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

ya babe.

call. Mom might flip out if she heard me say that. She doesn’t even know Easton and I are a thing. “I'm not feeling well. I have a sore throat,

my room, her hands going to her hips.

the covers up under my chin. “My

the bed, the back of her hand going to my

have a

think you're doing too much lately. Always running around with your friends, and you're never home, I’m happy you're getting out more and enjoying your senior year,

probably shouldn't have gone to the lake with your brother and his friend.

much. And in her eyes, that’s the case. “It was fun. I don’t regret going. I just regret the crappy weather. That's probably

and not getting enough rest and doing too much.

In fact, I'll make a doctor’s appointment

“Okay. '

going to take it easy this week. No going out with

“Fine. '

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

Mom continues. “Whatever, '

what to do. Not that I want to go anywhere right now. I feel terrible. It’s

my bedroom. “He seems fine.

“Could you ask him to come see me?

back over so I'm facing her. “I want him to

“Of course. '

to call your doctor's office

“Thanks Mom. '

close my eyes once more, almost drifting off to sleep when I hear my brother stomp into my room. You could never call

eyes to find him watching me, concern filling his gaze.

of steps back. “Don’t want