You’re Mine by Penny Brooks

Chapter 23

Harper

| clutch my books closer to my chest, irritated that I have to carry them but my backpack is already full and my locker won’t open. It’s jammed yet again. I hate this school.

The moment Ryan and I arrived this morning, the first person I saw was Easton. He looked right through me, his eyes narrow slits, his lips thin. Aisha approached him and it was as if he forgot all about me, his attention solely focused on her.

She sent me a look that told me she witnessed our little interaction and she wanted to interrupt it on purpose, the catty bitch. I leave them in a huff, my determined steps taking me to my locker, only to discover it wouldn’t open.

Thank God I brought all my books home last night, in the hopes could lose myself in homework. Didn’t happen.

All I could think about was stupid Easton

Didn’t help that he sent me a friend request on Instagram and like the pathetic loser he always reminds me that I am, I accepted it without hesitation. And then I went and

followed his profile, which is public. No surprise.

When he direct messaged me, I almost fell off the bed. At first, he acted like he was into me, and despite everything that’s happened between us, the miniscule good and the overwhelmingly bad, I thought maybe he was going to confess his real feelings.

Then he made it seem like all he wanted was a sneaky hookup here and there, and I was disgusted. More with myself than him.

This is why I can’t get my hopes up. Easton will always bring them crashing down

I walk into my first period classroom early and collapse into my desk, dropping the books I’m carrying with a loud thump. I suppose I could go to the front office and complain about my Wocker. They’d write me an excuse for being late so it’s not like it would be a big deal.

I’m about to get back up when Sadie darts into my classroom, her eyes wide, her expression downright frantic.

“Oh my God, there you are! Are you okay?” she asks, her words so fast they practically trip over themselves.

I frown. “What are you talking

about?”

see your locker?” Her

went to it earlier, but I couldn’t open it. That’s why I’m carrying my books.” I wave a hand at the stack in front of

around the room before her gaze returns to

We head for my locker, which is surrounded by a small group of people. As I draw closer, I can hear

laughter. Snippets of conversation.

what I hear

That someone is Aisha.

black spray paint across my faded gray locker door. But the word

SLUT!

even used

but I can feel their eyes on me, waiting for my reaction. I refuse to give them one. I’m on the

can I cry

they live

their faces blank, their lips curved as if they’re enjoying witnessing my humiliation. Sadie is so angry I can practically feel her vibrate as she

the

here,” I whisper to her. “They had to have done it in a matter of

front of other

before the first bell rings. It’s a smaller cluster

Not today though

hell

Ryan pushing his way through the crowd until he’s standing right in front of me. His gaze goes to

He’s pissed

this?” he asks

idea, but it just happened. I was at my

lock, which he knows. Just like I know his, too. When it doesn’t open for him, he curls his hand into a fist and starts banging on the door. Like magic, it pops open and he steps away just