Page 97 of My Boss

“I had to stop because you wanted a smoke?” he asks in disbelief, getting out of the car.

“It’s an emergency.” I try to light a cigarette, but gusts of wind extinguish the flame in the lighter. I hold it tightly in myhands, purse the cigarette in my mouth, panting—and not at all because I’m standing in just a sweatshirt in the cold.

God, I’m emotionally unstable. How could I fall in love so quickly with a guy I hated just forty-eight hours ago?

“I think it’s a good time to stop it.” I hear his voice.

“What?”

I don’t even have time to look at him when he pulls the cigarette out of my mouth.

“What are you doing?”

“Smoking is bad for your health.”

“It also causes cancer and heart disease. Chill out.” I pull a pack of smokes out of my purse, and then Jan takes it from my hands, takes a swing, and throws it over the fence.

Well, fuck it!

“Are you crazy? Why did you do that?”

“Because I don’t want you to smoke.”

“But you said yourself that you used to smoke.”

“Ten years ago. For fifteen days and seven hours. I’m not happy about it. Nicotine is a stronger addiction than heroin.”

“Then maybe you remember what it’s like when you want to smoke like hell, and you don’t have any cigarettes?”

“Addiction solves nothing. That’s why this is your last cigarette. Enjoy it because you are quitting as of today.” He hands me the cigarette, and I snatch it from his hand.

“You will not tell me what to do.” I light the cigarette and take a deep drag.

Jan squints his eyes.

“How long have you been smoking?”

I roll my eyes.

“Gimme a break.”

“Answer me.”

Jeez, it’s starting.

“Since I turned sixteen.”

“So twelve years.”

“I see. You are better at math than me.”

“I’m not.”

“Sure, you’re not. It was a joke.”

“I’m not kidding. Every year six million people die prematurely worldwide because of smoking.”

“I know, and you are telling me this because?” I take another drag.

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