You’re Mine by Penny Brooks novel Chapter 113

 

Chapter 113

Harper

Easton: Good morning, beautiful. I smile as I read the text from my boyfriend, hating how sore my throat is. Swallowing hard, I close my eyes, my head spinning. Oh no. I think I might be sick. My phone buzzes again. Easton: Miss you. Easton: Can't wait to see you at school. Me: I don’t know if I'm coming. Easton: What do you mean? Me: I don't feel so good. My phone rings in my hand and I immediately answer it. “What's wrong? '

he asks, sounding concerned. “My throat. '

I swallow again, and it hurts so bad I never want to swallow again. “It’s killing me. I think I'm coming down with something. '

“Maybe you should stay home. '

“We missed school yesterday. I can’t stay home. '

“Listen Brainiac, you'll be fine if you miss another day. It’s not like you're going to fail all your classes. '

He’s teasing me and I know he’s probably right but... I hate missing school. And now I have an extra reason to worry about not being there. Aisha trailing after my boyfriend everywhere he goes. If she knows I’m not at school, she'll be all over him. “I'm going, '

I say firmly as I sit up in bed. Only to immediately lay back down, my head swimming. “Or maybe not, '

I say weakly. “What happened? '

“('m kind of dizzy. '

I close my eyes and exhale loudly. “My body aches. '

“You're sick. Stay home, baby. You need rest. '

His voice is soft and soothing and I know he’s right. There’s a knock on my door and then it opens, my mother peeking her head around it. “You should be up already, Harper. It’s late. '

“I need to go, '

I tell Easton. “Talk to you later? '

“See ya babe. Love you. '

I don’t say it back, ending the call. Mom might flip out if she heard me say that. She doesn’t even know Easton and I are a thing. “I'm not feeling well. I have a sore throat, '

I tell her. She enters my room, her hands going to her hips. “You think you're getting sick? '

I nod, tucking the covers up under my chin. “My whole body aches. '

A sigh leaves her and she approaches the bed, the back of her hand going to my forehead. “You re hot, too. '

“Maybe I have a fever. '

‘You probably do. Goodness, Harper, I really think you're doing too much lately. Always running around with your friends, and you're never home, I’m happy you're getting out more and enjoying your senior year, but I'm also worried about you, '

she says. “You probably shouldn't have gone to the lake with your brother and his friend. '

I like how she lumps Easton with Ryan, as if he's not involved in my life that much. And in her eyes, that’s the case. “It was fun. I don’t regret going. I just regret the crappy weather. That's probably what got me sick in the first place. '

“That and not getting enough rest and doing too much. '

She raises a brow. “You're staying home today. In fact, I'll make a doctor’s appointment for this afternoon and we'll see what he says. '

“Okay. '

I nod, hating how heavy my lids feel all of a sudden. “You're going to take it easy this week. No going out with your friends. '

“Fine. '

I give in to the urge and close my eyes. “And you're staying home this weekend too. You need a break, '

Mom continues. “Whatever, '

I mumble, rolling over on my side so my back is to her. I know she’s trying to watch out for me, but it’s also annoying how she’s trying to tell me what to do. Not that I want to go anywhere right now. I feel terrible. It’s like my throat is full of razor blades and it’s absolute torture to swallow. “How's Ryan? '

I croak, knowing Mom is still standing in my bedroom. “He seems fine. Didn’t complain about feeling bad, '

Mom says. “Could you ask him to come see me? '

I roll back over so I'm facing her. “I want him to do something for me at school today. '

“Of course. '

Mom smiles. “I'll let him know. And I’ m going to call your doctor's office and see if we can get you in today. '

“Thanks Mom. '

She leaves the room and I close my eyes once more, almost drifting off to sleep when I hear my brother stomp into my room. You could never call Ryan subtle, let me tell you. “What’s up? Mom says you feel like shit. '

I crack open my eyes to find him watching me, concern filling his gaze. “My throat is sore. Mom thinks I have a fever. '

Ryan takes a couple of steps back. “Don’t want it. '

“Whatever. '

I roll my eyes. “Can you do mea favor? '

“Sure. Want me to get any assignments you might miss? '

‘Yeah. But I also want you to keep watch on Easton for me. '

“What do you mean? '

He frowns. “If Aisha gets near him, let me know. If you see him talk to her, interact with her in any way...I need to know about it. '

I close my eyes, trying not to imagine them standing close together. She’s so beautiful and so is he. They make a perfect couple. Sometimes I think thev look better together than Easton and I. “Why? You don't trust him? '

“I trust him completely, '

I say. “It's her I don’t trust. At all. '

“Good call, '

he says, his voice soft. “She’s a raging bitch, Harp. I told Easton we need to cut her off. '

“You make it sound like that’s all we have to do and it'll be that easy. She'll leave us alone. '

“He pretty much said the same thing. '

I don’t know why that makes me happy, but it does. ‘I'll keep an eye on your boy, '

Ryan says. “And I'll make sure she stays away from him, though I'm pretty sure he’s going to do the same thing. '

“Thank you, Ryan, '

I whisper. “Take it easy, sis.”