Rosa's Affair

CHAPTER 18(a)

After my third confirmation that Kiran was asleep, I entered inside Jacob's room. I saw him having his smoke as he roamed in his room. He is so beautiful, maybe the most beautiful man I have ever encountered. For a moment I forgot how much I hate cigarettes. The way he was holding it in between his two fingers made me recall how badly I miss his touch.

"Your presence in my room...brings back..." his mouth curled up recalling our sinful nights.

He walked towards me like a hunter waiting for its prey. "I like my prey to be..." he whispered in my ear, roaming his fingers on my neck. I could smell the high-class cancer stick that lingered from his body. Though I didn't like the idea of what am going to do, I still did it without giving an additional thought. I smelled and nuzzled over his soft lips which were more toxic than his lungs at the present moment. Jacob gave a peck on my lips and that's when I realized I have changed a lot and the first time in my life I didn't feel any sort of guiltiness eating me alive.

"This is my third!" said Jacob.

"Third?"

"Rosa!" he took a large amount of air. "I thought you wouldn't come today."

"You like nicotine?" I asked taking a seat in his bed.

"It's an addiction but I am not addicted," he answered truthfully, throwing the ash in the ashtray.

"Should I rinse my mouth?" he asked, mischievously pinching my both cheeks standing between in front of me.

"Nice posture!" I said removing his hands from my cheek.

"Rosa." he sat down on the floor holding my me in place. "Rosa...do you want to try it?"

"Try...it?"

"It causes the brain to release adrenaline, and that creates a buzz of pleasure and energy."

"Nicotine huh?" I paused for a moment looking at his questioning eyes. "Are there any benefits to smoking cigarettes?"

"Yes!"

"Yes?" I raised my brow out of confusion.

He stood from his sitting position and walked towards the drawer and pulled out a fresh packet of cigarettes. I motioned his every move with my eyes and mirrored his movements. Closing our distance he took a seat near me in the bed and the clock struck 12:00 am. He handed me the packet and motioned me to open it.

"Should I?"

"It is one of the most expensive cigarette brands in the world. Am not addicted, but once in a while I would like to have a treasurer."

"That's called addiction!"

"Rosa!" he exhaled harshly. "Do you want to know what's addiction?"

Ignoring him, I opened the packet carefully giving my full attention to the top-class cigarette. If I die one day because of nicotine, I would be okay with it. Having a good cigarette with my love is a limited-edition opportunity. After a few days, there won't be any Jacob nor treasurer in my life. So exploiting the present opportunity is not a bad idea. With this thought in my mind, I opened the packet and took my first nicotine in my hand. Jacob took the lighter and was ready to lit it.

Should I?

My lips trembled while my heart dared to complete my mission of having the first cigarette in my life.

"You will be fine, don't worry," Jacob said rubbing the back of his neck.

I took the cigarette between my two fingers and inhaled the smell of the cigarette without a second thought. Jacob smiled showing all his teeth and asked me what I was doing.

"Rosa..." he clutched his stomach and laughed without any care. "Wh...what...are you doing?" he laughed again.

Just to see this smile again, I would willingly destroy the lungs without a second thought. "I am just trying it before..."

"Before lighting?"

"Come on...light it!" I ordered him smacking my hand on his shoulder. He controlled his laughter and lighted the cigarette for me and I held it between my index finger and middle finger.

"Don't peek at me Rosa, it's not going to kill you...try it!" said Jacob, taking another one in his hand.

"Why don't we share this together?" I asked him mischievously.

"Together?"

The moment I thought would never come to my life is here. I placed it in between my lips and sucked the treasurer.

"Inhale it very...very...slow...ly..." Jacob sang in my ear and I followed his rhythm with my eyes closed. I could feel the nicotine in my lungs. The way it went inside my body and hit every corner was well memorized by my brain. After taking the third puff I handed it to Jacob and exhaled the smoke on his face. He laughed at my childish behaviour and took two puff from the remaining piece.

"That's all...but don't waste it," I said to him when I saw him throwing the remaining piece in the ashtray.

"It's an addiction if we get attached to it, it...gets attached to every emotion and event in our life. So...wasting the nicotine is not that bad and let's waste as much as we can."

"Am going to take a bath, wanna...join me?" he asked me, walking towards the fresh towel.

"I will wait for you!" I said to him watching him unbutton his shirt.

When I heard the shower running I walked towards the drawer and took the packet of treasurer in my hand. I placed the packet inside my pant pocket and closed the drawer without making any noise. Am not going to smoke, it's a treasured memory of me and Jacob. So...at present I want to treasure the treasurer throughout my life. I walked towards the book rack and saw many different types of books on his shelf. I couldn't even find one single romance novel in his collection. Many scientific publications and multiple same books with different editions decorated the entire shelf. What can I expect more from a young researcher?

"Done researching?" asked Jacob standing in front me with a robe covering his toned body.

"Nope!" I smiled and roamed my eyes from his head to toe.

"I am going to miss...this..." he said, touching my cheek gently.

I placed my hand above his hand which was placed on my cheek. We both stood in silence not knowing what else to say. He was the one who brought this up at his moment. Why does he have to spoil our good night every time bringing the upcoming future?

"You...we...will be alright!" I told him removing his hand gently.

"Why don't you wear something to impress me?" I asked him trying to lighten the mood.

Without a second thought, he walked towards the bed and fell on the bed on his back. "Come to me Rosa," he ordered very gently and I walked towards the bed and before I could sit next to him, I was lying on top of him with him beneath me. He removed the strands of hair from my eyes with his fingers and gave a gentle peck on my nose tip.

"Am going to buy a hair clip for you," murmured Jacob.

"Don't you know how close we are? I could...hear you." I said to him.

"I wanted you to hear...so that next time you put a clip on your hair and I can look at your baby face without much disturbance," he answered.

"I don't look like a...baby!"

"You do!" he answered and rolled us and this time he was lying on top of me and the honeybee sucked the honey from the rose petal.