Petrichor

Drag

I walked all the way to Cromwell, almost getting lost as I haven't been to visit in the past few weeks. As I got in, I didn't bother sneaking because they were very lenient here compared to Windsor. Figures. 

I went into their room and was pacing in their living space. His room was far left and I finally got the courage to approach it.

I knocked once, no answer and as I went to knock a second time the door opened abruptly. He was shirtless and wearing joggers, smoke in hand and looked dead tired. He obviously wasn't expecting me because he straightened himself, exhaling his smoke away from me.

"Lucy," he said, surprised. "What are you doing here?"

"I wanted to see if you were okay." 

"Oh."

"Are you?"

"Yeah."

"Bullshit," I said, firmly.

"What?" He protested, taking another drag, still not letting me in his room. "You want me to tell you?"

"Yes, that is why I'm here," I said, crossing my arms. 

"Well you shouldn't be."

"Why not?"

"I didn't come today because I am distancing myself."

"From who? Me? Why?"

"So I can sort out my feelings so that everything can go back to normal."

"But you're not sorting out your feelings. You're not sleeping, you're smoking non-stop and I presume that means you haven't eaten."

"Have you?"

"We're talking about you?"

"I have a process, let me continue it."

"No. I won't leave until you stop trying to avoid me by being an ass."

"It wasn't working?" He asked, and I just stood there, arms still crossed. 

"Just let me in, and you don't need to be alone, regardless of your feelings." He hesitated for a moment and let me in. There were clothes on the floor and it reeked of cigarette, which gave me a thought. 

I stepped out of my shoes and shrugged off my coat, letting it drop somewhere on the floor, leaving me in my flared pants and a thick long sleeve. I opened his window before propping myself on his bed where he joined next to me, still smoking. 

"Don't tell your brother I'm smoking with you here."

"Why not?"

"He'll kill me."

"So. I am his age and he smokes, so why can't I?" He ignored me. 

"Regardless of your brother, you don't even like smokes."

"I don't know that, I've never tried them," I said, watching him take a drag. He looked at me suspiciously. 

"Absolutely not."

"Oh, come on, it's not like I'm going to become addicted after one drag."

"No."

"Pretty please," I said, batting my eyelashes. 

"I said no," he repeated. "And don't do that."

"Okay, how bout this, I won't take a drag, you can just blow the smoke in my mouth."

"Why do you want to all of a sudden."

"I don't know, I just want to try it, it may be better than other coping mechanisms." This comment made him deep breathe.