You’re Mine by Penny Brooks

Chapter 125

Harper

"It would be so much easier if I still didn't feel like shit!"

I throw myself onto my bed as Sadie paces back and forth as if that's going to help the trauma of the day. Why can't things be easier?

I do love him. I do. I just feel betrayed. Hurt.

And exhausted, quite honestly, I could nap for ten days and probably still not feel rested.

Maybe it's the fact that I was so sick and jumped right back into school, the trauma of my mom finding us, or feeling guilty over not telling my parents about the love of my life.

Wow, take your pick.

"He's an asshole,’ she finally says. "Let him sweat it out a bit."

“Would you?"

I ask. "Let Ryan sweat it out?

Or would you communicate?

Hear him out?

Be mature?

I don't even know what I want to do. One minute, I want to run Easton over, the next I want to hold him and never let go.

He's mine, Sadie. Mine. I love him. I just...I don't understand this side of him. The one that's still holding back, the one that's afraid.”

She sighs. “Love is scary, babe. No matter how young or old you are.

It has no prejudices, it is what it is. One day, it cuts you so deep you think you might bleed out, the next day you wonder how you ever lived without that feeling.

on those good days, the really good fucking days, you can't

more second without that person holding your hand and standing by your

you really love each other, you'll get through it, fight for it, and

hands. “He's dead to

laugh, I can't help it, and then I burst into tears again. "I'm sorry, I'm just so emotional these

sick, and I feel so much pressure over

true crime

"Blake seemed

shrug. "He was pretty

be my partner in gym. I let him because honestly everyone else was

"Was he nice?"

asks, examining her fingernails. "For Blake,

We

at least distracted me for nearly an hour,

nods. "I still think something's off

"Yeah."

on it. "Maybe. I don't know. Either way, it was

"Blake?"

then rush to my laptop and open it.

at

lets himself in. "Hey, beautiful, mind if

Sadie on the

wait, you're friends with

say right here and right now, you both need to listen to the reason. Yes, I knew, blah, blah, blah, you all want to murder me, who runs the world, girls, but for real...he did nothing wrong

soften. "He loves you. He would never cheat on you. Besides, if he did, I'd cheerfully kill him and go

fill my

“Anytime.”

out of my room, leaving me alone with my laptop

breath and

And then I type.

we

I'm just letting life kick my ass, but I miss you. I don't want to break up,

how things got so complicated so fast, but... can't text you, so I at least thought I could email and let you know that no matter what, right now, in this moment,

And I'm still yours.