You’re Mine by Penny Brooks

Chapter 124

Easton

I'm a fucking mess through last period and can't even fucking text Harper to apologize or discuss the whole thing with her mom.

The sick feeling I get in my chest when I think about her not claiming me and of course on top of that the picture.

Fuckkkk, the damn picture. I see Sadie the minute I get out of class and think, oh good, someone I can convince to be on my side, when she smacks me on the ass with her backpack.

"The hell, Sadie!”

“How could you hurt her like that! I thought you trusted her! She was bawling."

Her own eyes tear up. "Really, Easton?

I mean, fucking, really?"

"Keep your voice down."

I grab her by the elbow and bring her toward my locker when Ryan walks up. "Is there a reason you're hitting him?"

"Yes,"

she seethes and looks around us. "He has a picture of Leigh on his phone with her tits just dangling out there and Harper saw it and it was the same day...it was..."

She shakes her head. "That same fucking day you guys decided to get serious, you lied, Easton. AGAIN!”

"Keep your voice down!"

Ryan repeats and shares a look with me. "Sadie, you don't know the whole story.”

Her eyes widen. "You knew?"

"Shit."

Ryan lowers his head. "Look, can we do this in the parking lot at least?

People are starting to stare."

to chop

so miserable, I'm still on the verge of

and already I feel guilty because I know she's

toward Sadie's car, and I know all hell is about

A fucking scrunchie?

him say, “You dropped this

her, tuffles her hair and says, "Good game, thanks for handing me my ass.

at me and smiles. "Maybe winning first isn't where

him. Blood pumps through my body as my nostrils flare. Ryan grabs me before I can run after Blake or just hop into my car, start the engine, and run

"Look, maybe we should just head out and talk

You could use it"

I want to talk to Harper. The minute my eyes search for her again, she's already hopping into Sadie's

out. She

clicks herself in while Sadie gives me the finger and burns out of the parking lot, like she's getting chased by the devil

blindly crawl into my Jeep and follow him to the pizza place

before he cracks his knuckles and says, "Tell me everything, like you're a girl on a super dramatic reality show. Then, tell me why you look so

stare at my empty plate. "Other than,

tree thing called

like that better

"Yes,"

love of God, can we not talk

again,

your mom feels

constant second—hand embarrassment and horror, just so

of her face

sip of my Coke and lean back in

flows through me as I explain how much it hurt that Harper didn't tell their

listens,

wishes each of

damn bottle

need to sit down and talk. I know why you kept it and I still support it, the picture

He clears his throat.

with you right now and seeing that on your screen couldn't have been easy after all the

girls have this need to stick together like they do when one has to pee and seventeen of them get up and

going to