Paul approached the school gates nervously, in awe at the size of the place
compared to his previous school. Paul had been studying for his A-levels at
a small sixth form college in the countryside just one month ago before the
move. His father was a family doctor and had recently, just after
christmas, started a job at the casualty department at the hospital here,
with the family moving two hundred miles north. This bustling town was a
million miles away from their previous rural setting and Paul worried about
settling. Pauls sister Julie, was a year younger than Paul at 15 and she
was starting at the other high school in the area, which was slightly
closer to their new home where they were unable to accommodate Paul. Now,
on the first day back after the christmas break, Paul had fears about
whether he would settle here.
His fears were unfounded however. He was introduced to his new form class
and was made welcome by all, particularly the boys in the class once they
discovered a mutual interest in football. Indeed, once the bell sounded for
first break, Paul was invited over onto the field for a quick game. The six
lads ran over to an area behind the sports hall where they were joined by
four others who were introduced to Paul, before beginning a five-a-side
game. Paul soon impressed the other boys with his skills, pointing out that
he was captain of the team at his previous school. As the game continued,
Paul took a casual glance over behind the sports hall to see a cluster of
girls giggling, chatting and smoking. One in particular caught Pauls
attention; she was petite, slim with shoulder length blonde hair, with Paul
immediately fancying her. He carried on with the game until the bell went
and the boys headed back towards the school. The girls were quickly
finishing their cigarettes, inhaling deeply before blowing out thick clouds
of smoke. Paul looked over at the blonde girl as she placed her cig in her
mouth, and sucked on it before blowing a long cone of smoke upward as she
dropped it to the floor. She then looked over at Paul as the remaining
traces of smoke in her body drifted from her nostrils before she noticed
Paul and smiled cutely at him as she turned back towards school.
In the following classes, Paul was unable to concentrate on his work,
thinking about the girl. She was stunning, but it seemed strange to Paul
that such a gorgeous young girl would smoke and he began to think about his
sister. Paul had first seen her smoking with friends when she was nine;
coming from a well off family, Paul thought she saw it as a way to get in
with the other kids, to become part of the group. He hadn’t seen her smoke
for a while but suspected she still did occasionally, taking them from
their mother, who was quite a heavy smoker. Thinking about this girl, Paul
was strangely aroused by her smoking, shuffling in his seat as he tried to
make room for the emerging bulge in his trousers.
The boys returned to the field at lunch to resume the game, with Paul
disappointed to see the pretty blonde not among the group of under age
smokers. In a way, it was a good thing as it enabled him to concentrate on
his game and again impressed his new mates.
“You play a damn good game,” Steve exclaimed, “listen, if you fancy it,
we’ve got team training after school tonight, why don’t you come along”
“You have a team then?” Paul asked,
“Yeah, a pretty good one too, but always on the lookout for new talent. The
coach, Mr Spencer is a pretty decent bloke, playing like this you should
make the team.”
Paul was pleased to see the other boys agree, so he went along with them
after school and continued to perform, but this time it was the coach who
was impressed.
“What’s your name again lad?” he asked,
“Paul Farnham,”
“You say you were captain at your last school eh,”
“Yeah, it was a smaller school than this though sir, we weren’t that good,”
Paul answered despondently,
“Well, I don’t know about your other team lad, but you’re on this team if
you want a place, we can always use talent like yours,” the coach smiled. A
grin crossed Pauls face on hearing this as the other lads congratulated
him. It was pleasing that none of the regular team were miffed at this new
boy barging his way into their team, everyone seemed happy, and that was
good enough for Paul.
It had been a good first day Paul thought, he was quite pleased with
himself; new friends, gorgeous girls and a place on the footy team; a good
days work.
After training finished, Paul made his way to the main gates and was
suddenly aware of footsteps running up behind him. He turned round to see
who, but the girl from this morning; his heart skipped about four beats.
“Hi,” she spoke,”thought it was you.” Paul looked at her with a puzzled
look on his face.
“Remember me?…..from this morning?……..breaktime?”
“Oh yeah,” Paul answered sheepishly, “behind the sports hall.”
“You’re new aren’t you, ain’t seen you before,”
“Yeah, just moved into the area from down South, my dad got a new job”
“Nice one….by the way, I’m Emma,” she said smiling,
“Paul.”
“Saw you playing football just now, trying for the team?” she asked,
“I got on,” he answered, “straight away,”
“Yeah, I’m on the hockey team,” Emma responded as Paul looked at her,
noticing she was dressed in a short, pleated sports skirt and T-shirt. As
they continued together through the gates, Paul watched her rummage through
her bag, eventually producing a packet of red Marlboro and a lighter.
“Want one?” Emma offered,
“No thanks,” Paul answered, “don’t smoke.”
Emma didn’t answer as she placed one of the cigs between her lips and and
lit it with the flame of her lighter. She sucked on the cig, the end
glowing bright red and exhaled a waft of smoke immediately, shrouding the
lit cigarette with thick smoke before taking another, short drag for only a
couple of seconds. This time, keeping her mouth closed as she removed the
filter, she inhaled for another couple of seconds before pursing her lips
and blowing out a thin cone of smoke.
“Walking to the bus station?” Emma asked,
“Aye,” Paul answered, “don’t know what time the bus gets in though.”
“They come when they feel like it round here,” Emma laughed.
They began the walk to the bus station together, Emma continuing to smoke
her cigarette on the way, each time taking only small drags, always in the
same way before exhaling a small stream of smoke from her pursed lips.
As they entered the bus station, Emma dropped her cigarette to the floor,
killing it with her foot. “Have to get some more tonight” she told Paul,
looking at the lifeless stub.
“Been smoking long?” Paul asked,
“Well, had my first about seven years ago, but regularly….for about 2
years” she answered thoughtfully,
“Why start at all?” Paul asked again,
“Dunno really,” Emma answered, shrugging her shoulders, “i suppose because
all my mates did….like you do. We just tried it as kids, but like I say,
only really started a couple of years ago.” Paul listened with interest as
they both instinctively sat down on a bench.
“Everyone just seemed to start when we were about thirteen, in the third
form, now its just habit I suppose.”
“You could pack in if you don’t like it” Paul exclaimed,
“Yeah, I could, but I do enjoy it really.”
“How many do you smoke?” Paul asked,
“Depends really, I smoke more now….my mum lets me smoke in the house
since I turned sixteen, and I bum most of my cigs off her. I work in a
hairdressers on a saturday so most of that money goes on cigs.”. Paul
thought that Emma seemed unsure, that she only seemed to smoke for the
image, but yet it was clear that she was addicted. She seemed trapped, but
Paul decided not to push the issue and began to talk about what this town
was like to live in. After a short while, Emma stood up as the number 20
stopped across from their bench.
“Sorry Paul,” Emma apologise, “have to go now. I’m sure I’ll see you round
school again though.”
“Yeah, soon I hope” Paul replied. Emma smiled and gave him a little wave as
she turned around and boarded her bus.”
Paul thought about Emma most of the night, she was so gorgeous, but yet he
felt sorry for her in a way; about her smoking because she felt she had to
and how her unknowing addiction would affect her life.
He didn’t see Emma again for the next three days; it rained incessantly and
break times were spent indoors,and when Paul presumed Emma was taking her
smoke breaks in the toilets.
However, on the Friday, the weather brightened and the boys made their way
to the football field again, although Paul was disheartened not to see Emma
taking her fix. As the bell sounded at hometime, Paul made his way to the
field again for a team training session, wathced unknowingly by Emma from
where hockey practice was held. After the hour long session, Paul trudged
from the field and through the gates after saying goodbye to his friends
for the weekend, again to be greeted by Emma.
“Hi Paul, not seen you all week.” Pauls face was immediately covered by a
large smile.”
“Had hockey practice again?” Paul asked,
“Yeah, twice a week like you,” she answered, “I’m exhausted.” As she spoke,
she reached into her bag and pulled out a Marlboro as she had on Monday and
lit up. She seemed to take a longer drag this time of about five seconds,
Paul noticed, followed by an inhale as she pulled the smoke down into her
lungs, but not holding it for long before she exhaled a large cone of smoke
into the air with a small waft through her nostrils.
“Had a good week?” Paul asked,
“Not too bad, got plenty of work to do though” Emma groaned. The two
continued their conversation as they again headed to the bus stop; Emma
smoking her cigarette as she went. As they walked in, Emmas bus pulled in
and she finished her cigarette, dropping the stub to the floor. A large
exhale followed through her nostrils as Paul thought she seemed to enjoy it
more this time.
“Listen,” Emma spoke, “do you fancy letting me take oyu out tomorrow night”
“Er, yeah,” Paul replied gingerly, “what do you fancy.”
“Well, I’m working in the day…..what about we meet her about 7.30?”
“Yeah, no problem” Paul answered happily
“Great, see you tomorrow” Emma shouted, running for bus. She didn’t here
Paul reply, and he went home eager for his date tomorrow with this gorgeous
young girl…………….