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 is getting really

pulls away briefly and looks around like he’s paranoid about something when what looks like a

blue shirt with a

by us, her sneer

know? Is that why he’s acting weird? He doesn't so much as flinch as

"Have a great day."

Her eyes narrow.

"Girlfriend?"

"Yes,"

him and

"My name's Harper."

"How..."

on her

"Lovely for you..."

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

the hell was that

I say out loud.

is tense but manages

Hates her job? A woman

me

"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 my

heard so many epic

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

envy when Ryan would go because duh,

wants me to go? “Just

I ask.

“Over my dead body."

the

is leaning against his side, her head

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

sounded like

and

never leave you out.” Easton bumps fists with

in? Should

Ryan snorts.

you going to get to write you an excuse

stops talking and

might be hard now

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

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

do it.”

need some alone

looks down at Sadie

I make a face.

front of you.” Ryan

gave me earplugs, FUCKING EARPLUGS and I wink at her and suddenly

Sadie jokes.