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

in blue shirt with a badge, okay so yeah totally a police officer—attached to

by us, her sneer so apparent I want to

Is that why he’s acting weird? He doesn't so much as flinch as he wraps an arm around me

"Have a great day."

Her eyes narrow.

"Girlfriend?"

"Yes,"

for him and stick

"My name's Harper."

"How..."

on her

"Lovely for you..."

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

the hell

I say out loud.

tense but manages a

her job? A woman in a man's world? Take your pick,

spins me

"What if we skip?"

"Skip what?"

I frown.

"Life?"

He jokes.

we skip the rest of school, run back to

epic things about

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

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

me to go? “Just

I ask.

“Over my dead body."

suddenly appears, scaring the

leaning against his side, her head laying on

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

sounded like my

cringe and look

out.”

you in? Should

Ryan snorts.

to get to

stops talking

might be hard

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

the next few hours, then leave? We can make

do it.”

some alone

at

I make a face.

I'm in front of you.”

EARPLUGS and I wink at

Sadie jokes.