85. He Promised to Never Smoke Again

Nicholas's dad died from smoking. His dad had lung cancer. Because of this Nicholas's mom is against smoking. When Nicholas was little, he promised to never smoke. When he got older, however, his friends encouraged him to try it. Nicholas started smoking when he was 18 years old. At first, he would only smoke once a week. 

As time went on, he started smoking 5 cigarettes a day. He stopped for a couple of years. However, he continued once he graduated from college.

At Nicholas's job, everyone smoked during the break. It was hard not to smoke. If he didn't smoke, he felt like he would not be accepted. This happened to one coworker. Lawrence did not smoke. 

Because of this, he didn't go outside with the other coworkers during the break. He missed out on a lot of socializing and conversations about work. Lawrence did not have as many connections as Nicholas.

One day, Nicholas's mom visited him at work to surprise him with lunch. When she saw him, she immediately knew he smoked because he smelled. "How could you?! 

You know your father died from smoking!" she said. Nicholas's mom started crying and his coworkers stopped what they were doing and stared. Nicholas begged his mom to stop crying and promised to never smoke again.

Vocabulary

1. Smoke – to inhale and exhale the fumes of a burning substance, often tobacco
   Nicholas started to smoke when he was 18.

2. Lung cancer – a serious disease often caused by smoking
   Nicholas’s dad died from lung cancer.

3. Promise – to say you will definitely do or not do something
   Nicholas promised his mom he would never smoke.

4. Encourage – to try to get someone to do something
   His friends encouraged him to try smoking.

5. Cigarette – a small roll of paper filled with tobacco that people smoke
   Nicholas started smoking five cigarettes a day.

6. Graduate – to finish school or college
   He started smoking again after he graduated from college.

7. Coworker – a person who works at the same place as you
   Lawrence was Nicholas’s coworker.

8. Break – a short period of rest during work
   Everyone smoked during the break at Nicholas’s job.

9. Accepted – being welcomed or included by others
   Nicholas smoked so he would feel accepted by his coworkers.

10. Socialize – to talk and spend time with others
    Lawrence missed out on socializing during breaks.

11. Conversation – a talk between two or more people
    Conversations about work happened during smoke breaks.

12. Connection – a relationship or link to other people
    Nicholas had more work connections than Lawrence.

13. Surprise – something unexpected
    His mom surprised him with lunch.

14. Smell – the odor of something
    His mom knew he smoked because of the smell.

15. Beg – to ask strongly or desperately
    Nicholas begged his mom to stop crying.

16. Cry – to shed tears because of sadness or emotion
    His mom cried when she found out he was smoking.

17. Die – to stop living
    Nicholas’s father died from smoking.

18. Against – not in favor of; opposed to
    His mom was strongly against smoking.

19. Accept – to agree to something
    Nicholas wanted to be accepted by his coworkers.

20. Connection – a relationship that can help you at work or in life
    Lawrence missed out on work connections because he didn’t join the smokers.