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

pulls away briefly and looks around like he’s paranoid about something when what looks like a police officer makes her way down

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

sneer so apparent I

weird? He doesn't so much as flinch as he wraps

"Have a great day."

Her eyes narrow.

"Girlfriend?"

"Yes,"

him and stick out my

"My name's Harper."

"How..."

throws on

"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

the hell was

I say out loud.

is tense but

Hates her job? A woman in a

spins me

"What if we skip?"

"Skip what?"

I frown.

"Life?"

He jokes.

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

heard so many epic things about his

lake and only the most

used to have serious envy when

now he wants me to go? “Just

I ask.

“Over my dead body."

suddenly appears, scaring the shit

against his side, her head laying on his

weirdly fast if they're showing

I just sounded like

and

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

in? Should we

Ryan snorts.

going to get to write you

talking and looks

might be

as much as they do me as he looks down the hall and

hours, then leave?

it.” Ryan

need some alone time

down at

I make a face.

front of you.” Ryan

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

Sadie jokes.