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

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

and a tightly tucked in blue shirt with a

sneer

weird? He doesn't so much as flinch as

"Have a great day."

Her eyes narrow.

"Girlfriend?"

"Yes,"

for him and stick

"My name's Harper."

"How..."

throws on

"Lovely for you..."

stomps past us like it's the time of the month and the world ran out of Advil

hell

I say out loud.

tense but manages a

her job? A woman in

spins me toward

"What if we skip?"

"Skip what?"

I frown.

"Life?"

He jokes.

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

so many epic things about

gossip, his cabin was like this mansion right on the lake and only the most popular kids had

envy when Ryan would go because duh,

now he wants me to

I ask.

“Over my dead body."

scaring the shit out

is leaning against his side, her head laying on his

they are moving weirdly fast if they're showing that

sounded like my

and

leave you out.”

you in? Should we

Ryan snorts.

hell are you going to get to

stops talking and looks

might be

words bother him as much

for the next few hours, then leave? We can make

it.”

some alone time

at Sadie

I make a face.

while I'm in front of you.” Ryan rolls

I wink at her and suddenly she's pregnant?”

Sadie jokes.