Even though I knew I absolutely had to go, I still didn’t. Whatever the reason, something was bothering me this time, holding me back. So, I just stood by the window—wearing a tank top and short shorts—and smoked for a while. It was the very scent of bad decisions with heavy consequences—decisions I no longer cared about.

It was so long that my cigarette was running out and he woke up too, so I said in an unreadable tone: "It looks like you're going to die.. Do you want to go on a date with me before that?"