You’re Mine by Penny Brooks

Chapter 15

Harper

“I hate him! No, I loathe him. No, that’s not right either. I want to rip his spleen from his body and run it over with his precious car and then, then, I’m going to…” I scream into my pillow for the tenth time while a hungover Sadie pats me on the knee.

We’ve been sitting in my room on our phones, watching Netflix all day and I’m still pissed off.

I’m hurt.

I’m ready to start a war.

And I can’t even tell anyone why it bothers me so much. I mean, I could confide in Sadie but something about those stolen moments with Easton feel precious-like they’re mine-even though he’s so mean to me should get a medal for not killing him.

Why is he so horrible to me?

“I mean, what have I ever done to make him so angry?” I throw my hands up. “So what, I’m Ryan’s twin, is that a crime? I’m not at popular so that makes me not worthy of his attention? I don’t get it, Sadie. It’s one thing to ignore someone completely, but now it’s

like he’s going out of his way to be mean!”

“Huh?” Sadie jerks awake and I glare at her. “I’m so sorry. It’s just, you’ve been talking about this off and on for the last three hours and I got sleepy.”

“Help me fix this,” I say. “Please.”

“Well,” she yawns behind her hand, “you could try making him

jealous.”

“Oh yeah, great idea Sadie, let me just stroll up to school in my brand new car with my model boyfriend and perfect designer body and make the most popular boy in school jealous. Where do I sign

up?”

She falls back against my bed sighing

I join her and stare up at the ceiling. “It’s hopeless.”

“It’s never hopeless, let’s just think about this from his point of view.. he started being mean after the bikini issue, right?”

I should tell her.

But would it matter? And how would that conversation even go?

Guess what, he actually does want me, but only in the dark. Gee, maybe we can be secret boyfriend/girlfriend?

Great start, Harper. Perfect.

hair in front of my face and start searching for dead ends. “He seemed to react when Ryan got mad-like he was mad too, but he was probably just helping

cheeks pressed against the pillows. Her brown eyes are super blood shot, her face splotchy. “What harm would

some tight jeans or

room forever while Ryan tells my parents?” I finish

girl.” She grins. “You just leave that to me.” She stumbles out of bed and goes to the door. “Be right back, I’m going to beg your mom to let you stay at my house Sunday night. Things have been so hard.” She

complete falsehood! You don’t even have a pop-

was Frank.” She

been in drama,”

tosses her

right?”

to see right through it, but I’m shocked when she not only says yes, but

if I should be proud of

and after a lot of arguing on my

I see myself after she applies some

that’s what it

My only mission?

Gauge Easton’s reaction.

can happen, but every single time my brain comes up with about a dozen scenarios, all of

at school and getting out of the

Sadie has a death

going to leave

her teeth.

doing this,” I repeat in a weak voice that lacks any sort of conviction or

easy in

Aren’t most things?

it was even easier when I was in a costume. I could be anyone ! wanted to

a new version of myself, a self that Easton hated, one

would murder once he saw

through

weirdest thing

Literally nobody stares.

clap or people part and let you walk down the middle of the hall as they silently appreciate your efforts. Nope, everything is exactly the same, which in my

wanted to look good but not so good that it brought too much attention. I’m wearing black, ripped skinny jeans,

is pulled into a high pony tail. Sadie went easy on the makeup, only adding a bit of powder, gloss, mascara, and eye liner, so all in all I

I mean, sort of.

way

need to grab the nearest freshman and pry the sweatshirt from their scrawny little

so good.” Sadie winks as