You’re Mine by Penny Brooks

Chapter 17 

Harper 

I don‘t know how long I stand outside after Ryan and Easton are gone. All I can do is breathe in and out, in and out, as I mentally replay 

HARTER 

“Don‘t waste your time, Ryan. A little costume doesn‘t hide the fact that it‘s Harper– it also can‘t hide the horrible personality either. Let‘s go shoot some hoops.” 

Maybe if we hadn‘t kissed twice or if he hadn‘t touched me and made me feel the things he did. But, the truth was, even with the costume, 

even with the darkness, that was all me, Harper, the same Harper that Easton just said couldn‘t hide. 

It‘s like he knew exactly what to say and how to say it to make me want to cry until all the tears made my heart feel better. 

“Hey.” The cafeteria doors slam behind Sadie. “What happened? Is Ryan super pissed? Do I need to go talk to him?” 

I remain quiet, not sure how to answer. 

“God, I‘m going to kill him! I refuse to crush on him anymore! You hear that, Ryan?” She starts yelling like he can actually hear her.  

“We‘re through, you little–” 

“Shhh.” I tug on her arm. “Can we just leave?” 

Her eyes widen in shock. “You want to cut class?” 

No, I want to cut Easton , then tell him how badly he‘s cut me, then kiss him and confess everything and wait for him to laugh until he cries. 

That sounds really fun. 

Why is high school the worst? 

I almost feel numb at this point as I shake my head. Somehow, my legs aren‘t taking me to my locker or to class – no, I‘m walking 

gym where Ryan and Easton just went.

my body and somehow convinced my brain that this is a good

shove open the gym doors. The smell of equipment and cleaner fill the air as the echoing sound of the basketball fills

quietly tries to grab my arm and pull me away like she knows something‘s

shrug her off.

in my boots and wait for them to notice me. Ryan does first, his expression unreadable, and then there‘s Easton. Beautiful, gorgeous, godlike Easton,

such an asshole?” || blurt before I can stop myself, my heart pounding in my chest like I‘ve

and crosses his arms, his crystal blue eyes laying into me with indignant fury.

To stand up for myself? To once and for all face him, despite making me want to hurl when I realize I‘m

is going to be gone in a poof of smoke and

His voice is low, his

me.” I wait for

corner of his lips. “Hey, Ryan, did your sister

basketball at Easton‘s

dodges it and starts to laugh. “I was kidding, it‘s kind of

my sister.” Ryan uses a tone that says he‘ll kick Easton‘s ass if he keeps talking about me in that kind of

him and kiss him simultaneously. “How could I possibly forget?” His eyes roam me up and down. “She‘s like you but with boobs and

hits him in the back of the

still has that stupid grin on his face. “Anything else you need to say, sad

Sad twin? 

the sad twin?

teeth ready to blast him with an insult. Something that will hurt him,

I said my peace, let him deal with his guilt and idiocy. And, maybe one

Me. Me. Me. 

face when he discovers that the one girl he can‘t have has been

was brave.” Sadie struggles to keep

to scream, instead I pretend to be calm as | speed walk toward

seat in front, and I grab

front of

of a guy who complains about everything, including the temperature in the classrooms. “Why? This has been