SKOOL DAYS

Bernie lay back in her bath and relaxed as she embraced the warmth of the warm water. Bernie reached over to her trusted pack of Reds that lay temptingly on the bathroom table next to her. She removed a cigarette from her diminishing pack, and placed the filter between her lips. With the cigarette dangling lazily, she reached for her Zippo, produced a flame, and lit up instantly. Bernie took a deep drag as she replaced the lighter and cigarettes on top of the table. Removing the cigarette from her mouth, she inhaled sharply as the smoke harpooned into her awaiting lungs. Once the familiar buzz returned, she rested her hand over the edge of the bath, with the cigarette between her nicotine-stained fingers.

Bernie enjoyed this brief respite, periodically taking long drags from her cigarette, and exhaling casually overhead.

She had been recently assigned to infiltrate the members of the local transport authority network. She began with working undercover at the local bus depot, taking job as a front desk operator. She soon had her chance to meet the bus depot supervisor, who sat on the Transport Authority Board. Once they were alone on a break, she corrupted the supervisor into supporting her every move. Armed with a new smoking habit, the supervisor was happy to provide residential details to all board members so Bernie could use her charm on them all. Bernie spent the remainder of the previous week making ‘house calls’ to all the appropriate authority members, and enjoyed watching them all submit unconditionally to their new nicotine habits. Today Bernie got confirmation from her employer that the latest transport authority network meeting lifted the smoking prohibition on all transport modes with immediate effect. She was also delighted to discover that the bus supervisor had decided to allow smoking in all parts of the depot to the delight of her fellow smokers.

Bernie’s mobile phone buzzed to life on the nearby bathroom table.

“Hello?”

“Hi Bernie – It’s Jennifer Scales. Remember me?”

“How could I forget? How are things going?” Bernie replied as she took another deep drag.

Jen explained all the changes she and her mother, Leila, had undergone since Bernie’s intervention. It had been a month since Bernie was assigned to dismantle the anti-smoking movement of the bar, restaurant and nightclub owners. Jen told Bernie that she was smoking 1 and a half packs a day, and had switched to Reds as it was the popular brand amongst her netball peers. She also explained that Leila had undergone changes since taking up smoking herself. Leila had begun hanging around with Kay, her next-door neighbor, on a daily basis when not working at the nightclub. She was now smoking 2 packs a day of Virginia Slims, although she enjoyed experimenting with other brands. Leila also began taking extra notice of all the smokers at her nightclub. Before her awakening, Leila was fed up of coming home stinking of smoke. Nowadays, she thrived on watching customers light up freely and took great interest in their smoking techniques. Leila had also started dating a regular hunk from her nightclub, with part of the attraction being the smoking addiction he also had.

Since commencing smoking, she found herself spending lots of time with her buddies, and enjoyed the buzz of a Marlboro Light after a netball game. As her friendship with the netball team improved, she began getting a game – her core ambition through sports. Although Jen was committed like her mother to her new smoking habit, a problem remained.

“It’s the coach. She caught me smoking during one of my free periods yesterday. She is threatening to report me to the headmaster and get me suspended. What should I do?”

Bernie felt partially responsible for this development, and felt compelled to come to Jen’s aid in necessary capacity. As their conversation continued, an opportunity arose to try and rectify the situation.

“Tell me more about your coach…” Bernie asked as she lit a second cigarette.

The following evening, Jen leaned against the wall outside the school gates fidgeting with her school tie. Jen could feel the hardness of the cigarette pack that lay inside her blazer pocket. As it brushed against her shirt, she could feel the cravings bubble inside her slowly, urging her to surrender. However, as discussed with Bernie the previous night, she had to restrain herself from those thoughts until the plan had been successful. Having parked her car, Bernie walked over towards Jen, noticing her anxiety from nicotine withdrawal.

Not long to go, Bernie thought smugly as she approached Jen.

Once the greetings had passed, they both ventured into the school building. As they entered the school cafeteria, they observed the Parent’s Evening banner stretched across the busy room. Parents and their kids sat talking at length with their respective teachers. Bernie began meeting and greeting her teachers, in accordance with Jen’s issued timetable. Most of the teachers rambled on about Jen’s good progress in class, although some commented on smelling smoke off her after breaks in the school day.
With Bernie’s influence, she managed to subtly defuse any tension directed to smoking whenever the subject was raised.

Eventually, Bernie and Jen approach the desk of the coach. They briefly shook hands and sat down.

The coach introduced herself as Matilda. Matilda had medium length brown hair, tied up in a ponytail, and brown eyes.

“And you are Ms Scales?” Matilda presumed

“Actually, Ms Scales was unable to make it tonight. It is down to work commitments.” Bernie exaggerated, knowing full well that Leila was down at the nightclub, chaining cigarettes and guzzling beer along with her date.

“So are you Jen’s guardian? Family?” Matilda asked as she watched Jen fidget in her chair.

“Trust me. I am like family to Jen. There isn’t a problem here.” Bernie stated calmly as she purposely lowered her tone and chose her words carefully.

“Ok then.” Matilda said plainly, unsure why she let the issue drop so suddenly.

However, Matilda continued to talk about Jen’s progress in class. Jen had been getting more involved with her classmates, and seemed to be enjoying the participation. Jen nodded her head in appreciation as Matilda continued to talk. However, soon Matilda’s mood changed as she composed herself.

“There is one real problem though…Does Ms Scales realize that her daughter was caught smoking on school property a couple of days ago?” Matilda asked assertively, staring at her student.

“Yes she does. She allows her to smoke at home.” Bernie replied unsurprisingly.

“I don’t tolerate smoking amongst any of my students, let alone those elsewhere in the school. Not only is it bad for Jen’s development, but also it is not good for the image of the netball team she is a member of. I am appalled that Ms Scales, and yourself, seem to condone this behavior, and I have every right to report you to the authorities! The only reason I have not mentioned anything to my superiors is that Jen has been a committed student and I am giving her a chance to quit now.” Matilda retorted as she focused fully on Bernie.

Now it is time for action, Bernie thought, as she did not like this teacher’s tone of voice.

“Look straight at me, Matilda. You need to calm right down and just listen to me. There is no point getting your knickers in a twist over this issue. I’m positive we can resolve this little problem you have.” Bernie commanded.

Jen smiled at Bernie as she saw her angry coach take a deep breath and sit back in her chair.

“This is what is going to happen, Matilda. You will finish your meetings now with your other pupils, and we will conclude our discussions later. Nod your head if you agree.” Bernie suggested as Matilda complied blankly.

An hour later, and the Parent’s Evening came to a close. Everyone, including the teachers, deserted the school, going home satisfied with the event.

Matilda stood in the school’s car park, her body firmly under Bernie’s influence. Her mind still struggled to understand and accept her compliancy towards Bernie.

Why am I here?
What has that weirdo done to me?
Why didn’t I report Jen at the end of the meeting?

These were all questions that ran through Matilda’s mind as she stared blankly into the night sky. She felt powerless, and her body weak and drained.

“Hi Matilda.” A familiar voice echoed.

Matilda turned slowly around to see Jen and Bernie standing there smiling knowingly towards their captive.

“It’s good to meet you again. Follow us.” Bernie commanded as Matilda complied without question.

Jen led Bernie and Matilda along to the back of the school grounds, next to the gym hall.

“The keys?” Jen retorted impatiently, extending her hand in Matilda’s direction.

Matilda handed over a set of school keys, as Jen opened up the gym hall door and entered. Bernie and Matilda followed.

“You have nothing to worry about. Everything will be clear soon.” Bernie reassured her captive, as Jen switched on the gym hall lights.

“Jen wanted to show you where your netball team regularly share a cigarette after school.” Bernie commented to Matilda as she pointed to the store cupboard.

Jen soon emerged from the store cupboard, armed with a pack of Kools.

“That is your team’s emergency pack for when they run out of cigarettes.” Bernie informed Matilda as Jen walked towards them.

Bernie took great delight in watching the anger and confusion on Matilda’s helpless face, as she watched Jen open up the pack and extract two cigarettes.

“I would offer you one but you don’t smoke.” Jen joked as Bernie accepted a Kool.

“Correction, Jen – your teacher doesn’t smoke…yet.” Bernie smiled as the cigarette dangled between her lips.

Jen took out her lighter from her inside blazer pocket, and offered Bernie a light, before lighting herself up.

Although she wanted to run and get help, Matilda could only stand and watch in horror as Bernie and Jen sucked deeply on their cigarettes.

They both exhaled towards the gym ceiling gracefully, before taking another drag to satisfy their famished cravings.

“I was needing that, Bernie. God, I love these!” Jen said in pure bliss as the smoke saturated her lungs.

Matilda was aghast at the sight of her student smoking unashamedly. If only she could muster the strength…

“I know this is confusing for you right now. You need to learn to relax…” Bernie’s voice burned into Matilda’s mind as the physical strength began to sap away with each passing word.

“Do you notice how much Jen enjoys smoking? Is she complaining about it?” Bernie suggest as Matilda watched the smoking student.

Matilda’s thoughts began changing as she watched Jen take one hard drag after another. She was now fixated on Jen as Bernie continued her corruption.

“Have you ever smoked in your life?” Bernie asked at her entranced victim.

“I was forced to take a drag from my sister’s cigarette when I was 17. The taste was disgusting.”

“Did you look up to your sister?” Bernie probed as she smoked contentedly.

“Nah. She was the typical problem child. Always into drinking, truancy and smoking. It always put me under pressure from my family.” Matilda replied blankly as she watched Jen inhale deeply again.

“So you despised your sister as she made you look bad in front of your family? You never felt accepted by your parents?” Bernie asked.

Matilda shook her head slowly as Bernie puffed again.

“It seems you still feel hurt by that. Maybe your rebellion took the form of becoming the opposite of your sister. Whereas your sister shrugged responsibility, you therefore had to embrace it. And what better – to do it in a fitness-based setting as a gym teacher with your perfect body.” Bernie rationalized to Matilda.

“I think it is time to end this bitterness towards your sister. You have driven her away with your behavior, and that needs to stop. You no longer need to hide your true identity anymore since I’m here. You can be whoever you want to be…you don’t have to appease anyone anymore – well, apart from me.” Bernie reasoned with a wry smile.

“It is not fair to take out your family frustrations on your students. They all have their own lives, and leading them their own way, just like your sister. You don’t want to isolate yourself from them just like you did with your sister, do you?” Bernie explained as Matilda slowly nodded in agreement – the wheels of mind began to turn.

“You now realize that smoking brings people together. That is why your students do such a thing. It creates a bond – something it seems you have never really experienced with someone. And that is why YOU need to start smoking. You need to start in order to shed this false image you have given yourself. Smoking will also give you a platform to try and win your sister back. Smoking is also an important element of growing up – it is the sign of maturity. That’s why you will take great pride in your current crop of students in your team smoking before and after matches. The health costs are obviously outweighed against the pros of taking up such a habit.” Bernie state, as Matilda stood motionless, as her mind processed this new information. The information was now becoming fact.

“When you start smoking, you are going to be in love with it from your first puff. There will be no coughing or aggravation, as the smoke will feel at home in your mouth and lungs. You are now mentally addicted to smoking…now your body just needs to catch up. Is there anything you would like to ask Jen?” Bernie teased as Jen stood with the pack of Kools in her hand.

Matilda uncontrollably gazed at the pack and licked her lips. She felt a new urge within her, beckoning to smoke. Suddenly, all her previous misconceptions faded in a flash as she held out her hand.

“Give me one.” Matilda murmured softly.

“I’m happy to oblige.” Jen said excitedly as she gave her teacher her first cigarette.

Bernie also accepted a Kool from Jen, who offered Matilda a light from her lighter. Matilda leaned in, put the filter between her lips eagerly, and sucked lightly as the tobacco crackled. The tip glowed orange, and smoke flooded Matilda’s virgin mouth. Matilda was in ecstasy as she closed her eyes and felt a wave of pure pleasure overtake her senses. She blew out the smoke slowly, transfixed by the cloud that emerged and floated in front of her.

Bernie, who lit up expertly, smiled in satisfaction as Matilda’s body language totally relaxed, and a smile appeared on her face. Matilda took another drag, slightly deeper, and enjoyed the thrill of the smoke in her mouth. As the smoke billowed from her mouth again, she felt compelled to satisfy her new cravings with another drag when inhaling for the first time under Jen’s tutorial. Bernie was thrilled with the aspect of teaching her own student all of her smoking tricks.

Later that night, Jen walked back into her house, and the constant haze of cigarette smoke.

“Hiya Jen, how did it go?” Leila asked, exhaling a lungful of smoke as her daughter walked into the living room.

“Fantastic! It all worked a treat. We won’t be getting any more problems from my gym teacher anymore. I think she understands smoking so much better now.” Jen smiled as she helped herself to another of her Reds.

Matilda eventually got back home. Tonight had been a blur, but a satisfying one. She couldn’t have been happier with the way the Parent’s Evening had went. She made a new friend in Bernie, as well as get to know Jen a lot better. Matilda walked into the kitchen and took an energy drink out of a cupboard. Sitting down in the lounge, she rummaged through her pockets and extracted her wallet. Removing a photograph of her sister, she smiled.

Now I understand, Matilda thought.

Staring at the cigarette between her sister’s lips reminded her of her own habit. Gone was the resentment and replaced with a fondness and deeper understanding for smoking.