Stress and anxiety pour over me. My eyes swell with tears while my brain swells with emotion I can't control. I can't place a handle on my thoughts. "Everyone hates me" I think. "I don't have any real friends". I reach for the blade, looking for an escape. I clench my fist and resist. I turn to an alternate source of self-destruction. My vape feels familar as it touches my lips, like an old friend. I suck in the vapor and smile as it feels my lungs with nicotine. I take another hit, then the happy buzz replaces my previous emotions. Nicotine is my friend that makes me feel whole again.
