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

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

blue shirt with a badge, okay so

by us, her sneer so apparent I want to

doesn't so much as flinch as he wraps

"Have a great day."

Her eyes narrow.

"Girlfriend?"

"Yes,"

and stick out my

"My name's Harper."

"How..."

on her

"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

I say out loud.

tense but

Botox isn't working? Fillers don't do shit? Hates her job? A woman in a man's world? Take

me

"What if we skip?"

"Skip what?"

I frown.

"Life?"

He jokes.

not life, but what if we skip the rest of school, run back to our houses, pack, and go to

so many epic things about his

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

envy when Ryan would go because duh,

wants me to go? “Just

I ask.

“Over my dead body."

appears, scaring the

against his side, her

if they're

sounded like my

and

you out.”

in? Should we

Ryan snorts.

are you going to get to write

stops talking and

might

know the words bother him as much as

few hours,

do it.” Ryan

some

looks down at Sadie and

I make a face.

in front of you.” Ryan rolls

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

Sadie jokes.