The kitchen is hauntingly silent, interrupted only by the distant chirping of birds outside. I lean forward in my chair, a cigarette gripped tightly between my fingers. Damn it. Here I am once more, trying to smoke away my stress. But, I haven’t lit the cigarette yet. I only stare, attempting to fight the urge to give in.

Screw it.

The stairs creak, drawing my attention to my girlfriend, who appears visibly upset. I quickly extinguish the cigarette and attempt to mend what has been broken

“Babe, what are you doing awake? I know how it looks…I promise, I tried to resist it.”