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Sorry this is a bit short.
9. Three Weeks
Connie hadn't gone to the school yet, but that worried me to the bones still. I began skipping more and more classes to hang out with Lark and get pizza. Mom didn't find out for the three weeks, as I always had homework done, but she got in contact with both Mr. Schue and Principal Figgins who told her that I've been skipping classes. She talked to me that night in my room and said that I couldn't skip classes, I had to keep going so that I would have a good attendance record for colleges. I nodded. When she asked me why I skipped I just said, "I just felt like it." I'm pretty sure I didn't give an attitude tone, but Mom looked a little taken back.
After she had gone to bed that night I took out a cigarette, sat outside on my window and smoked it.
Mr. Schue had me go with him to Ms. Pillsbury office and talk to her about me skipping classes. Ms. Pillsbury thought it had to do with my therapy and eating disorder and feeling bad that New Directions lost Sectionals. I, however, sat there with crossed arms and crossed legs with a crossed face and when she asked me how I was feeling I said: Fine. I then said, "I'm fine. I'm not a nutcase, I'm not acting bad. I've just have a lot on my plate."
After that day I hung out with Lark and we smoked some cigarettes together.
The Glee kids weren't much help either. They had gone off to different clubs for the rest of the year and of course Blaine and Ryder were on my back with Lark. I didn't believe them though and ignored them as soon as Lark came up in a conversation. It hurt me that they spoke like this about him. I told Lark about it. He laughed it off saying Ryder was too overprotective and that Blaine was just a nice guy who, too, overprotective.
Every time one of them said 'Stay away from Lark,' I smoked a cigarette. I had at least six of them a day.
Mom finally met Lark and luckily Lark smelled nice and had nothing on him. She liked him a lot and said that as long as I got a ride home from him I could hang out with him in his apartment. 10 on school nights, 11 on weekends.
Lark and I took that and we stay at his place smoking and watching movies. Sometimes we went out and walked around, smoking of course in our hands, and laughing. If we saw a cop or whoever I would dodge and hide. I don't look old enough to smoke.
By the end of the three weeks it was Friday. I was awake alone at my house. Mom was asleep and everyone was out. I wanted Unique and Ryder to come hang out but they had plans of their own. I sat in my bed reading when I had an urge to smoke. It was hard to stop now. When I wanted one I wanted one. I pulled out of my underwear drawer the cigarette packs I had and pulled one out of a box along with a lighter.
I stood against the wall, the open window at my side, smoking and blowing the cigarette. I finished one, dunked it in my water glass and threw it in the trash bin. I pulled a second one out. I was in the middle of it when my door open quickly.
"Marley do you want—" Mom stopped and saw what her daughter was doing. I reacted quickly by throwing it outside the window and dropping the box, but she saw them. "Marley Jane Rose! What in the world did I catch you doing!?"
Busted.
"Mom...I was... I just... I was..." Where the hell were my words at the moment!?
Mom came in and towards me. A stern darken face of anger faced me as she stopped and glared at me. "Were you smoking!?"
"Yes," I muttered.
"Why in the world would you smoke, young lady?" She crossed her arms.
"It...felt good?" I sounded so lame. Now the tears broke. "Mom, I'm so sorry, Mom please don't be mad."
"How long? And who gave these to you?"
"A...few days...and some k—kids at school," I lied. She liked Lark and I didn't want him in trouble.
"Honestly Marley, is something bothering you that you would do this?"
"No," I lied. "I just wanted try some of it."
"You know how bad smoking can damage your lungs Marley," Mom spoke sternly. She picked up the cigarette box and held them out to me. "Don't you ever dare take one of these again. If I catch you with it in your hands one more time you will be punished. Understand?" I nodded. "Good, I'm going to make dinner now."
She left my room with the cigarette box. I slumped down against my wall crying. I don't even know why I was crying about; Mom finding the cigarettes, Mom finding me smoking the cigarette or at my own disgrace of even smoking in general. I cried until Mom called me down and I ate with a now very happy mother who had found a job at another general store like CVS and had hours that she liked.
When I went to bed that night, about two hours after Mom wen to bed, I cried myself to sleep. But I wasn't crying because of Mom finding the cigarettes or finding me smoking a cigarette.
I wanted to smoke.
And I had another full box in my drawer.
