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.

this shit

when what looks like a police officer makes her way down the

and a tightly tucked in blue shirt with a

us, her sneer so

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

"Have a great day."

Her eyes narrow.

"Girlfriend?"

"Yes,"

him and stick out my

"My name's Harper."

"How..."

on her black

"Lovely for you..."

stomps past us like it's the time of the month and the

the hell was that

I say out loud.

but

knows...she’s old? Botox isn't working? Fillers don't do shit? Hates her job? A woman in a

spins me toward

"What if we skip?"

"Skip what?"

I frown.

"Life?"

He jokes.

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

heard so many epic things about his

the lake and only the

have serious envy when Ryan would go

he wants me

I ask.

“Over my dead body."

scaring the shit out of

leaning against his side, her head

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

sounded

cringe and

know I'd never leave you out.” Easton

Should we just

Ryan snorts.

the hell are you going to get to

talking and

might

doesn't stiffen, but I know the words bother him as much

hours, then leave? We can make

it.”

some alone time

down at Sadie and

I make a face.

front of

me earplugs, FUCKING EARPLUGS and I wink at

Sadie jokes.