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.

all this shit

around like he’s paranoid about something when what looks like a police officer makes her way down the

tucked in blue shirt with a badge, okay so yeah totally a

by us, her sneer so apparent

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

"Have a great day."

Her eyes narrow.

"Girlfriend?"

"Yes,"

him and stick out my

"My name's Harper."

"How..."

on

"Lovely for you..."

flinch and drop my hand as mid-life crisis stomps past us like it's the time of the month and the world ran

hell was that

I say out loud.

but

job? A woman in a man's world? Take your

me toward

"What if we skip?"

"Skip what?"

I frown.

"Life?"

He jokes.

life, but what if we skip the rest of school, run back to our houses, pack, and go to

epic

cabin was like this mansion right on the lake and only the most popular kids had been invited over the last few

when Ryan would go because duh, best

me to go? “Just

I ask.

“Over my dead body."

scaring the shit out of

his side, her head

weirdly fast if they're showing that much PDA during

I just sounded

and look

out.”

Should

Ryan snorts.

the hell are you going to get

talking

might be hard

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

for the next few hours, then leave?

it.”

need some alone

down at Sadie

I make a face.

front of you.”

gave me earplugs, FUCKING EARPLUGS and I wink at

Sadie jokes.