His Little Smoker

Prologue| Repeat

The main character smokes an unhealthy amount of cigarettes. If this was reality she would be in a critical state if not dead. Please do not try and mimic her actions, this is a fictional story.

——

Malibu

I pulled my younger brother closer covering his ears with my hands. He put his small hands on top of mine and smiled revealing his missing middle tooth, "I like the silent game."

Another loud shatter came from inside the house and I cracked a small smile back. "Me too." I mouthed, hoping he wouldn't hear or feel what was happening behind him.

Our parents got into argument but it was clear to see how bad this one was becoming. Another glass item shattered close to the window and I jolted. Ansel eyebrows jumped and his lip twitched, "You okay Mali, is there something wrong?"

I shook my head and squeezed his ears a bit tighter, "I'm good." He gave me tight smile and closed his eyes, tracing his fingers against the back of my hand. I could tell he was nervous, and that he was staying calm for me.

Which I was desperately trying to do for him.

The front door slammed open and we both jumped, looking to the door. My Dad had a duffel bag resting on his shoulder, his attire no longer crisp and straight. His face was a bit bruised, blood stained on his collar and his hair as wild as his eyes. I opened my mouth to speak but Ansel did first, "Dad?"

He scoffed, something cold flashing against his dark brown eyes, "I wish bud, but your mother had a different idea about that."

I stood up and Ansel did the same, glued to my hip as we approached him. "W-where are you going?" My eyes fell to his bag and he held it tighter, "Dad?"

He pinched my cheek giving me a tight grin, "You have so much potential LiLi, so much power hun." My lip trembled and I sniffed, "Take care of Ansel."

He turned and I grabbed onto his suit, "Dad no!" He pulled his suit away and I backed up at his force. He was serious, he was leaving. "Please?"

"Let him go Mali." I turned around at the sound of my Mom's voice. She was in worse shape than my Dad, her hair in messier do and her dress stained. She lifted her glass to her mouth, "It's not like he cared."

My Dad scoffed from behind me, "No, I cared too much Celeste that was the problem from the start." Ansel pulled himself closer to me and I rubbed his back, "To think at one point I wanted to give you the world, my world."

My Mom rolled her eyes and played with the ends of her braids, "Kids say goodbye to Daddy and get inside, there's a mess that needs cleaning up."

I glanced back at my Dad tears rolling down my eyes, "Please Dad you can't leave us, you promised."

He promised it was always going to be the four of us, the four of us forever. He promised us forever.

He shrugged, "Promises get broken hun, it's life." I pinched my aching nose as tears filled my eyes. Ansel held me tighter and my chest tightened as his car drove away. The air became thick and the wind icier.

He was gone.

Ansel tugged me a bit, "Mali where did he go?" His voice was faint against the strong blow that was rattling my ears. "Is he coming back?"

I opened my mouth to speak but couldn't find the words. Words that would lift him up rather than tear him apart further. I blinked my tears away and shrugged, "Guess we just have to ask him tomorrow."

I grabbed Ansel's hand rubbing the back of it for comfort. He smiled warmly at me and I pinched his cheek, "We can ask him for ice cream too Mali."

We walked inside the house and my heart sank at the monstrosity that laid in front of us. Pictures were knocked out of their frames, the couch ripped apart, chairs broken, pillow stuffing all over the floor, and what seemed like dinner splattered by the stairs. I cleared my throat and rubbed Ansel's shoulder, "Go upstairs and get ready for bed, I'll start cleaning."

He continued to look around, "All by yourself?"

"Mom's going to help don't worry about me." I gave Ansel a small push and he headed towards the stairs. He tiptoed over the spilled food and looked back, "Ansel I'll be fine go to bed."

Once Ansel was out of sight, my vision began to blur. I could feel my chest cave as the realization that our Dad wasn't coming back settled. "Crying won't get this mess cleaned up Malibu."

I bit the inside of my lip and clenched my jaw, my vision fixed to the mess in front of me, "How could you do that to him!" My lip quivered and I bit down harder to stop it, "To us?"

I could hear her footsteps approach and I met her cold gaze, "Let's not act like your Daddy was a saint." She walked over to the couch, naturally wanting to sit down but caught herself. "You and Ansel won't be returning to school until next year, we're moving."

My voice cracked down to a whisper, "What?" I was going to be a senior next year and Ansel in the sixth. "You cannot make us repeat a grade."

"I can, and I will." She cleared her throat, "Final." She carefully glided across the mess, "Get this cleaned up by tomorrow, you're off from school so take how long you need Mali." She waved a hand as she ascended up the steps, "Goodnight."

I could stop her, there were means to stop her, I didn't have to let her ruin our lives. But why should I?

My Dad gave up, he gave up on us, he gave up on hope.

I walked over the to the cleaning closet and felt something hard under my foot. I took a step back and leaned down to pick up the cigarette pack.

Red Newport Cigarettes, his favorites.

I shook out one and put it to my lip as I walked towards the kitchen for a lighter. I hesitated putting the flame to the butt, the stick shaking against my own trembling lip. I closed my eyes and brought the flame closer, inhaling the smoke.

I muffled my coughs, feeling my eyes and lungs catch on fire. It hurt so bad, but it was familiar. The smell reminded me of early Saturday mornings and late Friday evenings. He wasn't here but he was close.

The closest he'll ever get.

——

End of Prologue.