You’re Mine by Penny Brooks

Chapter 123

Harper

"No."

It's all I can say, alll can think. No. No. No. No. “Harper.”

He reaches for me.

All I can do is slap his phone into his hand and turn away from him. This isn't okay. Nothing about this is okay. He has a naked picture of the school counselor on his phone in order to blackmail her and he never told me.

He fucking left me that night and lied. The problem is his lies.

Had he just said, oh hey, btw, this woman is the worst and I slept with her and here's everything laid out on the table, full disclosure, like he SAID he was going to do. I feel sick to my stomach.

Forget feeling like shit this morning thanks to my cold. Nothing compares to this feeling of finding that photo on his phone.

I turn around and start to walk away. “Harper.”

The way he says my name kills a part of my soul.

He says it like a prayer every time, and it's so damn hard not to fall to my knees and worship the way he treats me or how I thought he treated me.

I think back on when I was sick and he dropped stuff off, I think back on all the times he was my rock and I wonder what I did wrong to make him feel he couldn't trust me, when he fucking lied and said he did.

as he's mine. So

so many obstacles the minute I

to really get to

last class. Shit. I know I probably look horrible. I rush into the girls bathroom and grip the sink, then stare at my reflection, wondering why it's hard to even recognize myself anymore. The door opens.

running, are

"Yes."

And then fall into broken sobs. "No, he

the Stalls it only takes me three minutes to tell her before the bell rings. “This

juts a finger at me. “If Ryan knew about

least tell me I don't look like hell before I head over

just...put on

fix

I point out. "No."

shoulders with her

wearing lipstick. Ask my grandma, she's eighty, and red lipstick still gets

my tears. “I knew

“Everyone clearly does."

go to gym, ignore

have fifty minutes of hell before you can sneak into the liquor cabinet or DoorDash fries,

nod and swallow the giant sized golf ball in my throat, trying to clean up my face as much as possible before

With Aisha and Blake.

hits just keep coming. I don't even have a phone I can utilize just in case Easton actually does have a better

I just need a break from it

change into my gym clothes and walk

talking to Julia, and when Blake sees