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 is getting

when

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

us, her sneer so apparent I want

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

"Have a great day."

Her eyes narrow.

"Girlfriend?"

"Yes,"

answer for him and

"My name's Harper."

"How..."

throws on her black

"Lovely for you..."

it's the time of the month and the world ran

hell was that

I say out loud.

is tense but manages a

Hates her job? A woman in a man's world?

me toward

"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 houses, pack, and go to my parents’ cabin for the

so many epic

this mansion right on the lake and only the most popular kids had been invited over the last

to have serious envy when Ryan

wants me to

I ask.

“Over my dead body."

the

his side, her head

if they're showing that

sounded like my

and

know I'd never leave you out.” Easton

Should we

Ryan snorts.

get to

talking

might be

words bother him as much as they do me

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

it.” Ryan

need some

at Sadie and

I make a face.

while I'm in front of

EARPLUGS and I wink at

Sadie jokes.