You’re Mine by Penny Brooks

Chapter 23

Harper

I clutch my books closer to my chest, irritated that I have to carry them but my backpack is already full and my locker won't open. It's jammed yet again. I hate this school.

The moment Ryan and I arrived this morning, the first person I saw was Easton. He looked right through me, his eyes narrow slits, his lips thin. Aisha approached him and it was as if he forgot all about me, his attention solely focused on her.

She sent me a look that told me she witnessed our little interaction and she wanted to interrupt it on purpose, the catty bitch. I leave them in a huff, my determined steps taking me to my locker, only to discover it wouldn't open.

Thank God I brought all my books home last night, in the hopes could lose myself in homework. Didn't happen.

All I could think about was stupid Easton

Didn't help that he sent me a friend request on Instagram and like the pathetic loser he always reminds me that I am, I accepted it without hesitation. And then I went and

followed his profile, which is public. No surprise.

When he direct messaged me, I almost fell off the bed. At first, he acted like he was into me, and despite everything that's happened between us, the miniscule good and the overwhelmingly bad, I thought maybe he was going to confess his real feelings.

Then he made it seem like all he wanted was a sneaky hookup here and there, and I was disgusted. More with myself than him.

This is why I can’t get my hopes up. Easton will always bring them crashing down

I walk into my first period classroom early and collapse into my desk, dropping the books I'm carrying with a loud thump. I suppose I could go to the front office and complain about my Wocker. They'd write me an excuse for being late so it’s not like it would be a big deal.

I'm about to get back up when Sadie darts into my classroom, her eyes wide, her expression downright frantic.

“Oh my God, there you are! Are you okay?” she asks, her words so fast they practically trip over themselves.

I frown. “What are you talking

about?”

“You didn't see your locker?” Her frown matches mine.

I slowly shake my head, confused. “I went to it earlier, but I couldn“t open it. That's why I'm carrying my books.” I wave a hand at the stack in front of me.

"Oh shit.” She glances around the room before her gaze returns to mine. “Come with me.”

I follow her out of the classroom, leaving my books but taking my backpack with me. We head for my locker, which is surrounded by a small group of people. As I draw closer, I can hear whispers and laughter. Snippets of conversation.

“she wishes.” is what I hear someone say

That someone is Aisha.

It's only four letters written in bold black spray paint across my faded gray locker door. But the word penetrates my heart and nearly makes me crumple.

SLUT!

They even used an exclamation point.

No one says anything, but I can feel their eyes on me, waiting for my reaction. I refuse to give them one. I'm on the verge of tears in an instant but I suck them up. No way can I cry in front of these people. That's what they want.

That's what they live for.

I scan the small crowd, their faces blank, their lips curved as if they're enjoying witnessing my humiliation. Sadie is so angry I can practically feel her vibrate as she stands next to me.

“Who did this?” Her voice rises above the crowd as she gestures toward my locker. “Who?”

“I was just here,” I whisper to her. “They had to have done it in a matter of minutes.”

In front of other people, too.

Where my locker is situated is usually pretty quiet before the first bell rings. It's a smaller cluster of lockers that sits at the end of the hall, and it's usually so peaceful in the morning

Not today though

“What the hell is going on?"

At the sound of the angry male voice, both Sadie and I turn around to find Ryan pushing his way through the crowd until he’s standing right in front of me. His gaze goes to my locker door and his expression tightens.

He's pissed

“Who did this?" he asks me.

I shrug. “I have no idea, but it just happened. I was at my locker a few minutes ago and I couldn't get it to open.”

He strides toward my locker and does the combination on the lock, which he knows. Just like I know his, too. When it doesn't open for him, he curls his hand into a fist and starts banging on the door. Like magic, it pops open and he steps away just in time as a pile of garbage falls out of my locker and onto the ground.

When I blink the items into focus, I realize I'm staring at a pile of what looks like used pads and tampons.

“Gross!” screams a female voice,

Chine

just before they all start laughing.

Sadie slips her arm around my shoulder and pulls me in close. “Who could do this?"

“What the fuck?” Ryan turns his murderous glare on everyone watching and they all take a collective step back. “Who did this to my sister?”

I'm shaking. Who hates me this much that they'd try to humiliate me so badly?

I can only think of one person, even though my brain rejects his name. He couldn't be so cruel..

Could he?

A whistle blows and the next thing I know, our vice principal Mr. Rose is standing in front of my locker. All the onlookers are gone, making their way to their classrooms and Ryan is yelling at Mr. Rose, asking him what he’s going to do about it.

“Did you give your combination to anyone, Harper?” Mr. Rose asks me. I shake my head, still fighting the tears. “Of course not. I was just here and there was no spray paint on the door. I don't know how they could've done this without being seen.”

Unless they're well protected and popular. People will turn the other way when someone they like-or fear-is doing something wrong.

“Who do you think did this?” Ryan asks me, his expression one of pure rage.

I'm terrified to say his name, but it's like I can't hold back

“Easton.”