After I've barfed what little contents my stomach held onto the sidewalk, in front of God and everybody, I keep my head down, unwilling to meet the eyes of my concerned friends.
"Jesus, Mara! Are you okay?" Rue asks, hesitantly coming closer.
I hold up my hand to stop her without looking up. "No, I'm obviously not okay. I just..." Before I can complete my sentence, another round of vomit spills out of my mouth.
My body is a heaving, trembling mess and I'm powerless to stop it. Most everyone is just walking by, turning their nose up in disgust, but for some reason, my friends stay rooted in place, silently watching me, not sure what to do.
I lean over, resting my hands on my knees, trying to catch my breath. My eyes sting with tears. My mouth and throat are on fire and I'm pr
