Free Love Is in the Air by A. Destiny and Alex R. Kahler

of me is ashamed that Riley’s treating this like she’s intruding on my space when it’s her room as well. For some reason, it also makes me a little upset; I don’t want her to think she has to baby me. “It’s okay, I’m not going to snap at you.”
    â€œOh, I don’t care about that,” Riley says, sitting down on her bed. “I just didn’t know if you were still throwing up all over the place.”
    â€œI didn’t throw up at all,” I say. I wanted to, but I didn’t.
    â€œYeah, I figured as much. Megan was telling everyone you got really sick on the trapeze. And I mean, really sick, like projectile-vomiting-across-the-field sick.”
    I sit up a little straighter and push the blankets off me. Of course Megan was spreading rumors.
    â€œShe wasn’t even there,” I say.
    â€œDon’t worry, no one else believes her either.”
    â€œWhy would she say that?” I ask, even though I know precisely why. For some reason, that girl has it in for me.
    Riley shrugs. “Jealousy is an ugly monster,” she says. Then she looks at me, a little more serious. “How are you doing, anyway? Do you need anything?”
    I shake my head. “I just froze. I’m not sick or anything.”
    She nods. “Well, the offer still stands. Even if it means you need me to kick Megan’s blond butt.”
    I laugh, which admittedly feels strange; I didn’t think I’d have the capacity for that anymore today.
    â€œThanks,” I say.
    â€œThat’s what friends are for—petty revenge.” She smiles, hops off her bed, and tries to pull me off mine. “Anyway, I’m glad you don’t need anything, because I actually just came here to drag you off to lunch.”
    I put up resistance, but that eyebrow raise of her speaks volumes.
    â€œNever get in between me and my food,” she says gravely. “Sandy learned that one the hard way. At least, that’s how I explained those hickeys to his parents.” To accentuate the point, she leans over and nibbles on my arm, making loud gnawing sounds.
    I giggle and let her pull me off the bed.
    â€œOkay, okay! I give. I need that arm.”
    Riley stands straighter and smiles, then takes me by the arm and skips me out the door.

ChapterNine
    O kay, I hadn’t honestly expected the entire lunchroom to stop talking and stare at me when I walked in, but the nagging fear was there as Riley half guided, half dragged me toward the cafeteria. So the fact that I’m able to not only walk in, but get my food and sit at a table without anyone so much as looking at me twice, kind of blows my mind. If this was high school, there’d be at least one group of girls snickering behind my back.
    That said, I don’t even bother trying to find Megan and her sisters in the crowd—I’ve no doubt that they’re definitely talking about me. Maybe they’re still trying to spread the rumor that I threw up all over the trapeze rig. Having Riley at my side honestly makes me not care so much.
    Riley and I sit next to Tyler and a couple of his acro buddies.They all give the cursory hello and then go back to chatting about the tricks they nailed or screwed up during auditions.
    â€œI heard what happened,” Tyler says to me, keeping his voice low. “You okay?”
    â€œI didn’t throw up.”
    â€œShame,” he says with a wicked smile. “It would have made such a good story. So what happened? Vertigo?”
    I nod. “Turns out I don’t like heights.”
    â€œJoin the club,” Riley says around a mouthful of her burger.
    â€œYou are just the portrait of a lady,” Tyler says, staring at her.
    She grins and lets a few crumbs drop from her mouth. “Yep!” she says happily.
    Tyler shakes his head in mock disgust, then turns back to me. “Well, don’t worry about it. So long as you stay around this one, you’ll