You’re Mine by Penny Brooks

Chapter 113

Harper

Easton: Good morning, beautiful. I smile as I read the text from my boyfriend, hating how sore my throat is. Swallowing hard, I close my eyes, my head spinning. Oh no. I think I might be sick. My phone buzzes again. Easton: Miss you. Easton: Can't wait to see you at school. Me: I don’t know if I'm coming. Easton: What do you mean? Me: I don't feel so good. My phone rings in my hand and I immediately answer it. “What's wrong? '

he asks, sounding concerned. “My throat. '

I swallow again, and it hurts so bad I never want to swallow again. “It’s killing me. I think I'm coming down with something. '

“Maybe you should stay home. '

“We missed school yesterday. I can’t stay home. '

“Listen Brainiac, you'll be fine if you miss another day. It’s not like you're going to fail all your classes. '

He’s teasing me and I know he’s probably right but... I hate missing school. And now I have an extra reason to worry about not being there. Aisha trailing after my boyfriend everywhere he goes. If she knows I’m not at school, she'll be all over him. “I'm going, '

I say firmly as I sit up in bed. Only to immediately lay back down, my head swimming. “Or maybe not, '

I say weakly. “What happened? '

“('m kind of dizzy. '

I close my eyes and exhale loudly. “My body aches. '

“You're sick. Stay home, baby. You need rest. '

His voice is soft and soothing and I know he’s right. There’s a knock on my door and then it opens, my mother peeking her head around it. “You should be up already, Harper. It’s late. '

“I need to go, '

Easton. “Talk to you

ya babe.

flip out if she heard me say that. She doesn’t even know Easton and I are a

She enters my room, her hands going to her hips. “You think you're getting

the covers up under my chin.

approaches the bed, the back of her hand going to my forehead. “You re

I have

Goodness, Harper, I really think you're doing too much lately. Always running around with your friends, and you're never home, I’m happy you're

have gone to the lake with

case. “It was fun. I don’t

enough rest and

In fact, I'll make a doctor’s appointment for this afternoon and we'll

“Okay. '

all of a sudden. “You're going

“Fine. '

the urge and close my eyes. “And you're staying home this

Mom continues. “Whatever, '

annoying how she’s trying to tell me what to do. Not that I want to go anywhere right now. I feel terrible. It’s like my throat is full of razor blades and it’s absolute torture to swallow.

Mom is still standing in my bedroom. “He seems fine. Didn’t complain about feeling bad,

says. “Could you ask him to come see me?

so I'm facing her. “I want him

“Of course. '

“I'll let him know. And I’ m going to call your doctor's office and see

“Thanks Mom. '

I close my eyes once more, almost drifting off to sleep when I hear my brother stomp into my room. You could never call Ryan subtle, let me tell you. “What’s up? Mom says you

concern filling his gaze. “My throat is sore. Mom thinks I have a

steps back. “Don’t want