You’re Mine by Penny Brooks

Chapter 121

Harper

With Easton's phone tucked under my arm to hide it from my teacher, I enter the classroom, and hurry to my desk.

Once I'm sitting, I take out my textbook and notebook and pretend to be ready for class. Really, it’s just a stage, so I can look prepared while, in all actuality, I’ll be hiding behind the guy in front of me, using Easton's phone to catch up on all the things I’ve missed. Just as I'm typing in his passcode—the same code, I’ve learned, that opens his locker—I hear, “Are you all right?"

The question comes from my left, the seat where Blake sits. I'm sure he’s asking because he saw Easton and I arguing.

Blake misses nothing. I don’t want to get into it. It's none of his business.

Whatever I tell him, I’m sure will get right back to Aisha, and then I'll have to listen to her teasing, too. I'm over it. I glance at him, observing the concern etched across his face. “Yeah, I'm fine."

“You deserve better."

He turns his body toward me. “I told him that when I saw him gloating in the hallway a few seconds ago. What dude does that, by the way? Fight with their girlfriend, and then act like king of the world?"

He rolls his eyes. “Anyway, I just want you to know that you don't have to put up with someone treating you that way. You're a hell of a catch, Harper. Any guy in this school would agree."

My heart aches. I was the reason for today’s fight. I was the one who royally fucked things up. I was the one who waited her whole life to date someone—someone as amazing as Easton—and then kept him a secret from her parents.

this up to Easton? How am I going to show him how much I love

at Blake, lost in

yourself. Every word I said

the teacher beginning

minutes and focus on something other than my massive fuck—up. I unlock Easton’s phone and pull up his Instagram. Do I snoop? Ugh, I

DMs and start scrolling, looking for names that

stuff with his guy friends. Phew. I logout of

of reference about my fight with Easton this morning—or anything about me in general or her everlasting love for him. She’s been quiet, and that’s not

In fact, their posts have been a little lame lately, a few hookups that the school already

Facebook and TikTok, laughing at Sadie’s video with her hairless cat. She likes to dress him up in these wild costumes and the cat couldn’t be more uninterested. It's hysterical. And it’s gained her over a

her for endorsements, it’ s nuts. Seeing that I haven't really missed much, I logout

his lake house, sitting outside on the dock. Sadie had taken the picture

I'm sorry.

end badly when we parted in the hallway, I

I need to feel the love he didn't give me this morning. I pull up his photo App and start scrolling through all his pictures. I’m surprised at how many there are of us, I didn’t realize Easton took as many photos as

taken in my bedroom, lots were snapped while we were at school, tons more of us at the

pretty fast, so there’s quick flashes of detail that catch my eyes—liquor bottles, Ryan doing a keg stand, the boys moshing at

knowing there has to be more shots and suddenly, something out of