Free Better (Too Good series) by S. Walden Page A

I’ m already doing that.”
    “Then you’re ahead of the game,” he joked.
    She lifted his face, made him look her in the eyes.
    “Thank you.”

Cadence scanned the lobby for her freshmen orientation group. Dozens of students loitered about, chatting and laughing. They all seemed to have friends already. How? How did they make friends so quickly if they were new?
    Her face fell. The panic set in instantly, and she considered turning on her heel and darting out of the building. Everything was foreign and huge and scary all of a sudden. She didn’t think she had the guts to go to college.
    “You look a little freaked out,” someone said beside her.
    Her face shot up and saw him grin at her. He pulled on the straps of his book bag to tighten them , then adjusted the baseball cap on his head.
    “I am,” Cadence replied. No point in lying about it. She knew her face was drained of color.
    “It’s no big deal,” the boy said. He waved his hand around. “See? Just a building. Those people over there? Just people. Whatever, right?”
    Cadence cracked a smile. “I’m still scared.”
    The boy took off his hat. “Okay. I never do this for anyone.” He looked at Cadence and then adjusted the strap on the back of his cap. He placed it on her head.
    She looked at him confused.
    “That hat right there is magic, okay? It’s my lucky cap. I’ve had it for ten years.”
    “Oh, gross!” Cadence said playfully.
    The boy laughed. “It’s been washed a couple of times in those ten years.”
    Cadence shrugged.
    “The point is that it’s lucky. Very lucky. And since you’re so freaked out about our orientation today, I’m gonna let you wear it. It’ll give you confidence.”
    Cadence held up the cap and considered it. It was a dingy white with a faded, embroidered “A” on the front.
    “How do I know you don’t have lice?”
    “You don’t.”
    “Sick,” she said, and scratched her head.
    The boy laughed. “I don’t have lice.”
    Cadence nodded and held out his baseball cap. “But don’t you want to be confident today?”
    He grinned. “I thought I was already putting that out there.”
    “Oh jeez. You’re one of those,” she muttered.
    He chuckled. “No, seriously. At least give me some credit for talking to you first.” He looked at her expectantly.
    She sported a full smile now. “But you’re just naturally sociable. I can tell.”
    “Hmm. I guess you’re right,” he admitted.
    “You’d talk to a wall. So it doesn’t count.”
    “God, I hope not. That’s freakin’ weird,” he said, and she giggled. “Wanna hang out today?”
    She thought for a moment, then placed the cap on her head. “Sure. I’m Cadence.”
    “I’m Michae l.” He lightly smacked the bill of the baseball cap, and she swatted his arm. He patted her head, and she rolled her eyes.
    “You’re not gonna do that,” she demanded.
    “I can’t help it. You’re so little. Lemme pat your head one more time.”
    “Don’t be condescending!” she cried, jumping back to avoid his hand.
    “Sorry, Cay.”
    “Cay? My name is Cadence.”
    Michael smirked. “Yeah . . . no. You’re Cay.”
    “Only people close to me can call me Cay.”
    He studied her face. “All right then, Cay.”
    Cadence tensed. He flashed her a toothy smile, and she relaxed. She wanted to tell him she had a boyfriend, then thought that might be too presumptuous.
    “You have a boyfriend?” Michael asked.
    “Whoa.”
    “Calm down. I don’t even know if I’m interested in you yet,” Michael replied. He watched her shuffle uneasily from foot to foot. “So?”
    “Yes, I do,” she answered.
    “That’s it. I want my hat back,” Michael said, reaching for his cap.
    Cadence said nothing as he ripped it off her head. He paused and smiled at her again.
    “I’m kidding!” He shoved it back on her head. “God, you’re too easy.”
    “What do you mean?”
    Michael shook his head—a patronizing gestu re that irked