Free Here and Now by E. L. Todd Page B

Veronica said with disgust. “Is she paying him?”
    I ignored them and kept my head high. I never cared what they thought about me before so I wouldn’t start caring now. Flynn made me really happy and I wouldn’t let anything spoil it.
    “She’s flatter than a board,” Veronica said. “She hardly looks like a girl.”
    Her back as to me and she was stretching a few feet up the stage. We were sitting down on the hard floor while we stretched. The theatre amplified every sound, so if I heard her ranting, so did everyone else.
    “Is Flynn into little boys?” Veronica kept going.
    I was getting sick of this. “Yo, plastic.” I said it loud so everyone could hear.
    Veronica slowly turned around, shocked I was talking to her. “Plastic?”
    “I don’t have breasts, but at least what I have is real.”
    “Oooh…” The girls snickered at my words. They knew shit was going down. Like I said before, they could be Veronica’s closest friends, but that could change in a New York minute.
    “Now shut the hell up and concentrate on your job. It’s not my fault Flynn got sick of you and dumped you, but talking shit about me isn’t going to change that. So, cry me a river somewhere else.”
    Everyone’s eyes were wide. I was so quiet all the time that no one thought I had it in me. Just because I didn’t talk much didn’t mean I was shy. It just meant I didn’t have anything worth mentioning. And if someone was dragging my name through the mud, I was going to get some dirt on theirs.
    Veronica glared at me. “You better watch your mouth, cunt.”
    “Wow, you’re so classy.” I rolled my eyes.
    That just pissed her off even more. “You really picked the wrong girl to piss o ff.”
    I jumped to me feet. “You want to do this now? I have no problem kicking your ass in front of everyone.”
    She didn’t move, still glaring at me.
    “Come on. You scared? You just said I was a stick with no curves. What are you worried about?”
    She turned around and continued to stretch.
    “Now look who’s a cunt.”
    Everyone laughed at my words. Veronica was definitely losing popularity—quick.
    I sat back down and continued my stretches. The dance instructor came to the stage and we began our rehearsal, from beginning to end. Flynn and Dan sat in the audience and made their notes. I felt Flynn’s eyes on me the entire time. It was full of heat. When we spent the night making out, I definitely wanted to do more.
    When we broke for lunch, I pulled my shoes off and felt my feet. They were blistered and sore.
    “You looked hot up there.” Flynn sat beside me on the floor.
    “Like sweaty and gross?” I teased. “Because that’s how I feel.”
    “No.” He put his hand on my thigh. “You were a sexy beast shaking your ass.”
    “A sexy beast?” I laughed.
    He winked. “And that’s how I like them.”
    I chuckled. “What did you bring for lunch?”
    “I was hoping I could take you out.”
    “You don’t need to do that,” I said quickly.
    “But I want to.” He leaned his face close to mine and brushed a loose strand behind my ear. Then he gave me a gentle kiss.
    “My feet are broken.”
    He smirked. “I’ll carry you.”
    “It’s okay.”
    He stood up then pulled me to my feet. “Come on. Piggy back ride.”
    “You can ’t be serious.”
    “You don’t know me at all.”
    I rolled my eyes then jumped on his back.
    “Good. Now we’re off.”
    I looked at the girls huddled in front of the stage. They were drinking their water bottles and glaring at me. Veronica was more pissed than anyone else. I didn’t care and gripped Flynn, my boyfriend, tighter.
    We went to a Greek restaurant and he carried me all the way to a booth. “You better tip me.”
    “I have a few ones.”
    “I only accept kisses.” He winked at me.
    “I should have known…”
    He leaned over the table. “You love my kisses.”
    “I can’t argue with that.”
    Flynn grabbed my hand then brushed his thumb over the knuckles.