Page 64 of Forever Dead

By afternoon, she was on her third.

The cigarette tasted awful.

She kept smoking anyway.

Diane came around the side of the bike shed and stopped.

"What are you doing?"

Selena hurriedly lowered the cigarette. "Nothing."

"You're smoking."

"Quiet."

Diane stared at the pack beside Selena's shoe. "Where did you get those?"

"Connor."

"Of course you did."

"Don't start."

Diane stepped closer. "Dad would lose his mind."

"So don't tell him."

"You think that's the problem?"

Selena took another drag, immediately regretted it, and tried not to cough.

Diane folded her arms. "You don't even like it."

"That's not the point."

"What is the point?"

Selena opened her mouth.

Footsteps sounded around the corner.

Both sisters turned.

Miss Marsh appeared at the end of the bike shed.

Selena froze.

The cigarette burned between her fingers. The packet remained by her foot.

Diane moved before Selena did.

She snatched the lit cigarette from Selena's hand and grabbed the pack from the ground.

"Diane," Selena hissed.

"Shut up."

Miss Marsh stopped a few feet away.