Free Good Karma by Donya Lynne

she’d been taught not to do but
did anyway continued to grow.
    “Be right back.” He disappeared into the
crowd.
    Finnigan’s was abuzz with laughter and music,
and drinks were flowing, making the men bold and the women daring.
A couple of platinum blondes with obvious breast implants hawked
Mark as he made his way to the bar, and a stab of jealousy sent
green-eyed shards through her blood. As if she had a right to be
jealous. The taller of the two touched his arm to get his attention
then said something. He smiled politely and shook his head before
continuing to the bar. Whatever he told them left them with
disappointed faces.
    Good for Mark.
    She settled into her chair. While waiting for
him to return, she checked her watch. Seven thirty. It seemed that
the karaoke was in a break, or maybe it just wasn’t late enough for
the patrons to be drunk enough to have the guts to sing.
    Karma had always said she wanted to try
karaoke, but every time she got a chance, she chickened out. She’d
been told she was a good singer, but the idea of singing on stage
made her squeamish. Singing in front of friends was one thing, but
in front of strangers was another. What if she messed up? What if
she sang off-key? The fear of embarrassment was greater than her
desire to let loose, so karaoke remained on her bucket list.
    Where was Mark? He had been gone an awfully
long time.
    She had just begun to search the crowd by the
bar when the music cut off and the spotlight shone on the
stage.
    On Mark!
    She gasped and sat forward as the music for
Pharrell’s “Happy” started. Behind him, on a large screen, the
video began to play, but all eyes were on him.
    He started to sing and every woman in the bar
fixed him in her sights. A split second later the place erupted
into a frenzy. Mark could sing. And he could dance. And for a man
with such a deep voice, he had a hot falsetto. Every woman in the
room, including her, fell a little bit in love.
    She could only sit, stunned, and watch,
mesmerized by his loose hips and fast feet. By the end of the song,
most of the bar’s patrons were on their feet, singing along,
dancing and clapping. Then the cheers and whistles rose again as he
bowed and waved to the crowd.
    For about a minute, Mark was the star of the
evening as he forged his way through the crowd to their table,
drinks in hand. He set hers in front of her.
    “That was great,” she said as he sat down. “I
didn’t know you could sing.”
    “Double threat. Dancing. Singing.” A thin
film of perspiration coated his forehead. “My parents are
professional dancers.”
    Well, that explained his moves. Apparently,
some of Mom’s and Dad’s talent had rubbed off.
    “Well, everyone loved you.” She sipped her
drink.
    “And they’ll love you, too.”
    “Huh?” She wasn’t sure she’d heard him
right.
    “You’re next,” he said.
    “What?” She froze mid-sip as what felt like
ice water broke through her veins.
    He gestured toward the stage, grinning
wickedly. “You’re up. They’re waiting for you.”
    “WHAT!” This was what she got for getting
into a strange man’s car, going to his room last Saturday night,
and agreeing to drink alcohol when she would have to drive later.
Punishment.
    He laughed. “Oh go on. It’ll be fun.”
    “I can’t—”
    “Yes, you can. The words are right there on
the screen. It’s easy.”
    “Mark.” She was whining, but she didn’t care.
“Are you trying to humiliate me?”
    He shook his head and squeezed her hand. “Oh
come on. It’s not that bad.”
    “Yes it is.” What he was asking was the
equivalent of throwing her into the ocean without a life preserver
when she didn’t know how to swim…in the middle of a hurricane.
    “Oh, go on. You know if you don’t you’ll
regret it.”
    A spotlight turned on her.
    “Don’t make me do this,” she said.
    He pointed toward the stage. “They’re
waiting. No one else can go until you do.” He took her hand and
helped her out of