You’re Mine by Penny Brooks novel Chapter 141

 Easton 

"Oh look..."

I slam the door to my Jeep, freezing my nuts off as I look at the snow piled high around the parking lot and on the roof of our school.

“Hell.” "The snow or the school?"

Ryan pulls his jacket tighter around himself.

"Shit how cold is it?"

"You'd think that the snow closest to the school would be burned up by the flames, alas, that's not the case, Hell's hot but the snow here is colder."

"A true fight between good and evil.” Ryan nods solemnly before slapping me on the back with one of his gloves.

"At least it's our last semester, we're only here for the dumb Christmas spectacular concert that we've been forced to volunteer for and we aren't virgins wondering how to get laid at prom."

All good points.

I nod.

But, fuck it sucks that mid break we have to come back to this hellhole just because it gives all of us extra credit.

It's two hours out of my life where the middle school kids sing in their puberty filled voices and sell cookies for their class trip.

It's gonna be fine, it just sucks that it's taking up time with Harper.

Clearly, we must have the worst timing in the world as Blake moves into our line of sight.

He grabs the metal door and opens it wide for us.

Immediately, I'm hit with heat, the smell of cafeteria food, and sweaty nervous bodies all getting ready to perform Jingle Bells.

See? Hell.

Total hell.

Damn it, where are the girls? They volunteered to help too, actually most of the senior class did.

Ryan, fucking mind reader, says it out loud, "Where's the girls? I thought they said they were leaving early?"

"At the auditorium, waiting it looks like,"

Blake says falling into step with us as we walk down the hall and, alright, I'm not a total asshole, but if you've ever seen those cheesy teen movies where the popular guys walk down the middle of the hall and people stare, girls giggle, cameras are raised for whatever slow motion Tik—Toks students plan on doing.

What I'm saying is that's us.

Merry Fucking Christmas.

Even with us still semi—fighting and not knowing where Blake stands or where we should stand with him.

It's like a fucking teen movie.

And I'm in the middle like a king.

I smile.

A girl curses under her breath.

I want to turn around and say that the smile was for my girl, the one currently watching me with her lips parted, cheeks red from the cold or maybe from me.

Who knows? We stop in front of the auditorium.

Sadie gives me and Ryan a funny look then squeezes Harper's hand.

"Hey, Ryan, let's go see if anyone needs any help backstage."

"Okay."

He frowns but follows.

The air is tense.

"You okay, Harper?"

Blake asks, totally stealing my line like a douche.

Her eyes dart from mine to his.

"Um, yeah, just didn't sleep well last night, was kind of worried about grades and all that."

"Mr.Billings already started emailing the students who dropped off Honor Roll, bastard, who the hell does that during the Holidays?"

He shakes his head.

"I'll see you guys later."

He walks off like he didn't just set a bomb off.

Harper's eyes go wide.

"Easton..."

"Nope, I won't believe it, I won't.

Have they posted them online yet?"

She's asking like she wants me to look, so I pull out my phone and quickly log onto MasterSchool.

She's visibly shaking next to me.

Now, she's making me nervous.

I don't have to even put in my password when it starts to happen all around us.

The typical, "I want to die.

My parents are gonna murder me.

Do you think I could pay someone to kidnap me just for the day? Does this mean I fail? OH shit I failed PE how do you fucking fail PE? Fuck Christmas!"

It's all around us.

I even see one kid go to the window and just start banging his head against it in hopes it will break and cause a hospital visit.

Parents, volunteers, and teachers are starting to come down the hall to calm down some of the kids who are volunteering like us who look ready to burst into tears.

And my hands are shaking as I finally login and look down.

My grades are posted.

I have all straight A's except for one A-— in Science.

That bastard hates me, though, so I'm not too surprised.

"Posted,"

I whisper.

“H—how'd you do?"

Harper asks in a terror filled voice.

"Passed,"

is all I say, logging out and handing my phone over.

"Here, login real quick, it's better to just rip the bandaid right off."

"And if I bleed to death?"

she grumbles.

"Then, I'll stop the bleeding,” I offer, bracing her by the shoulders.

She looks down at the screen, then shows it to me.

"I can't do it, you do it, you look."

She's already logged in, so I click the right semester and wait for it to load.

A in Science.

B+ in PE.

A in Geometry.

So far so good, right? I mean she'll be pissed about the B, but it's at least not horrible.

I scroll past another A, then land on something I don't recognize.

Well, I mean, I can read, I know the letter, I'm just confused as to why it's next to her name, which is next to US History.

C+? "Ummmm."

I feel ready to hyperventilate for her.

"So, you have a lot of A's, one B+..."

She sighs.

"Thank God, okay I'm pissed about the stupid B+.

Let me guess, PE? Ugh, I hate PE!"

"After you played badminton with Blake I do, too,” I grumble.

“And, um, I think there's a misunderstanding for this last grade.” She pales.

"Misunderstanding?"

"US History.” Her eyes widen.

"No, no, no, no, he promised if I did extra credit I'd be fine! I did all the extra credit, Easton! All of it!"

She jerks the phone out of my hand, nearly dropping it before staring at the screen and screaming, "Son of a bitch!” Oh good.

Angry Harper I can handle, I know how to handle that version of her, but sad Harper.

Shit.

One tear falls.

Followed by another.

Shit.

Shit.

Shit.

"Harper—"

She slides down to the floor and sobs.

I have no choice but to join her and do what I promised—stop the bleeding.