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."

appears ready to chop

I'm still on the verge of tears as we

walk ahead of me, but she jerks out of his embrace and already I feel guilty because I know she's taking sides and is pissed

the parking lot, heading toward Sadie's car, and I know all hell is about to break loose as Blake follows behind her

A fucking scrunchie?

hear him say, “You

thanks for handing me my ass.

and smiles. "Maybe

my nostrils flare. Ryan grabs me before I can run after

maybe we should just head out and

You could use it"

minute my eyes search for her again,

out. She hesitates

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

into my Jeep and

his knuckles and says, "Tell me everything, like you're a girl on a super

my teeth and stare at my empty

the whole tree thing called the

that better

"Yes,"

of God, can

hands in surrender. "Fine by me, again, it's my sister.

“I'm sure your mom

embarrassment and horror, just so you

nightmares of her face for

lean back in the chair, explaining how everything

Harper didn't tell their parents she had a

chaos that is Leigh. And to his credit, Ryan sits there and listens, though I

sure he wishes each of the Cokes had rum in

bottle at

to sit down and talk. I know why you kept it and I still support it, the picture that is, but she's so stressed out, man. Mom and Dad were not

He clears his throat.

her phone, she can't even communicate with you right now and seeing that on your screen couldn't have been

because girls have this need to stick together like they do when one has to pee and seventeen of them get up and go. The point is, I

going to be