The Experiment - Day 3

Julie stirred from her slumber and her eyes fluttered open. For a moment she simply lay there, trying to remember where she was but as the luxurious sheets enveloped her body, providing a sense of comfort so sublime, she remembered the experiment that loomed ahead. A mix of anticipation and nervousness bubbled within her, but she knew that she couldn't let those feelings control her. This was something she had agreed to, and she was determined to see it through.

The sound of running water filled the air as Julie turned on the shower and stepped inside, letting the hot spray cascade over her slender and slightly toned, but still feminine body. She allowed herself a few minutes to simply enjoy the sensation, letting her thoughts drift as the water washed away any lingering traces of sleep. Eventually, she reached for the shampoo and began to lather her platinum blonde hair, working the rich foam into her locks before moving onto her body wash.

"Focus on what's important," Julie told herself as she rinsed off the soap. "You've got this. It's just a stupid experiment, nothing more. You've been through much tougher situations in the past."

As she stepped out of the shower, Julie wrapped herself in a towel and approached the mirror, wiping away the condensation with her hand. Her reflection greeted her, elegant and sexy - the result of years spent maintaining her figure and appearance. She studied her face for a moment, her full lips curving into a small smile as she acknowledged that, despite the stress and challenges of her life, she was proud of who she was. Although she was unused to it, the insane amount of free time she suddenly had was kind of welcome to her psyche, in a way.

She followed her usual morning routine, applying makeup and styling her hair. She felt a bit ridiculous doing it when there was no one beside Mark that was seeing her, but she didn't want to appear messy even if she spent alone in the room the entire day. An added bonus was the amount of useless time that would pass in this manner.

"Alright, time to get dressed," she thought as she stood in front of the wardrobe, considering her options. After a moment's deliberation, she chose a grey skirt suit that hugged her curves and showed off her toned legs, along with a pair of black high heels. The outfit made her feel confident and powerful, ready to face whatever the day had in store.

"George would have liked how I dolled up myself," Julie reminded herself with grin on her face as she took one final look in the mirror, adjusting her dress slightly. It was time for her to go for breakfast and then continue with a new smoking session. "It's so ridiculous what I'm doing but it pays well. And inhaling wasn't that much of a deal despite how terrifying it sounded. I can handle this."

Just as Julie was about to open the door, she heard a knock. Her heart skipped a beat, and she took a deep breath before opening it. Mark stood there, his broad shoulders filling the doorway, with a tray in his hands filled with breakfast and two steaming cups of coffee.

"Good morning, Julie," he said, his warm smile reaching his eyes. "I hope you don't mind, but I brought us some breakfast."

"Morning, Mark," Julie replied, her voice slightly shaky from her surprise. She stepped back, allowing him to enter the room. "That's very kind of you, thank you."

Mark placed the tray onto the table by the window and gestured for Julie to sit down. As they both settled into their chairs, he began to pour the coffee, filling the suite with its rich aroma.

"Scrambled eggs and salmon on toast," Mark said, serving a generous portion onto Julie's plate.

"Thank you, Mark" Julie said, taking a bite and savoring the taste, "These are my favorite, how did you know?"

"Sometimes, a lucky guess works," he chuckled.

As they ate, Julie found herself opening up to Mark about her life outside the experiment. She told him about her career as a middle-manager in the bank, her love for fitness, and the challenges of balancing it all with being a mother.

"I can see why you're so successful," Mark said, genuinely impressed. "You're incredibly dedicated and passionate about what you do."

"Thank you," Julie blushed, a hint of pride in her eyes. "I always aim to give my best effort in everything I do. But we've been talking about me all the time, tell me more about yourself."

"Alright," Mark smiled, "I'm a psychologist and The Institute hired me as a counsellor for this project. I also like to dabble in photography aside. Funny, I worked as a photographer at one of the researcher's wedding and, well, that's probably how I ended up here, working on this project, ha ha."

"Photography, huh?" Julie asked, intrigued. "I've always been fascinated by it. I mean, think about it - with just the click of a button, you can freeze a moment in time and hold onto it forever."

"Exactly," Mark agreed, "It's all about finding those perfect moments and preserving them. It's quite rewarding." Julie could see the passion in his eyes as he spoke.

"Maybe you can show me some of your work sometime," Julie suggested, her curiosity piqued.

"Of course," Mark responded, smiling warmly, "I'd love that."

As they continued their conversation, Julie enjoyed how easy it was to talk to Mark. He had an air of confidence and charm that put her at ease. She felt like they were building a connection, something she hadn't expected when she agreed to participate in this experiment.

"Thank you for the breakfast," Julie said, finishing the last bite, "And the company" she added, smiling.

"Anytime," Mark replied, his eyes meeting hers. "It was my pleasure."

Mark stood up and began gathering the empty plates from their impromptu breakfast. As he did so, Julie's eyes followed him, admiring his strong, lean build beneath his neatly tailored suit. He surely was an interesting guy.

"Hey, Julie," Mark said, catching her lingering gaze. "Why don't you have your first cigarette of the day while you enjoy the rest of your coffee?"

"Um, sure," she replied hesitantly. She hadn't considered smoking in conjunction with other activities yet, but if the idea came from Mark, it must have some merit.

She retrieved a cigarette from the pack and placed it between her lips, her fingers trembling slightly. She wondered what would it feel like to smoke and drink coffee at the same time. Many of her former colleagues would often light up a cigarette while sipping their morning coffee, even if they weren't regular smokers. They claimed it was the perfect combination, like bread and butter, but she never paid much attention to their dirty habit back then.

"Need a light?" Mark asked, holding out a sleek silver lighter.

"Thanks," Julie murmured, leaning forward as he ignited the flame. The tip of the cigarette glowed orange, and she inhaled some of the smoke without much discomfort, nicotine giving her the instant buzz.

"Take a sip of your coffee," Mark suggested, watching her intently. Julie did as he instructed, savoring the rich, bitter taste of the hot beverage as it mingled with the smoky flavor on her lips.

"Mmm," she admitted after swallowing, "that actually feels… almost nice."

"See?" Mark grinned, pleased by her reaction. "Sometimes it's the little things that make a big difference."

Julie couldn't help but smile back. That unique nicotine buzz that hit her merged with the effects of caffeine and they morphed to a quite enjoyable experience. Mark continued to watch her as she smoked, his eyes a blend of curiosity and warmth. It was both unnerving and exhilarating to have his attention so focused on her.

"Thanks for the suggestion, Mark" Julie said quietly, her gaze holding his. "I probably would've never thought of it by myself."

"Always happy to help" Mark replied with a wink. Was she just imagining it or was there indeed some chemistry between them? He wasn't the first man beside George she found somewhat interesting, of course, but it was different this time - he was her only company for the next month.

As Julie finished her first cigarette, she felt a sense of relief. She had taken Mark's suggestion and discovered that smoking might be bearable in the next days, especially when combined with coffee.

As they continued chatting, an idea popped in her mind. She still had to smoke two cigarettes that day, she thought as she glanced at the pack that rested on the table. She figured it might be better to light up another one and smoke it together with coffee, when it was more pleasant. Without any encouragement from Mark, she decided to go for it.

Julie reached for the pack and carefully extracted another cigarette, holding it between her fingers. She could feel Mark's surprised eyes on her as she brought the lighter to the tip and ignited the flame. This time, the process felt more natural, her hands steadier than before. As she inhaled the smoke, she marveled at how quickly she'd grown accustomed to the sensation.

"Huh," Julie said, genuinely surprised by her own boldness. "I didn't think I'd be able to have another one so soon."

Mark chuckled softly, his voice rich with amusement as he filled her coffee cup. "I like your dedication, Julie. Here, have some more coffee with it. So... it's not that bad anymore, is it?"

"Uhm... it's fine," Julie hesitantly agreed, taking another long drag from the cigarette. She savored the way the smoke curled around her tongue and danced down her throat, its flavor mingling with the lingering taste of her coffee. "Especially with the coffee. It's like they were meant to be together."

"Many people find that combination particularly enjoyable," Mark replied, sipping his own coffee. His gaze never left Julie, as if he were studying her every move. The intensity of his attention sent shivers down her spine, causing her heart to race faster than she cared to admit.

"Is this part of the experiment, too?" Julie asked hesitantly, trying to maintain her composure under his scrutiny. "Seeing how different things affect my experience with smoking?"

"Perhaps," Mark said cryptically, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Or maybe I just wanted to share something I enjoy with you."

"Either way, it's getting... pleasurable," Julie admitted, her cheeks flushing as she acknowledged her growing tolerance to smoking.

"Good," Mark said simply, his eyes locking onto hers. "I'm glad you're enjoying yourself, Julie."

As they continued their conversation, Julie found herself pursing her lips in different ways and playing with the smoke swirling through her mouth.

"Interesting... anyway, thank you for suggesting combining it with coffee, Mark" Julie murmured quietly, taking a final drag from her cigarette. "I think my morning cigarettes will be more bearable from now on."

"Always happy to help" Mark replied, a knowing smile playing on his lips. "But remember, Julie – this is just the beginning. There's a lot more for you to experience. Don't be afraid to enjoy yourself during this study; the fact that you're payed for your participation doesn't mean you have to suffer."

The afternoon sun poured through the windows of Julie's hotel suite, casting warm beams of light across the room as she returned from her gym session. Her body was flushed and glistening with sweat, but she felt invigorated – stronger somehow, more alive than she had in a long time.

"Hey, Julie," Mark greeted her, lounging on the sofa with a laptop balanced on his knees. "How was your workout?"

"Intense," Julie replied, toweling off her damp hair and catching her breath. "But I needed it. It helped clear my head."

"Good to hear," Mark said, closing down the screen. "Listen, I wanted to let you know that I won't be joining you for your third cigarette today. I have some work to catch up on, and I think it's important for you to experience smoking on your own, too."

"Really?" Julie asked, feeling a twinge of disappointment at the thought of smoking without Mark's reassuring presence.

"Trust me," he assured her while placing the computer in the laptop bag. "You'll learn a lot about yourself this way. Try to enjoy the solitude."

"Alright," Julie said. She wondered how different her experience would be without Mark by her side.

Once alone, Julie took a shower and wrapped herself into a comfortable silky robe. With a deep breath, she picked up the cigarette and the lighter from the tray and perched herself on the edge of the bed.

"Okay, Julie," she murmured to herself. "Might as well smoke this one now and be done with it for today."

She held the flame to the tip of the cigarette and took a gentle drag. She didn't intend to but she spontaneously inhaled the smoke, causing the familiar rush of nicotine to tingle through her veins, sharp and potent in its intensity. For some reason it felt better this time after her workout, the sensation of the full lungs being more pleasant.

"Inhaling it isn't bad at all... it's definitely better than just blowing the smoke out like a noob," she pondered.

Without Mark's company the experience felt oddly different – more introspective, like a quiet meditation rather than a shared indulgence. She found herself focusing on the smoke filling her lungs, the way it curled around her tongue and escaped through her parted lips.

"Interesting," Julie mused, taking another drag. "I didn't expect it to feel so... calming."

As Julie took another drag of her cigarette, she couldn't help but notice the way the smoke danced in the sunbeams streaming through the window. The thick, lazy clouds seemed to have a life of their own as they swirled in the stagnant air of the room. These clouds of smoke used to disgust her, but now she found it oddly fascinating to watch them, perhaps because she created them?

Her gaze wandered around the suite, eventually landing on a full-length mirror near the corner. Curiosity piqued, she sauntered over. The reflection staring back at her was both foreign and familiar – a hot blonde with enchanting blue eyes and perfectly full lips - but with the addition of a burning cigarette.

The woman in the mirror raised the cigarette to her lips, drawing in a deep breath and releasing a slow exhale. Julie watched, entranced, as tendrils of smoke curled around her face, framing her features like a veil of mystery.

"It's actually fun playing with the smoke. Who would've thought?" Julie murmured to herself, taking another drag.

She attempted to recreate the smooth, sophisticated smoking style of old film noir stars. However, as she smiled at her awkward attempt, she admitted that she didn't look nearly as elegant as they did on screen. Instead, she resembled a novice teenager trying out smoking for the first time. Except, she was no longer a teenager, but a grown woman.

She chided herself playfully, "If I have to act like a smoker for the next month, I might as well behave like one." Being a perfectionist was ingrained in her nature, even when it came to tasks she despised.

She recalled the image of her smoking doppelganger she'd seen the day before. She remembered how effortlessly the woman exuded sensuality with each slow exhale of smoke, and she promised to herself she'd attempt to try the same style next time.

She finished the cigarette and then cranked up the room's ventilation, observing as the smoke she had created gradually cleared. In the past, the thick haze would have surely made her sick, but now it didn't bother her much at all.

As she sat for hours, mindlessly flipping through channels on the television, her thoughts inevitably turned to her family. Was George able to handle everything without her? He was always so carefree, unlike her, and probably didn't worry about the small details. The house was likely a disaster by now, but she trusted that the kids were doing well. And that was what really mattered, she concluded - their wellbeing was more important than anything else. She longed to be reunited with them and feel their loving embraces and kisses once again.

She turned off the TV and reached for a book, hoping to distract herself from her racing thoughts. However, she couldn't focus on the pages as she grappled with her emotions about the experiment and how it was impacting her daily existence. She had to admit - each day smoking was getting more acceptable. There was even a tinge of enjoyment in its effect on her, causing a growing excitement in this forbidden indulgence.

"Today wasn't that bad. I got to read and watch TV all day long, something I could never even imagine doing before. Even smoking wasn't that bad. Is it wrong if I enjoy myself in this experiment as Mark suggested?" she pondered. "Am I betraying myself, or just discovering a new part of who I am?"

"Maybe," she thought as she drifted off into the dreamland, "it's time to let go of my fears and worries, and just see where this takes me."