Smoking Stories

This story was submitted on August 20th 2026 by a new author in the community : SeasonSmokes. If you have a story to submit it’s right here ! 

My name is Tina. I just finished high school. I’m eighteen. I’m shy and quiet. I get decent grades but I’m not the top of the class. In the fall I’m going to community college to study arts. That’s what I care about.

This summer I needed money. I looked for jobs everywhere. The only place that hired me was a popular bar downtown. They needed a bartender for three months. I took it.

I had never smoked. I had never drunk much either. My parents both smoked a lot. The house always smelled like cigarettes. I hated it. I used to tell them they should quit. I was the anti-smoking one in the family.

My first night at the bar was loud. Music blasted. People shouted over it. Alcohol was everywhere. Customers smoked at the tables. Bartenders smoked behind the counter. Smoke hung in the air. I stayed focused on the drinks. I poured beers and mixed simple cocktails. When someone offered me a cigarette I said no. When a coworker held out a shot I shook my head.

Fanny was one of the other bartenders. She was older, maybe twenty-four. She smoked constantly. On my second shift she laughed at me.

“You’re too serious, Tina. Loosen up a little. It’s a bar, not a library.”

I smiled politely and kept working. The next few nights were the same. Fanny and the others teased me. “Come on, one cigarette won’t kill you.” “You’re eighteen, live a little.” I refused every time. But the smell was constant. Smoke drifted past my face all night. After a week I started noticing it more. It didn’t bother me as much as it used to.

One Friday night the place was packed. We were short-staffed. The shift ran late. Around midnight Fanny pulled me aside and poured three shots. “Just drink these. You need them.” I was tired and the pressure felt strong. I drank them. The alcohol hit fast. My head got light. I laughed at something silly. Fanny grinned.

“There she is. Finally relaxing.”

Later that night Fanny was serving a group of guys. She had a cigarette in her hand. She turned to me quickly.

“Tina, hold this for a second.”

She put the lit cigarette between my fingers and walked away. I stood there with it. Smoke rose from the tip. I held it carefully. Then two customers waved at me. I needed both hands to pour their drinks. Without thinking I put the cigarette between my lips to free my hands.

It rested there. The filter touched my mouth. Smoke drifted up around my nose. The cigarette bounced a little when I moved. I was still a bit drunk. The smell felt different up close. Curious, I sucked lightly on it. A little smoke came into my mouth. I blew it out. It didn’t taste as bad as I expected. I did it again. Then again. I kept the cigarette between my lips while I worked. Customers came and went. I took small puffs without thinking much. By the time Fanny came back the cigarette was almost gone.

She stared at the short butt between my lips and burst out laughing.

“Tina! You smoked the whole thing!”

I pulled it out and dropped it in the ashtray. My face felt hot. “I just held it,” I said. Fanny shook her head and lit a new cigarette. She held it out to me.

“Come on. Try it properly this time.”