You’re Mine by Penny Brooks

Harper

Easton is pale.

Normally his skin is a healthy tan, his good looks are so ridiculously hot that I want to strangle him then kiss him right afterward.

I'm next to my locker when he walks up, hands shoved into his jeans, posture stiff.

"Sup?"

I snort out a laugh.

"Did you just bro talk me?"

“Huh?"

He scratches his head, completely distracted.

I mimic his movements, then give him a slight shove.

"Yeah okay, bruh, what you wanna do later, dude, wanna hit the pavement, go for a smoke, shoot some hoops and—"

"-Are you high?"

He leans in, and the smell of his cologne has me dizzy with want.

"And why wouldn't you share?"

Flirtatious Easton is back.

The one I'm obsessed with.

The one I need more than anything, despite how frustrated I get with him on a daily basis.

He's mine.

All mine.

I just wish all this bullshit would go away so we could have more time to figure out what we are, how we work, and what this means before graduation.

Ugh.

"Not high."

I wrap my arms around his waist.

"You just seem distant..."

We have at least half the day left before we can go home-—before I can go home with him, even if that means I'm just going to be in the backseat of his super sexy Jeep.

"Yeah okay boomer,"

he jokes.

"I'm fine, I promise."

Our foreheads touch and I forget all about the worries I have as people whistle and pass us as they walk down the hallway.

"I just had a moment.

shit is getting

like he’s paranoid about something when what looks like a police

with a badge, okay so

by us, her sneer so apparent I want

why he’s acting weird? He doesn't so much

"Have a great day."

Her eyes narrow.

"Girlfriend?"

"Yes,"

for him and stick out my

"My name's Harper."

"How..."

on her black

"Lovely for you..."

crisis stomps past us like it's the time of the month and the world

hell was that

I say out loud.

but

knows...she’s old? Botox isn't working? Fillers don't do shit? Hates her job? A woman in a man's world? Take your pick, I

spins me

"What if we skip?"

"Skip what?"

I frown.

"Life?"

He jokes.

back to our houses, pack, and go to my parents’

so many epic things about his

lake and only the most popular kids had been

used to have serious envy when Ryan would

now he wants me to go?

I ask.

“Over my dead body."

appears, scaring the

his side, her

they're showing that much PDA

sounded

and look

leave you out.” Easton bumps fists

in? Should we

Ryan snorts.

the hell are you going to get to write you an excuse since

stops talking and

it might be hard

know the words bother him as much as they do me as he looks down the hall

maybe we suffer for the next few hours, then leave? We

do it.”

need some

at

I make a face.

I'm in front of

I wink at her and

Sadie jokes.