Chapter 73


    Harper


    Easton is forgiven.


    I know that apology wasn’t easy for him-he’s not the type to ever say I’m sorry-and neither was


    epting the fact that he needs tomunicate. But I’m pretty sure I got my point across and that was


    my hope.


    My other hope is that he doesn’t kill ke and I’m doing everything I can to make sure he doesn’t


    Except the moment Ie out of my fourth period ss, I fail.


    ke is standing directly outside the door, waiting for me to join him. I can tell he wants to chat, that


    shouldn’t be that big of a deal. We are friends – aren’t we? Or we were before the chaos erupted.


    Maybe we can be friends again once things cool down and the


    guys realize it wasn’t ke who spray painted our garage.


    But, at this very moment, ke is fire.


    And the best thing I can do is stay far, far away from him.


    Except he’s making that impossible, moving beside me the moment I step into the hallway. I dart to the


    right, trying to avoid him, and he slides in the same direction. A simple shift to the left and it happens


    again.


    “I’m a much better dancer when there’s music ying,” he jokes.N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.


    | smile, I can’t help it. He’s goofy, but sweet at the same time. “Hey, ke.” I take a deep breath,


    thinking of what to say. “I have to run, I have to talk to my teacher about an assignment before ss.”


    “I’m headed in the same direction, I’ll walk you there.” He gently touches my shoulder, leaving his


    fingers there as we take our first steps. “I’ve been wanting to talk to you about your house and the


    spray paint. That’s why I came over that morning the second I heard the news, I wanted to make sure


    you were okay, but Ryan said you were at Easton’s.”


    I recount the moment he’s talking about, knowing very well I was home, and Easton was with me, and


    Ryan shooed ke away so Easton didn’t kill him.


    “There’s so many rumors going around school about it,” he continues. “I want you to know I’m sorry. I


    hate that this is happening to you, you don’t deserve it.”


    There’s sincerity in his voice, his eyes so soft and sympathetic.


    I don’t understand why the guys think he’s the guilty one. Because he had some silly, so called


    evidence in his trunk that could have been used for anything?


    The memory of Whore still stings as I reply. “It sucks, ke. Someone is trying to hurt me, and I don’t


    understand why … but it’s working.”


    “You can’t let it.” He squeezes my shoulder, making me realize his hand is still there. “You’re stronger


    than that.”


    Ince in his direction after weaving around a few students. “Thank you.”


    He analyzes my face. “You look tired today, is Easton being a dick, and keeping you from getting a


    good night’s sleep?” He leans in and whispers, “I saw you guys fighting this morning.”


    Even though Easton took us into the doorway of the ssroom, trying to prevent us from having


    onlookers, I was worried we still did. I’m sure Aisha was somewhere in that crowd too. Wherever


    Easton is, she never seems to be too far away


    “Everything’s fine,” I assure him.


    “I just hope he has good intentions, you know? I don’t want him to treat you like he treats everyone


    else. You’re better than all those other girls he’s been with, you’re like a princess, not someone who


    should be lied to.”


    Lied to?


    An awful feeling thumps in my stomach.


    “Do you know something I don’t, ke?”


    He runs his hand through his hair. “Man, I don’t know …” He nces down, like looking at me is almost


    too much. “I just see him talking to Aisha all the time.”


    “All the time?”


    He nods. “Is that something you’re okay with? I mean, I know if roles were reversed, I wouldn’t want my


    girl talking to her ex all day.”


    All day?


    My heart suddenly aches from this news, my stomach churning. What if ke is right, what if Easton


    does talk to Aisha all day and that’s how she knew I was a virgin?


    “Need proof?” ke asks and he points toward the left. “There’s some for you right there.”


    I follow his finger, my stare moving across the hallway until it meets Easton. He’s standing outside his


    locker, Aisha directly next to him, the two in deep conversation.


    Everything in my body starts hurting, tears threatening to rise into my eyes.


    He knows how much I hate her, how she’s to me for everything that’s happened to me.


    And he’s still talking to her?


    All day?


    At his damn locker, nheless.


    “I told you,” ke says in my ear. “If you were my girl, I wouldn’t need to talk to anyone else. You would


    be more than enough.”


    | slowly nce at ke, his eyes backing up everything he’s saying, and then my gaze returns to


    Easton. He shuts his locker and turns around, our stares connecting.


    His jaws clench when he sees I’m with ke.


    His hands turn into fists.


    I know what he’s thinking, what he wants to do, and it’s not going to happen.


    “Don’t you dare,” I mouth to him, making sure he understands what I mean.


    Out of the corner of my eye, I see Aisha, and the smug look on her face.


    Ugh, I can’t fucking stand her.


    And I can’t stand that she’s enjoying every second of this.


    As the seconds pass, ke still not leaving my side, Easton’s expression tells me he’s on the verge of


    murder.


    I need to stop him before he does something stupid.


    “ke, I have to go,” I say, and I rush over to Easton, ignoring Aisha’s presence. “Ready to head to


    ss?” I ask my boyfriend, linking our fingers together.


    “Harper … what the fuck.”


    I can say the same to him about Aisha, but it isn’t the right moment for that. Not when his eyes aren’t


    even on me, they’re on ke, ring at his prey like he’s about to hunt at any second.


    I need Easton’s attention.


    | dig my nails into his hand. “ss — now!”


    “That guy has some fucking balls,” he roars.


    Aisha moves closer, her face inches from mine, where she whispers in my ear, “Don’t you love it when


    Easton gets all animalistic.” She licks her lips. “You should see him act that way when he’s naked.


    Mmm-mmm.”


    My skin feels like it’s been scorched.


    I can’t take another second of this.


    “You’re such a bitch,” I spit at her, and then I pull Easton’s fingers, dragging him in the opposite


    direction. “Why the hell were you talking to her?” I ask when we’re far enough away. I can’t hold back


    the anger, everything about today is eating at me.


    He stops walking and I can tell he feels the same way, his mouth tense, his tone growly when he says,


    “Why don’t you tell me what the fuck you were doing with ke.”