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

I'm still on the verge of tears as we leave

of his embrace and

in the parking lot, heading toward Sadie's car, and I know all hell is about to break

A fucking scrunchie?

hear him say, “You dropped

thanks for handing me my ass.

and smiles. "Maybe winning first isn't where

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,

we should just head out and talk or

You could use it"

Harper. The minute my eyes search for her again, she's already hopping into Sadie's car

out. She

me the finger and burns

people are watching, then I blindly crawl into my Jeep and follow him to

don't even remember eating my first slice of pizza 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

my teeth and stare at my empty

thing called the incident

like that better

"Yes,"

God,

hands in surrender. "Fine by me, again,

your

second—hand embarrassment

have nightmares of her face

Coke and lean

didn't tell their parents she had a

rage about the chaos that is Leigh. And to his credit, Ryan sits there and listens, though I can tell I'm stressing him out too because he's had

of the Cokes had rum in

damn bottle

and I still support it,

He clears his throat.

of that, she doesn't have her phone, she can't even communicate with you right now and seeing that

like they do when

to