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

paranoid about something when what looks like

with a badge, okay so yeah totally a police officer—attached to her

by us, her sneer so apparent

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

"Have a great day."

Her eyes narrow.

"Girlfriend?"

"Yes,"

him and stick

"My name's Harper."

"How..."

on her

"Lovely for you..."

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

hell was that

I say out loud.

but manages a

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

me

"What if we skip?"

"Skip what?"

I frown.

"Life?"

He jokes.

rest of school, run back to our houses, pack, and go to my parents’ cabin for the

heard so many epic things

lake and only the most popular kids had been invited over the last few

serious envy when

wants me to

I ask.

“Over my dead body."

appears, scaring the shit out of

his side, her head laying

fast if they're showing that much PDA during school

I just sounded like my

and look

out.” Easton bumps

in? Should we just take

Ryan snorts.

to get to write

talking and

might be hard

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

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

it.”

some alone time

at

I make a face.

of you.” Ryan rolls

gave me earplugs, FUCKING EARPLUGS and I wink

Sadie jokes.