With a soft sigh, Tai pulled out his carton of Marbolo Reds cigarettes. He was somewhat of a chain smoker - and had been since he was about fourteen. Though his mother begged him to quit, smoking was one habit (like fucking) that Tai would never want to give up. It was his little way of rebelling against the world, his mother and his past. As he opened the package of cigarettes, Kera finally spoke.

"Would you rather escort me to the pool?"

Tai snorted and laughed at her, shaking his head. The pool was too close to the camp. He wanted to stay as far away from that place as possible. His mother had somehow had the nerve to send his brother, Hunter, to the same camp as she sent Tai. It wasn't as though Tai hated Hunter. But he certainly wanted to avoid him. Too many things had happened between them for there to be any hope of the brothers reconnecting. No.... it was just easier to avoid him.

Slowly Tai pulled out a cigarette, lit it with a sharp flick of his lighter and held it between his index and middle fingers. Within a short moment the cigarette found it's way to his soft lips. Breathe in. The smoke filled his lungs as he inhaled, relieving the stress that weighed so heavily on his mind and heart. Breathe out. He held in the smoke for another moment, then steadily exhaled, a thin, wispy cloud of smoke bursting forth from his lips and nostrils. It rose over his head. Like a flame, it smoldered the air around him. And like a halo, it circled around his head.

"Well.." Voice tinged with a sort of cynical humor, Tai smirked and ashed his cigarette. "We're already here... and who knows? Maybe if I go swimming with you in this lake, you'll change your mind about sleeping with me." His confidence showed in the tone of his voice. It was thicker than the smoke around his head. And far more intoxicating.