Free Love Evolution by Michelle Mankin

the way locals eat it. ”
    “ Whatevs . Next time you order a dog, ask a New Yorker. By the way, no one eats a hot dog with a fork, ” she said with her lip curled and a teasing shove.
    Marcus pushed Avery back, grinning. “ At least I won ’ t have onion breath from hell. How do you ever expect to get a girlfriend eating crap like that? ”
    ‘ Like I would want that to happen, ’ she thought. ‘ Maybe I should ask for extra onions. ’ While they were eating, Avery noticed a young teenage girl wearing a Brutal Strength t-shirt coming towards them.
    The girl tapped Marcus on the shoulder. “ Hey, aren ’ t you Marcus Anthony from Brutal Strength? ” she asked, shyly.
    Marcus tensed but turned around with a polite smile. “ Yes, can I help you? ”
    “ I really love your music. Could I have your autograph? ”
    “ Sure. ” He nodded and signed her notebook with the pen she provided. Thanking him profusely ,  the girl turned and walked away. Marcus let out a shaky sigh. 
    “ Why do you look so freaked out, Marcus? ” Avery asked, with a puzzled expression on her face.
    “ One fan, I don ’ t mind, ” he told her. “ But sometimes, ” he looked around uneasily, “ it can snowball and get out of hand real fast. ”
    “ Sounds like you say that from personal experience. ”  
    “ Yeah, unfortunately, I got this, ” he showed Avery the scar on the back of his hand, “ in a mall last year in Dallas. I had to have stitches afterward. ”
    “ No way, ” she said, shaking her head in disbelief.
    “ That ’ s why my dad ’ s been pressuring me to get a full time security guard, a more formal permanent thing than what I have Ray doing now. But if I do that, I can just kiss away having any type of normal life, you know? ”
    Before she could respond, his Mercedes pulled up. “ Oh, here ’ s Ray. I texted him earlier to let him know where we were. ” Suddenly, he leaned in close, his face an inch away from hers, and sniffed.
    Avery ’ s heart thumped wildly while she wondered, ‘ What the heck? ’
    “ Whew! Dragon breath, ” he pronounced with an exaggerated cough, waving his hand in front of his face. Anticipating retaliation, Marcus jogged backward toward his ride. “ Later, stinky! ”
    By the time Avery snapped out of her Marcus- induced stupor, he was already in the car and it was pulling away from the curb.
     
     

CHAPTER 10
     
    Exiting Marcus ’ elevator that evening, Avery went straight up to where he stood in the foyer and punched him in the shoulder.
    He staggered back, making a big production of pretending to be hurt. “ Is that the best you ’ ve got? ” He straightened up, smiling. “ Don ’ t tell me you ’ re still sore about earlier? ”
    She shook her head, smirking. “ No, I'm good now. ” Twisting the hem of her shirt, she followed him into the living room. “ I put some overdubs on ‘ Brothers ’ this afternoon. Did you get a chance to hear them? ”
    “ I did. I think they sound fantastic. ”
    Avery scrunched her face up. “ It ’ s so tedious to play the exact same part over and over again, but I really like the fuller sound it brings out. ”
    Marcus nodded. “ Come into the kitchen and I ’ ll make some tea. I really want to hear about your song. ”
    Once Avery had the warm mug in her hands, they moved back into the living room and sat down across from each other. Avery ’ s knee started bouncing up and down. Marcus looked pointedly at her. “ Hey, stop that, ” he ordered. “ Don ’ t be nervous. I ’ m sure it ’ s good, so don ’ t worry. If it ’ s not something I think is right for the album, trust me, I ’ ll tell you. Let ’ s always be honest with each other. I ’ ve got more than enough people around who blow smoke up my ass. ”
    Inwardly Avery cringed, but she just gave him a nod. She unpacked her guitar and pulled out her journal, flipping through the pages.
    Marcus noticed the worn binding, and that the pages were filled with