You’re Mine by Penny Brooks

Chapter 167

Harper

Ever since my breakdown with Easton the other night, I feel like a complete idiot.

It's not like he can help where he gets accepted.

He's brilliant and rich on top of that.

I just had this oh shit moment of what happens to us along with the panic of how far we've come and what happens if everything gets stripped away? I'm not in the best mood when I get to school the next day, despite Easton's encouraging texts all night long and me apologizing, it just feels off.

I still haven't heard from any school, and no matter how many times you refresh your email on your phone, it's not like the colleges go, oh cool, she's finally ready for us to email her.

Despite all that, I still refresh my email once I'm in the parking lot of the school.

My hands shake as I stare down at the screen.

I have new emails.

And one is from a college, I panic, then get excited, then panic again.

I probably wouldnt even notice if Aisha was breathing down my neck like a dirty little dragon whore.

I click open.

And nearly drop my phone.

I got into San Jose State.

Granted, it wasn't my first choice, but I'm at least going to be going to a college and not having to explain to people that I wanted a year off or that I wanted to go to a community school.

God, that would have been horrible.

I smile down at my phone again.

"Looking at porn?" a deep voice asks.

“Hilarious.” I turn and throw my arms around Easton.

"Whoa!" He hugs me back.

“What's this for? The naked dudes you were just looking at or—" "—Shut it!" I squeeze him tighter then whisper into his ear, "I got into San Jose State"

His body tenses, then relaxes as he squeezes my body and rocks me back and forth.

“I'm so fucking proud of you"

except for the fact that he's not there and I've come to rely on him the way you rely on air so you can breathe— and not in a needy way—but a way that's necessary because you love

press his mouth against mine and make me feel

"This is epic"

"I know"

Tears fill my eyes.

so worried.” “I wasn't," he says

but he grabs my arm and

"I wasnt," he repeats.

strongest and smartest girl I've ever known, of course, any college would want you? Hell, they

smile as I answer

on your hands and knees?" He immediately moves away and drops to his

"NO!" I laugh.

up!" He shrugs and puts

Oh God.

starting to

Dancing moment but the opposite

name again as phones come out around

but in a funny way like they're

I dig it.

I really do.

very slowly rises, his body sliding

could send us to Hell because damn this

the crawling...” he says while people

liked acting like your

I don't

my head back and

out of control,

Stanford"

you just crawling toward her?" Ryan comes

students, do not crawl

the minute

Ryan realizes it as he looks between us, then

notes that just prove again why he got into Stanford and why even if I had the money—I'd never

my throat and start walking while Easton jogs ahead, swearing that he forgot one

we're going to have? With us flirting in the parking lot, him running to class, and me watching everything pass us by in a

if

in the back of

head

moves out of the way and

know that look, fuck I've had to live with that look and the

overthinking this; it's just

I roll my