A drop of water rolled down James’ face as he lit his cigarette. He hadn’t even realized that the rain had started, but he also didn’t care. Work had been so long, and it wasn’t unusual for him to get home at such a time. Thea was upstairs asleep, and his roommate was most likely asleep as well. So James took a seat on the front step of the building, he hated smoking on the balcony. His daughter always told him how wrong it was to smoke, and of course he knew that but he hated disappointing her. “I could never quit…” He trailed off realizing he was talking to himself, but it had been true. After everything that had happened to him over the past few years he was surprised that smoking cigarettes was all he had gotten himself into. Another drag into his haven he realized someone talking to him, he usually didn’t enjoy company when he had just finished two shifts of work, but he turned his head in their direction in an attempt to be polite.















