You’re Mine by Penny Brooks

Chapter 34

Harper

Easton thinks he owns me, that every happy expression that crosses my face is due to him.

Screw that.

But the truth is, Easton's message is what caused me to grin. I had just flipped to Blake's text when Easton saw me, the timing just couldn't have been more perfect.

I'll never tell him that though.

As far as he's concerned, Blake makes me smile too, and it needs to stay that way.

I continue down the hallway when Sadie stops me and says, “Whoa. I just saw Easton and he looks like he’s about to murder someone. Any idea what that's about?”

I shrug. “He read a text that Blake sent me. Maybe it has something to do with that

-I mean, hopefully it does.”

“Blake and ... you?” Her eyebrows lift so high, they look like they're about to get lost in her hairline.

“It's not what you think. He just asked me out for dinner.”

She laughs. “Really? And you think that clarifies my questions somehow?” She adjusts her bag. “Unless he’s feeling you, he's not going to ask you out to dinner.”

I tuck a chunk of hair behind my ear, the smell of Easton's shampoo from this morning's shower still so present, something I'm not even close to getting used to. “I'm not interested. He's the biggest player at school.”

"And Easton's not?"

“And Ryan's not?” I argue back.

“Okay, good point, the three of them are equal in the player department. But we both know I'm going to mold Ryan into the man I want him to be and you're going to do the same with Easton. Or is it Blake? I feel lost-again.”

I wrap my arm around hers and start walking. “It's Easton. It's only ever been Easton.”

But I can’t deny that having Blake's attention is an interesting feeling. One I've never had before. Probably because Sadie is the only person who's ever cared about me. And now, suddenly, there's two new numbers in my phone and both are texting me on the same day.

My mind is blown.

“Your turn,” I say, reminding her of the conversation from the library. “What's up with you and Ryan?”

She stops at her locker, filling her bag with books. “Well, like I said, we've been talking more. Texting. Having convos at night before we go to bed. You know, stuff like that.”

“So, he's not treating you like shit anymore?”

She shuts her locker and joins our arms together, heading for the parking lot. “Things are good.” She looks at me, biting her lip. “And, God, you know I'm positively crazy about him. That's no secret.”

“I just don’t want him to hurt you, Sadie.”

Even though he’s my brother, his reputation is as harsh as his friends When it comes to girls, they're after one thing, and everyone in this school knows that.

But it doesn't stop them, they get what they want.

Always.

“He won't, I won't let him. Promise.”

“Sadie, Harper-you might want to stop right here,” Blake says, approaching us as we're nearing the student lot.

"Why?" Sadie asks.

He nods toward Sadie. “Someone wrote something on your car.” He then looks at me. “And Ryan's.”

“Wrote something?” I inquire.

I don't like the sound of this.

My stomach immediately begins to churn, my heart picking up speed as Blake keeps his eyes on me.

“What does it say?” I whisper.

He glances down, his Adam's apple bobbing as he swallows. When he finally looks up again, he says, “Why don't you let Ryan and Sadie deal with this, and we'll go grab something to eat?”

He's protecting me.

But why?

What does it say?

“Tell me what's on their cars, Blake. I'm not leaving this school until I know.”

His eyes soften, his hand reaching for mine. His thumb grazes across the back of my palm as he replies, “Someone wrote, your sister is a slut, on Ryan's windshield.” His eyes shift to Sadie. “And on yours it says, your best friend is a slut.”

“No. They. Fucking. Didn't!” Sadie seethes. “I will kill whoever did this.” She looks at me. “Not because of my car, I don't give a shit about that, but what they wrote about

you.”

My chest is so tight, I have almost no voice when I say, “Who would do this to me?”

Who hates me this much?

It isn't Easton. He can't be that mad about Blake's text, not where he would vandalize his best friend's car.

The rest of the school barely knows me. I'm Ryan's sister to them and most don't even know my name.

“I don't know," Blake responds. “But, I promise you, we're going to find out.”

I clear my throat, hoping the tightness will lessen. “Will the writing come off?"

The thought of my parents seeing this when they get home from work makes me want to die even more.

“Yeah, it's the washable kind that the cheerleaders use for homecoming when they decorate the football players’ cars,” he says.

“I'm going to run back into school and grab some wet napkins,” Sadie tells me. “I'll clean the glass super quickly, and then I'll take you home.” I'm positive she can see the tears forming in my eyes. The ones I don’t want anyone to see because I don't want them to know how badly this hurts.

The rumors just finally died down over my locker fiasco.

Now this happens.

“And make Harper wait here, I don't think so,” Blake says, his hand now on my back. “I'm taking her home, so she doesn't have to deal with this.”

I look at Sadie, needing her to respond, this strange desire inside me to have her approval, like I'm doing something wrong.

She shakes her head, the emotion thick on her face. “Call me the second you get home, okay?”

Inod, my feet moving on their own as Blake's hand guides me to the row where he's parked. I don't feel the ground beneath me. All I feel are eyes on me, all I hear are whispers as everyone in the lot talks about me.

And the second I finally look up, steps away from reaching Blake's car, my stare

connects with Easton's. He's standing next to Ryan's car.

Is the anger on his face because I'm with Blake? Or that someone wrote those terrible words about me?

I want to hide in the dark.

And keep the door closed forever.

“Get in,” Blake says, opening the passenger side door for me.

He takes my bag off my shoulder and helps me inside, setting my backpack by my feet before he shuts the door.

Easton watches me through the windshield.

Freezing me in my seat.

I can't read his expression, I can't even breathe.

But I'm thankful there's glass between us, so when the tears do fall, as they are now, he can only see me wiping them away:

“Where do you want to go?” Blake asks from the driver's seat. “Are you hungry? Thirsty? Feel like spending some time outside?”

I break contact with Easton to slowly look over at Blake.

His hand is on the gearshift, a warm smile covering his face. “Come on, Harper. Let's go have some fun.”