheepishly. "You're not going to believe this, but I just
talked to my mother. She has done an entire about face about my smoking."

"Really?" Jill said with amazement in her tone.

"She said to me tonight, quote unquote `You can smoke whenever and wherever I
want.'"

"That's amazing. I wonder what made her change her mind about smoking so
quickly." Jill queried.

"Oh I don't know. She says she talked it over with my Dad and I was old
enough to make my own choices. She also has a new friend who smokes. My Dad
even let's her new friend smoke in their house."

Jill's ears perked up and her mind started to work. This was far too quick a
turn around in Suzanne's mother's attitude. She was intrigued.

"My mother has invited you to spend Thanksgiving with us. It would be great
if you could come. Can you make it?" Suzanne asked enthusiastically.

"You mean it would be okay to smoke in her house and everything?" she said
guardedly.

"Yes, I'm sure that would be all right. She said we could." Suzanne said.

"We could go in my car and you wouldn't have to take the bus. We could leave
about noon and be there by 8 o'clock." Jill said, thinking how many
cigarettes they would smoke during the long trip.

"That would be great." Suzanne said, smiling.

"Sounds like a good idea to me! I'm in." Jill said.

The girls continued to enjoy their cigarettes.

As Suzanne crushed out her cigarette, she started to speak. "Jill, I have a
question for you."

"Yes, what is it?

"Do you remember that night that we had the big disagreement about my smoking
and you said: Big girls have to make big choices?" she said slowly.

"Yes, I remember that," Jill said cautiously.

"I'm pretty sure that you knew if I continued to smoke the way you had taught
me, I would get  hooked. Addicted I mean. Isn't that right?"

"Well, it's not really that much fun to smoke, unless you smoke everyday,"
she said, trying to avoid the question.

"But you knew I would get hooked. Didn't you?" she said seriously.

"Well-" Jill stammered. "Do you think you're hooked?" she said defensively.

Suzanne paused for a moment. She glanced down at the pack on the table. It
had only been 20 minutes since her last cigarette, and already she wanted
another one. "I guess I am. I have cravings nearly all the time. I think it
would be very difficult to quit. I feel somehow overpowered by it. I now need
to smoke," she said solemnly.

"Oh! -.. How do you feel about that?" Jill questioned quickly, hoping to
avoid the still unanswered question.

"I finally figured it out how you manipulated me. How you had tricked me into
smoking more and more until I couldn't stop." Jill tried not to smile.

"Well, after all it was your idea for me to teach you" Jill said defensively.

Suzanne continued, "At first I was very angry when I realized what you had
done to me. But then as I began to examine my feelings, I realized that I was
enjoying smoking. It was like having a friend. It comforted me whenever I was
sad or nervous. The social aspects have also been very rewarding. I have met
so many new people. Personally, it has given me more confidence about myself.
The old Suzanne would have never stood up to her mother like I did. Now, my
mother has recognized that I have the right to make my own decisions. I
probably wouldn't have hit it off with Phil had I not started smoking. I'm
sure of that. I would probably still be the `Little Virgin Suzy Q.' It has
changed my life."

"So you're not mad at me?" Jill said meekly.

"No, not in the least. I just needed a little push, some encouragement.
Although you were, how should I say- quite devious," Jill tried to hide her
smile.

"You were the impetus. I can honestly say that I am grateful. It's absolutely
the best thing that could have happened to me." Suzanne said as she leaned
over and gave Jill a hug.

Jill blushed. "I am glad you feel that way." She said, feeling relieved.

"So does this mean you're not going to quit after Thanksgiving?"

"I don't think its possible now. I don't think I'll ever quit now, especially
now that my mother has changed her attitude. My mother said she read
somewhere that over 40% of us college girls now smoke. Isn't that an amazing
statistic?"

"Yes, it is. I'm guessing that it may even be more." Jill said.

"You're probably right, it seems like a lot more smoke from what I've seen."
Suzanne said with candor. "After all, it is something they should all try
while they're in college. Just like I did." Suzanne said, smiling. Suzanne
reached over for the package on the table and asked, "How about a cigarette?
I'm just dying for one."

Jill smiled. "Yes, that would be great."

She was taken aback by Suzanne's comment that all college girls should give
it a try. How things could change with just a few cigarettes. Life was filled
with irony.

As she watched Suzanne draw deeply, she realized that her pupil at that very
moment had just graduated and would no longer require any more classes. She
was now a real smoker and more importantly wanted to be a smoker. Hopelessly
addicted, but loving every minute of it. Jill smiled as she too took a long
satisfying drag, a symbolic reward for her successful conversion of the
novice to a full fledged smoker.

Jill continued to wonder about Mrs. Leblanc. One day an anti, then after a
few weeks, a complete turn about. And now she had a friend who was smoking in
her house. This sounded too good to be true. There could only be one thing
that could have changed her attitude about smoking. She must have started
smoking herself. That had to be it. There could be no other logical reason
for the drastic change in her attitude. Could both the Leblanc girls have
succumbed to Saint Nicotine? Wouldn't that be just delightful? She couldn't
wait for the upcoming visit. It was going to get damn smoky at Mrs. Leblanc's
house, she would see to that.

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