You’re Mine by Penny Brooks
Chapter 23

Chapter 23

Harper

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

The moment Ryan and I arrived this morning, the first person I saw wasEaston. 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, hisattention solely focused on her.

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

Thank God I brought all my books home last night, in the hopes couldlose 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 thepathetic loser he always reminds me that I am, I accepted it withouthesitation. 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 actedlike he was into me, and despite everything that's happened betweenus, the miniscule good and the overwhelmingly bad, I thought maybehe was going to confess his real feelings.

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

This is why I can’t get my hopes up. Easton will always bring themcrashing 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 couldgo to the front office and complain about my Wocker. They'd write mean 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 eyeswide, her expression downright frantic.

“Oh my God, there you are! Are you okay?” she asks, her words so fastthey 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“topen it. That's why I'm carrying my books.” I wave a hand at the stack infront of me.

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

I follow her out of the classroom, leaving my books but taking mybackpack with me. We head for my locker, which is surrounded by asmall group of people. As I draw closer, I can hear whispers andlaughter. 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 fadedgray locker door. But the word penetrates my heart and nearly makesme crumple.

SLUT!

They even used an exclamation point.

No one says anything, but I can feel their eyes on me, waiting for myreaction. I refuse to give them one. I'm on the verge of tears in aninstant 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'reenjoying witnessing my humiliation. Sadie is so angry I can practicallyfeel her vibrate as she stands next to me.

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

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

In front of other people, too.

Where my locker is situated is usually pretty quiet before the first bellrings. It's a smaller cluster of lockers that sits at the end of the hall, andit'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 toreplace Ryan pushing his way through the crowd until he’s standing rightin front of me. His gaze goes to my locker door and his expressiontightens.

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 fewminutes 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 fallsout of my locker and onto the ground.

When I blink the items into focus, I realize I'm staring at a pile of whatlooks 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. “Whocould do this?"

“What the fuck?” Ryan turns his murderous glare on everyone watchingand 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 sobadly?

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 isstanding in front of my locker. All the onlookers are gone, making theirway to their classrooms and Ryan is yelling at Mr. Rose, asking himwhat 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 hereand there was no spray paint on the door. I don't know how theycould've done this without being seen.”

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

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

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

“Easton.”