Trina's Tale, Part 2

This fictional account contains adult language and themes.  If such language
and themes offend you, please do not read further.  The persons and events
described in this work are purely fictional, and any similarity to actual
persons or events is strictly coincidental.  Copyright 2000 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.

TRINA'S TALE

2.	The Second Round:  The Bribe.

   I went home from Kim's apartment happy.  My abrupt decision to become a
smoker might seem surprising.  I mean, there _are_ those damn health issues
related to smoking, and most people continually fret over them.  But to me,
at the time, becoming a smoker made perfect sense.  In fact, it was a damn
easy decision.  I felt exactly like Ellie did.  I just liked it.  Smoking
really energized me.  Nicotine made me feel good, alert, and ready for
anything.  I loved the way I felt when I smoked.  It was, and still is, a
real rush.  But let me tell you what happened next.

   After leaving Kim's, and having decided to become a smoker, before
returning to the dorm I stopped at a convenience mart and bought two packs of
cigarettes.  The first was Benson & Hedges Menthol Lights 100's, the brand
Kim smoked.  The second was Marlboro Lights 100's, Ellie's brand.  I wasn't
sure which I wanted to be _my_ brand.  I thought I'd try a pack of each to
help make up my mind.  I also bought a couple disposable lighters and a large
glass ashtray.  My immediate worry was how to deal with Roz, my roommate, on
the smoking issue.  But one thing I knew for sure.  I wanted to be able to
smoke freely in my room now.  I was a smoker.  That was all there was to it.
Somehow I had to convince Roz not to fight me on it.

   Leaving the convenience store, I boldly decided to light up.  I opened the
pack of Marlboros and tapped out one of the long, white cigarettes.  My heart
was racing.  I couldn't believe what I was about to do.  It seemed incredibly
cool, exciting, really.  There was a slight breeze that day, so it took me
several tries to catch the flame.  But finally I got the cigarette going.
Immediately there was that marvelous awareness of smoke in my lungs!  I
tipped my head and released my first-ever outdoor exhale.  The smoke quickly
dissipated in the wind.  I'd turned another big corner.  For the first time I
was going to smoke while walking across campus.  God, it was such a rush!

   I saw no one I knew while leisurely sauntering down the street that day.
Winter hadn't arrived in earnest, but the air was nippy.  People paid no
attention to my cigarette, and that was fine by me.  I walked with my head
held high, periodically putting the cigarette in my mouth for a drag.  Each
time I pulled the smoke deep inside my body.  God, the feeling was so
euphoric!  Plus, I knew I looked good with smoke flowing out of my mouth.  It
was exciting knowing that at the moment I looked as sexy as Ellie and Kim did
when they smoked.  And in addition to feeling sexy, I felt energized by the
nicotine.  It was a fuckin' wonder drug!  It made me feel wonderful, and it
was completely legal.  I practically sang as I walked home, puffing every few
steps, over and over.  God, already I loved being a smoker!

   In front of the dorm I dropped my cigarette to the ground and crushed it
with my shoe.  God, I wished someone I knew had seen me smoking.  But no one
had.  I wanted to tell somebody I was a smoker now, that I'd joined the ranks
of that distinct group of social pariahs who were much smarter than anyone
gave them credit for.  Smokers get to enjoy the incredible pleasure of
smoking cigarettes.  Damn, I felt smokers were so lucky; and I was one of
them, now and forever.  Like Ellie, and like Kim, I was now a smoking girl!

   In our dorm room Roz sat in a chair by the window reading a novel for
English Lit.  Her real name is Rosalind Dale, but as long as I've know her,
everyone calls her Roz.  She's a pretty little brunette, not as gorgeous as
Ellie or me, to be honest, but still wholesomely attractive.  Roz looks like
the girl next door, the girl a boy wants to take home to meet Mom because
she's so innocently attractive.  At the start of our freshman year Roz was
jealous of Ellie and me, because we attracted men like flies, due to our big
tits, yellow blond hair, and flirtatious attitudes.  You see, Roz really
wasn't naïve and homespun.  She had a wild side, but didn't look as much like
it as Ellie and me.  With her pretty, fresh looking face, Roz learned she
could charm most men into anything.  Her innocent countenance, long dark
brown hair and slender body enabled her to conquer her share of guys.  It
proves that big tits aren't the only important thing!

   Roz looked up as I entered.  "I'm up shit creek," she moaned.  "Tina
Turner's in town in January for a concert.  I'd give anything to go.  My
friend Judy wants to.  But tickets are astronomical.  Forty fuckin' bucks
apiece!   Since I dumped Roger, there's no one to pay for me."

   Roger was her ex-boyfriend.  Roz used to wrap him around her little
finger.  But she dumped him a week earlier after growing tired of his shitty
attitude.  She'd soon find a new boyfriend, of course.  But it was small
comfort, since Tina tickets went on sale in two days. 

   "Are you sure you can't come up with the cash?" I asked rhetorically.

   Money was a constant problem for Roz.  She had an academic scholarship and
her parents didn't contribute much toward her college expenses.  So she
worked fifteen hours a week for extra spending money.  She relied on
boyfriends for entertainment.  Forty dollars for a Tina ticket would be
difficult, if not impossible, to come up with in two days.  Even sweet,
wholesome Roz couldn't reel in a guy willing to spend that kind of money on
her that fast.

   "Bummer," I sighed, putting my purse on the desk and sitting down.  I
decided to change the subject.  It was time to spring my news.  "I've been
with Ellie a lot the last couple days," I began casually.  "You'll never
guess what's happened."

   Roz raised her pretty little eyebrows.  "She's got another new boyfriend?"

   I shook my head.  That wouldn't have been news.  Ellie went through boys
the way most of us go through internet providers.  She always finds a new
boyfriend who's better than the last.

   "No," I grinned.  "It's not about Ellie.  It's about me."

   Now Roz was curious.  "What's up?"

   I took a deep breath.  "I've decided to start smoking," I announced
shamelessly.

   Roz did a double-take.  We'd often talked about Ellie's habit.  We both
were always opposed to it.  My announcement was a complete surprise.  "You're
kidding, right?"

   I shook my head.  "I'm not kidding.  I finally tried it, Roz.  You may not
believe it, but Ellie really stumbled onto something when she started
smoking.  It's fuckin' great, incredibly cool!  It makes me feel so good.
Plus, it's totally fun.  Smoking is like stimulating and relaxing at the same
time.  You ought to try it.  Really!"

   Roz shook her head as she put down her book.  "You're out of your mind,"
she pointedly answered.  "You're crazy."

   Of course, I expected that response.  But Roz had just given me an
unexpected opportunity to change her mind.  First, though, I had to make a
statement, to draw the proverbial line in the sand.  I opened my purse and
got out my new pack of Marlboro Lights 100's.  "Suit yourself," I shrugged
indifferently.  "But I'm totally into it.  Nothing will stop me from smoking
all the time from now on."  To show I was serious, I shook a cigarette from
the pack and put it in my mouth.  "I'm with Ellie now," I smiled.  "I'm gonna
smoke, whether you like it or not, Roz."

   My brunette roommate gasped.  "You're not gonna smoke in here, are you?"

   "I sure am," I replied confidently.  I clicked my lighter and lit up
without apology.  After a nice, long, initial drag, I sucked the smoke deep
into my chest.  Roz stared in amazement.  I merely smiled.  "You see, since
I've actually tried smoking, there's no way I'm living without it anymore."
I propelled a thin stream of smoke into the air above Roz's head.

   Roz sputtered.  "You can't do this.  I never agreed to room with a
smoker."

   I smiled again, still releasing smoke from my mouth.  "People change,
Roz," I sighed contentedly.  "And I've changed into a smoker.  So deal with
it."  Returning it to my lips, I enjoyed another long, drawn out hit on my
cigarette.  "You really should try it, honey," I added nonchalantly, holding
the smoke inside again.  "In fact, I'll make you a deal if you will."

   "What are you talking about?"

   I gave her a devilish smile.  "You need forty bucks for a Tina ticket,
right?  Well, I'll give you the money for a ticket so you can go with Judy,
if you smoke a pack of cigarettes for me."

   "You're insane," she objected.  "No fuckin' way!"

   I shrugged.  "Suit yourself.  I only want you to try smoking out.  That's
all.  If you do, I'll give you the money for the ticket."  I grinned as I
took another drag.  "Roz, I know how much you like Tina," I teased.  "Smoking
one pack of cigarettes is a small price to pay to see Tina free of charge."
I slowly released twin streams of smoke from my nostrils.  "Think about it."

   Roz sputtered.  "You just want to get me hooked.  Like Ellie, and like you
now."

   "Of course I do," I smiled back.  "I think if you try it, you'll like it,
and you'll want to keep smoking.  But it's up to you, Roz.  The offer is
there for the taking."

   My roommate was fuming.  She wanted to see Tina.  She had no other way to
get the money.  She was frustrated, and also more than a little irritated by
my smoking in our room.  But I wasn't about to back down.

   I placed my new glass ashtray on the desk and tapped some ashes in it.
"Look, Roz, I'm sorry to spring this smoking thing on you like this.  I'm not
doing it to piss you off.  It's just that I won't live like a second class
citizen in my own room.  I'm a smoker now.  End of story.  If you want me to
look for another place to live, I will.  Ellie might have extra room in her
apartment.  The college will find you a new roommate if you want me to move
out."

   That last offer was a calculated gamble.  Roz and I had been through a lot
together in two and a half years.  I didn't think she'd take me up on my
offer to move out.  And I was right.

   "I don't want you to move," she finally replied.  "Shit!  I guess I'll get
used to you smoking."

   "And how about my other offer?  Are you interested?"

   Roz sighed.  "I'll think about it," she moaned with a pained expression.
"Are you sure you can't just loan me the money?"

   I laughed as I exhaled another stream of smoke.  "Roz, you don't have the
money to pay me back, even if you wanted to.  Hell, I'm already paying more
than my share around here."  It was true.  I often bought snacks and pizza
for us, that kind of stuff.  Roz talked about paying me back, but she almost
never did.  I didn't mind.  I knew she didn't have the cash.  But there was
no point in lending her money.  It had to be a gift, or nothing at all.

   "God, I know you're right," she acknowledged wistfully.  "But it's mean to
tempt me like that.  You know how much I love Tina Turner.  I'm almost
inclined to say yes, to agree to smoke your stupid cigarettes, just to get
the ticket."

   It was time to turn on the charm.  "Roz, I hope you will give it a try.
Look, you don't have to smoke all the time or anything.  I just want you to
try it.  If you like it, you may decide you want to smoke a cigarette with me
every once in awhile.  You don't have to become an addict.  But you could
smoke once in awhile if you wanted to."

   Of course, I knew the chances of that actually happening were slim.  How
many people smoke sporadically?  It didn't happen that way with me, and I
suspected it wouldn't with Roz, either.  But it sounded good.  That was the
important thing.

   "I'll think about it," she said with a slight smile.  "I guess you're
right, though.  I wouldn't have to keep smoking if I didn't want to."

   I nodded enthusiastically.  "Exactly.  The pack of cigarettes is only to
make sure you give it a fair shake."  I crushed my cigarette in the ashtray
and released some last bits of smoke from my lips.  I felt devilishly excited
about my devious proposal.  "Of course," I added.  "If you want to take me up
on the offer, you have to decide fast.  Don't the Tina tickets go on sale in
two days?  It'll take a couple days at least for you to smoke twenty
cigarettes."

   Roz looked at her watch.  "Let's go to dinner," she abruptly suggested.
"The dining hall is open at five.  It's a little after that now.  I'll let
you know after we eat."

   That was fine with me.  As usual, we went to the commons.  The food at the
commons was routinely awful, but that's part of the college experience.  I'd
already considered moving off campus for my senior year, and Roz knew it.
The idea of living with Ellie again, with both of us smoking, suddenly seemed
quite appealing.

   We didn't sit in the smoking area at the commons that night.  I didn't
want to press my luck too far.  Roz and I typically sat at the same table
with the same group of girls every night.  Eventually I'd find some friends
in the smoking section.  But for now, I'd wait it out with Roz.

   After dinner, Roz appeared tense as we walked back to our room.  There
were no rules against smoking in our coed dorm, and a number of kids on our
floor smoked.  Smokers usually formed a separate conclave for meals, but in
the dorm things were different.  There were lots of girls on our floor who
smoked in their rooms, and guys, too.  I knew I'd be getting to know those
smokers better in the coming months.

   "Are you going to eat with the smokers now?" Roz wanted to know as we
closed the door of our dorm room.

   I smiled reassuringly.  I lied.  "Being a smoker doesn't change
everything," I said.  "Oh, I'll probably start hanging out with Juli and
Serena, and some of the other girls on our floor who smoke, a little more
often.  But it's not that big a deal.  Really."

   Roz nodded.  "I've been thinking about your proposal," she slowly began.
"I do want to see Tina.  And I'm actually a little curious about what's
happened to you with this smoking thing."  She took a deep breath.  "What I
mean to say is, I'm willing to give it a try."

   "Great," I gushed, spontaneously giving my pretty brunette roommate a hug.
I retrieved the pack of B&H Menthol Light 100's from my purse.  "You can have
these," I suggested.  "It's the brand my sister Kim smokes.  They're pretty
good.  And you'll need one of these."  I tossed Roz a disposable lighter.
"Do you want to start right now?"

   "I guess so.  It's as good a time as any.  Let's just keep the door closed
and not let anyone in.  I'm embarrassed about this."

   I nodded.  To tell the truth, so was I.  Despite my eagerness to be a
smoker now, it'd be weird to just start smoking in the dorm.  I was as
nervous as Roz.  But I didn't let it show.  "Okay then," I grinned.  "Let's
do it."

   Roz's first cigarette went pretty well.  Apparently she'd never smoked.
No one in her family did.  She hadn't been around it much, except hanging out
with Juli and Serena and other smokers on our floor.  I smoked along with
her, coaching her, just as Ellie coached me, telling her what to do every
step along the way.  Roz never coughed, which surprised me.  In that way, the
first cigarette was easier for her than mine was for me.  I made Roz inhale
before finishing her first cigarette.  I didn't apologize.  I told her it was
a normal part of learning to smoke.  And pulling the smoke deep into her
lungs didn't seem to trouble her at all.  I was pleased.

   Roz is a private person.  She doesn't say much about how she feels about
things.  That night was no different.  She didn't comment much on her first
smoking encounter.  But as for me, I really enjoyed my after-dinner
cigarette, and I was encouraged that Roz neither complained nor whined about
her first one, though she didn't say she liked it, either.  I liked smoking
from the beginning.  If Roz felt that way, she kept it well hidden.

   We agreed she'd smoke another cigarette when she got back from the
library.  Roz had to do research for a paper.  Frankly, I was glad to see her
go.  There were some things I wanted to do.  First, I wanted to visit Juli
and Serena and "go public" with my new smoking habit.  And second, well, I'll
come to that in a minute.

   Juli and Serena are both sophomores.  I always liked them, even before I
smoked.  Both are upbeat, life-of-the-party types.  Right from the start,
everyone on our floor knew they smoked constantly.  I wanted to establish
some allies, and quick.  Juli and Serena were logical choices.  I put my pack
of Marlboro Lights 100's in the pocket of my jeans and dropped in on them.

   Juli is from Minnesota, a third generation Swedish American.  As you'd
expect, she has natural blond hair and a vivacious, outgoing smile.  Her
appearance and gregarious personality are a complete contrast to her
roommate's.  Serena's parents are Indian or Pakistani or something like that.
She has dark skin and jet-black hair.  Both girls are absolutely gorgeous,
but Serena is as quiet as Juli is loud.  Serena's not shy, but she's more
reserved than her blond roommate.  They match up well.  I always thought they
were good for each other.  But two important things they have in common; they
both love to party, and they both smoke all the time.

   The aroma of stale tobacco smoke greeted me as I walked in their room.
Instead of smelling bad, the fragrance now seemed quite appealing.  I found
myself looking forward to the day when _my_ room smelled like that.  If my
plan with Roz worked, it wouldn't be long.

   I explained to Juli and Serena what'd happened.  They were excited for me,
and hopeful for Roz.  Both Juli and Serena asked to see me smoke.  So I got
out my Marlboros and lit up with them.  It was cool.  Like Ellie and me, Juli
smokes Marlboro Lights 100's.  Serena smokes Benson & Hedges Menthols, the
full flavored 100's, not lights like Kim's.  It was weird smoking with them.
Weird, but nice.  I found out Serena started smoking when she was 16.  From
the start her parents let her smoke with no hassle.  Juli, on the other hand,
started at only 14, but her folks didn't know till she left for college.
Their paths to becoming smokers in high school were different, but they both
developed into much heavier smokers in college.  I think it happened because
they roomed together freshman year.  They reinforced each other's smoking.
Living together, it was natural to light up all the time.  Now both Juli and
Serena smoked between one and two packs every day.  No wonder their room
smelled of stale smoke!  But I thought it was great; great that they both
smoked so much, and great that their room smelled like it did.

   While I visited, Juli and Serena intentionally left the door open.  A
number of kids poked their heads in while I was there.  No one said anything
about seeing me with a cigarette.  But I knew it'd be all over the dorm by
the end of the night.  Did you know that Trina Kennedy is a smoker?  God,
imagine the scandal!  I laughed thinking about it.

   Serena and Juli loved my plan for Roz.  It was sheer inspiration, they
both agreed.  They said it's much easier being a smoker living with another
smoker.  By the time I left their room, I knew one thing for sure.  If Roz
became a smoker, too, I'd definitely wind up smoking a lot more, and Roz
would, too.  There was something about having another person around to smoke
with all the time that made it more fun.  I knew I'd return to Juli's and
Serena's room a lot.

   Back in my room, I finally did something I'd been itching to do all day.
I locked the door and sat in front of the mirror with my cigarettes and
ashtray.  I smoked watching my reflection.  Sure enough, I _did_ look damn
sexy smoking!  God!  The same alluring, seductive smoking visage which Ellie
first showed me, and which Kim, Juli and Serena also demonstrated, was
replicated by my own reflection in the mirror.  It was so cool to see smoke
coming out of my mouth.  I loved it.  Halfway through my cigarette, I started
playing with myself while I watched.  I was so horny.  It was so unbelievably
sexy seeing myself smoke!  I don't know why, but it made me incredibly hot.
I lit a second cigarette and finally came about halfway through it.  God, it
felt good, good to smoke and good to get off!  I still didn't know why
smoking seemed so damn sexy to me, but it didn't matter.  The important thing
was to enjoy it.  And enjoy it I did!

   Roz came back at ten thirty.  As promised, we had one more cigarette
before bed.  My throat started to feel scratchy from smoking so much, but I
kept going.  I wasn't about to miss an opportunity to encourage Roz.  Once
again, she didn't say much about the experience.  But I knew she wanted that
Tina ticket.  Finally I asked what she thought.  "Oh, it's okay, I guess,"
she said with a noncommittal smile.  That was it.  Despite her lack of
enthusiasm, it seemed to me Roz was doing real well.  Her inhales were good,
steady and unchanging; not as deep as mine, but not bad, either.  Her
exhales, on the other hand, were sweet.  The sight of smoke flowing out of
Roz's pretty lips was a real treat!  It made me want to touch myself again,
but I resisted that temptation till we were both in bed and the lights were
out.  Then I quietly played with myself before falling asleep.

   The next day Roz had eight cigarettes.  Once again, she smoked without
much comment.  I sure as hell enjoyed watching her smoke, though, and she
seemed more and more comfortable.  That night I ate at the commons with Juli
and Serena, because, damn it, I wanted to smoke after dinner.  Roz decided
not to join us.  She was still freaked out by the idea of anyone knowing what
she was doing.  So that night was my first truly public smoking exhibition.
Once again, no one said anything critical to my face.  The other smokers in
the room seemed glad to include me in their circle.  Many non-smokers passed
by and did a quick double-take, but that was it.  Overall, it was a pretty
damn easy 'coming out.'

   Roz had to finish the pack on the third day, because Tina tickets went on
sale the next morning.  So we smoked together between classes.  By
mid-afternoon she'd had six cigarettes.  That meant she needed to smoke four
more by bedtime, and then she could stand in line for a ticket the next
morning with my forty dollars.  Before dinner, as Roz was about to light up
again, I screwed up my courage to ask exactly what she thought about smoking
at that point.

   "I knew eventually you'd ask me point-blank," she smiled, expelling a
stream of smoke to the side.  "I haven't said much, I know.  But I can
definitely understand why you like it, Trina."  She gazed at the burning
cigarette in her hand.  "The inhaling is what's really fascinating.  The more
I do it, the more I want to.  I don't know why exactly.  It just makes me
feel good."

   "Oh, I know," I enthusiastically agreed, preparing to light one of my own.
"I adore the feeling of pulling smoke into my lungs.  God, it never gets old.
It just gets better."  I lit up.  "Isn't that terrible?" I giggled.  "But
it's true.  I don't want to stop.  How about you, Roz?  What do you think?
Do you _want_ to stop?"

   Roz took another thoughtful hit on her cigarette.  Before she answered,
there was a knock on the locked door.  "Who is it?" I called.  In the
meantime, Roz froze, right in the middle of holding smoke in her lungs, which
made her inhale last much longer than she intended.

   "It's Juli and Serena," a voice giggled from the other side.  "We know
what you're doing in there, girls.  We won't tell.  Just let us in."

   Smoke dribbled from Roz's lips.  She looked uneasy.  "Don't be scared," I
reassured her.  "Juli and Serena know about your experiment.  They'll keep
quiet.  Let's let 'em in."

   "Uh, okay," Roz said in a cautious whisper.  Smoke continued to trickle
from her pretty quivering lips.

   Juli and Serena came in and locked the door again.  They grinned upon
seeing innocent looking little Roz with a lit cigarette.  Without asking,
they immediately lit up, too.  Quickly, smoke permeated the air.  I don't
know about Roz, but I didn't mind.  It was actually kind of neat.

   Serena sat beside Roz and talked reassuringly.  There was no reason to be
scared, Serena told her.  Her secret was safe with them as long as Roz wanted
it kept quiet.  Veteran smoker that she was, Serena routinely talked while
she exhaled smoke over consecutive breaths.  The sight of that
dark-complexioned beauty releasing smoke while talking was damn nice.  God,
the sight of her made me so hot!  Serena looked so sexy, and so completely
comfortable, smoking a cigarette.  Roz, too surely couldn't help noticing how
Serena looked smoking.  Juli, on the other hand, made us all laugh.  She told
about how her parents reacted the first time they learned she smoked.  Juli's
stories were hysterical.  I was glad they came over.  By distracting Roz, and
not letting her pay as much attention to her own smoking, the two sophomores
were helping me considerably.

   One thing led to another.  Soon Serena and Juli both lit up again, as did
I.  It felt so good to smoke hanging out with friends, enjoying the ambiance
of our smoky room.  I was surprised when Roz lit up again, too.  She'd never
smoked two cigarettes in a row.  But she looked relaxed, like she was really
enjoying herself.  Juli's zany comedy act and Serena's sincere interest in
her progress seemed to be great comforts to Roz.  Our banter took on a life
of its own, and time was forgotten.  But when Serena lit up her third
cigarette, Juli looked at her watch.

   "Oh, shit," Juli muttered.  "It's almost six.  We should go to dinner
before things get completely picked over in the commons.  We need to go now,
you guys."

   Serena looked offended.  Each time she speaks, there's a faint accent,
attributable to her parents' Indian heritage.  "Now, Juli!  You don't expect
me to waste a perfectly good cigarette by putting it out right after lighting
up, do you?"

   "I guess not," Juli sighed.  "But hurry it up, Serena.  Don't dawdle.
Finish it fast."

   Serena looked slyly at Roz, who was sitting by her.  "Perhaps you can help
me, Roz," the dark-skinned beauty mysteriously suggested.  "Here's what I
mean.  Each time I take a puff, I'll hand the cigarette to you.  Then you
take one, too.  You give it back, and than I'll have another, and so on till
we're done.  You smoke menthols, so you're used to these.  What do you say?"

   Roz was in a pretty good mood.  "Okay," she laughed.  "Sure, why not?"
Roz took Serena's cigarette and raised it to her lips, taking a moderate
drag.  The full flavored smoke from the Benson & Hedges was stronger than
what she was used to, but my brunette roommate sucked it into her lungs with
no comment.  "Okay, here you go, Serena," Roz smiled, handing the cigarette
back to Serena while beginning an exhale of the thick, rich, full flavored
smoke.

   In turn Serena took another cheek-hollowing drag, and handed the cigarette
back to Roz.  Without protest Roz put it between her lips for another hit.
She sucked harder and longer this time, smiling contentedly as she handed it
back.  "It's your turn again now, Serena," she said, for the first time
talking over an exhale.  It looked great!  "You know what?  Your cigarettes
are stronger than the ones I've been smoking, aren't they?"

   "Yes, they are," Serena agreed, puffing again herself.  The cigarette was
rapidly shrinking.  "Mine are regular, not lights.  I think they're better.
Do you like my brand?"

   Roz again dutifully took the cigarette from Serena.  "Yeah, your
cigarettes are fine," she pleasantly replied, drawing on it again.  "I can
taste the flavor better."  She tipped her head to release the smoke she'd
just inhaled.

   "I know.  That's why I prefer them," Serena quietly answered.  "When I
smoke a cigarette, I want to taste it.  The rich flavor of these cigarettes
makes smoking much more enjoyable.  That's how I feel."  After another puff,
she immediately passed it back to Roz.

   "I see what you mean," Roz said, as she dragged again.  This time she held
the smoke in longer, to better feel the impact of the thicker, richer smoke
from Serena's full flavored cigarette.  Then she exhaled.  "Yes, they're
very, very nice indeed," she admitted shyly.

   Serena took a last drag and crushed the cigarette in the ashtray.  "We're
now ready to go to dinner, Juli," she announced.  "With Roz helping, we
finished that cigarette in record time."

   All four of us got up.  Serena had her purse with her, so she dropped her
B&H Menthols inside.  Juli simultaneously slipped her Marlboro Lights 100's
in the pocket of the vest she wore.  Without thinking, I also slid my pack of
cigarettes in the side pocket of my jeans.

   As we left the room, Serena turned.  "Do you mind if we sit in the smoking
section tonight, Roz?  I like having a cigarette or two with my coffee after
dinner."

   Roz smiled.  "No, that's okay.  I don't mind."  She paused.  "That is,
it's okay if you let me have another one of your cigarettes, Serena."  There
was a devilish twinkle in her eye.

   Serena smiled back.  "Roz, it'd be an honor to let you bum another
cigarette.  But you have to smoke it in the dining room with me."

   "I figured you'd say that," Roz shot back.  But she didn't look
distressed.  "I don't think it'd hurt me to smoke one cigarette with you guys
in the commons after dinner."

   As we walked to the dining room, Roz ambled up beside me.  She leaned over
and, in a low tone, whispered.  "Okay.  There!  Are you satisfied?"

   "What do you mean?" I asked naively.

   "I mean, are you satisfied?  I'm going to smoke with you guys tonight, in
public, for Christ's sake.  I figured it'd make you very happy."

   I gave my roommate a sly smile.  "It makes me happy if it makes you happy,
Roz," I said straightforwardly.  "Don't do this for me.  Only do it if it's
what you want."

   Roz took a deep breath.  "Well, it is what I want," she confirmed.  "I
might just want to be a smoker, too.  Smoking Serena's cigarette iced it.
God, it tasted so good!  I liked the others, but oh my God.  Hers are fuckin'
wonderful!  Plus, you were right, Trina.  It's fun smoking with those guys.
I don't know why, but it seems so sociable when we're all smoking together."

   "It sure is," I agreed.  I reached out, took Roz's hand, and gave it a
squeeze.  "So, roomie, I guess you'll be standing in line tomorrow morning
for Tina tickets!"

   "Yes, I will," Roz smiled right back.  "But I may want to have a pack of
cigarettes with me.  You know?  To give me something to do while I'm waiting,
something that I'll enjoy."

   A mental picture appeared in my mind.  There was my lovely, diminutive
brunette roommate, standing in line by the arena, waiting for it to move, all
the while smoking a series of long white cigarettes, one after the other.
That imaginary picture looked damn good to me.  Roz was going to be one
classy smoker!  I gave her a big smile.  "Hey, I'll buy you some more
cigarettes tonight if you want, Roz.  Don't worry.  They're on me."

   "Good," she smiled.  "I would like some.  I'd like a carton of Serena's
brand, please."  Seeing my chagrin, Roz giggled coyly.  "Look, Trina, if I
smoke, it'll cost you a hell of a lot more than forty dollars.  But that's
only fair.  I'll do the smoking, but you can sure as hell buy me my first
carton of cigarettes."

   "It is fair," I agreed happily. "I don't mind at all."  I felt my own pack
of cigarettes in the pocket of my jeans.  Perhaps from now on both of us
would carry cigarettes to the dining hall.  "So, you're sure you want to
smoke with us tonight, Roz?" I asked one last time.

   Roz just smiled.  "Yes, I'm sure," she nodded.  "It's so tasty.  If you
guys are all going to smoke, I don't want to miss out."  She sighed and gave
me a satisfied, girl next door kind of look.  "And you know what?  I have a
feeling this might become a regular part of our dinner routine."

   I laughed.  And Roz was right.  It sure as hell did!

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