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

the verge of tears

out of his embrace and already

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

A fucking scrunchie?

“You dropped this after

thanks for handing me

looks over at me and smiles. "Maybe winning

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 him over. “Not

maybe we should just head out and talk

You could use it"

minute my eyes search for her again, she's already hopping

call out. She hesitates putting it

looks away and clicks herself in while Sadie gives me the finger and burns out

until Ryan again informs me that people are watching, then I blindly crawl into my Jeep and follow him

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

stare at my

the whole tree thing called the

like that

"Yes,"

him. "For the love of God, can we not

lifts up his hands in surrender. "Fine by me, again, it's

sure your mom

shudders. "I have constant second—hand embarrassment and

nightmares of her face for

sip of my Coke and lean back in the chair, explaining how everything

Harper didn't tell their parents she had a fucking boyfriend who

to his credit, Ryan sits there and listens, though I can tell I'm stressing him out too because he's had five Cokes and

sure he wishes each of the

damn bottle

you kept it and I still support it, the picture that is, but she's so stressed out,

He clears his throat.

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

together like they do when one has to

to