You and I, collide.

FLASHBACK 2

LAUREN

"So why did you wanna hang with me? Don't you have friends?"

Keana asked after a hit of her cigarette. I stared at her and wonder how could she talk while there was smoke coming out of her mouth and nose. I usually found this disgusting about smokers but somehow on Keana it had different effect on me.

I found it kind of hot.

"Lolo?"

"Oh... yeah, sup?" I choked out.

"You with me? You kinda zoned out there."

Keana said and put down her cigarette on the bleacher we were sat on. We decided to have our lunches here since it was not that crowded because most of the students were in the cafeteria.

"Yeah, sure... It's just you'resohot." I blurted out of nowhere.

"What?"

"What?" I asked back did I just say she was hot? Jesus, I need a filter with this mouth!

"I thought you said, I was hot." Keana smirked at me.

"Pfff... I-um- I didn't— I said that—um fuck, yeah you heard me right."

So what? She was hot and I was just complimenting her. It didn't mean that I like her. Girls found other girls hot. No big deal.

"Well... thanks? You're kinda hot too, Lolo." Jesus, I get called hot a lot and I never felt like this but when this some hot girl said I was "kinda" hot I felt my blood rush to my cheeks and mumbled a cheeky thanks like I was complimented by Ryan Gosling.

Keana took a hit of her cigarette again and blew the smoke flawlessly like... it's hot. Seriously looking at her smoking made me think that smoking was not bad.

"When did you start smoking?" I started since she's been quiet for a bit and I was curious.

She took a last puff and put out the cigarette before she answered, "I started when I was in grade 9. I was 15."

"You never stop since?" I asked and then I heard her sighed then she look at me.

"I tried but I failed miserably. I tried to not smoke for a while but when I wasn't smoking all I can think about was I need to smoke. It had become a necessity for me."

"Tell me about your first cigarette." I said suddenly because I was curious how did she start smoking.

She raised her eyebrows at me like she was asking if I was serious I just nodded then she shrugged and spoke.

"My mom was a chain smoker like I've never seen her without cigar in her hand. One day I was watching her smoke, at our porch she threw the butt into the grass, and walked away. Curious, I snuck to the still-smoking butt, picked it up, and put it in my mouth."

Keana paused  and chuckled at the memory then she asked me, "Guess what happens next." She said keeping me in suspense.

"Oh my god! You're mom caught you!" I didn't intend to sound excited but I just loved storytelling. Sue me!

Keana laughed, I didn't know if it was because of the memory or she laughed at my reaction.

She smiled at me. "Don't get too excited this isn't a happy ending."