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 really

looks around like he’s paranoid about something when what looks

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

us, her sneer

acting weird? He doesn't so much as

"Have a great day."

Her eyes narrow.

"Girlfriend?"

"Yes,"

for him and stick out

"My name's Harper."

"How..."

on her black

"Lovely for you..."

mid-life crisis stomps past us like it's the time

hell

I say out loud.

but manages

don't do shit? Hates her job? A woman in a man's world?

spins me toward

"What if we skip?"

"Skip what?"

I frown.

"Life?"

He jokes.

run back to our houses, pack,

many epic

on the lake and only the most popular kids had

to have serious envy when Ryan would go because duh,

he wants me to go?

I ask.

“Over my dead body."

suddenly appears, scaring the

side, her head laying on his

are moving weirdly fast if they're showing that much PDA during school

sounded like

and look toward

I'd never leave you out.” Easton bumps fists with

in? Should

Ryan snorts.

to get to write you

stops talking and looks

might be hard now

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

suffer for the next few hours, then

do it.”

some alone time

down at

I make a face.

I'm in front of you.”

FUCKING EARPLUGS and I wink at her and suddenly she's

Sadie jokes.