Just One Wisp

"Hey." I whip around and catch Nick coming down the stairs. "Funny seeing you here."

His presence shocks me into high gear.

"Shoot, wrong house." I grin wide and shrug my shoulders. Turning on my heel I say, "I must have the wrong address."

His gritty-yet-sweet cologne engulfs me, and I practically melt on the spot. Those welcoming brown eyes? That dark, tousled hair and matching, shining smile?

Nick grabs my arm and spins me back around. His warm touch sets me ablaze. "Hey," he draws. "Nice try, Millie."

I peel off my respirator, drop my stuff on the ground, and follow his lead up the stairs. Each step propels me with more and more excitement. He's exactly what I imagined. Everything I could want for a Saturday night. Dreams come true. The world granted me a miracle. I am floating in Heaven.

I follow Nick into a shabby room with blankets rolled onto the hardwood floor and little twinkly candles lining the room.

"This is so pretty," I gush. "For me?"

"For you, yeah," he says, smirking. "Still think you're at the wrong address?"

Nick leads me to the blankets, where we kick off our shoes. "How did you find this place?" I ask, scanning the room.

Nick leans against the wall, propping his arms around one of his legs. "Some of my buddies and I found this place unlocked and claimed it as our own."

I nod. Man, I wish Jess and I had a place we could hang out, too. We could watch movies and eat snacks all night without our parents whisking us to bed at ten o'clock.

I steal a glance at Nick, who's already gazing at me. His eyes don't move from me, even when mine dart away. Is this what it's like? Is this what I've been missing for way too long?

I inhale with a little shakiness rattling me. It takes a second for me to relax, until I realize it. My body stiffens as I piece together what's wrong.

A fresh wisp of air fills my nose. Smooth and sweet, nothing like the cafeteria air that feels grimy in comparison.

My eyes dart to Nick's. "Are there air filters here?"

Nick's smile quivers. "I think so. This place is sealed up tight."

That was not the answer I expected. Any warmth from the candles runs cold in my blood. "I have to go." I fumble to my feet.

"What? No! You just got here!" Nick says.

I don't even have words. I sprint out of the room and hustle down the stairs. I throw on my respirator, grab my stuff, and run out the door. Nick follows me down the stairs, but I don't even hear his footsteps. I wish I never fell under his spell and never trusted someone like him.

"Millie!"

"I can't believe you," I say, throwing my respirator over my face. "Do you want to kill us both? There's toxic metals in the air!"

"This place is safe, Millie! I just wanted to see you," he says. "I didn't think it would be a big deal."

"A big deal?" I huff. The tears well in my eyes. My blood curdles in my veins, a headache bursts to life underneath my skin. I'm gulping breath after breath of air behind my mask. I don't want to leave Mom the way Dad did. It's over for me, whether it be tomorrow or fifty years from now. Any risk is a bad risk. Any exposure is bad exposure.

It only takes one wisp.

This scary story comes from my active imagination, but nothing is as scary as the fact: "Vaping can expose you to toxic metals like nickel, chromium and lead that can damage your lungs." To learn more visit The Real Cost.