You’re Mine by Penny Brooks

Easton

The dinner with my parents started out like a total shit show, but at least ended on a positive note.

Once we moved past the local news reporting on me and Leigh—like what the actual fuck—-Mom called us into the dining room where she had a huge spread of food laid out in dishes like she made it.

I know for a fact she’s too damn busy to cook and ordered everything from her favorite Italian restaurant, but I never said a word.

Neither did Mom.

In fact, she basked in Harper's lavish praise about the delicious meal and pretended to be modest.

Like her "making"

dinner was no big deal.

Whatever.

If Mom wants Harper to think she’s an expert on Italian cuisine, I don't care.

We hung out for a while after dinner at the table, making small talk, my parents asking Harper an endless string of questions.

She answered every one of them like a champ, never letting her poise slip in front of them.

Damn, she made me proud.

I walked her out to Ryan's car and I climb inside with her, kissing her for a solid thirty minutes before she finally, reluctantly left.

I went to bed with a smile on my face.

Still was wearing that smile when I walked into school this morning.

And then during first period, I got called into the principal's office.

The moment I walked inside, the serious expressions on everyone's face—and there are at least five people crammed into the office, two of them I don't recognize—sends a spiral of dread through me.

"Easton.

Sit down."

Principal Jenkins indicates the empty chair in front of his desk.

I settle in, glancing around.

"What's this about?"

"These detectives here would like to speak to you."

Jenkins waves his hand toward the man and woman I don't recognize.

"About the—incident between you and Mrs.

Scott."

I keep my face completely neutral.

"What incident?"

made

involved with Mrs.

Scott."

squirms in his

be easy to talk about, and of course we'll leave you alone with the detectives so you can speak freely "There's nothing

me, my heartbeat thundering in my

a quick glance in the detectives' direction and I can tell they're

Well tough shit.

way do I want to talk to them and turn this into a big deal by

going to deny anything even

Jenkins frowns.

do you mean, young

what

Nothing happened between Mrs.

I sit up

she helped me out by having me work on a couple of rough drafts for my college

college websites together, but

"You were at Mrs.

Scott's house?"

“Yeah.

there too.” He was that one night, upstairs asleep in their bed while I banged Leigh

on the

to be at a counselor's house in the evening, but

Scott and I."

"Really."

flat tone tells me she thinks

smart one

"Yeah."

her gaze,

"Really."

"Well."

clears his throat, resting his clutched hands on

"I see.

That changes everything."

I stress, glancing around the room so I can look

inappropriately touched or whatever the fuck they're

I wanted it.

happen between Leigh

the time, but I don't

I'm over it.

Done.

"Are you sure, son?"

asks, his

concerned,

"I'm positive,"

his

to sound like the

chair, his smile of satisfaction indicating me pleading my

the detectives, who look like they want to murder