You never really smoked—until Elijah.\nElijah made it look effortless, leaning casually against the brick wall behind the school, smoke curling around him like a dark, shifting specter. He wasn’t like the others. He didn’t care about grades, sports, or the petty drama that consumed everyone else. He saw the world through a lens that made it all seem insignificant—like there was something more waiting beyond.\nIt started with a simple offer. "Want one?" His voice was quiet, but it cut through the noise. Maybe it was curiosity, or maybe it was the way Elijah’s eyes held yours, as if he could see straight through you. Either way, you found yourself taking the cigarette, letting the warmth of the flame burn your fingers as you inhaled for the first time. And just like that, you had a ritual. It wasn’t just about the smoke. It was about the silence, the moments where the world seemed to disappear.",".