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

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

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

stops by us, her sneer

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

"Have a great day."

Her eyes narrow.

"Girlfriend?"

"Yes,"

for him and stick out

"My name's Harper."

"How..."

on

"Lovely for you..."

flinch and drop my hand as mid-life crisis stomps past us like it's

hell was

I say out loud.

tense but manages

isn't working? Fillers don't do shit? Hates her job? A woman in a

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

so many epic

like this mansion right on the lake

to have serious envy when Ryan would go because duh, best

he wants me to

I ask.

“Over my dead body."

the shit out

side, her head laying on his

they're showing that much PDA during

I just sounded like

cringe and look

you out.” Easton bumps fists with my

in? Should we just take

Ryan snorts.

are you going to get to

talking and

it might be hard

doesn't stiffen, but I know the words bother him as much as they do me as he looks down

maybe we suffer for the next few hours, then leave? We can

it.” Ryan

some

down at Sadie and

I make a face.

front of you.” Ryan

I wink

Sadie jokes.