Illusions of Perfection

10. Up in Smoke

Life at the new school was shaping up nicely. Made some new pals, even got used to the 30-minute walk there. But with new stuff came new habits, some cool, some not so much. Enter Shankar, the troublemaker extraordinaire.

I used to be the voice of reason, the one telling Shankar, "Hey man, smoking's bad news." But did he listen? Nope. He'd just smirk and say, "Chill, dude. It's all for kicks."

One day, as we were hanging out by the local park, I couldn't help but voice my concerns again. "Seriously, Shankar, this smoking thing's gonna mess you up. You gotta quit."

Shankar just chuckled, flicking ash off his cigarette. "Relax, buddy. Live a little. Besides, you're too much of a goody-two-shoes for your own good."

I rolled my eyes, knowing arguing with him was like talking to a brick wall. But deep down, I worried. I didn't want to see him spiral down a path of self-destruction.

Then came that fateful night at my old school's bash. Saw Riya, felt all the feels, and suddenly found myself asking Shankar for a ciggie. Surprisingly, I didn't choke on my first puff. It was like I was born to smoke.

Shankar raised an eyebrow, a smirk playing on his lips. "Well, well, look who's joining the dark side," he teased, passing me another cigarette.

I took a drag, the smoke swirling around us in the night air. "Feels weird," I admitted, exhaling slowly.

Shankar clapped me on the back, a grin spreading across his face. "Welcome to the club, buddy. It's gonna be one hell of a ride."

Just when we were getting used to our newfound habit, an unexpected twist came our way. Enter Rajeev, an old friend we hadn't seen in ages. And what do you know? He was puffing away like a chimney!

Shankar and I exchanged puzzled glances. "Rajeev, since when did you start smoking?" I blurted out, dumbfounded.

Rajeev grinned, taking a long drag before replying, "Since last month. Can you believe it? It's like we're all turning into rebels overnight!"

Shankar chuckled, nudging me with his elbow. "Looks like we're trendsetters, buddy."

As Rajeev handed me another cigarette, I couldn't help but chuckle at the irony of the situation. Here we were, three old friends, bonded by shared memories and now, apparently, a shared love for smoking. Who knew what other surprises life had in store for us? 

As we made our way back home, I couldn't shake off the thought of our other buddies, Aman and Arun. "Yeah, let's hope at least Aman and Arun are saved from this dark side," I remarked, half-jokingly. Shankar nodded in agreement. "Yeah, those two are too busy with their books to even think about smoking," he quipped.

Rajeev chuckled, taking a final drag from his cigarette before flicking it away. "Well, let's hope they stay that way. We don't need the whole gang turning into rebels," he said with a smirk. As Rajeev bid us farewell and headed off in the opposite direction, Shankar launched into one of his infamous stories. "You won't believe what happened today," he began, a mischievous glint in his eye.

I perked up, always eager for one of Shankar's tales. "What happened?" I asked eagerly, already bracing myself for something outrageous. 

Shankar leaned in, lowering his voice dramatically. "So, there's this girl I met from another school, right? She straight-up proposed to me today!" he exclaimed, a mixture of disbelief and excitement in his tone. 

My eyes widened in surprise. "No way! What did you say?" I asked, unable to contain my curiosity.

Shankar shrugged, trying to act nonchalant but failing miserably. "Well, you know me. I played it cool, told her I'd think about it," he said with a smirk, clearly enjoying the attention.

I couldn't help but chuckle at his nonchalant attitude. "So, are you going to say yes?" I asked with a grin, teasing him a bit.

Shankar pondered for a moment before replying, "Probably. I mean, she's kinda cute, and I wouldn't mind having a girlfriend right now."

"Ah, I see," I replied, nodding. "Well, good for you, man. Wish I had someone too, but my crush is way out of my league. No chance there!"

Shankar nudged me playfully. "Come on, man, you never know until you try. Go for it!"

I shook my head, feeling a bit defeated. "I'm scared, bro," I admitted, feeling a bit vulnerable.

Shankar's playful demeanor vanished, replaced by a look of determination. "Forget that! Screw fear, buddy. You gotta go talk to her tomorrow," he insisted, his tone serious.

I sighed, feeling a mixture of gratitude and reluctance. "I wish it was that easy, my friend," I replied, knowing deep down that he was right.