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

verge of

his embrace and

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

A fucking scrunchie?

hear him say, “You dropped

at her, tuffles her hair and says, "Good game, thanks for handing me my ass. It was actually more

"Maybe winning first isn't

my nostrils flare. Ryan grabs me before I can run after Blake or just hop into

says quickly. "Look, maybe we should just head out and talk

You could use it"

talk to Harper. The minute my eyes search for her again, she's

She hesitates putting

out. Instead, she looks away and 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

crawl into my Jeep and follow him

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

teeth and stare at my empty plate. "Other

tree thing called the incident

like that

"Yes,"

"For the love of God, can we not talk

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

shrug. “I'm sure your mom

second—hand embarrassment

of her

a sip of my Coke and lean back in the chair,

didn't tell their parents she had a fucking boyfriend who also happens to be her

And to his credit, Ryan sits there and listens, though I can tell I'm stressing him

sure he wishes each of

a damn bottle

support

He clears his throat.

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

helpful either 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

to be