《You鈥檙e Mine》 Chapter 1 Chapter 1 Harper ¡°Nope. No way. Uh uh. This shows waaaay too much skin.¡± I stare at my reflection in the mirror, ring at the offending scraps of material I¡¯m currently wearing. The triangle bikini top barely contains my breasts, and when I turn to check out my backside, the bottom half of my butt cheeks are hanging out. ¡°You look hot,¡± my best friend Sadie says, her dark eyes sparkling as she clutches her hands together in glee. ¡°Let¡¯s go to the pool!¡± Shaking my head, I face her, taking her in. She¡®s wearing a two piece that barely covers her, but she¡¯s not as curvy as I am. I envy her smallish boobs and willowy figure. She can get away with anything, including not wearing a bra. If ! didn¡¯t wear a bra? Tits everywhere. ¡°I know that look.¡± Sadie points at my face, where I can feel the scowl already forming. ¡°You¡¯reing outside with me. No chickening out allowed.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t.¡± I¡¯m already whining, and this isn¡¯t good, especially when I promised Sadie I would actually be social tonight. We¡¯re hosting a party. Our parents are out of town for the weekend and my twin brother Ryan thought it would be the perfect opportunity to throw an alcohol-soaked bash. He pretty much invited everyone from school to attend. It doesn¡¯t matter to Ryan that we don¡¯t live in the best neighborhood in town. Or that our old, two-story house is kind of shabby. We have a pool and ess to Dad¡¯s liquor stash. To him and his friends, that¡¯s cause for a celebration. ¡°You can and you will, Sadie says firmly as she grabs hold of my arm and steers me toward my closed bedroom door. I try to resist, but she¡¯s stronger than she looks. ¡°It¡¯ll be fun. I promise. All the boys will be looking at you.¡± She practically croons thatst statement, as if it¡¯s supposed to entice me. Guess what? It doesn¡¯t Having the boys look at me is a problem. Their attention makes me uneasy. Ufortable. Ryan may be my twin, but we are theplete opposites in almost every single way. He¡¯s popr at our private school while I¡¯m not. He attracts all the girls, while guys barely look in my direction. He¡¯s really attractive. I¡¯m really¡­ Average. Okay, I have nice hair. It¡¯s a thick, glossy brown with natural gold highlights that be brighter in the sun. It¡¯s my best asset. Well, that and my boobs. If you¡¯re in to big ones, then I can deliver. Ugh, my thoughts are so dumb sometimes. ¡°Ready to go?¡± Sadie chirps, pulling me out of my head. I blink at her, surprised to see we¡®re standing directly in front of my bedroom door, her hand curved around the handle. ¡°I¡¯m not ready yet.¡± Her shoulders slump a little, but she¡¯s not defeated yet. ¡°I hear Easton is already out there.¡± Okay, that perks me right up. ¡°Did he bring a girl?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡± Sadie smiles brightly and opens my bedroom door. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go!¡± I let her drag me down the hall. Down the stairs. Into the kitchen, which is packed with all sorts of people I vaguely recognize from school. Not a one of them says anything to me, and it¡¯s my house. Frustrating We go outside, where there are even more people. Music is ying loudly over the portable speaker Ryan got for Christmasst year. It¡¯s small but powerful, and the heavy base seems to throb in time with my heartbeat. There are so many people in our small pool, I¡¯m not sure how they all fit. Others are crowded around the sides, dipping their feet in the water or sitting in one of the chairs that surrounds the small ss topped table with a giant crack in Easton is sitting at the head of the table like a king surveying his court. He¡¯s the most popr boy in our ss-in the entire school. He¡¯s gorgeous and rich and built like a god. Tall and broad with a powerful chest and six pack abs. Cluster 1 Long legs and powerful thighs. He¡¯s currently got all of it on disy as he sits there in a pair of dark blue swim trunks and nothing else, clutching a beer bottle in his hand as he glowers at everyone. ¡°There¡¯s your boy,¡± Sadie whispers as we both watch him. It¡¯s hard not to stare at him. That chiseled face with the strong nose and sharp cheekbones, it¡¯s all hard lines with those cold, cier blue eyes, offset only by his soft, lush mouth. An utterly kissable mouth. A sigh leaves me as I stare at it. His lower lip is much thicker than his upper lip, which is shaped in the perfect cupid¡¯s bow. Those lips are pink and full and he¡¯s currently licking them I jerk my gaze away from the perfection that is his mouth and re at my best friend. ¡°He¡¯s not my boy,¡± I remind her. ¡°He¡¯s no one¡¯s,¡± Sadie readily agrees. ¡°But I¡¯m sure once he sees you in that bikini, he¡¯ll be dying to get his hands on you.¡± A shiver rolls through me at the thought of Easton putting those big, rough hands on my body and I try to ignore it. ¡°He doesn¡¯t know ! exist.¡± Sadie snorts. ¡°Liar. You¡¯re his best friend¡¯s sister.¡± ¡°He never talks to me.¡± In his world, I¡¯m no one. He¡¯s only interested in blondes, while I have dark hair. Popr girls who demand attention while I¡¯m just¡­ boring The smart girl. The one who likes to read. The one who cringes when she¡¯s called on in ss, even though she always knows the answer. The nerd. The one with only a couple of friends. The one who¡¯s¡­ Madly in love with Easton. Sometimes I wish I could punch myself in the face. ¡°He¡¯d talk to your tits.¡± At my incredulous look, Sadie bursts intoughter. ¡°What? It¡¯s true! Look at you!¡± I nce down at myself, wishing I¡¯d worn a coverup. At the very least, a T-shirt. Everything is on disy and while no one is paying us any attention, if Sadie keepsughing like that, someone¡¯s going to notice. ¡°Sadie! Gimme a beer!¡± Thises from my brother Ryan, who knows my friend has a tiny crush on him and will do whatever he says without protest. Pig. True to form, she perks right up, her body practically vibrating with excitement. ¡°Coming right up!¡± She dashes off before I can say a word, leaving me alone. Just standing there. Feeling awkward. What else is new? Ryan¡¯s gaze goes to mine, a frown forming on his face. ¡°What the hell are you wearing, Harp?¡± | shoot daggers at him with my eyes, but it¡¯s like he doesn¡¯t even notice. All of his friendsugh, barely looking at me. Save for one.N?velDrama.Org is the owner. Easton His eyes rake over me, making gooseflesh rise. He¡¯s checking me out. Oh my God, Easton actually notices me. Chapter 2 Chapter 2 Easton What the hell is my best friend¡¯s twin wearing? The bikini is a deep, dark green, which stands out against her smooth, olive skin. The girl has a lot of it. Skin. Acres and acres of it. The triangle top barely covers her tits. They¡¯re huge. Her brown eyes are wide and unblinking. She reminds me of an animal in the forest. The look on their face when they¡¯re caught. Right before you shoot it. Ehaper Unable to help myself, I raise a brow, never looking away from her. She¡¯s fucking hot. Like, I¡¯d fuck her hot. ¡°Get some clothes on!¡± Ryan yells viciously at his sister, making her startle. Like a scared little deer, she darts off, running back into the house. My gaze drops to her ass just as she opens the back door. That ass is round. A perfect handful. I could scoop her up and pull her to me, no problem ¡°What the hell is she thinking, wearing something like that?¡± Ryan mutters under his breath. He¡¯s very protective of his twin, though I always figured that was because she¡¯s so damn skittish all the time. As if she¡¯s afraid of her own shadow. Maybe it¡¯s because deep down he knows his sister is beautiful and he hangs out with a bunch of disgusting perverts who¡¯d love to get her alone. ¡°Your sister is looking good¡± says ke with a leer, the most perverted one of our group. He¡¯s currently proving my point. ¡°Don¡¯t you even think about her,¡± Ryan says, his voice dark, his expression thunderous. ¡°She¡¯s too good for you. For all of you.¡± He says this to the entire table, including me. ¡°Not my type,¡± I say, leaning back in the chair and spreading my legs wider as I gaze out at the pool. 1 can feel Ryan watching me for a beat too long, but I refuse to look at him. Or say anything. If he¡¯s worried about me trying to get with his sister, he needs to chill. She doesn¡¯t interest me. You see one pair of tits you¡¯ve seen them all. She¡¯s nothing A nobody The tension leaves Ryan pretty rapidly once his sister disappears and soon, we¡¯re all shit talking and doing round after round of shots. We¡®ve moved on from the beer to cheap ass tequ because Ryan¡¯s family doesn¡¯t have a ton of money, so I toss it back without comint. I¡¯ll end up with a killer hangover tomorrow, but it¡¯ll be worth it. Anything to help me forget. At least for a few hours. Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. The alcohol doesn¡¯t help lighten my mood. Lately nothing does. The pressure at home is mounting, and I can¡¯t escape it. My father¡¯s words are always in my head, lingering long after he leaves for yet another business trip. He wants me toe work with him. Immediately after I graduate high school. That is thest thing I want to do. To forget about dear old dad and his demands, I consume more tequ. I grab the bottle and drink straight from it while my friends cheer me on. Girls approach our table, their gazes finding mine, the sultry expressions telling me everything they¡¯re feeling without saying a word. They want me. They¡¯d willingly go anywhere with me. They know how l operate and they¡¯re hoping they¡¯re next. The chosen one for the night Despite them all being gorgeous, with hot bodies on full disy, not one of them interests me. The only thing I n on holding tonight is a liquor bottle. ¡°Hey, you drank it all, ke gripes when he snatches the tequ out of my hands. ¡°Sure hope you¡¯ve got more where that came from, Ryan.¡± ¡°I do,¡± Ryan says, leaping to his feet, wobbling a little to the side. That one girl who¡¯s always doing what he wants, Sadie what¡¯s her name,es rushing over, like she¡¯s going to rescue him. Pathetic. ¡°In the house.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go get it,¡± Sadie offers. ¡°No.¡± rise to my feet, feeling the need to get away for a little bit. ¡°Il grab it. Where do you keep the alcohol in your house, Ry?¡± ¡°Top shelf in the back corner of our pantry. You can¡¯t miss it!¡± Ryan shouts. T head for the house, my gaze taking it in. They live in an older neighborhood, one that¡¯s seen better days. The exterior of their two-story house could use a fresh new coat of paint. The roof looks in bad shape too. It¡¯s not bad, it¡¯s just old But the twins don¡¯te from money. We all know this. They attend Washington High on a district transfer, their parents wanting them to have a better education, I guess. The rest of use from mega rich families who don¡¯t have to worry about anything At least, that¡¯s what we look like. But even rich people have problems. Big ones. A girl stops me just as I approach the back door, talking to me nonstop as she shifts closer and closer to me. She smells like beer and heavy, expensive perfume. She¡¯s wearing a ck string bikini that barely covers her crotch and I¡¯m afraid if she makes one wrong move, I¡¯ll see all the goods. And where¡¯s the fun in that? I like a little mystery with my encounters. Girls who act coy. Like they have no idea what I¡¯m about, though of course, they know everything about me. They flirt and they protest and then, always, they give in. Making me feel like the man. Frowning, I concentrate on her moving lips, but I don¡¯t hear a damn word she says. I¡¯m kind of over that scene. The fluttering damsel in distress type who¡¯s helpless unless a big, strong man -mees along. It¡¯s all an act, one I¡¯m bored with. Maybe I need a challenge. Chat Maybe I need to change things up. I nce toward the small window that¡¯s closest to where we¡¯re standing, frowning. The window is cracked open, barely a sliver, and I swear to God, it feels like someone is watching me. I squint into the near darkness, trying to make out a face, but I see nothing. Must be a figment of my imagination ¡°Want to take off?¡± the girl asks, knocking me from my thoughts. I blink her back into focus, taking her in. Dark blonde hair that hangs to about her shoulders. Pretty, nd face. The requisite blue eyes, thick eyshes and pouty lips. Her golden skin has a slick sheen that I¡¯m afraid might be oily to the touch. Fuckin¡¯ gross. ¡°Yeah, I don¡¯t think so. I¡¯m staying around here tonight¡± I tell her. Her expression shifts and changes. No more easygoing, let¡¯s get out of here for me. Now she¡¯s scowling with thin lips and red nostrils. ¡°Your loss,¡± she says, flipping her hair over her shoulder before she flounces off. I watch her go, irritation settling in my veins. Irritated more with myself than her. Why couldn¡¯t | just take off with her? What¡¯s my problem? Liquor. That¡¯ll solve all my issues. I head into the house, taking in the kitchen full of people, most of them I recognize. They say hi as I walk past and I mumble a greeting in return, searching the small pantry until I find my prize. A giant bottle of vodka. I head for the bathroom, knocking on the closed door in warning before I try the handle. It opens with ease. Just before the lights go out. Chapter 3 Chapter 3 Harper I¡¯m staring out the small bathroom window like aplete peeper, watching Easton Always with my eyes on Easton. He¡¯s drinking a lot tonight, and he doesn¡¯t seem happy. There¡¯s pain etched in his features, shading his eyes. There¡¯s no smile on that perfect mouth, and he¡¯s greedy with the tequ bottle, not willing to share it. I watch as he tips it back, his throat moving as he swallows, and I¡¯m fascinated. Who knew drinking could be so sexy? Ryan talks to Sadie. I¡¯m sure he¡¯s asking her to do something for him. He¡¯s so awful to her. I tell her over and over again she¡¯s wasting her time, but she won¡¯t listen to me. Guess that¡¯ll be a lesson she has to learn for herself. It¡¯s not Sadie who runs the errand for my brother though. It¡¯s Easton who rises from his chair, his tall, powerful frame moving with ease as he makes his way toward our crappy little house. Wincing, I consider making a run for it so I can hide out in my bedroom, but it¡¯s like I can¡¯t move. My gaze is fixed on him. He pauses right in front of the window I¡¯m standing in front of, and I¡¯ve never been more grateful for the opaque ss that makes it so no one can see through it from the outside. He won¡¯t be able to see me, thank goodness. But I can see him. Up close, he¡¯s even more gorgeous. Tanned skin stretches over bulging muscles. His chest is smooth, his pecs developed and those six pack abs are utterly lickable. The thought alone makes me blush, because I can¡¯t imagine putting my tongue anywhere on Easton¡¯s body Wait a minute. That¡¯s crap. I can imagine putting my tongue everywhere on Easton¡¯s body, and I bet he¡¯d enjoy every second of it. I know I would Withholding the sigh that wants to escape, I watch as he chats with a pretty girl who¡¯s a year younger than us. She¡¯s barely dressed in that ck string bikini she¡¯s got on, and she¡¯s thrusting her chest out toward Easton as if silently demanding he look at it. There¡¯s not even a flicker of interest on his face and I can tell she¡¯s disappointed. To the point that she leaves in a huff, and he enters the house. Oh crap. He¡¯s in my house. My brother may be Easton¡¯s best friend, but he neveres over here. More like Ryan is always over at Easton¡¯s house. One of our parents is usually always here, and considering we¡¯re not one of the rich kids like everyone else, we don¡¯t like having a lot of people over. Though my friends doe over on asion. Never Ryan¡¯s though. It¡¯s as if he¡¯spletely ashamed of the ce. I guess I can¡¯t me him. I contemte leaving the bathroom so I can dart upstairs, but what if Easton catches sight of me? I¡¯d rather wait it out here first. No way is heing into the bathroom. No one has trieding in for thest five minutes. People might not even know this bathroom exists There¡¯s a knock on the door and a gasp escapes me. I keep my gaze fixed on the yard outside, gripping the edge of the windowsill before! dare to turn around. The door opens at the exact same moment as I turn, and I wait in breathless anticipation to see who it is just before the lights go out. I blink into the darkness. What the hell? Why would they flick off the lights? The door shuts, but I know I¡¯m not alone. I can sense someone is in the room with me. There¡¯s a quiet snicking sound. The turn of a lock. Something heavy is set on the bathroom counter. Suddenly, I can smell him. Men¡¯s cologne. Warm, masculine skin. A boy is in the bathroom. But who? There¡¯s screaming outside and I¡¯m about to turn back toward the window so I can see what¡¯s going on when he speaks. ¡°Did the power go out?¡± A chill runs down my spine. I know that voice. Holy shit. ¡°Are you the little spy who was watching me in the window?¡± he asks, his head terribly close to mine. So close, I can feel the huff of his breath against my cheek when he speaks. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about,¡± I say primly. ¡°Mmm hmm.¡± He presses his body into mine and I reach for the windowsill, holding on tight. I can feel every inch of him mold against me, and I wonder if he knows who I am Or if he just does this sort of thing to random girls in the dark. I don¡¯t care. It feels too good to tell him to stop. Like all of my dreamsing true. And when he reaches around me, his strong arms boxing me in, his hands settling on the windowsill beside mine, I feel as if I¡¯ve died and gone to heaven. ¡°I wasn¡¯t spying on you,¡± I tell him, hating how my voice trembles. ¡°But you were watching me,¡± he says. ¡°You have the unfair advantage, you know.¡± I close my eyes when I feel his face nuzzle my neck. What in the world? ¡°How¡¯s that?¡± I don¡¯t even know how I was able to ask that question just now, and sound so normal. ¡°You know who I am.¡± His mouth moves against my neck and I grip the windowsill even tighter. ¡°And ! don¡¯t know who you are.¡± ¡°You know me,¡± I tell him, flirting. And I never flirt.Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Hmm.¡± He shifts closer, his hands leaving the window to settle on my hips. Whoa. ¡°I know you¡¯re not wearing much.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a pool party,¡± I protest. He runs his hands up my sides, achingly slow. ¡°I know you¡¯ve got smooth skin.¡± I say nothing in response. I¡¯m too attuned to the way he¡¯s touching me, how he moves behind me. The heat from his chest, the chill of his still damp swim trunks. With the lights out, I can focus on him and nothing else. He¡¯s making my head spin. ¡°You going to tell me your name?¡± he whispers, his fingers back at my hips, toying with the ties on my bikini bottoms. One quick flick and he¡¯d have them undone. I slowly shake my head, afraid to ruin it when he finds out who I am. ¡°Guess I¡¯ll have to figure out who you are in other ways.¡± His hands tighten on my hips, slowly forcing me to turn. And face him. Chapter 4 Chapter 4 Easton I¡¯ll kiss this girl and figure out who she is. I¡¯ve kissed pretty much every girl worth kissing in our ss, yet I don¡¯t recognize her voice. She could be disguising it though. Trying to trick me. Plus, I¡¯m a little drunk. I know this girl. I have to. Her skin is like silk. Soft to the touch. Her fragrance is intoxicating. I keep breathing it in deep, letting the delicate floral scent fill my senses. Not too sweet. A hint of sexy. She¡¯s all curves. Her ring hips and tiny waist are the perfect ratio. And when I had her pinned earlier, that lush ass tucked against my crotch, my dick sprang to life, eager toe out and y. But I¡¯m not going to fuck this girl in a dark bathroom. I don¡¯t even know who she is. I¡¯ll kiss her though. I¡¯m not above that. ¡°Wait a minute.¡± She braces her hands on my chest the moment she¡¯s facing me, and her touch is like a brand. Hot fingertips press into my pecs, making me shiver, and no girl makes me shiver. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°Shh.¡± I remove my hand from her hip, my fingers brushing against her chest by ident as I reach for her neck. Damn, her tits are big. Can¡¯t touch her there yet, though. I need to ease her into this. ¡°Tell me your name.¡± A shuddery breath leaves her, but otherwise, she says nothing. Okay, mystery girl. I curve my fingers around the side of her neck and tip her head back. Leaning in, I hover my face above hers, my eyes slowly adjusting to the darkness, barely able to make out her features. Big, dark eyes watch me in return. Pert nose. Plump lips part Dipping my head, I brush my mouth against hers. It¡¯s as if my entire bodyes to life at first contact of our lips. A jolt passes from her into me, electrifying my blood, my skin. The tiny hairs on my arms stand on end as I pull her into me, that curvy body nestling against mine as ! deepen the kiss with a teasing thrust of my tongue. She parts her lips eagerly, her tongue meeting mine. It¡¯s a shy swipe. Tentative. Unsure. I slowly circle my tongue around hers, showing her what to do, knowing in an instant that she¡¯s never done this before. I¡¯m her first. I still don¡¯t who this girl is, but she tastes like heaven. She¡¯s sweet. So sweet. She runs her hands up and down my chest as if she¡¯s unable to control herself and I groan into her mouth, my hand curving around the back of her head so I can hold her firmly. We devour each other, my tongue thrusting, hers meeting. Retreating. I chase after it, wanting more. More, more, more. We cling to each other, our elerated breaths the only sound in the room. She whimpers when I sink my teeth into her lower lip. A breathy moan leaves her when I dare to touch her right tit, my thumb finding her nipple. It¡¯s hard, straining against the fabric and I rub tiny circles over it. Again and again. ¡°Oh God,¡± she whispers when I break the kiss to run my lips down her neck. ¡°Who the fuck are you?¡± I ask as ! nip and lick at her sensitive skin, making her tremble. I return my mouth to hers, consuming her once more. She¡®s just as hungry, her arms going around my neck, her fingers sliding into my hair as she clings to me. I run my other hand down her back, over the strings of her bikini that tie behind her. One tug and I¡¯d have that top loose. I could expose her lush flesh. Run my mouth all over her tits. Suck a nipple into my mouth. Bite it. Lick it. Not yet, I tell myself. I can¡¯t push too fast. This girl isn¡¯t like that. She¡¯s eager, but a novice. Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. I¡¯ll teach her everything I know. My hand slides down her back, resting at the base of her spine, just above the waistband of her bikini bottoms. They¡¯re not wet, chopterid which means she hasn¡¯t been in the pool. And they¡¯re not much, as in they¡¯re barely covering her. I slip my fingers beneath the fabric, touching soft, soft skin. I dare to go further, skimming along the curve of her smooth ass. Her body is like a fucking wet dream, and I¡¯m instantly hard. I want more. I want to touch her everywhere. Will she let me? She breaks the kiss, her breathing ragged, her face still turned toward mine. I remove my hand from her ass to touch her cheek. Her lips. Cup my fingers around her chin ¡°You¡¯re bad for me.¡± I tell her. ¡°Why?¡± I can hear the confusion in that one single word. ¡°Once I start with you, I won¡¯t be able to stop.¡± I kiss her, our lips clinging. ¡°Ever.¡± Another kiss. ¡°You¡¯re addicting.¡± I nibble at her bottom lip. ¡°Tell me your name.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it more fun when you don¡¯t know who I am?¡± she asks, sounding amused. ¡°No,¡± I growl before I deliver a brutal kiss. One that shows her how much I want her. How much I could unleash on her, though | won¡¯t. She trembles in my arms yet returns the kiss with equal hunger, as if she can¡¯t get enough of me. As if she¡¯s my perfect match. There¡¯s a pounding on the bathroom door and I lift my head, ring in its direction. I¡¯d had the forethought to lock the door when I slipped inside, right as the lights shut off, and the handle rattles, as if they¡¯re trying to get in. ¡°Someone in there?¡± Oh fuck. It¡¯s Ryan. Clearing my throat, I yell, ¡°upied!¡± Ryan¡¯s quiet for a moment, just before he starts tough. ¡°My bad, buddy. Hope you¡¯re having fun in there.¡± He¡¯s gone before I can say another word. The hot little bundle in my arms is suddenly squirming, as if she¡¯s desperate to get away from me. I let her go, my arms dropping to my sides and she¡¯s gone, pressing her body against the door, though the room is so damn small she¡¯s still within arm¡¯s reach. ¡°You should go,¡± she demands, her voice firm, yet still shaky. Augh escapes me. ¡°Really? You¡¯re kicking me out now? I can¡¯t see where I¡¯m going.¡± ¡°You can see enough.¡± ¡°Maybe I don¡¯t want to leave.¡± I reach for her, but she dodges away from my seeking hands. ¡°Come on. Two seconds ago you were grinding your hot little body all over me.¡± ¡°You think my body is hot?¡± She sounds shocked. ¡°You¡¯re on fucking fire.¡± I reach for her again, making contact with her hip, and I pull her in close, thrusting my torso against hers. ¡°See what you do to me?¡± Chapter 5 Chapter 5 Harper I can definitely see what I have done to him. Oh my God, his dick is huge. Massive. I¡¯ll never be able to handle it. If I ever even get the chance to have it. He thrust those hips against me so smoothly, my eyes nearly crossed. And the way the boy kisses¡­it¡¯s as if I¡¯ve died and I¡¯m floating on a white, fluffy cloud, only brought to life by his persuasive lips and delicious tongue. All that hip grinding and wandering hands and the heavy, hot breaths against my skin. I¡¯m practically a pile of sweaty goo on our bathroom floor. No wonder people go on and on about sex. What I just experienced was freaking amazing, and it was merely a simple kissing session. But I don¡¯t care that he doesn¡¯t want to leave, he needs to. Someone else coulde knocking on the door or the lights could turn on at any second. What would happen then? Would Easton still feel the same way if he saw who I was? Would he freak out that he¡¯s been making out with his best friend¡¯s sister? I don¡¯t know. Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. I also don¡¯t want to take the chance of finding out. I want to remember this night just like this, with my skin on fire and lips stinging and swollen and the memory of him telling me how hot my body is. ¡°Easton¡­¡± I start, finding his waist, touching his chiseled muscles, my fingers getting lost in the grooves between each ab. I open my mouth to tell him to leave. I need so badly to say those words, but the way his hard-on is pressed against me, the way his body feels so scrumptious under my hands, my head is filling with other thoughts. Ones that involve him staying and his mouth returning to mine and No, Harper This has to end. Now. ¡°Easton,¡± I attempt again, ¡°you really have to go,¡± I reinforce, leading him in the dark toward the door. His fingers graze my chin. ¡°You¡¯re going to miss my mouth.¡± He¡¯s right about that. I suck in some air, giving myself the courage to jumble with the lock, twisting it vertically, the handle releasing as I pull it open. ¡°Not even a good-bye kiss?¡± he asks from the doorway. One more and I won¡¯t have the strength to push him away. I¡¯ll tug him right back inside and let him untie every string of my suit. ¡°You already know what my lips taste like,¡± I say softly, touching them with my free hand. ¡°Now, you can dream about them.¡± I gently guide him through the threshold and lock the door, s sagging my body against it. I take a big, fortifying breath, the quivers leaping in my chest, the tingles exploding in my stomach. Did that really just happen? I¡¯m running my fingers over my lips, reminiscing about the way Easton¡¯s had felt when the lights turn on, the brightness so jarring, I cover my eyes I can¡¯t believe my luck. If this had happened seconds before, everything would be different. He would know it¡¯s me. But I¡¯m all alone in here and our kiss is my secret. I smile, staring at my reflection in the mirror. I¡¯m a mess. My cheeks and chest are flushed a deep pink. My eyes are sparkling. My hair is in chaos from his hands. My skin grows warmer at the words lingering in my brain. His words. His hands. All over me. There¡¯s a knock on the door and I¡¯m nervous that Easton¡¯s returned. ¡°Who is it?¡± | ask. ¡°It¡¯s Sadie, silly, let me in.¡± There¡¯s a frown on her pretty face the moment the door is open. ¡°What happened to you?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± I ask, wondering if she can tell what Easton and I just did. ¡°The lights go out and you disappeared! I had no idea where you were,¡± she chastises, scooting her way inside and shutting the door. ¡°Are you all right?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± I smile, trying to hide my jittery nerves. ¡°You look all flushed.¡± She waves a hand toward my chest. ¡°Your skin is splotchy.¡± Her gaze catches on the vodka bottle Easton must¡¯ve left behind. ¡°Ooh, check it out! Jackpot!¡± ¡°Come on.¡± I open the door once again and we exit together, Sadie clutching the vodka bottle. ¡°Why did the power turn off? Do you know?¡± ¡°I guess the entire block went out I was outside when it happened, and all the houses around us had no lights either. So weird.¡± ¡°hid out in the bathroom the whole time,¡± I tell her, not about to reveal the kiss with Easton. Not yet I want to savor it-try to recall everything he did and said. Relive it moment by moment. Then !! tell her Maybe ¡°Lame,¡± she teases, nudging me with her elbow. ¡°Too bad you weren¡¯t locked in the dark with a hot boy!¡± She¡¯s so close to the truth, it¡¯s scary. ¡°Ha ha, I wish.¡± We pass through the crowded kitchen to head back outside, Sadie chatting a mile a minute while I don¡¯t say a thing. My mind is still in a daze thanks to Easton and his magical lips. ¡°Boys are staring at you,¡± Sadie whispers I shrug. ¡°So? It¡¯s just a bikini.¡± Sadie watches me in wonder. ¡°Wow, the lights go out for a few minutes, and you¡¯repletely transformed. I love your new attitude!¡± ¡°I shouldn¡¯t be ashamed of my body,¡± I say, ncing down at myself, seeing it in a whole new light This body just had Easton¡¯s hands all over it. He even touched me in forbidden ces. And I let him. I wanted it. I wanted him My gaze wanders around the back yard, searching for him, but he¡¯s nowhere to be found. Did he leave? Where did he go? ¡°No, you absolutely should not be ashamed,¡± Sadie reaffirms. ¡°Show them how gorgeous you are, Harper!¡± I love how encouraging my friend is. She¡¯s the best. Sadie grabs my hand, dragging me toward the table where my brother and his friends are still sitting, save for Easton. Disappointment crashes over me and I put on a smile, trying to fake it as the boys start talking to us. Mostly me. And when Ryan realizes his friends are giving me attention, his gazends on me, his lip curling in disgust. ¡°You need to cover up,¡± he says like the protective, older than me by two minutes big brother that he is. I waive a hand around the pool. ¡°No one else is covered up.¡± ¡°You still should.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to.¡± ¡°I say you should.¡± ¡°Ryan,¡± Sadie interjects. ¡°Leave her alone.¡± He glowers at Sadie, but otherwise doesn¡¯t say another word. Hmm. I should ask for her support more often I can feel someone behind me, like an rm going off, but the buzzing is only inside my body. Each nerve flickering like Easton¡¯s hands are caressing it. I be still, carefully ncing over my shoulder Before I even see his gorgeous face, I know It¡¯s Easton Staring at me with a look of such disgust, I can feel my heart shrivel up in fear Chapter 6 Chapter 6 Easton I¡¯d taken a quick walk down the block to get my erection to die down and get my shit together before rejoining my friends in the backyard. Thest thing I need is to show up, pitching a tent in my swim trunks. But even though I¡¯m no longer hard, my lips still feel swollen and heavy from kissing her. This mystery girl who makes my heart race every time I think about the feel of her body. My head is a mess as I rack my brain, trying toe up with whose mouth that was. Whose perfect, heart-shaped ass I had just squeezed. I can¡¯t understand why she would kick me out of the bathroom. Why she would want to end something that felt that good. I know she was having fun. Her nipples were so hard as they¡¯d pressed into my chest, her breathing ragged, the softest moans escaping those pouty, soft lips. She wanted me. I didn¡¯t doubt that at all. But, out of nowhere, I was suddenly in a dark hallway and heard the cold click of the door locking, leaving me with a raging hard-on and an even stronger desire to drink Now that I¡¯ve returned to the table where my buddies are sitting, there are two things separating me from the vodka. Ryan¡¯s sister, who¡¯s in my way, and her best friend, who¡¯s holding the bottle. Both need to move. Now. I push past Harper and grab the bottom of the bottle. ¡°Mine,¡± I tell Sadie, pulling it from her hand. ¡°Okay, Mr. Feisty,¡± Sadie replies. I untwist the cap and tip back my head, the liquid instantly filling my mouth, burning my throat on the way down. After a few swallows, I stop. Wait for my mouth to calm. And I search the vor on my tongue. I can still taste her. The sweetest of her lips, the tropical scent from her skin. I hold the bottle to my mouth again and turn toward the pool. 1 know most of the girls sitting around the edge, dangling their feet in the water, and the ones floating on rafts. Still, I check out their tits and the curves of their neck and the way their backs arch. If their asses are showing, I look to see if they fill out the bottoms of their bikinis. 23.47% 13.03 1 She¡¯s not over there, I¡¯m sure of it. I turn again, this time toward the firepit where anotherrge group is standing, hearing Ryan grumble behind me. ¡°Harper, I¡¯m not going to tell you again!¡± ¡°I seriously don¡¯t understand what your problem is! I¡¯m wearing the same thing everyone else is.¡± ¡°You¡¯re my sister, that¡¯s the damn problem.¡± As I study each of the girls by the firepit, I know all of them. One is a chick I dated for a couple days, another I got naked after a partyst year. One gave me road head a few months ago. I know their mouths, their bodies. They aren¡¯t her. ¡°Harper!¡± Ryan barks again. ¡°Go!¡± ¡°Fine!¡± I¡¯m met with the deepest scowl as my best friend watches his sister storm off. ¡°You need to lighten up, man.¡± || hold the bottle out to him. ¡°Here, drink.¡± ¡°She doesn¡¯t listen to a damn thing I say, and it pisses me off.¡± He hastily takes the vodka, drenching his lips as he swallows. ¡°You need to stop being so hard on her,¡± Sadie says to him. Ryan res. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare start with me. You don¡¯t have a sister, you have no idea what it¡¯s like.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right, I don¡¯t have a sister as hot as Harper, so I definitely don¡¯t know what it¡¯s like to have all my friends vying for her attention.¡± Her smile is meant to goad him. And it works. He leans back and takes anotherrge swig Ryan has reason to worry. These fools we hang out with will tap anything, whether it be his sister or one of these girls in the backyard or even Sadie, who¡¯s clearly after Ryan¡¯s dick. They have no shame in their game. Neither do I. But never once did I ever think about any of the girls I¡¯d been with after my lips left theirs. None of them ever caused me to have to go walk it off. Not a single one can I still taste on my tongue. Except her. ¡°Stop talking about how hot my sister is,¡± Ryan says. ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear it and I don¡¯t want her gaining any more attention.¡± I nodded toward the bottle. ¡°Drink.¡± He takes my advice, and then looks at me with a sneer in his eyes. ¡°Let¡¯s talk about you.¡± A cocky grin spreads across his mouth. ¡°You were certainly having a hell of a time earlier.¡± ¡°What¡¯s do you mean?¡± Sadie asks him. ¡°I busted him with someone¡± Ryan replies. ¡°Seriously? With whom?¡± Sadie asks. I take the bottle back, guzzling a shot worth. ¡°Both of you need to stop.¡± I¡¯m going to kick Ryan¡¯s ass for this. His girl is a little investigator. Although there¡¯s no doubt Sadie could pinpoint the mystery girl after a few descriptions of her body. But thest thing I need is Sadie involved, meddling in my life the way she¡¯s constantly invading Ryan¡¯s. I grab my towel off one of the chairs and say to Ryan, ¡°It¡¯s muggy, let¡¯s go for a swim.¡± ¡°I¡¯m game,¡± he replies. ¡°Whatever, you two.¡± She rolls her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m going to go check on Harper.¡± As she skips toward the house, I Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. jab Ryan in the shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I forgive you for outing me.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve hooked up with half the girls here. You think the news surprises her?¡± Iugh, changing the subject back to him. ¡°Isn¡¯t it time you give Sadie what she wants?¡± ¡°It¡¯s our senior year. We¡¯re off to college next fall. Why would I want to start something heavy?¡± ¡°Who says you need to give her more than just your dick?¡± He watches Sadie walk inside, her hips swaying, her ass sticking out She nces over her shoulder at him, like she knows we¡®re talking about her. ¡°Please,¡± he says, ¡°Sadie¡¯s not the kind of girl who can handle light.¡± I observe the way she stares at my friend, like she¡¯d agree to marriage if he got on one knee. ¡°I think you might be right.¡± ¡°Trust me, I am.¡± His brows raise. ¡°Who were you in the bathroom with?¡± I drop my towel on one of the lounge chairs and move to the edge of the pool. ¡°Don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°You¡¯re shitting me?¡± I take a final drink of vodka. ¡°And I¡¯m not going to remember any of it in the morning.¡± ¡°Maybe it was her.¡± He nods toward the girl who gave me road head. ¡°She¡¯s eye-fucking you right now.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t be.¡± She¡¯s all nipple, no tit, and far too skinny. I cannonball into the water and reply, ¡°But that¡¯s a solid guess,¡± after he jumps in next to me. ¡°Oh, you know who it could be ¡­¡± He looks across the crowd, pointing to the far corner of thewn. ¡°Her.¡± I squint. ¡°Who?¡± I wipe my face, pushing the water out of my eyes, waiting for her body toe into view, herrge, perky tits the first thing I see¡­ Chapter 7 Chapter 7 Harper Thurry inside my room and m the door behind me, anger exploding in my chest. My brother makes me positively crazy. To insist I cover myself up, at a pool party no less, is just absurd. But to make those demands in front of Easton, who offered me nothing more than a look of disgust, is infuriating It¡¯s like he didn¡¯t even see me out there, oblivious to my existence. Nothing more than Ryan¡¯s twin. Maybe that¡¯s a good thing, he¡¯ll never figure out who I am. But if I ever want to kiss him again, how do I get him to notice me? I just want that cier blue stare locked with mine. The one that makes my entire body scream | go over to one of my windows, moving the blind aside to peek into the backyard. Unlike the bathroom, it¡¯s not opaque, so I carefully search, finding Easton in the pool. He¡¯s in the shallow end with Ryan, sharing the vodka with him, girls sshing around them. His lips are wet, his skin dripping. He¡¯s so ridiculously handsome. The light in the pool shows the ripples of muscle across his chest, biceps that flex every time he moves, a grin I just want to lick. My body won¡¯t stop humming. I recall the feel of his tongue. The caress of his hands. The way he exhaled so seductively over my skin. A chill runs through me as I stare at him. ¡°Harper!¡± I hear Sadie shout from the other side of my door, pulling my attention away from the window. ¡°Harper, it¡¯s me, open up.¡± I drop the shade and rush over, turning the lock, opening the door a crack. ¡°Hey.¡± I¡¯m breathless and I know who it¡¯s from. Concern is etched across her face. ¡°Ryan can be such a dick sometimes. Are you all right?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± I roll my eyes. ¡°I¡¯m just annoyed.¡± Her eyes widen. ¡°I don¡¯t want to make you feel worse, but I have news that¡¯s going to.¡± My stomach drops. ¡°What?¡± ¡°I want to tell you, but I don¡¯t want to tell you, but I have to tell you girlfriend code and all.¡± I reached through the opening and pull her into my room. ¡°Spill it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just ¡­¡± She looks down at her flip-flops, taking a breath. ¡°Right after you left, Ryan told me he caught Easton with a girl.¡± I swear she can see my heart beating and I try to keep my face from giving anything anyway. ¡°What girl?¡± ¡°Ryan doesn¡¯t know, and Easton wouldn¡¯t give up her name.¡± ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t he?¡± She sighs. ¡°He probably thinks I¡¯ll tell someone ¡­ like I¡¯m doing right 2 now.¡± She shrugs. It¡¯s because Easton doesn¡¯t know it¡¯s me, that¡¯s why he wouldn¡¯t tell Sadie. But, for now, I¡¯m keeping our make out a secret from Easton, Sadie-everyone. I put on my best acting and say, ¡°Ugh, I¡¯m bummed he was with a girl tonight.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t give him a second thought. You still look smoking hot, girl.¡± She twirls a chunk of my hair around her finger. ¡°In fact, Ryan can¡¯t stand that his friends are giving you attention. A few more pool parties, like the one tonight, and you¡¯re going to give your brother a heart attack.¡± She grabs a maxi dress off my bed and hands it to me. ¡°Put this on and let¡¯s go back downstairs.¡± I take the dress from her, my heart not ready to return to the backyard. ¡°I¡¯ll meet you in a few minutes.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± I nod ¡°Okay, just don¡¯t take too long,¡± she says and let¡¯s herself out. Llock the door behind her and climb on top of my bed, tossing the dress on my chair. There¡¯s another window near the foot of my mattress, this one facing the pool. I push the blind aside, immediately catching sight of Easton. Nothing has changed since thest time I looked, he¡¯s still with my brother, a slew of girls around them,ughter filling their faces. How¡¯s it possible that he looks even cuter than minutes ago? Or that my body still feels like his hands are on it, those fingers wrapping around my hips, lowering to my butt, circling my cheeks, like he¡¯s going to lift me into his arms. My skin tingles with sweat. Like the breathlessness, I know it¡®s not from running upstairs. It¡®s from the memories of Easton that won¡¯t stop churning in my brain. How his lips had so expertly meshed with mine, how his grasp had slid across my stomach and up my chest, how his gaze was impossible to see in the dark but still sent quivers through me. Trembles that are taking over me right now. I can feel him. Taste him. Smell him. And it¡¯s not enough. I want more. My head sinks into a pillow, and I hold the blind open with my foot, staring at Easton while I getfy on my back. I don¡¯t know this sensation. It¡¯s not something that¡¯s ever visited before, its demands so unfamiliar. But there¡¯s a fire between my legs, a need pulsing through me. I listen to it. And I react My fingers crawl down my body toward the heat, stopping at that special spot between my legs. I watch Easton through the ss, his grin sending my touch even lower, and it¡¯s like I¡¯m back in the bathroom, the bottoms of my 09 bikini on the floor. gasp at how good it feels. My legs spread further apart, my fingers moving faster. As Easton¡¯s smile grows, I rub harder. As his hands slid over the pavers that edge the pool, I go deeper. My breath hitches as pleasure builds inside me and my eyes close. I¡¯m in the dark bathroom again. With him. His tongue is sliding through my lips, and I imagine how it would feel on my body. Oh God. The pads of my fingers click back and forth, an intensity surging from the movement. Something is happening. Increasing. Charging. My eyes open and look directly at him. I can¡¯t breathe, but I¡¯m panting. A jolt erupts and my back lifts off the bed, my knees bend, my toes curl, and I swallow the noise, so no one can hear me. The tingles bolt through my stomach, flutters move into my limbs. I don¡¯t know where this is taking me, but I hold on. I rub. And I stare at the boy who started it all. A peak sts and these paralyzing shudders follow, strong enough to make me suck in a moan and I bury my face in a pillow, releasing the sounds I can¡¯t keep quiet anymore. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. This feeling is so overwhelming, I¡¯m lost. I can¡¯t stop it; I can¡¯t even make it pause. When it finally rolls through me, pull my face out of the pillow and I nce through the small, uncovered space of the window. Igasp again But, this time, it¡¯s because Easton¡¯s looking up at my bedroom, and our eyes are locked. Chapter 8 Chapter 8 Easton Everyone is talking about Ryan¡¯s party when we return to school Monday morning. That¡¯s because anyone who¡¯s anyone was there, rumors swirling through the hallways and throughout my first period ss about who got the drunkest, the sickest, who hooked up in Ryan¡¯s parents¡¯ bed. I only remember one thing from the night The girl I kissed in the bathroom. The rest is one big blur. But I remember every detail about that deliciously curvy waist and the softness of her skin and the way her lips had melded to mine. And since waking up with a whopping hangover the next morning, I¡¯ve been trying to recall every chick who was at the party,paring them to my memory of her. I don¡¯t understand why this girl is such a mystery She must be somewhere in this school and I¡¯m going to find her. That should be easy. There are only two kinds of girls who attend Washington High- ones that disgust me and are not my type at all, and ones I¡¯ve already been with. Since I¡¯m on the hunt, I make sure to look at both categories while I¡¯m passing them in the hallway. By lunch, I haven¡¯t made any progress, and I join the guys in the cafeteria, filling my tray with a few slices of pizza and a drink before I take a seat between Ryan and ke. ¡°I¡¯m still feeling like death,¡± ke says, staring at his bowl of French fries, not putting a single one in his mouth. ¡°I had Reba stop by my ce yesterday afternoon and her deep throating couldn¡¯t even take this headache away.¡± ¡°Damn.¡± I bite into the pepperoni slice. ¡°I was feeling pretty rough yesterday afternoon, too, but getting some head would have helped.¡± I think of mystery girl¡¯s lips, how they would feel sucking around my tip and lowering down my shaft. Fuck. ¡°Tell me about it,¡± ke replies. ¡°And that chick has a mouth like a vacuum, but I was doing everything I could not to throw up.¡± My cell vibrates in my pocket, and I take it out, seeing a text from my father, letting me know he¡¯s taking my mother away this weekend, and I¡¯ll be home alone. ¡°Hey,¡± I say, tapping the screen to pull up a calendar, ¡°isn¡¯t Saturday Halloween?¡± ¡°I think so, why?¡± ke says. I nce up from my phone, a smile moving over my face. ¡°Mom and Dad are going out of town. Guess who¡¯s having a party?¡± ¡°Oh, hell yes,¡± Ryan replies. ¡°But what about your brothers? Will they be stopping by to make sure that¡¯s not what you¡¯re doing?¡± Both are older than me and work with my father at hisw firm, footsteps that I¡¯m supposed to follow. The pressure my dad puts on me every day is more than want to carry ¡°Nah,¡± I answer. ¡°T¡¯ll tell them I¡¯m staying at your ce, so there¡¯s no reason for them to pop in.¡± ¡°I like this idea,¡± ke says. ¡°A lot.¡± I write out a quick text, shooting it off to the important people in our ss, making sure everyone knows about the n, and I take another bite of my pizza. ¡°I¡¯ve got an idea,¡± ke says. ¡°Why not make it a costume party?¡± I swallow, wiping my mouth. ¡°For real?¡± ¡°Yeah, why not. Can you imagine how the girls will dress? How much tits and ass will be on disy?¡± ¡°Girls love any reason to put on a costume,¡± Ryan agrees. ¡°Which usually looks more like lingerie,¡± ke says, his eyes closing, like he¡¯s dreaming about it already. ¡°All those hotties under one roof, it¡¯s going to be the fucking yboy mansion at your crib.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sold.¡± I take out my phone and type up another message, letting the group know to wear costumes. I wonder if mystery girl will hear about the party and attend and what kind of costume she¡¯ll have on, if it will reveal that perfect chest with hard, perky nipples, or that ass I can¡¯t stop thinking about. A grin pulls across Ryan¡¯s lips as he nods. ¡°I think we should all go as Hugh Hefner, the owner of yboy Magazine.¡± ¡°And round up a m¨¦nage of bunnies for the night,¡± ke adds. ¡°Shhh,¡± I warn as Sadie walks into the cafeteria, Ryan¡¯s sister behind her, Sadie heading straight for Ryan. ¡°Herees the bunny killer.¡± Sadie stops in front of our table, practically bouncing. ¡°Sooo, I hear there¡¯s a Halloween party this weekend.¡± She holds up her phone, like she just read the text. ¡°Word travels fast,¡± I reply. ¡°I love costume parties,¡± she sings. ¡°Ryan, we should go as Ken and Barbie, how cute would that be?¡± Ryan takes a bite of his sandwich, replying with a full mouth, ¡°I¡¯m dressing up with the guys.¡± ¡°Well, whatever, I¡¯ll wear something else, then.¡± ¡°Will it be skimpy?¡± ke asks her. She ps his shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m not one of those girls.¡± ¡°What about you, Harper?¡± ke asks. ¡°Are you one of those girls?¡± ¡°Watch it!¡± Ryan seethes. I look at his sister, waiting for her to answer, which I¡¯m sure is going to erupt a fight between her and Ryan. As she contemtes her response, my stare focuses on her mouth I¡¯m surprised by how sexy it is. In Her tongue slowly slides out to lick across her bottom lip, so full and now wet. And hot as hell. Fuck no, Easton, stop putting your brain there. She¡¯s Ryan¡¯s twin sister and he¡¯s already pissed that his friends are giving her attention. An ideaes to me out of nowhere and I say, ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter,¡± before she has a chance to respond, ¡°because you¡¯re noting.¡± She looks at me, like I just said the wildest thing. ¡°Excuse me?¡± ¡°No siblings allowed,¡± I tell her. If Ryan doesn¡¯t want his boys hitting on his sister, the way he¡¯d struggled like hell with her at the pool party, then this should make him happy The amusement on his face and hisughter tells me I made the right call. ¡°You¡¯re saying ¡­ I¡¯m not invited?¡± she rifies. ¡°Did you get my text, asking you toe?¡± I don¡¯t have to look at my phone to know she wasn¡¯t on that group message; I don¡¯t have her number. Her eyes widened. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Then, no, you¡¯re not invited.¡± ¡°I know you¡¯re not being that much of a dick,¡± Sadie snaps at me, her nostrils ring, teeth showing like a rabid dog. ¡°She¡¯sing and I know Ryan will side with me.¡± Ryan puts his hands up in the air. Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. ¡°I¡¯m not getting in the middle of this.¡± ¡°You already are,¡± Sadie confirms. She res at me and adds, ¡°See you Saturday, dickhead.¡± Both girls walk away, but not before Harper gives me one final stare that involves her teeth gnawing on her lower lip. Damn it, that lip. I hope she keeps her pretty mouth at home where it belongs. Far away from Ryan¡¯s friends. And me. Chapter 9 Chapter 9 Harper The nerve of him. Ugh, I¡¯m so mad I¡¯m shaking. And it¡¯s been six days since Easton said I¡¯m not allowed toe to his party, and I¡¯m still as furious as when he¡¯d first told me. Who cares if I¡¯m Ryan¡¯s sister? My brother flirts with girls in front of me, he¡¯s stringing along my best friend, but all of that¡¯s okay because he¡¯s a boy? Well, it¡¯s not okay. It¡¯s a double standard. What makes it worse is that Easton is the one who uninvited me. It couldn¡¯t have been Ryan or ke, it had to be the guy I have the biggest crush on. The guy whose mouth I can¡¯t stop fantasizing about. The costume ! ordered online with Easton in mind just in case I ran into him at a party. Now, I won¡¯t even be leaving my bed tonight. And that¡¯s exactly what I n to tell Sadie when she pops her head into my doorway and says, ¡°Get dressed, we¡¯re going.¡± I shake my head. ¡°Nope. I¡¯m not. You are.¡± Chit ¡°Do you honestly think I¡¯m going to let you sit home tonight?¡± She moves over to my chair where I¡¯d ced the box my costume is in. ¡°Or that Easton was really serious about what he said?¡± I cross my arms to stop my hands from shaking. ¡°Oh, he was serious, all right.¡± ¡°Remember when Ryan was having a heart attack over your bikini?¡± She reaches into the box and takes out the costume. ¡°I¡¯m positive that¡¯s why Easton said that to you. He¡¯s looking out for his best friend, who prefers his sister dressed in a big, baggy tent.¡± She holds up the leotard that¡¯s supposed to make me look like a cat. Ites with thigh-high boots, a long tail, and a silicon masquerade mask that covers most of my face, the top adorned with cute little ears. ¡°And this is definitely no tent, this is s-e-x-y, whoa!¡± She nces from me to the skintight leotard. ¡°You¡¯re going to be the hottest one there.¡± ¡°You¡¯re going to be, because I¡¯ll be right here ¡­¡± I point down at my mattress. ¡°In bed.¡± She sits beside me, her hands resting over mine. ¡°I¡¯m going to put this as nicely as I can.¡± She grins. ¡°You have exactly twenty minutes to get ready or I¡¯m carrying you outside and we¡¯re going whether you¡¯re in a costume or not.¡± She squeezes my fingers. ¡°Understood?¡± My stomach leaps at the thought of seeing Easton even if I still want to strangle him I push my back against the wall behind my bed. ¡°It sounds like you¡¯re giving me no choice.¡± She taps my hands. ¡°Good, my message was loud and clear, then.¡± ¡°But I need more than twenty minutes,¡± I squeal, and I hurry over to my chair, stripping off my clothes. o With the leotard in ce and the tail positioned, I put on my mask and start my makeup. Most of it¡¯s ck, I only fill in the few spots the silicon doesn¡¯t cover, and I add a deep red lipstick. I slick down my hair with lots of gel, securing it in a low bun. I check every angle in my small, full-length mirror, and then I turn toward Sadie. ¡°How do I look?¡± She eyes me up and down. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°I mean, I know my best friend is in there somewhere, but all I see is this smoking hot, ridiculously sexy minx.¡± ¡°Oh my God,¡± Iugh. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Sadie follows me downstairs and orders a car, and we climb into the backseat, heading to the other side of town. Although I¡¯ve never been inside Easton¡¯s house, he lives only a few streets away from Sadie. We get out of the car, my stare taking in therge, two-story entrance that¡¯s framed by white pirs. The massive brick mansion spans almost an entire block, the music so loud inside I can hear it from the walkway. ¡°Are you ready?¡± Sadie asks, her Chiper hand reaching for the doorknob. I take several deep breaths, preparing myself for the rejection 1 may receive the moment we get inside. Ryan won¡¯t be the one to kick me out, but I can¡¯t predict what Easton will do. Especially if he recognizes me as the girl from the bathroom. ¡°As ready as I¡¯ll ever be,¡± I tell her. Sadie opens the door, and the room is filled with a thick fog, decorations hanging from the tall ceiling, we¡¯re met with cutout pumpkins and cackling goblins. Everyone is dressed in costume, masks and makeup, outfits much more revealing than mine. I don¡¯t see Easton or Ryan anywhere. ¡°I have an idea,¡± Sadie says, pulling me past the entrance, into arge sitting area where people are making out on the couch. ¡°What kind of idea?¡± ¡°Ryan told me Easton¡¯s dad has a small garage off the side of the house where he keeps his Porsche and a whole fridge stocked with beer. You go grab us two beers and I¡¯m going to find Ryan and gentle break the news that you¡¯re here.¡± ¡°He doesn¡¯t know?¡± A knot forms in my stomach. I had assumed Sadie told him she was dragging me here, and I need Ryan on my side in case Easton gets cranky again and tries to make me leave. ¡°I didn¡¯t exactly mention you when I told him I wasing.¡± She runs her finger down the air in front of me. ¡°And he¡¯s not going to be happy about this.¡± ¡°Sadie¡± ¡°Trust me, it¡¯ll be fine. I¡¯ll meet you in the kitchen in a few minutes.¡± The knots in my belly are starting to really ache. ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°Go that way.¡± She points toward what Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. the kitchen. ¡°Take a left at the stove and it¡¯s at the end of the hallway,st door on the right.¡± Her hand goes to my shoulder. ¡°If you see the guys before me, hide.¡± I nod and she immediately takes off to look for them while I walk toward the kitchen, reciting her directions in my head. There are so many people here, it¡¯s hard to navigate the thick crowd and the furniture that¡¯s like a maze and the fog that¡¯s making it hard to see. I find the door in the hallway and the light inside the garage is so dim, I¡¯m surprised there isn¡¯t a brighter one. But the car is in the center and the fridge is in the corner. I hurry over to it and I¡¯m bending over to grab two bottles from the bottom shelf when I hear the squeak of the door opening behind me. ¡°Hey, that¡¯s my secret stash,¡± Shit. The voice tells me it¡¯s Easton. I¡¯ve been caught by the one person I didn¡¯t want to find me. ¡°Damn, it¡¯s you,¡± he croons. Me? I put the beer back, trying to stop myself from shaking, and I gradually straighten and turn around. I¡¯m expecting the wrath, corner. I hurry over to it and I¡¯m bending over to grab two bottles from the bottom shelf when I hear the squeak of the door opening behind me. ¡°Hey, that¡¯s my secret stash,¡± Shit. The voice tells me it¡¯s Easton. I¡¯ve been caught by the one person I didn¡¯t want to find me. ¡°Damn, it¡¯s you,¡± he croons. Me? I put the beer back, trying to stop myself from shaking, and I gradually straighten and turn around. I¡¯m expecting the wrath, but his expression is full of hunger. Desire. His eyes soak in every inch of me. ¡°I could never forget that ass.¡± His stare slowly travels up my body. ¡°And those fucking lips I¡¯ve been thinking about all week¡­¡± Chapter 10 Chapter 10 Easton She¡¯s here. Mystery girl. The one I¡¯ve been thinking about nonstop, searching the hallways, ssrooms, even looking for her in the parking lot after school. Now she¡¯s in my house, breaking into my dad¡¯s beer fridge, standing only a few feet away from me. Waiting for me to kiss her. Her ass was the dead giveaway. The moment I stepped into the garage and saw those perfect cheeks spread high in the air, 1 knew. And then she turned around, showing off those delicious tits, nipples already perked up. My dick throbs from inside the robe. I need to feel her body against mine. ¡°Come here.¡± She doesn¡¯t move, so I walk over, backing her up until she¡¯s leaning against the fridge I run my finger over her red, full, gorgeous lips. ¡°I have been dreaming about these,¡± I say, reminding her of thest thing she said to me before she kicked me out of the bathroom. I hold her waist, getting a feel of her in this costume. Her tight, curvy body on full disy, every dip and arch, begging to be caressed She¡¯s holding my stare hostage. ¡°Fuck,¡± I growl, pulling her against me. ¡°You look amazing.¡± I tilt her waist toward me, pressing my erection into her. ¡°Do you feel what you¡¯ve done to me?¡± I draw a line from her throat to her stomach. ¡°But seeing you in this outfit has been well worth waiting a week.¡± ¡°Easton,¡± she whispers, wrapping her arms around my neck, bringing our faces closer. She knows me. But I don¡¯t know her and that¡¯s not fair. I grab her ass, squeezing to the point where I lift her into the air, her legs circling my waist, hands clutching my shoulders. I walk us over to the wall, holding her back against it. ¡°Kiss me,¡± I demand. Her face is hidden, just like the darkness in the bathroom, a sea of ck covering her. I¡¯m tempted to rip off the mask, to see who these beautiful eyes and lips belong to, but her gaze stops me. She¡¯s taking her time drinking me in, savoring my presence. She¡¯s missed me, too. And each second she waits only teases me more. ¡°Kiss me,¡± I repeat, clinging to her ass. Her tongue rounds her top lip before it crashes against mine. Her moans fill my ears, the heat from her mouth drawing me in closer, the urge to strip off her costume so heavy in my hands. While I circle my tongue around hers, I use the wall to hold her weight, and cup my palm around her tit. Her nipple is so hard, I rub my thumb across the tip, back and forth, tugging it through her costume. She¡¯s purring like a fucking cat, making her choice of costume even more fitting. I wonder what sounds she¡¯ll make if my hand moves between her legs. With that thoughtes another if I¡¯m the first guy she¡¯s ever kissed, something I still believe to be true, then I¡¯ll be the first to touch her pussy To see her naked. To feel her tight, wetness. A virgin My dick hardens even more. ¡°You¡¯re making it impossibly difficult to hold back.¡± I lick her off my mouth, tasting her, taking in her stare. ¡°There are so many things I want to do to you against this wall.¡± She¡¯s a vor I¡¯ve never had before. A sweetness that¡¯s almost tropical, a scent like one of the inds my family has vacationed on. She quivers in my grip, her legs strengthening around me, her head tilting back as I devour her neck. ¡°Oh God,¡± she exhales I can¡¯t stoppping her skin, her pulse skyrocketing against my mouth, her back arching as I blow around her nipple. ¡°Mmm,¡± she breathes. I switch to her other tit, a cry releasing from her throat as I pinch the edge of her nipple, pulling it enough to make her moan, ¡°Don¡¯t stop.¡± This is my house. No one is going toe knocking on the garage door, there isn¡¯t going to be any interruptions. Tonight, we have nothing but time and I n to spend the entire evening with her. The Hugh Hefner silk robe I¡¯m wearing is thin, so is her costume, so when I push my dick into her and she rocks her hips forward, I can feel the heat from her pussy. My fingers dig into her ass, kneading, positioning her. ¡°You feel so good,¡± I hiss, this deep, nagging pulse working through me. But if anything more is going to happen between us-and it is-T must know something first. I need an answer to the question that¡¯s been haunting me since we kissed. ¡°Tell me your name.¡± Her lips part, her chest heaving. ¡°I ¡­¡± Her voice fades as her phone beeps from somewhere inside her costume. She releases me to grab it, looking at the screen that she keeps aimed away from me. ¡°I have to go.¡± ¡°Now?¡± Our eyes lock. ¡°Yes.¡± I remember her voice from the bathroom, and I try to ce it. She has a medium pitch; a softness know I¡¯ve heard before. Rich, chocte eyes that are achingly familiar, I just can¡¯t ce them. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. She bucks her hips, wiggling for me to put her down, each thrust stroking my dick. Taunting me. Driving me fucking wild. Damn it. ¡°I don¡¯t want you to go.¡± ¡°I have to.¡± More of her softness flutters into my face, her ass clenching as she tries to get down. ¡°Please.¡± I release her, but the second her feet touch the ground, I reach above her head and cage her in. She runs her fingers over my lips. ¡°You were right ¡­ I did miss this mouth.¡± Now she¡¯s referring to what I¡¯d said to her in the bathroom I kiss her fingertips after each pass. But it doesn¡¯tst. She ducks her head and maneuvers her way out of my trap, hurrying to the door. I can¡¯t believe this is happening again, that the moment I get back, she¡¯s leaving ¡°Hey,¡± I say when she reaches for the handle. I wait for her to turn toward me before I add, ¡°You have to tell me your name, so I can find you again.¡± Her tongue slowly swipes across her bottom lip, her long tail bouncing. ¡°I¡¯ll find you.¡± Just as I¡¯m about to reply, she opens the door. And she¡¯s gone. Chapter 11 Chapter 11 Harper That was close. I press my fingers against my swollen mouth and try not to clench my legs too hard as remember the feel of Easton hard against me. It was better thanst time, more like a sex fueled dream. A moment that can never happen again, if my brother has anything to say about it. He¡¯s already going to be pissed enough when he sees my costume, please God let Sadie calm him down. Besides when has Sadie ever failed me? Everything¡¯s going to be fine. Which is both a triumph and a disappointment. I stop in my tracks. If Easton knew, would he be touching me? Insecurity hits hard and fast as my boots click against the beautiful hard wood floors. With confidence I¡¯m not really feeling, I adjust my ck mask and walk into the kitchen. I imagine it¡¯s gonna be nothing but more booze flowing when I stop in my tracks and see Sadie and Ryan in a stand off. She¡¯s shoving at his chest, murder in her brown eyes as her batgirl Chanter it costume seems to tighten around strong, lean legs that look seconds away from jiu jitsuing my brother to the floor-if that¡¯s even a thing. ¡°Take it back!¡± she yells. No wonder she called. I can¡¯t decide if I¡¯m thankful or disappointed at the interruption. Ryan¡¯s face is doing that scary, wide eyed rage filled stare thing that means he¡¯s seconds away from either exploding or tossing her over his shoulder and taking out his anger in an entirely different, e my best friend and my brother way ¡°Ryan,¡± I call. ¡°Stop yelling.¡± ¡°Stop yell-¡± His head swivels toward me. And that¡¯s when I see it. I thought he was mad when I wore the bikini. No. This is next level, I may die tonight I gulp. His eyes move from my head down to my boots then back up. ¡°YOU!¡± One word. His jaw clenches. ¡°YOU!¡± He yells again, only this time he¡¯s stomping toward me. ¡°Were not invited and who the hell gave you that costume!¡± I¡¯m silent, so is everyone else in the stupid kitchen. He¡¯s now in a stand off between the two of us, the crowd continues to gather to see the drama. ¡°What the hell are you thinking wearing that Sadie ps a hand over Ryan¡¯s mouth the minute Easton makes his presence known in the kitchen. My stomach drops to my toes. Shit. Is this how he¡¯s going to find out? | officially hate my brother. What¡¯s the term where you kill off your sibling? Fratricide? Tears well in my eyes as I realize I¡¯m the center of attention-the thing I hate the most as my brother semi shoves her away and walks toward me. This is it. The moment Easton finds out my true identity Fear pounds through me, making it impossible to move. ¡°There you are!¡± Aisha runs up to Easton and throws herself around his body Was she a gymnast in another life? Her legs wrap around his waist as she presses a drunken, open mouthed kiss against his lips. I thought fear of him finding out was bad-this is so much worse, because he grins against her mouth a bit before he sets her on her wobbly heels. Her white nurse outfit leaves nothing to the imagination and her long blonde wig looks better than my hair on my best day. I swallow the lump in my throat as he wraps an arm around her shoulders and saunters off, away from the scene between me, Sadie, and Ryan as if I wasn¡¯t even in the kitchen. Once again, stabbing me in the heart and making me wonder why I even try when he¡¯s never going to notice the real me or even think of me that way Unless we¡¯re in the dark. ¡°Hey,¡± Ryan shoves me into a corner. ¡°Why are you naked?¡± He shakes his head. ¡°No, why the hell are you even here?¡± ¡°Not now, Ryan.¡± I jerk my hand away just in time for Sadie to stomp up to him, ready to start world war three in the middle of Easton¡¯s parents gourmet kitchen and around gossip central. ¡°You look like a whore.¡± Ryan says it loud enough for two girls near the fridge to hear. I want to die and refuse to look at who they are, too embarrassed to do anything except stand there. ¡°Go change before I tell Mom and Dad.¡± ¡°Oh wow, so not only am I a whore, but now you¡¯re going to tattle on me? Yeah okay, have fun when D ad buries your body in the backyard after I tell him to check behind your nightstand.¡± ¡°You wouldn¡¯t.¡± He gasps in horror. ¡°Oh, I would.¡± I re. He sighs, putting his hands on his hips. ¡°Look, guys are gonna get the wrong idea, alright? Just¡­for my sake, so I don¡¯t go to prison before graduation, can you please, please, change your clothes?¡± A knot forms in my throat. It feels like I¡¯m back in sixth grade, when I wore lipstick for the first time and Ryan told me to take it off in front of all my friends, while Easton stood by andughed at 1. me. ¡°Fine.¡± I don¡¯t want to fight, and I know that it will only escte, especially after the bikini situationst week. ¡°I stuffed some extra clothes in my purse just in case.¡± Sadie gasps. ¡°You liar! I asked if you did on the way over here, and you said no!¡± I just shrug, my confidence semi shot. I leave them in the kitchen and start the search for my bag in the guest room where everyone left their coats and belongings. I lock the door just in case, then walk by the floor length mirror near the bed. I stop and stare at myself, then with shaking hands reach up and touch my mask, the same mask that keeps me anonymous. I imagine Easton¡¯s hands on my hips, the way he pressed against me in nothing but a bathrobe. The tears start toe as I rip the mask off my face and turn away from my reflection. It doesn¡¯t take me long to change into the loose ck sweatshirt dress that falls to my knee-high boots. I unzip the boots and tuck them next to the costume, cing it all in the satchell brought, then grab my Adidas slides. It literally feels like I went from princess to peasant as I nce at my reflection again My lipstick is gone,pliments of Easton¡¯s mouth. The only thing that remains is the dark eye makeup I shake away all thoughts of him as I make my way down the hall searching for Sadie only to lock eyes with Easton as he mauls Aisha¡¯s mouth. Normally, I¡¯d just scowl and look away. Not today Because today he¡¯s kissing her but watching me, like he wants me to see, like he wants to hurt me-to make me feel even worse than I already do. I try to pass by them. He pulls back in time to sneer and say with a cruel smile, ¡°Cool costume.¡± A pause. ¡°Go home, Harper.¡± ¡°Wait, I thought you didn¡¯t invite her?¡± Aisha stares me down like I¡¯m a disease. I¡¯m internally begging Easton to at least defend me or not be an ass. Instead, he kisses her again and says, ¡°Oh I didn¡¯t.¡± Sheughs against his mouth. ¡°How pathetic.¡± Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°I know.¡± This kiss is longer between them. I see his tongue dart into her mouth, then out as he says, ¡°Fucking pathetic.¡± Chapter 12 Chapter 12 Harper Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. Tears start to burn at his rejection, at his cruelty, so badly that I can¡¯t see where I¡¯m going as I shove through more grinding bodies and surging hormones. My vision blurs as I run back down the hall. I look over my shoulder and sure enough Easton¡¯s still watching, that smug asshole smile in ce. Im hard into something and fall, hearing Easton¡¯sugh along with Aisha¡¯s over the pounding music. I blink up. It¡¯s ke, because of course it would be ke. ¡°Oh shit.¡± He quickly pulls me to my feet. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t see you.¡± Because I¡¯m invisible, aren¡¯t I? Unwanted Uninvited Great, am I really going to cry in front of him, of all people? The biggest ass in the senior ss with the emotional intelligence of §Ñ §â§Ö§Ñ. He takes one look at me and curses, then starts dragging me down the hall and into the garage, where I burst into giant, gut wrenching sobs. My night¡¯s ending where it started. From famous makeout session with the off-limits guy I¡¯ve crushed on for years, to the yer who¡¯s slept with every girl on the cheerleading squad and dance team, now awkwardlyforting me. ke¡¯s staring, his green eyes roaming over me like I¡¯m some sort of foreign creature. He lifts his hand, then drops it, before he finally pulls me in for a tight hug. Both embarrassed andforted, I briefly hug him back,pletely weirded out that the third part of my brother¡¯s friend trio-the one who once jumped off of the roof into our pool, screaming I¡¯m Britney bitch is trying tofort me. ¡°Anything I can do?¡± he asks. I pull away, frowning. ¡°Are you drunk?¡± ¡°The hell?¡± He shakes his head. ¡°No.¡± ¡°High?¡± My frown deepens but at least the tears stopped flowing. ¡°Why do I suddenly feel offended?¡± Heughs. ¡°Do I have to be drunk or high to care about your feelings?¡± I think for a minute then blurt, ¡°But you¡¯re you.¡± ¡°Wow.¡± He crosses his bulky, tanned arms. ¡°Okay, I¡¯m officially offended, no takebacks.¡± I find myself smiling. ¡°You know what I mean.¡± ¡°You should probably exin it to me since I¡¯m a guy and we¡¯re dumb.¡± | always forget how pretty he is, with his dark hair pulled back into a bun and his green eyes focused only on me. I lick my lips and try again. ¡°I just mean you¡¯re ke Elliot. You have a certain reputation for, you know¡­idiocy.¡± He lifts a brow. ¡°Wanna know a secret?¡± ¡°Sure?¡± He leans in, looking like bad choices and sin. ¡°I actually have one of the highest grade point averages in our ss. I¡¯m just bored as hell sitting there, so you know¡­I entertain.¡± He spreads his arms wide. ¡°Impressed?¡± I narrow my eyes. ¡°Are you being serious?¡± ¡°No, actually I¡¯m failing and might have to repeat my senior year for the third time.¡± ¡°What!¡± My jaw drops. Hisugh has me joining in. ¡°God, you should have seen your face just now. How old do I look? Damn, now I¡¯m doubly offended.¡± He holds up his right hand like he¡¯s taking an oath. ¡°I¡¯ve never repeated school ever, not even when I idently killed the ss lizard in first grade because wanted to set him free.¡± ¡°Uh, I don¡¯t know this story.¡± And I feel like I know all of ke¡¯s stories. ¡°I felt bad for the little guy, trapped in his cage. Like a prison. So, decided to let Mike go, that was the lizard¡¯s name, by the way.¡± ¡°Ooookay.¡± I shake my head. ¡°Oh, good, you¡¯re keeping up.¡± He winks. ¡°Anyways, that¡¯s how Mike met his untimely death in the school toilet.¡± ¡°Let me guess, because all drains lead to the ocean?¡± ¡°Exactly. I thought he could swim his way to freedom.¡± He holds his hand up for a high five. I p it as the door jerks open. Easton stands there seemingly drunk and uncertain on his feet. ¡°Are you seriously hiding out in my garage now, Harper? With ke? How desperate are you?¡± I can¡¯t decide if I¡¯m embarrassed or angry at this point as I try toe up with something to say. Maybe I should just find a baseball bat, let out a war cry and run toward him just to see his reaction. Easton scowls. ¡°Seriously, Harper, maybe you¡¯d be more popr if you didn¡¯t try so hard.¡± ¡°Wo.¡± ke wraps his arm around my shoulders. ¡°You kiss Aisha with that mouth.¡± He snaps his fingers. ¡°Oh wait¡­¡± ¡°Stay out of it, ke.¡± ¡°Quick, how many fingers am ! holding up?¡± ke holds up three 56 35 Chapter 13 Chapter 13 Easton I¡¯m pissed, hating my reaction to Harper. Thinking of my mystery girl. I¡¯ve had her twice. Cat woman, whatever you want to call her, and now I can¡¯t find her anywhere. All see is Harper. So, I do what anyone else does in extreme sexual frustration I drink. A lot. I¡¯m at least five shots in, plus two beers when I watch Harper collide with ke. I fully expected Harper to turn in disgust Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. Instead, I watched in mild horror when he leads her into the garage. The same sacred garage I was in earlier, ready to attack an anonymous girl¡¯s mouth with every single kiss I have in my arsenal. Before her phone went off, I was ready to strip my mystery girl bare,y her against the fridge, the floor, really any strong surface was up for grabs. I shove Aisha away after five minutes go by and ke and Harper still don¡¯t reappear and I grab another beer. Aisha was pissed but whatever. Why the hell is ke with Harper in the garage? And why do I even care? It¡¯s Harper. She¡¯s Ryan¡¯s problem. Not mine. And yet the idea of ke even touching her fills me with something unfamiliar that I can¡¯t identify Before I know what I¡¯m doing, I¡¯m charging down the hall, thoughts still stuck on cat woman. Harper. They¡¯re mixing. Mingling. Maybe I¡¯m hallucinating the entire thing and losing my mind. I mean, does the perfect girl even exist? Adrenaline pumps through me as I charge into the garage to find ke and Harperughing and standing close enough that if Ryan caught them, he¡¯d start designing ke¡¯s coffin. The conversation between all of us is fuzzy. A stumbling Sadie soon appeared, followed by Ryan, and he¡¯s talking about Harper being off limits or some such shit. But for the life of mel can¡¯t remember what I actually said, only that I craved Harper¡¯s anger, not her smiles. Her smiles are dangerous, just like ke¡¯s flirtations. Someone needs to warn her about him. Someone also needs to tell Ryan to watch out for our other friend. More words were said, and Harper tried to walk past me like I didn¡¯t exist, which pissed me off. Who the hell does she think she is? I¡¯m ready to threaten her as I grab her by the wrist and push her up against the wall, when something familiar washes over me. I can¡¯t decipher if it¡¯s her scent or if it¡¯s just the way she feels. Soft in all the right ces, leaving me hard in all the wrong ones. Horrified, I clench my fists at my sides. She blurs in front of me, and I¡¯m more pissed off than I¡¯ve been. Pissed off that she¡¯s staring at me like I¡¯m the devil, when I¡¯ve never bothered her before in my life. I want to hurt her because she¡¯s making me react, not because ! have anything other than annoyance with her. ¡°Remember your ce, Harper.¡± A solitary tear falls from her eye and slides down her cheek, dripping off her jaw and onto the space between us. It¡¯s then that I realize how close I¡¯m standing in front of her. How we¡¯re almost chest to chest, and how the rest of the world goes suddenly blurry. All I can see are brown eyes. All I can smell is her scent, like coconuts and sunshine-like something forbidden that should be mine. ¡°She¡¯s here.¡± I stumble backward and turn, all thoughts of Harper gone from my head as I eagerly search for cat woman. I can still smell her, so she has to be close. It¡¯s like she¡¯s haunting me. Harper shoves me and storms away, but I don¡¯t even care at this point. I¡¯m way too horny and drunk to care that I hurt her feelings. At least that¡¯s what I tell myself. So why does my chest feel tight? Why does the sight of her walking away make me want to chase after her? I must be really wasted-like obliterated. Ryan waves me over to the keg, while I¡¯m ready to smell every girl¡¯s neck to see if she¡¯s the one. As creepy as it would sound if I was sober, in my current position I¡¯m ready to apply for a Mensa membership at the brilliant thought. I stumble toward Ryan, ready to ask him if he¡¯s still having fun when both Sadie and Harper reappear- right along with that same tropical smell again. What the hell? Confused, I take a step closer, but the scent disappears the moment the girls do. ¡°No way,¡± I say to myself as chase after them. Sadie? Cat woman is Sadie? If that¡¯s the case, Ryan has a fucking war on his hands. Too many drunken people stumble in front of me, blocking my way. The world blurs and tilts around me as the alcohol hits. I m into a few bodies until I finally reach my own front door. The view of Harper holding Sadie up turns from two girls into six. Twelve. Shit, I don¡¯t even know how to count anymore as my stomach churns. The driveway looks like it¡¯sing up to greet me as my feet carry me toward all the cars parked out front. I open my mouth to yell wait and instead I stumble to my knees and instantly curse as I bite my tongue. The taste of blood fills my mouth, and the girls are gone. Frustrated, I¡¯m ready to m the pavement with my hands and look down. But there, near the side of my right knee, is a ck cat woman mask. My own version of a fucked up Cindere. I grip the ck mask in my hand and stare, memories of her mouth assaulting me as I shove the mask in my face and inhale. She¡¯s cast a spell. I don¡¯t know what to do. So, I keep the mask. I keep it and make a promise to myself to find her even if it kills 1. me. How could it be Sadie though? She¡¯s so¡­thin This girl-my girl-i s all woman. My eyes greedily search thewn, but I don¡¯t see any more hints. Frustrated, I get to my feet, carry the mask in my hand, and return to my own stupid party, ready to crash and dream of the one girl I¡¯m afraid will always slip through my fingers. Chapter 14 Chapter 14 Easton ¡°I think I¡¯m dying¡­¡± I groan the next morning, holding my head between my hands as if it¡¯s going to fall off at any minute and, honestly, I wouldn¡¯t be against it fuck, how much did I drink? I dreamt of cat woman. The dream quickly turned into a nightmare when Ryan¡¯s face reced hers, causing me to question my sexuality, only to wake up screaming when Ryan spooned me. I was the small spoon. That trauma will stay with me for life, I¡¯ve never shoved Ryan so hard. He fell off the bed andnded on ke who woke up yelling about a lizard named Mike. I need new friends. I¡¯m still pissed at ke for taunting mest night, even though I have zero interest in Harper. I mean if she was thest girl on earth, I¡¯d still pass her by, she¡¯s just too-t oo something. in? No, that¡¯s not it. She¡¯s just annoying as hell, never listens to anything I say, despite every single warning and she¡¯s always there. My mind decides to remind me about her banging body beneath that bikini, but I quickly shove the thought away. Fine, so one time I found her hot. It means nothing Because she¡¯s Ryan¡¯s sister and that was the whole fucking point of not inviting her to my party, ¡°Thought you were gonna pass out in your own pukest night¡± ke sits up and wipes his face with his hands. ¡°What¡¯s this shit about cats again? I¡¯m starting to worry about you, man. That¡¯s twice now, is that what alcohol does to you? Makes you hallucinate about pussy?¡± Heughs at his own joke. ¡°See what I did there?¡± I chuck a pillow at his face and instantly regret it as my head pounds harder. ¡°I need aspirin.¡± ¡°And I need tits to bury my face between. s, we don¡¯t always get what we want, stupid universe¡­¡± I stare over at him and just shake my head. ¡°What?¡± He shrugs. ¡°You have any OJ?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± I slowly get up, body weak from dehydration, careful not to wake a still sleeping Ryan who¡¯s holding the pillow so hard I¡¯m . afraid the feathers are going to pop out of it. Minutester, we¡¯re out by the pool, looking at the absolute destruction the party has done to my home and for some reason it makes me smile. Maybe because I immediately think about a tail, or the mask stuffed under my pillow upstairs. ¡°Wow.¡± ke takes a long drag of his juice. ¡°Things got crazy.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± I agree, about to take a drink but I pause. ¡°Hey, you ever made out with Sadie before?¡± ke stills. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Just curious¡­I mean she¡¯s cute, right? A bit on the thin side but-¡± ¡°I¡¯m gonna stop you right there before Ryan finds out and murders you in your own bed. She¡¯s saved herself for him since I don¡¯t even know, the tenth grade? There¡¯s no way she¡¯s been giving any guys any favors. Even if she says she has, she¡¯s lying.¡± ¡°Hmmm.¡± ¡°My head.¡± We both turn to watch Ryan stumble outside, flopping onto awn chair next to us, dark aviators covering his eyes and a beer clutched in his hand. ¡°Hair of the dog, stop staring at me.¡± ¡°Bad ass.¡± ke grins, earning a scowl from me as my mind drifts to cat woman. She had dark hair, and while I don¡¯t typically even pay attention to girls with dark hair, hers was silky. Thick. It made me think about pulling it. I clear my throat as my body instantly responds. What the hell is wrong with me? | can always control my reactions. If anything, she should be the one seeking me out. I mean she knows who I am yet she¡¯s ying hard to get? Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. Fuck that shit Ryan¡¯s phone goes off, he takes one more swig of beer. ¡°My ride¡¯s here.¡± ¡°Uber?¡± ke asks. ¡°Nah, I¡¯m forcing Harper to do hardbor after¡­¡± He scowls. ¡°Never mind. Just know she owes me right now.¡± Harper. Why the hell does she keep invading my world? And why do I even care when she¡¯s a nobody? A nerdy girl with exactly one best friend and a popr brother she mooches off to crash parties she¡¯s not even wee at The more I think about her, the angrier I get. Because when I do think about her, I think about her tongue, then I think about her mouth, and then I want to punch something ¡°T¡¯ll walk you out,¡± I find myself saying as I jog after him. I help him grab his stuff and open the front door to see Harper standing there in nothing but cropped denim shorts, one of her brother¡¯srge football sweatshirts, no makeup, a messy bun, and a scowl. Ah, we meet again. I lean against the door. ¡°Did you even wash your face?¡± Her eyes widen, and then quickly turn into slits. ¡°Why do you care?¡± ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t. Just curious why you¡¯re walking around looking like a homeless person.¡± I grin. She looks ready to punch me in the dick It only makes my mood brighter. ¡°You¡¯re such an asshole, Easton.¡± I almost expect her to stomp her foot and say something like gosh darn it! Instead, she takes a deep breath. ¡°Ryan, you ready?¡± ¡°Yup.¡± He takes one step toward her, then stares down at his phone. ¡°Shit, I think I left my charger upstairs. Let me go grab He¡¯s leaving me alone with the enemy. With the mousy girl who needs to learn how to use a brush. So, who cares if she looks hot in a bikini? Put a wig on Ryan and he would too. I mean as long as you covered up his dick and-whatever, the point remains, she¡¯s nothing and it pisses me off that I¡¯m even wasting this much headspace thinking about her all of a sudden. She looks around the yard. Anywhere but at me. ¡°Wow, it¡¯s a mess. Do you need help¡± ¡± Don¡¯t, ¡°Tinterrupt. ¡°Don¡¯t do that small talk thing where you act like we¡¯re friends. As you can see from the mess, I have all the friends! need, and they don¡¯t include you. So, you can go ahead and get the hell out of here.¡± Her mouth drops open. ¡°Was it something I said?¡± I sneer and turn to walk back in my house. ¡°Oh, and by the way¡­next time youe uninvited, I¡¯m kicking you out, even if it means tossing you over my shoulder to do it. We aren¡¯t friends. Pretending we are only makes you that much more pathetic.¡± ¡°Found it!¡± Ryan returns with his charger in his hand. Thest thing I see is a slow tear fall from Harper¡¯s cheek. Thest thing I feel is sick to my stomach as I walk back into my house and kick the closest chair into the wall. Chapter 15 Chapter 15 Harper ¡°I hate him! No, I loathe him. No, that¡¯s not right either. I want to rip his spleen from his body and run it over with his precious car and then, then, I¡¯m going to¡­¡± I scream into my pillow for the tenth time while a hungover Sadie pats me on the knee. We¡¯ve been sitting in my room on our phones, watching Netflix all day and I¡¯m still pissed off. I¡¯m hurt. I¡¯m ready to start a war. And I can¡¯t even tell anyone why it bothers me so much. I mean, I could confide in Sadie but something about those stolen moments with Easton feel precious-like they¡¯re mine-even though he¡¯s so mean to me should get a medal for not killing him. Why is he so horrible to me? ¡°I mean, what have I ever done to make him so angry?¡± I throw my hands up. ¡°So what, I¡¯m Ryan¡¯s twin, is that a crime? I¡¯m not at popr so that makes me not worthy of his attention? I don¡¯t get it, Sadie. It¡¯s one thing to ignore someonepletely, but now it¡¯s like he¡¯s going out of his way to be mean!¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Sadie jerks awake and I re at her. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry. It¡¯s just, you¡¯ve been talking about this off and on for thest three hours and I got sleepy.¡± ¡°Help me fix this,¡± I say. ¡°Please.¡± ¡°Well,¡± she yawns behind her hand, ¡°you could try making him jealous.¡± ¡°Oh yeah, great idea Sadie, let me just stroll up to school in my brand new car with my model boyfriend and perfect designer body and make the most popr boy in school jealous. Where do I sign up?¡± Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. She falls back against my bed sighing I join her and stare up at the ceiling. ¡°It¡¯s hopeless.¡± ¡°It¡¯s never hopeless, let¡¯s just think about this from his point of view.. he started being mean after the bikini issue, right?¡± I should tell her. But would it matter? And how would that conversation even go? Guess what, he actually does want me, but only in the dark. Gee, maybe we can be secret boyfriend/girlfriend? Great start, Harper. Perfect. ¡°Yeah, I mean.¡± I tug strands of hair in front of my face and start searching for dead ends. ¡°He seemed to react when Ryan got mad-like he was mad too, but he was probably just helping out his best friend.¡± ¡°I disagree,¡± Sadie finally says, I honest to God thought she¡¯d fallen asleep again. We both turn at the same time, our cheeks pressed against the pillows. Her brown eyes are super blood shot, her face splotchy. ¡°What harm would it do to, oh I don¡¯t know, just attempt to put yourself together a bit for school on Monday? You know, no more baggy clothes, some tight jeans or a skirt, add some makeup and ¡°And get locked in my room forever while Ryan tells my parents?¡± I finish for her. ¡°Oh girl.¡± She grins. ¡°You just leave that to me.¡± She stumbles out of bed and goes to the door. ¡°Be right back, I¡¯m going to beg your mom to let you stay at my house Sunday night. Things have been so hard.¡± She starts to fake tears. ¡°After pop -pop died, I¡¯ve been failing math and history. Both are your favorite subjects ¡°That¡¯s aplete falsehood! You don¡¯t even have a pop- pop.¡± ¡°His name was Frank.¡± She sniffles. ¡°You should have been in drama,¡± I grumble. She tosses her hair. ¡°I know, right?¡± Limagine my mom is going to see right through it, but I¡¯m shocked when she not only says yes, but asks if she can send flowers in pop- pop¡¯s memory. I¡¯m not sure if I should be proud of Sadie or terrified Monday morninges soon enough and after a lot of arguing on my end when Sadie shows me my outfit, and even more arguing when I see myself after she applies some light makeup, I¡¯m ready for war. At least that¡¯s what it feels like. My only mission? Gauge Easton¡¯s reaction. I keep asking myself what¡¯s the worst that can happen, but every single time my braines up with about a dozen scenarios, all of them end up with me in tears or embarrassed. Too soon, we¡¯re at school and getting out of the car. I nearly make a run for it, but Sadie has a death grip on my arm that¡¯s most likely going to leave a bruise. She clenches her teeth. ¡°You¡¯re doing this.¡± ¡°I¡¯m doing this,¡± I repeat in a weak voice thatcks any sort of conviction or confidence. It was easy in the dark. Aren¡¯t most things? And it was even easier when I was in a costume. I could be anyone ! wanted to be, anyone but boring, smart, dark haired Harper But today, I¡¯m walking into school as a new version of myself, a self that Easton hated, one ke drunkenly flirted with, and one my brother would murder once he saw me. We walk through the main doors. And the weirdest thing happens. Literally nobody stares. It¡¯s not like the movies where the makeover happens and everyone starts to p or people part and let you walk down the middle of the hall as they silently appreciate your efforts. Nope, everything is exactly the same, which in my opinion is kind of awesome. I wanted to look good but not so good that it brought too much attention. I¡¯m wearing ck, ripped skinny jeans, matching short boots, an off the shoulder vintage crop top that leaves about an inch of skin showing and my glossy, brown hair is pulled into a high pony tail. Sadie went easy on the makeup, only adding a bit of powder, gloss, mascara, and eye liner, so all in all I feel like a refreshed version of myself. I mean, sort of. I¡¯m still way too exposed. I still feel this need to grab the nearest freshman and pry the sweatshirt from their scrawny little bodies and cover myself up. ¡°So far, so good.¡± Sadie winks as we make our way over to our lockers. ¡°Harper?¡± ke¡¯s voice sounds behind me. She spoke too soon. Tnce over my shoulder. ¡°Yeah?¡± He stares. Hard. His green eyes aren¡¯t looking at my exposed skin or the new makeup. He¡¯s staring as if he can see right through me. ¡°Are you feeling better?¡± he finally asks. ¡°W-what?¡± ¡°You were pretty upset at the party, so I just wanted to check in.¡± His smile turns more sweet than perverted, setting the earth off its axis. ¡°Yeah,¡± I find my voice. ¡°I am, thank you.¡± ¡°No problem.¡± He shoves his hands in his jeans, and then winks. ¡°By the way, you look really pretty, though I don¡¯t mind the sweatshirts either¡­ I like wondering what¡¯s underneath.¡± What? Sadie groans under her breath just as the warning bell rings. I grab my books but stop when Easton rounds the corner. He¡¯s by himself which is rare. He throws his bag over his shoulder, his eyes roaming the hall and finallynd on me. Moment of truth. | suck in a breath and wait for his reaction For anger. Yelling. Or maybe¡­ Appreciation? Instead, he barely nces at me, his gaze cold, expression hard. Then, walks right into his ss without a word, like I don¡¯t even exist. Mission. Failed. Chapter 16 Chapter 16 Easton ¡°¡­so then I was like, girl, you could literally blow me right here and now and I¡¯d still -¡± ke punches me in the shoulder. ¡°Are you even listening?¡± ¡°Huh? What?¡± I drop the fry back onto my te and shove it away. ¡°Sorry, I was just thinking about¡­¡± I gulp. ¡°History.¡± ke snorts out augh. ¡°You¡¯re not even in a history ss this year.¡± ¡°No, no, not that sort of history.¡± I used to be great at lying. What the hell is wrong with me? ¡°Wars and things.¡± ¡°Wars?¡± ke repeats. ¡°Things?¡± He leans in and whispers, ¡°Did you smoke a bit before you came in or something?¡± ¡°No.¡± I shove him away. ¡°I¡¯m not stupid.¡± ¡°And, yet, here you are, thinking about wars and things.¡± Heughs again, then turns when Ryan ms his tray onto the table and starts shooting murderous res across the cafeteria. ¡°You good?¡± ¡°No.¡± Ryan snaps. ¡°I¡¯m not good.¡± ¡°Couldn¡¯t tell by the way you¡¯re beating the shit out of your lunch¡­¡± ke whistles under his breath. ¡°Girl problems? Sadie problems?¡± My ears immediately perk up. Sadie. She¡¯s been with Harper most of the day, and every time see her, I convince myself I¡¯m actually going crazy. N?velDrama.Org is the owner. Sadie looks nothing like my mystery girl. She¡¯s too tall. Too thin, model thin, not the type of curves my hands are addicted to, not the type of mouth my lips keep fixating on. A vision of Harper licking her lips floods my mind Damn it! I shove my own tray away, ready to break it over ke¡¯s head. ¡°So, one of you is thinking about war, and the other looks like he¡¯s going to be in one.¡± He follows Ryan¡¯s gaze. ¡°Ohhhhhh, is this about Harper looking hot as hell today?¡± ¡°Say that again and I¡¯m shoving this tray down your throat.¡± Ryan pounds the table with his fist, making the silverware and trays jump. See? She¡¯s nothing but trouble! I tell myself not to look over my shoulder. I also tell myself it would be a horrible idea to make eye contact, because then I¡¯ll probably end up staring at her mouth again, which would make me look at her outfit, which would then, for whatever sick reason, make it harder not to think about it in the future. Maybe I need sex Yeah, that¡¯s it. That¡¯s all this is! My imagination conjures up visions of Harper because my body iscking the contact with mystery girl. Damn it, I should have thought of that sooner. Feeling better, I do finally turn and look. I instantly have more regrets than 1 can count. When I¡¯d been walking down the hall earlier, I¡¯d tried not to stare too hard, so I hadn¡¯t really seen her face. I¡¯d only noticed she¡¯d worn clothes that weren¡¯t made out of tent material and that for some reason my dick liked it. I sat through my English ss wondering if it was that vision of Harper that had me so hard. Or was it the fact that Aisha kept turning around, asking me questions, trying to distract me with her super low cut shirt that showed off her tits? Well, at least now I know. As always my dick has perfect timing. Not. Especially since I was sitting right next to ke and Ryan. Really. Just, great timing. The anger from before came back full force. What the hell is Harper even thinking? So, she puts on some makeup and better clothes and now she thinks she¡¯s as popr as Ryan? Now she can hang? Now guys can date her? It changes nothing. Some punk sophomore looks ready to pass out as he saunters up to the table and tries to sit with her and Sadie. Ryan¡¯s instantly on his feet. Shit. Me and ke have no choice but to follow him as we weave through the tables and finally make it to theirs. The kid has made the awful choice of sitting next to Harper and when he looks up at us, I¡¯m surprised he hasn¡¯t already shit himself. He instantly pales, then jumps to his feet. ¡°H-hey, Ryan. I just had a math question.¡± ¡°Math¡¯s hard,¡± Ryan says through clenched teeth. ¡°Deal with it and while you¡¯re at it, go before I beat your ass.¡± He points at the door. The cafeteria goes silent as Ryan and Harper have a twin stare off. ¡°Why¡¯d you do that?¡± Sadie pops a fruit snack into her mouth, like that sophomore boy isn¡¯t going to die later today if Ryan finds him. ¡°He was sorta cute, right Harper?¡± My eyes drill into Harper right along with Ryan¡¯s, surprised when ke sits next to Sadie and steals her fruit snacks, then gives Harper Soon enough, the noise is back and I¡¯m staring at the doors. And, then, my feet are somehow carrying me toward them. Whatever they¡¯re doing, it¡¯s their business. Not mine. But I don¡¯t stop walking until I¡¯m through the doors, standing outside where Ryan is currently pacing in front of Harper while she crosses her arms like his protective brother speech is the most boring thing she¡¯s ever heard. I don¡¯t realize I snort out a disgustedugh until they both look my way. Harper tilts her chin in just enough of a challenge that I want to mock her bravery. Really? This girl just keeps getting bolder and bolder. I ignore the way my chest tightens with something like pride. ¡°Don¡¯t waste your time, Ryan.¡± The wordse out before I can stop them. ¡°A little costume doesn¡¯t hide the fact that it¡¯s Harper, it also can¡¯t hide the horrible personality either. Let¡¯s go shoot some hoops.¡± I grab his arm and don¡¯t look back. I do, however, feel her re the entire time I walk away and stupidly wonder if she can feel my heart pound in my chest the way! feel her icy stare obliterate my every step. Chapter 17 Chapter 17 Harper I don¡®t know how long I stand outside after Ryan and Easton are gone. All I can do is breathe in and out, in and out, as I mentally rey HARTER ¡°Don¡®t waste your time, Ryan. A little costume doesn¡®t hide the fact that it¡®s Harper¨C it also can¡®t hide the horrible personality either. Let¡®s go shoot some hoops.¡± Maybe if we hadn¡®t kissed twice or if he hadn¡®t touched me and made me feel the things he did. But, the truth was, even with the costume, even with the darkness, that was all me, Harper, the same Harper that Easton just said couldn¡®t hide. It¡®s like he knew exactly what to say and how to say it to make me want to cry until all the tears made my heart feel better. ¡°Hey.¡± The cafeteria doors m behind Sadie. ¡°What happened? Is Ryan super pissed? Do I need to go talk to him?¡± I remain quiet, not sure how to answer. ¡°God, I¡®m going to kill him! I refuse to crush on him anymore! You hear that, Ryan?¡± She starts yelling like he can actually hear her. ¡°We¡®re through, you little¨C¡± ¡°Shhh.¡± I tug on her arm. ¡°Can we just leave?¡± Her eyes widen in shock. ¡°You want to cut ss?¡± No, I want to cut Easton , then tell him how badly he¡®s cut me, then kiss him and confess everything and wait for him tough until he cries. That sounds really fun. Why is high school the worst? I almost feel numb at this point as I shake my head. Somehow, my legs aren¡®t taking me to my locker or to ss ¨C no, I¡®m walking directly toward the gym where Ryan and Easton just went. What am I doing and what sort of entity has taken over my body and somehow convinced my brain that this is a good idea? Heart pounding, I shove open the gym doors. The smell of equipment and cleaner fill the air as the echoing sound of the basketball fills the empty space. Ryan and Easton areughing while Sadie, just behind me, quietly tries to grab my arm and pull me away like she knows something¡®s about to go down ¡°It¡®s fine.¡± I shrug her off. ¡°T¡®ll be quick.¡± I don¡®t hear her groan as much as | feel it when I walk on to the court in my boots and wait for them to notice me. Ryan does first, his expression unreadable, and then there¡®s Easton. Beautiful, gorgeous, godlike Easton, with his perfect hair, amazing kissing skills, strong jaw, and stupid lower lip! ¡°Why are you such an asshole?¡± || blurt before I can stop myself, my heart pounding in my chest like I¡®ve just done a hundred pushups. Easton drops the ball and crosses his arms, his crystal blue eyesying into me with indignant fury. What? I don¡®t have the right to have feelings? To stand up for myself? To once and for all face him, despite making me want to hurl when I realize I¡®m currently sealing my own fate with him? Whatever future we may have had is going to be gone in a poof of smoke and even though I don¡®t want to care, I do. ¡°What did you just say?¡± His voice is low, his posture rigid. ¡°You heard me.¡± I wait for more insults. Instead, a small smirk toys at the corner of his lips. ¡°Hey, Ryan, did your sister suddenly find out she has balls instead of a pussy?¡± Ryan chucks the basketball at Easton¡®s junk. Easton dodges it and starts tough. ¡°I was kidding, it¡®s kind of refreshing that the quiet twin found her voice, right?¡± ¡°Remember, that¡®s my sister.¡± Ryan uses a tone that says he¡®ll kick Easton¡®s ass if he keeps talking about me in that kind of way. Easton turns, his godlike profile making me want to both p him and kiss him simultaneously. ¡°How could I possibly forget?¡± His eyes roam me up and down. ¡°She¡®s like you but with boobs and ¡°¨C his eyes leer purposefully lower¨C ¡°y ou know.¡± Ryan hits him in the back of the head with his hand. ¡°Really, bro?¡± Easton stumbles forward but he still has that stupid grin on his face. ¡°Anything else you need to say, sad twin?¡± Sad twin? I¡®m the sad twin? Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. grind my teeth ready to st him with an insult. Something that will hurt him, but the bell rings, reminding us it¡®s time to go back to ss. I quickly turn on my heel and grab Sadie¡®s arm, marching out of the gym. Whatever, I said my peace, let him deal with his guilt and idiocy. And, maybe one day, I¡®ll just announce to the world that it was my tits he was obsessed with, my pussy, as he called it, that he wanted Me. Me. Me. And what a glorious day it will be to see his horrified face when he discovers that the one girl he can¡®t have has been standing in front of him all this time. ¡°That was brave.¡± Sadie struggles to keep up with my strut. ¡°No,¡± I correct her. ¡°That was necessary.¡± I want to scream, instead I pretend to be calm as | speed walk toward chemistry. Sadie grabs her seat in front, and I grab my seat in back. Within minutes, Easton¡®s in the ssroom, stopping in front of the desk behind me, thest row. ¡°Yo, move.¡± Brad¡®s groan is so typical of a guy whoins about everything, including the temperature in the ssrooms. ¡°Why? This has been my seat all.¡± ¡°I¡®m not asking,¡± Easton says in a calm, lethal tone. Soon, I see Brad scurrying past my desk and feel the heat of Easton sitting behind me. Things are calm, or as calm as they can be as ss starts, and then I feel a pencil start to draw on my bare neck. I close my eyes. ¡°Feel that?¡± Easton whispers. ¡°Does it tickle? Make you think dirty things that guys do to dirty girls at parties?¡± I gulp. ¡°You will never be that girl, Harper.¡± My stomach clenches, like I¡®m going to be sick. ¡°Want to know why?¡± I say nothing. He leans up until his lips are next to my neck, until I can feel them RE nobody wants you. Dress up all you want, impress your brothers¡® friends as much as you can, but you¡®ll always be you, and isn¡®t that such...¡± Hisugh is low, mocking. ¡°Such a tragedy?¡± If he only knew. | stiffen. ¡°If you need a bathroom pass, can raise my hand, you probably have some tears lingering on your cheeks to clean up. And, don¡®t worry, I¡®m sure you¡®ll find a nice boy who will ask permission to kiss you, who will give you missionary every time, and then say thank you afterward. Just know, that guy won¡®t be me.¡± Chapter 18 Chapter 18 Easton ¡°Don¡®t.¡± Harper¡®s voice is soft, luscious in all the right ces that hit me yet again in all the ces | should not be thinking about when ites to her. What the hell is with this girltely? Furthermore, what the hell¡®s with me? It¡®s driving me insane how she bothers me. The way I want to attack her more and more, like I crave her tears just as much as her smiles. How sick is that? Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. She leans back in her seat, then looks over her shoulder at me, and all I can focus on is that lush mouth and how it would taste, which isplete bullshit and probably means I need to get my head examined for a concussion. I wait for her words, and I fucking hate that I want to know what she¡®ll say. I want to know if she¡®s in pain, if she wants to kill me, if I¡®ve done my job in making sure she understands that this is a no fly zone¨Cshe¡®s not wee here, not near our little friend group when she¡®s trying to find herself in front of all of us, mainly me. ¡°Don¡®t, what?¡± I grin. Her breathes out in a soft exhale. ¡°.¡­try to pay attention,¡± Mr. Egis says as the lights lower. The movie turns on and we¡®re nketed in semi¨Cdarkness. For some reason, even with a kid named Eugene on my right and a Steve on my left drawingme hearts in his binder¨Cthe moment feels sexual. I ignore the way she¡®s semi looking back at me. Her teeth bite down on her lower lip, like she¡®s thinking of what to say. Does she realize what that¡®s doing to me¨Cto any guy who has eyes? I imagine too many things. Things like tossing her against this flimsy desk and tugging the hell out of her hair until she screams with pain and pleasure. ¡°Don¡®t bother. I can find my own guy, one who doesn¡®t yell at me, talk down to me, or make me feel stupid when I know I¡®m the smartest one in the room.¡± She smiles sweetly. ¡°You¡®ll just injure a brain cell, and we know you¡®re running short on those.¡± Her eyshes flutter and I¡®m nearly lost. I don¡®t often get talked to that way and it¡®s kind of turning me on more ¨Cmore than it should. She turns back around. I tap her shoulder ¡°What?¡± She snaps in a sexy whisper ¡°You don¡®t need brain cells to give someone an orgasm.¡± ¡°You¡®re insane,¡± s he hisses. ¡°Want a demonstration of what you¡®re missing?¡± What am I even saying right now? | don¡®t like her! I just like her mouth! This is getting out of control, this weird need to shove her away and this angry need to pull her close only so I can hurt her and lick her tears. Therapy. I need to look into it. But I can¡¯t stop talking ¡°I think you need one...¡± I nod my head, mind made up. ¡°I mean, of course, with your consent.¡± ¡°Touch me and I¡®m breaking your dick in half.¡± Her words say one thing, but I see the way her body arches back a bit, and how she crosses her legs. ¡°Feeling wet?¡± I whisper. She gasps. Her ears turn red at the tips. ¡°Need something to relieve that perfect pressure?¡± I go on. ¡°I bet | could help. I bet one touch from my fingers would get you off so hard you¡®d being for weeks.¡± ¡°You¡®re full of shit.¡± She swallows. So, I raise my damn hand. ¡°Put your hand down.¡± Her voice is panicked. Good. She should be. ¡°Yes, Easton?¡± Mr. Egis looks annoyed. ¡°Sorry, but I just noticed that Harper nearly fainted. She didn¡®t eat much for lunch and was embarrassed to say something. Can I take her to the nurse?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± It¡®s so easy with him, he just wants to retire and add vodka to his coffee. He grabs a pass and walks it over to us. ¡°Straight to the nurse¡®s office.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± I lie and reach for Harper. ¡°Up you go.¡± Her eyes say she¡®s going to kill me, but she stilles, so what does that mean? God, I can¡®t wait to pleasure her and ruin her life because when would it ever be this good for her? Never. The answer is never. We exit the ssroom together and I grab her hand, looking both ways down the hall before I drag her into the closest janitor¡®s closet, flipping on the light and turning the lock when we¡®re tucked inside. She shoves my chest really hard. ¡°What the hell are you doing?¡± ¡°Oh, I thought you understood.¡± | smile and tilt her chin toward mine with my fingertips. ¡°I¡®m giving you a sample of what you¡¯ll never have. Think of it as a gift.¡± She tries to shove me again, but I catch her wrists in my hands and drive her back toward the door, pinning them above her. Her chest heaves. I lean in, my lips at her ear. ¡°Scared?¡± ¡°Never,¡± she replies instantly. ¡°Babe, you really should be.¡± I don¡®t hesitate. I also refuse to kiss anyone after Aisha¨CI¡®m waiting for my dream girl, but this girl also really needs a lesson right now, so I suck on her neck, biting into her. The scent hits me, strong and tropical. She smells good, so good. Why is it familiar? She doesn¡®t moan or even so much as move. I tug at the front of her jeans and undo the buttons. ¡°If I touch you here, will you be wet for me, Harper? Fucking begging for it?¡± She lifts her lips just slightly. It¡®s all the invitation I need. ¡°Remember,¡± I say as my fingers slowly dip into the front of herce panties, ¡°t his is going to ruin you for life. I hope you¡®re ready. And when I get you off, I want a polite thank you for the demonstration of a life you can only dream of. A life you¡®ll never have.¡± Chapter 19 Chapter 19 Harper Oh God. Easton¡®s fingers are inside of my panties. Inside of me. He¡®s watching me, his expression guarded, though his eyes re with heat, giving him away. He¡®s enjoying this moment and how he tortures me. He¡®s right. He¡®s going to ruin me for life. It can¡®t be like this. Not now, in a janitor¡®s closet when we¡®re supposed to be in ss. Not when he¡®s saying such rude things and trying to tear me down. I hate him. He¡®s so mean. Meaner than usual. I have no idea what I did to him to make him so damn angry all the time, but it¡®s terrifying. Exhrating. Sexy ¡°Look at you,¡± he practically croons. ¡°I treat you like garbage yet you¡®re still getting off.¡± His fingers dip lower. ¡°So wet.¡± I close my eyes as tight as I can, humiliation washing over me, but not enough to make me want him to stop. I am definitely wet. And weak. Weak for him. Desperate for his touch. I know we shouldn¡®t be doing this, but I want it. I want more. When ites to Easton, I want it all. He shifts closer, his nose trailing down my neck as he breathes me in. ¡°Why the fuck do you smell like coconuts?¡± It¡®s my lotion. I¡®d tell him that, but | can¡®t find my voice. ¡°Do you all use the same shit?¡± He sounds confused, his hand going still in my panties My eyelids flutter open, and I find he¡®s watching me, a fierce scowl on his handsome face. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± He res, his blue eyes like ice. ¡°You¡®re fucking with me.¡± ¡°About what?¡± ¡°You know.¡± His fingers start to move again, delving deeper into me, pressing against my clit. I bite back a gasp. ¡°So desperate for my attention, you¡®ll do anything to get it?¡± Oh God. Maybe he¡®s finally put it together that I¡®m the girl he¡®s kissed¨Ctwice. And worse, he¡®s mad. He thinks I tricked him, when that was never my intention. ¡°T¨CI don¡®t know what you¡®re talking about.¡± My legs grow weak as he continues to stroke, and I lock my knees, so I don¡®t crumple to the floor, my eyes falling closed once more. It feels so good, how he¡®s touching me. Far better than what I can do to myself. Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Open your eyes,¡± he demands. They fly open and our gazes lock. Hold. He shifts even closer, as close as he can get, his other hand reaching for my jeans and tugging them down my hips a little. I don¡®t stop him. It¡®s like I can¡®t. Why would I want him to stop when I can feel myself drawing closer and closer to an orgasm? ¡°I want you to see who does this to you,¡± he says, his voice hard, his fingers moving faster. I press myself against the door, my breaths elerating. ¡°I want you to watch me when I make youe.¡± My vision grows fuzzy, and I arch my neck, my gaze still on him as his fingers strum my clit in a delicious rhythm that has my toes curling. He leans in, his hot breath on my throat, his hair brushing against my ear and that¡®s all it takes. I¡®ming A moan falls from my lips as my hips buck, and he doesn¡®t let up. He keeps touching me, his assured fingers knowing just what to do to wrench everyst drop of my orgasm from me. It keeps up forever, not long enough, until thatst wave washes over me, and I¡®m shoving him away. Our harsh breaths fill the close confines of the closet, steaming up the room. I crack open my eyes just in time to witness him licking his fingers, his curling tongue setting off a fresh wave of desire through me. ¡°So easy,¡± he says with a smirk. ¡°Too easy.¡± That¡®s what you do to me, is what I want to say, but I keep my mouth shut ¡°Always pathetic, aren¡®t you?¡± He shakes his head. ¡°Next time, I¡®ll use my mouth on you. Let¡®s see how long that takes to make youe. I¡®ll have you creaming on my tongue in no time.¡± Before I can respond, he¡®s shoving me out of the way, opening the door and leaving me alone in the closet. I bolt out after him, not caring if anyone saw us, though thankfully the halls are empty. We reenter the ssroom, me following behind him and we settle into our desks without another word. My legs are shaky, and the blood is buzzing through my veins, remnants of my orgasm. How can I sit here like nothing ever happened when Easton justpletely rocked my world? The movie ends, making me wonder just how long Easton and I were gone, and Mr. Egis flicks on the lights. ¡°Make sure you go over the study guide tonight that I handed out yesterday. There will be ab tomorrow.¡± Groans rise up as everyone gathers their belongings. I grab my things and robotically shove them into my backpack, jumping when the shrill bell sounds. I exit the ssroom as if in a daze, moving through the crowded hallway as I head for myst period of the day. Up ahead, I spot Easton. He stops to talk to Aisha, a friendly smile on his face, and my heart pangs. He never looks at me like that. He¡®s always scowling or angry. Ready to tear me apart with his cruel words. I watch in dismay as he steps closer to her, his fingers touching her cheek. He taps her lips, his head turning, his gaze cutting to mine. Lingering on me. Those very fingers touched me. Stroked me. Made mee. And now, he¡®s touching Aisha with them Without thought, I march over to where they¡®re standing, inserting myself between the two of them, my back to Aisha. ¡°What the fuck?¡± she screeches, but I ignore her. ¡°You¡®re a pig,¡± I tell Easton. My voice is eerily calm. ¡°What¡®s the matter, jealous?¡± He smirks, tapping those same fingers that probably still smell like me against his lips. I don¡®t even hesitate. It¡®s as if my arm has a mind of its own as ! reach up and p him across the cheek. Chapter 20 Chapter 20 Easton My ears ring from the force of Harper¡®s p. In the distance I can hear apuseing from a bunch of assholes. Aisha gasps. Someone¡®s yelling, ¡°It¡®s about time!¡± | nce to my left to see it was ke who said that. The fucker. He¡®sughing and pping like he¡®s watching aedy show. I send him a murderous re, but that only makes himugh harder. Harper stares up at me in horror, as if she can¡®t believe she just did that. Well, guess what? I can¡®t believe she did it either. Girl¡®s got balls, I¡®ll give her that Memories of what happened between us only a few minutes ago flood me. I don¡®t know what came over me, fingering her in the closet like I did. I wanted to taunt her. Show her what she can¡®t have. N?velDrama.Org is the owner. Instead of just giving her a sample, I found that once I started, I couldn¡®t stop touching her. I didn¡®t want to either. The way she lifted her hips when I stroked her in a particr spot. How wet she¡®d been for me. How warm and soft her pussy was. I hated the rush that fueled me as I watched here, knowing that I was the only one who could make her feel like that. Shaking my head, I shove the memory out. I¡®m fucked in the head when ites to this girl. I don¡®t understand what I¡®m doing. I¡®m just running on pure instinct. And my instincts are taking me down a path I¡®m still not sure ! I want to go ¡°I hate you,¡± she murmurs, her eyes ssy as she drops her hand to her side. She¡®s shaking, I can tell, and I touch the spot where she just pped me, my cheek still tingling. ¡°You weren¡®t saying you hated me a few minutes ago in the closet.¡± Her face screws up in anger and then she¡®s gone, running down the hall, the crowds parting for her like the damn Red Sea. ¡°What the hell were you talking about just now?¡± Aisha asks me, her eyes narrowed with suspicion. ¡°And what were you doing with Harper in a closet?¡± I re at her. ¡°Not now,¡± I bite out. Just before I take off after Harper. She¡®s easy to find. And slow. I catch up with her within seconds, and though she fights me, I get a hold of her, pulling her though the double doors so we¡®re outside. I lead her into a tiny alcove just around the corner of the building, her breathsing fast as she res at me. All I can smell is coconuts and sunshine and there¡®s no one else around. Not a single damn soul who would smell like that. I recognize the scent. It drives me out of my mind with lust every time. No way. I refuse to believe it. Taking my time, I drink her in. The re of her generous hips and the dip of her tiny waist. Those tits straining against the front of her shirt. The curve of her ass in her tight jeans and all that dark hair I¡®m dying to sink my fingers into. At the very least, I want to grab her ponytail and tug on it. Pull her close to me, so I can settle my mouth on hers... Confusion fills me and I blink hard. Earlier, in the closet, I didn¡®t want to kiss her. I wanted to save it all for my mystery girl. But I feel like aplete dumbass, because I¡®m starting to think my mystery girl is ¡°What do you want from me?¡± Harper asks, her hostile tone interrupting my thoughts. I take a step back. ¡°Where were you the night of your brother¡®s party when the lights went out?¡± Her gaze flickers but otherwise, her expression remains neutral. She shrugs. ¡°What does it matter?¡± ¡°Tell me,¡± I demand. She lifts her chin. ¡°I don¡®t remember.¡± ¡°Liar.¡± Now I¡¯m moving closer to her, her tropical scent like a fucking drug, drawing me in. ¡°I think you know.¡± ¡°I was with Sadie.¡± ¡°Were you in the downstairs bathroom?¡± Her expression turns to panic. ¡°No.¡± Uh huh. ¡°Did you dress up on Halloween?¡± She shakes her head, not even fazed by my change of subject. ¡°You saw me. I was a more pathetic version of myself, remember?¡± I can¡®t believe I said that to her. I¡®m such a dick. ¡°Were you wearing a cat costume?¡± ¡°You. Saw. Me,¡± she repeats slowly, as if I¡®m stupid. ¡°I didn¡®t dress up. I wasn¡®t invited to your party.¡± ¡°Why did youe then?¡± She remains mute, watching me with wary eyes. ¡°Answer me. Why did youe to my party when I told you I didn¡®t want you there?¡± I ask again. ¡°Sadie convinced me to go. She didn¡®t want to be there alone,¡± she finally says, her voice small. ¡°And how did she convince you? Did you wear a costume? And let me guess, did Ryan catch you in it, and freak out?¡± I toss at her. Harper would make a terrible poker yer. Her answer is written all over her face. Yes. Yes, yes, yes. She shakes her head. ¡°I d¨Cdon¡®t know.¡± She sounds shaky. Unsure. ¡°It¡®s a simple question that demands a simple answer. Yes or no, Harper? Were you wearing a cat costume?¡± Holy hell, I think she was. ¡°I already told you I wasn¡®t.¡± She mps her lips shut, her eyes zing. Oh, she¡®s getting mad now. I¡®m surprised steam isn¡®ting out of her ears. ¡°You¡®re lying to me.¡± My voice is deceptively soft. Downright deadly. ¡°And I don¡®t like liars.¡± ¡°Well, I don¡®t like idiot boys who are too blind to see what¡®s right in front of their face!¡± she retorts, practically stomping her foot. That does it. I lunge for her, my fingers shackling around the crook of her elbows, yanking her toward me. Shees willingly, her cheeks flushed, her eyes sparkling with hatred. And something else. Something familiar. ¡°You¡®re her,¡± I whisper, my entire body going numb with the realization. ¡°You¡®re my mystery girl.¡± Her mouth pops open. ¡°I have no idea what you¡®re talking about¨C¡± Before she can get another word out, 1 silence her with my lips. Chapter 21 Chapter 21 Harper His kiss is brutal. Punishing. Like he¡¯s mad that it¡¯s me, even though I¡¯ve neither confirmed nor denied his usation. That¡¯s what his words felt like-an usation. I don¡¯t think he¡¯s pleased to discover that I¡¯m the one he keeps kissing in dark corners at parties. Yet he¡¯s also the guy who felt me up in a janitor¡¯s closet and got me off with a few precise strokes of his fingers. A shiver steals through me at the Chanteren memory. Or maybe the shiver was caused by the way his tongue just slid against mine I reach between us, resting my hands on his broad chest. His skin is so warm beneath the fabric of his shirt, and his muscles are firm. Hard. He¡¯s hard all over. I¡¯m tempted to pull him closer, but Ie to my senses at thest second and shove him with all my might His mouth detaches from mine and he stumbles backwards, a dazed look on his face as he drinks me in. ¡°What the fuck?¡± ¡°We can¡¯t keep doing this,¡± I say. ¡°Right. Funny how we do keep doing it. Because you¡¯re her,¡± he states. ¡°Who¡¯s her?¡± I¡¯m still yingN?velDrama.Org is the owner. stupid. Easton shakes his head. ¡°Don¡¯t try and fake me out. I recognize your scent¡± ¡°I bought it at a store every girl know shops at.¡± That isn¡¯t a lie. Dozens of us could be wearing this lotion right now. ¡°It¡¯s you.¡± His gravelly voice sends ripples of awareness down my spine. I don¡¯t like how he¡¯s looking at me. As if he can see right through me. ¡°You can protest all you want, but I know it¡¯s you.¡± We stare at each other, the air growing charged between us the longer we say nothing. I tear my gaze from his first storming away from him, grateful I don¡¯t hear him chasing after me. But I¡¯m also sad he didn¡¯t chase after me either. One more period, I remind myself as I put one foot in front of the other and make my way to the ssroom. Less than one hour until I can leave this ce. I¡¯ll go home and pretend today never happened. Hopefully, Easton will leave me alone for good, once he realizes what exactly we¡¯ve done. Liar, says the little voice in my brain. You¡¯re dying for him to touch you again. Kiss you again. Make good on his promise to use his mouth on you¡­ My skin warms. He made that vow when he knew it was me, which makes no sense. I don¡¯t understand him. He hates me, he wants to touch me. He thinks I¡¯m a hideous troll, he wants to make mee. I don¡¯t understand him. Striding into ss, I plop into my seat, wariness zipping up my spine when I witness ke spot me and make his way over to my desk, settling into the one next to mine. ¡°You okay?¡± Igape at him, surprised at the tenderness in his tone, the way he¡¯s watching me as if he actually cares. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± I say once I clear my throat. ¡°Oh. Well. You look-flustered. Your cheeks are red.¡± No way can I tell him why. ¡°Easton still giving you shit?¡± That¡®s one way to put it. ¡°Because if he is, I¡¯ll take that asshole out. I mean it, Harper. I don¡¯t know why he¡¯s suddenly got such a hard on for you, but if you want me to take care of him, I will.¡± ke¡¯s voice is ferocious, as is the gleam in his eyes. ¡°No, he¡¯s not giving me any problems.¡± That¡¯s the truth. I definitely don¡¯t mind what Easton is doing to me. ¡°And I don¡¯t need you to fight my battles, ke. I can handle Easton on my own.¡± ke squints at me. ¡°You sure about that? Every time I see you two together, he¡¯s doing his damnedest to tear you down while you stand there and just take it. He makes you cry, Harp, and that shit ain¡¯t cool.¡± Why does ke suddenly want to run to my rescue? I don¡¯t get it. What¡¯s in it for him? ¡°I¡¯m okay stress. ¡°Really.¡± The boy who normally sits next to me in history approaches his desk ¨Cthe very one where ke is sitting. ¡°Hey,¡± he says nervously. ke flicks his chin at him. ¡°Sup?¡± ¡°You¡¯re in my seat.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m not.¡± ke smiles. ¡°This desk is mine now.¡± ¡°Uhh¡­¡± ¡°You sit over there.¡± ke points at the empty desk where he used to sit only a few minutes ago. ¡°Cool?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± The boy nods. His name is Char31 Daniel. He¡¯s harmless. Quiet And currently very nervous. ¡°Cool.¡± ke and I watch Daniel walk away, and when he¡¯s out of earshot, ke turns to me. ¡°I¡¯m sitting by you now. Hope you don¡¯t mind.¡± ¡°Why would I?¡± I ask weakly. leaning over to unzip my backpack and pull out my history book. I crack it open, ncing over at ke. He has no backpack. No book. Not even a pen or pencil clutched between his fingers. A sigh leaves me. For someone who ims to have one of the highest GPAs in our grade, he doesn¡¯t come to ss very prepared. Our teacher enters the ssroom right before the bell rings, pulling the door closed. The moment she begins her lecture, I tune her out, my mind filled with the stolen moments in the closet with Easton. Outside with Easton when he kissed me. When I shoved him away and the shocked look on his face when I finally-literally pushed back. I frown. Nothing can happen between us again. Now that he knows it¡¯s actually me, I¡¯m sure reality will settle in and he¡¯ll be disgusted with himself-and me. It¡¯s for the best. We can¡¯t keep doing this. We don¡¯t make any sense. What¡¯s happening in my life right now makes absolutely no sense. ncing over at ke, I find he¡¯s watching me, his lips curled into the faintest smile. I smile at him in return before I quickly look away, confused. What is going on with these boys anyway? After being invisible for thest three years, now they notice me? My brother will lose his damn mind if he ever finds out that both of his best friends are suddenly showing interest in his twin sister. But I¡¯m not going to be the one who tells him. Chapter 22 Chapter 22 Easton It¡¯ste and I¡¯m in bed, but I can¡¯t sleep. My head is filled with thoughts of Harper. Memories of Harper. I think back on the night at the twins house, when the lights went out and I was in the bathroom with her. Her silky smooth skin beneath my hands. Her sweet, soft lips on mine. The Halloween party and the kiss we shared then was just as mind blowing. Maybe even more so, because it wasn¡¯t just a one shot deal. We kissed again and it was just as good as the first time even better, actually. She¡¯s so damn responsive. And curvy. When I touched her, it felt as if I was touching a woman. Not some scrawny girl with tits. A real, actual woman. I clench my hands into fists, telling myself I¡¯m not interested. I don¡¯t even like her. I¡¯m not attracted to her. Not at all. She¡¯s not my type. I sort of hate her. She definitely hates me. I taunt her and I don¡¯t even know why. Then I recall the moment in the janitor¡¯s closet. I can¡¯t even me that incident on thinking she was my mystery girl. Nope, I knew exactly who I was dealing with, and I still slipped my hands in her panties and made here in freaking minutes. I barely had to do anything. The moment my fingers made contact with her pussy, I realized she was soaked. As if my mere presence alone aroused her. That could be the case, which is wild. Why would she want me when she hates me? Why do I want her when I hate her? Grabbing my phone, I start to scroll, but social media bores me. I¡¯ve looked at everything I could see tonight. Everyone¡¯s stories and posts, showcasing their mundane lives. I¡¯m over it. Over high school. Over this stage in my life. I¡¯m ready to move on and do something new. I still have seven months to go before we even graduate. That feels like forever Without thought I open Instagram and go into the search bar. I type in Harper¡¯s name and find her profile. Of course it¡¯s private. And of course she doesn¡¯t have a request to follow me. Squinting, I try to make out her profile photo but I can¡¯t tell what¡¯s happening. So I do the next best thing. I screenshot that bitch and blow it up so I can actually see it. It¡¯s a photo of her and Sadie, both of them smiling. I can give it to Harper-she looks pretty. Her hair is down and her eyes are sparkling and she has nice teeth. My gaze drops to her chest, the way her T shirt strains against her tits and I can admit she has a nice body. I can admit a lot of things, but I will never admit I have feelings for this girl. Nope, no way. My finger taps at the bar, sending her a follow request and I swallow hard, fighting the urge to take it back. Toote now, motherfucker. What¡¯s done is done. I toss my phone on the bed beside me and stare at the ceiling, contemting what I¡¯ve just done. Within seconds my phone dings and I pick it up to see she¡¯s epted my request. Well, hot damn. Eagerly I open IG once again and go straight to her profile. Unfortunately, she doesn¡¯t have too many photos posted. They¡¯re mostly of her and Sadie. There¡¯s one of her and Ryan and their parents from a few years ago | can tell because Ryan is a shrimp and Harper¡¯s tits are way smaller. I get a notification that Harper followed me as well and I immediately go into my DMs to send her a message. Me: This means nothing. Harper: Sure. Me: Seriously. I was just curious. Harper: About what? She¡¯s quiet after that revtion and I feel like I said too much, too soon. Why would I tell her I¡¯m curious about her? Harper: I don¡¯t understand you. Good to know. I don¡¯t understand me either. Me: Are you ever going to admit you¡¯re the one I kissed in the bathroom and at the Halloween party? Harper: It wasn¡¯t me. Me: You¡¯re a liar. I knew it the moment I touched you in the closet today. I¡¯d recognize that body anywhere. Harper: You hate me. Me: Not when I have my hands on you. She¡¯s quiet again. I think I¡¯m freaking her out. Well too damn bad. She freaks me out too. A few minutester, she finally replies. Harper: We can¡¯t keep doing this. N?velDrama.Org is the owner. Me: Why not? Harper: We can¡¯t stand each other. You think I¡¯m pathetic. Remember? I hate having my words thrown back in my face. Me: I¡¯m a prick. You bring out the worst in me. Harper: And that right there is why we shouldn¡¯t continue what we¡¯ve been doing. You have no interest in me and you never will. You just see me as a piece of ass. I¡¯m not going to let you use me. I sit up in bed, the sheet puddling around my waist as I type furiously. Me: We don¡¯t have to tell anyone what we¡¯re doing. I know you like it. You¡¯re attracted to me. Harper: I won¡¯t be your dirty little secret. Me: Come on, H. Don¡¯t get shy on me now. We could have fun together. Harper: Good night Easton. Me: Wait. Let me exin. Me: Seriously, hear me out. Me: Harper? Me: Harper! Chapter 23 Chapter 23 Harper Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. | 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 homest 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 epted 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 ssroom early and copse into my desk, dropping the books I¡¯m carrying with a loud thump. I suppose I could go to the front office andin about my Wocker. They¡¯d write me an excuse for beingte so it¡¯s not like it would be a big deal. I¡¯m about to get back up when Sadie darts into my ssroom, 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 nces around the room before her gaze returns to mine. ¡°Come with me.¡± I follow her out of the ssroom, 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 ¡°..she wishes.¡± is what I hear someone say That someone is Aisha. It¡¯s only four letters written in bold ck spray paint across my faded gray locker door. But the word prates my heart and nearly makes me crumple. SLUT! They even used an exmation 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 nk, 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 thebination 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 startughing. Sadie slips her arm around my shoulder and pulls me in close. ¡°Who could do this?¡± ¡°What the fuck?¡± Ryan turns his murderous re 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 ssrooms and Ryan is yelling at Mr. Rose, asking him what he¡¯s going to do about it. ¡°Did you give yourbination 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 popr. 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.¡± Chapter 24 Chapter 24 Easton I heard the rumors about Harper¡®s vandalized locker at the beginning of first period. How someone wrote slut on the front of it in ck spray paint-like what the fuck? By the end of ss, I¡¯m being called into the vice principal¡¯s office. The serious expression on Mr. Rose¡¯s face tells me he means business, and he doesn¡¯t even hesitate with his usation. ¡°Did you vandalize a locker this morning before school started?¡± he asks. I scoff, shocked he would think it¡¯s me. ¡°Absolutely not. Why the hell would I do that?¡± The pointed look he sends me for cursing at him makes me want to say something else. Something ruder. ¡°Watch your mouth. And where were you on campus before the first bell rang?¡± ¡°Out in front of the school, like always am. I have witnesses if you need them to vouch for me.¡± I lean back in my chair,pletely at ease. ¡°Let me look in your backpack.¡± Mr. Rose points at where it sits on the floor. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Thave every right to search your belongings when you¡¯re on school property.¡± He flicks his fingers. ¡°Give it to me. Now.¡± Without a word I hand over my backpack and he settles it on top of his desk before he zips it open, rifling through my things. Irritation fills me but I¡¯m confident he won¡¯t find shit. I don¡¯t even know what he¡¯s looking for. A spray paint can? The person who actually did this would have to be aplete idiot to walk around with the evidence still on them. ¡°Looks like there¡¯s nothing.¡± Mr. Rose says once he¡¯s finished and gives it back over to me. ¡°Want to search my car? I can guarantee there¡¯s nothing incriminating in there either,¡± I say. ¡°Not yet,¡± Mr. Rose says, which sets off a fresh wave of annoyance. ¡°Why do you think I did it?¡± ¡°Your name was mentioned in the list of suspects,¡± Mr. Rose says. Irritation is reced by full flown anger. Did Harper actually believe ! would do something so awful to her? What kind of asshole does she think I am? chutz ¡°Do you still think I did it?¡± I rise to my feet, slinging my backpack onto my shoulder ¡°I¡¯m not sure, so be prepared to get called back in,¡± Mr. Rose says before I leave his office, The rest of the morning I¡¯m in a red haze, too angry to speak, to pay attention, to do anything but walk through the halls like a damn robot, my gaze constantly scanning, looking for Harper. The little bitch is nowhere to be found and by the time lunch starts, I¡¯m infuriated. ¡°Hey baby, want to go off campus together?¡± ch I turn to find Aisha standing in front of me, tempting in a cropped ck shirt and high waisted jeans. She looks good as usual, but the problem with Aisha is shecks substance ¡°No thanks,¡± I bite out as I push past her. I hear her say something else but ignore her, moving through the crowds of people like a shark whose scented his prey. I find her in the cafeteria, sitting at a table with Sadie, the both of them hovered close and whispering. I stop in front of the table, and my presence does nothing. They don¡¯t even notice me. ¡°We need to talk.¡± I demand, my voice so loud they both jump. Sadie watches me, her eyes wide. Harper contemtes me coolly, her expressionpletely unreadable. ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°To talk to you. I pause. ¡°In private.¡± Harper shakes her head. ¡°Not a good idea.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t give a shit what you think.¡± I round the table and ce my hand on her shoulder. Just like that, a bolt of lust shoots through me at first contact So fucking annoying. ¡°You can¡¯t just boss me around¡± she retorts. ¡°I can when you¡¯re spreading false rumors about me and your fucking locker,¡± I throw back at her. Without a word she slips off the bench and we¡¯re walking beside each other, exiting the cafeteria together. Ryan watches us with narrowed eyes but he doesn¡¯t say a word or make a move toward us. I can tell he doesn¡¯t like that I¡¯m talking to his sister. Well tough shit. ke watches us too, his face unreadable, his gaze zing. That guy can go suck a dick. Once we¡¯re outside, I grab hold of Harper¡¯s arm and lead her toward the parking lot, which is mostly devoid of people. The moment we¡¯re out of sight, she¡¯s yanking her arm out of my hand, turning on me like she wants to rip my head off. I would never vandalize your locker,¡± I tell her before she can get a word out. She freezes, her mouth falling open for a brief second before she snaps it shut ¡°I¡¯m a dick but I would never go that far,¡± I continue. ¡°I don¡¯t know who did it, and after what¡¯s happened between us, I¡¯m Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. surprised you¡¯d think I would be so awful.¡± She crosses her arms which only plumps up her tits. It takes all I¡¯ve got not to stare at them. ¡°You¡¯re pretty awful, Easton.¡± ¡°Did you tell Mr. Rose you thought I did it?¡± She shrugs one shoulder. More than enough confirmation. I take a step toward her and she stiffens, her expression wary. ¡°Even after everything we¡®ve shared?¡± My voice is soft, my heart pumping wildly as I get closer. This girl-what the hell is she doing to me? I don¡¯t get it. ¡°We haven¡¯t shared much¡± she whispers. ¡°One moment in a closet?¡± ¡°And another in a bathroom. And at my party.¡± I¡¯m so close I can smell her, that delicious scent lingering around us. ¡°Stop pretending, Harper. It¡¯s unbing.¡± She dips her head, her hair falling forward and covering most of her face. ¡°Who did it then? Who wrote that on my locker?¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t me,¡± I say with so much conviction she looks up, her gaze meeting mine. ¡°I¡¯ll help you figure out who did it though.¡± th Her brows draw together. ¡°You will?¡± I touch her cheek. Stroke along her jaw. Press my thumb against her bottom lip. ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll rip their head off for you too, if that¡¯s what you want. I¡¯d do-¡°I mp my lips shut. I need to shut the hell up before say something I don¡¯t mean. ¡°You¡¯d do what?¡± she whispers, her gaze dropping to my lips. Yeah. She can deny it all she wants, that she hates me. Wants nothing to do with me. But she can¡¯t deny that she wants me. We¡®re happening, whether we like it or not Chapter 25 Chapter 25 Harper I can¡¯t stop staring at Easton¡¯s lips. They¡¯replete perfection, and my skin grows warm when I remember what they feel like pressed against my own. As if he can read my mind, he does exactly that, his mouthnding on mine before I can protest, before I can do anything but kiss him back. I grab hold of the front of his shirt, pulling him in closer versus pushing him away and he wraps his arms around me, crushing me to him as he deepens the kiss. We¡®re out in public. On campus. Anyone could see us. He¡¯s taking a risk to his reputation, being seen kissing me. But it doesn¡¯t seem to matter to him. He¡¯s too busy stroking my tongue with his. Deepening the kiss, his handing up to touch my face, his fingers stroking my cheek. My heart flutters at his gentle touch and I have to remind myself this means nothing. He¡¯s just-I don¡¯t know. Kissing me. For no apparent reason. ¡°Meet me after school,¡± he says once we end the kiss. His forehead is pressed against mine, our harsh breaths mingling together. ¡°We can figure out who did this to your locker.¡± ¡°Why do you want to help me?¡± I swallow hard when his thumb streaks across my bottom lip. ¡°You¡¯re my best friend¡¯s sister. Why wouldn¡¯t I want to help you?¡± His hand drops from my face and he pulls away from me, taking a big step backwards. Like he needs the space. ¡°I¡¯ll drive you home.¡± I shake my head. ¡°I¡¯m riding with Ryan, like I always do.¡± ¡°Not today. You¡¯re riding with me.¡± ¡°How am I supposed to exin that to my brother?¡± Ryan is currently pissed at Easton too since I brought up his name this morning to Mr. Rose. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of him,¡± Easton says with all that confidence I can¡¯t help but admire. ¡°Just say yes, Harper. Let me help you.¡± Slowly I nod, dropping my gaze so I stare at my feet. This is so weird. And confusing. Exhrating. Wonderful. Having Easton¡¯s unwavering attention is something I¡¯m not used to. Him wanting to help me? Not used to that either. ¡°I¡¯ll talk to Ryan,¡± he says. ¡°But I need you to vouch for me too. Tell him I didn¡¯t do it.¡± He starts walking and I follow beside him, my heart racing, but not Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. from his nearness. No, now I¡¯m nervous over convincing my brother Easton is innocent. ¡°I told him I thought it was you.¡± Eastones to a stop and so do I, the both of us facing each other. ¡°Tell him you were wrong.¡± ¡°You really didn¡¯t do it?¡± I have to ask again and I don¡¯t know why. Reassurance maybe? He slowly shakes his head. ¡°I didn¡¯t do it. I don¡¯t know who did either. Have you pissed anyone off lately?¡± ¡°Just you,¡± I say, which actually makes him crack a smile. And it¡¯s the most beautiful smile I¡¯ve ever seen, I swear. ¡°Vandalizing school property isn¡¯t my style.¡± We start walking again, and as we get closer to the cafeteria, I can tell he¡¯s scanning the clusters of people sitting outside, his gaze assessing. Like he¡¯s trying to figure out who looks the guiltiest. ¡°Besides, that¡¯s a fast way to get yourself expelled,¡± Easton continues. ¡°I¡¯m not that stupid. We¡¯re only seven months away from leaving this hell hole. I¡¯m not about to risk it.¡± ¡°You think it¡¯s a hell hole too?¡± I hate school. I know some people love high school-Sadie for one-but I find it the ultimate misery. I¡¯ve never had an easy time making friends. I¡¯m too quiet. Too into reading and homework and whatever else. I want to get good grades so I can go to a good college and get out of here. I wouldn¡¯t mind forgetting thest four years. They weren¡¯t memorable. Until now. ¡°I¡¯m over it,¡± Easton says, and that¡¯s all he offers. ¡°Hey, there¡¯s Ryan. We both nce over to see my brother standing just outside the cafeteria with Sadie by his side. By the firm set of his jaw, I¡¯d say he¡¯s mad. When is he not? Ryan spots us and makes his way over to where we¡¯re standing, going right up to Easton and shoving at his chest. ¡°You better tell me you had nothing to do with Harper¡¯s locker this morning.¡± ¡°You saw me leave the cafeteria with her and now you¡¯re mad?¡± Easton is totally taunting him. Something I would never have the guts to do. ¡°Sadie told me Harper needs to fight her own battles.¡± My brother flicks a nce in my direction. But I can¡¯t take it anymore. You better tell us the truth, E. Did you fuck with my sister¡¯s locker? Call her a slut?¡± ¡°No,¡± Easton says. ¡°I had nothing to do with it. But I¡¯m going to help Harper figure out who did.¡± Ryan steps away from him with a frown. ¡°Why the hell are you bothering?¡± Easton¡¯s gaze never wavers from mine as he says, ¡°It¡¯s the least 1 can do. She needs help.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll help her.¡± I roll my eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t want your help, Ryan.¡± ¡°Then let Sadie help you. Not this guy.¡± Ryan points at Easton. ¡°What¡¯s your problem with Easton?¡± The words explode out of me, loud and shrill, and from the shocked look on my brother¡¯s face, I can tell he didn¡¯t expect it. ¡°Seriously, why are you always on his case? Or my case? Why can¡¯t we be friends?¡± Ryanughs. ¡°Easton is friends with no girls. He fucks them and discards them because he doesn¡¯t give a shit about anyone else but himself. If you want to put yourself through that kind of pain, then be my guest. Just don¡¯te crying to me after he fucks you and tosses you aside like yesterday¡¯s garbage.¡± With those cryptic words, Ryan stomps away, Sadie approaching him but he just shakes her off. I chance a look in Easton¡¯s direction, shocked to see the anger and the sadness in his gaze. As if what my brother just said offended him. Maybe it did. Hmmm. Maybe Easton has a heart after all. Chapter 26 Chapter 26 Harper I can¡¯t believe my idiot brother said that in front of Easton, or that Easton took it for that matter. My cheeks burn with embarrassment, because he¡¯s not wrong is he? That¡¯s exactly Easton¡¯s MO and yet here I stand, right next to him, suddenly epting his help along with a ride home when anyone who knows us or knows him, would find it suspicious. Clearly Ryan¡¯s pissed and I know it¡¯s because he¡¯s being protective which just makes me even more nervous over the fact that a few minutes ago Easton had his tongue in my mouth. And I didn¡¯t push him away. I pulled him closer And epted his help despite his asshole tendencies. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Easton gently grabs my arm and pulls me towards his car. I have no other option but to follow him especially since my punk ass brother aka my normal ride is currently trying to find a tampon since it¡¯s clearly his time of the month. Ugh. Boys. I tuck my hair behind my ears, keep my head down, and follow Easton out into the parking lot. I know people are watching us. I can feel their stares burning through my back as me and Easton for the first time, like, ever, get in his Jeep without my brother. I¡¯ve always loved his Jeep, I¡¯ve had several fantasies where he stops by my house, picks me up, and asks to see me, not my brother-me. I never imagined that this would be how senior year would go, and my head is going to explode if any other surprises happen today-or if Easton attempts to kiss me again. ¡°Get in.¡± Easton opens the white door and it feels like he¡¯s letting me into his life despite my brother being a crazy idiot. I¡¯m getting in Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. And it¡¯s not Ryan who¡¯s helping me but Easton. The boy who kisses me one minute, then looks ready to trip me the next. I gulp and crawl up into the seat, then put on my seatbelt. It smells like coffee and spearmint gum which just reminds of the way he tastes and how much Ryan will lose his shit if he finds out. I don¡¯t have time to be nervous, soon enough Easton¡¯s in the Jeep, and it¡¯s roaring to life as he backs up out of his parking spot, wordless, jaw clenched, looking beautiful and pissed at the same time. I nce out the window and frown as ke watches us from the parking lot, his expression unreadable. What¡¯s he staring at? The Jeep? Me? Or is he just curious like everyone else at our school? Ugh what a crappy day. If it wasn¡¯t Easton, who did it? Who has that much time on their hands in the first ce? Embarrassment hits me fast and hard as I remember how everything fell out of my locker and how everyone saw. Andddd I still have seven months of the school year left, which means this could happen again and again unless we figure out who did it ¡°You hungry?¡± Easton asks once we¡¯re on the street. ¡°Huh? What?¡± I frown. His smile is more of a smirk, devastating as he bites down on the bottom of his lip before taking a right towards downtown. ¡°It¡¯s a simple question.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know if I can eat right now.¡± I sigh. ¡°I want to just ¡± My voice trails off. I feel anxious. Off bnce. Everything seems so out of focus right now that it¡¯s hard to breathe, it¡¯s hard to even inhale because with every single breath I smell him, I feel him, and I want him. And I shouldn¡¯t. My brother would kill both of us. Plus he¡¯s an asshole, both my brother and Easton and yet I can¡¯t stop the way my heart races every single time I nce over at him. Easton curses under his breath and turns on the music. Great my not being hungry somehow pissed him off. How could I ever think that this could be anything but madness between us? He passes my street. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°You¡¯re shaking.¡± ¡°Am I?¡± I looked down at my hands, he¡¯s right, I had no idea. Is that why he asked if I was hungry? I¡¯m still staring at my shaking hands and my ck chipped nail polish when the Jeep turns off and he turns to face me, seatbelt off. ¡°Who hates you?¡± His question catches me off guard. ¡°You mean other than you?¡± I look around. We¡¯re not at my house, we¡¯re also not at a fast food restaurant. We¡¯re at his house. In his driveway I stare up at the giant home. Where everything came crumbling down, where he upped his meanness past what had been normal in the past.. ¡°I don¡¯t hate you.¡± He says it quietly and then he¡¯s opening his door and mming it like his actions can¡¯t help but show annoyance and hate despite what words are tumbling out of his mouth. Was he really not taking me home? Without any other choices, I get out of the Jeep and follow him inside, rolling my eyes because he doesn¡¯t even turn around to see if I¡¯m following, he just assumes that any girl with eyes and a pulse would dumbly jump off a cliff for him if he asked. I hate that I don¡¯t even hesitate as I go through the front door and continue to follow him into his massive kitchen. I don¡¯t ask if his parents are home-l assume they rarely are from what Ryan¡¯s said in the past. It looks different without everyone partying. Emptier. Sadder. ¡°It was probably one of the girls -¡± He pulls out a bar stool and hops onto the white granite countertop. ¡°Bitches be crazy. I crack a smile. ¡°Did you really just say bitches be crazy?¡± ¡°Made youugh.¡± He winks. ¡°You¡¯re an idiot.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± He presses a hand to his chest and stares at me, it¡¯s the sort of stare I always wanted from him, it¡¯s also terrifying. I don¡¯t have time to dissect it, just like I don¡¯t have time to manage my feelings as he crooks his finger towards me. I obey I hate myself and him in that moment. I hate my weakness. I stop walking when I¡¯m between his legs pressed up against the counter, he cups my face with both hands, his thumb brushes my top lip. ¡°He was right you know.¡± ¡°W-who?¡± ¡°Ryan.¡± His eyes sh. ¡°I don¡¯t date. I fuck.¡± I flinch. ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve had a bad day. I¡¯ve had a bad day¡­since someone used me of being a sociopath..¡± He continues rubbing my lower lip and then he dips his thumb inside. I bite down, His eyes ir to life. ¡°Harder.¡± So I bite harder, I bite into his skin, I inflict pain and realize that his body¡¯s confusing it with pleasure. ¡°You¡¯re not leaving untill make you feel better.¡± His voice is low, almost a growl before his mouth descends. And I¡¯m lost again to my enemy. My brother¡¯s best friend. His taste. My downfall. Chapter 27 Chapter 27 Easton I have a serious problem. And her name is mystery girl, Harper, off limits-take your pick. She¡¯s an addiction I don¡¯t want and I never asked for. Her tongue slips past her lower lip, tasting mine. I don¡¯t know how to go slow when I¡¯m with her and every time we break apart, I question my own sanity and then go back for seconds. I¡¯m supposed to be helping her find the jackass who messed up her locker, I¡¯m not supposed to be kidnapping her, bringing her to my house and kissing her. I lost all self control once I had her in my Jeep Maybe I just need to get her fully out of my system like a fucking cleanse or some shit. I haven¡¯t fucked in two months. What Ryan doesn¡¯t know won¡¯t kill him, it¡¯s not like little miss perfect would tell him anyways, she¡¯d die before admitting to Ryan that we hooked up. I can¡¯t take it anymore. The way she feels in my arms. It¡¯s so wrong. I kiss her harder, angry at her for making me feel this way and angry at myself forcking the will to stop my mouth from moving against hers. She bunches my t-shirt in her hand and twists while I dig my hands into her hair pulling her tight against me, my dick strains against my jeans. I¡¯m so hard I can¡¯t think straight. She¡¯s soft in all the right ces. I want to explore and her still innocently kissing me like she has no clue I¡¯m ready to throw her against the counter and fuck her senseless. Ryan was right about me. She should have listened to him. She shouldn¡¯t have gotten in my car with that knowledge and she sure as hell shouldn¡¯t be kissing me back like she is-fuck I¡¯m going to do it. Who cares if she¡¯s a virgin, right? Some sick part of me even acknowledges that I don¡¯t want any other guy being the first even if it means I¡¯m going to get her out of my system I will be able to forget her. And everything will magically go back to normal. No more mystery girl. No more fantasizing. Nothing Maybe I¡¯ll even fuck Aisha next week just because I can. I smile against her mouth. It¡¯s a good n. The best n I¡¯ve had in years. I gently push her away from me and hop down from the counter then pull her into my arms, our mouths ng against one another as I try to breathe between kisses, between the pressure building between us and the tension that continues to grow like a bomb ready to go off in my kitchen. Harper gasps as my mouth finds her neck-sucking and biting. I reach for her shirt and pull it over her head and I¡¯m instantly rewarded with the most gorgeous tits I¡¯ve ever seen in real life. I mentally take a picture as I flick off her bra and cup them in my hands. They spill over my fingertips, they¡¯re so damn heavy I have to look, I have to pull away and see her creamy skin spilling past my fingertips. Her eyes are uncertain, they ask me if I like what I see, if I want more, and I want to walk away. Because I don¡¯t know why the hell I¡¯m doing this with her. And because I can¡¯t stop. ¡°I¡¯m going to fuck you.¡± There¡¯s nothing romantic about how I say it or about my meaning. She doesn¡¯t flinch Instead something shifts in her stance, in her eyes, like she sees through all the bullshit I try so hard to put between me and every single girl I¡¯ve ever fucked. She grabs my wrists pulling my hands away I let her. Intrigued by the look she¡¯s giving me. I¡¯ve never seen it before and I¡¯m fucking entranced as a topless Harper slowly descends to her knees then presses her palm against my jeans. I¡¯m so hard and sensitive it hurts. My hips buck against her hand without asking permission from my brain to even move, damn it I¡¯ve never been this close to nutting in my own pants by a simple innocent touch. ¡°Harper.¡± I can¡¯t tell if it¡¯s a warning or a plea, only that I¡¯m desperate and I might die before graduation if she doesn¡¯t do something. Her fingers move to the button of my jeans, then my zipper, I nearly ck out when her hand tugs down both my boxer briefs and jeans then reaches for my cock and gives it a tight squeeze. ¡°Fuck.¡± I see stars as her head descends, her hot mouth takes me in and I¡¯m lost, pumping my hips as she sucks me dry. It¡¯s almost too much, the heat, the sucking, and the feeling of her cupping my balls. I grip her by the hair and hold her there as I fuck her mouth. Harper¡¯s taking deep long pulls of my dick like she¡¯s never tasted anything better. Her tongue swirls along my tip making my knees buckle. I¡¯m surprised I¡¯ve evensted this long as she looks up at me through her eyshes and smiles around my cock. I¡¯m gone. Done. I spill into her mouth and nearly have a stroke at eighteen when she swallows, one drip trails down her chin. She catches it with her finger and sucks that too. I almost propose. I mentally shake myself. What the hell just happened? Ryan would disown me. No he¡¯d kill me. Sex is one thing Fucking is another. N?velDrama.Org is the owner. But a blow job with eye contact when a girl swallows you whole-it felt more personal, more than anything I¡¯ve ever done with her. I¡¯m panting, I don¡¯t know what to say. Thank you? Let¡¯s do that again? Instead I pull away from her and tuck myself back into my jeans, turn around and call over my shoulder. ¡°Knew you were hungry.¡± Her eyes sh with anger as she wipes her mouth and whispers. ¡°I¡¯ve had better.¡± Chapter 28 Chapter 28 Harper He has no heart, no soul, nothing but a super hot shell of a body, a six pack, and a giant dick. I¡¯ve never wanted to kill someone so much in my entire life. If heid down on the street I¡¯d run him over with his own Jeep. It was all false bravado. My own version of chicken, except he let me taste him, he watched me, his smirk had disappeared. I don¡¯t know what I expected in that moment, maybe for him to taunt me or challenge me to go through with it. Instead, I realized I wanted him¨C wanted this, even if it meant all I was getting was angry Easton¨Cat least in this instance I was in control and he knew exactly who was making him feel that way. I almost died when he gripped me by the hair, nearly choking me to death. It was good Damn it. Ryan would decapitate him if he knew. I get to my feet-shaking from our encounter and walk towards the fridge to grab a drink of water-soda- something that¡¯s going to take away his taste so my body stops reminding me of what it felt like to be on my knees in Easton¡¯s kitchen. ¡°What?¡± Easton is back to ignoring me as he grabs a bottle of water from the fridge then hands me one before opening his own and taking a few gulps. ¡°Was it not good for you?¡± ¡°You¡¯re an asshole.¡± I say reaching for the water. ¡°I don¡¯t suppose you have any mouthwash around for the whores you bring here?¡± He smirks. ¡°Are you calling yourself a whore?¡± ¡°Yousted like three minutes, Easton, I¡¯d tread carefully before it¡¯s your locker that gets vandalized with the words Minute Man.¡± ¡°Bullshit.¡± He points his water bottle at me. ¡°You took me by surprise, that¡¯s all.¡± ¡°Mmmm, okay.¡± He reaches into his back pocket and pulls out his phone. ¡°Fuck, three missed calls is Aisha high or something?¡± I flinch at Aisha¡¯s name. The girl he was making out with days ago. She would hate me if she knew. Then again. I frown. She already doesn¡¯t like me. Could she have been the culprit? But why? It¡¯s not like anyone knows about me and Easton? Even me and Easton didn¡¯t know. He sighs and calls her right in front of me, he doesn¡¯t even say hi no he just goes. ¡°What is it? I¡¯m busy.¡± Busy. Hah. I was the one that was busy but whatever¡­ He sighs and starts wandering around the roompletely ignoring me. I almost duck behind the counter then remember she can¡¯t actually see me. Suddenly he hits his screen and she¡¯s on speakerphone announcing how bored she is. ¡°Watch TV.¡± He moves around the kitchen. ¡°Do homework, like I said I¡¯m busy.¡± ¡°Wait,¡± She pauses. I hold my breath.¡±Is Ryan over? Do you guys want me toe hang?¡± ¡°No.¡± He sounds annoyed. ¡°He and Harper got into a fight after some bitch wrote slut on her locker. You wouldn¡¯t know anything about that, right?¡± She barks out augh. ¡°Do you really think I¡¯d waste my time on that bitch?¡± I squeeze my eyes shut. Easton doesn¡¯t even defend me. I suddenly feel dirty about what we did. Stupid. Five minutes ago I was proud of myself and now I want to throw his phone across the room. Why doesn¡¯t he just hang up? What does he see in her? I tune out their conversation then hear her his flirtyugh.¡±. Aisha, lets not have a repeat ofst week when you randomly showed up at my house and asked me to fuck you, okay? I really am busy.¡± ¡°I was horny.¡± She snapped ¡°And you know you like it when==¡± Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. !¨Csorry you¡¯re breaking up.¡± He coughs into the phone and finally looks over at me. ¡°Is there anything else you needed?¡± ¡°Wow, all business today I see.¡± Sheughs. ¡°Fine, fine.¡± She lets out azy yawn that I can see perfectly in my head, she does it in front of Easton all the time, pressing her breasts back, and he almost always falls for it. ¡°You know where to find me, maybe I¡¯ll send you a picture of my new skirt later, unless you prefer to see what¡¯s underneath instead?¡± Tear¡¯s well in my eyes. He wants me to hear this. It¡¯s cruel. ¡°Nah I¡¯m good, I already jacked off earlier..¡± This time when he looks at me he¡¯s not smiling, everything about his look is heated like he¡¯s remembering me on my knees. ¡°Aw did you save one of my selfies?¡± He swallows, eyes still locked on mine. ¡°Nah found something better.¡± Sheughs: ¡°Liar.¡± ¡°Bye¡ª¡± He draws out the word. She hangs up And we¡¯re left there staning in the silence, me drinking water in a vain attempt to wash away my sins and Easton staring at my mouth like he wants to do it again The attraction is like this inferno, no matter how many times I toss something on the mes, we explode in a fury of madness, lust, and chaos. He hangs up. I¡¯m so embarrassed I could die. I don¡¯t know where to look or what to say, I start to put the water bottle down so I can grab my phone and call Ryan toe get me, then again that¡¯s probably not a good idea either. Sadie wille to my rescue. I need to get out of the house. Why would I think what we did meant anything to him when he¡¯s getting it on the regr by Aisha? ¡°Wanna watch a movie?¡± He asks like nothing happened. ¡°Are you kidding?¡± He shrugs. ¡°What? It¡¯s not like she thought you were here. Damn, can you imagine? She¡¯d spread so much shit about you that you¡¯d hang yourself before the next semester. That¡¯s just how she is, don¡¯t worry about it.¡± I shove him. ¡°That¡¯s why you think I¡¯m angry?¡± He frowns. ¡°I covered for you so you really don¡¯t need to be angry, it¡¯s not like! popped the phone on Facetime and waved the phone around. Besides you¡¯re already here, let¡¯s hang.¡± Was this his way of rewarding me for a job well done? I was stuck between wanting to prove to him that I could be mature and sit through a stupid movie without feeling ufortable. ¡°I liked it.¡± He looks away, his expression unreadable when his eyes find mine again. ¡°Don¡¯t read too much into it.¡± I roll my eyes. ¡°Trust me, I wasn¡¯t.¡± ¡°You know for a nerd you¡¯re a really good kisser-* ¡°Easton!¡± I punch him in the shoulder ¡°Harper!¡± He smirks, rubbing his shoulder and sets down his water next to mine on the counter. ¡°For the record, you really are, just don¡¯t tell Ryan I said that, I¡¯ll deny it to my grave and spread it around the school that you have herpes and halitosis before admitting it, k?¡± I sigh pressing my fingers to my forehead. ¡°You¡¯re exhausting.¡± ¡°At least you¡¯re not bored like Aisha is right now it¡¯s not like I¡¯m her cruise director or something, damn it¡¯s annoying. So what do you say? Movie?¡± I hesitate. If I stay longer things might happen. If I stay longer Ryan¡¯s going to ask where I am. If I stay longer I¡¯ll get weaker. Easton somehow reads all of it, grabs me by the hand and pulls me against him, how the hell is this guy hard again? My eyes widen as he lowers his mouth and presses a kiss to my neck. ¡°Stay.¡± ¡°We can¡¯t be doing this.¡± I sigh. ¡°I know.¡± He agrees just as my brother¡¯s voice fills the room. ¡°Easton!¡± He yells. ¡°You know where Harper is?¡± Easton shoves me away, smiling cruelly. ¡°I¡¯m good at picking up strays.¡± My brother rounds the corner. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Easton shrugs and says. ¡°She was hungry. I felt sorry for her after your fight, I was gonna take her home but brought her here first to eat.¡± ¡°What did you guys have?¡± He asks, his expression thunderous like any answer is going to be a very wrong and end up leading Easton towards an early grave. ¡°Yeah what did we have again?¡± Easton stretches his arms over his head all rxed like he isn¡¯t about to get punched, exposing his tan skin and six pack. I smile and say. ¡°Miniature hot dogs.¡± His smile drops and for some reason the challenge in his eyes makes me want to kiss him again. It makes me realize I do affect him. Ryan doesn¡¯t even hesitate as he grabs Easton and ms him against the counter, his hands fisting his shirt. ¡°What the hell did you do with my sister?¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± Easton shoves him back. ¡°Damn what kind of friend do you think I am?¡± He shrugs a bit. ¡°Let¡¯s watch a movie.¡± Ryan doesn¡¯t move, he looks between us with suspicion. Easton ignores it and then holds up his phone. ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, I was talking to Aisha for most of the time while your sister hydrated.¡± Lies. All lies He shes his phone to Ryan who rxes a bit, then jabs a finger in Easton¡¯s face. ¡°Hands off, you know the rules.¡± ¡°I know the rules.¡± He says as Ryan shoves past him. Easton¡¯s devouring me with his stare. He knows the rules. He¡¯s just choosing not to follow them. Chapter 29 Chapter 29 Easton I nearly choke. Miniature? Hot dogs? Damn, that¡¯s harsh. Her arms cross as she stares down Ryan. ¡°Did you want some?¡± Oh hell, that little shit! ¡°Actually,¡± I interrupt. ¡°We were thinking about ordering pizza and inviting some people over, you want in?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Ryan makes himself right at home, going to the fridge grabbing a beer then tossing one to me. ¡°ke was already on his way over anyway.¡± Oh great now I have another dick who¡¯s been staring at Harper way too hardtely. Is it my imagination or does she look really hot in her tight t-shirt? i gulp and look away. ¡°Sounds good.¡± An ufortable look passes across Ryan¡¯s face. ¡°We good, bro?¡± ¡°Always.¡± We fist bump. And I smile. He doesn¡¯t know I was just touching his sister. That she licked me dry. That the very hand he¡¯s pounding was minutes away from dipping into her pussy and making her scream. There¡¯s something so fucking satisfying and horrible about the thoughts going through my head, like I want to keep doing shit behind his back just because it fucking turns me on that he has no clue. And she does. Harper clears her throat next to me. ¡°Mouth dry?¡± Her re says it all. ¡°I think I have more drinks.¡± I make a jerking motion with my hand when Ryan¡¯s back was turned. She flips me off. I fucking love it. Damn it! Pull it together, Easton! My front door opens and closes. ke strolls in like he owns the ce carrying a six pack and sucking on his vape pen. His eyes drink Harper in then flicker to mine. ¡°Did you get lost on the way to her house?¡± Why does he sound annoyed? And why the hell is he looking at Harper so much Rules I broke without knowing, but still. He has no fucking business asking about her or even looking at her like he is right ¦°OW. ¡°Yes. I was so confused I just took the stray home.¡± I admit with heavy sarcasm in an attempt to pull his attention away from Harper and on me. ¡°Plus there was construction.¡± Harper straight up growls. ¡°Stop calling me a stray before I castrate you!¡± ¡°Hide the knives.¡± Ryan teases as he plops onto the couch in the living room and spreads his arms wide. ¡°She looks like she means it.¡± ¡°I¡¯m a lover not a fighter.¡± I admit with a wink. ¡°More like a fucker not a lover.¡± ke adds again earning me another hateful stare from Ryan as ke opens up the six pack and hands one to Harper. Since when does he share his beer? It doesn¡¯t sit well with me. Even an hourter when it¡¯s dark and we¡¯re all sitting in the living room eating pizza and watching Netflix. He keeps offering her random shit. Need another napkin? Another slice? Oh look your drinks empty. He¡¯s being so fucking nice I want to strangle him. Doesn¡¯t he know Ryan hates that? And yet Ryan ignores everything, going from texting on his phone to watching the movie to texting again. He¡¯s probably horny. Whatever. I kick the coffee table then look up. Harper frowns at me like I¡¯ve officially lost it. Without putting too much thought into it, I move from the chair to the couch she¡¯s sitting on Ryan¡¯s on her right. ke is on the floor facing the tv and I¡¯m suddenly hot. Like really hot I grab a nket from the chair next to me and toss it over Harper then get up and make sure all the lights are off as Ryan clicks on the next movie It¡¯s the second Quiet ce movie which I¡¯ll never admit gave me nightmares for at least two weeks. Harper stills next to me when I sit. ¡°More like a fucker not a lover.¡± ke adds again earning me another hateful stare from Ryan as ke opens up the six pack and hands one to Harper. Since when does he share his beer? It doesn¡¯t sit well with me. Even an hourter when it¡¯s dark and we¡¯re all sitting in the living room eating pizza and watching Netflix. He keeps offering her random shit. Need another napkin? Another slice? Oh look your drinks empty. He¡¯s being so fucking nice I want to strangle him. Doesn¡¯t he know Ryan hates that? And yet Ryan ignores everything, going from texting on his phone to watching the movie to texting again. He¡¯s probably horny Whatever. I kick the coffee table then look up. Harper frowns at me like I¡¯ve officially lost it. Without putting too much thought into it, I move from the chair to the couch she¡¯s sitting on, Ryan¡¯s on her right. ke is on the floor facing the tv and I¡¯m suddenly hot Like really hot. I grab a nket from the chair next to me and toss it over Harper then get up and make sure all the lights are off as Ryan clicks on the next movie Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. It¡¯s the second Quiet ce movie which I¡¯ll never admit gave me nightmares for at least two weeks. Harper stills next to me when I sit. The t screen is the only light flickering through the massive living room and I¡¯m feeling buzzed. From the beer or from sitting next to Harper I¡¯m really not sure, but I like it. I have a million sensations pulsing through my body as I sit next to her, thigh to thigh I dip my hands under the nket pulling it over myp then reach across and grip her thigh. She jumps a foot Ryanughs, pping his leg. ¡°You¡¯re such a chicken shit, Harper, do you need to close your eyes? ¡°Shut up.¡± She smacks him in the arm, he smacks her back, forcing her to scoot closer to me. Our bodies are pressed together and that awareness won¡¯t go away no matter how many times I try to ignore it. I side eye ke who seems to be more interested in the movie and his pizza before | slide my hand down her thigh again. She¡¯s wearing leggings. I can feel her pulse. Her body heats as my fingers dance along her thigh, toying with her, ying with her, trying to see how far I can push her with her brother sitting mere inches from her. She stiffens¡ªspoiler alert-so do l. I¡¯ve never been so fucking horny in my life. I adjust myself underneath the nket and try to focus on the movie, then after a few minutes, I move my hand up and dip it into her waist, adjusting my legs so it looks like I¡¯m getting morefortable on the couch when really I¡¯m shoving my hand down his sister¡¯s pants. Her fingers dig into my leg Ilean in and whisper. ¡°Sorry, I wanted a snack.¡± She turns her head, her mouth inches from mine, ¡°There¡¯s some pizza left¡± ¡°I wanted pussy.¡± I whisper. She gulps. ¡°You don¡¯t know what you want.¡± ¡°Shhhhh!¡± Ryan shoves her. I pull my hand away from her heat, my body devastated with the loss. With a sigh she gets up and mumbles. ¡°I¡¯m going to the bathroom.¡± Leaving me wondering if I¡¯ve pushed her too far.¡± The guys are oblivious so I get up. ¡°Anyone want more beer?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Ryan yawns. ke shakes his headpletely blitzed out as he takes another drag of his vape. ¡°Nahhhhh.¡± He¡¯s so stoned he probably thinks he¡¯s at his house. ¡°Cool.¡± I bypass the kitchen and go straight to the guest bathroom. I knock on the door twice. She cracks it open I shove it further, then shove her against the counter, and kiss the hell out of her mming and locking the door behind us. ¡°Fuck not doing this,¡± jerk away briefly. ¡°I¡¯m going to have you and you¡¯re going to come so hard you see stars.¡± ¡°Easton,¡± Her eyes fill with panic. ¡°Make no mistake,¡± I whisper against her mouth. ¡°This time the lights are on.¡± Chapter 30 Chapter 30 Harper It¡¯s like the Easton Twilight zone. He shoves me away, pulls me close, he kisses me with the same mouth that curses me. I don¡¯t think he even knows what he wants, but it¡¯s addicting and stupid the way he kisses like I¡¯m forever when I¡¯m not even a right now. This time he doesn¡¯t take my shirt off, he just shoves it up while his mouth devours mine, his lips and tongue moving at a pace that drives me insane, I can¡¯t digest what¡¯s even happening because it¡¯s happening so fast. It¡¯s Easton¡¯s house. Easton¡¯s bathroom. My brother is in the next room over eating pizza like everything is normal and I¡¯m sucking on Easton¡¯s tongue while he bites down on my lip. This is not a normal Monday. This is not a normal day. I want to shove him away because I know this means nothing to him, but I can¡¯t help the way I feel. That way I¡¯ve always felt. Selfishly I want this maybe more than he does. Even if tomorrow he goes back to ignoring me. So I say it, out loud, I don¡¯t want to get hurt and he has the power to do exactly that. ¡°This means nothing.¡± He moans into my mouth. ¡°Absolutely nothing.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just sex.¡± I agree even though I know it¡¯s not. Even though this will be my first time and everything is right and wrong and confusing and imperfect. ¡°One hundred percent.¡± He agrees, his mouth leaving mine briefly as he kisses my chin then roughly pulls my leggings down along with my underwear, I¡¯mpletely bare to him. I have no time to be embarrassed. Cold air hits my ass as he lifts me onto the counter tugging off my shoes, socks, and letting my leggings dangle from my right leg while he unbuttons his jeans. 1 help him. Something is seriously wrong with us. If someone told me to stop, I¡¯dpare it to withholding your breath, with choosing not to breathe. It¡¯s impossible to survive. His every touch feels like fresh air, I suck him in like an addict-he holds me close like an addiction His jeans slide down his perfect ass annoying me to no end as he reaches into the drawer by the sink pulling out a condom. This is happening. ¡°Easy ess?¡± I taunt. ¡°Put them in here while you ordered the pizza.¡± He says kissing me harder. ¡°So,¡± I pull away. ¡°This was nned?¡± ¡°No.¡± He admits, his eyes unfocused, crazy. Just hopeful. Do you really think I¡¯m that insane to fuck you with your brother sitting on my couch.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± I reach for him, biting down on his bottom lip. ¡°I do.¡± ¡°That hurts so good.¡± He ducks his head into my hair, his lips on my neck, frozen there like he wants to memorize the moment when he¡¯s already promised it means nothing to him. ¡°No jokes about going fast.¡± ¡°No jokes about being a slut.¡± ch ¡°You aren¡¯t a slut.¡± He says it so seriously so softly that I look at him, his eyes lock on mine, and then he¡¯s kissing me again, eyes open, eyes searching, filling. ¡°Tonight, you¡¯re just mine.¡± He owns me. He¡¯s owned me since my brother announced he had a new best friend. And I¡¯ve wanted him since I can remember. Without looking away from me he tugs the foil wrapper open, he puts on the condom. I¡¯m afraid to look down. But when I do it¡¯s to see his fingers creeping up my thighs pulling them further apart as he tucks himself back in like he¡¯s changed his mind, and shocks the hell out of me by licking his lips. ¡°Sorry I think I prefer a small snack right now.¡± I realize I¡¯m shaking. He knows it. I don¡¯t know what to say as he presses his palm against me, his finger gently making my body tremble as he finds each spot that¡¯s needy for him, empty for him. His kiss is soft in the next instant, disarming me as his fingers move. My lips part on a scream as he covers my mouth with his other hand fingering me, before his mouth reces them¨Chis tongue is invasive and hot. It¡¯s perfect. He knows exactly what he¡¯s doing and who he¡¯s doing it to. My head falls back against the mirror. He¡¯s gripping my hips, his mouth killing me slowly, as he alternates between kissing and sucking. I feel tears. I¡¯m not embarrassed. I¡¯m scared. Scared this feeling will go away, scared this means too much to me and nothing at all to him. So I remind him again between kisses. ¡°This means nothing.¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± He grunts. ¡°Nothing at all.¡± ¡°Never.¡± My eyes well up with unshed tears. I refuse to let them fall. ¡°Never.¡± He echoes his hands move to my face, our mouths are a tangled web of lies, deceit and lust. ¡°Never.¡± A hand moves between my thighs, I spread them open as he moves his palm against me setting me off in a way I don¡¯t expect. He whispers my name and it doesn¡¯t sound like a curse, it¡¯s gentle, sad, it¡¯s everything I wanted, nothing he¡¯ll ever admit probably even happened. ¡°Fuck, Harper,¡± He feels me let go and pulls back gripping himself in his hand, pumping wildly while his other hand finishes me off. It¡¯s the sexiest thing I¡¯ve ever seen in real life. ¡°Fuck.¡± My head ms back against the mirror, his breath isbored. Easton¡¯s eyes open searching for mine. In any other situation I would have thought we were having a moment but too soon it¡¯s gone. I hear Ryan¡¯s voice. ¡°Guys? Where did you go? Damn I¡¯m high¡­¡± Easton rxes like he¡¯s d ke clearly shared the goods. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. Two hourster we decide to stay the night after my uber never showed and Sadie never answered. The boys are too high so of course I¡¯m trapped. An hour after Iy down and attempt sleep and the house is silent, I hear a creak in the floor. The guest room door opens. And Easton is crashing in my bed, an arm wrapped around me. I don¡¯t sleep for a while, I just repeat to myself over and over again. ¡°Remember, this means nothing.¡± Chapter 31 Chapter 31 Easton I¡¯m a dick. I hold her all night and go to school the next day pretending like nothing happened. Her locker is back to normal though I have a bad feeling it¡¯s just going to get worse if she¡¯s seen with me and I¡¯m still pissed that I don¡¯t know who took it upon themselves to be an asshole to Harper of all people. A small annoying voice inside me says that I¡¯m an asshole enough for her to actually suspect me, but I ignore it, just like the feeling of want every time she walks by smelling like fucking sunshine and the tropics. I know I¡¯m in a shit mood. Ryan points it out to me several times and asks if I¡¯m hung over to which I want to reply yeah, from your sister. That would be a shit show. What the hell is wrong with me? She¡¯s not even that pretty! Lie. I scowl and look down at my phone in annoyance. It¡¯s dying and all I want to know is if she¡¯s okay, where the hell she¡¯s at and shit I¡¯m acting like such a pussy right now. Ryan¡¯s furiously texting someone like his thumbs are gonna fall off if he doesn¡¯t send it fast enough. ¡°Yo, can I borrow your phone?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± He doesn¡¯t look up. ¡°You have a phone, it¡¯s in your hand.¡± I wave it at him knowing he won¡¯t look up. ¡°Battery almost died, I just need to look up the score from the gamest night.¡± ¡°What game?¡± He frowns at his screen, damn it just give me your phone! ¡°The basketball game.¡± Surely there was one onst night right? He sighs. ¡°Hold up.¡± Secondster I have his phone while he¡¯s digging into his lunch and pulling out candy and a Coke.. A minute after that I¡¯m texting her from his phone, and using his battery to charge mine so I can at least have a bit of juice. It¡¯s almost too easy. A few minutes go by as I wait for her text. Nothing. Its¡¯ her fault anyway, I would have charged my phone had I actually stayed in my roomst night rather than pulling her greedily into my arms and trying not to kiss her again. ¡°Thanks man.¡± I hand his phone back to him and stand. Lunch is almost over. I haven¡¯t seen Harper the entire lunch period but assume that she¡¯s out doing what nerdy girls do-studying. I hate that my eyes keep searching for her and look down at my phone. Me: Harper¡­Where are you? Little bubbles pop up right away, then disappear. It¡¯s slow torture as I wait for her to at least send me a middle finger emoji. H: I¡¯m in the library. ugh. Of course she is. H: With ke¡­ Nope! I trip over my own feet in an effort to sprint out of the cafeteria and down the hall into the library. What the hell is she doing with ke of all people? The guy should still be high fromst night. And again. There were rules about this sort of thing. The more I think about it the angrier I get, until I¡¯m jerking open the library doors and stomping towards their table. Both of their heads are leaning in as she points at her book The guy has a near perfect GPA, no way is he actually using her as a tutor. ¡°Thanks,¡± I hear him say, then nce up and smile. ¡°I needed a good idea for his present and my brain is fried.¡± ¡°Stop with the weed.¡± She smiles. ¡°You¡¯re just killing brain cells.¡± Heughs. ¡°I have some to spare.¡± ¡°Do you though?¡± I interject fully looking like a jealous idiot. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Harper blushes. ¡°It¡¯s Ryan¡¯s birthday soon and ke wants to earn extra friend points by getting him something better than you.¡± I gawk. ¡°And you¡¯re helping him?¡± ¡°He bought me coffee.¡± She smiles. The only response I can think of is, who gave you orgasms yesterday? Me. I¡¯m the mother fucking winner in this scenario. You¡¯re. Wee. Instead I just stand there like an idiot. ¡°That means it¡¯s your birthday soon.¡± ke slowly ps and stands. ¡°He¡¯s so good at math.¡± I flip him off, today is so not the day to piss me off, not after touching her, being I trip over my own feet in an effort to sprint out of the cafeteria and down the hall into the library. What the hell is she doing with ke of all people? The guy should still be high fromst night. And again. There were rules about this sort of thing. The more I think about it the angrier I get, until I¡¯m jerking open the library doors and stomping towards their table. Both of their heads are leaning in as she points at her book. The guy has a near perfect GPA, no way is he actually using her as a tutor. ¡°Thanks,¡± I hear him say, then nce up and smile. ¡°I needed a good idea for his present and my brain is fried.¡± ¡°Stop with the weed.¡± She smiles. ¡°You¡¯re just killing brain cells.¡± Heughs. I have some to spare.¡± ¡°Do you though?¡± I interject fully looking like a jealous idiot. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Harper blushes. ¡°It¡¯s Ryan¡¯s birthday soon and ke wants to earn extra friend points by getting him something better than you.¡± I gawk. ¡°And you¡¯re helping him?¡± ¡°He bought me coffee.¡± She smiles. The only response I can think of is, who gave you orgasms yesterday? Me. I¡¯m the mother fucking winner in this scenario. You¡¯re. Wee Instead I just stand there like an idiot. ¡°That means it¡¯s your birthday soon.¡± ke slowly ps and stands. ¡°He¡¯s so good at math.¡± I flip him off, today is so not the day to piss me off, not after touching her, being half naked with her, how the hell is she not effected by this, I¡¯m almost offended at how chill she seems. ¡°Harper can I talk to you real quick?¡± The bell rings. I curse it to Hell while she shoots me an apologetic look and grabs her backpack and a protein bar from the table. ¡°I owe you.¡± ke says. ¡°How about dinner?¡± The protein bar freezes half way to her mouth as she whispers. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Dinner.¡± He shoves his hands into his ck joggers. ¡°As a thank you, I¡¯ll take you to dinner, will only stare at your tits like twice while lying about being lost in your eyes and will attempt to feed you without grabbing your ass.¡± Sheughs. Actuallyughs like he¡¯s funny and then looks at me. I scowl. ¡°What? You need permission to go to dinner with ke from me?¡± Her expression goes dark. I shrug, angry that I¡¯m angry, angry that he¡¯s asking her to dinner and I had my fingers inside her without even taking her on a date. ¡°No, I guess I don¡¯t.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t.¡± I repeat. ¡°Oh and ke, be careful, thest thing you want is Ryan killing you because you ate out his sister.¡± I snap my fingers. ¡°I mean took out his sister, sorry.¡± Harper drops the protein bar onto the table, eyes wide and full of hurt, hurt I put there by being myself- and jealous of the ass hat who keeps looking between us like he¡¯s going to figure out why she looks ready to cry and I look ready to burn the world. ¡°Here,¡± Harper looks away from me. Tll give you my number¡­¡± I hate that ke looks like he won the lottery and that he has an in now, and that I pushed her directly into his waiting man whore hands. ke types it in her phone then hands it back. I¡¯m so still I¡¯m barely breathing I¡¯m pissed. Livid. ke says something else I can¡¯t even hear above my own breathing and walks off. Harper starts to follow. I chase after her, grab her by the arm and pull her down the history aisle. Dusty books and the smell of paper surround us as I pin her against the bookcase. ¡°What the hell are you doing? Her eyes search mine and then she leans in and whispers in my ear. ¡°Eating.¡± I feel my control breaking. ¡°You only eat at my house.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Her eyebrows shoot up. ¡°Is that right?¡± ¡°My food is better.¡± I snap. She eyes me up and down. ¡°Is it though?¡± I lose all control, my forehead presses against hers, my bodys¡¯ on fire as I hold her captive and say. ¡°Don¡¯t act like a slut-you don¡¯t want another mishap like yesterday.¡± She tries to p me. I grab her by the wrist, my fingers digging into her skin. Tears well in her eyes. Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. And I like it. I like that I make her react. I¡¯m a sick bastard because it makes me feel weirdly proud that out of all the guys in our school, I¡¯m the only one who can make her scream in pleasure or pain-me. She jerks away from me, ¡°You¡¯re such a-¡± I cut her off with a kiss. She wraps her arms around me. Someone gasps. Something falls against the ground, we both turn. It¡¯s fucking Sadie. Chapter 32 Chapter 32 Harper Sadie! My heart pounds through my chest as I stare at my best friend, her mouth hanging open, her eyes so wide they look like they¡¯re about to pop. The books that she was holding are now on the floor, her expression telling me she dropped them out of shock I feel the same. Air is no longer moving through my lungs. My hands shake as they cling behind Easton¡¯s back, my arms around him, our bodies pressing together. There¡¯s no question in my mind, Sadie saw everything-the way Easton was ravishing my lips, the cement of his hands, the hunger that¡¯s currently dissolving from my eyes ¡°I ¨C ¡°I start, looking at Easton, my head jumbled with thoughts, none of them clear enough aside from how fucked this situation is. With his gaze on mine, he takes a step back, his lips still wet from our kiss. ¡°We¡¯ll talkter, Harper.¡± He walks down the rest of the history aisle, disappearing around the corner, leaving me with my best friend who I know is full of questions. She picks up her books and hugs them to her chest. ¡°I ran into ke in the hallway and asked him if he¡¯d seen you, he said I¡¯d find you in here. I couldn¡¯t remember when our Chem homework is due, and I knew you¡¯d know. Girl, never did I expect to find you lip-locked with Easton.¡± Her smile grows. ¡°But hell fucking yes is all I can say.¡± I close the distance between us and loop my arm through hers. I lead her into a more private corner of the library, where Easton and I should have been in the first ce rather than the middle of a popr aisle. The truth is, we shouldn¡¯t have been making out at all. Even if I¡¯ve been enjoying it, I¡¯ve officially lost my damn mind. The second wend against the wall, Sadie says, ¡°Spill it, girl. I want every detail, leave nothing out.¡± ¡°You have to promise you won¡¯t say a word of this to Ryan.¡± Her brows furrow. ¡°Hello, girl code. Duh.¡± I sigh. ¡°But you¡¯re in love with my brother, so girl code is a little iffy in this situation.¡± She sticks her books in her bag, freeing her hands, which rest against my shoulders. ¡°I promise-on my life-you have my word.¡± Her fingers squeeze. ¡°Harp, you¡¯re my best friend, you know I always have your back and I¡¯d never y you wrong.¡± I feel guilty for even mentioning it, but I simply can¡¯t take the risk of Ryan finding out. He¡¯ll kill us and my random pop ins, like when Ryan walked into Easton¡¯s house and found me in the kitchen, won¡¯t seem so random to my brother. ¡°We¡¯ve been hooking up-ish.¡± She giggles. ¡°It looked a lot more than ish to me.¡± Why am I having such a hard time telling Sadie about Easton? Is it because he¡¯s the first guy I¡¯ve ever done anything with? The first time I¡¯ve ever had to have a conversation like this? Or because the feelings I have for Easton are more serious than I thought? I don¡¯t know But I do know this conversation feels as intimate as the ces he¡¯s touched on my body. more private corner of the library, where Easton and I should have been in the first ce rather than the middle of a popr aisle. The truth is, we shouldn¡¯t have been making out at all. Even if I¡¯ve been enjoying it, I¡¯ve officially lost my damn mind. The second wend against the wall, Sadie says, ¡°Spill it, girl. I want every detail, leave nothing out.¡± ¡°You have to promise you won¡¯t say a word of this to Ryan.¡± Her brows furrow. ¡°Hello, girl code. Duh.¡± I sigh. ¡°But you¡¯re in love with my brother, so girl code is a little iffy in this situation.¡± She sticks her books in her bag, freeing her hands, which rest against my shoulders. ¡°I promise-on my life-you have my word.¡± Her fingers squeeze. ¡°Harp, you¡¯re my best friend, you know I always have your back and I¡¯d never y you wrong.¡± I feel guilty for even mentioning it, but I simply can¡¯t take the risk of Ryan finding out. He¡¯ll kill us and my random pop ins, like when Ryan walked into Easton¡¯s house and found me in the kitchen, won¡¯t seem so random to my brother. ¡°We¡®ve been hooking up-ish.¡± She giggles. ¡°It looked a lot more than ish to me.¡± Why am I having such a hard time telling Sadie about Easton? Is it because he¡¯s the first guy I¡¯ve ever done anything with? The first time I¡¯ve ever had to have a conversation like this? Or because the feelings I have for Easton are more serious than I thought? I don¡¯t know. But I do know this conversation feels as intimate as the ces he¡¯s touched on my body more private corner of the library, where Easton and I should have been in the first ce rather than the middle of a popr aisle. The truth is, we shouldn¡¯t have been making out at all. Even if I¡¯ve been enjoying it, I¡¯ve officially lost my damn mind. The second wend against the wall, Sadie says, ¡°Spillit, girl. I want every detail, leave nothing out.¡± ¡°You have to promise you won¡¯t say a word of this to Ryan.¡± Her brows furrow. ¡°Hello, girl code. Duh.¡± I sigh. ¡°But you¡¯re in love with my brother, so girl code is a little iffy in this situation.¡± She sticks her books in her bag, freeing her hands, which rest against my shoulders. ¡°I promise-on my life-you have my word.¡± Her fingers squeeze. ¡°Harp, you¡¯re my best friend, you know I always have your back and I¡¯d never y you wrong.¡± I feel guilty for even mentioning it, but I simply can¡¯t take the risk of Ryan finding out. He¡¯ll kill us and my random pop ins, like when Ryan walked into Easton¡¯s house and found me in the kitchen, won¡¯t seem so random to my brother. ¡°We¡®ve been hooking up-ish.¡± She giggles. ¡°It looked a lot more than ish to me.¡± Why am I having such a hard time telling Sadie about Easton? Is it because he¡¯s the first guy I¡¯ve ever done anything with? The first time I¡¯ve ever had to have a conversation like this? Or because the feelings I have for Easton are more serious than I thought? I don¡¯t know. But I do know this conversation feels as intimate as the ces he¡¯s touched on my body. I check both sides of the enclosed area, making sure no one has joined us. With the coast clear, I add, ¡°It hasn¡¯t been going on for very long and honestly, there isn¡¯t much to tell, just a few asions ¡°A few? And you haven¡¯t told me about any of them?¡± She gently pushes my shoulder. ¡°You dirty girl, how have you been keeping this from me?¡± The guilt is eating me up inside. ¡°I¡¯ve just been so worried that Ryan-and the rest of the school-is going to find out. Please don¡¯t be upset, Sadie. I need you now more than ever.¡± Her fingers y with the ends of my hair. ¡°You¡¯ve always had a crush on him, but something tells me this is more.¡± We don¡¯t have the kind of friendship where I even have to answer, she can read my thoughts, and I watch them register on her face. ¡°This is the real deal-your first love. He better not hurt you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s toote for that.¡± Her eyes widen. T¡¯ll kill him ¡°I¡¯m just saying he has the power to.¡± i take a breath, knowing he¡¯s already hurt me, but if I tell Sadie that, she¡¯ll kill him, and then she¡¯ll most definitely tell Ryan. ¡°We both know Easton doesn¡¯t do rtionships. Besides, he¡¯s Ryan¡¯s best friend. Can¡¯t you see where this is going? And how it¡¯s going to end?¡± ¡°Harper, there must be a way.¡± The bell rings, signaling we have five minutes to get to ss, and I still have to stop at my locker to get my books for next period. ¡°I don¡¯t see how. First, we¡¯d have to convince Easton to settle down and after conquering that impossible task, we¡¯d have to convince Ryan not to murder the both of us.¡± N?velDrama.Org is the owner. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of Ryan.¡± ¡°Really?¡± I search her face. ¡°And how do you n to do that?¡± A grin creeps across her mouth again. ¡°Ryan and I have been talking more.¡± ¡°Like talking, talking?¡± She shrugs. ¡°I guess we¡¯ve both been keeping secrets from each other.¡± I grab her hand, locking our pinkies together, something we¡®ve done since we were kids. ¡°No more secrets?¡± ¡°Promise.¡± ¡°Then, I need to hear all the details about where you and Ryan are headed-minus the stuff that will make me want to dry heave.¡± ¡°Deal.¡± I nce down at my watch, seeing I only have three minutes to get to Spanish ss. ¡°I¡¯ve got to go. I¡¯ll see you after school?¡± She nodded, ¡°Tll give you a ride home.¡± I release our grip and hurry into the stairwell. I haven¡¯t descended more than a few steps when I feel someone behind me. Someone who causes tingles to erupt across my entire body. Someone whose scent wraps around my nose, like hands circling my waist. I look over my shoulder, my eyes connecting with Easton¡¯s. ¡°You¡¯re following me now?¡± He huffs. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t be so lucky.¡± I stop at thending, and he halts only feet away. ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°Is Sadie going to keep her mouth shut?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°What did you tell her?¡± He isn¡¯t acting paranoid, more like he¡¯s scanning the cards in his hand, getting to know each possible y. My eyes narrow as I take in his lips, remembering how they tasted when we kissed. ¡°There really isn¡¯t anything to tell her. Right?¡± ¡°Right.¡± He points at the pocket that¡¯s holding my phone. ¡°You can tell her that you¡¯ve now saved ke¡¯s number in your phone.¡± ¡°Why would I bring that up?¡± A smirk spreads across his handsome face. ¡°I just think it¡¯s funny ¡­¡± He moves in closer now that it¡¯s only the two of us in the stairwell. ¡°You have his number saved, but not the guy whose mouth has been all over your body.¡± I feel weak, like his tongue is slowly licking across my breasts. ¡°Easton-¡°| start, my voice cut off when he rushes down the remaining stairs, leaving mepletely alone. Chapter 33 Chapter 33 Easton I can¡¯t believe ke even bothered to save his number in Harper¡¯s phone. It¡¯s not like he actually gives a shit about her or wants anything more than her pussy. His game is the same as mine-sleep with the hottest girls in our school and bust out of here the second we graduate. But it takes balls to tread on our best friend¡¯s sister. Can¡¯t I say the same thing about me? No. The same isn¡¯t true at all because the first time my mouth was on her, I didn¡¯t know it was Harper. The second time, in her cat costume, I didn¡¯t know either. She was just Mystery Girll to me. But now? Fuck. She¡¯s a goddamn tease with the tightest ass and a rack unlike I¡¯ve ever touched before, nipples. I want to pull into my mouth and bite. My dick is getting hard again as I find my seat in thest row of English ss. And to think the hard-on Harper had given me in the library had just died down, but it¡¯s back and roaring to be inside of her. ¡°Easton, you¡¯rete,¡± my teacher says the moment my ass hits the chair. ¡°Sorry, traffic jam in the stairwell. Won¡¯t happen again.¡± Ryan turns toward me from three rows ahead andughs. He¡¯s looking all studious with his notebook in front of him, pencil in hand, his gaze now on our teacher who¡¯s going over the chapters that had been assigned as homeworkst night. Chapters I haven¡¯t read because I spent the night with Harper instead. I¡¯m going to have to copy Ryan¡¯s notes after school, there¡¯s no way I can pay attention right now. Not when his sister is owning every thought in my head. I need to see more of Harper and decide to stalk Sadie¡¯s Instagram to make that happen, so I reach into the top of my bookbag, secretly sliding my phone into my hand. As I touch the screen, I hide behind the kid in front of me to make sure the teacher can¡¯t see what I¡¯m doing. There¡¯s a direct message from Harper waiting for me. I click on the notification. Harper: If either of us actually gave a shit ¡­ except we don¡¯t. The kement must have made her feel bad. Part of me thinks that¡¯s adorable. I quickly check to make sure the teacher still can¡¯t see me, and I switch to text, realizing I hadn¡¯t saved her number in my Contacts. But then a thought hits me. What if Ryan sees my screen one day, when my drunk ass is reckless, and I identally leave my phone on a table and she happens to message me? I delete her name and type in Mystery Girl instead. Me: It¡¯s Easton. Me: I¡¯m d you finally realize that neither of us give a shit. Mystery Girl: Dick. Me: But one that you like very much, especially when it¡¯s in your mouth and you¡¯re swallowing my cum. Mystery Girl: You don¡¯t have to remind me of the two seconds yousted. Unless it meant something to you. Yikes, it sounds like it did. | nce up, adjusting my position as the teacher moves to a different white board. When my eyes return to my phone, I read Harper¡¯s message again, imagining what she¡¯ll taste like when I lick her pussy again. What she¡¯ll sound like when she¡¯s finally begging for my dick, when she gets hours of me instead of minutes. Me: Would you rather have ke¡¯s dick in your mouth? Shit, it sounds like you would. Mystery Girl: Maybe we should talk about Aisha. Now that¡¯s a girl who definitely knows her way around your cock. Me: Jealous? ¡°Easton,¡± my teacher says, ¡°why don¡¯t you give the ss your opinion on Scout¡¯s rtionship with her father, Atticus, which was covered inst night¡¯s reading assignment.¡± I slowly gaze up, the teacher standing over me, ring. ¡°Or should I read to the ss the messages you¡¯ve been sending while you were supposed to be paying attention?¡± Fuck me. I shove my phone into my pocket. ¡°Their rtionship,¡± I begin, needing to find a way out of this, ¡°is, you know, just like any other kid¡¯s rtionship with their parents at that age.¡± I look at my other ssmates. ¡°Am I right?¡± ¡°He¡¯s definitely right,¡± Ryan agrees. ¡°You just earned yourself a two-page report, detailing their rtionship, and due by our next ss.¡± The teacher turns around, ncing over her shoulder after a few paces. ¡°Your phone stays in your pocket until the bell rings or it¡¯s mine. Understood?¡± I nod. I wish she gave me an hour¡¯s worth of detention, that would be much easier than reading the chapters and writing about them. It¡¯s going to be a long night. I remove my notebook, trying my hardest to focus on her lecture and by the time the bell goes off I don¡¯t have more than a few sentences jotted down. I shove my notebook back into my bag and hurry up the stairs, taking out my phone as I climb. Mystery Girl: Jealous of her? And how-I¡¯m sure-you treat her like shit, the same way you treat me? Nope, definitely not jealous of THAT. Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. I don¡¯t believe that for a second. When Aisha called when Harper and I were standing in my kitchen, her expression told me she was all kinds of jealous. Harper likes the attention I give her, she likes when my lips are on hers. She likes when she has me alone in the bathroom or garage, my fingers finding their way inside her. Who can me her, I know my way around a woman¡¯s body, and I know how to make her fucking scream. Me: You¡¯re a very bad liar, Harper. As I reach the top of the stairs and turn the corner, I see her leaning into her locker. There¡¯s a smile on her face as she stares at her phone, mytest message, I assume, on the screen. The grin is a confirmation of everything I already know. The hallway is full, kids rushing the corridors, so they won¡¯t bete to ss. I can¡¯t take too much time, I¡¯m already in enough trouble tonight, and I don¡¯t want to be seen with her, starting rumors neither of us need. I stop a few inches behind her and whisper, ¡°For someone who doesn¡¯t care, I certainly make you smile pretty hard.¡± I pause for a second longer to read the message on her screen. But I immediately see it¡¯s not from me. ke: How about dinner tonight? My hands fucking shake as I read what ke sent her. That bastard. She turns around, giving me a clearer view of the text that I¡¯ve already seen. ¡°You thought I was smiling because of you?¡± She grins evenrger,ughing. ¡°Damn, someone¡¯s quite full of themself, aren¡¯t they?¡± She rolls her eyes and closes her locker. ¡°Pathetic,¡± she says over her shoulder as she walks away. Chapter 34 Chapter 34 Harper Easton thinks he owns me, that every happy expression that crosses my face is due to him. Screw that. But the truth is, Easton¡¯s message is what caused me to grin. I had just flipped to ke¡¯s text when Easton saw me, the timing just couldn¡¯t have been more perfect. I¡¯ll never tell him that though. As far as he¡¯s concerned, ke makes me smile too, and it needs to stay that way. I continue down the hallway when Sadie stops me and says, ¡°Whoa. I just saw Easton and he looks like he¡¯s about to murder someone. Any idea what that¡¯s about?¡± I shrug. ¡°He read a text that ke sent me. Maybe it has something to do with that -I mean, hopefully it does.¡± ¡°ke and ¡­ you?¡± Her eyebrows lift so high, they look like they¡¯re about to get lost in her hairline. ¡°It¡¯s not what you think. He just asked me out for dinner.¡± Sheughs. ¡°Really? And you think that rifies my questions somehow?¡± She adjusts her bag. ¡°Unless he¡¯s feeling you, he¡¯s not going to ask you out to dinner.¡± I tuck a chunk of hair behind my ear, the smell of Easton¡¯s shampoo from this morning¡¯s shower still so present, something I¡¯m not even close to getting used to. ¡°I¡¯m not interested. He¡¯s the biggest yer at school.¡± ¡°And Easton¡¯s not?¡± ¡°And Ryan¡¯s not?¡± I argue back. ¡°Okay, good point, the three of them are equal in the yer department. But we both know I¡¯m going to mold Ryan into the man I want him to be and you¡¯re going to do the same with Easton. Or is it ke? I feel lost-again.¡± I wrap my arm around hers and start walking. ¡°It¡¯s Easton. It¡¯s only ever been Easton.¡± But I can¡¯t deny that having ke¡¯s attention is an interesting feeling. One I¡¯ve never had before. Probably because Sadie is the only person who¡¯s ever cared about me. And now, suddenly, there¡¯s two new numbers in my phone and both are texting me on the same day. My mind is blown. ¡°Your turn,¡± I say, reminding her of the conversation from the library. ¡°What¡¯s up with you and Ryan?¡± She stops at her locker, filling her bag with books. ¡°Well, like I said, we¡®ve been talking more. Texting. Having convos at night before we go to bed. You know, stuff like that.¡± ¡°So, he¡¯s not treating you like shit anymore?¡± She shuts her locker and joins our arms together, heading for the parking lot. ¡°Things are good.¡± She looks at me, biting her lip. ¡°And, God, you know I¡¯m positively crazy about him. That¡¯s no secret.¡± ¡°I just don¡¯t want him to hurt you, Sadie.¡± Even though he¡¯s my brother, his reputation is as harsh as his friends. When ites to girls, they¡¯re after one thing, and everyone in this school knows that. But it doesn¡¯t stop them, they get what they want. Always. ¡°He won¡¯t, I won¡¯t let him. Promise.¡± ¡°Sadie, Harper-you might want to stop right here,¡± ke says, approaching us as we¡¯re nearing the student lot. Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. ¡°Why?¡± Sadie asks. He nods toward Sadie. ¡°Someone wrote something on your car.¡± He then looks at me. ¡°And Ryan¡¯s.¡± ¡°Wrote something?¡± I inquire. I don¡¯t like the sound of this. My stomach immediately begins to churn, my heart picking up speed as ke keeps his eyes on me. ¡°What does it say?¡± I whisper. He nces down, his Adam¡¯s apple bobbing as he swallows. When he finally looks up again, he says, ¡°Why don¡¯t you let Ryan and Sadie deal with this, and we¡¯ll go grab something to eat?¡± He¡¯s protecting me. But why? What does it say? ¡°Tell me what¡¯s on their cars, ke. I¡¯m not leaving this school until I know.¡± His eyes soften, his hand reaching for mine. His thumb grazes across the back of my palm as he replies, ¡°Someone wrote, your sister is a slut, on Ryan¡¯s windshield.¡± His eyes shift to Sadie. ¡°And on yours it says, your best friend is a slut.¡± ¡°No. They. Fucking. Didn¡¯t!¡± Sadie seethes. ¡°I will kill whoever did this.¡± She looks at me. ¡°Not because of my car, I don¡¯t give a shit about that, but what they wrote about you.¡± My chest is so tight, I have almost no voice when I say, ¡°Who would do this to me?¡± Who hates me this much? It isn¡¯t Easton. He can¡¯t be that mad about ke¡¯s text, not where he would vandalize his best friend¡¯s car. The rest of the school barely knows me. I¡¯m Ryan¡¯s sister to them and most don¡¯t even know my name. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± ke responds. ¡°But, I promise you, we¡¯re going to find out.¡± I clear my throat, hoping the tightness will lessen. ¡°Will the writinge off?¡± The thought of my parents seeing this when they get home from work makes me want to die even more. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s the washable kind that the cheerleaders use for homing when they decorate the football yers¡¯ cars,¡± he says. ¡°I¡¯m going to run back into school and grab some wet napkins,¡± Sadie tells me. ¡°I¡¯ll clean the ss super quickly, and then I¡¯ll take you home.¡± I¡¯m positive she can see the tears forming in my eyes. The ones I don¡¯t want anyone to see because I don¡¯t want them to know how badly this hurts. The rumors just finally died down over my locker fiasco. Now this happens. ¡°And make Harper wait here, I don¡¯t think so,¡± ke says, his hand now on my back. ¡°I¡¯m taking her home, so she doesn¡¯t have to deal with this.¡± I look at Sadie, needing her to respond, this strange desire inside me to have her approval, like I¡¯m doing something wrong. She shakes her head, the emotion thick on her face. ¡°Call me the second you get home, okay?¡± Inod, my feet moving on their own as ke¡¯s hand guides me to the row where he¡¯s parked. I don¡¯t feel the ground beneath me. All I feel are eyes on me, all I hear are whispers as everyone in the lot talks about me. And the second I finally look up, steps away from reaching ke¡¯s car, my stare connects with Easton¡¯s. He¡¯s standing next to Ryan¡¯s car. Is the anger on his face because I¡¯m with ke? Or that someone wrote those terrible words about me? I want to hide in the dark. And keep the door closed forever. ¡°Get in,¡± ke says, opening the passenger side door for me. He takes my bag off my shoulder and helps me inside, setting my backpack by my feet before he shuts the door. Easton watches me through the windshield. Freezing me in my seat. I can¡¯t read his expression, I can¡¯t even breathe. But I¡¯m thankful there¡¯s ss between us, so when the tears do fall, as they are now, he can only see me wiping them away. ¡°Where do you want to go?¡± ke asks from the driver¡¯s seat. ¡°Are you hungry? Thirsty? Feel like spending some time outside?¡± I break contact with Easton to slowly look over at ke. His hand is on the gearshift, a warm smile covering his face. ¡°Come on, Harper. Let¡¯s go have some fun.¡± Chapter 35 Chapter 35 Easton I don¡¯t know who I want to hurt more. The person responsible for vandalizing Ryan and Sadie¡¯s cars- assuming it¡¯s also who graffitied Harper¡¯s locker-or ke foring to Harper¡¯s rescue the moment she stepped foot in the parking lot. Or fucking Harper for getting into ke¡¯s car. Doesn¡¯t she know his intentions are bullshit? That all he wants is to get inside her pants, and then he¡¯ll never talk to her again? I know she enjoys the attention. But ke? She deserves someone who¡¯s going to worship her body and he¡¯s not that guy. My thoughts are interrupted when I hear Ryan growl, ¡°Who the fuck did this?¡± He¡¯s still scrubbing the paint off his windshield. ¡°I let the first time slide, thinking maybe it was an ident and they pegged the wrong locker. But this is no ident.¡± He drops the rag on the ground and grabs a clean one. ¡°And I¡¯m ready to kill someone.¡± I twirl my keys around my finger, watching ke¡¯s Mustang drive out of the parking lot. ¡°I don¡¯t know who it could be.¡± Knowing Harper¡¯s perfect, tight ass is sitting on the seat next to ke makes my fist clench around the keyring. ¡°But I want to find out.¡± ¡°Who the hell did she piss off so badly?¡± Since seeing the damage, the same question has been haunting me. Faces of each girl in our ss has been flipping through my brain, hoping to piece this together. ¡°Man -¡± I run my hand through my hair. ¡°I don¡¯t even have a guess.¡± Something by the mouth of the parking lot catches my attention. More like someone. A smiling, bouncy Aisha. Her best friend is walking with her, Aisha¡¯s eyes glued to me, her grin moving into a smirk. One that I don¡¯t trust. It can¡¯t be her ¡¤ can it? I know she has a crazy side. We¡®ve gone to school together since we were young kids and she¡¯s the type to go after what she wants. Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. At the moment, that¡¯s me. But no one knows about Harper, so why would Aisha-or anyone-be so vindictive? I look away from the girls and turn to Ryan. ¡°I need your notes from English ss, so I can write that paper tonight.¡± He finishes washing off thest of the paint. ¡°If you wanted them that bad, you should have grabbed a cloth and helped me clean.¡± ¡°Not my car,¡± I remind him. ¡°And definitely not my sister.¡± : ¡°Thanks, asshole,¡± he replies as I head to my car, the same row in which Aisha is parked. I stall, waiting for her and her friend to catch up to me, her pace increasing as she sees me waiting. What she doesn¡¯t see is my agenda. ¡°Where are you headed?¡± she asks when she¡¯s a few steps away. She nods at her friend. ¡°Julie¡¯s sister scored us a bottle of vodka, want in?¡± ¡°Now?¡± They bothugh, Aisha saying, ¡°What, suddenly you don¡¯t drink on school nights?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m just mmed with homework since I drankst night.¡± Her eyes narrow. ¡°With who? I talked to youst night you didn¡¯t mention you were drinking.¡± I keep my focus on her eyes, assessing every change, every reaction. ¡°Ryan stopped by, then ke.¡± ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± She¡¯s goading me and it¡¯s not going to work. ¡°Who else do you think woulde over?¡± She shrugs. ¡°Can¡¯t a girl wonder?¡± If that¡¯s all she¡¯s doing, then yes. But Aisha is the possessive type and she¡¯s doing far more than just wondering. ¡°You girls have fun,¡± I tell them, and I turn toward my car. ¡°Are you sure I can¡¯t convince you to join us?¡± Aisha asks. | shake my head. ¡°I have a paper to write tonight.¡± She walks closer to me. ¡°You know Julie writes papers for our entire senior ss. Three hundred cash and she¡¯ll have it done in an hour.¡± I stop when I reach the driver¡¯s side door, thinking about Aisha¡¯s suggestion. I¡¯ve heard Julie offers that service and earns everyone A¡¯s, but I¡¯ve never hired her before. It¡¯s tempting. Especially since homework is the furthest thing from my mind right now. ¡°You¡¯ll do that for me?¡± I ask Julie. ¡°Of course. Just show me the assignment and give me the cash and it¡¯ll be done before dinner time.¡± She looks at Aisha, words silently passing between them. ¡°But only under one condition, you have a drink with us.¡± This doesn¡¯t surprise me one bit. ¡°Deal,¡± I tell them ¡°You want to follow me home?¡± Aisha asks me. ¡°There¡¯s a few things I need to do first. But I¡¯ll be overter, don¡¯t you worry.¡± She winks at me. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m not.¡± I get into the driver¡¯s seat and pull up to Ryan, who¡¯s inspecting the rest of his car. ¡°Going home?¡± ¡°Nah,¡± he says, the anger still in his voice. ¡°I¡¯ve got this after school thing I have to do and that¡¯s going to take a few hours. Why?¡± ¡°Wanted to see if you want to go to Aisha¡¯s with me and grab a drink?¡± Ryan can be my excuse to leave her ce early. But that¡¯s only half the reason I¡¯m asking. The other half is that I want to know his whereabouts for the next hour. ¡°What time?¡± ¡°Seven.¡± He checks his watch. ¡°You¡¯ll pick me up?¡± ¡°You got it,¡± I say, and my foot punches the gas, immediately hearing the purr of my engine. Since Ryan isn¡¯t going home quite yet, I head to his part of town, and I¡¯m happy as hell when I pull up to the front of his house and there isn¡¯t a Mustang anywhere in sight. I don¡¯t know what ke¡¯s intentions were when he led Harper to his car, if he took her somewhere or drove her home. I¡¯m going to find out. I walk up to the front door and ring the bell. Within a few seconds, Harper opens it a couple inches, looking at me through the small crack. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Her eyes are a little watery, some ck makeup is smudged beneath them, and her nose is red. Damn it, she¡¯s been crying. I¡¯m going to do everything in my power to make her feel better. Even though I shouldn¡¯t care or give a shit or even be here to check on her. My fingers slide through the small opening, wrapping around her curvy waist. ¡°I came to make sure you¡¯re all right.¡± ¡°Bullshit.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you believe me?¡± She opens the door wider. ¡°You weren¡¯t there when I came into the parking lot, you didn¡¯t try to stop me from seeing the painted words. And you didn¡¯t offer to take me home. Funny, ke did all those things.¡± My fingers bite down on her hip. ¡°You want me to do all of that in front of your brother? Come on, Harper ¡­¡± She crosses her arms over her perky tits. ¡°Now that you know I¡¯m all right, what do you want?¡± ¡°I want toe in.¡± Sheughs. ¡°Why would I let you?¡± ¡°Because we¡¯ve both had a long day.¡± I do a quick scan of her body, my cock throbbing inside my pants. ¡°And the only thing I want to do right now is eat your fucking pussy.¡± Chapter 36 Chapter 36 Harper I¡¯m instantly wet. My legs shake as his words vibrate through me. I never expected Easton to be on the other side of the door when the bell rang, I never expected him to check on me. I certainly didn¡¯t expect him to say that. ¡°Easton ¡­¡± ¡°Let me in, Harper. You know you want my fingers in your pussy and you know you want my mouth on your clit.¡± My lips part, trying to form a response. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± he asks, taking a step forward. ¡°At a loss for words?¡± I find myself backing up, our pace equal as he moves into my house and shuts the door behind him, my back hitting the closest wall. His hands surround my face, his kiss so full of hunger, his tongue sliding in and circling mine. ¡°Goddamn it,¡± he groans, sucking on my bottom lip. ¡°I¡¯ve thought about this-this beautiful lip-since you teased me in the library.¡± I¡¯ve lost control of my body, it¡¯s now owned by Easton¡¯s hands. His tongue. Even his scent. When I¡¯m in his presence, I can¡¯t help but give him what he wants. Because it¡¯s what I want, too. More of his attention. More of his touch. More of his tongue. ¡°Your parents aren¡¯t here, are they?¡± I tilt my head up to meet his eyes, feeling the heat flush across my cheeks. ¡°No, they won¡¯t be home for a while, but Ryan,¡± ¡°He¡¯s tied up for the next few hours, I already checked.¡± His arms surround me and lift me into the air. He makes me feel like I¡¯m weightless, so tiny against his large, muscr frame. He carries me to the couch, setting me on the middle cushion, tearing at my leggings the moment his hands are free. He pulls them down my legs and over my feet, staring at my bareness underneath. ¡°No panties?¡± His gaze is feral, his tongue sliding over his lips as he waits for my response. ¡°No one wears underwear with leggings, it¡¯s like wearing a tracksuit to bed and getting twisted in the sheets.¡± ¡°Is that so ¡®¡± He nces down, between my legs. ¡°You¡¯re fucking gorgeous.¡± The lights are on, the blinds are open, and he¡¯s looking at that ultra-private, personal ce. I can¡¯t stop quivering. His gaze slowly travels up my body andnds back on mine. ¡°Goddamn it, Harper. I want you.¡± A growl erupts from his throat before his lips smash against mine. His hands move up my baggy shirt where I¡¯m still wearing my bra. But that doesn¡¯t stop him from flicking my nipples with the pads of his fingers like I¡¯m wearing nothing at all. Pulling them. Tugging. My back arches from the sensation, my legs widen on their own and, as he kneels in front of me, he moves in between them. ¡°That scent,¡± he whispers, pulling his lips away. ¡°I can¡¯t get enough of it.¡± I¡¯ve told him it¡¯s just store-bought lotion that many girls at our school probably wear, but each time he compliments me like he¡¯s smelling it for the first time. ¡°I want to see what it tastes like on you.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve tasted it on my neck,¡± I giggle, the way he¡¯s rubbing my nipples makes it harder to take a breath. ¡°I don¡¯t want your neck, Harper.¡± His hand lowers, stopping at that ce he looked at earlier, the one that makes my skin scorch. ¡°I want you here.¡± ¡°Easton-¡± ¡°Shhh.¡± His eyes are telling me not to worry, he knows what I¡¯m about to say. ¡°It¡¯s not time for that yet. I¡¯m only going to use my mouth.¡± I tremble in pleasure and relief as his lips press against my stomach, lifting my shirt to kiss the tops of my breasts, lowering my bra enough to lick each nipple. I dive into his hair, pulling at the roots, the feeling of his mouth almost too much. But it gets even more intense as he lowers, past my belly button, stopping at the very top of me. His nose rubs across my clit. Inhaling my scent. I look down at the top of his head, the air halting in my lungs as our eyes lock. This time feels different than before, it¡¯s not rushed, it¡¯s in the light, and we¡¯repletely alone in my house. ¡°Easton,¡± I shudder. ¡°Oh my God.¡± His tongue swipes the entire length of me, and then he does it again but slower and harder this time. ¡°You taste as good as you smell.¡± Tugging. My back arches from the sensation, my legs widen on their own and, as he kneels in front of me, he moves in between them. ¡°That scent,¡± he whispers, pulling his lips away. ¡°I can¡¯t get enough of it.¡± I¡¯ve told him it¡¯s just store-bought lotion that many girls at our school probably wear, but each time he compliments me like he¡¯s smelling it for the first time. ¡°I want to see what it tastes like on you.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve tasted it on my neck,¡± I giggle, the way he¡¯s rubbing my nipples makes it harder to take a breath. ¡°I don¡¯t want your neck, Harper.¡± His hand lowers, stopping at that ce he looked at earlier, the one that makes my skin scorch. ¡°I want you here.¡± ¡°Easton,¡± ¡°Shhh.¡± His eyes are telling me not to worry, he knows what I¡¯m about to say. ¡°It¡¯s not time for that yet. I¡¯m only going to use my mouth.¡± I tremble in pleasure and relief as his lips press against my stomach, lifting my shirt to kiss the tops of my breasts, lowering my bra enough to lick each nipple. I dive into his hair, pulling at the roots, the feeling of his mouth almost too much. But it gets even more intense as he lowers, past my belly button, stopping at the very top of me. His nose rubs across my clit. Inhaling my scent. I look down at the top of his head, the air halting in my lungs as our eyes lock. This time feels different than before, it¡¯s not rushed, it¡¯s in the light, and we¡¯repletely alone in my house. ¡°Easton,¡± I shudder. ¡°Oh my God.¡± His tongue swipes the entire length of me, and then he does it again but slower and harder this time. ¡°You taste as good as you smell.¡± I¡¯m melting-from his words, from his stare, from the feel of his wet, talented tongue as it suddenly begins to pick up speed. ¡°Oh fuck,¡± | moan, the back of my head pushing into the cushion behind me. He knows the spot he needs to lick. He knows the speed that makes my body climb. He knows the rhythm that¡¯s going to make mee. And he¡¯s constant. Relentless. ¡°Easton!¡± He¡¯s pulling my orgasm to the surface, a pulsing that starts to build through my body. I¡¯m bucking against him, riding his tongue. ¡°Don¡¯t stop,¡± I cry. The tingles are sharp, demanding, and I¡¯m on the verge of exploding. ¡°Come on my face.¡± Such a dirty order, but that¡¯s all it takes before I¡¯m shuddering, his mouth sending me over that far, dangerous edge. ¡°Easton!¡± I scream again. The peak sts through me, my stomach spasming, waves of pleasure charging across my body. ¡°Yes,¡± he roars. ¡°How good does that feel, baby.¡± ¡°So good.¡± I grip his hair even harder, holding on while the feeling eventually passes, until his tongue finally stills. That¡¯s when I nce down, seeing his lips wet, covered in me, while baby echos in my head¨Ca word no one has ever called me before. His grin shows me how much he likes it. ¡°What the hell was that?¡± I pant. ¡°Just the beginning.¡± He stands, bending down to kiss me before he goes into the kitchen. ¡°I think we could both use a drink.¡± I hear the fridge open. ¡°What do you want?¡± As I search for my breath, I feel a vibration by my feet, and I look down at the carpet. Easton¡¯s phone must have fallen out of his pocket, a text lighting up the screen. One that causes me to reach down and lift it into my hand. Aisha: What¡¯s taking you so long? Aisha: Come over already .. I hate it when you make me wait. Her third message is full of red hearts and martini sses. ¡°How about a Coke?¡± he asks. | slowly nce up from his phone. ¡°Or a Diet Coke?¡± My entire body starts to shake, but for an entirely different reason than before. Ignoring his questions, I grab my leggings and go into the kitchen, holding the phone out to him, making sure he sees the screen. ¡°Looks like you have somewhere to be.¡± I drop the phone onto his palm. ¡°Harper¡± ¡°Two girls in one night?¡± My heart feels like it¡¯s been punched. ¡°That¡¯s dirty .. even for a dick like you.¡± I turn and walk down the hallway toward my bedroom, saying over my shoulder, ¡°You can see yourself out, Easton,¡± before I m my door and lock it behind me.Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. Chapter 37 Chapter 37 Easton I don¡¯t remember driving to Julia¡¯s house. I mean, clearly I was parked in front staring at therge two- story brick house deep in the suburbs, but I was still thinking about Harper. About her taste. About the way she threw me out of her fucking house like I was yesterday¡¯s trash when I was completely innocent-well okay, so notpletely innocent but Aisha had been all up in my business for thest few months, and I¡¯m a guy, so I took her up on it a few times, but now I have a different taste on my tongue. N?velDrama.Org is the owner. Too bad she hates me. With a groan, I kill the engine to my Jeep and distractedly snatch my phone in my hand. It feels like betrayal, even though I know I didn¡¯t do anything wrong. I let it slide. Shake it off and get out of the SUV. Is Harper pissed? Yes. But I am too because she¡¯s constantly jumping to conclusions, constantly waiting for me to do the shitty thing. Do you me her? A voice says in my head. ¡°All I do is fuck.¡± My own stupid ass brain reminds me. I groan and make my way to the door, but before I can even knock, Aisha is opening it. ¡°You made it.¡± Her grin is way too wide and excited like I¡¯m here delivering candy and free weed when really I just want to get in, get my fucking paper written, and leave. I¡¯m already suspicious of her because, let¡¯s face it-it¡¯s her, so I shove past her and mutter a ¡°whatever¡± and make my way into the sizable stark home. It¡¯s one of those houses that tells you exactly what type of people live there without even confessing all the secrets. Perfect family photos line the white walls. Expensive candles are littered around the living room-with its fur rugs and high end furniture. Anyone would expect Julia to have the perfect life. Instead, she flew solo most of the time and used that time to dive into her studies and, in her words, not mine. ¡°Make my parents pay when I have apany bigger than Amazon and give them nothing.¡± A bit vindictive? Yes, but I don¡¯t really care. I just need the paper written so I can get the fuck out of here and go home, then potentially try to figure out where it all went wrong with Harper. My brain chooses that moment to show me all the moments we had together, her thighs, her mouth, her taste. ¡°Hey,¡± Aisha snaps her fingers in front of my face. ¡°You here or what?¡± I literally have no idea how I even made it into the kitchen. With a shrug, I sigh and fall onto one of the metal bar stools. Julia is on her phone texting. Her blonde hair is in a high ponytail that keeps whipping around every time she turns her head. The doorbell rings. ¡°Probably Ryan,¡± I say more to myself than anyone. Aisha shrugs and leaves the room. Once she¡¯s out, I drum my fingers against the white marble countertop. ¡°So, Julia, how long will this take?¡± ¡°Depends. How much money do you have?¡± She grins at her screen then looks up. ¡°Chill, I¡¯m kidding, we can get it done in an hour or so..¡± She licks her full pale lips. ¡°By the way, payment should be negotiated first.¡± Her eyes drop to my cock and she scoots closer to me. Seriously? Months ago, I would have said, I¡¯m down. Now I want to yell. Because her smell is wrong, just like her mouth, just like her everything. Everything is fucking wrong. ¡°No.¡± I find myself saying. ¡°I have a thing with Ryan at my parents, so this has to be fast.¡± ¡°I can be fast.¡± ¡°I mean the paper.¡± | rify, clenching my teeth. Ryan¡¯s voice fills the room as he and Aisha argue, and honestly, I can¡¯t take it anymore. ¡°Aisha,¡± I bark. ¡°Go to the Jeep and grab my bag so I can get this shit done.¡± ¡°Whoa,¡± Julia smirks. ¡°Someone needs a Xanax.¡± ¡°How perceptive.¡± I re. ¡°For real, Aisha.¡± | toss her my keys, ¡°Just grab my shit so I can get out of here.¡± ¡°You sure Aisha going through your shit is a good idea?¡± Ryan says under his breath. I sigh. ¡°And don¡¯t leave your panties behind likest time. That shit isn¡¯t funny.¡± Aisha visibly detes. ¡°Fineeeee, be right back, limp dick.¡± , ¡°That¡¯s a lie, and you know it,¡± I yell after her. She flips me off, her heels clicking against the marble as I hear the door open and then m closed. I can¡¯t even be pissed. ¡°Yo, Julia,¡± I snap my fingers in front of her. ¡°Time is ticking¨Clet¡¯s get this done.¡± ¡°Oh sorry.¡± She puts her phone down, not looking the least bit sorry. ¡°All right, we still have terms of payment.¡± With a growl, I reach for her neck, pull her close and kiss her cheek. My body doesn¡¯t feel a thing as she tries to cling to me. ¡°Done. Next.¡± She shoves me against the counter. ¡°You¡¯re such a dick.¡± I hold out my hands in surrender. ¡°At least I paid.¡± She rolls her eyes. ¡°Fine, let me grab myptop. I need to read over some of your notes so it sounds like some shit you¡¯d actually write, and then you and princess Ryan over there can leave.¡± Ryan ignores her. | elbow him. What the hell is taking Aisha so long? Finally, the front door opens, she¡¯s smoothing down her ck leather skirt like she just had a quickie, and on top of that, she¡¯s looking he suspicious. ¡°Find something in there?¡± | ask. She holds up my leather messenger bag and shrugs. ¡°You mean other than all those used condoms?¡± ¡°Jealous?¡± | tease. ¡°Always.¡± She winks and drops my bag on the table. It¡¯s maybe fifteen minutes before I¡¯m ready to pull my own hair out. Without realizing it, Aisha had taken a picture of all of us ¡°studying¡± and posted it to her stories, so now Ryan¡¯s phone is blowing up, and mine isn¡¯t. Which pisses me the hell off. I mean, she follows me now, so why isn¡¯t she mad? Why isn¡¯t she fighting with me at the very least? Whatever. ¡°¡­another five minutes.¡± Julia yawns, typing on her MacBook Pro. ¡°Nah.¡± | grab my shit. ¡°I have somewhere to be.¡± ¡°Me too.¡± Ryan follows suit. ¡°What?¡± Aisha¡¯s lower lip pouts out. ¡°I thought we were gonna hangter?¡± ¡°Ryan¡¯s sick.¡± | lie. Ryan, to his credit, manages a fake cough and looks at me for approval when I want to strangle him, only to cough again. ¡°See?¡± I point out. ¡°He¡¯s been feeling sick all day. I gotta follow him home.¡± Aisha¡¯s eyes narrow while Julia¡¯s face takes on a disappointed look. ¡°Email me, Julia.¡± | grab the rest of my shit and shove Ryan toward the door without saying goodbye to Aisha, which I¡¯m sure pisses her off even more. We make it to my Jeep. Memories assault me. ¡°Bro, who were you hooking up with?¡± Ryan shoves me. ¡°Huh? What?¡± I stumble back. ¡°I get it now.¡± He smiles. ¡°Why you didn¡¯t want to stay, got some girl you wanna get back to.¡± His smile makes me want to punch him. ¡°Nice hickey, by the way, and the scratch marks, I¡¯m sure Aisha wasn¡¯t happy.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± I touch my neck where he points and sure enough, I feel the scratches, and when I look in the rearview mirror, I see the small hickey. nted by his sister. Why isn¡¯t she fighting with me at the very least? Whatever. ¡°¡­another five minutes.¡± Julia yawns, typing on her MacBook Pro. ¡°Nah.¡± I grab my shit. ¡°I have somewhere to be.¡± ¡°Me too.¡± Ryan follows suit. ¡°Ryan¡¯s sick.¡± I lie. Ryan, to his credit, manages a fake cough and looks at me for approval when I want to strangle him, only to cough again. ¡°See?¡± I point out. ¡°He¡¯s been feeling sick all day. I gotta follow him home.¡± Aisha¡¯s eyes narrow while Julia¡¯s face takes on a disappointed look. ¡°Email me, Julia.¡± I grab the rest of my shit and shove Ryan toward the door without saying goodbye to Aisha, which I¡¯m sure pisses her off even more. We make it to my Jeep. Memories assault me. ¡°Bro, who were you hooking up with?¡± Ryan shoves me. ¡°Huh? What?¡± I stumble back. ¡°I get it now.¡± He smiles. ¡°Why you didn¡¯t want to stay, got some girl you wanna get back to.¡± His smile makes me want to punch him. ¡°Nice hickey, by the way, and the scratch marks, I¡¯m sure Aisha wasn¡¯t happy.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± I touch my neck where he points and sure enough, I feel the scratches, and when I look in the rearview mirror, I see the small hickey. nted by his sister. Chapter 38 Chapter 38 Harper ¡°You¡¯ve been warned. I¡¯m killing your brother. Prepare yourself!¡± Sadie screams into the phone. I have to hold it away, so my head doesn¡¯t explode. ¡°I¡¯m serious this time, Harper. Julia¡¯s? Why the hell was he at Julia¡¯s? She¡¯s such a whore!¡± ¡°True.¡± I agree. ¡°But¡­¡± | almost spill that Easton is using her to write his paper because that would also mean I have insider information, and as of right now, Sadie just thinks we had a few makeout moments and aren¡¯t serious when in reality, my heart doesn¡¯t understand the concept of beating for anyone else but him. I dete a bit and listen as she goes through another tirade about how all boys are the devil and should burn in hell. ¡°¡­seriously though, Harper, look at both their snaps!¡± I pull the phone away and tap my Snapchat putting Sadie on speaker. Sure enough, there are pictures of Aisha and Julia with both guys, drinks in hand, winking at the camera like, hey there¡¯s more where that came from, and it¡¯s gonna be a long night Jealousy burns through my body. Was Easton still there? Even now? I get my answer when Ryan shows up minutester stomping all over the house like he has a personal vendetta against the hardwood floors. Did that mean Easton was still there or did he go home, and how do I ask without my brother being suspicious. It¡¯s not like I can text Easton after what went down, it might look desperate, or like I was jealous when I¡¯m still pissed he¡¯s hooking up with random girls and me. ¡°Let me call you back,¡± I whisper into the phone, hanging up on Sadie and walking into the living room. Ryan throws himself against the couch. ¡°I hate girls.¡± Iugh. ¡°Could have fooled me.¡± He groans. ¡°Fucking Easton.¡± I freeze, unable to breathe or move. ¡°What did he do now?¡± I sit down and wait for ¡°Oh, you know Easton thinks with his dick more than his brain.¡± He shakes his head. ¡°He¡¯s lucky all he had to do was give Julia a quick kiss for her to write his paper. I¡¯m sure Aisha was ready to run her over with her Benz.¡± ¡°What?¡± I snap. Ryan looks over, frowning. ¡°You should be happy. You hate Aisha. I mean, they¡¯re both Satan, but if I had to choose¡­¡± I¡¯m fuming. So not only did he have a booty call with Aisha, but he kissed Julia so she¡¯d write his stupid paper? I¡¯m so angry I could scream. I concentrate on the anger. Because the hurt does nothing but make me feel like I¡¯m bleeding out. I¡¯m not special to him. I¡¯m nothing. And I¡¯m stupid for even thinking that I¡¯m more than what those girls are, that he sees something in me when I¡¯m so off-limits it¡¯sughable. My heart tries to remind me of his face when he came to the house and tried tofort me after the car incident, was that genuine though? Was he? He¡¯s so arrogant it¡¯s impossible to know if he¡¯s randomly showing up because he¡¯s just a horny high school guy, or he knows I can¡¯t resist him. I want to punch a wall. ¡°Whatever.¡± Ryan looks down at his phone. ¡°If he wants to dip his dick into the entire cheerleading squad, go for it. At least he¡¯ll get a good grade out of it.¡± ¡°Right.¡± I clench my teeth. He smiles down at his phone and thenughs. ¡°Dipshit¡¯s home, and apparently Aisha thought we were all gonna hang out tonight, so she¡¯s blowing up his phone again. It¡¯s scary how obsessed she is with him.¡± ¡°Yup, crazy.¡± I agree, breathing again because he¡¯s back at his house and away from her ws. C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. ¡°You okay?¡± Ryan looks up from his phone. ¡°You keep repeating everything I say¡­¡± His brows knit together in concern. ¡°Is this about the car paint?¡± ¡°No.¡± I sigh. ¡°Yes.¡± My body rebels against me, reminding me of Easton¡¯s mouth, his hands, the way he aggressively tugs down my leggings, his full lips glistening after each taste. I¡¯m just tired.¡± Ryan yawns. ¡°Me too. Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll figure out who has a personal vendetta.¡± I stand. ¡°I¡¯m going to go do some homework.¡± Abrupt subject change but the more he reminds me of the cars, the more I think about Easton, and I want to strangle the guy. Why is it so hard? It should be easy. Hot boy with his perfect mouth only wants you for one thing. And yet, I find myself justifying reasons and actions-even when he says to my face that it means nothing. I¡¯m so screwed. I can¡¯t focus on anything as I go to my room and sit at my desk. I don¡¯t really have a ton of homework or reading to do. My text alert goes off. Easton: What are you doing? I snort Me: Are you serious right now? Easton: Um, yes? Me: Shouldn¡¯t you be texting Aisha or kissing Julia? The little bubbles pop up and disappear only to pop up again, Easton: Aw, it sounds like the cute little virgin¡¯s feelings are hurt. Besides, I kissed her on the cheek, dodging her mouth like a pro. Plus, I¡¯m too busy to write the paper, and technically it was your fault. Me: Name-calling, typical Easton behavior, oh add in a bit of deflection and me¡­ Did you need anything? Easton: You really need to getid. Not it. Me: Like I¡¯d let you. Easton: I¡¯d have you panting in seconds but not sure you can handle my dick. It¡¯s for women, not girls afraid of the dark and jealous over girls texting me and small kisses and favors. Me: Yes, you¡¯re such a man. Easton: You¡¯re being a bitch. Me: And you¡¯re an asshole, stop texting me, delete my number. Easton: Fine. Me: FINE Easton: BTW I texted you to let you know that you¡¯re pretty when youe¡­ I drop my phone and squeeze my eyes shut. Easton: Deleting now.?? Chapter 39 Chapter 39 Easton I¡¯m irritated at school again. Big surprise. Everyone is annoying me, from Aisha attempting to grab my ass twice to Julia tossing my paper in my face and saying asshole under her breath as if she¡¯s this perfect princess who didn¡¯t literally ask for sex in exchange for what? Two pages? Isn¡¯t that prostitution? Damn close if you ask me. Plus, ke said Julia¡¯s a stage five clinger. He took her to promst year, and it was like he proposed¨C she told her mom he was the one. I¡¯ve never seen ke so terrified in my entire life. That actually boosts my mood a bit. I smile and grab my History book from my locker, mming it shut to see Aisha standing there like a stalker, leaning with her arms crossed and her ck and white cheer uniform standing out against the gold lettering stretched across her tits. ¡°You going to the pep rally?¡± She reaches for me, her red fingernails pick at something on the front of my shirt, and then she runs her hand down my shoulder. Her excuse of innocently touching me falls t, but just as she¡¯s ready to move her hand, Harper turns the corner and stares at us. I know it¡¯s a dick move, that I should push Aisha away to prove that there¡¯s literally nothing going on, or even use it as a way to make Harper feel like shit for assuming the worst of me. But I can¡¯t do it, my pride won¡¯t let me, and I¡¯m still pissed that she told me to delete her number. Who the hell does she think she is? I grab Aisha¡¯s hand before she can pull away. It¡¯s mmy, cold, the exact opposite of Harper, and the way her skin seems to burn beneath my fingertips. I¡¯m thinking of Harper but staring at Aisha, holding Aisha¡¯s hand as my cock presses against my fly. I imagine shoving Harper against the locker and lifting her ass with my hands, tearing at her clothes and doing it in front of everyone, staking my im like a wild animal. Aisha grips my hand and then leans into me. ¡°You okay, baby? You seem distracted.¡± ¡°I¡¯m good.¡± I rub my thumb across her hand. ¡°And I wouldn¡¯t miss it. The pep rally.¡± Harper walks by us as I lean in and whisper. ¡°Remember the time I rubbed one out when you were doing that hip thrust thing to Drakest year.¡± Aisha swats my chest yfully. ¡°You¡¯re so evil! I can¡¯t believe you did that in the school restroom.¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t wait.¡± I lie, really I¡¯d been semi-drunk, horny, and didn¡¯t want to touch her, but as the drinks got heavier at the party that night, somehow Ryan had made my story into this epic event like I saw Aisha dancing and just couldn¡¯t control myself. Harper storms past us like her ass is on fire. I feel like shit and start to push Aisha away again when I see ke out of the corner of my eye. He sweeps in literally and lifts Harper off the ground, spinning her around. Suddenly she¡¯s smiling. Thenughing. I scowl as she makes eye contact with me. ke ispletely oblivious. Harper slides down his body too slow¡­ so slow there¡¯s no way she can¡¯t feel his dick. What the hell? When did ke start flirting so hard with her? He whispers something in her ear. She smiles again. I¡¯m going to kill him. Thank God the bell rings. Normally I¡¯d be in a good mood because History is one of the only sses that I sit next to ke in, meaning we can fuck around for a near hour of boredom. Not today. Today I may just set his desk on fire. He releases Harper, she goes in the opposite direction. I ignore ke and stomp into the ss and sit. He casually sits next to me, putting his feet up on the desk in front of him and leaning back like he doesn¡¯t give a shit. My eyes narrow. ¡°You and Harper seem to be getting close pretty fast.¡± His smirk hits me square in the chest as he slowly turns. His stupid man bun looks like he got fucking styled today for the Grammys, hell between that, the pierced ears, sharp cheekbones and ¡°eyes¡± girl always drool over, I¡¯m suddenly seeing him in a different light and feeling sick as fuck to my stomach. ¡°Yup.¡± He turns. ¡°Feeling threatened?¡± ¡°No.¡± | scowl. Yes. ¡°I¡¯ll enjoy watching Ryan bury you alive.¡± Heughs. ¡°The only way he¡¯d know I was even going for her would be if you told him¡­¡± His eyes sh. ¡°Are you gonna tell him?¡± ¡°What the hell? You¡¯re actually pursuing her?¡± He shrugs. ¡°She¡¯s hot.¡± Yeah, I know, so does my dick, and my mouth, and my fingers¡­ and damn it! How did this fucking happen? Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. ke pulls out his phone. I steal a nce at his screen and notice he¡¯s going through all her pictures on Instagram and liking them, then he switches over to Tik Tok and smiles. He starts typing ament. Something courses through me. At first, I think it¡¯s because I¡¯m about to kill my friend, but no, it¡¯s something much worse. Jealousy. I feel threatened. Something I¡¯ve never really felt in my entire life. I hate it and immediately grab my own phone and look at her profile and thements that my friend is making in real-time. Things like, so cute, lol, and a shit ton of emojis I¡¯m pretty sure Ryan would kill him for typing. By the time the bell rings for lunch, I¡¯m not even sure we are on speaking terms anymore. | grab my tray in the cafeteria, eyes scanning the room andnding on Harper, who¡¯s sitting with Sadie, their heads ducked together. ke approaches. And I lose my shit. I¡¯m at their table in seconds, mming my tray down and reaching for Harper before she can protest. ¡°I need a minute.¡± I don¡¯t hear ke or Sadie. the hallway and then, on second thought into the janitor closet. Again. She jerks out of my hold. ¡°Seriously? What the hell is wrong with you!¡± She reaches for the door handle. I block it. ¡°Wait!¡± ¡°Why should I?¡± She doesn¡¯t meet my eyes. I hate this. I hate that my mystery girl is Harper and that I can¡¯t help but hurt her when I want to kiss her. I¡¯m so confused about my own feelings I want to break something. All I know is I don¡¯t want her to be with ke, and I want to kiss her again. And I hate when she¡¯s angry but also kind of like the way her eyes sh with hunger at the same time she¡¯s yelling at me. I push. She pushes back. | spin her around, grab her hair and pin her to the door, my lips hovering close to her neck. ¡°He¡¯s not it for you.¡± ¡°Who?¡± She stills ¡°You know who.¡± | grit my teeth and tug a bit harder on her ponytail. Her hair feels like silk on my fingertips, sliding around, taunting me, asking me to tug a bit more. Her body stiffens. I release her hair, my hands fall to her shoulders. ¡°What do you want, Easton?¡± I open my mouth, then close it. She presses her head against the door. We stand in silence. Tension swirling around us. I slowly turn her to face me and tilt her chin up. Her eyes narrow. ¡°You¡¯re the absolute worst.¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡°I hate you.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Her mouth crushes mine, her teeth bite down on my lower lip, and I¡¯m kicked out of Hell and weed back into heaven. Chapter 40 Chapter 40 Harper I really need to stop following Easton into dark corners and closets, and he really needs to stop giving me mixed signals. I¡¯m still pissed about the other day. And even angrier that it feels like he¡¯s toying with me because he knows he can. Am I really that weak of a person? Am I that girl? I hate that girl. Everyone does I pull away from him after biting down on his lower lip, tasting him, and wanting to inflict violence on his person for no reason other than a warning. He flinches when I pull back. His bottom lip is red from where I bit him and so enticing that I suddenly get a glimpse into what drug addiction is all about and why they teach you to never try anything once. I tried Easton. And now I¡¯m in a friggin closet when I should be eating my lunch. His hands move to my hips. Everything pulses inside my body, my blood, my heartbeat. His eyes are crazed, like he¡¯s not himself. ¡°God, did you see her today?¡± Aisha¡¯s voice sounds from outside the closet. Her locker is close by. I just assumed she¡¯d be eating her carrots then throwing them up like the rest of the cheer squad. ¡°Ugh, don¡¯t get me started. I feel so bad for Easton. It¡¯s almost like he has to babysit her because he¡¯s Ryan¡¯s best friend.¡± It sounds like Julia, but it could be Court too. ¡°I mean, don¡¯t get me wrong, good for Easton. He¡¯s doing his charity work, but, damn, he has a life too.¡± ¡°I know!¡± Aisha sounds annoyed. ¡°I mean, I guess I¡¯d be jealous if he hasn¡¯t been giving me so much attentiontely¡­well that and we kind of, you know¡­a few months ago, you don¡¯t sample the goods¡­¡± Sheughs. ¡°Then fuck the help.¡± | squeeze my eyes shut. Embarrassment washes over me. ¡°You¡¯re so right.¡± Whoever she is repeats. ¡°It¡¯s only a matter of time before you guys are exclusive.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take him however I can have him-we¡¯re meant to be.¡± Easton curses under his breath and pulls away from me. Wait, is he actually conflicted? Upset? He¡¯s not even freaking denying anything! We stare into each other¡¯s eyes and I can¡¯t read his face, but I suddenly don¡¯t want to be in a closet with him anymore. I don¡¯t want to be in the same school or on the same with him. If he really felt something for me, wouldn¡¯t he just roll his eyes and shake his head? Or at least bust out of the closet and call her out? Yet he¡¯s doing nothing. His eyes are still holding mine. I stare him down, willing him to say something like it¡¯s not true, or I choose you, or she¡¯s just a bitch, but it¡¯s almost like he¡¯s purposely pushing me away when seconds ago he was pulling me close. A tear slides down my cheek. How embarrassing. He reaches for me. I bat his hands away. It hurts to breathe. A knot forms in my throat. I don¡¯t hear them anymore, so I open the door before he can stop me and look down the hall. The coast is clear. I move only to have Easton pull me back and shut the door. He¡¯s in my personal space again, his eyes wild. ¡°ke¡¯s bad news.¡± ¡°What?¡± I want to scream. ¡°That¡¯s what you have to say to me.¡± His eyes look guilty, like he¡¯s telling me a lie he can¡¯t even convince himself of. ¡°He¡¯s not good for you.¡± ¡°And you are?¡± Is this guy for real right now? The same one who said he just fucks, that this, whatever this is, means nothing, is giving me guy advice? ¡°Just¡­¡± He ms his hand against the door behind me, cursing under his breath. ¡°Promise me, all right? I know he¡¯s supposed to take you out or whatever, but I wouldn¡¯t be a good friend if I didn¡¯t warn you.¡± ¡°Warn me? You¡®re warning¡­me?¡± I repeat. ¡°Do you hear yourself? Since when have we been friends, Easton?¡± ¡°He just wants one thing.¡± He says quickly, avoiding the question. ¡°Can¡¯t you see that?¡± ¡°And you,¡± I shove his chest. ¡°I suppose you want something different, oh wait¡­¡±| snap my fingers. ¡°You¡¯re not my brother.¡± ¡°I know I¡¯m not your fucking brother.¡± He hisses, all pressed up against me, chest to chest. Why does fighting with him turn me on as much as everything else we do together? Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. It¡¯s toxic. It¡¯s wrong. Without any warning, Easton grabs my ass and then jerks me toward him. My jean skirt is short enough that he runs his hands down my ass and hikes it up, revealing my ck thong. ¡°ke couldn¡¯t find your clit if you gave him a fucking map.¡± He rubs my bare ass cheeks with his massive hands, then brings one between my thighs. ¡°He can¡¯t make you feel like this, so when you¡¯re sitting there flirting with him at lunch.¡± He flicks my pussy with his fingers. ¡°Remember who makes you feel this way. Remember my name, not his. You can try to forget this thing between us. In fact, I wee it because I¡¯m not worried that after some boring¡­¡± He flicks me again, my thighs squeeze. ¡°Ass¡­¡± Another flick. ¡°Dinner.¡± He palms me, spreading my legs apart, rubbing me hard. ¡°You¡¯lle running back.¡± ¡°You¡¯re under the impression,¡± I say through clenched teeth. ¡°That I ran toward you in the first ce.¡± Easton¡¯s hand drops. I quickly lower my skirt and open the door, not caring if the world sees me leaving that dark closet-only caring that Easton doesn¡¯t see more tears. They stream down my cheeks. I¡¯m hurt. I¡¯m pissed. And I hate that his only tool for convincing me-is to use his body when all I¡¯ve ever really wanted from Easton. Was his whole heart. Chapter 41 Chapter 41 Harper I rush into the bathroom and make sure that I don¡¯t have ck mascara running down my cheeks. Aisha clearly has the worst timing. And Easton clearly has no balls. I mean, he does, duh, but I want to scream, why does everything have to be soplicated and dramatic. Im my hands onto the sink. A stall door opens. Sadie takes one look at my reflection in the mirror and the angry way I¡¯m gripping the sink and rushes over. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°Easton,¡± I say his name like a swear word. ¡°He¡¯s just so hot and cold, and just SO¡­¡± | throw my hands up. ¡°He¡¯s warning me away from ke now as if he has a right to. It¡¯s so stupid!¡± ¡°Hold up.¡± Sadie washes her hands and grabs a paper towel. ¡°The most popr boy in school who was just making out with you in the library warned you away from the other popr guy he¡¯s always been competing against¡­did he say why?¡± I frown. ¡°Well, ke talked to me this morning, and I did flirt, but it wasn¡¯t anything that Easton¡¯s never pulled with Aisha.¡± Maybe I was being defensive, but I hated how much Easton saw-like he¡¯s fully aware of the power he holds over me and lives for my surrender, so yeah, if a hot guy¡¯s gonna flirt with me like ke, right in front of the guy I really like who¡¯s driving me crazy, what do you think¡¯s going to happen? ¡°Ah, double standards, gotta love em.¡± Sadie rolls her eyes. ¡°Look, if ke is giving you attention, it¡¯s not a big deal. If Easton can¡¯t handle that, then he can just grow a bigger dick and learn how to pursue a girl without snapping his fingers.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± I sniffle. ¡°I guess.¡± Do. Not. Think. About. His. Dick. ¡°Don¡¯t overthink it, plus we have a pep rally to go to, and you know I like it when the football team runs by in those tight pants.¡± Iugh. ¡°They aren¡¯t even that tight.¡± ¡°Tell that to DJ¡¯s dick. God, I love sports.¡± I smile and thenugh. ¡°You¡¯re such a horny slut. Quick, what¡¯s it called a touchdown or a goal?.¡± She doesn¡¯t even hesitate. ¡°When DJ¡¯s running the ball, does it really matter?¡± Iugh and roll my eyes, distracted and feeling just a bit better since my run-in with Easton. We link arms and walk out of the bathroom just in time for the first warning bell to ring for the pep rally. Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. ¡°I gotta go grab a protein bar, plus I left all my stuff at the table.¡± I rush past Sadie and go into the cafeteria to grab my bag and everything else. I quickly dump my trash and grab a bar out of my bag. ke walls in through the double doors and smiles at me. ¡°I was justing in to grab your stuff for you.¡± He tilts his head and I can¡¯t help but think he¡¯s so good looking. I don¡¯t know why I never focused on him before. Maybe because I knew he was always off-limits, and he¡¯s never really flirted with me in a way that didn¡¯t make me want to knee him in the balls? I swear his green eyes sparkle as he walks over to me. Jeans tight, short sleeve vintage shirt clinging to his body. ¡°You okay?¡± I nod my head clinging to my backpack. ¡°I will be.¡± ¡°Is this the part where you tell me what asses guys are or where you confess it¡¯s that time of the month, and I should approach you while holding chocte out in front of me if I want to keep my sight?¡± ¡°Why would I blind you?¡± Iugh. ¡°I have sisters.¡± He shudders. ¡°That was the most tame scenario I coulde up with. So what is it?¡± He¡¯s so confident standing there watching me. He isn¡¯t intense and he doesn¡¯t hover too close. It¡¯s almost like he waits for me toe to him or to react to him? ¡°Boys are all asses.¡± I finally blurt. ¡°Up top.¡± He holds out his hand for a high five. I hit it, grab my bag, and follow him out of the cafeteria toward the gym. I bypass my locker and keep my bag on me when ke stops in his tracks. ¡°Shit, I think I left my phone. Save me a seat?¡± ¡°Yeah, sure.¡± I nod then start looking around for Sadie or Ryan as I make my way toward the gym lobby. I stop at the water fountain to fill up my leopard Swell bottle. By the time I¡¯m done, mostly everyone is in the gym, and I can hear the loud music pumping through the sound system. I smile to myself. Ah, high school. There¡¯s just something about music, everyone screaming and wearing school colors that makes even the most negative emo kid wanna do a little fist bump and yell. ¡°Go, team!¡± I turn to open the gym doors and see a cheerleading uniform out of the corner of my eye. Of course, it¡¯s Aisha, and she looks pissed. She catches my eye and then grabs at something or someone in the dark hallway leading to the locker rooms. I immediately recognize Easton¡¯s shirt. She clings to it and shoves him toward the wall, then leans up on her tiptoes, pulling his neck down with her free hand. I lose it. Ipletely and utterly lose it. It¡¯s one thing to suspect. It¡¯s another thing to have to watch it. To stomach it while knowing he was just with me. I can¡¯t do this. I just can¡¯t. My breath startsing out in short spurts like I¡¯m about to hyperventte. I do a small circle, feeling slightly faint. I have to get out of there. All my brain can do is show me pictures of her leaning in and Easton meeting her mouth with his. What if they see me? Are they still kissing? How stupid can I be? He warned me! He doesn¡¯t care. He never will. I feel like I¡¯m going to be sick. I turn on my heel, ready to run, when I see ke walking toward me, holding out his phone. I don¡¯t even think about it as I hear Aisha and Easton¡¯s voices behind me. I grab ke by the shirt once he¡¯s close enough and kiss the hell out of him. His lips part, and then he¡¯s tugging me against him. He tastes different than Easton, but damn, he¡¯s a good kisser. I don¡¯t know how long we All I know is I hear the word slut. ke freezes. I pull back to look over my shoulder. Aisha is standing there, her arms crossed, face red. Easton¡¯s expression is one of pure rage as he looks between us, and even though the kiss saved me from their confrontation and made my pride feel better for like two seconds¡­ Now all I feel. Is sad. Chapter 42 Chapter 42 Easton What the actual fuck did I just witness? After fighting off Aisha¡¯s dirty ws as she tried her damnedest to pull me in for a kiss-not happening, not ever again-1 head for the gym to go to the pep rally and see Harper¡¯s lips smashed against¡­ ke¡¯s. Yeah. No. I storm toward them, ready to rip ke off of her when Harper breaks away from him first, her eyes wide as she stares up at him. The look on her face clearly says, what did I do? While the look on ke¡¯s face says, hell yeah. Fucker. My hands curl into fists as I wait for her to see me. Will her to see me with my mind. Come on, Harp. Give me a look. Just one. You can do it. But she doesn¡¯t. She justughs off whatever urge might¡¯ve taken over the both of them, her gaze briefly cutting to mine only when she hooks her arm around ke¡¯s to let him lead her into the gym. I re, frozen, my fingers clenching and unclenching as I contemte all the many ways I can rearrange ke¡¯s stupid face. ¡°¡­don¡¯t know what came over you just now, but keep doing it,¡± ke says with a Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. chuckle as they walk into the gym together. Wait a minute. Harper kissed ke? It wasn¡¯t the other way around? I storm into the gym after them, about ready to ask her what the fuck she¡¯s doing when I realize there are hundreds of us in the gym. Hundreds of witnesses. I¡¯m not supposed to like this girl. Or even talk to her. ¡°Hey, there you are.¡± I turn to see Ryan approaching me. ¡°Want to sit together?¡± ¡°Sure. Not with ke though,¡± I add as we start toward the bleachers. ¡°Really?¡± Ryan frowns, ncing around as if he¡¯s trying to find him, scowling when he does. ¡°He keeps talking to my sister.¡± This is my chance to distract him from mepletely. ¡°Uh, don¡¯t know how to tell you this, but I just saw them kissing in the hallway.¡± ¡°What the hell?¡± Ryan sounds positively enraged. Good. Maybe he can kick ke¡¯s ass for me. ¡°I¡¯ll murder him.¡± I grab his arm when he acts like he¡¯s going to do just that. ¡°Bro, it was nothing. Seriously.¡± I¡¯m downying it so my own mind won¡¯t go into pure freak out mode. ¡°I just thought you should know. Watch out for that guy.¡± e ¡°I know. He¡¯s aplete yer. And no good for my sister,¡± Ryan mutters as we climb up the bleachers and find a spot to sit. Sadie chooses that moment to plop her butt next to Ryan. ¡°Who are you talking about not being good enough for Harper? You, Easton?¡± The pointed look she sends me reminds me of how she caught me with Harper and I send her the same kind of look in return. ¡°No. I just saw your bestie making out with ke.¡± Sadie starts tough. ps her knee like I told her a hrious joke. ¡°No kidding? God, I¡¯m almost jealous. She¡¯s getting so much attention from guystely.¡± ¡°Like from who?¡± Ryan asks her. ¡°Yeah, Sadie. Who?¡± My voice has an edge to it. This girl needs to keep my name off her lips. ¡°Like I¡¯d tell you two.¡± She waves a hand, dismissing us, but I can tell Ryan wants to ask her more questions. Thank God the rally finally starts. It¡¯s the usual kind of thing you can expect from a high school rally. A rousing performance by the band of the ¡®Star Spangled Banner¡¯ and our fight song, the cheer team shaking their poms-and their asses- along with the beat while we all lose our minds in the stands. The football teames out. The coaches talk them up. Teachers make announcements. The cheer teames back out onto the floor for another ass shaking performance. Aisha finds me in the crowd and never looks away once while she performs. It¡¯s unnerving. I stare back, dead inside as I think of the way Harper jumped on ke. The manwhore with the stupid man bun. My friend. How could he? How could he not? Harper is a delectable little piece with a juicy ass and juicier lips. I¡¯m dying to tap that juicy ass. Just once, to get her out of my system. Then I can move on. Obsess over someone else. Ryan would kill me if he could read my thoughts right now. Hell, Aisha would too, since she¡¯s still shaking her tits at me with that fuck me expression on her face. I finally have to look away, unable to take it any longer. My gaze scans the crowd, snagging on Harper, who¡¯s watching me with pain and confusion in her eyes. What a load of shit. Who does this girl think she is? ying the both of us for fools is what she¡¯s doing. I¡¯m over it. Over her. Liar. Yeah. I¡¯m also most definitely a liar. The remainder of the rally passes in a blur. I¡¯m not paying attention, too consumed with thoughts of Harper and her betrayal. Of her giving that mouth to someone else, even for just a little bit. That mouth belongs to me. It¡¯s mine. No one else¡¯s. The rally ends and we exit the bleachers, herded like cattle. I fall into step behind Ryan with Sadie ahead of him, trying my best to ignore the familiar voice rattling on behind me. ¡°Come on, H. Let¡¯s grab dinner tonight. You said you¡¯d be down.¡± I clench my jaw and breathe through my nose. He¡¯s asking her on a date and I¡¯m right fucking here. And Ryan¡¯s already so far ahead of us with Sadie, he can¡¯t even hear ke ask his sister out. ¡°I wish I could, but I don¡¯t know. I have a ton of homework to finish.¡± Harper sounds genuinely sad. ¡°I can help you with it after we eat. I¡¯m a genius, remember?¡± ke¡¯s tone is cajoling. Flirtatious. The fucker thinks a couple of winks, one shitty kiss and a free dinner is going to break this girl down? Nah. Maybe I should help it along. ¡°You should go for it.¡± | nce over my shoulder and stare directly at Harper, noting the guilt shing in her eyes. Good. ¡°Go for what?¡± she asks me, her dark eyes zing. ¡°Dinner with ke. I¡¯m sure he can show you a good time¡± I smile¨Cmore like a baring of teeth-and then get the fuck out of there. Chapter 43 Chapter 43 Harper Oh my God, did he really just say that? And then take off like a scared little chicken shit? Why yes. He did. What, now he wants to shove me into ke¡¯s arms? Does this make him feel less guilty for kissing Aisha? If that¡¯s the case, what a total prick. | already knew this though. He¡¯s aplete asshole who only thinks of himself. Most of the time. Well, he¡¯s definitely thinking of me when he¡¯s got his fingers between my legs. Or his mouth¡­ ¡°What do you say, Harper? Let me take you to dinner.¡± ke¡¯s deep voice pulls me from my lust-soaked thoughts and I blink at him, wishing like crazy that it was Easton who looked at me like that. Who asked me to dinner in front of everyone at school because he doesn¡¯t care. He wants to be seen with me. I¡¯m not his dirty little secret But it¡¯s not Easton who¡¯s asking me. It¡¯s ke, who currently has a giant smile on his face, and I see something in his eyes that I¡¯ve never noticed before. He¡¯s looking at me as if he¡­actually likes me. Uh oh. I am so stupid. I should¡¯ve never kissed him. Like, ever. And it felt wrong, kissing another boy when I still have feelings for stupid, annoying, make-me-want-to-rip -my-hair-out Easton. Spotting him in an embrace with Aisha had me seeing red. I didn¡¯t even need to see her lipsnd on his. Actually, I couldn¡¯t bear to see it. That would¡¯ve sent mepletely over the edge. I was done. Over. Finished. Kissing ke was impulsive and a giant mistake. That kiss sent him a signali didn¡¯t mean. I like him, but not like that. And now he¡¯s looking at me as if I¡¯m the only girl for him. ¡°I can¡¯t tonight,¡± I finally say, hating the way his face falls. ¡°Some other time, okay? || have an essay to finish. And that history test we still need to study for.¡± ¡°Yeah. I¡¯d suggest a little study time together tonight instead, but I¡¯m guessing you¡¯re going to turn me down.¡± His lips form into a cute little pout, making me giggle. And I never giggle with Easton. Not ever. He doesn¡¯t make meugh. He makes me want to p him. Right before I kiss him. ¡°I¡¯m afraid I would,¡± I say to ke, willing myself to like him. At least a little bit. But nope. I look into his eyes and feel nothing but friendliness. ¡°Gotta go to ss,¡± I tell him. ¡°Talkter?¡± ke snags my hand before I can walk away, pulling me in close. ¡°You¡¯re a mystery, Harper. One I¡¯m dying to figure out.¡± Then he lets go of my hand and saunters down the hall, whistling. I watch him go for a moment, confused. There is nothing mysterious about me. Yeah, I might be sneaking around and hooking up with Easton in dark corners, but that¡¯s the extent of my mystery. He¡¯s only doing that with me because he¡¯s ashamed to be seen with me in public, the asshole. My heart aches and I mentally tell it to stop. I can¡¯t get all twisted up over that boy yet again. Maybe I should give up on boys in general until I start college. What¡¯s happening right now is getting way too out of my control. I go to my locker and exchange my books, then m the metal door shut to find Easton right there, leaning his shoulder against the locker next to mine. I take a step back at first sight of the murderous re on his face. Aimed directly at me. ¡°What¡¯s your problem?¡± ¡°You.¡± He spits out the word as if it¡¯s a curse. N?velDrama.Org is the owner. The moment he says it, I start walking, not wanting to hear him bash on me yet again. I¡¯m tired of it. A girl can only take so much. ¡°You¡¯re my problem,¡± he says as he falls into step beside me. Huh. I guess it¡¯s okay to be seen in public when he¡¯s tossing insults at me but otherwise, forget it. ¡°Please. Spare me the details. I don¡¯t care if you hate me or not.¡± I push through the double doors and take a deep breath of fresh air, hating how shaky my exhale is. Easton gets close to me and I¡¯m a mess. A jittery, fluttery mess. My heart is thumping. My pulse is throbbing in my neck. Between my thighs. And he¡¯s just walking beside me. Seriously. I need help. A therapist maybe? Maybe I¡¯m a sex addict who¡¯s never had sex. It could happen Or maybe I¡¯m an Easton addict. One look, one touch, one kiss, and I want more. More, more, more. ¡°You¡¯re the one who hates me, remember?¡± He grabs my arm, stopping me from escaping him, and I struggle against his hold. It¡¯s no use. He¡¯s too strong Easton shifts closer, his voice lowering so I can barely hear him. ¡°Is that why you did it?¡± I frown. ¡°Did what?¡± ¡°You know.¡± He looks away for a moment, offering me a glimpse of his glorious profile. High cheekbones and sharp jaw. That sexy mouth and those dark eyebrows. A breeze washes over us, fluttering his hair and I long to run my fingers through it. God, what am I? Some sort of demented fairy princess ready to hurl herself at the evil viin? I¡¯ve been reading too much fantasytely, swear to God. Easton turns to face me once more, his thunderous blue gaze meeting mine and I see.hurt there? No. ¡°I have no idea what you¡¯re talking about,¡± I say slowly. ¡°And besides, you¡¯re the one who was kissing Aisha.¡± ¡°What the fuck?¡± He grips the back of his neck, his biceps bulging. ¡°I did not kiss her.¡± ¡°Yes, you did. I saw the two of you together. Right before the rally. She had her ws in you.¡± Literally. ¡°And I pushed her away.¡± He lowers his head until his face is in mine, his mouth so close my lips yearn to close the space between us. ¡°Or did you happen to miss that tiny detail?¡± Chapter 44 Chapter 44 Easton Her dark eyes, which were full of anger only seconds ago, are now filled with shock. Confusion. ¡°You didn¡¯t kiss her?¡± Her voice is a squeak. My scared little mouse. Slowly I shake my head, staring at her lips. There are too many people around-and there¡¯s hardly anybody out here-but I¡¯m not risking kissing Harper in front of an audience. No matter how badly I want to. Harper stands taller. ¡°I don¡¯t believe you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s true.¡± I take a step back and throw out my arms, my palms pointed at the sky. ¡°I shoved Aisha away at thest second and she got pissed.¡± What else is new? ¡°And then I catch you kissing ke.¡± I grin, like I¡¯m having the time of my life, when I¡¯m not. Fuck, I¡¯m furious just thinking of her mouth under his. ¡°How was it? I¡¯ve heard he has sloppy technique. Uses too much tongue.¡± ¡°Better than you, that¡¯s for sure,¡± she spits out, her aim true. A direct hit to my ego. And heart. Leaning my head back, I stare up at the cloudless sky, my brain scrambling toe up with something. Anything. I always have a ready insult to throw at her, but right now, my mind¡¯s a nk. Finally, I turn my attention to her, wondering why she hasn¡¯t left yet. If she didn¡¯t give a shit about me, she¡¯d be gone already. Right? ¡°So I guess you like it sloppy and with too much tongue. Noted. Maybe next time that¡¯s what I¡¯ll give you.¡± I snag her hand and pull her in close, her body colliding with mine. Just like that, my skin tingles, wanting more. Wanting her. ¡°There will be no next time,¡± she says between clenched teeth. ¡°Because you¡¯re ke¡¯s now? Wonder what your brother would say when he finds out you¡¯ve gone from one of his best friends to the next.¡± I smirk. ¡°If you go through enough of us, maybe we could all get together one night and run a train on you. I¡¯d bet you¡¯d like,¡± The pes out of nowhere, right across my face. She¡¯s already jerked her hand out of my grip and there are tears streaming down her cheeks. Angry ones. Her gaze zes with fury and I¡¯ve never seen her look so beautiful. ¡°You¡¯re disgusting,¡± she whispers harshly before she turns and marches away. Away from me. I watch her go, my gaze dropping to her ass. Even knowing how mad she is, I can¡¯t help but check her out. Or find her attractive. Like I¡¯d run a train on her with my friends. Please. I wouldn¡¯t let any of those fucks so much as look at her. Harper¡¯s mine. She belongs to me. ** ¡°Come over to my houseter,¡± Ryan proposes as we walk out to the parking lot after school. ¡°Why?¡± I ask warily, not wanting to see Harper. It¡¯s probably best if I keep my distance for a couple hours. Couple days. Whatever. ¡°I scored a few fine ass blunts, that why.¡± Ryan grins. ¡°And you wouldn¡¯t believe where I found them.¡± ¡°Where?¡± ¡°On the roof of the school. I was up there in the middle of seventh period and found them hidden behind an air conditioning unit. Wrapped up all nice and neat.¡± Ryanughs. ¡°You probably stole someone¡¯s stash.¡± | shake my head. ¡°They¡¯re going to be real pissed when they discover it¡¯s gone.¡± ¡°Who cares? They¡¯re the dumbasses who left it up there.¡± Ryan is stillughing, pleased as hell with himself.C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. ¡°And what were you doing on the roof anyway?¡± Hees to a stop and I do too, watching him carefully. He¡¯s been acting more mysterioustely, and I have no idea what he¡¯s been up to. ¡°Sneaking out of ss. I can¡¯t stand school anymore.¡± He shakes his head. ¡°I just want to graduate and get out of here.¡± ¡°We¡®ve still got a long way to go,¡± I say as we resume walking. ¡°Don¡¯t remind me,¡± he mutters. ¡°We on for tonight or what?¡± ¡°Where are your parents?¡± I don¡¯t think they¡¯d approve of us getting together and having a blunt sesh at their house. Ryan nces around, as if he doesn¡¯t want anyone else to hear us. ¡°They¡®re out of town for the next few days and into the weekend. My dad is on a business trip and Mom went with him. And since they found out about ourst get together at the house, they gave Harp and I a bunch of shit about having no one over. The lecture was fuckin¡¯ torture.¡± Interesting. ¡°But you¡¯re still having a bunch of people over.¡± ¡°Not a bunch,¡± Ryan rifies. ¡°Only a choice few. I¡¯m inviting a couple of the guys. You know, the usual.¡± ¡°Like ke?¡± I¡¯ll want to tear that fucker¡¯s man bun right off his head the first chance I get. Ryan frowns. ¡°I already talked to him and he said he had to pass. Said something else came upst minute, though he also promised he¡¯d try to stop byter.¡± Huh. Wonder what the hell that¡¯s about. ¡°And where will your sister be?¡± My voice is casual. My entire demeanor nonchnt. I don¡¯t want to look like I care about Harper¡¯s whereabouts. But I do care. I care a lot. ¡°Studying in her room? She said she has an essay due and doesn¡¯t want us to disturb her.¡± Ryan laughs. ¡°We can just smoke outside, you know?¡± ¡°Sure,¡± I say. ¡°I¡¯ll be there. What time?¡± ¡°Seven? Whenever, man. My door is always open to you.¡± We both nce to our left when we see Harper approach, Sadie right next to her. They watch us with wary gazes and I feel like we¡¯re doing the same thing to them. ¡°What are you boys nning tonight, hmm?¡± The devilish smile on Sadie¡¯s face tells me she¡¯s on to us. Hmm, and how would she know? Can¡¯t help but wonder if Ryan¡¯s fucking around with her on the side. ¡°None of your damn business,¡± Ryan calls out to her with a smile, making herugh. ¡°You ready to go, Harper?¡± She nods, murmuring something to Sadie before she brushes right past me and climbs into the passenger seat of her brother¡¯s car. I watch her as she pulls the door shut, shoving my hands in my front pockets as Ryan reminds me to come by around seven and then jogs over to the driver¡¯s side of his car. She nces out the window, her gaze locking with mine, her eyes narrowing. I lift the corner of my mouth in a one-sided smile, thinking of all the fun we could have tonight if she¡¯d let me sneak into her room. I¡¯m sure I could convince her to let me inside. I¡¯d even bet on it. Chapter 45 Chapter 45 Harper My brother is aplete idiot. Our parents gave us the biggest speech ever about not having people over when they¡¯re out of town and how our friends broke stuff and raided their liquor cab. Ryan put on his best innocent front, telling them he had no control over their actions and he didn¡¯t think the party would get so out of hand. He took the brunt of the me because it was more his party than mine, and our parents knew it. I invited Sadie over. That¡¯s it. While Ryan invited the entire school. Anyway. He¡¯s got a group of guys out in the backyard sitting by the pool, the tiki torches lit and music ying while they all pass around a blunt. One of those guys just happens to be Easton. An aggravated sigh leaves me and I refocus on myptop and the English essay | need to write that¡¯s only halfway finished. I tap at the keys for a little bit before ! pause, my mind drawing a nk. I can¡¯t concentrate. It¡¯s so hard, knowing Easton is here. In my backyard. I should be mad at him. I pped his stupid face for saying such a shitty thing to me. Run a train .. I kind of knew what he meant, but not really. The moment I slipped into my desk at ss I pulled out my phone and Googled it, even more furious when I read the definition. He wanted to uh¡­take turns with me with his friends? Gross. The more I thought about it, the more I realized he was absolutely full of shit. He doesn¡¯t want to share me with his friends. He wants to keep me all to himself. Doesn¡¯t matter though. I¡¯m still mad at him. And I swear, he makes me so mad that | also be aroused. Which is just weird and freaks me out a little. Like, what the hell is wrong with me? Lots of things. Plenty of things. And all of them have to do with Easton. Sighing, I give up trying to work on the essay and go to my window, pulling the curtain back so I can watch the boys sitting at the outdoor table, their long bodies slouched forward, legs spread and heads leaning back against the cushioned seats of our outdoor chairs. My gaze zeros in on Easton, noting his ck hoodie and pants. How he looks ready tomit armed robbery, which is kind of hot. See? I have issues. My phone buzzes and I run to go check it. Easton: I see you. | nce toward the window, wondering if I should answer him. Easton: Checking me out? My fingers start flying. The arrogant jerk. Me: You wish. Easton: Why aren¡¯t you down here? Me: Why are you texting me? I SLAPPED you. Easton: You can¡¯t stay mad at me forever. Me: I should Easton: Let me see your room. I pause, staring at his text. Should I? That¡¯s risky. God knows what he might do to me in here. A shiver slips down my spine at all the possibilities flooding my brain. Me: No way. Easton: Come on. Just for a few minutes. Me: Why? Easton: I want to talk to you. Me: Fine. But hurry. And don¡¯t tell Ryan. Easton: Like I would. I toss my phone on my nightstand and frantically get to work. Gather up all the papers and crap on my desk and shove them in my backpack. m myptop shut. Kick my dirty clothes into the closet and shut the door. I straighten my bed as best can, eventually full on making it. He¡¯s still not here. I go to the window and peek outside. He¡¯s not down there either. My door quietly swings open and then he¡¯s slipping inside, closing the door quietly behind him before he turns to face me, a devilish smile on his face as he scans my room. His hood is pulled over his head, giving him a stalkerish air which I should not find appealing. Yet I do. ¡°Nice digs.¡± I roll my eyes. ¡°What do you want, Easton?¡± ¡°Have I ever told you I like it when you say my name?¡± He raises his brows. Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. Remembering I don¡¯t have a bra on under the oversized T-shirt I¡¯m currently wearing, I cross my arms over my chest. ¡°Even when I¡¯m mad at you?¡± ¡°Especially when you¡¯re mad at me.¡± His gaze rakes over me, lingering on my legs, which are exposed by the cotton night shorts I like to wear to bed. ¡°Come here.¡± It¡¯s the unspoken demand in his voice that does it for me. Like I can¡¯t stop myself, I approach him, a gasp escaping me when he snatches me by the waist and pulls me into him. Our torsos are flush, my thin shorts no barrier between my body and his ridged erection. I¡¯m confused. One look at me and he gets hard? ¡°Why do you hate me so much?¡± He touches my cheek with the backs of his fingers, drifting his knuckles down, down, until he¡¯s running them along my jaw. Goosebumps erupt all over my body and I part my lips, ready to answer him. But he keeps talking. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t kiss Aisha,¡± he murmurs, his fingers slipping beneath my chin and tilting my face up. ¡°I¡¯m not interested in her.¡± ¡°You¡¯re lying.¡± My voice is shaky and I close my eyes when his thumb brushes against my lower lip. ¡°It¡¯s true.¡± His thumb presses against the middle of my lip. ¡°You enjoy that kiss with ke today?¡± I say nothing. He presses harder. ¡°Did you?¡± My answer is the slightest shake of my head, my eyes still squeezed shut. ¡°Look at me, Harper.¡± My lids snap open to find his face directly in mine, his blue eyes glittering. ¡°I¡¯m going to erase every trace of his lips on yours with mine. Hisme ass is going to be a distant memory in a matter of seconds. Do you understand?¡± ¡°Yes, 1- Easton silences me with his mouth, his tongue thrusting, circling around mine. I moan into his kiss, my armsing up to wrap around his neck as we kiss and kiss as if we depend on each other¡¯s mouths to survive. He nips at my lower lip with his teeth. I thrust my fingers into his hair, pulling on it hard. ¡°Fuck,¡± he whispers, angling his head so he can dive back into my mouth. I should tell him to leave, I think as he slips his hand beneath my T-shirt, his warm fingers caressing my stomach. I should at least tell him to lock the damn door. Instead, I do none of those things. I lean into his palm when he cups my breast, his thumb toying with my nipple, and silently beg him. More. Please. Chapter 46 Chapter 46 Easton Damn, she¡¯s so soft. I cup her tit in my hand, squeezing and testing, my mouth attacking hers, swallowing every little whimper and moan. Fuck, she¡¯s so sexy she makes me go out of my mind with lust. All I want to do is touch her. Feel her. Make here. I shift us both so we¡¯re by the bed, gently shoving her so she has no choice but to fall back on the mattress. She goes willingly, her eyes fluttering open as she watches me tug off my hoodie and T-shirt, letting them both drop on the floor. She crawls up the bed backwards, her eyes going wide as she reaches for the hem of her shirt, uncertainty making her hesitate. ¡°Take it off,¡± I demand. Sitting up, she whips the shirt off, letting it fall onto the bed next to her. I¡¯m like a man possessed. I go to her, forcing her to fall backwards, my mouth on her tits, tongue licking at her nipples, sucking them. I gather her in my hands, feasting on her chest and her fingers slip into my hair, holding me there. I can¡¯t get enough of her. She tastes so fucking good. Feels even better. Her legs shift restlessly beneath mine and I run my hand down her side. Over her waist, her hip, slipping my fingers beneath her shorts to find nothing but liquid heat. ¡°So fucking wet,¡± I tell her as I lift up, wanting to watch. She lies there sprawled on top of her bed, my fingers moving beneath her shorts, her erect nipples damp and pointing straight at the ceiling. She opens her eyes and smiles at me, her fingers cupping her tits and ying with her nipples. Jesus. Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. My cock strains against the fly of my pants but I keep stroking her, circling my finger around her swollen clit, wanting to get her off. She moves with me, the both of us finding a rhythm until I can¡¯t take it any longer. I lean in, shove her shorts out of the way and attack her pussy with my mouth. Harper lifts her hips, smashing her cunt against my lips, low moans sounding from her. I lick and search every little spot, slipping my finger inside of her and slowly pushing it in and out, desperate to get her off. ¡°Oh God,¡± she gasps and I keep it up, increasing my pace. Add another finger. I lift away from her and enjoy the show, the way she moves, the sounds of my fingers working her wet pussy, the rosy flush coating her skin. Continuing to finger fuck her, I bend my head down and flick my tongue against her clit again and again. Suck on it. Lick it. Suck on it. Lick it. Until she¡¯s got her hands in my hair again and she¡¯s literally holding me captive against her pussy, her orgasm mming into her so hard, her body bows up from the bed. I thrust into her with my fingers again and again, eventually slowing my pace, my mouth gentling on her pussy until she copses beneath me in a sated heap, her fingers stroking my hair away from my forehead. ¡°Oh my God!¡± She tries to roll away from me, a giggle escaping her but I grip her hips, keeping her in ce. ¡°Why are youughing?¡± | drop a kiss on the rounded curve of her belly just above her pussy. ¡°Should I be insulted?¡± ¡°No. No, no, no. That was¡­¡± She sighs, ncing down at me. ¡°Amazing.¡± Rising up, I press a firm kiss on her lips. ¡°You evere that hard before?¡± Harper slowly shakes her head, her hands settling on my ass. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Am I the only one who can make youe like that?¡± I kiss her deeply, thrusting my tongue inside her mouth. Wanting her to taste what I just tasted only moments ago. She nods. ¡°Yes,¡± she whispers. ¡°Don¡¯t you ever forget it.¡± I kiss her again. And again. Like I can¡¯t stop myself. She wraps herself around me, grinding her wet pussy against my dick, until I¡¯m pulling out of her embrace and leaving her alone on the bed. ¡°What are you doing?¡± She scowls as she rises up on her elbows. ¡°I should go back outside. At least for a few minutes.¡± I run my fingers through my messed up hair. ¡°I don¡¯t want them getting suspicious.¡± ¡°What do they think you¡¯re doing?¡± She sits up, grabs her T-shirt and pulls it back over her head, covering her gorgeous tits. ¡°I told them I had to use the bathroom.¡± Sheughs. ¡°They probably think you have issues.¡± ¡°I do.¡± I round the side of the bed and cup her chin, tilting her face up to me. ¡°You¡¯re my issue.¡± I kiss her and when she pulls away, she¡¯s smiling. Still drunk on that powerful orgasm I gave her. ¡°Wait for me?¡± ¡°You¡¯reing back?¡± She raises her brows. ¡°Yeah.¡± | kiss her again, murmuring against her lips, ¡°And you¡¯ll being over and over and over again.¡± ¡°Promises, promises.¡± She reaches for my junk, her fingers brushing against me before I can dodge out of the way. ¡°You deserve toe too.¡± ¡°Later. I can¡¯t walk back out there with a raging boner.¡± Sheughs, the sound lighting me up inside. Why can¡¯t we always be like this? Easy and fun. She¡¯s smiling. I¡¯m smiling. What the fuck am I doing? ¡°I¡¯ll walk you to the door,¡± she says as I start to leave her room. | nce over my shoulder, watching as she straightens her shorts and tugs the T shirt further down. ¡°You don¡¯t have to.¡± ¡°I want to,¡± she corrects, her eyes glowing with womanly power. Shit. Give a girl a couple of orgasms and she thinks she¡¯s in control of the situation. Harper follows after me, pressing her body against mine as if she¡¯s trying to lure me to stay when I grab the handle. I turn and face her, kissing her firmly. ¡°I¡¯ll be back,¡± I say as I turn to face the door once more. ¡°Just give me a few minutes.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± She reaches for me as I slip out the door and I nce down the hall, making sure no one else is around before I pull her in for another tongue filled kiss. ¡°Come back soon.¡± ¡°I will,¡± I whisper, kissing her onest time before she steps back into her room and closes the door. ¡°What the fuck?¡± I turn to see ke standing there at the end of the hall, his eyes practically bugging out of his head. Shit. Chapter 47 Chapter 47 Easton ke¡¯s hands clench into fists as he res at me from the end of the hallway, his nostrils ring like a bull. ¡°Why the hell were your lips all over my girl?¡± He nods toward the closed door of Harper¡¯s bedroom. ¡°Your girl?¡± I want tough. I¡¯ve known the guy since I was a kid, but suddenly he feels almost like a stranger. And someone I want to knock the fuck out and never set eyes on again. ¡°That¡¯s right, asshole. My girl.¡± ¡°So, you¡¯re telling me, you¡¯ve imed her? You and Harper are dating now?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter what the hell our title is. I like her and I¡¯ve made that clear to you. But obviously, you have no boundaries when ites to your friends.¡± He made it clear to me? I would hardly call it that. When I mentioned to him that they seemed to be getting close, he asked if I felt threatened. I then asked if he was going to pursue her, and he shrugged. And Harper¡¯s the one who kissed him in the hallway-the visual, once again, making me fucking crazy- not the other way around. One thing I do know is I don¡¯t want him to tell Ryan about what he just witnessed. I¡¯m not ready for him to find out about us. How the hell can I get myself out of this mess? Before I even get the chance to respond, Harper¡¯s bedroom door opens and she pops her head out, peeking into the hallway. C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. Her eyes widen when nces from me to ke. ¡°What¡¯s going on out here?¡± Panic covers her face. I¡¯m not surprised, not when she knows ke has a hard-on for her, and her pussy is still wet from my tongue. I don¡¯t want her to get sucked into this, this is between me and ke. I lower my voice and say, ¡°Nothing, go back inside-¡± ¡°No,¡± ke interrupts, ¡°why don¡¯t you stay and tell us which mouth you prefer.¡± He res at me. ¡°Mine or his.¡± Nice try, dickhead, but we¡¯re not going down that road. ¡°Harper, don¡¯t answer that motherfucker¡¯s question.¡± ¡°I¡¯m the motherfucker?¡± ke snaps. ¡°Because, from what I just saw, that role is all yours.¡± ¡°Harper, get back inside,¡± I order. She disappears and shuts the door behind her, leaving us alone in the hallway. ¡°For someone who cares about her, you have a real shitty way of showing it,¡± I tell him. ¡°Putting her in the middle, that¡¯s real ssy.¡± He crosses his arms over his chest, more anger seeping into his expression. ¡°You¡¯re just afraid she¡¯s going to choose me.¡± Iugh. And I draw out the sound and movement, making sure he knows how funny he is. ¡°If that¡¯s what you want to believe, be my guest.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not what I believe, it¡¯s fact.¡± I¡¯m not going to sit around and waste my time getting nowhere with him, not when I know he¡¯s not going to say anything to Ryan when I cane back and tell Ryan about their make out session at school. ¡°You¡¯re ridiculous,¡± I bark and rush down the stairs. ¡°Run away, Easton, like a real fucking pussy.¡± ¡°Go fuck yourself.¡± I stop in the living room, seeing the guys through the patio door. I can¡¯t return to the backyard and pretend nothing has happened between ke and me. Ryan will know within a second and every secret wille tumbling out. My only option is to get out of here. I catch ke¡¯s stare onest time, my lips tightening the moment I see his smugness. ¡°Have fun lying to Ryan, you pathetic piece of shit.¡± He chuckles. ¡°I¡¯m the pathetic one?¡± I don¡¯t respond and I hear him following me to the door. With my hand on the knob, I turn around. The hairs of his bun are loosening, and I want to take a pair of scissors and cut the fucking thing off. I can deny what he saw upstairs and try to smooth things over, or I can confess what he already knows. I¡¯m going to do something even better. ¡°It¡¯s on, ke. It¡¯s fucking on.¡± I smile. ¡°There¡¯s only one man who¡¯s going to win that girl ¡­ and it¡¯s me.¡± I flip him off and leave through the front door, climbing into the driver¡¯s seat of my Jeep. I pull out of the driveaway and shoot Ryan a quick text, letting him know something came up and I had to go. The message sends and my phone starts ringing, Aisha¡¯s name on the screen. If I don¡¯t answer, she¡¯ll just keep calling. | straighten the wheel and hit the gas, holding the phone to my face. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°Why do you sound so out of breath?¡± Because I¡¯m fighting off friends who are after my mystery girl and it¡¯s making me crazy. ¡°I¡¯m not. I¡¯m driving.¡± ¡°Come over.¡± I slow as I approach the red light. ¡°Now?¡± ¡°Julia is on her way, and she¡¯s offered to write your history paper.¡± I wrack my brain, trying to figure out what she¡¯s talking about. ¡°I have history homework?¡± ¡°Seriously, Easton, are you really that dense? You and Julie have history ss together and she told me you have a paper due tomorrow and, knowing you, you haven¡¯t written it. Looks like I¡¯m right.¡± I spent the entire ss fuming, watching ke like every single one of Harper¡¯s pictures on Instagram. Of course, I missed the teacher giving us an assignment. There¡¯s no way I¡¯ll get it done by morning, not when the only thing I can think about is how badly I want to be in Harper¡¯s bed right now, my mouth tasting her wetness again. ¡°All right, I¡¯lle over,¡± I reply. ¡°But I can¡¯t stay long.¡± ¡°Why, you have somewhere else you need to be?¡± There are so many things I can say, and none will lead to anywhere good. ¡°See you soon,¡± I respond and hang up. I ce the phone into the cupholder, and it immediately lights up with a text. Ryan: I thought we were hanging tonight? What the fuck, man? Just in case ke makes any kind of reference to Ryan about Harper and me, I have to protect myself. Luckily, the perfect excuse just fell in myp. Me: Aisha asked me toe over and I bounced. You know how it is-you¡¯ve got to hit it when you can. It fucking pains me to send that message. Thest thing I want is for anyone to think I¡¯m hooking up with Aisha, but that¡¯s certainly better than telling Ryan I just ate his sister¡¯s pussy and that ke and I are about to go twelve rounds over her. Ryan: Staying the night at her ce? Me: Nah, I¡¯ll be hometer. Why? Ryan: Text me on your way home, I¡¯ve got a story to tell you. A .. story? I can¡¯t imagine what this one could be about. Me: You got it. Chapter 48 Chapter 48 Harper Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. ¡°I think I¡¯m going to be sick,¡± I say to Sadie the second she answers her phone. ¡°Why? What¡¯s going on?¡± I¡¯m huddled on my bed, looking out my window to the backyard where the boys are all sitting around the table, smoking weed. Everyone except for Easton. After he told me to go back in my room, a few minutester I heard his engine rev and I watched him drive away and he hasn¡¯t returned. And now ke is sitting next to Ryan, the seat Easton had been in. But I¡¯ve still been watching, waiting, hoping hees back. ¡°ke saw us,¡± I whisper, even though none of the boys can hear me. ¡°Saw who?¡± ¡°Me and Easton, kissing in the doorway of my bedroom.¡± ¡°Whoa.¡± ¡°And Easton and ke got into it and ke asked me who I liked kissing more.¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± I run my hand over my forehead, my pick so obvious to both of us. ¡°Nothing, Easton saved me before I had to answer. Sadie, this is a total nightmare.¡± ¡°No, a nightmare will be if ke tells Ryan. Do you think he¡¯s going to?¡± The thought has been haunting me and I don¡¯t know what to do about it. I definitely can¡¯t go downstairs and ask ke, that¡¯ll just be weird. And I don¡¯t want to ask my brother toe upstairs so we can talk, that will be even weirder. When Ryan hears I¡¯ve made out with both of his best friends, he¡¯s going to kill me. ¡°Oh God,¡± I groan, rocking over my bed. ¡°I hope not.¡± ¡°What¡¯s happening now? Where are the boys?¡± I fill her in on the logistics of everyone, and then she asks, ¡°How long has Easton been gone?¡± 1 nce at the screen of my phone to check the time. ¡°About twenty minutes. Maybe a little more.¡± ¡°You need to call Easton and find out what happened once the boys went downstairs. Before you get into Ryan¡¯s car tomorrow morning for school, you need to know what you¡¯re walking into-whether he¡¯s oblivious or pissed out of his mind.¡± My heart is pounding so loud, I can hear it. I can also hear the choice of words my brother is going to scream at me when the time finallyes. ke or Easton-I don¡¯t know which one he¡¯ll be angrier about. ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± I tell her. ¡°I¡¯m going to call him right now.¡± ¡°Call me back the second you hang up with him.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± ¡°Wait.¡± I freeze, my stomach lurching at the thought that there might be more. I hold my breath and say softly, ¡°What?¡± ¡°Who¡¯s at your house?¡± In case anything has changed in thest few minutes, I gently lift the curtain to take another peek outside. ¡°Just the boys-ke, Ryan, and the usual crew. Why?¡± I could hear her smiling. ¡°Just checking, you know, for stalker purposes.¡± I¡¯m having a mental breakdown and my best friend is concerned there might be a girl here, vying for Ryan¡¯s attention. I can¡¯t even with her. ¡°I wish you could see how hard I¡¯m rolling my eyes.¡± I make sure my voice shows how annoyed I am. ¡°I¡¯ll call you in a sec. Bye.¡± I disconnect our call and find Easton in my Contacts, holding the phone to my face as it rings. ¡°Why am I not surprised to see Miss Desperate is calling,¡± a girl says into the phone. ¡°How many times a day do you call Easton? A hundred?¡± I check my screen to make sure I¡¯ve called the right number. My stomach drops when I see that I have. ¡°God, you¡¯re so pathetic, Harper,¡± she continues, ¡°you¡¯ll do anything for attention, won¡¯t you?¡± I don¡¯t need to ask who it is. I know. And now that my stomach has lowered as far as it will go, it starts to churn. ¡°Aisha, why are you answering Easton¡¯s phone?¡± My chest aches as every possibility begins to run through my head. He was just at my house and now, he¡¯s with her? Like a switch, he just keeps flipping between us. Each time, my heart breaks a little more. ¡°Easton is¡±-she giggles so loudly,¡±tied up at the moment. Or, should I say, I¡¯ve tied him up. But his mouth is far too busy to speak to you.¡± His . mouth? The same one that was between my legs tonight. The same one that made mee so hard, I saw stars. And now ¡­ he¡¯s licking her? I really am going to be sick. ¡°Ahhh,¡± she moans. It¡¯s the same sound I made when he was going down on me. ¡°Easton, oh my God, that feels so good. Don¡¯t stop.¡± I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m hearing this. I can¡¯t believe he¡¯s doing that to her. I can¡¯t believe he let her answer his phone while they¡¯re in the middle of hooking up. My entire body starts to shake. ¡°Miss Desperate ¡­¡± She pauses to release these tiny bursts of air, the same way! do when he¡¯s sucking my nipples. ¡°I¡¯m going to have his mouth tied up for a very long time, so don¡¯t hold your breath, it may be a while before he calls you back.¡± Tears fill my eyes My mouth waters. And the phone goes dead. I can¡¯t remember anything ever hurting this badly. Not the words that were spray painted on my locker or on the cars. Not even seeing Easton and Aisha in the hallway together. This is a burning that shoots fire through every part of me. Why would he do this to me? Why do I let him continuously hurt me? Over and over again? With trembling hands, I call Sadie, the tears really flowing by the time she answers and says, ¡°What did he say?¡± My breath quivers through my lips. ¡°I d-didn¡¯t get to t-talk to him-m.¡± I wipe the bottoms of my cheeks before the drips fall onto my chest. ¡°Babe, why are you crying? What happened?¡± ¡°He,¡± I begin, but swallow as a wave of nauseaes over me, ¡°was eating o-out Aisha and s-she¡¯s the one who answered.¡± ¡°He was WHAT?¡± I bend my knees and hold them against my chest, wrapping an arm around them. I bury my face and close my eyes, trying my best to breathe. ¡°I hate him,¡± I cry. ¡°I hate him more than anything in this world.¡± Scanned with CamScanner Chapter 49 Chapter 49 Easton Thest thing I wanted to do when I got to Aisha¡¯s was take a shower, but I had to rub one off before I do something I regret. So, I told Aisha I needed to sober up-the best excuse I coulde up with on the spot-and headed for the bathroom in her room. Leaving Harper¡¯s with a raging hard-on was a bad idea, but the second that warm water hit me, I thought of the way her pussy tasted, and jerked myself off. When I leave the bathroom with just a towel around my waist, I¡¯m not surprised to find Aisha right outside, lying on her bed, not in the kitchen where I¡¯d left her and Julia. She eye fucks me as I step toward her. ¡°Yum.¡± My pile of clothes are at the end of the mattress, folded. Not like I left them. grab my jeans. ¡°Nothing you haven¡¯t seen before.¡± ¡°It gets better each time.¡± She¡¯s chewing her nail, her gaze slowly lowering down my body. Topen my jeans and she crawls toward me. ¡°Don¡¯t bother putting those on when you know I¡¯m going to take them off.¡± Fuck. I should have expected this when I saw her on the bed. I don¡¯t know what the hell I was thinking when I came over here. ¡°I don¡¯t have time for that right now¡­¡± I smile. ¡°And you know I¡¯m not quick.¡± Leaving the towel securely around my waist, I slip on my boxers and then the jeans, grabbing my phone from the pocket once I¡¯m zipped up and buttoned. ¡°Ugh, you¡¯re so annoying. Here I am, all willing and ready, and you¡¯re ying hard to get.¡± She wraps her hands around my thigh and looks up at me through hershes. ¡°I¡¯m sure you could be quick if you really wanted to.¡± er 49 Ignoring her, I read the messages on the screen. A few notifications, one that says Aisha has tagged me on Instagram, no missed calls or texts. I¡¯m afraid to even look at her post. ¡°That wouldn¡¯t be fair, would it?¡± I say and shove the phone back in my pocket. I toss the towel onto her bathroom sink and reach for my T-shirt. ¡°Besides, I¡¯ve got to talk to Ryan about something, which means I¡¯ve gotta get going.¡± Her palm ttens against my stomach. ¡°Ryan can wait.¡± She¡¯s toying with the button on my jeans, her lips tugging into a grin, like she¡¯s dreaming about sucking my cock. I need to get the fuck out of here. ¡°He can¡¯t,¡± I tell her. ¡°It¡¯s important.¡± ¡°But you haven¡¯t even spent any time with me, and Julia came all the way here to help you.¡± Julia wants to do more than help me. I wonder if Aisha knows that. I put on my T-shirt and take a step back. ¡°I¡¯ll make it up to you.¡± ¡°Wait,¡± she says, mping down on my waist. ¡°Isn¡¯t there something I can do to make you stay?¡± She¡¯s pouting. And I can¡¯t fucking stand it. I pull her fingers away. ¡°I¡¯ll see you at school tomorrow.¡± I touch her cheek, giving her the tiniest bit of attention, so she doesn¡¯t try anything else, like pounce on top of me, and I head for the stairs. Julia is at the kitchen table, books spread out around her. ¡°I¡¯ve got to run,¡± I tell her. ¡°We¡®re good with the history paper?¡± She rolls her eyes. ¡°You still haven¡¯t paid up for thest one I wrote.¡± ¡°lowe you.¡± She licks her lips, eventually biting the bottom one. ¡°Double.¡± Man, these girls are relentless. I hurry out to my Jeep and take out my phone as I start up the engine, shooting off a text to Ryan. Me: Headed home, give me a call Since I pass an ATM on my way, I stop and withdraw enough cash to cover my debt with Julia and continue onto my neighborhood. When I¡¯m only a few houses away, I see Ryan¡¯s car parked in my driveway. I check my phone, looking for a missed call or text from him. There are none. Why is he here? 1 park and get out of my Jeep, Ryan rushing out of his, meeting me in the middle of the driveway ¡°Hey, man,¡± ¡°What the fuck happened between you and my sister tonight?¡± I can see and hear the anger that¡¯s boiling through him. ke, that motherfucker. Ryan didn¡¯t have a story to tell me. He wanted to check my whereabouts, so he could confront me in person. This is going to get ugly. I can¡¯t let it. ¡°Nothing, man-¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what ke said.¡± He walks closer, his hands clenching at his sides. ¡°He says he saw you two kissing.¡± ¡°Did ke mention he was on his way to your sister¡¯s room so he could hook up with her? That¡¯s why he was in that hallway.¡± ¡°He told me.¡± A death stare moves through his eyes. ¡°I think it¡¯s fucked up, I don¡¯t want them together. But he came to me and was honest about it, that¡¯s more than I can say for you.¡± I can¡¯t believe what I¡¯m hearing. ke isn¡¯t the good guy here. He¡¯s far, far from it. ¡°Ryan, you need to calm down and hear me out.¡± He takes another step closer, his fists now balled and positioned. ¡°You want me to calm the fuck down? I don¡¯t think so. This is my fucking sister we¡¯re talking about.¡± He¡¯s in a fighting stance, his hands high and aimed at my face. ¡°Square up, motherfucker. Square the fuck up.¡± Thold my hands up, showing I¡¯m not going to fight him. ¡°You¡¯re my boy, Ryan. I¡¯m not trying to hurt you or your sister. I was with Aisha tonight, just like I told you through text. Do you think I¡¯d try some shit with your sister, and then go to Aisha¡¯s and do the same with her? That¡¯s some cold shit, even for me.¡± He¡¯s silent for a few seconds. ¡°Prove it.¡± Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. I pull up Instagram, hoping whatever she tagged me in is something I can use. It¡¯s a photo of my clothes on her bed with the caption: Now that¡¯s a sight I can get used to. Three fire emojis follow. I want to fucking barf. But I show it to Ryan and say, ¡°Satisfied?¡± His hands slowly drop. ¡°What about what ke said?¡± His tone is still stiff and gruff. ¡°Were you kissing her?¡± ¡°She was wrecked over the spray paint stuff, and I was consoling her. It looked bad, I get it, but it wasn¡¯t what ke thinks.¡± I¡¯m going to kill that cocksucker. Ratting me out, confessing his fucking love for Harper just so he can get in her pants and drop her like he does everyone else. I won¡¯t let it happen. ¡°We good?¡± | ask. ¡°Yeah, man.¡± He pauses. ¡°I guess we¡¯re good.¡± I should feel relief. But I don¡¯t ¡°You want to go smoke a blunt? I¡¯ve got a few in my room.¡± He nods and follows me inside. With each step, my pulse skyrockets. Because when Ryan finds out the truth, he¡¯s going to lose his fucking mind. Chapter 50 Chapter 50 Harper I can¡¯t believe I have to go to school like this. My eyes are puffy from crying all night, my hair a tangled mess from tossing and turning. I don¡¯t have the energy to do more than tie it up in a messy bun or attempt to even put makeup on. I just want this day to be over. And I don¡¯t want to run into Easton. I don¡¯t want to pass him in the hallway or see him at lunch or watch him get into his Jeep after school. I don¡¯t want him to even exist. My heart aches even more than it didst night because the first thing I saw this morning while Ryan drove us to school was Aisha¡¯s post. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. As if her moaning wasn¡¯t enough. Now, I have to see his clothes on her bed. The same outfit he was wearing when he was on my bed, between my legs, his lips on that spot that was making me moan. My stomach feels like it¡¯s been punched. My chest so tight, a chainsaw couldn¡¯t even break it. And, to make me feel even worse, Ryan knows that Easton kissed me. ke told him and he also told him that he wants to date me. I heard Ryan yelling all that into the phonest night, long after he kicked the guys out. He probably thought I was asleep, but I was far from it, and I tried figuring out who he was talking to and couldn¡¯t. He ended the conversation with something I would do anything to unhear. Apparently, Easton told him he was just trying tofort me because I was sad about the spray paint, that our kiss was nothing. A charity case, that¡¯s what I am to Easton. A sad, pathetic girl, who can¡¯t stop obsessing over being called a slut. I hate him. And I hate this school. I wish this locker would just swallow me as I stand in front of it, staring at my books, unable to even think of which ones I need. ¡°I was hoping you were going toe in today,¡± Sadie says as she leans into the locker beside mine, making me jump, I¡¯m so deep in my thoughts. ¡°You didn¡¯t return my text this morning, so I figured you had your mom call you in sick.¡± I didn¡¯t return Easton¡¯s either when he sent est night. He¡¯s a lunatic for thinking I would even consider texting him back. ¡°I asked her to, but she wouldn¡¯t,¡± I say. I even told her I was feeling like death, and she told me to suck it up or she woulde home early from their trip and take me to the doctor. I didn¡¯t want her to do that. ¡°I¡¯m d you came. I can¡¯t do school without you.¡± She puts her arm around my shoulders, waiting for me to close my locker, and walks me down the hallway. ¡°Easton is an asshole, we know this, and now we¡¯re going to find you Prince Charming.¡± I nce at her. ¡°Please. I need no such thing.¡± She nods toward ke as he rounds the corner, heading right for us. ¡°Maybe that¡¯s him right there.¡± Iugh, even though it hurts my heart. ¡°We both know he¡¯s no prince.¡± ¡°But there¡¯s something so hot about his long, thick, silky hair, and how he twists it on top of his head,¡± ¡°Stop,¡± I say, looking at my best friend. ¡°This is the horny side of you talking.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going to deny being horny, but,¡± ¡°No buts,¡± I tell her as ke approaches. ¡°Harper,¡± he says, standing in front of us. ¡°I came to your roomst night before your brother kicked us out. I wanted to talk to you, but you must have been sleeping and didn¡¯t hear my knock I was smart enough to lock my door. And smart enough not to answer it. Thest thing I wanted was a conversation and questions and I was sure ke wanted both. ¡°I was so tired,¡± I lie. ¡°And that question you asked me when I was in the doorway of my room ¡°I take a breath, remembering the moment. ¡°I didn¡¯t like it.¡± And he wouldn¡¯t have liked my answer. Easton would always be a better kisser than him. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± He tucks a few stray hairs behind my ear. ¡°That was wrong, and I shouldn¡¯t have said it.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± I whisper. He silently stares at me, then says, ¡°I¡¯m going to find out who¡¯s been doing the spray painting. I¡¯m not going to stop looking for them until their ass is mine.¡± ¡°Damn, that¡¯s sexy,¡± Sadie replies. I want to roll my eyes at how horny she is, but I can¡¯t, someone behind ke has caught my attention. The sight of him makes me want to cry again. First period hasn¡¯t even started and I¡¯m already running into him. Rage fills Easton¡¯s expression as he realizes who I¡¯m talking to. Wow, he has some nerve. I want to throw up. As though ke can sense Easton approaching, he turns toward him, muttering between his teeth, ¡°Don¡¯t even look at that fucking loser. He¡¯s just jealous of us.¡± His arm possessively goes around my shoulders, putting me in a sandwich between Sadie and him. Easton eyes up ke and says, ¡°Do you have something to say to me?¡± Easton¡¯s close enough that I can smell him. His cologne. Shampoo. Even his body wash. My eyes close, my heart shattering as my lungs fill. ¡°Yeah, motherfucker, I want you to keep walking and leave us the hell alone. I told you Harper is mine.¡± My eyes shoot open. I¡¯m ke¡¯s? Oh God. ¡°Is that true?¡± Easton pauses, waiting for me to reply. ¡°ke is who you want?¡± What I want is this floor to open and take me in like a sinkhole. keughs at Easton. ¡°Have you gone to Ryan and admitted you have feelings for Harper? No, you haven¡¯t.¡± ke holds me even tighter. ¡°You just run back to Aisha every chance you get, like you did last night.¡± ke starts walking us in the opposite direction and says over his shoulder to Easton, ¡°There¡¯s nopetition here, asshole. I¡¯ve already won her.¡± ¡°That was intense,¡± Sadie says when we¡¯re a few steps away. If my heart wasn¡¯t so broken, maybe I would have chimed in. Maybe I would have told him how disgusting he was. But it even hurt to look at him. ¡°Are you all right?¡± ke asks as we turn down the next hallway. ¡°Mmm-hmm,¡± I reply, not trusting my voice. ¡°You know ¡­¡± He leans into my ear. ¡°You¡¯re even more beautiful when your eyes aren¡¯t rimmed in makeup, when I can see how deep and perfect and brown they are.¡± I¡¯m not even looking at him. And he knows their color. ¡°I¡¯ve got to leave you two here and head to ss,¡± Sadie says. ¡°See you at lunch?¡± I nod, hating more than anything that we have to part. ke leads me toward the stairwell. ¡°I¡¯ll walk you to ss.¡± How does he know my first period is upstairs? Would Easton know that? Would he care? ke¡¯s arm moves over my bra strap until it rests across my lower back. ¡°He¡¯ll never care about you like I do,¡± he whispers as my feet hit the first stair. I suck in a mouthful of air. And I wait for the tingles to hit. Chapter 51 Chapter 51 Easton I watch ke, Harper, and Sadie walk down the hallway, his arm around my girl, looking at her like he wants to fuck her against a locker. If I felt anger before, nothingpares to this. I want to break ke¡¯s fucking nose. Shatter his teeth so he has to gum each word he tries to spew. I swear, he¡¯sing onto Harper just to get under my skin. It¡¯s working. Building in my chest. Swelling every second I see them together and it¡¯s constant. Third period, they¡¯re strolling the hallway, his arm across her lower back. At lunch, they¡¯re sharing chips like they¡¯re in a Disney movie about to slurp the same piece of spaghetti. Fifth period, he¡¯s leaning against the side of her locker, not even a tornado could break his gaze. I can¡¯t take it anymore. I need to know if Harper feels the same way about him, but she won¡¯t look at me. She won¡¯t even nce in my direction. I know she has history seventh period and ke has English on a different floor-we¡¯re in the same ss-so I wait outside Harper¡¯s ssroom. When she arrives, I grab her arm and lead into the stairwell. ¡°I need to talk to you,¡± I say the moment we¡¯re alone. She pulls her hand away. ¡°I have nothing to say to you.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± I wait for her eyes to reach me. ¡°Why won¡¯t you look at me?¡± ¡°You make me sick.¡± The bell rings. ¡°And now you¡®ve made mete for ss and you probably just earned me detention.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll serve it with you, won¡¯t that be fun?¡± I smile. ¡°We can sneak off and find the janitor¡¯s closet again.¡± ¡°Gross.¡± When I touch her face, she moves away. ¡°What have I done that¡¯s made you so upset?¡± She finally looks at me. ¡°What have you ¡­ done?¡± Staring back at me is so much pain, it¡¯s like I¡¯ve hurt this girl in unimaginable ways. ¡°It¡¯s mind-blowing that you can even ask me that question.¡± She attempts to leave, and I set my arm above her head, caging her against the wall. ¡°Talk to me, Harper.¡± She swallows, like her throat is on fire. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re making me say this ¡­¡± Tears threaten to drip. ¡°You don¡¯t remember going down on Aishast night while I was on the phone-your phone, that I called, and she answered.¡± ¡°What the fuck are you talking about?¡± Rage is pulsing through me. ¡°You called me? And she answered? And she told you I was eating her pussy?¡± ¡°I heard you doing it.¡± ¡°What exactly did you hear?¡± She takes a deep breath. ¡°Her moans.¡± Aisha. That fucking cunt. She has no boundaries on how far she¡¯ll go. No wonder my clothes looked different when I got out of the shower, she answered my ¡°Harper, listen to me, do you honestly think I¡¯d do something like that? That I would ever let you hear that?¡± When I reach for her this time, she doesn¡¯t move away. ¡°That¡¯s not even the point, the point is my mouth wasn¡¯t anywhere near Aishast night.¡± I drop my head to get closer to her. ¡°When you called, I was in her shower, beating off to the thought of how good your pussy tasted and what I wish I could have done to you if we hadn¡¯t been busted by ke. A shower I had to take because you gave me a serious case of blue balls.¡± | exin to her how it all went down, unintentionally giving Aisha ess to my phone, and how I left and that¡¯s when Ryan confronted me. The sadness starts to lift, but there¡¯s still plenty of emotion in her eyes. ¡°Easton ¡ª you went to her house.¡± ¡°Only because Julia offered to write my history paper, and she was at Aisha¡¯s.¡± I know I¡¯ve hurt Harper in the past, but she has to believe I¡¯m innocent. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t y you like that. You have to trust me.¡± I bend in farther, feeling her exhale against my face. ¡°Tell me you do.¡± ¡°Easton ¡­¡± ¡°Say it, Harper. Say you trust me.¡± She eventually whispers, ¡°I trust you.¡± I cup her cheek, our mouths only inches apart. ¡°You¡¯re all I think about, Harper. I don¡¯t know how much longer I can continue lying to your brother about us.¡± I press my nose into hers. ¡°I need you.¡± I can¡¯t wait for her to respond. The desire to taste her is far too strong. I m our mouths together, circling her tongue while my fingers crawl down her chest, holding the heaviness of her tits, flicking my thumb across her nipples. ¡°Fuck,¡± I moan, pulling my mouth away. ¡°I can¡¯t get enough of you.¡± She tries to catch her breath. ¡°This is such a mess-with Ryan, ke.¡± She pauses. ¡°With us. If you want me, you have to do something about it.¡± I pull her against me, my cock so fucking hard, it¡¯s ready to bust through my pants. ¡°I¡¯ll figure it out, but no more listening to Aisha, you hear me? And ke¡¯s hands need to stay the hell away from you or I¡¯m going to lose my shit.¡± She sighs, the pain gone from her voice. ¡°Okay.¡± I kiss her again and give her ass a little p. ¡°Go to ss. I¡¯ll see you after school, I¡¯ming over.¡± Her eyes widen. ¡°But Ryan,¡± ¡°Ryan has some after school shit to take care of, I already asked him.¡± She smiles. ¡°See youter.¡± The rain is just starting toe down when thest bell rings. I grab my things and head for the student lot, seeing that all too familiar bun heading down the same row as my Jeep. On one side of him is Sadie, the other is Harper, my hands shaking as I watch them. This is thest time he¡¯ll ever touch her, I¡¯ll make sure of that. And that¡¯s the look I give him when we all turn at the same time. ¡°You¡¯ve got a problem, Easton?¡± ke growls. C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. I toss my bag into the passenger seat and m the door closed. I¡¯ve had enough of his fucking mouth. I hear Ryan to my right, leaving his car to walk closer. Sadie is stopped at her trunk, watching us. Harper is frozen under his arm, her eyes telling me she doesn¡¯t want to be there. Those aren¡¯t the only eyes on me. It feels like the entire school is in this goddamn parking lot. ¡°You¡¯ve been giving me dirty looks all day,¡± ke continues. ¡°I¡¯ve had it. If you want Harper, then stake a im on her. Make the move. Look at Ryan and tell him how you¡¯ve been lying about his sister.¡± My chest is pounding, my fingers clenching. This isn¡¯t the right time to do this ¡­ is it? ¡°Just like I thought-you¡¯re all talk, no action,¡± ke says. ¡°She¡¯s mine, we both know it.¡± He pulls her against him. ¡°She knows it.¡± I can feel Ryan¡¯s stare on me. Sadie¡¯s. I nce at Harper and she¡¯s silently pleading at me to say something. My mystery girl. ¡°ke!¡± I shout across the lot, my fingers clenched into fists, soaked from the rain. ¡°You -¡°but my voice cuts off as I feel a hand touch my shoulder. Chapter 52 Chapter 52 Harper Easton whirls around when he feels me touch his arm, his blue eyes widening in surprise that I¡¯m the one standing next to him. Confusion fills his gaze and he nces toward ke, who I was with only seconds ago. I couldn¡¯t take it anymore, pretending ke was a sufficient substitute. And it definitely didn¡¯t feel right with his arm around my shoulders, as if he was trying to im me when he¡¯s not the one I want. That¡¯s why I ran to Easton. It killed me, witnessing the agony on his face while ke yelled at him. My brother may be watching us, as well as the rest of the entire school, but I don¡¯t care. I want to be with Easton. But does he want to be with me? ¡°Say it,¡± I whisper, fear gripping me. ¡°If you can¡¯t tell my brother you want to be with me, I can¡¯t keep doing this.¡± He blinks at me, his lips parting and my heart stalls in my throat. What if he tells Ryan he doesn¡¯t want to be with me? What then? ¡°Get your pretty ass over here, Harper!¡± ke bellows. ¡°Show that asshole who vou really want!¡± ¡°Shut the hell up, ke!¡± Ryan yells. A trickle of relief flows through me at my brother¡¯s words, but Easton still hasn¡¯t said a damn word. Dread curdling in my stomach, I stand a little taller. ¡°What¡¯ll it be?¡± I ask, my voice low so no one else can hear me. ¡°Do you want to be with me? Because I refuse to be your dirty little secret.¡± ¡°Harper.¡± He breathes out my name, taking a step closer, and I don¡¯t retreat. He reaches up to lightly touch my face and my eyes fall shut, savoring the sensation of his fingers on my skin. He immediately drops his hand and I open my eyes, watching as he looks over at ke, who¡¯s positively fuming, and then my brother. His two closest friends, yet here I am, like I¡¯ming in between all of them. ¡°Ryan, I can¡¯t let Harper walk out of my life,¡± Easton says, his voice strong. Everyone can hear him. ¡°I just-I can¡¯t. I care about your sister a lot.¡± My heart swells as he sends me an unsure look, his expression ¨C petrified. I grab his hand and pull him to me, his arms automatically going around my waist as he kisses me. In front of everyone. The entire parking lot. Hell, probably the entire school. The kiss is hard, as if he¡¯s proving a point, and in a way, I guess he is. ¡°What the actual fuck?¡± Ryan yells. ¡°Finally!¡± Sadie squeals. ¡°Fuck you, Easton!¡± Thises from ke. I don¡¯t care what anyone is saying. I¡¯m wrapped up in Easton¡¯s arms and he¡¯s so warm despite the rain. His kiss is drugging, lulling me into a trance with every stroke of his tongue. Until I finally have to pull away before things be too heated, noting the dazed look on his face. I¡¯m sure I look exactly the same way. ¡°You said it,¡± I murmur. ¡°You told my brother.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t lose you.¡± Leaning in, he presses his forehead to mine, staring into my eyes. ¡°And you¡¯re not my dirty little secret.¡± My smile is huge. I can feel it stretching my lips as I slip my arms around his neck and tangle my fingers into his damp hair. ¡°Oh my God.¡± Before I can say anything else, he kisses me again, ending it quick when Ryan screams a string of curse words. My brother storms off, Sadie right on his heels as she calls his name. Easton keeps his arms around me as we both turn toward ke. He¡¯s staring at us, his face red, his eyes zing with fury. ¡°Such fuckin¡¯ bullshit and you know it. You just hate to lose.¡± ke thrusts his finger at us. ¡°He¡¯s going to use you up and spit you out, baby girl. And when it¡¯s all said and done, don¡¯t bother running back to me, looking forfort. The only thing I¡¯ll say to you is, ¡®l told you so¡¯.¡± ¡°ke-¡°| start to pull away from Easton, but he tightens his grip on me, not allowing me to chase after him. ¡°Let him go,¡± he tells me, pressing his mouth to my temple as ke jumps into his truck and starts the engine. ¡°He¡¯ll get over it.¡± ¡°I never meant to hurt him.¡± Sadness fills me, along with a giant dose of regret. This isn¡¯t how I imagined it would go down between us. Not even close. ¡°He probably thinks I was using him.¡± Easton nces down at me, his brows rising. ¡°Were you?¡± | shake my head. ¡°No. Of course not. He was always so kind to me.¡± Funny. Flirty. I didn¡¯t understand ke¡¯s sudden interest. Like he almost knew Easton and I had a secret thing going, though I don¡¯t know how he could. ¡°He never really started talking to me until after you and I-¡± I mp my lips shut, not wanting to exin myself any further. The irritated look on Easton¡¯s face tells me he understands. ¡°He knew you were vulnerable. He could sense it.¡± He inhales sharply, his cheeks turning ruddy. ¡°Like a damn predator.¡± ¡°Ohe on, Easton.¡± Iugh, but it¡¯s shaky. ¡°You¡¯re exaggerating.¡±. He turns to me, about to speak, but someone catches his attention. Aisha. She¡¯s watching us along with the rest of the crowd, Julia beside her. They both have looks of utter disgust on their faces and when our gazes meet, Aisha¡¯s eyes narrow, her lips thinning into a straight line. Never looking away from her, I curl my hand around his nape and pull him down to me, our mouths meeting briefly. I want this bitch to know that Easton isn¡¯t hers. He¡¯s mine. Fuck her. Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. ¡°Let¡¯s get out of here,¡± Easton says once the kiss is over. ¡°Okay.¡± I nod and smile as we pull out of each other¡¯s arms. He takes my hand, intecing our fingers together and he brings our linked hands to his mouth, brushing a kiss across my knuckles. I can still feel Aisha watching. I actually see her lunge toward us, but Julia grabs her at thest second, stopping her. And I can¡¯t help but smile. Take that, bitch We leave the school in Easton¡¯s jeep and I¡¯m trying to text Ryan, but he won¡¯t respond. Of course he won¡¯t. I¡¯m sure he¡¯s furious with me. With Easton. Maybe even ke. ¡°Who are you texting?¡± ¡°Ryan, but he¡¯s not answering me.¡± Exhaling loudly, Easton grips the steering wheel. ¡°He¡¯ll get over it.¡± ¡°I wish I had your confidence.¡± I send a text to my best friend, who immediately responds. ¡°Okay. Sadie says she¡¯s with Ryan, trying to calm him down.¡± ¡°Thank God for best friends.¡± nce up, looking out the window. ¡°Where are we going?¡± ¡°I was thinking your ce? Like we nned?¡± When I don¡¯t respond, he asks, ¡°You okay with that?¡± Fighting the nerves that suddenly fill me, I murmur, ¡°Yes. Definitely.¡± Chapter 53 Chapter 53 Easton Adrenaline races through my veins, making me tense. Eager. I drive like a madman to Harper¡¯s house, pulling into her driveway so fast I see her jerk against the seatbelt. Shit. I need to get myself under control. We hop out of the Jeep without a word and I fall into step behind her, waiting impatiently as she unlocks the front door. She nces over her shoulder at me, her expression full of heated promise before she starts up the stairs. I m the door behind me and follow her up, grabbing her by the waist the moment we¡¯re in her bedroom, and I haul her to me. ¡°Finally,¡± I murmur just before I kiss her. She returns the kiss with as much enthusiasm as I¡¯m feeling. I can¡¯t stop thinking about what happened in the parking lot-and how fucking surreal the entire moment was. Did I actually confess my feelings for this girl in front of her brother and everyone else? Or did I stake a im on her because, as ke the asshole so kindly pointed out, I hate to lose? Yeah no. It has nothing to do with losing and everything to do with this perfect, delicious girl in my arms. With the intoxicating mouth and curvy body. The perfect ass and giant tits that are currently pressed firmly against my chest. Fuck, just having this girl in my arms sets my blood on fire. I cup the side of her face, tilting her head to change the angle of our kiss and when my tongue strokes deep, my mystery girl moans. My cock hardens in response. Tiny shivers ripple through her and when I finally break away from her lips, her teeth are literally.. Chattering? ¡°You¡¯re shivering.¡± I run my hands up and down her back, trying to warm her up, knowing the wet clothes we¡®re wearing don¡¯t help. ¡°Are you cold?¡± She gives a jerky nod. ¡°Aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Yeah, I guess. Maybe we should strip.¡± ¡°1-I should take a shower first.¡± Igopletely still for a moment before I slowly pull away, a devious smile stretching across my face. ¡°I¡¯m down.¡± ¡°Um, not together.¡± She shakes her head, seemingly embarrassed ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯m ready for that yet.¡± I¡¯m such an asshole. Of course she¡¯s not. This girl is a freakin¡¯ virgin, for the love of God. I need to move slow. ¡°Okay. Just know I won¡¯t push you for anything you don¡¯t want to do.¡± Her smile is faint. ¡°You¡¯re so sweet.¡± No girl has ever called me sweet. That¡¯s not a word anyone uses to describe me, ever. ¡°Yeah, don¡¯t let it get around.¡± Herugh is soft and settles low in my gut. ¡°Okay, there¡¯s the mean boy who pushed me into a supply closet and shoved his hand down my pants.¡± | slip my fingers beneath her chin, tilting her head back so her gaze meets mine. ¡°I¡¯m sure I could shove you into a closet somewhere around here and relive the moment.¡± Harper slowly shakes her head, her fingers going around my wrist and removing my hand from her face. ¡°I need to shower first. Do you want to take one after me?¡± Hell no. I don¡¯t want to waste any more time. ¡°I just want to get out of these clothes.¡± C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. ¡°Find something in Ryan¡¯s room to wear and throw your wet clothes in the dryer. You know where the laundry room is, right? You know how to work a dryer?¡± She looks so amused, teasing the rich guy. ¡°I know where theundry room is and I know how to work a dryer. My maid showed me.¡± I¡¯m teasing her right back. We don¡¯t have a maid and she knows it But we do have a housekeeper. She gently shoves me away and I nearly topple over, it¡¯s so unexpected. I like this side of Harper. She¡¯s much more confident. Maybe that¡¯s because she knows how I feel? ¡°Come back and wait for me in here, okay? I won¡¯t take long.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going anywhere,¡± I growl, pulling her in for onest, lingering kiss. ¡°Hurry up.¡± ¡°I will,¡± she says as she starts to pull away from me. I give her a firm smack on the ass that sends her running out of her room and straight into the bathroom, mming the door. Within seconds I hear the water turn on and the wet plop of clothes Shaking my head, I go into Ryan¡¯s room, rummaging through his stuff until I find a pair of gray sweats. That¡¯s all I need. Not like I n on keeping them on for long. I head downstairs for theundry room, stripping my clothes off before I toss them all into the dryer. Once I¡¯ve got the sweats on, I¡¯m racing back up to her room and settling on the edge of Harper¡¯s bed, keeping the door open as I wait for her. She¡¯s still in the shower. I can hear the water running and it¡¯s taking everything I¡¯ve got not to barge in there and join her. But I don¡¯t. I¡¯m respecting her wishes. I grab my phone and check social media, not surprised whatsoever to see my confession ying out on a smattering of Instagram stories from a variety of angles. Guess everyone had their cameras out for this moment. The biggest yer asshole in school confessing he has feelings for the girl no one pays attention to. Gotta document it. I watch the stories, caught up in the look on Harper¡¯s face as she watches me, her eyes full of unknown emotion when I say I couldn¡¯t let her walk away. That I cared about her a lot. And those are such inept words. They don¡¯t describe how I really feel about her Hell, I don¡¯t know exactly what I feel toward her, but I know one thing. It¡¯s overwhelming. Like an addiction. All I want is Harper. I notice on someone¡¯s story the look on ke¡¯s face when I kiss Harper. The way his fists clench, like he wants to beat my ass. I spot Ryan, and while he seems disgusted, he also appears at a loss. Like he can¡¯t protect his twin sister any longer. And then there¡¯s Aisha¡¯s expression when she spots us kissing. The look of utter disgust when Harper smiled at her. The venom in Aisha¡¯s eyes. My stomach drops. That girl? Is fucking trouble. Chapter 54 Chapter 54 Harper The shower did wonders for my cold skin but I¡¯m still a mess of nerves. Knowing Easton is in my room, waiting for me. That we¡¯re most likely going to take our rtionship to the next level and have sex¡­ It¡¯s exciting. Scary. Overwhelming. Freaking terrifying I rub lotion all over my body. Run a brush through my hair again and again, wishing I had enough time to blow dry it. I slip on a robe my mom gave me a couple of Christmas¡¯s ago. It¡¯s ck with giant white polka dots on it, and it¡¯s super short, barely covering my butt. That¡¯s all I wear. Not necessarily sexy, but I know Easton will definitely appreciate my nakedness. After stalling long enough, I finally exit the bathroom, crossing the short hall into my bedroom. I slip inside the room and close the door, my mouth falling open at the scene in front of me. Easton sitting on the corner of my bed, his legs spread wide in that way boys sit and his head bent as he stares at his phone. He¡¯s wearing light gray sweats and nothing else. Nothing. Else. His chest is on full disy, and I drink in all that smooth skin covering sleek muscle. His broad shoulders and chest. The rigid muscles of his abs. His t stomach with the thin trail of dark hair that leads from his navel, disappearing into the sweats. I¡¯ve seen him before without a shirt on. I¡¯ve actually had his dick in my mouth. But there is something about him waiting for me like this that is so¡­ Sexy. And that¡¯s not a word I use lightly-if at all. Easton lifts his head, his gaze meeting mine and he smiles, tossing his phone onto the mattress like he could care less what¡¯s happening on social media. All that matters is what¡¯s happening right now. Between us. ¨C ¡°That was a long shower.¡± His deep, gravelly voice rumbles through me, settling between my legs. ¡°I needed to warm up.¡± ¡°I can warm you up.¡± His smile fades and his expression turns serious. ¡°Come here.¡± push away from the door and slowly go to him, and when I¡¯m close enough, he hooks his arm around my waist. I rest my hands on his shoulders, standing in between his spread legs, breathless when he pulls me even closer and rests his chin on my robe covered stomach, gazing up at me. ¡°I wanna take this off.¡± He toys with the fabric belt of my robe. A shuddery breath leaves me and I decide to be bold. ¡°I want you to take it off.¡± He arches a brow as he pulls away slightly, reaching for the belt. He slowly unties it while I stand there, trembling despite the hot shower I just took. Despite how his heated gaze singes me from the inside out. I¡¯m nervous. Anxious to his calm. His movements are slow. Deliberate. He pulls the belt off and lets it fall to the floor, the robe fabric immediately parting and revealing most of my naked body His gaze never leaves mine as he slips his hands inside of the robe, and I lock my knees so I don¡¯t crumble to the ground. His cool fingers skim my stomach, making me jump and my heart races so hard, I¡¯m scared he¡¯ll see it pounding away beneath my skin. ¡°You¡¯re beautiful,¡± he whispers right before he leans in and ces his mouth on my stomach. I close my eyes, trying my best to chase the fear away. Blindly, I reach for him, tangling my fingers in his hair, holding him to me. I stand before him as he examines me with his hands and his eyes while I keep mine closed, letting my other senses take over. The scent of his hair as it brushes across my belly, his soft, warm mouth tickling my skin. The sound of his elerated breaths as his hands curve around to cup my butt. Those big hands slip downward, his fingersing teasingly close to the ce I want them the most, and a breathy moan leaves me when he removes his hands from my bodypletely. He¡¯s such a tease. ¡°Let¡¯s take this off,¡± he murmurs and I shrug out of the robe, letting it fall to the floor. When he doesn¡¯t do or say anything, I crack my eyes open to find him examining me as if I¡¯m a painting hanging on a museum wall. ¡°What?¡± I ask, my voice cracking. ¡°I never get a chance to really look at you.¡± He runs his hand over my hip. ¡°And you truly are beautiful. Like a work of art.¡± I want tough, but can¡¯t. ¡°So poetic.¡± His gaze lifts to mine. ¡°Not a word anyone would use to describe me.¡± ¡°Maybe you¡¯re only poetic for me,¡± I whisper, reaching for him so I can cup the side of his face. He smiles and my heart catches. He¡¯s the beautiful one. I don¡¯t know how I got so lucky to catch this boy¡¯s attention, but here I am. Standing in front of him in my bedroom, no one else in the house, and I¡¯mpletely naked. If anyone would¡¯ve told me a couple of months ago this would be happening, I would¡¯veughed in their face. Impossible. Easton didn¡¯t even know I existed. And now look at us. ¡°You¡¯re a virgin, aren¡¯t you.¡± He doesn¡¯t ask it like a question. An awkwardugh leaves me. ¡°Is it that obvious?¡± ¡°No, I just-I figured.¡± He strokes my hip again, back and forth. Drawing closer and closer to my pussy. ¡°I don¡¯t want to hurt you.¡± ¡°You won¡¯t,¡± I say with confidence. His fingers trail across the skin just above my pubic hair, teasing. ¡°You sure about that?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± I whisper. C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. He¡¯s quiet, concentrating on his exploration. And when his fingers slip between my legs, parting me, I catch my breath, sinking my teeth into my lower lip. My eyes fall closed when he touches me there. I¡¯ve touched myself before but I didn¡¯t know just how good it could be when someone else does it. And Easton knows exactly what he¡¯s doing. Chapter 55 Chapter 55 Easton She¡¯s trembling in my arms, little nervous huffs of breath leaving her, and I¡¯m trying my best to restrain myself. My fingers sink into her swollen flesh, back and forth. Tracing all of the delicate, damp skin, noting the catch in her breath when I touch her in a particr way, always careful. I don¡¯t want to scare her or make her push me away. Yeah, no. Can¡¯t risk it because I¡¯m definitely going to fuck her this afternoon. After that performance we put on in the parking lot, me confessing my feelings-and I don¡¯t normally have fucking feelings, I¡¯m ice cold-it¡¯s all I can think about. Me and Harper. Harper and me. Naked and tangled up together in the sheets. Kissing her everywhere. Filling her up. Making her mine. I continue to stroke her, keeping my exploration gentle. I¡¯ve touched her like this before, but this feels different. More momentous. I can¡¯t fuck this up. I want to put my mouth on her. Hell, I should probably do that first. Tongue fuck her until she¡¯sing. Make her nice and loose for me so I can slip inside her easily. Fuck, she¡¯s a virgin. There might not be anything easy about this. Pulling away, I stare up at her, noting the fear in her eyes. The flush on her cheeks. Her tentative smile. Fuck, this girl. I wasn¡¯t lying when I said she was beautiful earlier. Harper is gorgeous. Without warning I pull her into me, smiling at her yelp, moving quickly so I¡¯ve got her pinned beneath me on the bed, my phone tumbling off with a thump onto the floor. My erect cock strains against the sweats I borrowed from Ryan-yeah, can¡¯t think about him right now-and I thrust against her nice and slow, wanting her to know what she¡¯s doing to me. Clearly, she likes it because she grabs my hair and brings my mouth to hers. The kiss is wild. Sloppy. Tongues and teeth and gasps and moans. I feed on her hungrily, my hands wandering, touching her everywhere I can reach. She leans into my palm when I find her tit and toy with her nipple. I slip downward so I can suck and nip at it, pulling it into my mouth. A moan leaves her and she shifts, restless beneath me. Her legs slide against mine and I roll away briefly, ridding myself of the sweats. I turn to face the bed to find her watching me, her lower lip caught between her teeth, her damp hair a riotous mess. She doesn¡¯t bother hiding herself, doesn¡¯t act modest, though I can tell she¡¯s still nervous. Her gaze drops to my dick and her eyes go wide before they snap back up to mine and yeah. I can tell she¡¯s real nervous now. ¡°Ummm¡­¡± Her voice drifts. ¡°Remember I¡¯ve never done this before.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°And I just got on the pill.¡± ¡°Really?¡± I like the way this girl thinks. She nods. ¡°Plus I have condoms.¡± Her cheeks turn red. I raise a brow, surprised. ¡°Where?¡± ¡°In my robe pocket.¡± I grab her robe off the floor and search for the pockets,ing across one, two¡­ Three condoms. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Feeling ambitious?¡± I hold them out toward her with a faint smile. ¡°Stop.¡± Sheughs, her entire face red now. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t apologize.¡± I crawl back on top of her, we both groan at the skin-on-skin contact. I thrust my face in hers, brushing strands of dark hair away from her forehead. ¡°I like your ambition.¡± ¡°You do?¡± Her voice is the barest whisper and I lean in, lightly brushing my mouth against hers. ¡°I¡¯m scared.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go slow,¡± I promise, kissing her again. And again, dipping my tongue between her lips. We kiss until my mouth aches and still I don¡¯t want to stop. All i can focus on is her. She¡¯s smooth and soft and she spreads her thighs wide as we continue kissing, the little whimpers from her throat encouraging me. I run my mouth down her neck. Across her corbone, her chest. Pay attention to her nipples once more, her fingers returning to my hair, holding me to her as I suck and nibble and lick. She likes that. Noted. Forter. | shift back up to her mouth, my hands skimming along her side, touching between her legs. She¡¯s so damn wet. I press my index finger against her clit and a hiss of breath leaves her. Fuck. I can¡¯t stop kissing her. Touching her. I slowly slip a finger inside of her tight pussy, testing her, and the more I rub, the more rxed she gets. Until I¡¯m able to push two fingers inside, pumping them in and out steadily, her body moving with my hand. Eventually I pull away from her greedy mouth, bringing my fingers to my lips andpping at them, the taste of her melting on my tongue. She watches me, her gaze darkening as she reaches for me, pulling me down to her mouth once more. But I avoid her, shifting down her body, my mouth following my hands, exploring her everywhere. Until I¡¯m lying between her thighs and I push them open, staring at her for a moment. Pink and glistening, all for me. Unable to resist, I dip my head and run my tongue along the length of her pussy,pping at her with a thoroughness that has her immediately writhing beneath me. I increase my pace, pressing my hands against her thighs, holding her down as I attack her. Drive her out of her mind with my tongue. My lips. And when I decide to add a finger to the mix? Within seconds, she stiffens beneath my hold, her thighs tensing for the briefest moment before her entire body begins to tremble wildly. And shees all over my face. Chapter 56 Chapter 56 Harper I can¡¯t move. I think that orgasm just killed me. Or maybe I¡¯m paralyzed for life. I¡¯m not sure. I sort of don¡¯t care. Easton grabs one of the condom packets and I watch as he tears it open and rolls it onto his erection. He positions himself above me, his expression pained as he grips the base, the head right there, poised at my entrance. We stare at each other, our breaths elerated and then slowly, carefully, he pushes inside of me. I close my eyes as I feel him stretch me wide. Oh God it-it stings. Hurts. But I don¡¯t stop him. I breathe shallowly, reminding myself to rx. I can take it. I can take this. Once he¡¯s fully inside of me, he pauses, and I crack my eyes open to find him watching me. ¡°You okay?¡± he rasps. I nod, unable to speak. He starts to move, slowly at first, me awkward beneath him until we eventually establish a rhythm. And though it¡¯s not the most pleasant feeling I¡¯ve ever experienced, I can tell he¡¯s enjoying it from the way he¡¯s continuously cursing beneath his breath, his movementsing faster and faster. Until he¡¯s pounding inside of my body, our sweaty skin sticking. His low groans send a shiver through me, and when he reaches in between us to brush his fingers against my clit? ¡°Oh God,¡± I gasp, my eyes flying open when he increases his speed. I can¡¯t catch my breath. He¡¯s moving so fast, thrusting. Withdrawing. Thrusting again. Out of nowhere he shouts, and I realize he¡¯sing, his big body consumed with shivers as I cling to him, a small orgasm rippling through me thanks to his insistent fingers on my clit. We copse in a heap of tangled, sweaty limbs and he rolls off of me, pulling me with him. His mouth is at my forehead as he breathes heavily and I run my hand up and down his chest, shifting lower to trace his abs. ¡°Jesus,¡± he finally manages to say. | giggle. I can¡¯t help it and he starts chuckling, until we¡¯re bothughing, my face pressed against his neck, his arms around my waist. Eventually ourughter dies and he¡¯s pulling away from me, but I don¡¯t want to let him go. ¡°I need to get rid of the condom,¡± he whispers. ¡°Oh.¡± I release him, feeling dumb, my gaze trailing his every move as he exits my bedroom and enters the bathroom. I hear the toilet flush, the water run and then he¡¯s back, slipping beneath myforter and pulling me back into his arms. I settle my head on his chest and close my eyes, content. ¡°Should I leave?¡± he asks a few minutester, his fingers in my hair,bing through the still damp strands. I lift my head. ¡°Why would you leave?¡± ¡°Ryan mighte back soon.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care if he does.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure he¡¯s pissed at me.¡± ¡°He¡¯ll get over it,¡± I reassure him. ¡°How can you be so sure? And why is he so damn protective of you all the time?¡± The irritation in Easton¡¯s voice is obvious. ¡°Well, look at you. You¡¯re his best friends and you¡¯re all a bunch of manwhores.¡± I¡¯m teasing, but then again not. ¡°He wanted to keep you away from me so you couldn¡¯t hurt me.¡± His expression turns serious as he continues brushing his fingers through my hair. ¡°I C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. don¡¯t want to hurt you ever again, Harper.¡± My heart cracks. Who knew Easton could be so sweet? ¡°You won¡¯t.¡± I lean in and brush my mouth against his. ¡°I won¡¯t let you.¡± He smiles against my lips. ¡°So you¡¯re a badass now?¡± ¡°I was always a badass,¡± I say, kissing him yet again. ¡°You just didn¡¯t realize it.¡± ¡°True.¡± His hand slides down my back, settling on my butt. ¡°Are we going to keep doing this?¡± I ask. ¡°If by this you mean fuck?¡± He squeezes one butt cheek. ¡°Yeah. You got a problem with that?¡± ¡°No,¡± I whisper as he rolls back over on top of me. ¡°Not at all.¡± We lost all track of time but It didn¡¯t matter because my parents are still out of town and Ryan never managed toe home. Easton ordered pizza and we ate it naked in bed together. We used up all three of those condoms and wished for more. We fell asleep in each other¡¯s arms and slept that way all night. I woke up rested and refreshed and¡­ With a giant boner brushing against my backside. ¡°Good morning,¡± he murmurs into my neck, his deep, sleep roughened voice making my pussy flutter. ¡°You¡¯re definitely-awake.¡± I rub my butt against his erection. He chuckles. God, I love a happy Easton. ¡°I really wish I¡¯d bought more condomsst night.¡± He¡¯d wanted to leave at one point and pick up more at a store but I convinced him to stay. I was scared he might leave and nevere back. Stupid, I know. ¡°We can pick up more today,¡± I suggest. ¡°We should.¡± He kisses my neck. ¡°I¡¯m hungry.¡± ¡°Me too.¡± He rests his hand on my stomach just as it growls. ¡°Starved really.¡± ¡°We should go somewhere.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Yes, in public. Maybe we could run into people from school and they could see us together. Public confirmation would be perfect. ¡°Let¡¯s go then.¡± He pulls away from me and rolls out of bed, my gazending on the perfection that is his bare ass. ¡°I should shower first.¡± He turns to face me, his cock half erect. ¡°Together?¡± ¡°Sure,¡± I say, feeling suddenly shy. We¡¯re just entering my bathroom when I hear the sound of the front door unlocking. We both freeze, our gazes meeting. ¡°Ryan?¡± Easton asks. ¡°Must be,¡± I whisper. ¡°Harper! Ryan! Get down here!¡± Wait a minute. That was ¡°Your dad,¡± Easton says, his eyes wide. ¡°Hold on.¡± I take his hand and drag him into my room. ¡°Stay here.¡± Easton slips on the sweats he borrowed from Ryan-he never did pull his clothes out of the dryer-while I throw on an old T-shirt and a pair of panties. ¡°Harper! Get down here right now!¡± This time it¡¯s Mom yelling. ¡°I¡¯ll be right back,¡± I tell Easton. ¡°Don¡¯t leave this room.¡± He grabs me by the waist, delivering a blistering kiss to my lips before he shoves me out of my room. ¡°Good luck.¡± I race down the stairs and bolt out the front door, stopping on the front porch when my parents swivel their heads in my direction. ¡°Hey. You guys are home early.¡± I try to smile brightly, like it¡¯s no big deal, but inside I¡¯m quivering, I¡¯m so freaked out. ¡°Yeah well, we realized we needed toe right home after we couldn¡¯t get a hold of you or Ryan all night long and our neighbor called us at six in the morning letting us know about-¡°Mom waves a hand in the direction of the garage door. ¡°¡ªthis. Care to exin what it¡¯s all about?¡± My gaze slowly shifts to the garage door Mom¡¯s pointing at and my stomach drops when I see it. Oh no Chapter 57 Chapter 57 Harper In huge ugly letters, the word whore is spray-painted in ck, covering the entire garage door for the subdivision to see. This is so much worse than my locker. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. I cover my mouth with my hands as tears form. I stumble out, ¡°Who would do this?¡± ¡°We asked the same thing.¡± Dad kicks at the grass in frustration and looks across the street. ¡°For all his neighbor stalking, Mr. Mann had his Ring camera turned down so that the damn cat across the street would stop setting it off when it shits in his yard.¡± ¡°He hates that cat¡± I saymely. ¡°Yup.¡± Dad nods then cranes his neck toward me. ¡°Harper. is something going on? Really.¡± The way he looks at me kills a part of my soul. I¡¯ve always been the good twin, the one who never got into trouble, the one people never suspected. Now I had enough drama in thest few weeks to keep me upied for life. I¡¯m also very aware that the look my mom keeps giving me means she¡¯s so disappointed in me. I pray she hasn¡¯t seen Easton¡¯s Jeep. I mean, he parked further down the street but still¡­ Hopefully, she hasn¡¯t noticed Ryan¡¯s not here, but his best friend is. Have they checked around the house? I didn¡¯t hear the stairs creak, so I can only hope they just got home. I feel sick to my stomach, this is so bad. So bad. And just when I think it can¡¯t get worse, I hear Ryan¡¯s truck start barreling down the street at exactly the same time Eastones strolling out the front door. What the heck is Easton doing? I can only guess he saw Ryan¡¯s car from upstairs and ran down, hoping to intercept him. Eastonpletely freezes when he sees both parents still outside, his eyes widen even further when Ryan pulls up into the driveway. Ryan¡¯s eyes are trained on Easton. As he follows where Easton¡¯s looking, a look of pure rage crosses his features. My brain does the calctions as fast as it can. Smart one, remember? I¡¯ll be grounded for life if Mom and Dad find out. ¡°Hey Easton!¡± I say loudly as Ryan hops out of his car, clearly ready to kick Easton¡¯s ass. ¡°See, I told you Ryan wouldn¡¯t take long grabbing his assignment from Sadie.¡± Easton slightly frowns while my parents watch us in curiosity. ¡°Right. I was worried¡­so, very ¨CWorried that she¡¯d keep him all day. You never know how long¡­¡± He puts special emphasis on the word long. ¡°-.these things canst, hours or ¨Cseconds.¡± ¡°Ha, ha.¡± Ryan ps Easton on the back. Hard, then grabs him by the back of his neck and squeezes. ¡°And leave my best friend alone with my sister? The one I trust most in this world? The guy who swore to be my right-hand man during the zombie apocalypse? Never.¡± I¡¯ve never seen Easton so pale and feel a little bad that my brother is being so ridiculous, then again, we¡®re all screwed if my parents find out what went downst night. After all, I may have been home losing my virginity, but something tells me that Ryan wasn¡¯t at Sadie¡¯s house watching a movie while sitting on a separate end of the couch eating popcorn. ¡°Yeah.¡± Easton manages to wrap an arm around Ryan, pulling him even closer. ¡°You know me when I love someone, it goes beyond friendship¡­¡± ¡°Funny you should use the L-word.¡± Ryan spits. At this point, they¡¯re joined in this weird angry bro hug, both of them have a grip on each other¡¯s necks too. It¡¯s weird as hell. There¡¯s no way my parents are going to buy it. ¡°Ryan,¡± Dad barks. ¡°You know we don¡¯t care if you have Easton over..¡± ¡°Yeah honey.¡± Mom smiles at Easton. He¡¯s lucky his charm works on everyone. ¡°We love Easton. You¡¯re always wee, sweetie.¡± Easton smirks.. I start making funeral preparations for him. I take one look at Ryan¡¯s face and decide it will need to be a closed casket. ¡°But¡­¡± Dad takes a step toward them, his eyes darting between the guys. ¡°How didn¡¯t you hear someone outsidest night? What the heck were you boys doingst night. Do you even know who would do this?¡± ¡°Games.¡± Ryan blurts while Easton smirks and follows it with. ¡°Twister.¡± I inwardly groan. Must he poke the bear? Ryan¡¯s face turns a funny shade of red, like he¡¯s almost embarrassed. Easton turns to release Ryan, and his eyebrows shoot up as if he¡¯s seeing what I¡¯m seeing. ¡°Apparently, Ryan wanted more than a few rounds, maybe next time, buddy.¡± He shoves him away and smartly walks over to Dad and stands behind him. Well, at least an idiot didn¡¯t take my virginity, right? Ryan can¡¯t attack him with my dad that close by. Ryan hangs his head. ¡°Sorry Dad, I¡¯ll get some of the old paint. Easton can help me since he should have also been-more alert.¡± Easton opens his mouth. I¡¯m afraid of what¡¯s going toe out, so I yell, ¡°GREAT IDEA!¡± ¡°Honey.¨C¡± Mom covers one of her ears. ¡°There¡¯s no need to scream.¡± ¡°Sorry, I just really like painting,¡± I mumble, suddenly remembering how much I screamedst night. What if the person who spray-painted the garage heard us? Or saw Easton¡¯s car? Easton snickers behind his hand and gives me a heated look that has me forgetting everything I should be worried about and wanting to jump into his arms. Ryan charges toward him and gives him a light shove toward the garage. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Dad looks on. ¡°It¡¯s good they¡¯re so close.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Guilt ms into me. ¡°It is.¡± Chapter 58 Chapter 58 Easton My best friend wants to murder me and stand over my bleeding corpse, smiling and kicking until I breathe myst breath. Actually, I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if he actually just grabs a shovel from the garage in a vain attempt to knock me out and bury me in his backyard next to the tree we carved our initials in. Huh, how fucking poetic. I walk behind him, angry that it¡¯se to this but also angry that he can¡¯t see how much I care for Harper. worst and has it out for Harper. The look she gave us yesterday is burned into my mind. She¡¯s officially taken it too far. ¡°Grab a roller,¡± Ryan barks. I grab one of the rollers. He¡¯s silent. He grabs two cans of white paint, a tray, and some stic. I grab another brush and one more roller, then follow him out of the garage. Harper is standing in front of it in tears. ¡°Harper.¡± Ites out harsher than I would have liked. ¡°We¡¯ll take care of it, just go inside.¡± She crosses her arms over her chest like she¡¯s embarrassed. Does she regretst night and this morning? Shit, we had sex at least three times, or was that four? I was kind of rough with her thest time. Maybe she feels like a whore now? Clearly the words on the garage could have been written at a better time. Shit. I¡¯m not used to feeling insecure. I want to gofort her, but I figure Ryan and I need to talk before I touch her. Ryan sets the paint down and curses. ¡°Easton¡¯s right, go inside, call Sadie or something, eat chocte, do what girls do when they¡¯re sad.¡± ¡°You should know what girls do when they¡¯re sad.¡± It¡¯s like I can¡¯t stop myself from saying these things. ¡°Not now, Easton.¡± He doesn¡¯t even look at me. ¡°Harper, we¡¯ll figure it out, all right?¡± She gives us both onest tear-filled look, then slowly walks toward the door. I fight like hell not to stare after the perfect ass I sunk my teeth intost night and nearly fail as turn. Ryan¡¯s watching me, and I can¡¯t stop my feet as they move toward her. Harper¡¯s right hand reaches for the front door. I spin her around-possibly myst moment on this earth since I¡¯m touching her in front of Ryan-and pull her against my chest, thankful that both parents are already back inside so they aren¡¯t suspicious of anything. She rxes instantly against me. I hold her tight. Ryan can go fuck himself. She starts to sob as I clench her tighter, whispering in her ear. ¡°We¡¯ll figure it out, I promise, okay?¡± ¡°B-but who would do this?¡± ¡°I can think of a few people who aren¡¯t so happy right now.¡± I pull back and wipe the tears from beneath her eyes, damn she¡¯s so pretty, even when she cries. I want to go back into that house andy in bed with her. I want to hand her all the ice cream and candy she needs then worship her body with my mouth. Her surrender would feel so good. She needs me, I think, as much as I need her, but I have an angry brother/best friend behind me. So, I gently pull away and kiss her on the forehead. ¡°He¡¯s right. Go call Sadie and try to rx. We¡®ve got this.¡± Harper nods and then looks over my head at Ryan. ¡°I like him, please don¡¯t kill him.¡± ¡°No promises,¡± Ryan seethes. I hope I don¡¯t look too panicked as Harper kisses me on the cheek and goes inside. Like an idiot, my hand goes to the spot on my cheek she touched. A hard shovees from behind. I stumble onto the pavement, nearly falling. ¡°What the hell Ryan?¡± He grunts, ¡°Grab a brush.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± I walk past him and grab a brush. ¡°So, we aren¡¯t talking about it?¡± He jerks open both cans of paint. ¡°If I talk about it, I might actually go to prison, so no, we aren¡¯t talking about it.¡± ¡°We should.¡± He freezes, his hands hovering over the metal lids. ¡°Anyone but her, bro. Why did it have to be her? Why?¡± The fact that he looks sad kills me. I sigh and start pouring one of the cans of paint into the tray. ¡°You probably won¡¯t believe me, but I didn¡¯t know it was her.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± He looks at me for the first time, really looks at me. ¡°How did you not know it was her?¡± I shrug. ¡°I fell for a girl I was making out with in the dark, and by the time I realized it was Harper, I was already too far gone to do anything but jump.¡± He frowns. ¡°Holy shit, did you just go all poetic about my fucking sister right now?¡± I¡¯m agitated because he¡¯s right. ¡°No, I¡¯m just saying, you know¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re a simp.¡± He mocks and dips his roller into the tray. ¡°And she¡¯s a handful.¡± I want to say yeah, a handful of tits, ass, and every other fantasy I have, but I restrain myself. ¡°Look¡­¡± I work on my spot on the garage door. ¡°Right now, the most important thing isn¡¯t you kicking my ass, it¡¯s us finding out who did this shit to your garage. It has to be Aisha, she¡¯s been all over me for months.¡± He snorts. ¡°What makes you think it wasn¡¯t someone else?¡± ¡°She was pissed yesterday and inplete attack mode, it didn¡¯t help that Harper and I took off or kissed or¡­¡± I realize the more I talk, the more Ryan looks ready to murder me. ¡°Never mind. It just makes the most sense.¡± ¡°Maybe.¡± Ryan is silent. This sucks. I don¡¯t want to lose my best friend. But I don¡¯t want to lose Harper either. We work in silence. Harperes back outside with coffee and some breakfast burritos, then goes back inside without saying anything. I hang my head. ¡°Bro, are we good?¡± ¡°No. Not right now.¡± ¡°If I say I¡¯m sorry, it means I regret her. I can¡¯t do that.¡± I hate myself for my honesty. Ryan tosses the roller down and looks over at me. ¡°You lied to my face.¡± ¡°Yes. ¡°So, how would you be doing in my position?¡± He scowls and goes back to painting. I feel like shit the rest of the morning. I want to say yeah, a handful of tits, ass, and every other fantasy I have, but I restrain myself. ¡°Look¡­¡± I work on my spot on the garage door. ¡°Right now, the most important thing isn¡¯t you kicking my ass, it¡¯s us finding out who did this shit to your garage. It has to be Aisha, she¡¯s been all over me for months.¡± He snorts. ¡°What makes you think it wasn¡¯t someone else?¡± ¡°She was pissed yesterday and inplete attack mode, it didn¡¯t help that Harper and I took off or kissed or..¡± I realize the more I talk, the more Ryan looks ready to murder me. ¡°Never mind. It just makes the most sense.¡± ¡°Maybe.¡± Ryan is silent. This sucks. C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. I don¡¯t want to lose my best friend. But I don¡¯t want to lose Harper either. We work in silence. Harperes back outside with coffee and some breakfast burritos, then goes back inside without saying anything. Thang my head. ¡°Bro, are we good?¡± ¡°No. Not right now.¡± ¡°If I say I¡¯m sorry, it means I regret her. I can¡¯t do that.¡± I hate myself for my honesty. Ryan tosses the roller down and looks over at me. ¡°You lied to my face.¡± ¡°Yes. ¡°So, how would you be doing in my position?¡± He scowls and goes back to painting. I feel like shit the rest of the morning. Chapter 59 Chapter 59 Harper The guys are pissed. My body is sore. My parents are clueless. And all I want is to go downstairs and kiss Easton. I want him to tell me it¡¯s going to be okay. I want him to tell me he misses me, thatst night was everything he imagined it would be. I notice that he¡¯s put my sheets in the hamper already, putting myforter over my bed as if nobody has even slept in it, but I know the truth. We did a hell of a lot more than sleepst night. My hamper looks guilty. How does a hamper look guilty? I walk over to the basket and lift the lid, my off-white sheets look normal except for a few red stains. Me. Us. I should have thought ahead, but I¡¯m d Easton at least imagined a scenario where my dad came barreling into my room, took one look at the bed, and questioned me while shoving Easton off the roof. My eyes squeeze shut, and I imagine his hands on me, just as my door bursts open. Not my dad, but just as bad. Sadie stands there, hands on hips. ¡°Tell me everything.¡± Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. I quickly turn around. ¡°You saw everything. Apparently, I¡¯m a whore.¡± She waves me off. ¡°The boys already have it half gone.¡± | snort and move to my bed, she follows. Sadie puts her hand on mine. ¡°Let¡¯s talk about the good stuff before we talk about the asshole we¡¯re going to killter.¡± I smile at that. ¡°Fine.¡± ¡°How was it?¡± Her smile is so wide I swear her face is going to break in half. When I don¡¯t say anything, she gives me a light shove. ¡°Come on, there¡¯s no way in hell he took you back here to bake cookies!¡± ¡°We could have baked cookies.¡± I grab a piece of hair and wrap it around my finger. ¡°So, cookies make you blush like that?¡± ¡°Maybe it¡¯s the chocte?¡± I joke. She shoves me harder. ¡°Details, girl!¡± Iugh and try not to feel too embarrassed that we¡¯re sitting on the same bed he took my virginity on. ¡°It was everything I imagined it would be and more.¡± ¡°A! So, he was¡­.¡± She trails off like she¡¯s embarrassed. ¡°Incredible,¡± I finish. ¡°He was selfless, sexy, just, everything.¡± I sigh and try not to melt into a puddle at her feet. ¡°I mean at first, you know.¡± I shrug. ¡°¡­ and then his focus was just on me, on us, I just wish¡­¡± I look toward the window. ¡°I wish it wouldn¡¯t have been ruined by Aisha.¡± ¡°Aisha?¡± she repeats. ¡°What makes you think she¡¯s the one who spray-painted that?¡± I shrug. ¡°She truly has it out for me, that¡¯s why.¡± Sadie¡¯s quiet. ¡°Well, it could be ke too. Rumor has it he punched his own car yesterday after you guys left and went on a tirade.¡± I frown. ¡°ke? No, he wouldn¡¯t.¡± ¡°Trust me,¡± she says. ¡°Everyone saw it, some got it on social media even, he was pissed.¡± Sadie looks ufortable for a minute. ¡°Plus, Ryan and I may have stalked Aisha on social mediast night and noticed in her stories that she¡¯s out of town.¡± A chill wracks my body. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yup.¡± She nods. ¡°She left right after school and took Julia with her.¡± I make a face then slowly turn toward her. ¡°You and Ryan?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± She starts ying with her hair. ¡°What were you doingst night anyway? He never came home.¡± Sadie bites down on her lower lip. ¡°We were definitely not ying Monopoly.¡± Thankful for the distraction, I shove her off the bed onto her ass, she¡¯s sitting on the floor smirking up at me. ¡°You little hussy!¡± ¡°I¡¯m the hussy?¡± she asks innocently. ¡°Go look after your brother, guys an animal when he¡¯s,¡± | shake my head and start to plug my ears. Sheughs andys down on the ground. ¡°God, I miss that mouth.¡± ¡°Nope!¡± I plug my ears harder. ¡°Some things you can¡¯t unhear!¡± She moves back to the bed and sobers. ¡°Honestly though, the only other person is ke.¡± ¡°Nice subject change.¡± ¡°Because I¡¯m worried¡­¡± She puts her hand on mine. ¡°If it¡¯s him¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s not,¡± I say quickly. ¡°He would never. Trust me, I know him.¡± ¡°Do you, though?¡± I look toward the door and swallow. Is someone out there? Sadie grabs my attention again by going to the window and watching Ryan paint. ¡°Damn, he¡¯s hot.¡± ¡°My brother,¡± I remind her. ¡°Fully aware.¡± She grins and stares down at her hands, then looks up. ¡°I really like him.¡± ¡°I know.¡± I put an arm around her. ¡°Aw, look at us, growing up.¡± Sheughs and shoves me away. ¡°I didn¡¯t say I slept with him, unlike some people¡­¡± I roll my eyes and feel myself blushing. ¡°Very funny.¡± ¡°Are you happy?¡± she asks honestly. I nod. ¡°Yeah, I am. Easton makes me happy.¡± ¡°I think anyone who saw you two the other day would agree. Maybe that¡¯s why we need to not forget the look on ke¡¯s face, he truly thought he was in the running, you know? He was pursuing you.¡± I frown, hating that we¡¯re even having this discussion. ¡°But to go that far? If he really likes me, you¡¯d think he¡¯d try to actually do things for me, not write whore on my garage.¡± ¡°Look, I agree, but all I¡¯m saying is, he¡¯s the next one that makes sense. I just wish you had cameras outside, so we knew.¡± I frown. ¡°How did you know anyway? I texted you, and you were already here.¡± She holds up her phone. ¡°Ryan took a photo and sent it to me, I think he meant to say something but probably saw Easton standing there and lost all brain cells.¡± I sigh and slump against the bed. ¡°I hope they don¡¯t kill each other.¡± ¡°He¡¯ll get over it one day.¡± She nudges me with her elbow. ¡°In the meantime, let¡¯s cheer up, grab some ice cream and go watch some Netflix, yeah?¡± I nod. ¡°We should see if the guys want to hang out.¡± ¡°Weird.¡± She gets up and walks toward the door. ¡°We have guys now.¡± ¡°Agreed.¡± I look back at my bed and try not to blush. Everything is different now. I just hope that it gets better, not worse. With a sigh, I open up my bedroom door and freeze. It¡¯s Easton standing there, face unreadable. ¡°Hey, can we talk?¡± Chapter 60 Chapter 60 Easton I shouldn¡¯t have eavesdropped, but the minute I heard ke¡¯s name, I froze in ce. Was she actually defending that asshole? Even afterst night? After everything that happened between us? How was she so blind to that guy¡¯s maniptions? I¡¯m so livid I want to break the door down. Instead, I stand there and keep listening. No shit, Ryan and Sadie hooked up. I should probably thank her for at least calming him down a bit, otherwise, I¡¯d be dead at this point Is that why he¡¯s restraining himself? The minute she showed up and walked into the house, I nearly smacked him with a paintbrush, the guy went so still, I was genuinely concerned for his mental health. The door opens. Sadie gives me a wide-eyed look, then makes an excuse and bolts down the hall and down the stairs. Harper gulps as I walk her backward into her room, shutting the door behind me and locking it. Her parents are downstairs getting lunch ready and I¡¯m fucking famished. I want to attack her, m her against the wall, and strip her naked. Damn, I miss her taste already. School is going to be absolute torture, isn¡¯t it? ¡°Aisha¡¯s not in town,¡± I say, itching to pull her into my arms. She sighs and looks away. ¡°I know, Sadie told me.¡± ¡°So why are you defending that asshole?¡± Harper chews her bottom lip. ¡°We don¡¯t know it¡¯s him, and why would he go to that level?¡± ¡°Why?¡± Myugh sounds crazy. ¡°Are you serious? Because he lost! Because he wants you and is pissed as hell that he can¡¯t have you. I mean, seriously, take your pick.¡± Her eyes narrow. Shit. I know that look, it¡¯s not a good one, it¡¯s one that says I need to apologize for everything even if I¡¯m not sure what I did wrong. ¡°So, I¡¯m something to win.¡± ¡°Why are girls the worst sometimes?¡± | mutter and stretch my arms over my head in frustration. ¡°No, not because you¡¯re an object, but because he has pride, and it was seriously hammered yesterday in front of the entire school. Come on, you know me better than that. Trust me, if I thought I¡¯d won, I¡¯d be gone.¡± C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. ¡°But you did kind of win.¡± She points out. ¡°I don¡¯t win until everyone knows you¡¯re mine, until you¡¯re in my arms and bed on a . weekly basis, until I get to walk around the school and im you in front of everyone. Winningsts more than one moment.¡± Her cheeks burn red. ¡°That was actually really romantic.¡± ugh, I can¡¯t help it. ¡°Is that apliment?¡± She shrugs. ¡°Maybe.¡± I suddenly realize we¡¯re alone. Or maybe my body does. I don¡¯t say anything else. Reaching for her is as natural as breathing. I grab her hand and tug her against me. Shees easily. Our mouths meet in a perfect tangle of tongue and hands as she digs into my hair and pulls. ¡°Mmmm¡­¡± I drink in her taste. ¡°I missed this.¡± ¡°It¡¯s barely been a few hours.¡± ¡°Too long.¡± I kiss her deeper, then walk her backward toward her bed, slowly shoving her down. My mouth waters when I imagine all the ces I can taste and touch right now. ¡°My parents¡­¡± She looks up at me with innocent eyes that ask should we do this, but her body is already arching for me, ready for me. ¡°What about them?¡± I brace her body, leaning over her with mine. My body presses her against the mattress as I rub myself against her, up and down, the friction is going to kill 1. ¡°Don¡¯t stop.¡± She grips my forearms, her nails digging into my skin while I straight-up dry hump her against her mattress. I¡¯m fucking hard for this girl. And it¡¯s not just her perfect body. I want to make her feel good. I want to be inside her again. groan, my eyes roll to the back of my head when she reaches for my length through my jeans then frees me by unzipping my jeans like she¡¯s in a hurry. My dick ps against my stomach. Her little hand moves around it, then up and down. ¡°Fuck.¡± I lean toward her as she moves her hand up and down. I¡¯m ready to beg her for her mouth when she leans down and sucks me deep. I nearly copse onto her. My legs are weak as she licks my tip, only to pull my dick harder, sucking like it¡¯s her only job. Her hand moves to my balls. I don¡¯t deserve this. Ryan¡¯s still pissed. Why the hell am I thinking about Ryan? ¡°You¡¯re going to have to be quiet,¡± I whisper. She pulls back and looks up. ¡°Huh?¡± I give her no time to think. I tug down her shorts and underwear, leaving her shirt on just in case we have to get dressed real quick. ¡°Five minutes tops,¡± I say, jerking my jeans all the way to the floor along with my briefs. I shove her down onto the bed and smirk. ¡°We¡¯ll taste each other at the same time.¡± I¡¯m pretty sure I just scandalized her, but nothing sounds hotter than her mouth on me while my mouth is on her. I flip her around until her lips are at my dick. She makes a little squeak when I open my mouth and kiss her wet pussy. I¡¯ve never actually done this before. She had her first with me, I want my first to be with her. As I slowly start to suck and lick, she repeats each movement until we¡¯re both writhing against each other, attempting to pleasure the other while having a hard time dealing with all the pleasure we¡¯re receiving. ¡°So good,¡± I say between sucks and licks. She grips my balls again. I fucking die when her tongue flicks my tip again. It sets me over the edge, I have a hard time controlling myself and know that I have only a matter of seconds before I¡¯m shooting down her throat. I give her little butterfly licks between her legs, soft, then hard, driving her crazy. Her moan is so loud I¡¯m afraid we¡¯re going to get caught. ¡°Right there.¡± Her lips are wet against my cock. ¡°Yeahhhh.¡± I can¡¯t hold out anymore. ¡°I¡¯m there!¡± She doesn¡¯t stop sucking, instead, she drinks deep, shocking the hell out of me as her heat pulses against my hand. Damn, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever felt her so wet as she orgasms hard. We¡¯re both out of breath when I copse half-naked against her. ¡°SO.¡± She takes in a deep breath. ¡°That¡¯s what all the fuss is about with sixty-nine.¡± grunt. I have zero energy left. Footsteps sound. ¡°Easton.¡± It¡¯s Ryan. ¡°I know you¡¯re in there, you piece of shit. Get out here. Now.¡± ¡°Fuck.¡± I grab my jeans and look around the room. Yeah, we¡¯re officially screwed. Chapter 61 Chapter 61 Harper Shit, shit, shit! I fall over, trying to put on my shorts. Easton¡¯s moving around the room like the sh, he looks at the hamper, then me, then back at the hamper like he¡¯s afraid Ryan¡¯s going to see. I quickly hide the hamper in my closet and shut the door. Easton approaches, smoothing down my hair with his hands while I adjust his shirt and try to press out the wrinkles. We¡¯re a hot mess. And it smells like sex in my room even though we were just messing around. It wouldn¡¯t matter anyway. The door¡¯s locked, and Ryan¡¯s still pissed, so things aren¡¯t looking good. I¡¯m freaking the hell out when Easton opens the door. Ryan¡¯s staring straight ahead like he can¡¯t stand to make actual eye contact. ¡°Outside.¡± He res. ¡°Now.¡± ¡°Ryan¡­¡± I move toward him. He holds up his hand for me to stop. ¡°This is between Easton and me.¡± ¡°But-¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Ryan grabs Easton and shoves him down the hall. Easton clearly lets him, probably because he feels guilty. I run out the door to see where Ryan¡¯s taking him. An early grave? The bathroom to drown him? My heart is beating so fast I feel sick, and I¡¯m irritated. I didn¡¯t have at least a few minutes to process what Easton and I just did. Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. Oh God, I was literally on his mouth minutes ago. The same mouth Ryan¡¯s staring at. This is bad, so bad. Ryan walks by my dad, who¡¯s cluelessly sitting in his chair, sipping a cup of coffee as if Ryan killing his friends is normal. He doesn¡¯t even look up! They go into the backyard. I nearly fall in an attempt to run back up the stairs. The guest room has an outside deck that overlooks the entire backyard. I rush into the room and unlock the door, then tiptoe across the deck and crouch down. Easton is standing still. Ryan¡¯s pacing in front of him. ¡°Hit me,¡± Easton says in a t voice. ¡°I know you want to, and you know you¡¯ll feel better about it.¡± ¡°My sister,¡± Ryan growls. ¡°I held it in because my parents were watching, and I didn¡¯t want to be in deep shit. That¡¯s the only reason I helped save your ass.¡± I wince. ¡°Then hit me,¡± Easton says again. ¡°As many times as you want.¡± ¡°So, you want to go to school with a broken nose?¡± Ryan stops pacing and crosses his arms. ¡°If that¡¯s what it takes,¡± Easton says. ¡°Look, I know I broke your trust, but if you knew the whole story.¡± ¡°Oh great, there¡¯s a fucking story now?¡± Ryan tugs at his short hair and does a small circle, then faces Easton. ¡°Okay, try me Easton licks his lips- I wonder if he tastes me there still. My cheeks heat as he does it again. ¡°She¡¯s my mystery girl.¡± ¡°The hell?¡± Ryan frowns. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°Look..-¡± Easton looks stressed. ¡°It was an ident at first, that time we were over here at the pool and the power went out. It was dark, I thought she was someone else, and then I was thankful she wasn¡¯t. I couldn¡¯t find her after the party but couldn¡¯t stop thinking about her to the point ofplete obsession. I mean those curves and¡± ¡°Less detail would be great,¡± Ryan interrupts. ¡°Sorry.¡± Easton smiles and looks away. ¡°I didn¡¯t know untilter that it was her, and then I was pissed that she was your sister. Can¡¯t really get any more off-limits.¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± Ryan grits his teeth. Easton is quiet and then, ¡°Does it matter?¡± ¡°What?¡± Ryan seethes. ¡°I said, does it matter? It happened. It¡¯s happening. I respect you, bro, and you know ! would have never broken friend code, but some things you just can¡¯t help, and I like her, I really, really like her.¡± ¡°You fuck and flee.¡± Ryan points out. Easton spreads his arms wide. ¡°I¡¯m literally asking you to punch me. Does it look like I¡¯m running?¡± ¡°You will.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t,¡± Easton says, his face so serious I almost gasp. He means it. God, he means it. I want to throw myself off the balcony into his arms. Instead, I wait to see what Ryan¡¯s going to say. Easton takes a step toward him, then another. Ryan¡¯s still. I think everything¡¯s going to be fine when Ryan¡¯s fist goes flying, hitting Easton right in the jaw and sending him flying toward the grass. ¡°That¡¯s what you get for lying to me and kissing her.¡± I want tough, he did much more than kiss me. ¡°No details.¡± Ryan shakes his hand. ¡°And I¡¯m still pissed, don¡¯t think you¡¯re forgiven.¡± Blood trickles from Easton¡¯s lip, both guys are okay but look a bit rough. ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t Aisha.¡± Ryan quickly changes subjects and holds out his hand to Easton, who tentatively takes it and stands. ¡°After we talked, I went and checked it out for real. She wasn¡¯t even in townst night.¡± Easton¡¯s jaw tenses. ¡°It has to be ke.¡± ¡°I¡¯m d I have such good friends,¡± Ryan says under his breath. ¡°Is it our fault your sister¡¯s actually hot and fun to be around?¡± ¡°Yeah, I think I said no details?¡± Easton sighs. ¡°Fine, but you¡¯re going to have to look into it, ke hates me more than you hate me.¡± ¡°That¡¯s really saying a lot.¡± ¡°Ouch,¡± Easton grumbles. ¡°Hey, got any booze to put on my cut?¡± ¡°Bullshit, you just want to drink it.¡± ¡°Yeah, that too.¡± ¡°Cocksucker.¡± Ryan kicks the grass. ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s go get my dad¡¯s stash.¡± Ryan starts walking then calls up. ¡°You can stop attempting to hide, Harper, we can see you.¡± I jump up. ¡°Hmmm?¡± Ryan rolls his eyes. ¡°She¡¯s your Easton grins up at me and says, ¡°Promise?¡± Our moment is short-lived when momes outside and says, ¡°Boys, ke just got here. I invited him for breakfast!¡± I pale. Easton clenches his fists. And Ryan kicks the grass again. It¡¯s going to be a long night. Chapter 62 Chapter 62 Easton N?velDrama.Org is the owner. As Ryan¡¯s mom¡¯s words echo in my head, my fingers are so tightly bound into fists, it feels like my wrists are going to snap. ke¡¯s here? And she invited him for breakfast? No. More like hell fucking no. I have nothing to say to that asshole. Thest thing I want is to be anywhere near him, especially when I¡¯m positive he¡¯s the one who spray painted whore across their garage door. I¡¯ve already taken one punch today. I¡¯m not about to start a fight with ke in front of Harper¡¯s parents. ¡°Get rid of him,¡± I say to Ryan. I wipe my lip and blood smears across the back of my hand. ¡°Tell him breakfast is canceled, tell him you¡¯re going over to Sadie¡¯s and Harper ising to my house, tell him he¡¯s not wee here-I don¡¯t give a fuck what you say, just make sure he doesn¡¯t stay.¡± ¡°You¡¯re giving me orders now?¡± I lick across the cut, tasting the metallic vor of my blood. ¡°If you put us in the same room, your mother¡¯s scrambled eggs are going to end up on someone¡¯sp.¡± I grind my teeth together. ¡°And it¡¯s not going to be mine.¡± As Ryan takes me in, his stare narrows, eventually ncing up at the balcony where Harper has been hiding. ¡°While I go take care of ke, you need to take care of your boyfriend¡¯s lip and stop it from bleeding. Mom has already seen him this morning, if she notices his new essory, there¡¯s going to be a lot of questions.¡± ¡°I¡¯m on it,¡± Harper replies. ¡°Once you¡¯re done with ke, stop by your dad¡¯s liquor cab and bring me something worth guzzling.¡± I tell him. ¡°You¡¯re un-fucking-believable, you know that?¡± He rolls his eyes and walks around to the front of the house. I head inside, avoiding the living room where Ryan¡¯s parents are talking, and I make sure they don¡¯t hear me by quietly tiptoeing up the stairs. Harper meets me at the top of the staircase, her hands surround my face, examining where Ryan punched me. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± I tell her. ¡°You¡¯re bleeding.¡± ¡°But I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°Tell that to my mother who will lose her shit if she sees you like this.¡± She links her fingers around mine and brings me into the bathroom, pointing at the toilet. ¡°Sit, I¡¯ll get you cleaned up.¡± I hold her waist and move her in between my legs. ¡°ying doctor, huh?¡± Her leg rubs against my hard-on. ¡°Why am I not surprised you¡¯re getting turned on by this?¡± It¡¯s not the moment that¡¯s turning me on. It¡¯s Harper. Alll have to do is look at her and my cock gets hard. ¡°I¡¯m doing everything I can not to rip your pants off right now.¡± A blush moves across her face. ¡°Before this turns into a Twilight sequel and your bloody fangs start feasting on me, let me get the bleeding to stop.¡± She wiggles away and reaches into the closet, grabbing a washcloth that she wets and holds against my mouth. She has me hold the cloth in ce while she digs under the sink, taking out some peroxide and antibiotic ointment. ¡°This might sting a little, so hold onto something and squeeze tight.¡± grip her ass. ¡°This should do.¡± She giggles as she dabs both medicines over the cut and even though it doesn¡¯t hurt, I still squeeze those perfect fucking cheeks, wishing she was naked. ¡°You should be good now,¡± she says, tossing the cotton ball she¡¯d been using to put on the ointment. nce down. ¡°Hmm, what else can I hurt ¡­¡± | grab the buckle of my jeans and begin to unbutton it. ¡°I think there¡¯s something in here that you need to examine.¡± Sheughs and it¡¯s a sound I love. The way those thick, gorgeous lips spread into a smile, and her head slightly tilts back. ¡°Easton, you¡¯re relentless.¡± ¡°I just can¡¯t get enough of you.¡± But just because my dick¡¯s hard and all I can think about is her pussy, that doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m going to let this ke thing slide. She needs to stop giving that motherfucker the benefit of the doubt. I don¡¯t care how well she thinks she knows him, she has no idea what he¡¯s capable of. We may be the richest and safest prep school in the state, but every one of us has a dark side. We all have skeletons. And we all do things we will eventually regret. Ev¨ºn me. ¡°I need to talk to you about ke ¡­¡± ¡°Not now,¡± she whispers and leans down, tugging my injured lip. ¡°I¡¯m going to need to be easy on this one.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a good thing I have two.¡± She surrounds my top lip with her mouth, gently kissing me as though I¡¯m going to break. But her softness is a side I enjoy. It¡¯s a side that makes me want to scoop her up and carry her to her bed, showing her just how gentle my mouth can be on her body. She pulls back, pressing her nose to mine. ¡°I hate that Ryan did this to you.¡± ¡°Baby ¡ª I deserved it.¡± ¡°No one deserves to get punched.¡± Igaze into her eyes. ¡°It¡¯s how guys speak. It¡¯s ournguage. We get pissed, we get protective-we fight.¡± ¡°No more fighting. At least not with Ryan.¡± Her mouth returns to mine and her hands cup my face. Each breath gives me more of her tropical scent, and I want to lick it off her, pulling on the back of her thighs, so she moves closer to me. I end our kiss when I hear a noise outside the bathroom, the sound of someone clearing their throat. I nce around Harper¡¯s waist and see Ryan standing by the doorway, a small bottle in his hand. I don¡¯t know how long he¡¯s been there, but he definitely saw us kissing. My face doesn¡¯t need him to come swinging at me again, not when breakfast is probably only minutes from now. ¡°Ryan ¡­¡± I swallow. ¡°Sorry you had to see-¡± ¡°ke¡¯s gone,¡± he says, cutting me off, not sounding as pissed as I¡¯d thought. ¡°Thanks .. and for the drink, too.¡± I reach for the bottle, and he steps inside the bathroom to give it to me. At the same time, Harper slides out of my grasp and tosses the washcloth into the hamper. ¡°I¡¯m going to get changed for breakfast.¡± She goes into her room, leaving me alone with Ryan. I follow him into the hallway where he pauses outside his bedroom door. He exhales several times before he says, ¡°You really do like her.¡± It wasn¡¯t a question. I still don¡¯t know how long he watched us in the bathroom, but it was long enough toe to this conclusion. ¡°You¡¯re my best friend, Ryan .. I need you to be all right with this.¡± The fight is back in his eyes, but it¡¯s different than before. ¡°I¡¯m only going to tell you this once.¡± His finger points at my chest. ¡°You hurt her, and I won¡¯t stop with one punch. I¡¯ll keep going until you have no fucking teeth left.¡± Chapter 63 Chapter 63 Harper It¡¯s school official. Easton and I are together and everyone knows it. That¡¯s because from the moment he met me at my locker this morning, his arm has been nted around my shoulders. It doesn¡¯t matter where we are in the building, he can¡¯t stop touching me. When we walk down the hall to ss, he¡¯s right next to me. When we go to lunch, he joins the table I share with Sadie. He even has Ryan and a few of their other friendse sit with us, everyone in the cafeteria ncing in our direction as we share a slice of pizza. We¡¯re inseparable. And there isn¡¯t a single person in this school who hasn¡¯t seen my smile today. I can¡¯t hide it. It¡¯s impossible to mask the way he makes me feel and there¡¯s no reason to -we¡®re out of hiding. I want the whole world to know I¡¯m Easton¡¯s girl. At this point, I¡¯m positive everyone has witnessed it ¡­ except for ke. When I whispered about him to Sadie this morning, she told me he never showed up for school. So weird. I don¡¯t dare ask Ryan or Easton about him, Ryan would probably want to murder me-again-and Easton would chew my face off for even thinking the question. What I do know is ke¡¯s absence has put Easton in the best mood and my reputation has shifted overnight. I¡¯m no longer Ryan¡¯s invisible twin sister. I¡¯m dating the most popr guy at school. And nothing could change this from being the best day ever. Not even running into Aisha. She¡¯s been staring me down since she saw me with Easton this morning at my locker, before first period even started. I¡¯ve been trying not to let her dirty looks eat at me and gloat over my win and her loss. But as I leave my fifth period ss to run to the bathroom, she¡¯s in the hallway. Like she¡¯s been waiting for me. ¡°My, my,¡± she sings, a chorus as evil sounding as her. ¡°Don¡¯t I love coincidences.¡± I don¡¯t believe this is one. I¡¯m positive she¡¯s been scouting my whereabouts, figuring out how to catch me alone. That¡¯s what she does-she hunts, she attacks, she destroys. I don¡¯t care what anyone says, she¡¯s responsible for all three spray painting incidents and I¡¯m sure she faked being out of town on Instagram just to appear innocent. As far as I¡¯m concerned, Aisha is guilty, and she¡¯s not going to stop until she gets Easton. Except this isn¡¯t a contest. He¡¯s mine. ¡°I¡¯m surprised you¡¯re not shoving your hand down your pants and telling me that Easton has turned into a ghost and he¡¯s eating you out in this hallway.¡± I eye her down, the same way she¡¯s doing to me. ¡°That was one desperate move and the fact that you were fingering your own pussy ¡± Iugh even though I¡¯m trembling on the inside. ¡°That just makes you pathetic.¡± ¡°Is that really what you believe?¡± She takes a step closer, shaking her head. ¡°Why am I not surprised he lied to you about what really happened that night. My God, he¡¯ll do anything to seem like a saint to you, but deep down, you have to know he¡¯s lying.¡± Her voice is turning sly, like the snake that she is. ¡°Easton¡¯s dick has been in almost every pussy at this school, including mine. Don¡¯t believe me?¡± She smiles, closing her eyes as she lets out a long exhale. ¡°He has a scar in the shape of a half-moon that¡¯s a couple inches above and to the right of his dick. Hair doesn¡¯t grow there, it¡¯s just a thick, white line.¡± My heart starts beating so hard, I feel nauseous. She¡¯s right. I first noticed the scar when I was giving him head at his house. I keep meaning to ask him about it and I keep forgetting. Regardless, she¡¯s just trying to get under my skin. I know he¡¯s slept with Aisha and lots of other girls at this school. But that¡¯s all in the past. He¡¯s with me now. I shrug, letting her know it doesn¡¯t bother me. ¡°You¡¯re not telling me anything I don¡¯t already know. Try harder, Aisha. You¡¯re starting to get weak.¡± Sheughs so hard, she almost snorts. ¡°It¡¯s sad that you think that, that he¡¯s brainwashed you to the point where you believe I¡¯m the one who¡¯s lying.¡± She res at me like I¡¯m gum stuck to the bottom of her shoe. ¡°It¡¯s obvious you¡¯re new to this rtionship thing. You¡¯re so gullible, you¡¯ll believe anything he says, and then you¡¯ll swallow his cum like the robot he¡¯s turned you into.¡± Her lip curls. ¡°These are warnings, Harper. I¡¯m trying to save you.¡± Her hands move to her hips. ¡°But not even the sound of Easton licking my pussy will make you realize he doesn¡¯t give a shit about you, that he¡¯s dying to take your virginity and dump you like he does with every other girl.¡± How does she know I was a virgin? Was it a guess? Or did Easton tell someone and that someone told Aisha? Or worse .. did Easton tell Aisha? I take a step back. ¡°You¡¯re wrong ..¡± Her arms move to her chest, crossing them over her breasts. ¡°Next time his tongue is on my pussy, which will be very soon, I¡¯ll make sure to text you a pic. Nothing like a little proof with your morning coffee, right?¡± She leans into a locker, looking more rxed than I like. ¡°But I won¡¯t be the only girl he¡¯s touching, there will be others over the next few weeks, and I promise one will corner you in the bathroom or in the hallway or the parking lot after school and she¡¯ll start shit with you because she thinks she¡¯s Easton¡¯s girl too.¡± She grins. ¡°Except she won¡¯t be as nice as me. She¡¯ll beat your ass.¡± I know what she¡¯s doing .. and it¡¯s working. Every bone in my body hurts, every worry I had before is resurfacing. C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. I can¡¯t listen to this anymore. I take a step back but keep my eyes on her, making sure the Easton smile is stered across my lips. ¡°When are you going to ept that Easton doesn¡¯t want you? He thinks you¡¯re disgusting and so does everyone else at this school. Why don¡¯t you go bully some single guy into dating you. Someone you actually have a chance with instead of making yourself look like a pathetic fool. Jealousy is really a terrible look on you.¡± I turn my back toward her, not giving her another second of my attention. But after a few steps, I hear her. Heels clicking on the floor, like she¡¯s running. And then I feel a hand wrap around my hair and pull so hard, my neck snaps back from the momentum. ¡°You fucking cunt,¡± she roars in my ear. ¡°That¡¯ll be thest thing you ever say to me.¡± She tugs harder and a pain shoots down my back. I gasp, searching for words, wing at the air to sink my fingers into any part of her. But before my nailsnd, I hear a familiar voice growl, ¡°Let her go, Aisha. Right fucking now.¡± Chapter 64 Chapter 64 Easton From my ssroom, I can hear Aisha¡¯s voice in the hallway, the rotten snarkiness in her tone, the evil words she¡¯s spewing. My teacher isn¡¯t going to do anything to stop Aisha, she just continues lecturing, but I can¡¯t ignore what I¡¯m hearing because I know there¡¯s only one person who can be taking those verbal punches. My fucking girl. I tell my teacher I¡¯m going to the bathroom and haul ass into the hallway. I make it just in time to see Aisha yanking on Harper¡¯s hair. That fucking bitch. She¡¯s pushed every goddamn button of mine ¡­ and I have no patience left. I¡¯m seeing red by the time I growl my second warning at her, ¡°Did you fucking hear me, Aisha? Let her go right now.¡± When she stops tugging on her hair but doesn¡¯t let Harper go, I tear Aisha¡¯s hand away, freeing Harper, and pull her into my arms. ¡°Are you all right?¡± I ask her. It takes her a second to respond, ¡°Yes.¡± The hatred pulsing through my body makes my jaws tighten. ¡°Don¡¯t ever touch my girl again.¡± ¡°Your .* girl?¡± Aisha stammers. ¡°Yes. My fucking girl.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what she is to you now? But what was the other night? When you were in my room, between my,¡± ¡°Harper and I are together now.¡± While I hold Harper against my chest, I re at Aisha, disgusted by the innocent look on her face. ¡°You need to ept that and stop all this bullshit.¡± My arm lowers, wrapping around Harper¡¯s curvy waist. ¡°If you have a problem, you take it up with me, not Harper. Do you understand me?¡± ¡°But Easton-¡± ¡°The only thing I want to hear from you is yes.¡± I don¡¯t wait for her to say it, since I know she¡¯s not going to, and I turn Harper around and lead us in the opposite direction, holding her tightly to my side. ¡°Do you want to get out of here?¡± I ask when we¡¯re halfway down the hall. ¡°Here?¡± There¡¯s emotion in her voice. ¡°You mean school? But we still have a few periods to go.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll get us excused.¡± ¡°How?¡± ¡°You¡¯re just going to have to trust me.¡± She nods. ¡°Okay.¡± When we reach the front office, I ce her against the wall right outside the door. ¡°I¡¯ll be right back, don¡¯t move.¡± I walk inside, stopping at the counter, waiting for Leigh, the office administrator, to finish with another student. ¡°Easton ¡­¡± Leigh¡¯s face heats up as she approaches. ¡°What can I do for you?¡± I smile, knowing how much she likes my grin. ¡°A favor.¡± I reach into my wallet, pulling out a fifty that I slip under her fingers. ¡°I need to be excused from school and so does Harper.¡± She holds on a few seconds longer than she needs to, pulling away to put the money in her pocket. ¡°You mean Ryan¡¯s sister?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Her brows raise and she nces at the notebook that sits next to the phone. ¡°Looks like your mom called a few minutes ago ¡± She pauses, pretending to read her notes. ¡°You have a doctor¡¯s appointment.¡± We¡¯d hooked up only once, and then she felt guilty that I was a student and it never happened again. But the once had paid off. ¡°And Harper¡¯s mom?¡± | ask. ¡°She happen to call, too?¡± She winks. ¡°I expect a phone call from her any second now.¡± I thank her and rejoin Harper, my arm finding its ce around her shoulders. ¡°Let¡¯s go to your locker, grab what you need, and then we¡¯ll bounce.¡± ¡°We¡®re not going to get in trouble?¡± Her concern is adorable. ¡°No, not even a little.¡± We walk to her locker, and she starts putting her books into her bag. ¡°How do you do it?¡± ¡°Do what?¡± We¡¯re now headed for the exit, and she looks at me as she heads through the doorway, my stare slowly lifting from her ass. ¡°Make everything go the way you want it to.¡± As we step outside, a breeze of freedom flies over my face. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡± ¡°You took my virginity, you got us out of school without even earning us a minute of detention, you stopped Aisha from strangling me to death. What else can you make happen today, Easton?¡± We stop at the passenger side door of my Jeep. I position her back against it before | m my mouth onto hers, my dick hardening as I get a taste of her tongue. The grind of her hips against me is what finally makes me tear my lips away. ¡°I¡¯m going to eat your fucking pussy.¡± I press my nose to hers. ¡°And then I¡¯m going to fuck you until you¡¯re shuddering and screaming.¡± She moans against my mouth. ¡°When?¡± ¡°The second we get to my house.¡± She reaches behind her back and opens the door, climbing inside, showing me how ready she is. I hurry to the other side and start the engine, pulling out of my spot and onto the main road. ¡°I have to ask you something.¡± I set my hand on her upper thigh, noticing the change in her tone. ¡°Anything.¡± She takes a deep breath. ¡°Did you tell Aisha I was a virgin?¡± ¡°Did I what?¡± I nce at her as I slow for the red light. ¡°Tell me you¡¯re kidding.¡± She shakes her head. ¡°We talked about this, Harper. I told you not to believe a thing that girl says. She lies, she maniptes, and she¡¯s trying to destroy us-that¡¯s her motive.¡± Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. ¡°I know . I just had to ask.¡± I sigh and brush my fingers over her chin. ¡°It¡¯s just us now. Tell me you believe that?¡± She nods and adds, ¡°I do.¡± There¡¯s relief in her eyes before I face the road again. I link our fingers until I pull into my driveaway and the both of us climb out. ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± I tell her as we¡¯re walking inside my house, ¡°we¡¯ll be alone for the next few hours.¡± I grab us drinks from the bar, and then I take her into the backyard, setting the sses on one of the tables. ¡°We¡¯re going swimming?¡± she asks. ¡°Not exactly.¡± pull my shirt over my head, dropping it on a chair, my shoes and pantsing off next. I keep on my boxer briefs as I bring the drinks over to the hot tub, removing the cover and checking the temperature. It¡¯s steamy, just the way I like it. I turn on the jets and take off myst bit of clothing, walking up the stairs of the tub and sinking into the hot water. I reach for my vodka and lean my back into the massager, giving myself the perfect view of Harper. She hasn¡¯t moved. My gaze drops down the front of her body, staring at the delicious curves of her waist, the heavy dips of her tits. The gap between her thighs. My cock throbs to be inside her. ¡°Get naked ¡­ and get in.¡± Chapter 65 Chapter 65 Easton From my ssroom, I can hear Aisha¡¯s voice in the hallway, the rotten snarkiness in her tone, the evil words she¡¯s spewing. My teacher isn¡¯t going to do anything to stop Aisha, she just continues lecturing, but I can¡¯t ignore what I¡¯m hearing because I know there¡¯s only one person who can be taking those verbal punches. My fucking girl. I tell my teacher I¡¯m going to the bathroom and haul ass into the hallway. I make it just in time to see Aisha yanking on Harper¡¯s hair. That fucking bitch. She¡¯s pushed every goddamn button of mine ¡­ and I have no patience left. I¡¯m seeing red by the time I growl my second warning at her, ¡°Did you fucking hear me, Aisha? Let her go right now.¡± When she stops tugging on her hair but doesn¡¯t let Harper go, I tear Aisha¡¯s hand away, freeing Harper, and pull her into my arms. ¡°Are you all right?¡± I ask her. It takes her a second to respond, ¡°Yes.¡± The hatred pulsing through my body makes my jaws tighten. ¡°Don¡¯t ever touch my girl again.¡± ¡°Your .* girl?¡± Aisha stammers. ¡°Yes. My fucking girl.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what she is to you now? But what was the other night? When you were in my room, between my,¡± ¡°Harper and I are together now.¡± While I hold Harper against my chest, I re at Aisha, disgusted by the innocent look on her face. ¡°You need to ept that and stop all this bullshit.¡± My arm lowers, wrapping around Harper¡¯s curvy waist. ¡°If you have a problem, you take it up with me, not Harper. Do you understand me?¡± ¡°But Easton-¡± ¡°The only thing I want to hear from you is yes.¡± I don¡¯t wait for her to say it, since I know she¡¯s not going to, and I turn Harper around and lead us in the opposite direction, holding her tightly to my side. ¡°Do you want to get out of here?¡± I ask when we¡¯re halfway down the hall. ¡°Here?¡± There¡¯s emotion in her voice. ¡°You mean school? But we still have a few periods to go.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll get us excused.¡± ¡°How?¡± ¡°You¡¯re just going to have to trust me.¡± She nods. ¡°Okay.¡± When we reach the front office, I ce her against the wall right outside the door. ¡°I¡¯ll be right back, don¡¯t move.¡± I walk inside, stopping at the counter, waiting for Leigh, the office administrator, to finish with another student. Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. ¡°Easton ¡­¡± Leigh¡¯s face heats up as she approaches. ¡°What can I do for you?¡± I smile, knowing how much she likes my grin. ¡°A favor.¡± I reach into my wallet, pulling out a fifty that I slip under her fingers. ¡°I need to be excused from school and so does Harper.¡± She holds on a few seconds longer than she needs to, pulling away to put the money in her pocket. ¡°You mean Ryan¡¯s sister?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Her brows raise and she nces at the notebook that sits next to the phone. ¡°Looks like your mom called a few minutes ago ¡± She pauses, pretending to read her notes. ¡°You have a doctor¡¯s appointment.¡± We¡¯d hooked up only once, and then she felt guilty that I was a student and it never happened again. But the once had paid off. ¡°And Harper¡¯s mom?¡± | ask. ¡°She happen to call, too?¡± She winks. ¡°I expect a phone call from her any second now.¡± I thank her and rejoin Harper, my arm finding its ce around her shoulders. ¡°Let¡¯s go to your locker, grab what you need, and then we¡¯ll bounce.¡± ¡°We¡®re not going to get in trouble?¡± Her concern is adorable. ¡°No, not even a little.¡± We walk to her locker, and she starts putting her books into her bag. ¡°How do you do it?¡± ¡°Do what?¡± We¡¯re now headed for the exit, and she looks at me as she heads through the doorway, my stare slowly lifting from her ass. ¡°Make everything go the way you want it to.¡± As we step outside, a breeze of freedom flies over my face. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡± ¡°You took my virginity, you got us out of school without even earning us a minute of detention, you stopped Aisha from strangling me to death. What else can you make happen today, Easton?¡± We stop at the passenger side door of my Jeep. I position her back against it before | m my mouth onto hers, my dick hardening as I get a taste of her tongue. The grind of her hips against me is what finally makes me tear my lips away. ¡°I¡¯m going to eat your fucking pussy.¡± I press my nose to hers. ¡°And then I¡¯m going to fuck you until you¡¯re shuddering and screaming.¡± She moans against my mouth. ¡°When?¡± ¡°The second we get to my house.¡± She reaches behind her back and opens the door, climbing inside, showing me how ready she is. I hurry to the other side and start the engine, pulling out of my spot and onto the main road. ¡°I have to ask you something.¡± I set my hand on her upper thigh, noticing the change in her tone. ¡°Anything.¡± She takes a deep breath. ¡°Did you tell Aisha I was a virgin?¡± ¡°Did I what?¡± I nce at her as I slow for the red light. ¡°Tell me you¡¯re kidding.¡± She shakes her head. ¡°We talked about this, Harper. I told you not to believe a thing that girl says. She lies, she maniptes, and she¡¯s trying to destroy us-that¡¯s her motive.¡± ¡°I know . I just had to ask.¡± I sigh and brush my fingers over her chin. ¡°It¡¯s just us now. Tell me you believe that?¡± She nods and adds, ¡°I do.¡± There¡¯s relief in her eyes before I face the road again. I link our fingers until I pull into my driveaway and the both of us climb out. ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± I tell her as we¡¯re walking inside my house, ¡°we¡¯ll be alone for the next few hours.¡± I grab us drinks from the bar, and then I take her into the backyard, setting the sses on one of the tables. ¡°We¡¯re going swimming?¡± she asks. ¡°Not exactly.¡± pull my shirt over my head, dropping it on a chair, my shoes and pantsing off next. I keep on my boxer briefs as I bring the drinks over to the hot tub, removing the cover and checking the temperature. It¡¯s steamy, just the way I like it. I turn on the jets and take off myst bit of clothing, walking up the stairs of the tub and sinking into the hot water. I reach for my vodka and lean my back into the massager, giving myself the perfect view of Harper. She hasn¡¯t moved. My gaze drops down the front of her body, staring at the delicious curves of her waist, the heavy dips of her tits. The gap between her thighs. My cock throbs to be inside her. ¡°Get naked ¡­ and get in.¡± Chapter 66 Chapter 66 Easton ¡°I really hope your parents aren¡¯t going to go tubbing tonight,¡± Harper says, her legs wrapped around me, her hand ying with the back of my wet hair. ¡°Why do you say that?¡± ¡°What we just did in here.¡± Her eyes go wide. ¡°That would be all kinds of wrong .. no?¡± Iugh. When she breaks it down that way, she has a point. But I have good news to share and say, ¡°I¡¯m the only one who uses it. My brothers used to before they graduated and still lived at home, but now that they have their own ces, it¡¯s just me. My parents don¡¯t even go in the pool.¡± . ¡°I¡¯m relieved to hear that.¡± I touch her pussy, just the outside edge, needing to feel its heat again, my mind focused on only one thing. ¡°Relieved ¡­ and sore, I imagine.¡± Three times in a two-hour span. That isn¡¯t a record for me, but it¡¯s probably close. ¡± I can¡¯t get enough of her. I knew that long before, when she was only giving me small tastes, but now that I¡¯ve felt her wetness, her tightness, the way her pussy molds around my cock because it¡¯s only ever had me inside of it ¡­ Fuck. There isn¡¯t anything better. ¡°I am, a little bit,¡± she admits. I put my arm around her and pull her toward the stairs. ¡°Let¡¯s get out of here. We¡¯ll take a shower and go grab some pizza. Sound good?¡± ¡°I love that idea.¡± We¡¯re walking down the steps when I hear my phone ring. I know it¡¯s somewhere in my pants and I hurry over to where I left them, searching the pockets until it¡¯s in my hand. Ryan¡¯s name is on the screen. Is he calling to chew me out for getting Harper dismissed from school? The only way he would know is if he saw us walk by his ssroom window. A possibility, but something! doubt he would care about. Maybe he¡¯s looking for her and tried calling her first and she didn¡¯t answer N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. Regardless, I know better than to ignore him. I turn around, facing Harper, showing her the screen where his name appears. ¡°It¡¯s your brother¡­¡± ¡°Yikes.¡± I hold the phone to my ear. ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°Where are you?¡± I continue to stare at Harper. ¡°Home. Why?¡± ¡°Meet me at Shore right now.¡± Shore is one of the restaurants downtown that we often meet up at on the weekends. We don¡¯t ever go there after school, which is why I can¡¯t figure out Ryan¡¯s request. ¡°Right now?¡± | ask. ¡°Why? What¡¯s so important?¡± ¡°Juste-and hurry up, I¡¯ll exin everything once you get here.¡± ¡°Are you .. alone?¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m fucking alone. Who do you think I¡¯d be here with?¡± I don¡¯t take the time to answer his question. I just need to know if he¡¯s with Sadie, which would mean I could bring Harper. Since that isn¡¯t the case, I say, ¡°I¡¯ll be right there,¡± and I hang up. I move over to the chair that¡¯s holding Harper¡¯s clothes and toss over her pants and shirt. As she catches them, I tell her, ¡°Get dressed, I have to go.¡± I put on my own clothes, frustrated when the zipper doesn¡¯t rise fast enough. ¡°I don¡¯t understand what¡¯s happening, Easton.¡± | slip my arms through my shirt. ¡°Your brother needs me for something.¡± ¡°Am Iing along, too?¡± ¡°No.¡± She halts, her pants halfway up her legs. ¡°No?¡± ¡°No,¡± I repeat. ¡°So, we¡¯re not going to get something to eat?¡± I put on my shoes. ¡°I¡¯m dropping you off at home. If there¡¯s timeter, I¡¯lle pick you back up.¡± ¡°You do realize how fucked up that is, don¡¯t you?¡± . She¡¯s pissed. I get it. But there was urgency in Ryan¡¯s voice. Something I don¡¯t hear often. Something that tells me whatever he needs me for is important. I don¡¯t want to waste time arguing with Harper, so I move in behind her, grabbing her shirt from her hands, and helping her put it on. ¡°We¡¯ll discuss itter-once I¡¯m done with Ryan.¡± Now that she¡¯s dressed, I pick up the empty sses and carry them inside. I ce them into the sink at the bar, and make sure Harper is trailing me as I head out to my Jeep. We climb in and before her seatbelt is even on, I¡¯m backing out of the driveway, flooring the gas, taking every shortcut I know to get across to her side of town. She¡¯s quiet during the drive and every time I nce at her, I see her anger building. I¡¯m sure she thinks I¡¯m putting herst, choosing her brother over her. I suppose I am. But this is different, this is somehow very important, and whatever is eating at Ryan especially if it¡¯s about Harper and me and his desire to hash things out again with his fists-I don¡¯t need her involved. When I pull up to her house, she opens the door without saying anything and starts to get out of my Jeep. ¡°Harper ¡­ ¡°I sp her arm, causing her to turn around and look at me. ¡°I¡¯ll be backter, and we can talk then.¡± ¡°Sure. Whatever.¡± She shuts the door and walks into her house, and I take off, weaving down the streets until I see Ryan parked along the side of the restaurant. I find an open spot fairly close to his and meet him on the sidewalk. ¡°I got here as fast as I could,¡± I tell him. He looks murderous, his hands clenched at his sides, his jaws grinding together. ¡°I drove by here on my way home from school and look what I came across.¡± He nods toward the other side of the street where ke¡¯s car is parked. ¡°So?¡± I can¡¯t piece this together. ¡°He ditched school and came out to eat. What¡¯s the big deal?¡± At least I assumed that¡¯s what happened since he wasn¡¯t in history ss today. ¡°I wanted to see if he was in his car,¡± Ryan says, ¡°but his windows are too tinted to see from here, so I went over to look.¡± I follow him over to ke¡¯s SUV and we stand by the trunk. ¡°I checked the driver¡¯s side, and he wasn¡¯t in there,¡± Ryan continues, adding to the mystery of this conversation. ¡°I don¡¯t know what made mee back here and look.¡± Ryan cups his hands around his eyes, blocking the sun as he presses his face against the rear ss of ke¡¯s X5. There¡¯s obviously something in there that he wants me to see, so I cup my hands around my eyes, just like he¡¯s doing, and I peer inside. ¡°And look at what I fucking find ..¡± Ryan hisses. It takes me a few seconds to realize what I¡¯m looking at. But when I do, I lean back and re at my best friend. ¡°That motherfucker,¡± I growl, my fingers clenching into fists. ¡°I¡¯m going to fucking kill him.¡± Chapter 67 Chapter 67 Harper I throw open the door to find Sadie standing on my doorstep. She rushes in without a word, pulling me into a hug before I can even shut the door. ¡°I came right over,¡± she murmurs, giving me a squeeze. ¡°You sounded so stressed out.¡± I called her maybe ten minutes ago? The moment Easton dropped me off I was on the phone, needing my best friend. ¡°At least someone cares,¡± I retort once we pull away from each other. Sadie¡¯s frowning. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± I exin to her how Easton and I ditched school and were spending the rest of the day together-I don¡¯t go into too much detail about the hot tub incident-then my brother calls and Easton drops everything to go to him. ¡°And he didn¡¯t even take me with him,¡± I say, crossing my arms. ¡°Hmm, that¡¯s not normal.¡± Sadie taps her index finger against her lips. ¡°I thought they were still mad at each other?¡± ¡°So did I! I don¡¯t get it.¡± I decide to express my deepest, darkest fear. ¡°I mean, I¡¯m d they¡¯re not so angry at each other anymore, but I also feel like I¡¯m always going toe in deadst in Easton¡¯s life.¡± And that hurts to admit, even if it¡¯s just to Sadie, who would never tell a soul. ¡°No. No way.¡± My best friend¡¯s smile is gentle. ¡°Easton seems really into you.¡± ¡°Until my brother calls him and he rushes off without telling me what¡¯s going on,¡± I say bitterly. ¡°It makes no sense.¡± Sadie whips her phone out. I¡¯ll call Ryan and ask him what¡¯s going on. I bet he¡¯ll tell me.¡± I lift a brow but say nothing. My brother is more closed-lipped than Eastort and that¡¯s saying a lot. Ryan doesn¡¯t tell me anything about his life, especially nottely. I barely know what¡¯s going on between him and Sadie. Neither of them is talking to me about it, and I¡¯ve been so wrapped up in my own bullshit that I haven¡¯t asked them either. I need to though. I need to be a better friend. Sadie presses her phone against her ear and I can hear ringing. The gruff sound of my brother¡¯s voice when he snaps at her, ¡°What?¡± Nice greeting. No hello or hey Sadie. ¡°Hi.¡± Sadie sends me an unsure look before she says, ¡°What are you doing right now? Want to get together?¡± Ryan¡¯s so loud, I can hear every word he¡¯s saying. ¡°I¡¯m busy. Can I call youter?¡± Before she can respond yes or no, he ends the call Sadie pulls the phone away from her face, frowning at the screen. ¡°What the hell?¡± ¡°I guess he¡¯s being just as elusive as my boyfriend.¡± A little thrill moves through me at saying the word boyfriend, despite my frustration with Easton. .. ¡°Maybe they¡¯re going to take out Aisha. Together.¡± Sadie smiles, and there¡¯s an evil gleam in her eye. We both suspect Aisha is the one who wrote whore on our garage door. It just makes the most sense. She must¡¯ve faked being out of town so she could do it. That girl hates me with everything she¡¯s got, and I feel the same way about her. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. God, she¡¯s the worst. ¡°She cornered me in the hallway earlier,¡± I admit. Sadie¡¯s gaze narrows. ¡°What did that bitch say to you now?¡± ¡°Awful things about Easton. Trying to allude they¡¯re somehow still hooking up.¡± ¡°Impossible.¡± Is it though? She knew things she shouldn¡¯t. I want to trust Easton and that he wouldn¡¯tmit to me while keeping Aisha on the side but.. He makes it so damn difficult sometimes. ¡°She also used me of being a boring virgin,¡± I admit. ¡°I hate her so damn much.¡± Sadie shakes her head. ¡°She¡¯s awful.¡± ¡°I know. But how would she know I was a virgin? That part bothers me the most. To the point I had to ask Easton if he told her.¡± Sadie gapes at me. ¡°What did he say?¡± ¡°He denied it, of course.¡± I wrap my arms around myself, running my hands up and down my suddenly cold arms. ¡°I want to believe him¡­¡± Sadie makes a scoffing noise. ¡°Ohe on, Harper. He would never tell her that.¡± ¡°Then how did she know?¡± ¡°Girl, it was pretty obvious. You keep to yourself for the most part. Rarely, if ever, talk to boys at school. You¡¯ve never had a boyfriend. Never really been seen on campus with any boys at all, until recently. And,¡± ¡°Okay, okay, I see where you¡¯reing from.¡± I¡¯m vaguely irritated by my best friend pointing out all the reasons Aisha could assume I was a virgin, but deep down, I know Sadie¡¯s right. It was definitely obvious. ¡°She took a guess, and she was right.¡± Sadie makes a disgusted face. ¡°Still isn¡¯t cool she said all that shit to you though. God, I hate her.¡± ¡°Me too,¡± I agree. ¡°I¡¯m positive she¡¯s the one who did that to my garage door.¡± ¡°What are you going to do? Were your parents super pissed? Did they call the cops?¡± I sigh. ¡°They wanted to, but Ryan convinced them they shouldn¡¯t. He promised he¡¯d find out who did it, and put it on some jealous girls from school.¡± ¡°Ryan¡¯s not wrong.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t understand why Aisha hates me so much.¡± I copse on the couch, watching as my friend settles on the loveseat across from me. ¡°What did I ever do to her?¡± ¡°Steal her man.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think Easton was ever her man in the first ce.¡± I scowl, thinking of her mentioning the scar on his¡­private parts. It sucks that she knows about it, because it means she¡¯s been up close and personal with Easton¡¯s junk. I can¡¯t stand the thought, so I shove it out of my brain. ¡°We need to get her back,¡± I say, clutching my hands into fists. ¡°I need to get revenge on Aisha.¡± ¡°You sure you want to do that?¡± nce up when I hear the caution in Sadie¡¯s voice. ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I? She¡¯s made my life a living hell lately.¡± ¡°She can do worse damage. I don¡¯t know if I¡¯d mess with her.¡± Sadie¡¯s gaze is serious as she stares at me. ¡°She¡¯s as mean as a snake, Harper. And her bite is full of venom.¡± Chapter 68 Chapter 68 Easton There are ck spray paint cans in the back of ke¡¯s car, which is the same color that was used on the garage door. That¡¯s why Ryan called me over here to this stupid restaurant. It wasn¡¯t Aisha who spray painted whore on their garage door. It was fucking ke. ¡°I¡¯m going to kill him.¡± I start toward the restaurant entrance but Ryan darts in front of me, shoving at my chest and stopping me. ¡°Calm the fuck down, dude. We have to approach this right.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to. I¡¯m going to kill him.¡± My voice is calm. Way too calm. I¡¯m ready to tear that motherfucker from limb to limb. Rip his face off and shove it down his throat. Kick him so hard in the dick that he¡¯ll never be able to father children. Ever. ¡°No, you¡¯re not. You can¡¯t go into that restaurant and make a scene. ke will deny everything and they¡¯ll kick your ass out of the ce.¡± Ryan shakes his head, his hands still on my chest, restraining me. ¡°We need proof. Evidence.¡± ¡°Photos?¡± | ask. Ryan nods. ¡°If I let you go right now, you promise you won¡¯t run into that restaurant?¡± I could lie and say yes. Then find my way in there anyway and shove my fist into ke¡¯s smug face. But maybe Ryan¡¯s right. We need to approach this situation carefully. Methodically. Harper will have a hard time believing ke did this. She¡¯s firmly set on Aisha being responsible. ¡°Promise,¡± I say, my gaze meeting Ryan¡¯s. We stand in the parking lot, staring at each other before Ryan finally, reluctantly releases his hold on me. Only for a second am I tempted to go into the restaurant but I tell myself to calm the fuck down and head back for ke¡¯s car, whipping out my phone so I can start taking photos. It¡¯s hard to focus through the tinted back windows, but I manage to get some decent shots. Ryan takes photos too, an endless stream of them, his expression turning darker and darker with every shot. ¡°He¡¯s one of my best fucking friends,¡± Ryan mutters. ¡°I can¡¯t believe he did this.¡± Ryan feels just as betrayed as I do, which infuriates me all over again. ¡°We¡®re going to destroy him.¡± Ryan nces over at me when I speak. ¡°He can¡¯t get away with this. He fucked with you. He fucked with me. And he fucked with Harper.¡± ¡°What, he wanted Harper too and he¡¯s pissed he didn¡¯t get his chance?¡± Ryan shakes his head. ¡°I still don¡¯t know how this all started.¡± I¡¯m not about to exin myself. I can¡¯t tell Ryan I kissed and groped his sister multiple times before even knowing who the hell she was. How I bullied her and treated her like absolute shit. Fingered her in the goddamn janitor¡¯s closet for God¡¯s sake. Yeah. Ryan doesn¡¯t need to hear any of that. ¡°He saw me with Harper and decided to fuck with me,¡± I say, because it¡¯s all I got. ¡°That¡¯s messed up.¡± Ryan shakes his head, ncing down at his phone when it starts to ring. He makes a face and answers it. ¡°What?¡± I can hear Sadie asking what he¡¯s doing and if he wants to get together. ¡°I¡¯m busy right now. Can I call youter?¡± He ends the call before she can answer him, the savage. ¡°I don¡¯t have time for her right now.¡± I have a sneaking suspicion she¡¯s with Harper, and they¡¯re trying to figure out what the hell we¡¯re doing. ¡°They¡¯re probably together.¡± ¡°Who?¡± ¡°Your sister and Sadie.¡± Ryan rolls his eyes. ¡°Great. They¡¯re probably conspiring with each other.¡± Probablying up with ways to string me up by the balls, but I can¡¯t worry about that right now. I¡¯ll make it up to Harperter. I hate that I ditched her, but shit. Seeing those spray paint cans in the back of ke¡¯s car was fucking worth it. ¡°Shit! Duck!¡± Ryan grabs my shirt and yanks me down so we¡¯re crouched behind a car. ¡°What the hell?¡± I jerk out of his hold. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Ryan holds his finger to his lips before he slowly rises, peeking over the side of the car. I do the same. Just in time to see ke exiting the restaurant.C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. With¡­ Aisha? What the fuck? ke walks her to her vehicle, dropping a quick kiss on her cheek before she climbs inside. He strolls toward his own car, whistling, his hands in his pockets, as casual as shit, like he doesn¡¯t have a single problem in his life. He has no idea what I could do to him. What Ryan will do to him too. He has a whole mess of problems hanging over his head, and every one of them has my name on it. The moment he¡¯s pulling out of the parking lot, following after Aisha, we both stand up straight, heading for our vehicles. Anger radiates off of Ryan in palpable waves and I¡¯m sure I¡¯m giving off the same vibe ¡°We could follow him,¡± I say, my voice low. ¡°I bet he¡¯s going home.¡± ¡°No.¡± Ryan shakes his head. ¡°Not yet. We need to have a n.¡± ¡°Why? What¡¯s the point? We want to destroy him. Let¡¯s get it done.¡± I start for my car but Ryan holds me off yet again. ¡°We need to tell Harper first. She¡¯s a part of this too.¡± My shoulders sag. ¡°She won¡¯t believe it¡¯s ke.¡± ¡°We have proof. Photos. We need to show her.¡± Ryan shoves me and I stumble backward. ¡°I should still be pissed at you for fucking around with my sister.¡± ¡°I care about her,¡± I stress, throwing my arms up in the air. ¡°I¡¯m not the one going around spray painting shitty words on your house, Ryan. Fuck that. She means something to me. ke¡¯s just fucking around and causing havoc everywhere he goes.¡± God, I hate that asshole. Even though he was one of my best friends, he¡¯s taken things too far. Our friendship is over. Finished. Done. I don¡¯t care what Ryan thinks. If he¡¯s not going to handle things properly, then I¡¯ll take matters into my own hands. And fuck ke¡¯s life up. Chapter 69 Chapter 69 Harper Sadie and I are still chatting in the living room when we hear car engines pulling into the driveway. Then the mming of car doors. Sadie¡¯s eyes widen and she turns toward the window that faces the front of the house. ¡°Oh shit. Your brother¡¯s here.¡± She hesitates. ¡°And he brought Easton with him.¡± My heart skips a beat. I¡¯m both excited and angry, which is not a normalbination for me to experience. I want to see Easton, but I¡¯m also still really mad at him for ditching me for Ryan. I know they¡¯re best friends but¡­ I jump to my feet at the same time the front door bangs open and Ryan and Easton walk 1. They¡¯re angry. I can feel it radiate from the both of them, see it written all over their faces. And it¡¯s super intimidating. They¡¯re both so big and broad, their expressions fierce, jaws clenched, mouths grim. Sadie remains frozen on the loveseat, as if she¡¯s afraid to move and I stand there in front of the both of them, ready to face them down. They don¡¯t scare me. Well, not really ¡°Where the hell were you?¡± I ask with way more bravado than I¡¯m feeling, my gaze on Easton. Ryan takes a step toward me. ¡°Harp, you need to sit down. We have to tell you something.¡± ¡°ke did it,¡± Easton says without hesitation. Ryan sends Easton an irritated look. ¡°Nice. Real smooth.¡± I frown, confused. ¡°Did what?¡± ¡°The spray paint. Writing whore on the garage door. It was ke.¡± Easton reaches behind him, pulling his phone out of his back pocket. I¡¯m shaking my head again and again, taking a step backward. Then another one, like! need the distance. ¡°No. No way. I don¡¯t believe it. He¡¯s my friend, Easton. ke would never do that to me.¡± ¡°It¡¯s true.¡± Easton¡¯s voice is grim as he thrusts the phone into my face, a shadowy photo on the screen. ¡°We have proof.¡± I squint, trying to make out what I¡¯m seeing. ¡°What is that?¡± ¡°Spray paint cans. All ck. In the back of ke¡¯s car. He fucking did it, Harper. He¡¯s responsible.¡± My gaze goes to Sadie, who looks as horrified as I feel. ¡°No, Impossible.¡± ¡°The cans were in his car. I spotted his SUV in a restaurant parking lot and I walked up to the car to make sure it was his before I went inside because I was going to chill with him, you know? But then I saw the cans.¡± Ryan shakes his head, disappointment in his gaze. ¡°I called Easton.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I went to him. He wanted me to see the evidence,¡± Easton adds. Disappointment and sadness crashes over me and my knees wobble. I can¡¯t believe it. ke¡¯s my friend. He¡¯s been nothing but nice to me. Sweet. I¡¯m sure he was disappointed about me and Easton getting together, but ke is a total yer. He can find another girl to upy his time. Not like he wanted anything serious from me anyway. ¡°He did it all¡± Easton continues. ¡°The locker. The cars. The garage door. He¡¯s responsible for all of it and I¡¯m going to make that motherfucker pay.¡± ¡°Wait a minute.¡± Sadie holds up her hand as if she¡¯s in ss, and Easton goes silent. ¡°The locker and car incidents were done with cheerleader paint.¡± Ryan frowns. ¡°Cheerleader paint? What the hell are you talking about?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what you call it. It¡¯s the paint they use for windows and whatever on game days,¡± Sadie exins. ¡°You mean washable paint?¡± | ask. ¡°Yes.¡± Sadie snaps her fingers. ¡°That. The locker and the cars were painted with removable, washable paint. Yet the garage door was spray paint.¡± C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. ¡°What are you saying? That two people are responsible for this shit?¡± Ryan asks. Sadie shrugs. ¡°Maybe? I don¡¯t know. Whoever did the stuff at school wasn¡¯t brave enough to make it permanent.¡± ¡°I think it has more to do with whatever¡¯s on hand at the time. We were at school, so that washable paint shit was readily avable,¡± Easton says. ¡°Aisha didn¡¯t do this. This is all because of ke.¡± ¡°I think Sadie¡¯s on to something,¡± Ryan says carefully. ¡°Maybe it was two different people.¡± ¡°What, Harper has that many enemies? Bullshit,¡± Easton spits out. My heart sinks. Do I have enemies? Two of them? Like Sadie told me earlier, I barely talked to anyone. I keep to myself. And now there are people at school who actually hate me? Enough to vandalize my locker and my brother¡¯s car and Sadie¡¯s car and my house? It makes absolutely no sense. Well. I can only think of one person who hates me that much. ¡°I think it¡¯s all Aisha,¡± I announce. ¡°That bitch hates my guts. She confronted me in the hallway today and said all kinds of shitty things.¡± Ryan and ke share a meaningful look but otherwise say nothing. ¡°What the hell was that?¡± Hmm. Sadie noticed it too. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Ryan asks as he approaches my best friend, a faint smile on his face like he¡¯s wanting to distract her. ¡°That look you and Easton just shared.¡± Her gaze cuts to mine. ¡°You noticed it, right?¡± I nod. ¡°It was nothing.¡± Thises from Easton, who stops by my side and Slings his arm around my shoulders. | shrug it off. ¡°Bullshit,¡± Sadie spits out. ¡°What else is going on? What else do you guys know?¡± ¡°Nothing. We know ke¡¯s responsible for the garage door,¡± Easton says, putting his arm around my shoulders once more, his grip firm so I can¡¯t get away from him. ¡°And we¡¯re going to confront him about it.¡± ¡°When?¡± I nce up at Easton to find him already looking at me. ¡°Soon,¡± he says, his gaze intense. ¡°He¡¯s going to pay for this, Harper. He can¡¯t go around terrorizing my girl and getting away with it.¡± My entire body goes warm at his casual use of the words ¡®my girl, but I¡¯m still having a hard time imagining ke spray painting the word WHORE on our garage door because he¡¯s mad at me. ¡°That fucker has messed with the wrong house,¡± Ryan adds. ¡°Can¡¯t believe my best friend would do this to me. To my family.¡± Easton flinches, so faintly no one would notice. But I did. He¡¯s upset too. Not just because of what ke is doing to me. ke is-was-Easton¡¯s best friend as well. What he¡¯s done is a total betrayal. There¡¯s no going back from a betrayal this big. And that terrifies me. More than I want to admit Chapter 70 Chapter 70 Easton I¡¯m fucking furious, anger rolling through my veins, making my blood run hot. Ryan¡¯s too busy sweet talking Sadie to talk to me about what we¡®re going to do with ke, and I can tell¡­ Harper¡¯s mad at me. Shit. I gotta fix this. ¡°Baby.¡± I steer her out of the living room so we¡¯re in front of the stairs. ¡°You¡¯re angry.¡± She res at me. ¡°You left me for Ryan.¡± ¡°He needed me.¡± I reach for her, cupping her cheek with one hand as I pull her in close with the other. ¡°And for good reason. He found those spray paint cans.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t wrap my head around it.¡± The stubborn look on my girl¡¯s face makes me want to roll my eyes but I restrain myself. ¡°ke would never do that to me. Or to Ryan. He¡¯s your best friend. The three of you have been best friends forever.¡± ¡°Sometimes shit goes sideways.¡± And that hurts. Not that I¡¯ll ever admit it. I¡¯m too damn mad right now anyway and it overpowers the pain. My best friend is a dick who¡¯s out to make my girlfriend¡¯s life miserable. And he¡¯s possibly working with Aisha. Like what the fuck? What¡¯s happened to him to make him turn to the dark side? Is he that enamored with Aisha¡¯s pussy he¡¯ll do whatever she wants? Including making Harper¡¯s life miserable? I don¡¯t understand the motive. I¡¯m confused. But again, my anger overpowers the confusion and the hurt. I¡¯m too pissed to feel anything else. ¡°Ryan!¡± I roar. ¡°Let¡¯s go to ke¡¯s. Now.¡± ¡°No.¡± Harper mps her hand over my mouth. ¡°Forget he said that, Ryan!¡± Ryan doesn¡¯t even bother to respond. He¡¯s probably lip locked with Sadie right now, the fucker. Ire at Harper, biting at her fingers covering my mouth, making her yelp and drop her hand. ¡°Come up to my room,¡± she says softly. ¡°You¡¯re too angry to leave. I¡¯ll help you calm down.¡± I follow her up the stairs, my mind racing, filled with infinite possibilities. I can confront ke at his house. N?velDrama.Org ? content. School. In ss. At lunch. In the parking lot. At a football game? On campus is risky. We could get in trouble, though I¡¯m pretty much untouchable there. ke could go down though-thanks to my fists and a possible suspension. I smile. Yeah. I like the idea of a double whammy. That sounds fucking perfect. Harper drags me into her room and shuts and locks the door before she shoves at me. ¡°Sit on the bed.¡± I do as she says, frowning. Fully prepared for her to chastise me for being a macho asshole. She doesn¡¯t do any of that. Nope, my girl tackles me, pushing me so I have no choice but to fall backward onto the mattress with her on top of me, her lower body snug with mine. Just like that, my cock stirs. ¡°Take your aggression out on me,¡± she whispers just before she dips her head, her mouthnding on mine. Her tongue slides into my mouth, circling around mine and that¡¯s all it takes. I¡¯m a goner. I thrust my hands into her hair, holding her head in ce as we devour each other. She¡¯s squirming all over me, making me crazy, and I roll over, pressing her into the mattress, taking over the situation. She moans when I kiss down the length of her neck, nipping and biting, not holding back. Not wanting to be careful. Harper¡¯s into it, she can¡¯t stop moving. Touching me. Her hands slide beneath my shirt, fingers skimming up and down my back and I shudder at her touch. She¡¯s trying to soothe while I¡¯m desperate to rile her up. Reaching between us, I tug at her shirt, tunneling my hand beneath it to grope at her tits. Tear at her bra. I yank it down, exposing her and I shift away from her neck so I can attack her nipples. When I bite one, she hisses, pulling on my hair extra tight. ¡°You¡¯re hurting me,¡± she murmurs. ¡°You like it,¡± I whisper against her flesh, dragging my tongue across her nipple to take away the sting. She doesn¡¯t respond. She just moans, helping me when I reach for the front of her jeans. Soon she¡¯s completely naked and her hand is in the front of my jeans, her fingers curling around my dick, squeezing it extra hard. I thrust into her hand, desperate for more of her aggressive touch. ¡°Your parentsing home soon?¡± I ask her in between harsh pants. Harper nods jerkily. ¡°Probably.¡± I could give a fuck. All I want is to plunge inside her tight heat. Fuck her into oblivion. Kicking off my shoes, I shove at my jeans until they¡¯re gone too and without warning! push inside her, filling herpletely. She goes still, her eyes wide as they meet mine. I start to move, never looking away as I increase my pace, fucking her steadily. Her eyes fall closed and I cup my hand around her chin, giving her face a gentle shake. ¡°Look at me.¡± Harper does as I say, her gaze steady on mine as I thrust into her. In and out. In and out. I don¡¯t want her to forget who she¡¯s with. Who¡¯s fucking her. Who can make her feel like this. Me. Only me. She circles her legs around my hips, sending me deeper and a strangled groanes from deep within my chest. I press my forehead to hers and piston my hips, fucking her hard. Harder. Our sweaty skin sticks together with my every thrust. The scent of sex fills the room and my balls are pping against her ass, and still, I won¡¯t slow down. Won¡¯te yet either. I¡¯m trying to draw this moment out. Make itst as long as possible. ¡°Easton,¡± she whimpers, her eyes finally closing, as if she can¡¯t stand to look at me any longer. She¡¯s too ovee. ¡°I know, baby,¡± I murmur against her lips just before I kiss her. She responds eagerly, her hands in my hair, her thighs tightening around my hips. ¡°You want toe?¡± Her nod is frantic. ¡°Please.¡± ¡°Beg for it.¡± I slow my movements, dragging my cock out of her before I inch my way back in. ¡°Please, Easton. Please make mee. I need you.¡± Damn, she didn¡¯t even hesitate. Fucking hot. Bracing my hands on the mattress, I fuck her in earnest, a grunt leaving me with every thrust until she¡¯s writhing beneath me, straining toward me as the orgasm suddenly washes over her, making her shake. I watch in fascination, the sensation of her pussy milking my cock sending me right over the edge. Rendering mepletely useless. Mindless. Fuck, this girl. She has no idea what she does to me. What she means to me. None. Chapter 71 Chapter 71 Harper ¡°Easton.¡± I nudge his bare shoulder, silently marveling at the muscle I feel there. He¡¯s firm -hard all over. If I had more time, I¡¯d spend it exploring his naked body with my mouth. My tongue. My hands and my fingers. But we don¡¯t have the time. My parents should be home from work any minute while we¡¯re still in my bed. Naked. ¡°Wha?¡± he asks, his voice muffled against the pillow. Within minutes of us having sex, he copsed next to me and fell asleep. Like¡­who does that? Easton, I guess. Any other time I would¡¯ve found it adorable, but I wanted to talk more about ke and what Easton and my brother discovered in his car. I wanted to stare at those photos some more and really look at them. I also wanted to ask him about that look he and Ryan shared earlier, when they didn¡¯t say anything. What¡¯s their n? And how can I convince him he can¡¯t just go beat ke up over this? They¡¯re friends. They need to work it out. There¡¯s also that tiny, niggling feeling in the back of my mind that tells me ke didn¡¯t do this at all. Aisha did. Unfortunately, I can¡¯t seem to convince Easton that she¡¯s evil enough toe for me. Why does he always protect her? Or write her off? It¡¯s so annoying. Why won¡¯t he believe me? Shoving my worry aside, I focus on waking Easton up and getting him out of my bed. ¡°My parents are going to be home soon,¡± I whisper, then let myself speak louder. ¡°You should go.¡± N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. He sits up, running a hand through his hair, his biceps bulging,pletely distracting me. ¡°Kicking me out?¡± Thezy grin on his face is a heart stopper. But I refuse to be swayed by it. Dipping over the side of the bed, I reach for his shirt and toss it at him, smacking him in the face. ¡°Yep.¡± His smile fades, the shirt falling in hisp. ¡°Damn. Ruthless, babe.¡± I smile sweetly at him before I lean in and drop a kiss on his lips. ¡°Not in the mood to get caught naked in bed with my boyfriend, babe.¡± ¡°True, true.¡± He nods, pulling his T-shirt on before he reaches for the rest of his clothes. He gets dressed in a hurry, as do I, until we¡¯re both fully clothed and I¡¯m raking my fingers through my messy hair while he checks his phone, a frown on his face. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± He nces up, smiling faintly. ¡°Ah, nothing.¡± Uh huh. I don¡¯t believe him. He¡¯s keeping secrets from me, and I don¡¯t like it. At all. We head out of my room and down the stairs, and I notice how quiet the house is. Where¡¯s Ryan and Sadie? Did they actually leave? Sadie must hate me. I just ditched her for Easton, afterining to her that Easton ditched me for Ryan. Sometimes, I¡¯m a shit friend. I¡¯ll call herter and apologize. I need to get my head out of my ass and be a better friend to her. She¡¯s been so good to me, always rushing to my defense. But she¡¯s also keeping her own secrets¡­ Pausing at the front door, Easton turns toward me, his expression soft, his hair still sex rumpled. He¡¯s absolutely adorable and he¡¯s watching me with dopey eyes, like he¡¯s high or something. Not on drugs. More like he¡¯s high on me. ¡°We need to do that more often.¡± He kisses me, his lips soft. Lingering. ¡°I like making you beg.¡± My cheeks go hot and I press my fingers against his lips. ¡°Shush. We can¡¯t talk about that now.¡± ¡°Your parents aren¡¯t home yet.¡± I drop my fingers and he delivers another scorching kiss. ¡°Stop worrying.¡± ¡°Easton, you should go.¡± | clear my throat and reach around him, hip checking him so | can open the door without him in the way. ¡°We¡¯ll talkter?¡± He frowns, looking me up and down, as if he doesn¡¯t know what to do with me. ¡°Sure. I¡¯ll text you after dinner.¡± ¡°Sounds good.¡± I don¡¯t like the confused way he¡¯s staring at me so I give him another kiss to soften my sudden harshness. ¡°Bye.¡± ¡°Hey.¡± He grabs my shoulders, his expression serious as he studies me. ¡°You do realize ke did that to your garage door, right? It wasn¡¯t Aisha.¡± Inod, my smile serene. ¡°You¡¯re right. I know you are.¡± The relief on his face is obvious. ¡°Right. Yeah. Okay, babe. See youter.¡± ¡°See you tomorrow.¡± I open the door wider, watching as he heads for his car, noticing that Ryan¡¯s car is here¡­ But Sadie¡¯s is gone. I¡¯m pretty sure they¡¯re together. The house is way too quiet. Once Easton is gone, I go back up to my room, passing by Ryan¡¯s partially open bedroom door. I push it open wider to find the room empty, just as I suspected. Hmm. My best friend is definitely hooking up with my brother, yet they¡¯re both not talking. At all. So frustrating. I curl up in bed, pulling the covers over me and contemte everything that¡¯s happened today, yet coming back to the same thing every time. The confrontation with Aisha. How mean she was, how utterly vile. That girl doesn¡¯t know when to quit, and I¡¯m proud of the way I stood up to her, even though I couldn¡¯t stop shaking. She never backed down either. That¡¯s why it¡¯s so easy to imagine her getting off on writing the word whore on our garage door. Trying to scare me and infuriate my brother. That bitch deserves to suffer for what she¡¯s put me through. What she¡¯s put all of us through ke though? I just don¡¯t see it. Nope, I can¡¯t. He¡¯s one of Ryan¡¯s absolute best friends Why would he target me? It makes no sense. Maybe he had the spray paint for another reason. People use ck spray paint all the time, right? Just because they have some in the car doesn¡¯t make them a vandalizer or whatever. I need to get to the bottom of this-and I don¡¯t want to do it with Easton either. He¡¯s not listening to me. He¡¯s positive it¡¯s ke. Ryan feels the same way. They¡¯re both so freaking frustrating. The more I think about it¡­ The madder I be. Chapter 72 Chapter 72 Easton ¡°Good morning, gorgeous,¡± I say to Harper the moment I reach her locker, leaning against the one beside hers, so I have a full view of her. Goddamn it, she looks sexy in the morning. Hair still a little wet and wild, like when I get done fucking her. Skin smelling all tropical. Lips covered in gloss, so they look plump and juicy. I cinch her waist with my fingers, and she immediately ps them away, practically growling, ¡°Morning.¡± She ms her locker shut and takes a step back. What the fuck? I don¡¯t let her get very far, catching her before she¡¯s no more than a pace away, and I turn her around to face me. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Sheughs in a way that tells me none of this is funny. ¡°Really? You can¡¯t tell what¡¯s wrong?¡± Women. I can¡¯t for the fucking life of me ever figure them out. But all signs point to her being pissed about something. ¡°You¡¯re mad.¡± I search both of her eyes. ¡°But what about?¡± ¡°It¡¯s sorta mind blowing that you¡¯re just noticing. That you didn¡¯t see I was madst, night.¡± ¡°Last night?¡± This time, I grip her waist, ignoring when she tries to wiggle away, and I pull her into the quiet entrance of an unused ssroom. She stays, but moves back, putting distance between us. I wait for her to look at me before I continue, ¡°Let me get this straight. You instigated sex at your house, you texted me before you went to bed. How am I supposed to know you¡¯re angry?¡± ¡°Every indication was there, Easton. You just weren¡¯t paying attention.¡± ¡°What?¡± I look at her like she¡¯s speaking a differentnguage. ¡°I have no idea what you¡¯re talking about.¡± ¡°Because you were too sexed-up and orgasm-high when you left my house to notice that I practically kicked you out.¡± I thought back to my exit and it was a little rushed. ¡°What about your text?¡± ¡°It was one word-night.¡± I¡¯m tempted to pull out my phone, but it isn¡¯t worth it. She isn¡¯t backing down until she wins this. ¡°Harper,¡± ¡°No,¡± she says, cutting me off. ¡°You need to understand that I gave you what you neededst night to calm you down. I was afraid you were going to do something stupid, like go over to ke¡¯s house and knock him out to the point where you got arrested. But that doesn¡¯t change the way I feel and how much it sucks that you chose Ryan over me.¡± I sigh. This argument is a giant waste of our time. ¡°That¡¯s not what happened.¡± Her top lip curls. ¡°Seriously? That¡¯s what you¡¯re going toe back with when we both know that¡¯s exactly what happened.¡± She points her finger at my chest. ¡°The second you got that phone call, you rushed us into your Jeep, you drove across town like you werepeting in Nascar, and the minute I got out at my house, you practically peeled out.¡± || try to intervene, and she stops me. ¡°I wanted the pizza dinner, the alone time with you, and to feel like it¡¯s more than just ..¡± Her voice cuts off and emotion begins to fill her eyes. ¡°Sex.¡± She swallows. ¡°I feel like that¡¯s all you care about, that you don¡¯t give a shit about how I feel.¡± I shake my head. ¡°I can¡¯t fucking believe this ¡­¡±Ince toward the hallway, making sure no one is listening to us. ¡°Everything was fine between us, it was perfect. We had a great time when we ditched school, you were screaming your little lungs out when I was making youe in the hot tub. And now? We¡¯re here? Where is this evening from? We¡¯re fighting about something that doesn¡¯t even matter.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the problem, Easton. It does matter. It¡¯s the whole base of our rtionship. If you run off to Ryan every time we¡¯re in the middle of something, we¡¯re never going to work. I need to know I matter too.¡± Her voice lowers. ¡°I need to know you care.¡± I don¡¯t like her assumptions. I don¡¯t like the hurt in her eyes. And I don¡¯t like that she¡¯s been sending so many mixed messages-fucking me, texting me, hating me- that I can¡¯t even keep up. ¡°Tell me what you want, Harper.¡± ¡°Communication.¡± ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± Her hands push against the wall behind her. ¡°That would be a start. If you¡¯re going to go all Nascar driver on me, then at least tell me why you¡¯re driving that way and where you¡¯re going.¡± I go to reach for her and decide to cross my arms instead. ¡°But I didn¡¯t know why Ryan needed me.¡± ¡°The point is, he needed you, he told you where to meet him, and you said nothing to me about it.¡± She¡¯s asking me to be fully transparent, something I¡¯ve never been with anyone. I don¡¯t normally do rtionships, I just fuck. That means I¡¯ve never had anyone to report to, no one to answer to. Ie, I go, I do me. Harper wants to change that. I take in a deep breath, holding it in. ¡°I¡¯ll do my best.¡± My arms drop and I surround her waist, pulling her closer. ¡°Does that earn me a kiss?¡± She rolls her eyes. ¡°How much of that was the truth and how much was bullshit just to get me into the janitor¡¯s closet so you can fuck me against the wall?¡± I¡¯ve missed her smile. I¡¯m happy it¡¯s back. I pull her in closer, our bodies now touching. ¡°The janitor¡¯s closet doesn¡¯t have any good walls, they¡¯re all covered in supplies.¡± I growl as I press my lips to hers, taking in her taste. She gives me a small kiss and says, ¡°You know, an I¡¯m sorry¡¯ would be a nice, added touch.¡± Damn it, she¡¯s relentless. N?velDrama.Org ? content. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± I kiss her again. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have ditched you for Ryan.¡± I taste her one more time and say, ¡°Can I walk you to ss now?¡± She nods and I slip my arm around her shoulders. We haven¡¯t walked more than a few feet when I come across a face in the crowded hallway that makes my fucking teeth grind, my free hand clench. ke. That fucking cocksucker. ¡°Down boy, we¡¯re in school,¡± Harper whispers in my ear, sensing my change in temper. ¡°Think of how much it¡¯ll suck if you get suspended for a week and you can¡¯t see me after every period.¡± I don¡¯t give a fuck at this moment. All I can think about is my fist meeting his nose. ¡°If he so much as nces in this direction, he¡¯s dead.¡± I wait for the look. For the visual goading. For any excuse to fucking pummel him in this hallway. But I don¡¯t get the chance because Harper grabs my face, turning my attention toward her, and says, ¡°What are you going to do to me tonight?¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± ¡°Tonight ¡­ when I strip off my clothes and let you do anything you want to me.¡± I know what she¡¯s doing. And, fuck me, it¡¯s working. Chapter 73 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 ¨C 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 ¡ª 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.¡± Chapter 74 Chapter 74 Easton I¡¯m going to kill someone today. I¡¯m sure of it. Anger is boiling inside my chest. Nothing Harper says or does can calm me down. I don¡¯t give a fuck if she ran into ke in the hallway, if it was by ident, if she didn¡¯t want to talk to him-I don¡¯t want her around him. Period. I don¡¯t want her to even acknowledge that motherfucker exists. Knowing my temper, I avoid him all day, so I don¡¯t try to fight him in the hallway, but on my way to one of myst sses, I see him. He¡¯s sitting on one of the tables in the cafeteria, talking to a girl I used to fuck. The look he¡¯s giving her is the same one he gave to Harper earlier. A look that¡¯s never going toe across his face again. I¡¯m going to make sure of that. I rush through the entrance and the second I reach him, I grab him by the fucking cor and haul him up off the table. ¡°You want to talk to Harper?¡± I st at him. ¡°You talk to me first.¡± Heughs like an egotistical cocksucker. ¡°What, are you feeling threatened, Easton? Worried she might like my cock more than yours?¡± He smiles. ¡°I¡¯d be worried, too.¡± ¡°Easton!¡± Harper shouts from the doorway, rushing through the cafeteria, her hands now on my waist, trying to get me to release ke. ¡°Don¡¯t do this,¡± she pleads. ¡°Please don¡¯t do this.¡± His smile grows as he says, ¡°Gonna listen to your girl?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t wait to hear this,¡± Aisha says, who¡¯s now joined us, standing behind ke. ¡°This is going to get good.¡± A fire is licking through my veins as I continue to hold him by the throat, my anger causing me to see red. ¡°I¡¯ve fucking had it with you,¡± I tell him. ¡°With your bullshit, your lies, the way you won¡¯t back off my girl. She¡¯s mine, ke.¡± My teeth clench, growling, ¡°Mine.¡± ¡°Easton,e on,¡± Harper cries from behind me, trying to unclench the fingers of my free hand from the ball that they¡¯re in. ¡°Man, you talk a lot of shit,¡± ke goads, his lips wide, almostical like The Joker. ¡°But that¡¯s all you are-full of shit. You¡¯ve got nothing to back yourself up. No balls. Just I¡¯m fucking done. I shake Harper away and rear my arm back, my fist aiming for his nose. I punch him with all the strength I have and the second my skin connects with his, a sharp pain explodes through my knuckles. Harper¡¯s scream fills my ears. Aisha¡¯s gasp echoes through the room. And the blood that gushes from ke¡¯s nose only adds to the red I¡¯m already seeing. ¡°Fuck me!¡± ke shouts, covering his face, the blood dripping through his fingers. I feel no relief at all, the hate is still running through me. My arm moves back again and Harper shouts, ¡°No! Easton, that¡¯s enough!¡± But it¡¯s not enough. Because even though he¡¯s covering most of his face, I can still see that fucking smile. ¡°You want more of me, you motherfucker?¡± I spit. ¡°Move your fucking hand so I can knock your ass out.¡± ¡°Easton,¡± Harper cries, ¡°you¡¯re going to get in trouble-¡± ¡°You¡¯re right about that,¡± Leigh says from behind me, the feel of the administrator¡¯s hand mping down on my shoulder immediately stops me from punching ke again. ¡°You¡¯reing with me,¡± she orders, and then drags me several steps back before she says to ke, ¡°Go to the nurse right now and get that nose checked out.¡± Fighting her is a battle I won¡¯t win, so when her hand stays on my shoulder, leading me out of the cafeteria and into her office, I say nothing. Only when she sits me in a chair in front of her desk do I start, ¡°Leigh,¡± She holds up her hand. ¡°Take a breath, Easton.¡± A breath? Fuck that, I¡¯m fuming. There are parts of ke¡¯s face that still need to be pummeled with my fist. I rake both sides of my hair, my hands twitching in anger. ¡°You need to listen to me ¡­¡± ¡°I need to listen to you?¡± She takes a seat on the edge of her desk, the side that¡¯s closest to me. ¡°You know that isn¡¯t the way this works. I¡¯m the one in control here.¡± As she swings her legs in the air, her skirt rides higher on her thighs. ¡°And this little stunt justnded you in a heap of trouble.¡± She pauses. ¡°You know I can protect you but fighting in school crosses a boundary.¡± Trub across my knuckles. ¡°He deserved it.¡± She sighs. ¡°What am I going to do with you, Easton?¡± She begins to y with the top button of her shirt. ¡°You probably broke his nose. There are witnesses ¡­¡± The top button pops open, and her legs widen, stretching the limits of her skirt. ¡°This is grounds for a week suspension.¡± I tug my hair at the roots. ¡°A week?¡± Fuck. The school will notify my parents and my father will kick my ass for this. He¡¯s all about me having a perfect record so I can get into the best college and then go tow school. ¡°You¡¯ve got to work your magic,¡± I tell her. ¡°I can¡¯t get suspended. How about I serve a shitload of detention instead?¡± N?velDrama.Org ? content. ¡°Do you think that¡¯s a sufficient punishment?¡± She unbuttons another button, followed by a third, her legs spread so wide now, I can see her red,ce panties. That¡¯s where she¡¯s going with this? Oh shit ¡°I think detention is plenty,¡± I tell her, ¡°especially if you stick me with that snore-fest, Mr. Jones.¡± Thest button unhooks, and she slides her shirt open, revealing a matching bra. She leans forward, her tits spilling out of the cups that are trying to hold them in. ¡°Here are your options-you cane to my house tonight and serve me or you can serve your five-day suspension at home. Your choice.¡± An ultimatum. One that involves her pussy. Anger bubbles through me, but a much different kind this time. ¡°What about your husband?¡± I ask. ¡°He¡¯s out of town for the week.¡± ¡°Leigh ¡­¡± When I shake my head, my stare falls to her tits. I remember them fondly and the way she rode my cock until she was fucking screaming. ¡± -.-¡± I cut off, not sure how to respond. Her stare drops to my dick and she slowly licks across her lips. ¡°Remember that phone call from Harper¡¯s mom the other day that dismissed her from school?¡± She pauses, allowing my memory to catch up. ¡°I can easily lose that paperwork. I wonder if Harper¡¯s parents will let her date you when they find out you¡¯re a bad influence on their daughter.¡± I can go to Leigh¡¯s ce tonight and cheat on my girl. Or I can earn myself a week suspension and get Harper in just as much trouble, jeopardizing our rtionship when her parents find out I was the reason she¡¯s suspended. Leigh¡¯s balls are as big as ke¡¯s. ¡°What¡¯s your answer, Easton?¡± Chapter 75 Chapter 75 Harper ¡°What in the ever-loving fuck just happened?¡± Sadie says, rushing to my side the second I leave the cafeteria. ¡°ke just hauled ass to the nurse, bleeding profusely. Mrs. Scott just dragged Easton toward her office and Aisha¡¯s smiling like she just got fucked against a wall.¡± She holds my shoulders. ¡°And you look like you¡¯re about to burst into tears.¡± The moment Easton got dragged away and ke left for the nurse, Aisha gave me the nastiest smirk and took off, leaving me alone in the cafeteria, drops of ke¡¯s blood by my feet. I haven¡¯t even had a chance to catch my breath yet. My whole body is tingling and numb, my chest aching. I don¡¯t want Easton to get in trouble. I don¡¯t want him fighting with ke. I don¡¯t want anyone fighting anymore. Between my brother punching Easton in our backyard and Easton punching ke today, I¡¯ve had enough. What makes it worse is that both instances were over me. ¡°Sadie ¡­¡± | move us over to a row of lockers, leaning against one, needing something to take my weight and hold me up. ¡°I couldn¡¯t get Easton to stop, he was raging mad angrier than I¡¯ve ever seen him-and he exploded on ke.¡± I pull my hair back, the heat on my neck making it hard to breathe. ¡°ke was loving it, he was egging him on. It¡¯s like he wanted Easton to punch him.¡± ¡°Of course ke wants to start shit with Easton, he wants Easton to look as bad as possible in front of you, so ke looks like a saint.¡± She twirls a piece of my hair. ¡°Harper, he¡¯s obsessed with you, he¡¯ll do anything to be with you.¡± ¡°Even getting punched in the face?¡± She shrugs. ¡°Looks like it.¡± | swallow, needing the tightness in my throat to go away. ¡°I don¡¯t know, Sadie. This is all so crazy, and it isn¡¯t over, I feel like things are just getting started between them.¡± Sadie¡¯s eyes widen. ¡°Shhh, herees trouble.¡± I turn around, meeting the smug smile that I hate so much. ¡°Did you enjoy that?¡± Aisha asks, now standing next to us. ¡°Watching your little boyfriends fight over you?¡± ¡°I only have one boyfriend,¡± I tell her. ¡°Let¡¯s get that straight before you run around school, starting rumors that aren¡¯t true.¡± ¡°I only speak the truth.¡± She eyes me up and down. ¡°But from what went down today, the whore everyone has been calling you seems to fit.¡± ¡°You¡®re a cunt,¡± Sadie snaps. ¡°And I¡¯m hardly a whore,¡± I add, ¡°but you certainly like to write that word out-maybe it makes you feel like less of a whore yourself, you know, like when you spray painted it across my garage.¡± ¡°Hold up ¡­¡± Her stare intensifies. ¡°You¡¯ve got the wrong person.¡± Now it¡¯s my turn to smile andugh. ¡°Yeah, right. No one but you could have done that to me.¡± Her face turns serious, an expression I haven¡¯t seen from her. ¡°That wasn¡¯t me.¡± ¡°You expect us to believe that?¡± Sadie asks. ¡°You despise Harper, so of course it was you.¡± Aisha res at both of us. ¡°I most definitely despise you and I don¡¯t want you to be with Easton and, you¡¯re right, I am a cunt, but it wasn¡¯t me who spray painted your house.¡± She crosses her arms. ¡°It really wasn¡¯t, I was out of town.¡± I can¡¯t believe my brain is even considering this, but something about her response makes me believe her. If it wasn¡¯t Aisha, then who was it? Because it can¡¯t be ke ¡­ can it? Would he really do that to me? ¡°We¡¯ve seen enough of your face for one day,¡± Sadie says to Aisha. ¡°Get out of here.¡± Aisha looks like she¡¯s about to snarl. ¡°You should take a long, hard look at the people in your circle.¡± She eyes up Sadie. ¡°Those are the ones you should question whether you can trust.¡± She walks away and Sadie says to me, ¡°Do you believe her?¡± I search the crowd of students as if the answer is waiting for me out there. ¡°I don¡¯t know what to believe right now. All of this is so overwhelming.¡± ¡°Well, you know you can trust me.¡± The truth is, she¡¯s the only person I can trust. Sadie loops her arm through mine and we walk down the hallway toward ss. As we¡®re passing the front office, the door swings open and Eastones rushing through it. He doesn¡¯t look at me. He¡¯s staring straight ahead, his face dripping in anger. ¡°Hey,¡± I say the moment he passes me, grabbing his arm to stop him. He halts and nces down at me, a look in his eyes that he¡¯s almost bothered by me. ¡°What happened?¡± | ask. ¡°Are you all right? Did you get in trouble?¡± He just stares, saying nothing. The anger in his expression now mixed with something else-something I can¡¯t ce. When he still doesn¡¯t respond, I add, ¡°Easton?¡± He pulls his arm out of my hold. ¡°Get away from me, Harper.¡± He takes a step back. ¡°I need to be alone.¡± Alone? But all I want to do is hug him. N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. Be there for him. And now he¡¯s walking away from me, not even looking back. A wave of emotiones over me as I whisper, ¡°What did I do?¡± Sadie wraps her arms around me and pulls me into a hug. ¡°Babe, you did nothing, don¡¯t worry. Easton is just sour because he probably got in serious trouble and his parents are going to whip his ass and he¡¯s losing his mind about it.¡± ¡°But why didn¡¯t he just say that?¡± My eyes are burning from the tears. ¡°Why won¡¯t he open up to me?¡± She rubs my back. ¡°He¡¯s a boy, they struggle with those kinds of things.¡± ¡°What he s-said,¡± I stutter, the sob working through my chest. ¡°Was so n-nasty.¡± ¡°Once he cools down, he won¡¯t be such a dick.¡± She doesn¡¯t know that, she¡¯s just trying to make me feel better. Easton¡¯s past is full of dickhead moments, treating me terribly, and he¡¯s just started to soften toward me. But now, we¡¯re here again, notmunicating, pushing me away, when all I want is to be in his arms. ¡°What do I do, Sadie?¡± I pull away and wipe my eyes. ¡°How do I make this better?¡± ¡°You wait until school is over, and then you go to his locker, and you go home with him.¡± She smiles. ¡°That¡¯s the only way to take care of men like Easton.¡± Chapter 76 Chapter 76 Easton ¡°Hi,¡± Harper says so softly as she stands next to my locker, seconds after the final bell rings. ¡°Are you all right?¡± | upset her. I knew that the moment I pulled my arm away from her and walked away. But I needed space. I needed time. I needed to think. I cup the side of her face, waiting for her to pull away. She doesn¡¯t. ¡°Come home with me.¡± C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. I¡¯m not asking Her pussy can give me the only thing I need right now. ¡°I was nning on it,¡± she tells me. My cock begins to harden as my hand goes to her ass and I walk her to the student lot. I know Ryan wants to talk about what happened with ke, he told me to wait for him after school. But I don¡¯t give a fuck about that conversation right now. I need Harper. I get her into my Jeep and quickly drive to my house. Once we¡¯re inside, she takes my hand and brings me over to the bar, grabbing a bottle from one of the shelves, and then takes me straight outside. She sets the bottle on the stairs of the hot tub and starts to strip, not waiting a fucking second. Damn it, I¡¯m into her. I¡¯m staring at her pussy when I say, ¡°Someone likes to get wet in the tub ¡­¡± She steps out of her panties and drops her bra. ¡°I like what you do to me when we¡¯re in the tub.¡± ¡°Mmm.¡± Her naked body fills my vision and it¡¯s fucking amazing. Tight. Curvy. Nipples that are begging to be bitten. ¡°Baby, that was nothingpared to what I¡¯m about to do to you.¡± Tyank my clothes off and grab my phone from my pants, bringing it over to the tub where I take off the lid and check the temperature. I help Harper inside and ce the phone on the steps before I get in. She looks at my phone. ¡°Do you n on filming us?¡± Iugh. ¡°No, I¡¯m expecting a call.¡± ¡°From who?¡± I grab her face, pulling her against me, and I kiss her. Hard. A warning for what I¡¯m about to do to her body. Her arms wrap around my shoulders, and I pull away just as she moans, ¡°Easton-¡± I cut her off from saying anything more, cing my finger on her lips. ¡°No words. The only thing I want to hear from you are moans. Understood?¡± She nods and I flip her around, cing her by the stairs, and I move in behind her, rubbing her pussy with my tip, getting her ready for me. ¡°You¡¯re so fucking wet,¡± I growl in her neck. ¡°I can¡¯t wait to feel your tightness around my cock.¡± The wait is killing me. And within a few seconds, I¡¯m plunging inside her, giving her short, shallow pumps, teasing myself. ¡°Fuck yes,¡± I howl, biting her ear lobe. ¡°This is the tightness I was talking about, you¡¯re fucking pulsing around my dick.¡± I move faster, burying my shaft, feeling the heaviness of the water as my balls p against her ass. ¡°Ahhh!¡± I can feel the sound in her ear, and it vibrates over my teeth. ¡°You want more?¡± ¡°Mmm-hmm.¡± I rear my hips back and dive in, moving harder. Faster. Increasing my power with each stroke. I need to taste more of her, so I mp my hand around her hair and pull it back, exposing her neck, devouring the side of her lips. ¡°Harper,¡± I roar, ¡°Your fucking pussy is going to make mee.¡± I bite her lip. ¡°Goddamn it, you¡¯re milking me.¡± I twist my hips, circling inside her. ¡°Easton,¡± she moans, but I bite down even harder, and she finishes with, ¡°Mmm.¡± | mp down on her ass under the water, earning myself a gasp. Learning she likes that, I do it again, this time moving lower, slipping between her cheeks until I find that back, forbidden hole I know she¡¯s never had this before. I¡¯ll be her first I moan at the thought of how her ass will feel and I circle the outer edge of it. Her breathing increases, her hips buck back and forth. ¡°You want my finger in that tight fucking ass?¡± ¡°Yesss,¡± she breathes. I dip inside, just up to my knuckle, earning me the loudest moan. I swear I can feel her sound vibrate across my cock. ¡°You dirty girl,¡± I hiss. ¡°You like me inside your ass.¡± I move in deeper and twist my wrist. ¡°You want my cock next?¡± She moans even louder. I don¡¯t have the patience to give her that today, it takes too much prepping, and I don¡¯t have it in me to go slow. I need hard, fast, I need to punish her pussy for all the anguish | went through today. And that¡¯s exactly what I¡¯m doing. I reach around to the front of her and pinch her nipple. Her back arches, her ass meets my finger, urging me deeper. ¡°Yes¡­ you definitely want more.¡± She gives me the sound I want to hear, and I position her in front of the jet, the stream of high- pressured water aimed at her clit. ¡°Ahhh!¡± Ignaw on her neck. ¡°Now, hold the fuck on.¡± My warning isn¡¯t a joke. Thave no intention of being gentle, I¡¯m pounding her with all the strength I have. Fucking the anger out of me. Every time I bury my cock, I drive my finger inside her, my hips circling, my wrist doing the same, both spots tightening around me. ¡°Your fucking cunt ¡°Igroan. ¡°Yesss.¡± A st of wetness tells me she¡¯sing. So does the pulsing around my dick where she narrows in after each moan, followed by her screams. ¡°Oh my fucking God, Harper.¡± I kneed her nipples while she clenches around me, sinking in as deep as I can go. ¡°You¡¯re going to make mee.¡± The way her hips move tell me she has one thing on her mind. She wants to suck every drop of cum out of me. ¡°That¡¯s it,¡± I tell her. ¡°Fuck me harder.¡± She rocks her hips. ¡°Make mee.¡± She¡¯s keeping me plunged in, grinding over me and when I start to moan, she pumps her pussy along my shaft. ¡°Fuck!¡± I pull her face toward me. ¡°I want your tongue in my mouth when I fill you.¡± The second our lips touch, my balls tighten, and a surge moves through my body, causing me to roar against her mouth. I¡¯m sting into her, shot after shot of cum, feeding that tight, fucking cunt. ¡°Yesss,¡± I hiss, the pleasure spreading through me. ¡°Take it, baby.¡± And she is, working it through me, urging every sensation to peak. Making me hers. Once her pussy swallows every drop, I grip her face, pointing her lips to me. I say nothing, I just stare into her eyes. My cock slowly pulls out, my cum drips from her into the water, my finger finally leaves her ass. As I take in her eyes, a guilt from the pit of my stomach begins to eat at me. And I bury that feeling by kissing Chapter 77 Chapter 77 Harper I feel him inside me, all around me, the way his muscles strain and tense like he wants to stay in this moment, in the hot tub until the end of time. Instead, he pulls away from me like he¡¯s about to say goodbye. ¡°Easton?¡± I cup his jaw. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°That was unbelievable.¡± He still isn¡¯t looking at me, instead he¡¯spletely shut down, chest still heaving from exertion as he grabs the towel next to the stairs, wipes his hands and picks up his phone. What the hell? What we shared wasn¡¯t just something-normal. In fact nothing between has been normal since this started. And now he¡¯s acting like every other teenage boy on the and grabbing his cell phone the minute he gets off. I¡¯m so hurt I can¡¯t see straight. Why can¡¯t it always be easy with him? Why am I always doubting him? Us? What Aisha said about my circle of friends pounds into my skull until my temples start to ache. I never know if she¡¯s ying with me or if she actually has a brain cell next to her fake extensions. Would they even be able to coexist anyways fighting for all that space? grab a towel and get out of the hot tub, irritated, and a bit pissed that my body feels so good after his kisses, after his touch. ¡°You okay?¡± Easton reaches for me. I jerk away. ¡°Yeah, fine.¡± Which in girl speak basically means, you might die tonight, he seems to catch on though and quickly flips his phone over so I can¡¯t see the screen which just makes me more suspicious on top of everything else. He yawns and stretches his arms over his head, then grabs his own towel while I put the top back on the hot tub. A tense silence exists between us. Tignore it and decide to just go inside the house when he grabs me by the hand and pulls me back against him, he¡¯s warm just like the hot tub and I feel weak because I need him, because his touch tells me that everythings going to be okay when everything feels so messed up. Maybe it¡¯s me. N?velDrama.Org ? content. I¡¯m vulnerable. And I me him. I love him. I love this boy and I can¡¯t read him, because he won¡¯t open up to me the way I need and I¡¯m scared that if I say something I¡¯m going to push him away even more. I slump against him. ¡°Hey,¡± Easton¡¯s lips are on my neck. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Things.¡± | shiver and hear his phone go off again and tense even more. ¡°Someones trying to get a hold of you.¡± ¡°Yeah but my hands are kind of busy right nowholding on to you.¡± He chuckles against my neck, his lips on my skin, and I forget for a few minutes how angry I am and how insecure I feel with him sometimes. I rx as much as I can. He holds me tighter. ¡°You know I¡¯ve never felt this way for anyone, Harper¡­¡± Do I though? ¡°I know.¡± I lie. ¡°It¡¯s not just.¡± He curses. ¡°It¡¯s not just your body, Harp. It¡¯s everything. It¡¯s the way you fight me when you want to kiss me. It¡¯s your bravery. It¡¯s every single smile that kills my heart and steals my soul. Harper, you¡¯re it. You are. Even if you don¡¯t believe it, one day you will, because one day I¡¯ll be able to prove it. You¡¯re my everything and as much as you probably hate me half the time, I¡¯d take that hate any day, because it means I¡¯m yours¡­and you¡¯re mine.¡± . A tear slides down my cheek. ¡°That was stupid romantic for a high school boy.¡± ¡°I practiced,¡± he jokes, kissing my neck. His phone goes off again. With a curse, he pulls away. ¡°Look, I have to take care of this really quick, trust me when I say it¡¯s not a big deal ¡­¡± I turn around. His face is pale as he reads his texts. His movements jerky. Something¡¯s off. ¡°Everything okay?¡± I ask. He looks at his screen again and shoves his phone into his pocket. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m just gonna run you home real quick then grab something by the school, apparently in all my anger and excitement I left one of my notebooks and one of the freshman who owes me a favor of massive proportions picked it up¡­¡± ¡°Huh?¡± What freshman? What favor? I don¡¯t say anything else but I want to because it¡¯s so out of the blue and why wouldn¡¯t he have said something sooner? Doubt starts creeping in again when ites to Easton like it always does after we¡¯re vulnerable together. He pulls me into his arms, his smile easy. ¡°I¡¯m spending the night. I mean, if that¡¯s okay?¡± ¡°And when my parentse barging in?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be quiet ¡­¡± Heughs. He¡¯s so gorgeous I want to cry a bit, with his dimples, dark hair, and crystal blue eyes. He¡¯s lean but built and even when he¡¯s not kissing me I dream of his tongue, of the way my fingers feel against his firm stomach, his crazy six pack on disy. ¡°You¡¯re the loud one.¡± I shove him, but also, I mean, what girl would be quiet with Easton standing in front of them? Eating them out? Fucking them? Loving them? ¡°What? It¡¯s true!¡± Heughs and looks at his phone again, what the hell? ¡°It will literally take no time, plus I can drop you off first so your parents don¡¯t get suspicious, perfect n.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± I decide I have no choice but to trust him even though something doesn¡¯t feel right, I want him tomunicate more but I¡¯m afraid of being that needy girl so I simply say. ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°You mean everything to me.¡± He whispers, kissing my forehead. His eyes flicker then linger on mine for a few beats before he looks away andughs. ¡°Don¡¯t fall asleep without me¡­¡± ¡°Like I could.¡± I pull him in for a hug. I memorize the way he smells. The way he feels. It¡¯s right. Everything about us is finally right, so why do I keep looking for all the wrong? It¡¯s not fair to him, or to our rtionship. Texhale. He smells like hot boy, spice, and rum. And he¡¯s mine. Right? ¨C ¡°Hurry back,¡± I say as we both quickly get ready. He ps my ass. ¡°Where else would I rather be than by your side, Harper?¡± Good question. I tell myself to trust him. I tell myself to be the secure one. And I force myself to smile the entire ride back to my house as if this ispletely normal and everything¡¯s fine, and I almost believe it. Almost, I have nothing to worry about, right? Because I¡¯m his, and he¡¯s mine. And why else would he make up a dumb excuse like a freshman kid holding his notebook? Easton¡¯s better than that. I trust him. I really have no choice. My chest hurts as his Jeep pulls away from the curb in front of my house and I don¡¯t know why but it feels wrong. Chapter 78 Chapter 78 Easton I¡¯m shit. Like actual shit on shit, the worst shit, fuckkkkkkkk. My palms are actually sweating as I grip the steering wheel and head over to Leigh¡¯s house. She didn¡¯t just send me horrible text threats, she called seven times, which is thest thing you want when you¡¯re trying to open up to your girlfriend basically saying, ¡°hey no worries I¡¯ve changed,¡± only to leave her and go to the guidance counselor sh admin you used to fuck and repeat history. Originally she said she needed a favor, code word for she wants the high school senior to bend her over against her office chair until she¡¯s hoarse from screaming. | snort, yeah, a favor, she said the same thing in her texts tonight, hey can you do me a favor? Code yet again. I know what Leigh wants. I know she¡¯s going to use any information she has on us. And I want to actually run my Jeep into the next brick building I see. I don¡¯t want her anymore. Funny how the minute you have something good, the universe is like yeah just wait for it, I¡¯ll fuck with you. You¡¯re in love? Cool, let¡¯s bring in some hate orpetition, or even better, let¡¯s make sure your entire life is over if you don¡¯t do xyz. I¡¯m sick the entire drive to her house. | almost turn around a dozen times, maybe if Harper questioned me I would have, instead my phone is silent, my car is like death as rain starts to pound against my windshield. It takes me maybe fifteen minutes to get to her house, it¡¯s in a nice subdivision five blocks over from Harper¡¯s house. The white and ck split level house stares me down as I park. I suddenly hate doors that are white and have fall decorations. I hate them. I know what¡¯s behind that door, maybe that¡¯s why. Or maybe I suddenly have a conscience, either way, I¡¯m not happy to be here and in the past the only reason I even came here was to get good grades or because it was taboo. Not feeling that way right now, no. I¡¯m feeling cheap and disgusted and like a total liar. I stare down the door and take a deep breath. It opens, because of course it does. Leigh is holding it open with a ss of wine in hand, she¡¯s wearing a crop top that leaves nothing to the imagination and a pair of low slung ck sweats. Tused to think she was hot, the type of mom or cougar you fuck over and over again because you get bragging rights, but now? I notice the aggressiveness, the maniption, and the exhaustion. Slowly, I get out of my jeep and look behind me just in case, not that anyone was following me but I¡¯m suddenly extremely paranoid for some reason as I walk toward Leigh. She takes a sip of her wine, meanwhile I want to throw up. ¡°You came.¡± She holds her door open. I swallow and shove my hands into my jeans. ¡°Yeah well, I didn¡¯t really have a choice.¡± 03 ¡°How¡¯s the girlfriend?¡± She winks. Again, I want to vomit. ¡°Good, thanks for asking.¡± I force a smile ¡°Gonna invite me in?¡± N?velDrama.Org ? content. ¡°Of course.¡± She opens the door wider. She has candles lit around her small living room. The fire roars in the firece and two bottles of wine are set on the kitchen table with an empty ss I¡¯m assuming is mine. I walk numbly toward the kitchen counter and grab the wine, pouring it into my ss until I¡¯m sure it¡¯s going to spill over, then take a long, hard sip. Fuck, I would murder someone for weed right now. Fuck, I¡¯d probably rob someone for it with the way she¡¯s looking at me. The sound of her front door closing feels like a gunshot to the head as I try to keep my cool. ¡°So .¡± She leans against the countertop and all I can focus on is her belly ring. I literally want to yell midlife crisis, instead I look away and drink more wine. ¡°You wanna go into the bedroom or stay here?¡± Images of me and Harper in the hot tub assault me to the point where it¡¯s hard to breathe. I wasn¡¯t just saying shit-I love her. I truly Really. Love. Her. Not this crazy person using her authority as a way to y me and my friends. The more I think about it, the more pissed I get as she walks toward me and takes my wine ss out of my hand, setting it on the counter. ¡°Kiss me,¡± Leigh says. Ire. ¡°I kiss you and this all goes away?¡± She shrugs, fucking shugs. ¡°Sure, why not?¡± ¡°You¡¯re the worst.¡± I let out a bitterugh. ¡°How many guys in our school do you do this with, huh? Do you need me to make you feel young again, Leigh?¡± I draw out her name and am basically in her face. ¡°Or is this about men your age not getting you off, say where is that husband of yours anyway? Drunk off his ass at some bar because he¡¯s afraid toe home after his shift at the Police station?¡± ¡°Well ¡­¡± I¡¯ve clearly lost my mind as I peer around her and shrug. ¡°Looks like your ass has gotten huge so maybe that¡¯s why you need to own mine? She shoves me again. ¡°Easton, I¡¯m serious.¡± ¡°So. Am. I.¡± I grin. ¡°Maybe I¡¯m not man enough for you, maybe I should just go.¡± ¡°Stop ying games.¡± She grabs my shirt and rips it on the sleeve. ¡°Kiss me.¡± I stare at her. I see a painful future. I see a constant loop of me fucking her in order to get out of shit. And I see Harper¡¯s broken face. Her tears. It hurts more than being expelled. It hurts more, I imagine, than being ran over by my own Jeep. What the fuck am I even doing? I stumble back. ¡°This won¡¯t ever end, will it?¡± ¡°What?¡± She bats her eyshes and starts to take off her top, then tosses it to the ground, her breasts on full disy. ¡°Do you mean this?¡± She starts touching her nipples and I¡¯m out. I¡¯m done. I can¡¯t. I just can¡¯t anymore. | shake my head. ¡°Do your worst, Leigh, but I¡¯m done.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll fucking regret this, you shit!¡± she yells, still topless. I grab my phone out of my pocket and snap a quick picture of her before she can say anything, then whisper, ¡°So will you.¡± ¡°Delete that!¡± she roars. I shrug. ¡°Now we each have shit. And now you know, I will expose you.¡± ¡°Expose this!¡± She flips me off. I turn around and leave despite her yelling. I don¡¯t care anymore. I just want my girl. And I need her. Chapter 79 Chapter 79 Harper I check my phone again. It¡¯s been an hour. He¡¯sing back right? I type out a text then don¡¯t want to sound desperate so I delete it right away and go back to my bed. I grab a pair of short ck shorts and put on a white tank with no bra. I want to look sexy but not needy. The only issue is that everytime I think about Easton I nip out and then I want to touch myself and then I start doubting all the things because why? Like, why me? Why? Insecurity is such a bitch and I hate it so much but it¡¯s so hard when I see signs, when I wonder where he is, when he hides his phone, when I hear rumors. I shove a pillow over my face and scream. ¡°Wow, so hot.¡± His voice sounds. I throw the pillow and look up. He¡¯s standing in front of me with a duffel bag, wearing his ck jeans and a ripped ck old school Van Halen shirt. It¡¯s the moment that any girl would literally die. He¡¯s so gorgeous I swear my ovaries start to weep. How is he this perfect? How is he even here? Before I can say anything he kicks off his Jordan¡¯s and crawls into the bed somehow at the same time peeling off his shirt andying down next to me. ¡°How¡¯d you get in?¡± I ask. He shrugs. ¡°Called in a favor from Ryan, he¡¯s probably scarred for life now but ..¡± his lips meet mine in a searing kiss. ¡°Worth it, don¡¯t you think?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to think,¡± I say, grabbing his face and pulling him down, our lips meet, our tongues tangle in a heated battle as he grinds his body against mine. I try to help him unbutton his jeans but our hands hit each other before heughs against my mouth and gets them undone, kicking them down to his knees then his ankles before kicking them off onto the ground. Now I have him. I have Easton in nothing but ck boxer briefs, one ne around his neck I use for leverage, and muscles spread out for me to feast on. I don¡¯t know where to look first. His eyes lock on mine, his smile is easy, it¡¯s everything I needed tonight to feel good about where we¡¯re at. ¡°Hey,¡± he nips at my lips. ¡°I missed you.¡± ¡°Where¡®d you go?¡± | ask. His eyes look away and then he¡¯s himself again, smiling,ughing. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t you like to know.¡± | pinch his arm. Heughs again. ¡°I¡¯m here now, isn¡¯t that what matters?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± I whisper. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Your parents home?¡± he asks. ¡°Ryan literally just walked me up here a few minutes ago and I nearly had a heart attack wondering if I was going to get caught.¡± ¡°Asleep,¡± I say with a happy sigh. ¡°Both of them take some serious sleeping pills and they were out an hour ago.¡± ¡°Noted.¡± His golden body hovers over mine. ¡°So basically we can be as loud as we want.¡± A knock sounds at my door. I panic and contemte shoving him in my closet when Easton smiles and says, ¡°Come in.¡± I¡¯m ready to choke him when the door opens revealing a very annoyed and horrified Ryan. ¡°This never happened.¡± ¡°Agree.¡± Easton jumps off the bed and grabs his bag, then hands Ryan his Airpod Max noise canceling headphones. ¡°Here you go, just in case.¡± Ryan stares at them, then peers around at me and squeezes his eyes shut. ¡°How has my lifee to this?¡± I actuallyugh. ¡°Me screaming and you borrowing your best friend¡¯s headphones so you don¡¯t need therapy for life or something else?¡± ¡°I¡¯m never going to forget this conversation am I?¡± Ryan curses, then holds the blue and silver headphones in the air. ¡°If these work I¡¯m keeping them you rich jackass.¡± ¡°Naturally.¡± Easton makes a little shoo motion. Ryan flips him off and shuts the door muttering, ¡°Fucking my sister under my roof what the hell?¡± ¡°What dirt do you have on him?¡± Iugh as Easton turns back toward the bed. His face falls a bit and then his smile is back. ¡°Let¡¯s just say he owes me and leave it at that. Besides, I don¡¯t want to talk about your brother right now.¡± ¡°Good.¡± I lick my lips. ¡°Neither do 1.¡± ¡°I like the top.¡± He reaches for my breasts like he¡¯s been waiting for permission from the universe to finally be mine. I want to ask him what¡¯s going on but the words disappear with the way his mouth latches onto mine. He wastes no time, shoving me roughly against the bed, peeling my shorts and underwear off, then tossing my shirt over my head all within seconds. ¡°Eager?¡± I say breathlessly. ¡°For you.¡± He kisses me, it¡¯s almost painful how he presses his soft lips against mine like he¡¯s afraid I¡¯m not real. ¡°I¡¯ll always miss you, Harper. Always.¡± Strong hands roam all over my body until I¡¯m arching beneath his touch, and then as if changing his mind, he flips me onto my stomach, pressing me against the mattress. ¡°What do you think? ¡°W-what?¡± ¡°Should I stretch you a bit?¡± ¡°Stretch ¨C¡± I repeat, my face going hot while blood pulses through my body. He leaves me and I hear rustling from his bag, when he¡¯s back, he¡¯s suddenly palming my ass, his fingers coated in something warm, and then his thumb is stretching my ass. We yed a bit in the hot tub tonight, but this feels different. I don¡¯t know what to say or think and then as he starts sliding his dick against my pussy from behind, I lose all inhibition and push back against his thumb. I squeeze my eyes shut as his finger goes deeper, something about the pressure of his body, not being able to see him, and the way his length slides across my body has me ready to scream. So now I know what the headphones are for. ¡°Soon,¡± Easton whispers in my ear, then tugs my earlobe with his teeth before thrusting his cock into me and pumping his hips, holding me captive against the mattress. ¡°Really soon, this will be mine too, the way you are.¡± He ps my ass and grips my hips and I forget everything. I forget why I was worried about the texts. I forget my insecurity And all I feel is him. Chapter 80 Chapter 80 Easton I feel her everywhere. And then when I think I¡¯m lost in a mixture of love, lust, and all my feelings-I shove all thoughts of Leigh away and focus this on Harper. On her love. The way she looks at me despite the war I may have just started. ¡°This feels amazing ¡­¡± Harper pushes back against me, her ass is so luscious that I almost want to laugh, who would be tempted by Leigh, I mean unless they want to pump into a t ass body. No. Give me the curves. Give me this girl. I dig my fingers into her skin, jamming her back against my dick as we fly high together. Too many things happen at once. I feel her clench around me and I know I¡¯m not going tost, and it¡¯s not because of the guilt-it¡¯s this girl, her trust, and her ability to get me to open up to her when I¡¯ve never done that. Ever. I grip her ass, my fingers digging into her hips driving forward as her back arches. Her dark hair sticks to her cheeks as she moves with me. She¡¯s so sexy and she doesn¡¯t even realize it. She drives me crazy. Soft cries turn into moans as she clenches around my dick pulling me deeper, harder. I feel myself slipping as I reach down and rub her clit, the sound of my balls mming against her should sound rough and possessive, instead it feels like a iming. I love it. I bite down on my lower lip as she grips the sheets and cries out, I shove her head against the mattress again, I can see her lips part in ecstasy and I can¡¯t stop the way! release into her, making sure every inch of her body is fucking owned by me. I want her to walk down the street and smell like me. I want every fucking person in this universe to know that I¡¯m hers, that she¡¯s mine and I don¡¯t even give a shit who knows. Fuck, I love her so much and I now that Ryan has every right to punch me in the dick but this girl, she owns me. I¡¯m suddenly so thankful that things happened the way they did, me finding her and kissing her in the dark-funny how in those moments of dark touching, kissing-she brought me light-she set me free. I love her. I don¡¯t say it out loud as our bodies bothe down from the high we just experienced. We¡®re both shaking and I can¡¯t help but think I really have changed. Before I cared about what people thought maybe more than I should. But right now? | have her. But who cares about all the other bullshit when I have her? Who cares if Aisha¡¯s a psychopath? Who cares that ke has it in his head to sabotage everything when we both know our truth? When me and Harper get each other. I see her and she sees me. And I want so badly to have that conversation again, to make sure she¡¯s secure in what we have even though it¡¯s early, even though we started backward with kissing and sex and not forward with private conversations and flirtations. If I could go back. She shudders as I copse next to her and stare up at the ceiling. The guilt is different now. More painful. Because I should have seen her a long time ago and the fact that I was even thinking of going off with Leigh to protect her¨Cmakes moments like this feel like I¡¯m still hiding my whole self from Harper. She copses against my chest running her nails up and down. Does she like to paint her nails? What¡¯s her favorite pizza? Movie? What annoys her about Ryan? Hell, what annoys her about me? My heart pounds as I reach blindly for her hand and squeeze it. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re okay?¡± she asks. ¡°I am now.¡± I kiss her fingertips. ¡°Are you a freak?¡± ¡°W-what?¡± She tries to move away. Iugh and turn to her, sucking each finger until I ask, ¡°Are you one of those crazy people who likes pineapple on their pizza?¡± Her face goes from serious to irritated as she tries to shove me away. Iugh. ¡°Nooooo c¡¯mere, I just need to know these things!¡± ¡°You scared me!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be scared.¡± I kiss her mouth, whispering against her lips. ¡°You have me, what do you have to be scared about except your parents catching us and grounding you for life or Ryan hearing six of the screams you just yelled against the palm of my hand.¡± ¡°You counted?¡± She shoves at me again. ¡°I was proud, who wouldn¡¯t?¡± I tease. ¡°But seriously¡­¡± Our eyes lock, God she¡¯s pretty. ¡°Pineapple? Yes or no. Don¡¯t let me down.¡± She tilts her chin up at me and sniffs in that sexy haughty way me and my heart have gotten addicted to. ¡°I like pineapple you jackass ¡­ if that¡¯s a deal breaker, you know where your clothes are ¡­¡± 1 pinch her ass. ¡°I like pineapple too, so guess we¡¯re both freaks.¡± I cup her ass again and whisper, ¡°I¡¯m gonna im the fuck out of this ¡­ soon.¡± ¡°I trust you,¡± she says. ¡°So what about you? Favorite pizza, no, wait for it, favorite food?¡± Iugh and flip her onto her back then nuzzle her neck and move my way down until my lips are grazing her hip bones. ¡°I¡¯d have to say you.¡± She shoves my head. ¡°Real food, dumbass.¡± ¡°This right here.¡± I grip her thighs and try to pry them open as she struggles against me,ughing. ¡°This isn¡¯t real food? Holy fuck should I check?¡± I pry them open and kiss against the wetness on her thigh. ¡°Nope, pretty sure that¡¯s real.¡± ¡°You¡¯re out of control.¡± She digs her hands into my hair and tugs me close to her until our mouths touch in a whisper of a kiss. ¡°But I¡¯m so happy with you.¡± I smirk. ¡°I¡¯m happy too. I¡¯ve been starving for fucking years and¡ª¡± ¡°-ytime is over.¡± Sheughs and then we¡¯re bothughing and rolling around in the bed until another soft knock sounds at the door. She¡¯s naked so she brings the covers up to her chest and pales. The door cracks open revealing Sadie and Ryan. He¡¯s covering his eyes like he may not ever see again after this and Sadie gives Harper a thumbs up. N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. ¡°Um¡­.¡± Harper looks between all of us. ¡°Everything okay?¡± ¡°Get it.¡± Sadie winks. ¡°Yeah, got in a fight with the parents, needed a ce to go and you weren¡¯t answering your phone¡­¡± She smirks. ¡°Clearly busy.right Easton?¡± Ryan groans. ¡°Not hearing this, not hearing this¡­¡± ¡°Anyways, dipshit answered his phone so here I am.¡± ¡°Which means,¡± I sit up. ¡°Girl time and the boy has to go?¡± ¡°Affirmative.¡± Sadie grins. ¡°Sorry girl but clearly you¡¯re um, satisfied so if you want to dress that one over there¡­¡± Ryan makes a sound of distress. ¡°He¡¯s gonna have a breakdown. Okay everyone out.¡± I sigh and start moving. ¡°Let me at least get dressed before you both start talking about how good I am in bed.¡± ¡°So. Good.¡± Harperughs. Ryan curses. I¡¯m happy, All in all, the day started off horrible, got better, then bad again, and now blissfully, fucking happy. Minutester I¡¯m kissing my girl and leaving her with her best friend thinking for the first time in weeks that everything is gonna work out. What could go wrong? Chapter 81 Chapter 81 Chapter 81 Harper "Sooocoon." Sadie says a half hourter after I''ve changed my sheets with my cheeks heating every time while she gives me side eye. I''m not that bad of a friend, clearly we just had sex and that would be weird. "You guys...doing good?" | put on the duvet andugh. "Define good?" "Great? Awesome? Does he make you want to run out into a random field and go all Disney on his ass while you sing about your feelings or...." Her voice trails off. Iugh. "It''s at least notplicated anymore." | frown. ¡°We talked, actually other than some weird texts he got after dropping me off at my house...| don''t know...it was different, deeper.¡± She snorts. ¡°Deeper?¡± | scowl."Not that way, it''s just, we had some really good conversations and | finally feel like we''re at a good ce. | know it''s easy to get insecure. | mean it''s Easton and | just have a really good feeling | can''t exin it any other way.¡± Her face changes. Uh-oh trouble in paradise? "That''s good, Harper.¡± ¡°Sit.¡± | pat the bed. ¡°And try to forget | just had sex here.¡± ¡°Yeah the floor is good!" She quickly sits on the floor and looks up at me. "Okay so it''s your brother. | don''t even know how to have this conversation with him sleeping a few doors down, even though | know he knows it''s gonna happen because we''re best friends.¡± | get on the floor, grab a pillow and lean back against my bed. "Start at the beginning then." N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. She exhales. "Yeah that''s not gonna be a short story and it''ste..let''s just say, things were going well because neither of us were taking anything seriously which is my fault because | didn''t want to scare him away." Yeah Ryan gets scared easily, | think to myself. "So what''s wrong now?" "That''s the whole issue!" She throws her hands up. "He''s been amazing but not himself. | think | honestly freaked him out with this whole, ¡®hey let''s be casual¡¯ thing and now we both don¡¯t know how to have the rtionship talk." "Ah," | nodded. "Yeah | can see that, he''s worried you''re worried about the things he''s worried about and¡ª" "Everyone is fucking worried!¡± She hisses. ¡°And | just want to be with him and enjoy him and..." She starts tugging her ponytail. ¡°| want us to be official. Okay?¡± | smile, | can''t help it. "Okay, so why not say that?" "Communication isn''t our strong suit,¡± she grumbles. ¡°It''s more like, oh look a mouth | should kiss it, oh look a dick | should¡ª" "Yeah I''m good." | hold up my hand. "No need to get descriptive.¡± "Sorry," Sheughs. "But seriously his¡ª¡± "Time out !" | interrupt. "Nope, not going there nope. Find a new best friend, eww my brother.¡± We fall into fits of giggles and soon we''reying on the ground with pillows surrounding us and nkets, almost like a fort. "Life is crazy,¡± | say. "If you would have told me all this months ago, | would''veughed in your face." ¡°Yeah.¡± She grips my hand. ¡°High school, am | right? It''s both the best and the worst.¡± | blow out a breath | didn''t realize I''d been holding. "Right." She turns on her side and gives me a yful shove. "I have a good feeling though, about you guys, about me and Ryan, things are finally looking up. ke hasn''t started shit and Aisha just seems pissed at the world. Maybe they deserve each other." "Haha," |ugh but feel guilty because ke really has been nice to me, despite what everyone thinks or believes. | frown. "Hey,¡± She nudges me. "Promise me we''ll get a good night''s sleep and stop overthinking things? After all, that''s what girls are so good at and our guys for all their dumb dumbness have been really good, you know? Maybe we should start trusting more and doubting less." Something makes my chest go tight. It¡¯s my paranoia. Because she''s so freaking right. This whole time I''ve been questioning what''s right in front of me. | nod, then grab my phone and send Easton a quick text to see if he''s okay but also because | miss him and while he couldn''t have stayed the night, | still would have liked more minutes by his side, touching, talking,ughing. Me: Get home okay? Easton: You know it, how''s my girl doing? I smile. Me: Good. Hey thanks for those things you said today... just...| think | needed that. He takes a minute to get back to me then types out. Easton: I''d do anything for you...anything. Me: | know. Easton: Hopefully you''ll never have to know the depths I''ll go to for you, Harper. Sleep tight, beautiful. Something about the way he says it has me frowning. Me: Sleep well too, I''tl miss you. Easton: Damn cock blocking Sadie. |ugh and text him back. Me: Cut her some ck, she¡¯s feeling things. Easton: | am too...my dick getting hard and my heart missing you. Me: How can that be both romantic and offensive? Easton: It''s a gift, wee to rtionships. My heart does a little skip as | stare at his text, the fact that he''s acknowledging us again just solidifies the way | feel about him, because he gets it too, and he cares, and nothing is going to stand in the way of us being together. Fight me. Me: <3 "Shit I''m tired." Sadie yawns. ¡°Let''s go to bed before we get a second wind again, yeah?" "Yeah, yeah,¡± | nod and mimic her yawn then plug in my phone and crawl into bed. {t was such a good night. | remember his hands on me, his mouth drawing out every feeling. | memorize everything he said, everything he did and ignore all the red gs that had me wanting to question him. It''s fine. It''s going to be fine. Because what else could possibly go wrong? Chapter 82 Chapter 82 Chapter 82 Easton The sound of my phone wakes me up. Not the rm that is set, giving me just enough time to shower and drive to school. This is non¡ªstop notifications¡ª Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, texts¡ªall going off at the same time. There''s so much buzzing, the vibration almost knocks the phone off my nightstand. Still half asleep, | grab the phone and quickly scroll through the messages, trying to figure out what''s going on. It''s too fucking early for something dramatic to have happened, I''m sure of that. Except I''m wrong. The second | see the Instagram post I''m tagged in, my back shoots up straight from bed, the nket falls from my chest, my lips part as anger bolts through my body. It''s from WHGOSSIP, the ount that was opened my freshman year, ran by someone at our school who loves to spread malicious rumors. They''ve been quiet since the school year started, but now they have a tip to share, which has been posted to their main feed. Atip that''s all about me. WHGOSSIP: Good morning, Washington High. My gossip spies have been hard at work and havee across something deliciously scandalous. You all know the perfect couple we''ve been seeing walk the halls. Yes, I''m talking about the big man on campus and his favorite WHORE. Well, it looks like things between them aren''t as perfect as they seem. We all know animals can''t be tamed ... Who''s the mistress? None other than Mrs. Scott. Yes, friends, our school administrator is sleeping with the most popr guy at school, and he paid a visit to her housest night. | wonder if she''s teaching him about anatomy ... even though he had plenty of experience on the subject long before the WHORE and Mrs. Scott came into his life. If you need proof, head on over to my Snapchat, there''s a nice little photo of his Jeep parked outside her house. Hey, WHORE, did you know he was sleeping with the school administrator or are you as surprised as us? Smooches, WHGOSSIP With hands that won''t stop shaking, I click on WHGOSSIP¡¯s Snapchat ount and see the photo of my Jeep parked outside her house. It doesn''t prove | did anything. It certainly doesn''t show me fucking her. But it reveals enough, and my phone won''t stop exploding with texts. Ryan: | hope to fuck this isn¡®t true ... Julia: Damn, boy. DAMN. Leigh: Call me right now! Aisha: | knew you were fucking around on her, Harper has to be a dead fish in bed, but with HER¡ª Mrs. Scott¡ªnow that''s a surprise. Too bad it wasn''t with me... Ryan: You''ve got some fucking balls, you know that! ke: | told Harper not to date you. Going back for seconds with Mrs. Scott, you sick motherfucker. Hunter: Nice, man! So are her tits real? Parker: Hunter and | have a hundred bucks on whether you fucked her anal. Come on, spill the news. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. You fucked her in the ass, didn''t you? Rachel: You really have slept with the whole school, haven''t you lol Ryan: You''re not going to write me back, asshole? Goddamn it! Whoever did this, whoever sent that photo, whoever shared it, I''m going to kill all of them. | can''t look at any more messages, this shit ispletely out of control. The second | toss my phone on the bed, getting it out of my sight, it starts ringing. Hoping it''s Harper, | grab it again and Leigh''s name is on the screen. | don''t want to answer, but | get the feeling she''ll keep calling until she reaches me. And if it''s not now, it''ll be the second | step onto school grounds today. "Hello¡ª" ¡°Easton ..." Her voice is so sharp, it can cut through my skin. "Who did you tell that you came to my housest night? Because photos of your Jeep are all over the fucking Inte.¡± | bend my knees, pressing my forehead against them. "No one." | take a breath. "| told no one.¡± ¡°Was it you who submitted that photo to WHGOSSIP, then? You''re the one who did this to me¡ª" | cut her off before she can continue and say, "It wasn''t me. | don''t know who took the photo and | don''t know who WHGOSSIP is.¡± | rake my hand through my hair, pulling the strands from the roots. "This fucks both of us, Leigh." | can only imagine the look on Harper''s face right now. The tears streaming from her eyes. The way her heart is breaking. But it doesn''t stop with Harper, my parents are going to chew my ass out if they find out, everyone at school are going to be fucking brutal with their shit talking. This isn''t going to end. "Easton, do you have any idea how much trouble {''m in? The school board has already reached out, they want to meet with me in an hour. They''re going to conduct an investigation, | could be terminated, do you know what that means?" I''m sure they''re going to want to talk to me and hear my side of the story. They''re going to want to check my phone for texts between us, they''re going to look at the camera footage and see all the times | went to the office. "| won''t rat you out, don''t worry.¡± "Don''t WORRY?" Her yelling echoes in my ear. "| could lose my whole fucking career over this.¡± It sounds like she''s ming me, like this whole goddamn thing is my fault. ¡°Leigh, let''s not forget that it was your ultimatum that brought me to your housest night." "Fuck you." Fuck me? This is all her fault ... and I''ve heard enough. "If the school board asks me, | won''t tell them anything that''s happened between us, you have my word, but | have to go, | have my own shit to deal with right now." Sheughs, a sound of pure evil. ¡°Easton, let me make one thing clear. If you try to take me down, I''ll not only bury you, but I''ll bury the whore you''re sleeping with." The phone goes dead. | stare at the ck screen, but it doesn''t stay dark for long, more texts making their way through, their words filling my head, not even bothering to look at who sent them. Holy fuck, | can''t believe you slept with Mrs. Scott. You fucking animal. Is she good? Tight? Dude, you''re my hero. | stop scrolling and pull up Harper''s text box, hoping | missed a message from her, but there isn''t one. Just the small, red heart that she sent mest night before she went to bed, a few hours after | left her ce. | don''t know what the hell I''m going to say, but | hold the phone to my face and listen to each ring, her voicemail then picking up. | try again and she still doesn''t answer. | pull up the text box, seeing if | can get her to respond this way, and | start typing ... Me: Please call me. We have to talk about this. It''s not what you think, Harper, | promise. Chapter 83 Chapter 83 Harper Easton and Mrs. Scott? Last night? He ... cheated on me? Every time I read the post from WHGOSSIP, I feel like I get kicked in the heart again with the highest spiked heel. This time, it''s happening in the back of Ryan''s car, the tears filling my eyes for what feels like the hundredth time this morning. If Sadie hadn''t spent the night and been with me when I got the news, I would have stayed home sick. But she doesn''t want me to hide and thinks that will only make me feel worse. I don¡¯t know how I could possibly feel worse than this. And nothing is making me feel better, not Sadie trying to distract me by singing in the front seat, not Ryan''s insane driving as he speeds down the streets, not scrolling through Instagram and seeing everyone''sments on the post. How could he do this to me? How could he hurt me this way? Every unanswered question bites harder into my heart. "Put your phone down," Sadie says, turning around to look at me from the passenger seat. ¡°Stick it in your bag and don''t look at it again until school is over." She nods toward my backpack. "Reading all that stuff, it¡¯s only going to make you feel worse, babe.¡± "I know," I whisper, but I can''t help myself. I have to see it all. I have to read their opinions. I have to know what they know. And the one person who probably knows more than anyone is driving, and he hasn''t said a word to me all morning. But I need to talk about it, I need more than just Sadie''s opinion, I need to hear fromm someone who has inside knowledge. ¡°Ryan,¡± I start and pause, trying to gather my thoughts. "Do you think¡ª" "No." I''m startled by the way hepletely shuts me off. ¡°No, what?" "I''m not talking about this with you." I look at Sadie, silently pleading for her help. She has a way with Ryan, she''s able to soften him a little, something I''ve never been able to do. "Ryan, please,¡± she begs. "Your sister is freaking¡ªthe¡ª fuck¡ªout over this, tell her something, that''s the least you can do." He looks at Sadie. "The least I can do? I''m going to kill the motherfucker the second Iy my eyes on him¡ªthat''s what I''m going to do." Ryan is going to kill him. Which means everything I fear must be true. "He ... admitted to having sex with her?¡± Sadie asks Ryan. Ryan shakes his head. "I haven''t spoken to him, he won''t return my messages.¡± Easton has been texting and calling me, but he won''t respond to Ryan? I don¡¯t know how that makes me feel, I just know this hurts. Way too much. Since I still haven''t put my phone away, I read the texts he''s sent me over thest hour. Please call me. We have to talk about this. It''s not what you think, Harper, I promise. I need to talk to you. Don''t ignore me, please, baby. I didn¡¯t do it, I swear to you, I didn''t. Call me before you get to school. Sadie told me not to reply, not to answer his calls and I trusted she was giving me the right advice. I mean, fighting about this before school isn''t going to help. It''s not going to change the way I feel. I can see the proof for myself that he was at her house. What can he possibly say that will make this better? I look at Ryan in the rearview mirror and ask, "What about before we started dating?" I pause again, the question proving to be harder than I thought. "Do you know if they were sleeping together then?" "How can you ask me that?" He stops at a light, ring at me from the mirror. "I don''t know the girls Easton fucks, my God." But he does, they''re best friends. The same way Sadie and I know everything about each other. Silence fills the car the rest of the way to school, and I''m not surprised to see ke the moment I walk into the building. He''s always there for me. "Come here,¡± he says, pulling me into his arms, hugging me. "Damn it, Harper, I hate that he did this to you." I don¡¯t pull away. I need this¡ªthe sympathy, the protection, thefort, especially when today is going to be so hard once the whispers andughs and stares set in. "I don¡¯t know if it helps to hear this, but Mrs. Scott didn''t show up to school, so I don''t think you''ll have to see her today." Knowing that I won''t have to pass her in the hallway should give me some relief, but it doesn''t. Everything hurts. And it stings even more when I hear, "Mrs. Scott must have a better pussy than Harper," from some asshole walking by us. "I think I''m going to be sick.¡± I try to wiggle out of his arms. "Leave me alone, ke." His grip tightens. "You need someone to be by your side today, you can''t do this alone. I''m going to help you through this, Harper." I barely feel my feet when he starts walking me down the hallway, stopping at my locker. I hold the padlock, trying to remember the code to unlock it, my brain so jumbled. "You know, I really didn''t think Easton was fucking her anymore. I thought he stopped once you two got together.¡± I freeze. "He was with her?" I try to breathe. ¡°In the past?¡± "He bragged to all of us about it. How do you think he made honor roll?" He rubs my shoulder, going as low as my elbow. ¡°I guess fucking the school administrator earns you straight A¡¯s.¡± He then moves higher to my neck. "There''s someone out there who''s much better for you, Harper.¡± I''m so nauseous, if a trashcan suddenly appeared, I''d throw up in it. I can''t believe Sadie convinced me toe in today and that I listened to her. "You have to find it interesting that after he punched me in the face, he didn''t get suspended.¡± I finally see the bandage across his nose, the bruising under his eyes¡ªthings I missed earlier because I''m too mentally upied. I lean against my locker, trying to recap every time I saw Easton go into the front office, something that seemed so innocent in the past, but now seems to matter. And that''s when it hits me, how nasty he was to me when I stopped him in the hallway, right outside the office door. Had he kissed Mrs. C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. Scott only seconds before running into me? Was that the reason for his attitude, that he was consumed with guilt? "I can''t believe he would do this to me," I whisper, unable to stop the tears. ke catches one before it drips down my cheek and pulls me in for another hug. Just as I''m wrapping my arms around him, I nce up and see Easton. He''s rounding the corner, hurrying down the hallway. Heading straight for me. Chapter 84 Chapter 84 Easton "I kept your secret, you motherfucker," Ryan spits at me, stopping me when I''m halfway down the hallway, my eyes glued to Harper and the way ke is fondling her. I try to ignore Ryan and move out of the way, but he stops me again and says, ¡°Nice try, asshole." He''s in my face, making it impossible to focus on anything but him. "You have some exining to do before I''m done with you." ¡°What do you want, Ryan, I need¡ª" "I didn''t tell Harper that you fucked Mrs. Scott. I saved your ass, I don¡¯t know why I even bothered, but now you owe me some fucking answers. If you''re still hooking up with her, then what the hell are you doing with my sister?¡± As students pass us, I can feel their eyes on me, judging me for WHGOSSIP''s post and probably thinking Ryan is defending his sister''s honor. I guess I deserve that. But at least Ryan is keeping his voice low, preventing anyone from hearing what he¡¯s saying except for me. "I promise I''ll exin everything to you, but I need to talk to Harper first.¡± ¡°Nah.¡± He shakes his head. "You''re not getting anywhere near her unless you answer me." I grind my teeth together, knowing every second I''m standing here, ke''s hands are touching more of Harper. "I didn''t fuck her, I swear on my life. Now, I''m going to go talk to your sister and exin everything." This time, he doesn''t get in my way, and I rush down the rest of the hallway, ring at ke. That vulture likes to prey on the weak and vulnerable¡ªI''m sure that''s how Harper is feeling at this moment. When I got to school a few minutes ago and immediately started looking for her, I expected him to be with her, so this isn¡¯t a surprise at all. ¡°Harper, can I talk to you?" I''m standing only inches away from her, wanting so badly to reach for her. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. She says nothing, she just stares at me with red, swollen eyes. Eyes that tell me she''s been crying, the thought breaking my goddamn heart. AllI want to do is pick her up and wrap her in my arms and fill her with the truth. "Easton, don''t you think you''ve done enough damage?" I had no intentions of saying anything to him, not wasting a fucking breath on that cocksucker, but I''ve had enough of his relentless attempts of making me look like a piece of shit in front of Harper. "I''m only going to say this once," I tell him. "If you get in between me and my girl again, I won''t stop at one punch. I''ll break every bone in your fucking face." His arm slips across Harper''s shoulders. "So, she''s your girl now?" My hands clench into fists, my patience running so thin. "ke, I''m warning you, leave now or I''m going to start swinging.¡± He nces at Harper. ¡°If you need me¡ªfor anything¡ªyou know where to find me.¡± Once he''s gone, I say in a softer voice, "Please talk to me.¡± She takes several seconds to respond, "I don''t know what to say, Easton. What you did ..." She pauses to take a deep breath, her eyes filling, ¡°it hurts in ways you can''t even imagine. You cheated¡ª" "No. I didn''t. That''s not what happened at all." I go to grab her and stop myself, knowing she''ll back away from me. ¡°Can we go somewhere and talk? I want to tell you the whole story and I can''t go another second without you hearing it." When I see her hesitation, I add, "You always ask formunication and transparency and that''s what I''m going to give you, just give me a chance." The bell rings, which means we only have a few minutes to get to ss. "I''ll get detention if I''mte," she says. "We can serve it together.¡± I move next to her, cing my hand on her lower back. ¡°Come on, let''s go.¡± She''s quiet as we hurry down the hall and up the three flights of stairs to a padlocked door where I turn the wheel several different ways until it opens, stepping us out onto the roof. "I want to ask you how you knew that code, but I don''t think I really want that answer," she says. Instead of replying, I lead us to the side, along the ledge that wraps around the air conditioning unit, giving us a perfect ce to sit. I wait until she''s settled and facing me. ¡°I''m going to tell you everything and I swear every word of it is the truth." "Okay." "Leigh¡ª" I stop myself, shaking my head, ¡°I mean, Mrs. Scott, and I started flirtingst year. It began as just innocent conversation, and she would help me out when I needed it." She wraps her arms around her stomach. "Like giving you a higher grade or getting you out of trouble." My fingers clench again. "Is that what ke told you?¡± "Yes." That fucking dickhead. "She didn¡¯t change all my grades,¡± I admit, ¡°but she altered a few. And, you''re right, when I''mte to ss or I want to leave early, she gets me dismissed.¡± "So, that¡¯s how you got us out of school.¡± She rocks forward and back. "And why you weren''t suspended when you punched ke.¡± Another nugget of information I''m sure ke spilled. "Yes, Harper, and that''s how things were for a while between Mrs. Scott and me." I ce my hand on the back of her calf, breathing the anger through my nose. "I slept with her at the end ofst year. It was fun and wrong and taboo as hell, and then she felt guilty because of my age and her husband, and she cut things off." I immediately see the pain in Harper''s eyes and it kills me. ¡°But the flirting continued and so did the favors¡ªbut that''s it, I swear to you, it hasn''t been any more.¡± "Untilst night.¡± And I would do anything¡ªfucking anything¡ªto take that whole night back, to even rewind things and not have punched ke so I wouldn''t havended myself in trouble. ¡°Harper ..." I keep my hand still but rub my thumb across her calf muscle. "When you watched her haul my ass into her office, she gave me an ultimatum. I could either go to her house and fuck her or she was going to suspend me and tell your parents I took you out of school that day, earning you a suspension as well." I look down, hating Leigh more than anything at this moment. ¡°I didn''t want you to get in trouble because of me, and I couldn''t risk losing you." When I nce back up, a tear is falling from her eye. Her lips quivering. "So, you went to her house ..." Another tear falls."And you fucked her.¡± Chapter 85 Chapter 85 Harper "But I didn''t fuck her, baby," Easton says, his hand moving to my face. ¡°I didn¡¯t touch her at all.¡± I want to push him away, but the sound of his voice is what I cling to. The softness, the rawness, the truth I see in his eyes. "I couldn''t do it," he continues. "I got to her house, I told her how much you mean to me, and that I''m willing to take whatever punishmentes my way but to leave you out of it.¡± The ache in my stomach turns to something else. Relief? Tingles? There''s so much emotion running through me, I''m not sure I can differentiate my feelings anymore. But I know I need to hear something again, I need to hear it over and over until it sinks in. "You really didn''t have sex with her?" He shakes his head. "No, baby." His other hand joins my face. ¡°I didn¡¯t kiss her, I didn¡¯t touch her¡ªnothing happened between us." His stare deepens. "I care about you, Harper, more than you think I do.¡± I fall against his chest and his arms wrap around me, his scent, his warmth, his breath¡ªall giving me so muchfort. This morning, I didn''t know if I''d be here again with him and now I can''t imagine being anywhere else. My eyes close and after a few seconds I ask, ¡°How are we going to get out of this mess?" ¡°It''s my mess, not yours." I squeeze him tighter. "You''re not in this alone." "I am because there''s no way I''m dragging you into it. You got enough shit from WHGOSSIP, you don¡¯t need anymore." I bury my face in his neck. "What''s going to happen?" "Mrs. Scott called me this morning and told me she has a meeting with the school board. I''m sure they''re going to drag me in and ask all the questions, but I''m not going to rat her out for anything. Thest thing I need is for anyone to press charges and for this to go to court.¡± "Does that mean things between you two will go back to the way they were?¡± He kisses the top of my head. "After this is over, things will be cordial, but I assure you I won''t be asking for any more favors. Which means, we''re definitely getting detention for being thiste to ss.¡± I tilt my neck back to look at his face, more relief flooding through me. "I can live with that." He scans my eyes, back and forth, his hands holding my face steady. "We all have skeletons in our closet, Harper. You''ve just met one of mine." I hated hearing that he slept with Mrs. Scott. She''s so much older than us and married and all the guys think she''s so hot¡ªthings I''m trying not to focus on, thoseyers will only make me feel worse. But we all have a past and his is just much more sexual than mine. "It doesn''t change how I feel about you, but I''m pretty sure you''re going to have to exin this all to my brother." I wince at the thought of Ryan''s face this morning on the way to school. "He wants to kill you¡ª again." "I need to talk to ke, too.¡± My eyes widen. "ke?" "Every time I turn around, he''s there, trying to get with you. I''ve had enough of it, it needs to end or we''re just going to keep fighting." "He does seem to always be there." His hand lowers to my hip. "He wants you, Harper, and I can''t me the bastard, you''re the hottest girl in our school." He kisses the end of my nose, a gesture so sweet it makes my chest pound. "But no more games with him, I''m putting a stop to it, he needs to set his sights on a new girl." "Is that conversation going to involve fists?" He smiles. "I''ll be good. Promise.¡± I feel so much more settled than when I was walking up here to the roof, but there are still things I''m worried about. "Do you think Mrs. Scott or the school board will notify my parents about the day we left school? I know that sounds so trivial considering what you''re about to face, but I want to prepare myself for what''s toe." N?velDrama.Org ? content. I sigh. "I hate surprises, Easton, and I feel like there''s a new one every second.¡± "I don''t think you have to worry. I think she''s more focused on me right now.¡± His face moves closer. ¡°But if I hear something, I''ll give you a heads up." Hees even closer. "Now, kiss me before I fucking explode." His lips crash against mine and my body lights on fire. His scent, his touch, his all-consuming presence¡ªit surrounds me and pulls me in and I''mpletely lost. "Harper," he moans. It''s a sound I can''t get enough of, a security I''ve needed since the post was released. His tongue slides out of my mouth, and he separates us. "As much as I don''t want to ever leave, we have to go to ss.¡± "I know." My stomach leaps as I think of all the stares I''m going to get, the rudements, the assumptions that are so far from the truth. "I fear there''s going to be a lot of drama today." I swallow, the tightness returning to my chest. "Everyone is going to be talking about you and Mrs. Scott and you cheating on me and¡ª" "Fuck what they all think. This is about us and only us." His thumb grazes across my skin. ¡°Don''t listen to them, promise me." I want to be able to ignore everything I''m going to hear, but if it continues like the nastiness I heard this morning, I just don''t know if I can. "'' try,¡± [tell him. He gives me a small kiss again, and then he takes my hand and brings me back through the door that leads to the stairwell and down a flight to the hallway where both of our sses are located. He stops outside my ssroom door, our fingers linked, his eyes fixed on mine. "I need to hear you say we''re all right." He brings our bodies together. "I need to hear it one more time before I go to ss and not see you for another hour." I know that feeling. That need for reassurance. "I''m yours, Easton." I smile, something that feels so good after so many tears. ¡°All yours.¡± He gives me the quickest kiss and I hurry inside my ssroom, apologizing to the teacher as I take my seat. Sadie is sitting in the desk next to mine and looks at me and mouths, "Easton?" I nod and mouth back, "We''re all good." Her grin tells me she''s just as relieved as I am. But there''s still something off. Something that''s bothering me. Something I just can¡¯t put my finger on. I nce to my right and I catch Aisha''s stare, a tightness in my stomach immediately erupting. It only gets worse when that bitch smiles at me. Because I know that gesture is a warning and something terrible is about to go down. Chapter 86 Chapter 86 Easton I t''s finally thest period of the day¡ªa day that hasn''t wanted to fucking end¡ªand the teacher is writing on the board, giving me a chance to slip out my phone and shoot off some texts. For hours I''ve been thinking about how I should talk to the guys about this, how I should bring us all together, and only one way makes sense. To be straight up with them. I check to make sure the coast is still clear, the teacher rattling off about some shit, and I start typing. Me: Come to my house after school. ke: Should I bring my boxing gloves? Me: Unless you n on mouthing off and not listening to a goddamn thing I have to say. ke: What do you have to say? I already know how much of an asshole you are. N?velDrama.Org ? content. Me: Just be there, dickhead. I open thest text Ryan sent me and I type out a message to him. Me: After school, my house. Be there. Ryan: I should knock your ass out for that stunt you pulled in the hallway. That conversation we were having is far from over. Me: It''ll continue after school. Ryan: I know. I put my phone away and try to focus on the teacher, but I don''t hear a word she''s saying. That''s how the whole day has gone¡ªwaiting to get called into the office, zoning out as I think of my talk with Harper, relieved as hell that I didn''t lose her, ignoring every motherfucker in the hallway who has a smart remark about my situation with Leigh. None of the Mrs. Scott pettiness the students are barking at me really bothers me. They can say whatever they want, I slept with a married woman who''s more than twenty years older than me, and I would have slept with her again if she hadn''t cut things off. It''s definitely not the worst thing I''ve done. I just don''t like that the students assume I fucked her while I''ve been with Harper. Out of all this, that¡¯s the only thing that eats at me and the reason it hurts is because I know how much it kills Harper. It makes her feel betrayed and that''s thest thing I want. The sound of the bell pulls me out of my thoughts, and I rush up from my desk. There are two situations I need to focus on, and both happen to be parked in my driveaway the second I pull up to my house. ¡°Surprised you invited him," Ryan says, nodding toward ke. Ryan''s just as angry at the cocksucker, but for an entirely different reason¡ªa reason I''m going to address today. I stand between them, ncing at both of their faces. "I''m tired of this shit and none of us are leaving this house until everything is hashed out." I hold the door open and each of them walk in. I follow behind and stop at the bar. "Beer?" "Sure,¡± ke answers, and catches the one I toss at him. "think I''m going to need vodka for this," Ryan replies, and I hand him a bottle that we''ll share. "So, you didn''t do it?" Ryan says the second we''re all sitting on the couch. I shake my head. "No, man, I swear I didn''t." I rehash the same story I told Harper and I exin everything that went down. ¡°I haven''t fucked her sincest year. I wouldn''t do that to Harper.¡± I stare at Ryan. ¡°And I wouldn''t do that to you." "Mrs. Scott has a lot of shit on all of us." Ryan nods at me, and then ke. "Is any of that going toe out?¡± My connection to Leigh has benefited the guys the same way it''s helped me. Whenever I''ve needed something for them, I drop a tip under her fingers, and it''s gotten them out of trouble. ¡°I don''t know,¡± I admit. "No one has reached out to me yet, I have no idea what she¡¯s told them. I''m sure it''sing my way very soon.¡± "That''s an in I''ll certainly miss," ke says. My head whips in his direction. ¡°And an in you used against me when you were talking shit about me to Harper.¡± Ryan takes a sip and hands me the bottle, chugging a few gulps before I say, "We''ve been friends for a long time, ke. I want this shit settled. Today. I can''t keep fighting you every time Iy eyes on you." ke pushes his back into the couch and crosses his legs. "What do you want from me, Easton?¡± "All this bullshit with Harper, appearing next to her every time I turn my back, trying to be her fucking knight in shining armor¡ªI want it to stop.¡± "Harper and I are just friends," ke replies. My fingers clench. "Stop with the lies. I know you want her, I know you''re fucking crazy about her. I''m going to give you my word that I won''t try to fight you anymore, but you have to promise me you''re going toy off.¡± "It sounds like you''re asking me to stop being her friend¡ª something that¡¯s pretty fucked up of you to do." He Pauses to take a drink, the motherfucker not even able to admit the truth when it''s staring him right in the face. "But I''ll do my best." "What about my garage, did you do your best there?" Oh shit, Ryan isn''t fucking around today. ke''s eyes almost bug out. "What the fuck? Are you using me of spray painting it?" I show ke the photos I took of his trunk. ¡°You want to exin why you have ck spray paint in your trunk?¡± Heughs and looks away. ¡°There''s some spray paint cans in my car, and you think you have proof? Come on, fes, you can do better than that." He shakes his head. ¡°I was helping my dad refinish our outdoor furniture and that''s how we painted the metal frames.¡± "So, you''re saying you didn''t do it?" I press. ¡°Nah, it wasn''t me." ¡°And you swear to that?" Ryan asks. "On my life." "We got our answer, he''s innocent,¡± Ryan says to me. "Time to back off and bury the hatchet.¡± I''ll back off, but I''m not sold on his innocence. ke''s parents are loaded, they wouldn''t restore furniture, they''d buy new, just like my parents would. But I know the truth alwayses out in the end and if ke is guilty, Ryan, myself, and everyone will eventually find out. "I''ll bury it,¡± I tell them, and I take a drink. The bays are quiet for a few moments until Ryan says, ¡°I don''t like this Mrs. Scott shit. I have this feeling that everything is about to crash.¡± "You and me¡ªboth," I admit, even though I have that topless picture of her in her house that I can always use as a bargaining chip. "Except my dick was in her, unlike yours.¡± "Are you going to admit that to the school board?" Ryan asks. "Hell fucking no.¡± I nce over at ke and he''s staying silent, like the motherfucker is scheming something in his head. He likes Harper, that''s not going to change, and that tells me this isn''t going to be thest time he messes up. Which can only mean one thing ... Chapter 87 Chapter 87 Harper Walking onto campus the day after ites out that your boyfriend has banged an administrator twice his age is nerve wracking. Anxiety inducing. It''s just as bad as I thought it would be, but thankfully, not worse than yesterday. That day had been the ultimate test. Even though Easton exined everything and I believe him, what we believe doesn''t always matter. The rumors and the stares and the whispers behind hands make me crazy. They''re not as bad today. I have Sadie by my side walking into the building, a defiant look on her face just daring anyone to say something. I think she''s fully prepared to fight to the death for me. I couldn''t have a better, more loyal friend I swear. "They''re still whispering," I say to Sadie, my voice low so only she can hear me. We walk past a cluster of girls, all of them giggling when they see us. Me. "Ignore them,¡± Sadie says firmly, her gaze scanning the hallway, as if she''s looking for someone. Easy for her to say. Of course the next person we have to see is Aisha. God, that bitch. If she so much as opens her mouth... "Oh Harper, it''s your lucky day,¡± she sing songs, looking pleased. "A certain administrator who''s been used of fucking your boyfriend has been put on leave until the case is examined." "You can''t keep your mouth shut to save your life, you stupid bitch." Sadie lunges for her and I grab hold of her arm, keeping her back. Aisha smirks. "So defensive. Always running in to save your best friend. Someday you''re going to get in trouble, Sadie. Or someone''s going to steal your man right out from under you. If he even is your man.¡± She sneers, her gaze alighting on me. "What are your thoughts on your best friend, the brother fucker?" "Let me do some damage," Sadie pleads with me, struggling to get out of my grip. "Please." "She''s not worth you getting in trouble,¡± I say. And that''s exactly why she keeps talking all this shit to me and Sadie. She knows we won''t do anything. "Listen to your little friend. I can make your life a whole lot worse." Promise fills her tone and she walks away. The moment she''s out of sight I let go of Sadie, who practically growls in frustration. "I can¡¯t stand her. God, I wish you''d let me tear her eyes out. Getting suspended would be worth it to make that bitch scream.¡± "So bloodthirsty.¡± I shake my head, though I can''t deny it would be wonderful to witness Sadie tearing the hair straight out of Aisha''s head. "I totally agree, She sucks. But we can''t let her get to us." We can''t let anyone get to us. "Hey." I turn at the sound of the familiar male voice, relief flooding me when I watch Easton and Ryan approach us. "Why didn¡¯t you guys wait for us outside?" Easton approaches, his gaze eating me up as he sweeps me into his arms and holds me close. I press my face against his chest and close my eyes trying to calm my racing heart, breathing deep his delicious, masculine scent. "You told us to wait for you?" "Ryan was supposed to tell Sadie,¡± Easton says, his tone vaguely usatory. "Whoops. My bad,¡± my brother says. I nce over at him and Sadie to see his arm slung around her shoulders, all of Sadie''s earlier anger dissipating now that they boys are here. Easton''s right. We totally should''ve waited for them to show up so we could all walk in together. My brother stayed the night at Easton''s house¡ªand so did ke. I guess they worked it all out? I don''t know. Easton was vague via text since he was still with them and he promised to exin everythingter. I''m going to keep him to his promise. "Did you hear? Mrs. Scott is on leave as they investigate the allegations brought against her," Ryan says. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. "Oh we heard," Sadie says, rolling her eyes. Easton''s gaze meets mine. "From who?" "Aisha," I admit, sinking my teeth into my lower lip. "Of course." He shakes his head. "I wanted to beat her ass, but Harper wouldn''t let me," Sadie says. "At least one of you hasmon sense,¡± Ryan tells her. "Hey." She tries to duck out from under his arm but he grips her too tight and hauls her to him, dropping a kiss on her lips. I stare in open shock. My brother isn''t overly affectionate. Not with my family, and definitely not with girls he¡¯s been with. He usually operates in stealth mode. It''s nice to see him be so open with Sadie. Kind of warms my heart. Even if Aisha called my best friend a brother fucker. Ew. We continue walking down the hall until I grab Easton''s hand and pull him outside, tucked away in the very spot we had one of our many recent confrontations. "Talk to me,¡± I demand. He frowns, facing me. ¡°About what?" "About Leigh. About the investigation. The allegations. Have they questioned you yet?¡± "Who would question me?" His frown deepens. He''s either being purposely obtuse or he really has no clue. ¡°I don''t know. Staff. Admin. The freaking police." "The police aren''t going to get involved,¡± he says firmly. "Right. You had sex with an adult while you were a minor. Someone of authority at our high school. A counselor. She could go down for sexual abuse.¡± "I consented." "It doesn''t matter.¡± "I refuse to let the police get involved.¡± I roll my eyes. "You''re eighteen and a student at the school. You don''t call the shots." ¡°Mywyer dad could call the shots.¡± "You''re going to tell your dad you fucked Mrs. Scott?" My voice rises and Easton flinches, but I don''t care. The more I think about it, the madder I be. "Listen. Babe. It''s all going to work out.¡± He takes a step closer, his hand snagging mine and he brings it up to his mouth, where he drops a kiss on my knuckles. "I promise.¡± "I''m d she''s not here," I admit, my voice small. "But people are going to still talk. And something might happen that''s¡ªout of our control." "I will make sure nothing happens," he says assuredly, tugging me to him so he can press his mouth gently to mine. "I swear on it. I swear on us. I will make this all go away." I kiss him back, needing his reassurance. But it doesn''t fully erase my doubt. Chapter 88 Chapter 88 Easton What do you do when your girlfriend is full of doubt and in a bad mood for the entire day? You take her back to your ce, make popcorn and grab a couple of sodas, and then drag her into your bed along with yourptop with the promise of, ¡°watching a movie". That''s code for getting naked with each other. Harper didn''t get the memo though. When I enter my bedroom with the promised drinks and snacks, I find her sitting on top of my bed with every stitch of clothing still on, her back against the headboard as she stares so hard at her phone, her forehead is wrinkled. Frustration fills me but I bat it away and paste on a smile. "Everything okay?¡± "What?" She nces up at me, smiling when she sees what I''m carrying. ¡°Oh my God, I''m starving." I settle in beside her on the bed, disappointed she''s not naked under the covers but I guess I can''t be too upset, considering I didn''t tell her what I wanted in the first ce. "Here." I hand her the can of Coke and she takes it from me, cracking it open and immediately guzzling from it. "I''ve been on an anti¡ªcaffeine kicktely. Worst possible time to try to give it up," she says. I set the bowl in between us on the bed and we both stick our hands in the popcorn at the same time, our fingers brushing. She snatches her hand away, brushing her fingers against her lips as she studies me. "I want to help you forget all of your troubles,¡± I murmur, leaning over to deliver a kiss to her salty lips. She smiles, but it doesn¡¯t quite reach her eyes. "I appreciate you wanting to distract me with snacks and a movie, but I don¡¯t know if it''s going to work...¡± I pull away from her, banging the back of my head against the headboard, closing my eyes briefly as I blow out an exasperated breath. ¡°Harper, I already reassured you that nothing is going to happen. I wish you could trust me. Leigh is gone. They''ll probably fire her. Eventually everything will just..go away. And everything will go back to normal." "I do trust you, but are we really going to get that lucky, Easton? Or is that bitch going to be back at school and trying to bribe you again with sex?¡± I nce over at Harper to witness her with her head tilted back and her chest thrust forward as she keeps chugging the soda like she''s a frat boy downing a beer. ¡°Harp. Slow down." She wipes the back of her hand across her mouth and sets the can on the nightstand. "I''m sorry. I''m just really stressed out right now." She grabs a handful of popcorn and gobbles it down. Huh, My girl is feeling...a certain way. And I need to help her forget. At least for the afternoon. "Give me your phone.¡± I hold my hand out toward her. She eyes it warily. "Why?" ¡°We''re going to disconnect for a while,¡± I wiggle my fingers. "Hand it over." She ps her phone in my palm and I lean over to drop it in the nightstand drawer. Then, I grab myptop and crack it open. "What kind of movie do you want to watch? Horror? Action?" "A rom, please," she says primly, reaching for more popcorn. Whatever my girl wants. Forty¡ªfive minutester and we''re watching a boring ass movie about true love and utter bullshit. The popcorn is mostly gone so I grab it, setting the bowl on the floor. Our heads are nestled close, our gazes on the movie ying on myptop screen, but I''m achingly aware of her body. How close she is. How I can smell her intoxicating scent. How badly I want her. I curve my arm around the top of her pillow and thread my fingers through her hair, running them through her long locks as she lies there, her hazy gaze still fixed on theptop. Eventually, a contented sigh leaves her and she slowly closes her eyes, forgetting all about the movie. Good. I wasn''t paying attention to it anyway. Scooting closer, I press my lips to her forehead. Whisper her name against her skin. She turns toward me, her knee knocking into myptop, mming it closed. I grab it and set it on the floor, leaning it against the bed before I return to her. We don''t talk as we reach for each other. What''s the point? She''s too worried and I''m too frustrated and we can''t change anything about our circumstances right now. At lunch I told her that Ryan and I were cool with ke, which I know gave her a sense of relief, but I''m still unsure. As in, I don''t trust ke one hundred percent. Something''s up with him. I just can''t put my finger on what it is. ¡®il figure it out. Right now, I just need to concentrate on my girl. Make her feel good. Make her forget. ¡°Easton.¡± She''s snuggling close to me, her arms winding around my neck. She rests her hand on my nape, applying pressure so I dip my head and catch her lips in a deep, tongue filled kiss. Within seconds I''ve got her rolled beneath me, pinning her curvy body to the mattress, my mouth devouring hers. My hands wandering, skimming down her sides, over her curves. The dip of her waist. The re of her hip. I pull away from her drugging lips to kiss a hot path down her neck. Sucking on her skin. Nibbling her ear. She writhes beneath me, her legs spreading wider, allowing me to settle in between them, rubbing my cock against her. She moans and I steal the sound with my lips, thrusting my tongue into her mouth as I thrust my erection against her. We''ve got all our clothes on, so we''re basically dry humping, and while I know it would take nothing for me to strip her and strip myself, there''s something kind of exciting about this. From the sounds she''s making and the way she''s moving beneath me, I know Harper is enjoying it too. Everything between us has been so taintedtely. By Aisha. ke. Leigh. Rumors. God, the rumors. I''m tired of dealing with awful shit. Fake stories and innuendo and not being able to trust anyone in my life. The only person I one hundred percent trust is this beautiful girl underneath me. N?velDrama.Org ? content. Everyone else? Can go to hell. Chapter 89 Chapter 89 Harper Easton keeps thrusting his hips against me, his denim covered erection hitting me in the perfect spot every single time, making me see stars. We moved so fast, we never took the time to just kiss and rub our bodies against each other. It feels good. Forbidden. Fun. His parents aren''t home from work yet, but they could show up at any minute. The waning sun shining through his window casts its glow across the bed and when he breaks the kiss, the sun gilds his features in gold as he stares down at me. "You''re fucking beautiful," he whispers. I reach for him, streaking my fingers across his cheek. "So are you." He turns his head, kissing my palm before he reaches for the hem of my shirt. ¡°Let''s take this off." Easton helps me remove my shirt. I take off my bra. The moment my breasts are free he¡¯s got his hands all over them, cupping them together as he rains kisses all over my flesh, his tongue swiping across my nipples before he draws one deep into his mouth and sucks it. I arch beneath him, wanting more, forgetting all about keeping our clothes on. I want him inside of me. Now. But he draws the moment out. He teases me with his fingers as they slide across my belly, dipping beneath my jeans. He toys with the waistband of my panties, slipping his fingers beneath the thin fabric, blocked by my tight jeans to get any further. "We need to take these off," he mutters as he removes his hand and undoes the snap, then slowly pulls the zipper down. "You need to get undressed too,¡± I insist and he rolls off the bed, shucking his jeans and his shirt while I strip my jeans off as well. He stands by the edge of the bed in his ck boxer briefs. His hard cock stretches the fabric out, and I stare at him for a moment before I cover my mouth. Trying to stop the giggling. But he heard me. And the dark expression on his face tells me he¡¯s... Mad? "Are youughing at me?" Okay, maybe not. I see the sparkle in his gaze. "Never," I say, choking on theughter I deny. "Harper," he growls. Just before he pounces, jumping on the bed¡ªon top of me¡ªand making me squeal. Making meugh as he tickles my sides, his hands everywhere, his chuckles making my heart light. He rarelyughs and he sounds so happy. I''m begging him to stop, trying to push him away... Until he slips his fingers in front of my panties, his fingers traveling down, down, slowly parting me. Finding me oh so wet. "Fuck," he moans as he strokes me between my thighs, his hand working beneath my white panties, stretching the fabric out. I''m so wet, the sound of his fingers slicking through me fills the air and I close my eyes. Lift my hips. Bite back a moan when he sinks his finger deep inside of me. "I need to be inside your tight pussy," he whispers, removing his hand from my body and making me whimper. I crack open my eyes to watch him quickly remove his boxer briefs, my gaze zeroing in on his thick cock. He catches me watching and with a smirk, begins stroking himself. Squeezing the tip so hard a glistening pearl of precum dribbles down the side. Everything inside of me goes liquid at watching him pleasure himself. My mouth is dry, my chest heaving and he knows... ¡°You want this?" His voice is rough as he grabs the base of his cock. I nod, unable to speak. "Say it. Ask for it." Oh I love it when he gets like this. Allmanding and rough. ¡°I want it.¡± "You want what?" ¡°Your cock." My voice is loud. Bold. I''m not shying away from anything. He grins. "Where do you want it?" "Inside of my pussy," I say without hesitation. Easton climbs on top of the bed. On top of me. He slides inside of my body with one sure thrust, filling me uppletely. His face in mine, a smile still lingering on his lips as he says, "Such a good girl. Asking for what you want.¡± I move with his every thrust, savoring the grunt that leaves him every time he pushes inside of me, wrapping my legs around his hips so I can send him further inside of me. I don''t close my eyes like I usually do. Instead, I watch him. Watch us. Absorb the sounds of our bodies connecting, our skin pping against each other, the smell of sex filling the room. I forget everything. All of our troubles. My worry. My paranoia. I concentrate instead on this boy. This wonderful, horrible, magical boy who knows how to make me feel better by feeding me popcorn and giving me soda and letting me watch a cheesy rom. This boy who is also a man and knows how to give my body so much pleasure I almost feel like I could die from it. He opens his eyes and stares at me as he increases his pace. Sweat dots his forehead. His breathing elerates and when he pushes so deep inside of my body I cry out, that''s when I feel him spill inside of me.N?velDrama.Org ? content. Flooding mepletely. I hold him close as he pants and groans, his orgasm causing him blissful agony. I stroke his damp with sweat hair. His back. Grip his perfect ass and hold him to me, savoring the sensation of his cock pulsing deep within my body. He feels good. Perfect. "You didn''te,¡± he says secondster, his mouth pressed against my neck. I shake my head. "It''s okay." ¡°No. It''s not.¡± I lightly stroke his firm ass, giggling when he clenches the muscles there. "Really. It is." "No girl leaves my bed without being fully satisfied." He bites the side of my neck, his sharp teeth making me hiss. "Especially you.¡± We kiss some more, and I can feel him grow hard. Harder. Until he starts moving inside of me, eventually lifting away so he can stroke my clit while he still fucks me. That''s what he does this time around. He fucks me. Hard. Purely intent on making mee. Until I do. I shatter, falling apart with a whimper and a moan. Put back together with a kiss and a promise from Easton. "I will always protect you. No matter what." Chapter 90 Chapter 90 Harper Ryan, Sadie and I got to school before Easton, so we''re waiting for him as we lean against the car, my gaze on the parking lot entrance, watching for his Jeep. I''m trying to pretend I''m not paying attention to my brother and my best friend while they flirt with each other, but it¡¯s difficult. He is reallyying it on, and she is definitelypping it up. I concentrate on what happened between Easton and I yesterday. How sweet he was. The things he said. The way he looked at me, touched me. A shiver moves through me and Sadie notices. "Cold?" ¡°Nope.¡± I smile at her and she rolls her eyes. Easton''s Jeep appears and he pulls into a spot so swiftly, the tires squeal, making me shake my head. He drives too fast. He likes to do lots of fast things. He can be slow when he needs to be too. A secretive smile ys upon my lips as he jumps out of the car and ms the door, hitting the keyless remote to lock the Jeep. He''s headed our way and I swear to God, I can hear him whistling. Like he''s one of Snow White''s dwarves, ready to go to work. When Ryan spots Easton, he gets all scowly. Like he''s mad at him or something, which is ridiculous. There is no reason Ryan should be holding any kind of grudge against Easton. Things are good between all of us. In fact, they''ve never been better. The moment my gaze finds Easton''s, I''m running toward him, wrapping him up in a big hug as my way of greeting him. "Good morning." He slides his hand over my ass, gripping it firmly. "Good morning to you too.¡± "Jesus, stop groping my sister in the parking lot,¡± Ryan shouts. Eastonughs and readjusts me so I''m mmed up against him, and we approach Ryan and Sadie. "Sorry bro." "Uh huh.¡± Ryan rubs his jaw and lowers his voice. "Hey. I saw something¡ªweird earlier.¡± "What did you see?" Easton asks. My heart sinks. God, what now? "I didn''t mention it to Harper but..." Ryan quickly nces in my direction as he clears his throat. ¡°When we were driving to school, we passed ke''s car parked on the side of the road. And¡ªI''m pretty sure Aisha was in the Passenger seat.¡± I freeze up at my brother''s revtion. "Why didn''t you tell me?" "I thought maybe I was just seeing things." Ryan shrugs, looking ufortable. Sadie is watching him, her gaze narrowed, arms crossed in front of her chest. "But the more I think about it, the more I know it was ke and Aisha in ke''s car." Here we go again, my brother and Easton ready to make ke look like the bad guy. I''m so sick of it. I thought they worked everything out and it was good between them again. "Why would they be together?" I ask. ¡°ke knows I hate her." Easton scowls. "Maybe since I told him to leave you alone, now he''s trying to get with her." "He wouldn''t do that," I say firmly. "He knows how much that would bother me." And he does. ke wouldn''t betray me like that. He knows his being with Aisha would cut me to the bone. "Ohe on, Harp. He would totally do that," Ryan says. "He''s always looking for free pussy and Aisha gives it up every chance she''s got.¡± Sadie ps Ryan''s arm, shutting him up with a re. "No." I shake my head. "I don''t believe it.¡± "Your faith in that asshole is unshakable. I don''t get it,¡± Ryan says. "Took the words right out of my mouth,¡± Easton mutters. "I thought you were team me, not team ke." ¡°Of course I''m team Easton.¡± He''s jealous, I can tell, and I lean in, pressing my mouth against his, trying tofort him. "Hey." N?velDrama.Org ? content. He takes my hand and pulls me away from Ryan and Sadie so they can''t hear us. "You doing anything tonight?" I frown at his change of subject. "No. Why do you ask?" "How about youe to dinner at my house. Officially meet my parents.¡± My mouth pops open. "Really?" He nods, brushing a strand of hair away from my face and tucking it behind my ear. "I want them to meet my girl. They already know you as my best friend''s sister, but not as my girlfriend, you know?" The smile on my face is so big, it almost hurts. I forget all about ke and Aisha and throw myself at him, squeezing him tight. ¡°Yes. Yes, I''d love toe over for dinner tonight.¡± "Perfect. It''s about time they meet you." He kisses me, his soft lips sending tingles scattering all over my skin and I sigh into his mouth. I''m tired of the two of us sneaking around all the time. It''s like we''re trying to keep everything that''s happening between us a secret, and while I know what we share started out that way, I don''t want to keep him a secret any longer. Looks like he feels the same way. ak I drove Ryan''s car to Easton''s house, a bundle of nerves the entire way. I walk up to the house, giving myself a pep talk and before I even have a chance to ring the doorbell, the door swings open. Easton is standing there, a smile on his face. He takes my hand and pulls me inside, intecing our fingers together as he shuts the door and leads me into the giant living room. His father sits in a recliner, watching the local evening news. He grabs a remote and pauses the news, smiling at me. "Who''s this, Easton?¡± "Dad, this is my girlfriend, Harper. Ryan''s twin sister," Easton says. He sounds so serious. Also a little nervous. "Ah, Ryan''s sister, Nice to see you again, Harper. Want to sit down?" He gestures toward the empty couch. We settle in together, Easton pressed against my side, our hands still sped. I can tell he''s still nervous by the little smile he shes my way. "How''s school going for you, Harper? Excited about graduating?" "Yes." I nod, gripping Easton''s hand tighter. ¡°Definitely trying to enjoy my senior year though." "Wonderful." His dad turns the news back on and Easton rolls his eyes, making me cover my mouth so I don''tugh out loud. "_.the school district has suspended administrator Leigh Scott without pay while they investigate her for inappropriate conduct with a minor. ording to reports, Scott was involved with a studentst year under the guise of offering college counseling and helping him prepare his applications. No other students havee forward indicating involvement with Scott, and the district as well as the police, n on interviewing the student involved in the case.¡± My entire body goes cold as all the blood rushes through me, leaving me lightheaded. Oh my God, I think I might faint. I fall heavily against the couch, my fingers like ice as Easton clutches them tight. "You okay?" he murmurs. ¡°Easton, that''s at your school. Do you know the young man they''re talking about?" his father asks. "Does he need legal advice? I could help him out.¡± ¡°Nope, I don''t know him," Easton bites out, sending me a warning look. Chapter 91 Chapter 91 Easton The dinner with my parents started out like a total shit show, but at least ended on a positive note. Once we moved past the local news reporting on me and Leigh¡ªlike what the actual fuck¡ª-Mom called us into the dining room where she had a huge spread of foodid out in dishes like she made it. I know for a fact she¡¯s too damn busy to cook and ordered everything from her favorite Italian restaurant, but I never said a word. Neither did Mom. In fact, she basked in Harper''svish praise about the delicious meal and pretended to be modest. Like her "making" dinner was no big deal. Whatever. If Mom wants Harper to think she¡¯s an expert on Italian cuisine, I don''t care. We hung out for a while after dinner at the table, making small talk, my parents asking Harper an endless string of questions. She answered every one of them like a champ, never letting her poise slip in front of them. Damn, she made me proud. I walked her out to Ryan''s car and I climb inside with her, kissing her for a solid thirty minutes before she finally, reluctantly left. I went to bed with a smile on my face. Still was wearing that smile when I walked into school this morning. And then during first period, I got called into the principal''s office. The moment I walked inside, the serious expressions on everyone''s face¡ªand there are at least five people crammed into the office, two of them I don''t recognize¡ªsends a spiral of dread through me. "Easton. Sit down." Principal Jenkins indicates the empty chair in front of his desk. I settle in, ncing around. "What''s this about?" "These detectives here would like to speak to you." Jenkins waves his hand toward the man and woman I don''t recognize. "About the¡ªincident between you and Mrs. Scott." I keep my facepletely neutral. "What incident?" "The allegations that have been made in regards to you being... involved with Mrs. Scott." Principal Jenkins actually squirms in his seat. "I know this won''t be easy to talk about, and of course we''ll leave you alone with the detectives so you can speak freely "There''s nothing to talk about." Panic races through me, my heartbeat thundering in my ears. I send a quick nce in the detectives'' direction and I can tell they''re not liking what I''m saying. Well tough shit. No way do I want to talk to them and turn this into a big deal by getting the police involved. I''m going to deny anything even happened. Jenkins frowns. "What do you mean, young man?" "I mean what I say. Nothing happened between Mrs. Scott and I.¡± I sit up straighter, rendering my expression into stone. ¡°Yeah, she helped me out by having me work on a couple of rough drafts for my college essay. Had me over at her house one night so we could look at college websites together, but that''s it.¡± Jenkins openly sneers, like he just sniffed someone''s stinky ass. "You were at Mrs. Scott''s house?" ¡°Yeah. Her husband was there too.¡± He was that one night, upstairs asleep in their bed while I banged Leigh on the kitchen counter. "It was all on the up and up. I know it''s not standard for a student to be at a counselor''s house in the evening, but that¡¯s about as inappropriate as it gets between Mrs. Scott and I." "Really." The female detective''s t tone tells me she thinks I''m full of shit. She''s the only smart one in this roam. "Yeah." I meet her gaze, never backing down. "Really." "Well." Principal Jenkins clears his throat, resting his clutched hands on top of his desk. "I see. That changes everything." ¡°Nothing happened,¡± I stress, ncing around the room so I can look everyone in the eye. They can''t bulldoze me into confessing Iwas inappropriately touched or whatever the fuck they''re saying. I wanted it. I made it happen between Leigh and I. Yeah, I also was a minor at the time, but I don''t need any more trouble in my life. I''m over it. Done. "Are you sure, son?" Jenkins asks, his voice lowering. Like he''s the overly concerned, father¡ªfigure of the school. "I''m positive," I say, matching his tone of voice. Trying to sound like the prodigal son. Jenkins leans back in his chair, his smile of satisfaction indicating me pleading my case actually worked. "I think we''ve solved your case,¡± Jenkins crows to the detectives, who look like they want to murder me where I sit. Specifically, the female detective. The re on her face is unmistakable. "Easton, you can go ahead and leave, son. Make sure and grab an excuse slip from my secretary on your way out." hightail it out of there as quickly as I can, stopping at the secretary''s desk and putting on the charm while I wait for her to fill out the slip so I can get back into ss. Once she hands it over, I leave the office, dashing into the bathroom to take a quick piss before I head back to sit through the rest of first period. Though it¡¯s almost finished. I could just wait around for a few minutes in the hall and the bell will eventually ring. "You''re a liar." I stop in my tracks, ncing over my shoulder to see the female detective standing in front of me, her hands on her hips. I turn to fully face her. "Excuse me?" N?velDrama.Org ? content. "You heard me." She takes a couple of steps closer, her expression one of pure determination. "You''re lying. You had a rtionship with Leigh Scott. You''re protecting her. Why, I don''t know. She''s a predator, Easton. She used you." This bitch has no idea what she''s talking about. ¡°You''ve got it all wrong-" She holds up her hand, silencing me. "Keep yourme ass story to yourself. It''s not working for me. You''re lucky there''s no evidence, or your one true love would be locked up in jail and have to register as a child sex offender for the rest of her life." My jaw drops, shocked at the way the detective is speaking to me. "You don''t know what the hell you''re talking about." ¡°Oh, but I do. And I can guarantee I''ll see you soon, Easton.¡± She turns on her heels and walks away, my gaze staying on her until she disappears around the corner. Fuck. More trouble that I don''t need.Why can''t I ever catch a break? Chapter 92 Chapter 92 Harper Easton is pale. Normally his skin is a healthy tan, his good looks are so ridiculously hot that I want to strangle him then kiss him right afterward. I''m next to my locker when he walks up, hands shoved into his jeans, posture stiff. "Sup?" I snort out augh. "Did you just bro talk me?" ¡°Huh?" He scratches his head,pletely distracted. I mimic his movements, then give him a slight shove. "Yeah okay, bruh, what you wanna doter, dude, wanna hit the pavement, go for a smoke, shoot some hoops and¡ª" "-Are you high?" He leans in, and the smell of his cologne has me dizzy with want. "And why wouldn''t you share?" Flirtatious Easton is back. The one I''m obsessed with. The one I need more than anything, despite how frustrated I get with him on a daily basis. He''s mine. All mine. I just wish all this bullshit would go away so we could have more time to figure out what we are, how we work, and what this means before graduation. Ugh. "Not high." I wrap my arms around his waist. "You just seem distant..." We have at least half the day left before we can go home-¡ªbefore I can go home with him, even if that means I''m just going to be in the backseat of his super sexy Jeep. "Yeah okay boomer," he jokes. "I''m fine, I promise." Our foreheads touch and I forget all about the worries I have as people whistle and pass us as they walk down the hallway. "I just had a moment. Plus all this shit is getting really ridiculous." He pulls away briefly and looks around like he¡¯s paranoid about something when what looks like a police officer makes her way down the hall. She''s in ck pants, and a tightly tucked in blue shirt with a badge, okay so yeah totally a police officer ¡ªattached to her belt. She stops by us, her sneer so apparent I want to vomit. Does she know? Is that why he¡¯s acting weird? He doesn''t so much as flinch as he wraps an arm around me and turns. "Have a great day." Her eyes narrow. "Girlfriend?" "Yes," I answer for him and stick out my hand. "My name''s Harper." "How..." She throws on her ck aviators. "Lovely for you..." I flinch and drop my hand as mid-life crisis stomps past us like it''s the time of the month and the world ran out of Advil and tampons. "What the hell was that about?" I say out loud. Easton is tense but manages a shrug. ¡°Who knows...she¡¯s old? Botox isn''t working? Fillers don''t do shit? Hates her job? A woman in a man''s world? Take your pick, I mean really...fuck." He spins me toward him. "What if we skip?" "Skip what?" I frown. "Life?" He jokes. ¡°Okay not life, but what if we skip the rest of school, run back to our houses, pack, and go to my parents¡¯ cabin for the weekend?" I''d heard so many epic things about his cabin. ording to school gossip, his cabin was like this mansion right on theke and only the most popr kids had been invited over thest few years. I used to have serious envy when Ryan would go because duh, best friend. And now he wants me to go? ¡°Just us?" I ask. ¡°Over my dead body." Ryan suddenly appears, scaring the shit out of us. Sadie is leaning against his side, her headying on his shoulder. Damn they are moving weirdly fast if they''re showing that much PDA during school hours. Wow, I just sounded like my mom. I cringe and look toward Easton. ¡°You know I''d never leave you out.¡± Easton bumps fists with my brother. "So you in? Should we just take off?" Ryan snorts. "Who the hell are you going to get to write you an excuse since Mrs.¡ª" He stops talking and looks away. "I mean, it might be hard now that...fuck." Easton doesn''t stiffen, but I know the words bother him as much as they do me as he looks down the hall and frowns. "Fine, maybe we suffer for the next few hours, then leave? We can make it there by dark?" "Let''s do it.¡± Ryan grins. "I need some alone time anyway." He looks down at Sadie and winks. I make a face. "Not while I''m in front of you.¡± Ryan rolls his eyes. "You gave me earplugs, FUCKING EARPLUGS and I wink at her and suddenly she''s pregnant?¡± "Maybe," Sadie jokes. ¡°Nooooooocs.¡± Iugh. "Guys!" Everyoneughs as the bell rings and we all go our separate directions, me to English, h, and everyone else to their sses. It¡¯s the one ss I don''t have with any friends, except ke, but I''m still confused on that whole...situation. I''m high key stressed as I walk into the room and notice a hush go over the crowd like they know my boyfriend was possibly fucking the school counselor. ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. Awesome. I clear my throat and sit at my desk only to have ke plop down next to me, his man bun perfectly coiffed on his head, his adorable smile easy and fun. See? This is why I don''t get it. He''s not some viin. He''s just ke. In another life I would have crushed on him. Easton is just jealous and Ryan, well, he¡¯s just..Ryan. "You doing ok?" ke asks, getting his books out. "Course." I shrug. "You?" "I''m sitting next to you, of course I am." I blush. ¡°Riiiight." ¡°Hey, it''s true." He winks. "Really though, I''m here if you ever want to talk. I know you''re with Easton, but you still mean something to me. I would hate for anything to happen to you¡ªit kills me to think about that smile leaving your face for even one second." I scoff. "My smile? Why?" He leans in until Ican smell his spicy cologne. ¡°Well, because..." His thumb grazes my chin, then falls. ¡°It¡¯s so fucking sexy. Would be a shame if it no longer existed in this world." See? Completely harmless, my brain tells me. While my heart thuds against my chest. Danger. Chapter 93 Chapter 93 Easton School sucks. Thest bell rings and I''m ready to hang the principal from the gpole, salute him and burn the ce down. I need time with my girl. But I also need to get away. The pressure is too much. The fact that that fucking detective cornered me not once but twice has hives breaking out on my body, not really, but it feels like its inevitable. I can only handle so much and right now I just need to be with my calm. Harper. I rush out of my ss and grab my shit, then send a text to Harper to meet me at my Jeep along with Ryan and Sadie. I''m running, not realizing where I''m going when a body ms into me, and my bag goes flying across the ground. look up. It''s ke. He''s not ring though. No, instead he looks almost..sad. "Hey, man." I still hate him right now, but I''m not going to show weakness just in case. I want to know his aim¡ªkeep your friends se, enemies closer and all that. ¡°Sorry, wasn''t paying attention.¡± He shrugs andughs. "No big.¡± He grabs my bag off the ground and hands it to me. "You seem distracted. Excited about the weekend?" Yeah." Sudden memories of us at the cabin over thest four years fill my stupid brain. All theughter, drunken moments, near drownings after being drunk and thinking skinny dipping was a good idea with all the girls. I feel sick. I know I''ve fucked uptely. And while I''m sure ke wants Harper, I feel like I''m being too harsh. He eyes me up and down in curiousity not as a threat, and maybe I''m just too excited about spending time with everyone, but I offer the olive branch because if he''s going to fuck up, he''s going to do it soon. May as well be around for it if he is for sure guilty. "Actually." I clear my throat. "We''re headed to the cabin this afternoon for the weekend. You''re more than wee toe if you want." His eyes narrow, and then he looks down. "Yeah, thanks for the invite, man but...l don''t want to be¡ªwhat I''m assuming¡ªis the fifth wheel. Is Ryan going?" "Sadie too," I add. ¡°And Harper, of course." "Thought so." He rocks back on his heels. "It''s cool, have fun though. Be safe, yeah?¡± "Yeah," I say as he walks away, lowering his head like he''s disappointed. Why do I suddenly feel like shit? I give my head a shake and shove open the school doors, making a beeline toward the Jeep. Whatever, I¡¯m not letting him ruin what''s going to be the best weekend ever. Even if I do feel a bit guilty and a lot stressed. kak An hourter, everyone''s in the Jeep belting out The Weeknd and living their best lives. Harper is sitting next to me in the front seat, holding my hand while I drive with the other. Already, the mountain smell is getting to me. The Evergreen trees. All the beautifulnd. The winding road up to theke. We stopped by a grocery store to grab all the junk food we could find since I knew my dad had his liquor cab stockedst time we were up here-the girls offered to cook all weekend and we offered to grill one night. It''s going to be perfect. Fucking perfect. I bring Harper''s hand up to my lips and press a kiss there. She grins over at me. Fuck, she''s beautiful. I want to pull over and eat her out, then tell her over and over again how much I want her, how addicting she is, not just her body but her fucking soul. It''s everything. So pure. So amazing. God, I''m so pussy whipped it''s almost embarrassing. I kiss her hand again. She giggles. "None of that," Ryan quips from the back. "Oh please, like I can''t see that you''ve had your hand up Sadie''s skirt for like twenty minutes." Iugh. "Whyyyyy!" Harper covers her eyes like she can see it too. ¡°Ryan! Sadie!" "I was quiet!" Sadie yells while Ryanughs. "My best friend!" Harper yells. "My sister!" Ryan argues. ¡°Guys!¡± Sadie falls into fits ofughter and then, ¡°Wow, is that yourkehouse?¡± I pull into the driveway and smile, proud. "Yup." It''s right on the edge of theke, has two docks, a boat, three jet skis, seven paddle boards, and a kayak. It¡¯s two stories of perfection with floor to ceiling windows overlooking theke. An outdoor grill and small pool and hot tub are in the back, surrounded by a natural waterfall and trees. It''s fucking ridiculous and has been in three magazine articles for architecture. Sometimes, it¡¯s nice being rich, what can I say? ¡°Master''s ours.¡± I kill the engine. ¡°But the other four rooms are nice and have balconies, so you won''t beining.¡± Sadie ps her hands and jumps out of the Jeep, and Harper follows. Both girls start sprinting toward the cabin, leaving me and Ryan behind to unload the Jeep. "They realize they can''t get in without us, right?" Ryan asks. The girls startining. Iugh. ¡°Well, they do now." "Thanks for this, man." Ryan grabs two bags. ¡°I think we all needed this." "Anytime, you know that.¡± I p him on the back. "It''s been a rough year." "Yeah," he agrees and takes a deep breath. "But it finally feels like things are calming down, you know?" "Totally." I lie, thinking back to the detective. "Things have taken a turn." "Completely," he agrees. "Plus, I think I''m getting fuckingid tonight." "Wear a condom," I tease. "Thanks, sex¡ªed, I''ll get right on that." He rolls his eyes. ¡°She''s been..." "What?" I ask. He shakes his head. ¡°Nothing, I''ve just had to work for it." "Makes the sex better." I shrug. "Plus, once you go there, there''s no going back." He makes a face. "You saying that from experience?" I say nothing. I just smile and p him on the back, then whisper, "Never fucked so much in my entire life¡ª" "¡ªMother fucker!" He yells while I start running toward the cabinughing, Ryan hot on my ass. I barely make it to the front door before he tries to tackle me, but by then we''re both so excited to be here, he lets me go and I type the code to get in, shoving the door open. Harper gasps. I wrap an arm around her. "Wee to paradise, sexy.¡± ¡°Already had it," N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. she answers, standing on her tiptoes and pressing a sweet kiss to my mouth. And the guilt that was gone, reappears with a vengeance. Chapter 94 Chapter 94 Harper "This is the life..." I stretch my arms wide andy out in my bikini next to Sadie, who''s already drinking a hard cider¡ªyou know, at eleven in the morning. Last night we all crashed pretty early after watching movies and while I really wanted to just blow Easton until his voice was hoarse, it was kind of nice to just.y next to him, to know that I was safe, and that we were going to be okay. C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. I woke up to him diving between my legs and pinning them apart so that was also..um, nice. He said he didn''t want to wait until breakfast and who am I to stop him from getting what he wants. I smile to myself. ¡°Wow, slut." Sadieughs. "I know that look. Good night?" "Good morning." I shrug and watch the boys as they jet ski across theke, sshing each other. As much as I want to barf, my brother does have a nice body, which I''m sure helps in the whole Sadie department, but Easton? Man, his six pack may as well be an eight pack as he stands up and spins the jet ski around,ughing. I missed himughing so much. Sadie clears her throat. ¡°So...¡± My eyebrow arches. "So?" "Um..." She adjusts her ponytail, then sets down her drink. "Can I tell you about my night?" "Am I going to be traumatized for life?" "No." She blushes. "I mean, maybe. I don''t know, forget it.¡± ¡°No, no, no." I take a deep breath. ¡°Just tell me.¡± "Are you sure?¡± No. "Yes, my job as your best friend is to be sure, but will I need alcohol for this?" She shrugs. "It''s your brother." "Be right back.¡± I jump up and run to the mini fridge, grab a drink, ande back. "Okay, ready." She exhales and looks out onto theke, then back at me. ¡°Did you know...um...wow, okay, I''m just going toe out and say it... did you know Ryan''s a virgin?" I spit out my drink. I can''t help it. ¡°No, there''s no way, no, just no." "Yeah, just yeah.¡± She shifts ufortably. "So, like, we''ve messed around a lot, I mean a lot. If there was an Olympic medal for messing around¡ª" I hold up my hand. "¡ªyeah got it, no need for details.¡± "Sorry." She blushes. ¡°I just, is there something wrong with me?" "No!" I shout, making her jump. "It''s not you. I mean not at all, have you talked to him about it?" "Yes!" She sighs. "And he''s hard, trust me it''s not..that." I squeeze my eyes shut. "I won''t ever recover from this conversation, will I?" "How do you think I feel? I know he wants it, but whenever it gets close to that time, he pulls away." I frown. "What? Like he has a headache?" ¡°Honestly? I think being the most popr guy in school is too much performance pressure...¡± snort. "He always was a perfectionist." ¡°Yeah he is." She smiles dreamily. "Enough of that.¡± I smack her, and then grin. "So, really what we need is a little Temptation Ind thing going on when the guys get back up here, Make it so he can''t say no.¡± ¡°I''ve tried seducing him." She chews her thumbnail. "Yeah, but have you used the secret Ryan weapon?" "Are you seriously helping me fuck your brother right now?" I cringe. "Just don''t ever remind me of this conversation. Now, here''s what we''re going to do..." kak The boyse back to theke house about an hourter. I''m lounging on the couch in nothing but a towel wrapped around my body, reading Harry Potter. "Woman! Make me¡ª" Easton starts yelling and takes in the towel and my near nakedness. "Your pussy. Now." "Standing." Ryan sighs. "Right behind you." "Then stand elsewhere,¡± Easton growls. Ryan stomps off into his room with Sadie. "Gonna take a shower before we eat." I grin and hold up my hand to keep Easton from pouncing. "What?" "In three, two, one..." I count. And then a door ms. Moaning. A lot of screaming. "The hell is going on?" Easton asks, trying to tug at my towel still. I burst outughing. "Just helping out a friend...let¡¯s just say Ryan has a very specific weakness..." ¡°For Sadie?" "I walked in on him one time watching porn where the girl was tied to the bed, all four posts, and I was traumatized for life. Just thought I''d keep them upied while we..." I stand and drop my towel. "y." "Fuck. Yes.¡± Easton reaches for my boobs, his rough hands running across my nipples before lifting me against his wet board shorts. I undo the ties in a vain attempt to shove them down his hips. He growls against my mouth. "Better idea." "Hmmm?" He carries me toward the master bedroom, then the bathroom. I assume we''re going to shower when he opens another door and takes me outside to a private rock shower near the waterfall. "Wow!" "Mmmmm." He sets me on my feet and kisses me hard. "Was thinking the same thing..wow." I grin up at him, "I needed this." "Me too.¡± He takes my mouth again, then turns on the shower, the water goes from cold to hot, but I barely notice as we kiss beneath the spray. And I just know everything¡ªis finally, FINALLY falling into ce. Chapter 95 Chapter 95 Easton Damn it she feels so good. I don''t deserve this fucking hot body. I can''t kiss enough skin, my lips feel numb from trying to kiss her hard, from trying to bite her skin, to taste her and consume her, make her mine forever and ever. My favorite parts of her are on disy and every single inch of skin. There''s a rock bench near the rock wall. "Turn around and bend over." With a grin, she does just that, her wet hair pping against her cheeks as she smiles and kisses me, then bends over. Her hands ced firmly on the rock as I grip her hips from behind. My dick is so hard it hurts. Harper. It''s only ever been Harper, the way my body responds is borderline embarrassing, but fuck I wouldn''t want it any other way. I tease her pussy with my tip, rubbing it back and forth down the length of her lips. Her body jolts back. p her on the ass. "Patience." She lets out a moan. ¡°Seriously?¡± Ip her ass again, this time it leaves a red hand print. Fuck, I like the way that looks, so I do it again and again until she''s moaning and writhing, arching back against me, like her body''s searching for my cock, but can''t find it. Iugh. "You desperate yet?¡± "Easton!" "That''s my name." Iugh harder, then give her my cock, but not all the way. I enter about a half inch and stay there. "Don''t move." She moans, her back arches. "Why are you torturing me?" "You torture me every day." I rub the ces I pped with my hands and look at us, semi connected, the way my cock pulses to be inside her so hard that I probably have no blood left in the rest of my body. Water ms against us, just adding to the sensations around us. I rub her ass, then lightly tap it again, moving my hand around her hips, but careful not to fully fuck her. Inip her ear with my teeth and whisper, ¡°I''m going to fuck you, but first...I''m going to punish you.¡± "I thought you just¡ª" I lightly p her pussy with my palm. She squirms. "Don''t move," I order. She whimpers my name as I kiss down her neck and p her pussy again. She can''t help but move. I can''t help but want more. But I can''tst much longer. She''s too beautiful. Too perfect. Too primed. I thrust into her and groan at how tightly she holds me, every fucking time as I move, my body mming against hers as she keeps her hands firmly against the rocks. I know I won''tst. Not after the teasing and torture or the fucking view of her bent over in front of me as I move within her body. Her back arches again. "Easton, that''s so good...deeper...harder.¡± (groan and dig my fingers into her hips, pulling her back against me so hard that I see stars. Fuck, I know I''m going toe, I can''tst much longer. I reach around and pinch her nipple with my fingers and suck on her neck, then whisper, "Let go." She does exactly that. Which is good, since I was holding on by a thread, as I release inside her, all over her, all over us, and wonder if I can just stay like that for the next hour until I''m hard and can do it all over again. She slowly moves away from me and turns. Face flush, body red with marks from my hands. She wraps her arms around my neck and kisses me. I can''t deny her anything. Our tongues twirl and fight as we move under the spray of the shower and start to slowly wash each other down. By the time we''re done, I want to grab my girl and take a nap with her, We''re both in white bathrobes and moving around the kitchen when I grab a bottle of chilled champagne and pour us each a ss. She grabs hers and takes a sip, leaning against the counter in a way that gives me amazing views of her cleavage. "Trying to tempt me?" I tease. "You feeling tempted?" Sheughs. "Fuckkkkk, I could fucking fuck you all fucking day." I''m clearly delirious. N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. She throws her head back andughs. "That''s lots of fucking, Easton." I growl. ¡°Exactly.¡± I reach for her when the door to the guest room opens and Ryanes stumbling out with Sadie. His hair is a total wreck, sticking out all over the ce, and he looks both dazed and confused about where he''s at and what he''s doing. ¡°Everything okay?" I ask. Sadiees up behind him and ps him on the ass. "Oh he''s fine, just you know...thinking thoughts." "So many." Ryan''s voice is hoarse. "Fucking thoughts." ¡°Lots of fucking thoughts," Sadie repeats. "What is with all the fucking?" Harper wonders out loud. Ryan bursts outughing and then coughs. "Sorry. I um.." He finally locks eyes with Harper, then looks away like he¡¯s embarrassed. What the hell is going on? "Oh champagne.¡± He''s still wearing his board shorts. I frown when he grabs the bottle, tilts it back and starts chugging. "Weren''t you going to change?" "Oh, he''s changed alright," Sadie says cryptically. "Huh?" I narrow my eyes. "Let it go," Harper mouths and winks at me and I''m suddenly a simp all over again, just staring at her, wondering how I got so lucky and when I can get lucky again. So fucking rxed, I still want to nap and fuck at the same time. Maybe I''ll get lucky and turn into someone who rather than sleep walks, sleep fucks? One can only hope. "Why don''t you guys grill some steaks?" Sadie offers. "Sure!" Ryan jumps to the task like his ass is on fire and he¡¯s getting a treat if he does her steak medium rather than medium rare. He nts a kiss on her mouth thatsts longer than fucking necessary, then pulls her against him before she pulls away and grabs the bottle from Harper. "Let''s let the boys talk and cook. We can watch them do it shirtless..." "Goody." Harperughs and follows her out. The door shuts. Ryan''s smiling like an idiot. "Bro..." I shove him. "What the hell is wrong with you?" "Nothing wrong.¡± He ps me on the shoulder. ¡°It''s just that everything''s finally fucking right.¡± He suddenly pauses, then calls over his shoulder, "Oh, also, hope you brought extra condoms." I did, but I leave out the part that me and Harper don¡¯t use them since she''s on birth control and instead just shrug and say, "You know I got you, ya.¡± "ya, indeed." "Yup." Iugh.¡°Let''s grill." Chapter 96 Chapter 96 Harper We finish eating our steaks and are out by the bonfire while the guys go back inside to grab some whiskey. I wrap the nket tighter around me and nudge Sadie. "Ryan seems...chipper." She snorts out augh and sips her wine. "That makes two of us." "So, he liked the ropes." "He fucking loved the ropes." ¡°Eww, but also, awesome, I''m happy for you..for both of you,¡± I add. "Ryan deserves all the good things. I mean, he annoys the hell out of me, but he''s good." N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. Sadie turns to me, her eyes flicker to my mouth, then back up. "You''re good too." I frown. "Why are you looking at me like that?" I hear the boys approaching. She licks her lips. "I may be a bit drunk.¡± "Okay?" I offer. ¡°But I know what else Ryan''s gonna like, as weird and sick and twisted as my mind seems right now..." She doesn''t warn me, just leans in and whispers against my lips, "Let''s fuck with them." And then she kisses me. Sliding her tongue past my lower lip, teasing gently. It''s not the first time we''ve kissed, but that was more like middle school let¡¯s test this out and see how it works so we don''t mess up when we kiss boys sort of kiss. This is a big girl kiss. She tastes like white wine. I taste like red. kiss her back. I''m not attracted to her. And I know she''s not attracted to me. But the idea of driving Easton crazy spurs me on as our tongues tangle. "Fuck, oh fuck.¡± Easton''s voice fills the empty night air followed by a, ¡°Shit, oh shit, shittttt," by my brother. And then I''m getting pulled away from her by Easton, who already has me in his arms, his handing down on my ass in a painful swap. ¡°I''m not ever leaving this fucking cabin." "Same." Iugh. He kisses me then, wrapping my legs around his waist as we sit back against the chair. I twist in his arms, trying to get closer as his cock painfully presses between my legs. I wish my leggings were thinner, even though I can feel his head and how badly he wants to peel down every stitch of clothing. Sadie and Ryan areughing behind us and most likely making out. Thest thing I need to see is my brother getting it on with my best friend but after a while, when my mouth is sore, Easton pulls back and grabs the bottle of whiskey, taking a swig and handing it to me. turn in hisp. Sadie''s sitting on Ryan, they have a nket covering them and his lips are extremely swollen, good for her, I mean still my twin, but good for her. Ryan res at me across the fire in a big brother warning. I re right back. It''s a weird line we don¡¯t want to cross or discuss but it''s also kind of awesome, that we can all hang out together and be this happy. Right now it honestly feels like nothing can shatter the moment. The stars are so bright it''s impossible to count them all. The sound of the waterfall fills the air and the smell of the campfire already has me mourning from going home the next day. Easton braces his arms around me, his lips on my neck. "I really like you." I sigh, for a minute I thought he would say love. "I like you too, Easton." "No, I really, really." He gulps. "I think it''s more than like, Harper...no, I know..." His eyes flicker with emotion. ¡°No matter what, I''m yours. No matter what happens.¡± He seems tense again, so I reach behind me and start to palm the front of his jeans, he''s so hard he has to be in pain. He lets out a little groan. "Do I need to make you forget?" "F¡ªforget?" His eyes roll back. "What were we even talking about?" "You not being stressed,¡± I say, slowly reaching into his jeans and looking across the fire to make sure that Ryan and Sadie aren''t paying attention. Thankfully, they''re kissing again and talking in hushed tones while I finally grip Easton''s dick and free him. He leans back in the chair, spreading his legs. "Mmmmm." I squeeze his tip. "You feel ready for me already." A bit of pre¡ªcum escapes as I rub it between my thumb and forefinger. "Keep doing that and I''m gonna lose control," he says gruffly. ¡°Then lose control," I offer. "Lose control with me." "Fuck, I''m obsessed with you." I start pumping him with my hand just as the sound of a caring up the driveway fills the quiet air. Then headlights. What the hell? Car doors m, the lights turn off. And ke suddenly appears. "Sorry I''mte, decided toe after all." He lifts up a six pack. "And I brought beer." I''m momentarily shocked. Then nearly pass out when the sound of another door mming fills the crisp night air. And fucking Aishaes walking out, wearing a puffy coat, boots, and a coy smile. ¡°Hope it''s okay...¡± ke wraps an arm around her. "But I brought a plus one... you know, fifth wheel and all." "Mother. Fucker," Easton says under his breath. ¡°Hey guys." Aisha grins smugly. "Should we y strip poker or something?" "Should I choke her and drown her in theke and end up on Dateline or something?" Easton says behind me. Iugh behind my hand despite the fact that I''m shaking with anger. Easton clears his throat and finally acknowledges the group. "Thought you weren''ting?¡± ke, no lie, stares Easton down and says smug as hell, "Well, some things change. Don''t they?" I wasn''t suspicious at all before...but I''m getting there...especially when ke turns his attention to me and winks. Chapter 97 Chapter 97 Easton What the ever lovin¡¯... The entire mood shifts with ke and¡ªholy fuck¡ªAisha''s arrival. We were having such a good time. Now it all feels like I was having the best dream ever only to wake up to my worst nightmare. Spending the rest of tonight and tomorrow with ke. And fucking Aisha. My hard on is long gone. In fact. I think my dick is trying its damnedest to shrivel up and pretend it doesn''t exist just to get away from the conniving bitch that is Aisha. ke, I can handle. He''s a friend who I don''t trust, but I know him. He''s familiar. Aisha? Yeah we might''ve hooked up, but she''s shady at shit. I definitely don''t trust her. At all. ke nces over at Ryan and Sadie who are still cozied up together, though their expressions are wary as hell. "Sorry we crashed your party. It''s okay that we showed up, right?" Harper wraps her arm around mine, a warm smile on her face. ¡°Of course. We''re so d you decided toe after all and brought a¡ªguest with you.¡± I look down at Harper, the serene expression on her face. Is she seriously weing them to myke house like a damn hostess? She lifts her gaze to mine, her lips curled in a barely there smile and I see it. The anger. The mistrust. Not at me. At them. "Grab your stuff and follow me inside,¡± I say gruffly as I head for the house, Harper right by my side while ke and Aisha go to his car to get their things. The moment we''re in the house and alone, Harper turns on me, her eyes zing. "What the hell, Easton? What are they doing here? Did you know ke was going to bring Aisha with him?" I grab her shoulders, giving them a squeeze. N?velDrama.Org ? content. ¡°Babe. Calm down. I threw out an invitation to ke right before we left school Friday, but he turned me down. I didn''t think he''d say yes anyway so I figured we were safe from him showing up. And I sure as shit didn''t know he''d bring her with him." A sigh leaves Harper and she hangs her head. "I hate that she''s here. She will ruin the rest of the weekend because she is a total bitch who will make my life miserable, Easton. She hates me, and the feeling is mutual." "Hey." I slip my fingers beneath her chin and tip her face up. "I won''t leave your side. You''re my girl. If shees for you, she''s gottae through me first.¡± The door opens and in walks Ryan and Sadie, the both of them wide-eyed and frazzled. ¡°What the hell is the spawn of Satan doing here?" Ryan asks me. Sadie goes right to Harper and pulls her away from me, giving her a quick hug before she says, "I will commit murder in the middle of the night, Easton. I just wanted to warn you so you''re not shocked when the cops are on your doorstep in the morning." Ryan yanks Sadie into his arms, running his fingers through her hair. "You''re not going to murder her. I won''t let you." ¡°You''ll have to sleep sometime, Ryan. And when you do, I''m going to carve Aisha into tiny little bits for what she¡¯s done to my best friend and your sister.¡± Sadie rests her hands on Ryan''s chest and gives him a gentle shove. ¡°Swear to God, you''ll have to tie me to the bed to keep me from killing her." Ryan grins. "Perfect. Now you''re speaking mynguage, woman." He tugs Sadie close and kisses her. Harper grimaces. I roll my eyes. Sadie ps at Ryan''s chest, about to say something when¡ª The front door swings open and in walks ke with a damn twelve pack of beer in one hand and a duffel bag in the other. "The party has arrived!" Aisha is right behind him carrying two giant bags, as if she¡¯s staying for a week. Thank God we''re headed back home tomorrow. I show them the room they''re going to share¡ªAisha said she was sleeping with ke¡ªwhich is unfortunately, right next door to our room. "Let''s go back outside and sit by the fire." ke suggests once they''d dumped the bags in their room. I make a show of stretching and yawning. "I''m beat. Maybe Sadie and Ryan will sit with you guys.¡± Before anyone can say another word, I''ve got Harper''s hand in mine and I''m tugging her into the room, mming the door practically in ke and Aisha''s faces. "So rude," Harper chastises with a big ol¡¯ grin. "I don''t want to hang out with them and make small talk by the fire." I grab hold of Harper''s waist and pull her into me, her lush curves fitting perfectly against my body. "Let''s see how long Sadiests." Harper grabs fistfuls of my shirt. "She wants to kill Aisha, Easton. She hates her." "I hate her too." I drop a light kiss on the tip of her nose. "I''m pissed at ke for bringing her." "Why would he do that anyway?¡± A sigh leaves her when I lean in to nuzzle her neck. "I don''t know. Because he wants to stir the shit? Because we can''t trust him?" I drop kisses along her throat, feeling her shiver. Feeling her go still when the implications of my words sink in. She rests her hands on my chest and gently pushes me away, her gaze lifting to meet mine. "You''re right. We can''t trust him, can we?" I knew my girl always trusted him, but finally¡ª¡ªfinally she sees him for what he really is. I slowly shake my head, drifting my fingers along her delicate jaw. ¡°Nope. He is up to some shady shit if he''s chilling with Aisha, babe. That chick is no good." Her smile is vaguely evil. "I''m suddenly having some not good thoughts myself." I raise a brow. "What are you talking about?" "Oh, you''ll see," she says mysteriously. "L will?" "Yes, Later.¡± She rises up, her lips brushing against mine. "And you''ll benefit from it too. I promise." Chapter 98 Chapter 98 Harper But when you''re dealing with a conniving little bitch who tries to ruin your life every time you turn around, then you have to y fire with fire. And I''m turning up the mes tonight. Easton is currently in the shower while I wait for him in bed. Naked. Sadie won''t stop texting me. Sadie: You bitch! Why aren''t you down here right now having to deal with this¡ªthis MONSTER? Me: Tell my brother you want to have sex and drag him out of there! How can he resist you? Sadie: He''s already about four beers in and they''re all caught up strolling down memoryne, telling Aisha and I about their pastke house adventures with Easton. She''s eating it up. I''m about to throw myself into the fire. I can''t stop giggling. My best friend can be so dramatic sometimes. I did love how she talked about murdering Aisha for me though. Me: Tell me when they''re on their way to their room, okay? I have a n. Sadie: What''s your n? Me: To be bouncing on the mattress and screaming Easton''s name as loud as I can when they get to their room. They''ll hear me and know we''re having amazing sex, even if we aren''t. Sadie: Don''t you two always have amazing sex? Me: Well yes. But what if theye up to the room right now? I''ll have to yell all by myself because Easton is still in the shower. Sadie: You''re ridiculous. Fine. She''s right. I''m no evil genius, but I have to get my thrills where I can. The water shuts off and I tug the covers up to my chin, lying t on my back with my head propped on a pile of pillows as I scroll through my phone and keep one eye on the closed bathroom door. I can hear him in there, and I think about him naked. Water droplets clinging to his skin. A white towel wrapped around his waist... The door swings open, steam billowing out of the room and he appears, my every fantasying to life. Right down to the wet hair and towel around his waist. Only difference is the towel is dark blue. [try to act like it''s no big deal, even though I''m squirming beneath the covers. ¡°Hey.¡± "Hey." He approaches my side of the bed, snatching my phone right out of my hands. "Are you mad?" I frown. "Why would I be mad?" "Because Aisha is here." His eyes are clouded with worry. C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. "I had nothing to do with hering here. I hope you believe me." Ismile at him, loving how concerned he is. "Oh I know. This is all ke''s doing." My phone dings and Easton checks it, his brows drawing together. "Sadie says they''re headed up here." "Oh!" I sit up, theforter falling to reveal my bare chest as I reach for Easton''s towel and pull it off his body. "Get in bed, big boy. We''re gonna fuck." Easton bursts outughing. "Big boy? We''re gonna fuck? Harper, what the hell is wrong with you?" I grab his hand and pull him toward the bed. He copses on the mattress, on top of me and I try to kick the covers away. Which only results in me almost kicking him in nuts. ¡°Damn it, watch out," he chastises as he dodges my overeager foot while I shove theforterpletely out of our way. "If you think this is forey, you''ve got it all wrong." "Shut up and kiss me." I thrust my fingers into his damp hair and pull him down, so his mouth meets mine. I slide my tongue against his with a low moan and I can tell he¡¯s already hard. Reaching between us, I wrap my fingers around the base of his cock and stroke, continuing where we left off before we were so rudely interrupted by the most terrible person on the. "They''ll be here any minute," I whisper against Easton''s lips. He hesitates. "Who?" "ke and Aisha. I want them to hear us." I lift my hips, rubbing my lower body against his. Easton¡¯s eyes almost cross. "I want them to hear me when you make me scream." His eyes shimmer with promise as he wraps his arm around my waist and hauls me into position. He nudges his hips between my thighs, guiding his cock inside of me with one sure push, my body ready for him. I move with him, our bodies recognizing each other, a whispery moan leaving me with his every thrust. "Need to be louder than that." He goes still, but only for a moment. "Pretty sure I hear them in the hall.¡± He starts to thrust harder. Faster. Not being careful or delicate. He''s practically shoving my body up the mattress with his hips and I moan louder. "That''s all you''ve got?" He reaches between us, his fingers finding my clit as he begins to stroke. Pinch. Stroke again. "Oh God." He circles my clit. Faster and faster. "Oh God.¡± "Say my name, baby. Let them know who''s about to make youe." He drives his cock into my body again and again, his fingers working their magic on my clit, and I can feel my orgasm rising. "Eastonnnnnnnn." I moan his name so loud I''m thinking Sadie and Ryan can hear me too, but I don''t care. My boyfriend is grinning, looking mighty pleased with himself as he keeps thrusting. "That''s right. Never forget who owns this pretty pussy.¡± "It''s all yours," I say with a whimper, the orgasm sweeping over me, leaving me a shuddering, shaky mess. Easton slows his pace and dips his head, stealing a kiss before he whispers against my lips, "You own me too, Harp. Body and soul." My heart feels like it just cracked wide open at his sweet words. I pull him in for another kiss, not even caring anymore about putting on a show for ke and Aisha. I can only concentrate on Easton and what he''s doing to me. What he means to me. How much I care about him. How protective he is of me. He owns me, body and soul too. Chapter 99 Chapter 99 Easton I wake up to gentle fingers touching my face and crack my eyes open to find Harper fully dressed and standing beside the bed, smiling down at me. "I have good news and bad news." "What''s the good news?" I ask warily. "Sadie didn''tmit murderst night." "And what''s the bad news?" "Aisha is still alive, and she''s currently in the kitchen making breakfast for everyone.¡± She wrinkles her nose. ¡°Do you think she''s going to poison us?¡± "Probably." I reach out and take her hand. "Come back to bed." "I need to go watch over Sadie before she gives in to her urges and tries to kill Aisha." She tries to pull out of my grip but I just squeeze tighter. "Easton,e on. Let me go.¡± "No." I pull her much like she did to mest night and she falls onto the bed, sprawled across me. "I want you for breakfast. Nothing else." Her face is in mine, a big smile on it. ¡°But she said she''s making your favorite. French toast.¡± I''m not about to admit French toast is my actual favorite breakfast food. How the fuck does Aisha know that? "I hate French toast. I prefer waffles." "Uh huh." Harper''s voice is full of doubt. "And bacon." "Oh, she''s making that too. She says she''s been up since six, preparing our meal. That was over two hours ago. What did she do, go out and ughter the pig herself?" Harper''s brows shoot up. My girlfriend is aedian. ¡°You''re funny." I dig my fingers into her ribs, tickling her. C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. Making herugh. ¡°Easton.¡± She tries to wiggle out of my grip, but I take her with me as I roll over, so she¡¯s pinned beneath my body. "What are you doing?" "Gonna have you for breakfast." I kiss her, shutting her up with my lips. She gives in with ease, her arms winding around my neck as my hands shove her T-shirt up, my fingers trailing over her stomach. Next thing I know, I''ve got her leggings and panties pulled down to her ankles and my mouth on her pussy. I feast on her as if she¡¯s my actual breakfast, sucking her clit between my lips. Thrusting my fingers deep inside of her, curling them to nudge that spot that makes her wild. It works, She''sing all over my face in minutes, until she falls in a heap on the mattress, breathless and in a daze, her arm thrown over her eyes. I kiss the inside of her thigh once. Twice. Watching her the entire time until she drops her arm and looks down at me. "I think I might be the one dying this weekend. From too many orgasms." "What a way to go." I shift up, so I can press a kiss to her stomach. The spot between her tits. Her shirt is shoved up beneath her chin and I gently pull the fabric down until her upper body is covered and just as I''m about to lean in and kiss her on the mouth, I hear voices. "Breakfast is ready!" Aisha yells. "Let''s feast, motherfuckers!" This from ke. We stare at each other, Harper reaching out to brush her fingers against my chin. "You''re messy.¡± "Think I should walk down there looking like this? Can you imagine Aisha asking me what''s on my face and I tell her your pussy juices?¡± I startughing. Harper wrinkles her nose. "Juices?" "What else can I call it?¡± I climb off the bed and spank her bare ass, making her yelp. "Come on, baby. Let''s go eat." "Didn''t you do enough of that already?" The smirk on my girl''s face is adorable. I go back to the bed and lean down to kiss her, just before I rub my face all over hers, making her squeal. "Now we''ll both smell like your pussy." "You''re so gross,¡± she says on augh. "You fucking love it.¡± Herughter dies, her eyes glowing as she stares at me. "I do.¡± Well fuck. That got real serious quick. Once we''re dressed and cleaned up, we head to the kitchen, where Sadie appears to be mainlining coffee and Ryan sits next to her at the kitchen counter, his hand on her arm as if he''s holding her down. Which he might be, I don''t know. Aisha is puttering around the kitchen like she''s fucking Betty Crocker. She''s even got an apron tied around her waist. "There you guys are! I was going to send ke up to check on you." "That would''ve been awkward since I was eating out Harper not even five minutes ago,¡± I say. Harper ps my arm and res at me. Ryan averts his gaze, his expression pained. I love you so much, Sadie mouths at me. "He''s just kidding,¡± Harper says into the silence, but we all know. I wasn''t kidding. Aisha pretends I never said it, that pasted on smile curling her lips. ¡°Ladies first! Come serve yourselves." Ryan whispers something to Sadie before she slides off the stool to go grab a te. I drop a kiss on Harper''s lips before I give her a shove toward the counter where all the food awaits. These girls don''t want to get close to Aisha, and I get it. She''s the enemy. I nce over at ke who''s smiling at me like an idiot. His hair is a mess, escaping his man bun and I flick my chin at him. ¡°What''s your deal?" "Nothing, man, Feeling good on a Sunday morning." His smile turns into a grin. "The fresh mountain air just does it for me, you know? That and listening to the two of you fucking all night long. Talk about invigorating.¡± I don''t even flinch at his mentioning that he listened in on us. Not that it could be helped. Harper was loud on purpose¡ªat first. "I thought you''d be too busy with Aisha to pay much attention to us." "When you''ve got your girl moaning your name over and over again, you can''t help but notice.¡± ke steps closer. ¡°What''s the secret, huh? Is she really that into you? Or is she just a greedy little whore who needs dick constantly?" Ilunge for him, grabbing the front of his shirt and pulling him close so I''m in his face. "What the fuck, dude?¡± ¡°Hey, hey, break it up!" Ryan runs over to us, shoving me away so I have no choice but to let ke go. "What the hell is wrong now?" "I was just kidding," ke says, that same shit eating grin on his face. ¡°Don''t have to be so sensitive." nce around the room, shaking Ryan off of me. The girls are all gaping at us¡ªat me. ke''s blowing this off, like he didn''t just say what he did. But he said it. And eventually, the fucker is gonna pay. Chapter 100 Chapter 100 Harper I can admit the breakfast Aisha made us is delicious. Ugh, though it kills me. The French toast is cooked to golden perfection. The maple syrup is thick and sweet, and that hint of powdered sugar sprinkled on top? Yummy. The bacon is crisp yet chewy. The coffee is strong. She cut up all kinds of fruit for us to eat as well and the watermelon is sweet. The strawberries juicy and red. The grapes I avoid because... I hate grapes. Oh well, guess it¡¯s not the perfect breakfast. Sadie is shoveling food in her mouth with her nose wrinkled in disgust, but she''s enjoying it. I know she is. We all are. Damn it. "Who knew you could cook?" ke says when he''s finished eating, leaning back in his chair and patting his belly like he''s a chubby old man. "That was fucking good, Aisha." She beams from her spot at the head of the table. "Thank you. I love cooking meals for my friends. It''s like my lovenguage." Sadie and I share a look across the table. Lovenguage? She is so full of shit. "Guys, we need to clean up some outside before we leave,¡± Easton announces. "My dad texted me and said there''s a storming inter." nce at his te¡ªempty. Guess he doesn''t hate French toast after all. "Let''s do it." Ryan leaps to his feet, seemingly eager to get out of here, I guess. Though we aren''t going to leave right after breakfast, are we? I mean¡ªand oh my God I can''t even believe I''m thinking this¡ªbut I feel kind of bad that ke and Aisha show uptest night and then we''re going to head home right after she made us this amazing breakfast? Easton leans over to whisper in my ear. "You don''t mind staying in here with Aisha for a little bit? She''s being okay, right?" I slowly shake my head, trying to pretend like it won''t bother me. "No, I don''t mind. I''ll make sure Sadie doesn''t shove her hand in the garbage disposal." "That''s my girl." He kisses me, his mouth lingering before he pulls away and when I nce over in Aisha''s direction I find her ring at me, her eyes narrowed. Huh. She hasn''t changed one bit. She hates me. She hates that Easton and I are together. "We''ll help you clean up the kitchen," I tell her sweetly, offering her a smile. Aisha smiles in return. "That would be so great, thank you. I appreciate the help." "Well, we appreciate the breakfast.¡± Sadie is mute and I kick her in the shin, making her yelp. She sends me a look. I re, tilting my head in Aisha''s direction. "Right. Yeah. We appreciate it," Sadie says weakly. Once the guys go outside, we start gathering up the tes on the table and bring them in the kitchen. Aisha is already at the sink, rinsing out dishes and loading them in the dishwasher. We quietly clean the kitchen, none of us uttering a word to each other with the exception of a murmured "thank you" or ¡°excuse me" every few minutes. It''s weird. I can hear the boys outside talking andughing while we''re acting like we''re at a funeral. ¡°Look, I gotta know,¡± Sadie says out of nowhere. "Are you with ke for real, Aisha?" Aisha turns off the water and dries her hand on a dishtowel. "What do you mean am I with him for real? We''re...friends." "With benefits?" Sadie asks. "I don''t see how that''s any of your business,¡± Aisha says haughtily. Sadie sends me a look. "Just curious." I remain quiet. Aisha turns her attention to me. "You have nothing to say?¡± "What do you want me to say? Thanks for breakfast? I can give you that. I''m so happy you showed up with kest night? Yeah, can''t lie. You''re most likely using him to get at..." N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. I mp my lips shut and she smiles, waving a hand at me. "Go on. Finish what you wanted to say,¡± she encourages. ¡°You''re using him to get at¡ªme." Aisha throws back her head andughs. Andughs. Andughs some more. Sadie nces over at me and I roll my eyes, crossing my arms. "Who''s using who is the question,¡± Aisha says once herughter has died. "You don''t think ke is using me?" "I don''t care who''s using who, I just know that your motives aren''t pure," I throw at her. Aisha arches a brow as she approaches me. "Oh, and yours are? Little Miss Virgin Harper? Give me a break. I heard you screaming your head offst night. ¡®Oh Easton, fuck me, Easton¡¯.¡± She rolls her eyes. "Pathetic performance. Four out of ten. Zero creativity.¡± "You''re just jealous," I spit at her, hating how herments make me feel. I was so excited to put on my little performance for themst night. Rub it in both of their faces that Easton and I are having terrific sex and we''re happy. Genuinely happy. ¡°Jealous of you?" Aisha sneers as she looks me up and down. "Please. Easton is going to realize soon enough that you''re boring. He''ll move on and leave you crying and alone, and that''s when he''lle back to me." "What about ke?" Sadie asks. "He can console Harper after Easton breaks up with her. He wants her bad enough.¡± Aisha shakes her head. "I don''t get what they see in you. Maybe it''s because you spread your legs so easily?" I see red. I want to rip out every strand of hair from her head. I''m lunging toward her with my hands out, but Sadie steps directly in front of me, blocking me. ¡°I think you''re confusing Harper with yourself, babe," Sadie says, her tone smug. "Right. Since I''ve fucked around with every single one of these guys in this house at one point or another." Aisha''s arrogant smile is infuriating and she aims it directly at Sadie. "I wonder if Ryan still thinks of me when he''s with you." Oh. Shit. That was the absolute wrong thing for Aisha to say. It turns intoplete chaos. ¡°Oh, that is it. I''m legit going to murder her, Harp. I am!" Sadie screams as she starts for Aisha. I try to stop her, but she shoves me out of the way, and I slide onto the tile floor,nding on my butt. Aisha shrieks and runs for the door that leads outside, Sadie hot on her tail. "ke! Oh my God, ke!" Chapter 101 Chapter 101 Easton We''re not really cleaning up much out here. More like the three of us are shooting the shit and talking about taking the boat out with the girls before we head home. asionally, we''ll toss a chair cushion back on the couch and pick up the beer bottles and cans we left scattered on the tables fromst night, throwing them all away in the discrete trash can that sits nearby. The back door suddenly swings open and Aisha bursts outside, screaming like she''s being chased by a serial killer with Sadie following after her, that serious expression on her face telling me she''s intent on murdering her, just as she promised. "ke, oh my God, tell her to stop!" Aisha yells as she runs into his arms, panting like she''s just ran ten miles. He holds her close, rubbing her back as he res at Sadie. ¡°What the fuck is your problem?¡± "Don''t talk to her like that," Ryan interjects, defending his girl. Aw, so sweet. Though we''ve got no time for sentiment right now. "Sadie, what happened?" I ask as Ryan goes to her and wraps his arms around her, pulling her close and ring at ke and Aisha. "She''s aplete bitch," Sadie practically snarls, pointing at Aisha. "Talking so much shit to us, yet acting like an innocent angel for you guys. Don''t fall for her lies, ke¡ªshe''s a psycho!" Damn. If anyone is acting like a psycho right now... I hate to say it, but Sadie is borderline hysterical. "I''m the psycho?" Aisha turns in ke''s arms, her back to his front as she rests her hand on her chest. "You''re the one who''s chasing me with a knife!¡± Sadie nces down at her empty hands before holding them out in front of her. "I don''t have a knife, you fucking whore bag.¡± "Hey, no need for name calling,¡± ke says fiercely. "We can talk about this like reasonable adults." "Reasonable? She''s using me of chasing her with a knife when I never even had one! What the hell are you talking about?" Sadie sounds on the verge of tears and Ryan tucks her close to him, rubbing her back as he whispers to her. I can only assume he''s trying to calm her down. The triumphant expression on Aisha''s face is unmistakable. The girl is trying to make Sadie look like she''s out of her mind, and it''s working. Such a maniptive bitch. Harper suddenly appears in the open doorway, rubbing her ass with a pained expression on her face. "Everything okay out here?" I rush toward her, crowding her in the doorway, my voice low so no one else can hear me. "Are you okay?" "I fell.¡± She winces when I rest my hand on her right ass cheek. "Landed on my butt." "What do you mean, you fell?" Sadie rushes over, a contrite expression on her face. "I''m so sorry I pushed you. I didn''t mean to. I don''t know my own strength sometimes, I swear." What the hell? Sadie pushed Harper? Maybe Aisha is right. N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. Maybe Sadie is the troublemaker in this situation. ¡°It''s no big deal," Harper says, reaching out to grab Sadie¡¯s hand and give it a squeeze. "I''m fine. Justnded hard on that cold tile floor." Everyone starts talking over each other after that. Ryan is yelling at ke. ke is yelling at Sadie. Harper keeps insisting she''s okay while I keep asking her to tell me what exactly happened in the kitchen. Aisha stands off to the side by herself, a witness to the chaos that I know she caused while never saying a damn word. Smug bitch. "Okay, that''s it. We''re done," I finally announce loudly, everyone going silent. "Let''s pack it up and head home." "I thought we were going out on theke¡ª" ke starts, but I shut him up with a pointed look. "Sadie, I''m so sorry if you thought I said something to hurt your feelings.¡± Aisha says, her eyes wide and her lips formed into a pout. As if she''s the innocent victim in all of this. "Fuck off," Sadie mutters as she walks past her and heads straight into the house, Ryan following after her. "I''m going to our room to pack up my stuff." Harper tells me. I kiss her cheek and pat her ass. ¡°Go on in, babe. I''ll be there in a few." I watch her pull the door shut before I turn my attention to ke and Aisha. "I don''t know what the hell you did just now, but you''re not wee here anymore." ke steps in front of Aisha as if he''s going to actually try and defend her, "She did nothing, Easton. It''s obvious Sadie went off her meds or whatever and now she''s making up lies." ¡°Pretty sure the only one lying here is Aisha." I pause for a moment, letting my words sink in. "And possibly you, ke.¡± He rests his hands on his hips, squinting at me as if he doesn''t recognize me anymore. I feel the same way, bro, is what I want to tell him. But I keep my lips shut. ¡°I''m not lying about anything. I thought we were good. I came here to have fun. Aisha just cooked all of us a huge breakfast. She''s trying to make peace with the girls, and this is how they treat her?" He scratches the back of his head, his man bun wobbling with the movement. "This is all kinds of fucked up. Come on, Aisha. We''re out of here.¡± "I need to get my stuff,¡± she whines. "Let''s go then." ke heads for the back door, Aisha following him, but I grab her arm, stopping her. "I know what you''re up to," I whisper. ¡°It won''t work." Her smile is like a baring of teeth. "You don''t have any idea who you''re dealing with, do you?¡± She flounces away with her nose in the air and I slowly shake my head. Damn, I really don''t trust that girl. Not one fucking bit. Chapter 102 Chapter 102 Harper As I''m in the bedroom, packing up my things, I hear a door m and a long, drawn-out puff of aire from the other side of it. There''s no question in my mind who it came from, I know it''s the room Aisha is sharing with ke and I''m positive it''s her reaction to Easton telling them their sorry asses need to leave. I don¡¯t know for sure that he kicked them out, but I can''t imagine him offering a ride on his jet ski after the shit she just pulled. Thest few minutes have been crazier than I can handle. First, Ind on my ass, then Aisha uses Sadie of chasing her with a knife, and then it''s full chaos as we all speak over each other, trying to share our own sides of the story. No one listening, no one trying to reason, everyone just pointing fingers. There''s only one person guilty here. Aisha. The minute she showed up with ke, I knew our fun, rxing weekend was over, and stress was about to ensue. I don''t care if the bitch makes the best French toast in the world, she needs to go. As I hear her thrash around inside the room, I suspect she''s getting ready to do just that. Thank God. I finish putting thest of my stuff into my bag and I make my way into the living room, sitting next to Sadie on the couch, a front row seat for when the parade of losers finally leave. My best friend looks like hell. Her hair is a mess, sticking out the sides of her hoodie as it''s drawn over her head, some type of stain on her leggings that I didn''t notice before. ¡°Are you all right? '' "I''m about tomit murder. '' She looks at me, her hands clenching on herp, her lips grim, eyes so dark I can barely see her pupils. "Honestly, how do you think I''m doing? '' Her mouth parts and she practically growls. "A knife? Really? Like I would ever. '' I want tough, but I''m afraid she''ll reach for my throat. "I mean ... you do want to disassemble her limb by limb, but a knife is a serious stretch. '' "She was trying to make me look like a psycho in front of my boyfriend. '' She sighs, wrapping her arms around her stomach. "And to know her and Ryan have hooked up, makes me ill. '' She pauses. ¡°Like want to puke kind of ill. '' "Hey. '' I put my hand on her shoulder, squeezing it. "She''s been with , too. We can be sick together. '' ¡°I hate her. '' ¡°L hate her more. '' I nce toward the hallway, hoping she''ll be walking through it. But it sits empty, no sign of ke or Aisha anywhere. ¡°What do you think they''re doing in the bedroom? I mean, how long does it take to throw one night''s worth of shit into a bag and zip it up? '' "Maybe they''re fucking. You know, leaving a nice, big stain on theforter. Their parting gift, like the loud, shouty sex you gave them as their weing present. '' "That''s a visual I won''t ever recover from, '' I say. "Good, now you feel as shitty as I do right now. '' "Sadie ... '' ¡°Harp, I don''t think you realize what Aisha is doing. She''s the most maniptive bitch I''ve ever met in my life. She''s trying to take us all down¡ª make me mad at Ryan, make you mad at Easton, have Ryan and Easton think we''re positively nuts. Hell, she''s probably trying to tear the boys apart, too. '' She pauses and there''s a shift in her eyes, a pain I haven''t seen before. ¡°Part of me thinks it''s working. '' My other hand goes to her free shoulder, mping down. "Stop right there. We''re not going to let this bitch win. I don¡¯t care how convincing she is, our guys won''t believe her. '' ¡°But they''re thinking about the things she said, therefore she¡¯s already won. '' "Over my dead body. '' ¡°We wouldn''t be so lucky, '' Aisha says. My head whips in her direction, not knowing how long she''s been standing at the mouth of the hallway, but obviously long enough to hear what I just said. "I don''t understand what you''re still doing here, '' I spit at her. ¡°Haven''t you done enough damage? You must be dumb enough to think we want you here¡ªlet me spell it out, in terms you''ll understand: we despise you, we want you gone. '' I point at the front door. "Now. '' "Someone''s just salty because I fucked her boyfriend before she did ... '' A smile moves across her vile lips. ¡°Fuck you! '' I shout. ¡°Oh, you whore, I wasn''t talking to you. '' She nods toward Sadie, her bag dropping from her shoulder, now resting on the floor, as her arms cross over her chest. "I was talking to her. '' Sadie goes to stand up. I know she''s probably going to go into the kitchen and really get a knife this time, so I extend an arm across her body, stopping her from moving. "Stay right where you are, '' I warn Sadie, letting her know I''m serious. Once I''m sure she won''t move, I stand up and approach Aisha. "I''ve never met a more jealous, insecure cunt in my life. You''re standing there, bragging about who you''ve slept with while all it''s doing is making you look like a slut. Take your shit"¡ªI grab her bag off the floor¡ª"and get the fuck out. '' I carry the bag to the door and fling it open, tossing the bag outside onto the ground. When I nce behind me, Aisha hasn''t moved, but her mouth is open, eyes wide. "ke! '' I yell across the house. "ke, your slut is ready to be taken back to her brothel. '' ¡°Whoa, whoa, '' ke says, suddenly appearing in the living room. ¡°I''ve had it, '' I tell him. "With Aisha, with her lies, with her drama¡ªwith all of it. '' Easton has now joined us, and I bare my teeth while I shout at ke and Aisha, "Get out right this second. '' ¡°Harper¡ª '' "Don''t, '' I warn ke, cutting him off, not giving a shit about what he wants to say. "The only thing I want to see is your backs as you walk out the door and the sound of your car as you drive away. '' He says nothing for a few seconds, and then he grabs Aisha¡¯s arm and leads her outside, picking her bag up from where I''d tossed it. I m the front door shut the minute they''re gone, and I look at the faces around the room, all of us now in here. "Bossdy, '' Easton says, smiling. ¡°Damn, I kinda like when you get mad, '' my brother says. I nce at my best friend and say, "Sadie? Are you okay? '' She stands from the couch, her gaze locked on Ryan. ¡°Did you fuck her? '' "Sadie¡ª '' N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. She puts her finger up, silencing me and res at Ryan and adds, "You told me you were a virgin, that I took your virginity this weekend. Is that true? Or did you fuck her and lie to me about it?" Chapter 103 Chapter 103 Easton Oh shit. Between Harper tossing ke and Aisha out¡ª something I''d already done and they hadn''t listened¡ª and Sadie asking Ryan if he fucked Aisha, I don''t know which is more wild. Maybe it''s the possibility that my best friend hadn''t fucked anyone before Sadie. That little yer made his way around school, the same way I did. But he hadn''t slept with any of the girls he hooked up with? Now that''s mind¡ªblowing. "Sadie ... '' C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. Ryan starts. "Don''t fucking Sadie me, '' she responds. I look at my girl who''s taken a seat on the couch, staying far away from this argument. Hell, I don''t me her, it''s her brother and his sex life. That''s ano touch zone. "L need an answer, Ryan. I need to know the truth if you want this rtionship tost a second longer. '' He moves across the room and tries to put his hands on her waist, but she pulls away. ¡°Answer me, '' she snarls. His face drops, no longer making eye contact with her. Oh damn. I can feel Sadie''s anger building from all the way over here. ¡°You know what kills me the most? '' Ryan says. "That you''re questioning whether I told you the truth or not. That you listened to her and doubted me. '' "You''re turning this around on me? How dare you- '' "You''re furious that Aisha made you look like a lunatic outside, chasing after her with a knife when it wasn''t true. Meanwhile, she stuck a knife in my back and you''re kicking me while I''m down. '' My eyes are bouncing between Sadie and Ryan, taking in both of their expressions, feeling both sides. ¡°I need to hear you Say it, '' she whispers. "I need it, Ryan. '' "I didn''t fuck her. '' Sadie puts her hands over her face, bending forward, like she''s just finished running and she''s trying to catch her breath. But I know she''s just trying to hide her emotion. She feels emotionally beaten. We all do at this point. I walk over to the couch and sit next to Harper, pulling her against me. She doesn''t move as easily as I want her to. In fact, her body is stiff, almost frozen. ¡°What''s going on, baby? '' "That was ... '' She shakes her head. ¡°I can''t, Easton. I just can''t. '' "Can''t what? '' I turn her face, so she looks at me. ¡°Breathe. '' She gets up and rushes down the hallway to our room and I nce back at Ryan and Sadie, Sadie now hurrying after , leaving Ryan and I staring at each other. ¡°What in the literal fuck, '' I say to him. He puts his hands in the air like I''m pointing a gun at him. "I have no fucking idea what just happened. It''s like the goddamn Twilight Zone just exploded in here. '' I smile, remembering the highlights, and the one I want to bring up. "So, V¡ªcard, huh? At theke house out of all ces¡ª '' "Shut it, '' he warns. "Seriously, not a fucking word about it. '' I didn''t know my boy was a virgin, I certainly didn''t think he''d be losing it this weekend. As much as I want to give him shit, I don''t, I sit on the couch and run my hands through my hair, moving on to a more pressing matter. Like the girls. How am I going to fix this? How am I going to get everyone talking again? We can''t leave theke with two pissed off girls, not muttering a word during the drive home. I nce up at my friend who''s pacing between the living room and kitchen, feeling as fucked up as me ¡ªlI can tell. ¡°Listen, man, we still have a few hours until we have to leave, '' I tell Ryan. ¡°Why not make the most of it? '' He pauses by the back of the couch. "What are you suggesting? You have to drive, so that leaves just me drinking my face off. '' "Nah, for once, I''m not suggesting booze. How about some fun on the water? I''ll put Harper on the back of my jet ski, Sadie on yours. We can ride some wake and forget about thest few hours of hell. '' ¡°Do you honestly think you can make that happen? '' He nods toward the hallway where both girls disappeared. "I''ll let you do the honors, I''m not stepping foot in that bedroom. '' I can make this right. Somehow, I have to believe that. I push myself off the couch. "Give me five minutes, '' I say over my shoulder and stop at the closed door, my hand hovering over the wood before I knock on it. I don''t wait for a response, I just open it and peek my head in. "I''vee with an idea. '' ¡°You''d be much better off if you wereing in, bearing gifts, '' Harper says. ¡°Or a death sentence for Aisha and ke, '' Sadie responds. Tears are streaming down both girls faces, the snot is running, there are tissues all over the bed where they''re sitting. I join them on the other side of the mattress, keeping my distance¡ªbecause I know better¡ªbut getting close enough so they can really hear me. ¡°We can''t let them ruin the end of our trip. We still have time left before we have to leave, I think we should spend it having fun, not lying in bed, hating two people who don''t deserve a second of our attention. '' My baby looks at Sadie, and back to me. "What do you have in mind? '' I want to cup her cheek and tell her how badly I need her to grin for me. But I don''t. Again, because I Know better. So, I bite my lower lip and offer, ¡°Some jet skiing? '' I nod toward the window. "The storm that''sing has set off some sick waves. It would be a real shame if we didn''t go take advantage of the wake. '' "I don''t know ... '' This time, I don''t stop myself from reaching forward, holding Harper''s neck steady. "You don''t know what? '' I brush my thumb across her cheek. "Because I know how much fun we can have in the water, and I know it''ll take our minds off the train wreck we just witnessed and it''ll be the best ending to an amazing vacation. '' Harper''s eyes start to soften as she stares at me. Just so she doesn''t think it, I add, "Nothing excuses what that bitch said and how she acted. But I''m not going to let herme ass¡ªor ke''s¡ª ruin my time at theke. Fuck that and fuck them. '' Harper nces at Sadie and says, "What do you say? Do you want to change into our bikinis and go jet skiing for a bit before we head home? '' ¡°On one condition, '' Sadie replies. "What''s that? '' I ask. ¡°I get to drive. '' Iugh, even louder as I think of Ryan''s face when Sadie tells him he''s about to ride bitch. "You can take that up with Ryan, '' I tell her. "Oh, I n on it, '' she snaps. "Along with a few other details that I need to get off my chest. '' I chuckle. "Be easy on my boy. '' It''s a good thing Ryan can handle pain because he''s about to get a verbal beating. Chapter 104 Chapter 104 Harper Fun is exactly what we need, Easton was right, and I realize that the second I''m on the back of his jet ski, going at least a million miles per hour toward the uing wave. I wrap my arms around his waist, burying my face in his neck, squeezing my eyes together as we m into the wave, sending us shooting into the air. ¡°Abhh! '' I scream, holding onto him for dear life. ¡°Fuck, yeah! ''he shouts. I don¡¯t know how high we get, but I lose my stomach on the descent, the jet ski pping the water as wend. I can''t stop screaming, I can''t stopughing. And I only get a second to recover before he''s driving toward another wave. ¡°Hold on, ''he warns, "this is going to be a big one. '' I don¡¯t know how it can be taller than thest one, but it is and we hit air again, my lungs emptying on the way up. ¡°Watch out, it''s going to be a hell of a ssh, ''he says. My mouth fills with freezing water, my body feels like it''s on a roller¡ªcoaster, I can''t see anything, I''m as cold as ice, and I''m positive I''m not breathing. But I don''t want him to stop. I don''t even want him to slow down. I want to be on this ride forever. As I nce behind me, Sadie is weaving her and Ryan around the water, following us into the crests, and I can hear themughing from behind me. "Are you all right? '' Easton asks as I look forward again. I squeeze him, smiling even though he can''t see me. "More than all right. '' ¡°Just making sure I haven''t scared you to death. '' "Impossible. '' "Oh, yeah? Is that a dare? '' I know I shouldn''t say this, but I can''t help myself. "I''m surprised this is all you''ve got ... I thought you could do better. '' ¡°Oh, fuck, ''heughs. "Your ass better hold on. ''He shows me his grinning lips. ¡°An ass I''m not going to be gentle with.At all. '' Tingles spread through me as he gives me a kiss, and then we''re suddenly charging through the water, heading straight for a ridiculouslyrge wave. One that promises to take us out. But navigates it perfectly, sting us upward and tilting the nose of the jet ski forward so we don''t capsize. Water sshes around us as wend, more of it entering my mouth, stinging my eyes, burning my lungs. I still can''t stop giggling. I can''t stop urging him to do, "More! Higher! '' He rubs his hand over my bare thigh. "Man, you''re fucking perfect for me. '' I hold those words in my heart and clench him with all my strength as we follow another path of waves, zig zagging across, Easton revving the gas sO we''re speeding over the top of the water. I don''t know how long we chase the waves, but at the first crack of thunder, followed by a massive bolt of lightning, we know it''s time to head back. Easton ties the jet skis to his dock, and we all hurry up thewn toward the house, grabbing towels on our way in. "Shower? ''I say to Easton. He smiles. ¡°Let me grab a drink and I''ll meet you in there. '' I know exactly what''s going to happen once he joins me, and he reconfirms that when he ps my ass. "I''m freezing, ''Sadie says, shivering, as she walks with me through the living room. ¡°Go warm up¡ªshower, whatever¡ªthen we''ll make some lunch and head out.Sound good? '' "Perfect, ''she replies. When I get to our room, I quickly check my phone, seeing if I missed any notifications, like Aisha posting something on Instagram about her time here. The first thing I see is several missed calls from my mom. She knows I''m here, I¡¯m not sure what she could be calling about. I call her back, holding the phone to my ear. ¡°Thank God, you''re all right, '' she says after the first ring. I hold the towel tighter against my chest. "I''m fine, Mom, why? '' ¡°A giant storm is heading this way. The roads are going to be a mess. You need toe home right this second. '' I nce around the room, seeing Easton''s stuff everywhere. I know Sadie and Ryan aren''t packed and we still have to pick up the house, we certainly can''t leave it in its messy state. "It''s going to be at least an hour before we leave, '' I tell her. "That''ll be toote, honey. They say the driving conditions are going to be terrible, they''re encouraging everyone to stay off the roads. '' ¡°I don''t know what to do. '' I push against my temple where a headache is starting. N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. I don''t want Easton to have to drive in a storm, it could take us hours to get back. "Maybe we should stay here another night until the roads are clear in the morning. '' She''s silent for a few moments. "That would mean you''d miss school tomorrow. '' "Mom, I have straight A''s and I haven''t been sick all year. '' That isn¡¯t true¡ªEaston has made me emotionally ill plenty of mornings where I''d cried myself to sleep the night before, but I still ended up going to school. "If I miss one day, it won''t be the worst thing. '' "I don''t know ... '' ¡°I''m with Ryan and Sadie and Easton, there''s nothing to worry about.I promise.I''ll make up whatever homework I miss. '' ¡°Well, I don''t want you to be on the road when the storm hits, and I guess the only way to avoid that is to have you and Ryan stay put. '' She sighs. "All right, I''ll call the school in the morning. But, before you leave, I want you to call me and check in, okay? '' ¡°Promise. '' "You be safe. Tell Ryan the same. '' ¡°Okay, Mom. Love you. '' I hang up just as Easton is entering the room and I say, "Call your parents and have them dismiss you from school tomorrow. '' I wave my phone in the air before I set it down. "Mom says the roads will be too bad to drive home. '' He gnaws on his lip. "You mean I get another night with you. In my bed. Fuck yes. '' I grin as I think of all the things he''s going to do to me. "Hold that thought, '' I say, wiggling out of his grip. ¡°I need to tell Sadie the news, I''ll be right back. '' He tries to grab me, and Iugh as I rush out of the room and hurry into Sadie''s. Ryan is lying on the bed. Sadie, still in her bikini, is packing her things into her bag. "Call your parents and let them know we''re crashing here until tomorrow, ''I tell her.She freezes. "Why? '' "Mom says they don''t want anyone on the roads, the storm is going to be really bad. '' "Sweet! '' she replies. "See you guys in a little bit. '' I hurry back to my room where Easton is already in the shower. I strip off my bikini and step into therge walk¡ª in, the hot steam hitting me immediately. "So ... ''I say from behind him. He turns around, revealing the sexiest, ripped body that I instantly reach for. ¡°What do you want to do to me?" Chapter 105 Chapter 105 Harper Easton wraps a towel around me before grabbing one for himself and we get out of the shower. There''s an ache between my legs, a soreness in my nipples, my ass still stinging from everything he had done to me while we were in there. Everything he had made me feel. Everything he had done to my body. C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. Sadie had spoken about sex before she started dating my brother. She told me about the things I could expect, the physical part, anyway. She described it in ways so I could somewhat anticipate what was going to happen the first time I was with Easton. But she never told me about this¡ªthis feeling in my chest whenever I''m with him. This tightness. This fluttering that loops up to my throat, an endless pattern of puttering, pounding, and pure affection. I can''t get enough of him. Or of his smile, which is spread across his lips right now, watching me in the mostly fogged up mirror above the sink, just enough of a clear sliver that I can see his eyes as he moves behind me. He grabs another towel and wipes the drips off my back and shoulders and the ones that fall down over my elbows. When he''s done, he turns me toward him, and pulls me into his arms. "I''ve never been so thankful for a storm, ''he says. "Why? '' ¡°Because this wouldn''t have happened. '' I feel a blush move past my cheeks, stealing a quick nce at the shower. It was a performance that even surprised me. Knowing Easton appreciates my curves makes me more secure in my body. His love of my body makes me want to try things, it makes me want to step outside that box that I originally felt sofortable in. "That was one of the best showers I''ve ever taken, '' I admit, even though I''m pretty sure there''s still conditioner in my hair and I only washed half my body. "No, not that. '' His hand finds my face, holding it so my chin is aimed up at him, his eyes scanning mine. "Il mean, yeah that was definitely sexy as fuck, but that''s not what I meant at all. '' He takes my hand and brings me over to the bed, sitting me in the spot where I''ve slept every night we''ve been here. He goes over to the gas firece, switching it on, the mes immediately rising from the pretty crystal rocks beneath. When he returns, he climbs onto the middle of the bed and while we''re still in our towels, he covers us with a throw nket and pulls me against his chest. There''s silence as Easton runs his hand through my wet hair, our breathing the only noise in the room. I''m about to ask him what''s on his mind, what this is, but he beats me to it and says, "I didn''t expect this, Harper. I guess that¡¯s because I''ve never really done this, this rtionship thing. But it''se out of nowhere and I can''t hold it in anymore. '' I lean up on my elbow, so I can look at his face, hoping his eyes can tell me what he''s talking about since his words are a giant mystery. "I''ve never felt this way before. '' His voice is so soft, honest, purer than he''s ever spoken. "I''ve never worried about anyone before¡ªthings that run through my head when we''re not around each other, like if you''re okay, if you need me. I''ve never wanted to protect anyone as much as I want to protect you. I''ve never had this urge to hurt someone, like what I want to do to ke and Aisha for what they''ve put you through. Harper ... '' His fingers are back on my face, holding me, loving me. ¡°These are all firsts for me and they''re all because of you. '' I swallow, the tightness now in my throat. I don''t know where this emotion ising from, but it''s clear, it''s present, it''s taking over, and I can''t stop it. "You know how I feel about you. '' He shakes his head. "But you''ve never said it. '' "Said ...it? '' I can think of plenty of times when I told him I was crazy about him, I can think of hundreds of examples of ways I''ve shown him. For him to think I haven''t expressed my emotions is almost defeating. I thought, if anything, that''s something I''m decent at. ¡°Easton, I feel terribly disappointed in myself that you feel that way. '' I rest my hand on his chest, realizing the cement is above his heart the minute I start feeling the thumping. "I hate to think you don''t know how I feel about you, that you don''t know there isn''t anything I wouldn''t do for you, that I''m positive there''s no other man more perfect for me than you. '' "Not that, Harper. '' His thumb presses into my cheek and I nuzzle into his palm. ¡°What I mean is, you''ve never told me you love me. '' That word hits me so hard, I almost gasp. Love. A word I''ve only ever said to Sadie and my family. There''s no question, I''ve felt it. I think it was there from the start. If I didn''t love him, if I didn''t always want more from him, I wouldn''t have chased him, I wouldn''t have put up with all the different ways he had treated me like shit. But I''m still here.Head over heels.In love with this man.¡ª '' ¡°No, ''he says, cutting me off. ¡°I want you to hear it from me first. Because when things get tough, when Aisha starts shit and ke tries toe onto you again¡ªthings I''m positive will happen again soon¡ªI want you to remember this moment.I want you to feel it. And I don''t want you to ever doubt it because my feelings aren''t going to change. They''re only going to grow. '' He leans up, pushing his back into the headboard, pulling me closer to him. "I love you, Harper. '' He closes the distance between us, his lips so close I can almost taste them. "I love you so much. '' ¡°Easton ... ''I can hear the emotion in my voice. The tightness has now taken over, the tears threatening to spill. "I love you. ''I swallow again, pushing it down. "I...love you more than love. '' ¡°More than love ... '' He smiles, his lips finally touching mine, his hands holding me against him. Each kiss, I breathe him in, his air settling in my chest, his presence mixing with mine, making us one. "Oh, my mystery girl ... '' I open my eyes, his locked with mine. ¡°Promise me you''ll never leave me, '' he says. "No matter what happens, we''ll fight it, we''ll endure it together.I don''t want to do this without you, Harper.I can''t. '' I love this side of him as much as I love him. I never see it. But I want more of it. ¡°I promise. ''His grip bes even stronger. "Say it again. '' "lL love you, Easton.And I promise.¡± Chapter 106 Chapter 106 Easton As soon as, "I love you, Easton. And I promise, ''leaves her mouth, I kiss her. I kiss her in a way that she''ll never forget. That, in twenty years from now, she''ll look back on and remember the power and strength behind it. The emotion. The love that I have for this girl. Goddamn it, she blows my mind. The moment I pull away, I hear another crack of thunder outside and I know I need to get a fire going in the living room in case we end up losing power. "Are you hungry? '' I ask, giving her onest kiss. She shrugs. "We had a big breakfast. '' She then rolls her eyes. "Not that I could really enjoy it, deep down I worried she was poisoning us. '' Iugh. The thought had crossed my mind, too. I get up from the bed and find her leggings and sweatshirt, tossing both onto the mattress, so she can get dressed. I put on a pair of grey sweats and a hoodie. As I turn toward her, I say, "There''s stuff for s''mores in the pantry. Any interest? '' ¡°Ohhh, ''she groans. "I love those. '' Fuck, she''s gorgeous. She has no makeup on, her hair is a little wild, she''s covered in a sweatshirt that''s hiding most of her sexy body, yet she couldn''t look hotter in this moment. ¡°I''m going to load the firece with wood and get it roaring. Why don''t you go find Sadie and Ryan and see if they''re hungry. There''s frozen patties and hot dogs in the freezer, I can always p some on the grill and we can eat them for dinner¡ªor even breakfast tomorrow. '' She looks at one of the windows, then back at me. ¡°It''s pouring outside. You''ll get soaked. '' "We have a backup grill in the garage. Don''t worry, I won''t get wet in there. '' She wraps her arms around my waist. "You''re right, the storm was the best thing that could have happened to us this weekend. '' I kiss her nose. "I know. ''I p her ass. "Now go. '' I head for the garage where my parents keep the Spare wood and load therge firece with some. I add in some crumpled¡ªup newspaper and find the matches Mom keeps in the kitchen. Once I get the me started, nursing it at first by blowing in some air, I join the group in the living room. "Is it s''more time? ''Sadie asks. She''s holding a long, metal skewer, a marshmallow already at the end. ¡°Have at it, ''I tell her. She squeals as she walks over to the fire, taking a seat on the rocky ledge. ¡°So, what''s everyone feel like doing? Should we watch a movie? y a game? '' A crack of thunderes through the living room, causing Harper to jump. Since the entire back of the house is all windows, we can see the bolt of lightning that follows, shing across the wholeke. ¡°Are we going to lose power? ''Sadie asks. "It''s a strong possibility, '' Ryan replies. "Don''t you agree, Easton? ''I nod. ¡°It happens a lot here whenever there''s a storm. '' "So you must have candles? '' Harper asks. "Sure do, follow me. '' I take her into the kitchen where there''s a whole shelf of candles on the bottom of the pantry. I hand her several, and then grab some shlights. While I give everyone their own shlight, Harper spreads the lit candles throughout the room. ¡°We don''t have to worry about food, '' I tell them. "If we lose power, the grill will still work. '' "Good, because this''ll hold me over for an hour or so, '' Sadie says, "And then hangry will set in. '' "You don''t want to meet hangry, ''Ryan says to me. ¡°Noted. '' Iugh and walk over to the side of the firece where there are several cabs that frame the bottom of the entertainment center. I open one of the doors, reading thebels of the boxes inside. "We''ve got Twister¡ª '' ¡°Ohhh, Twister, ''Sadie says. ¡°A big no to Twister, '' Harper interjects. "Hello, I''m not ying that with my brother. '' N?velDrama.Org ? content. ¡°Good point, '' I say, and then I continue, ¡°Monopoly, Clue, Checkers, Chess¡ª '' My voice cuts off when a pound of thunder roars through the house, a buzzing follows, the lights flickering once before they go out. ¡°Fuck, ''I sigh. "I didn¡¯t expect it to happen that fast, '' Ryan says from the couch, getting up to grab a candle, setting it on the coffee table. I worry that the power won''te back until this storm is over and who knows how long that''s going to be. ¡°We still have s''mores, '' Sadie says, pulling her marshmallow out of the fire. Harper is at the table, and Sadie joins her, adding the graham cracker and chocte. "Mmm, so good. Anyone want one? '' Harper takes the skewer from Sadie¡¯s hand and says, "I''ll make one. '' She smiles at me. "Want to share it? '' I want to eat the chocte off her instead, but I say, "Of course. '' She''s just taking a seat by the fire when there''s a sh of light that shines across the front of the house. I assume it''s just more lightning, but the lightsts, filtering in through the blinds. "What the fuck, ''I say, moving over to the window. I move the blinds away to see what''s going on outside. ¡°What do you see? ''Ryan asks. "I don''t know ... '' I squint, the rain making it hard to distinguish what''s going on out there, the storm making the sky so dark, I can barely see anything, but there''s definitely a sh of light that''s making its way through the trees. "I think it''s a car. '' ¡°Who the hell would be here? '' Ryan asks. "And who would be driving in this storm? '' Harper joins me, the half¡ªcharred marshmallow at the end of her skewer. "I''m freaked. '' "Why, baby. '' I put my arm around her, holding her against me, licking some of the marshmallow off her finger. ¡°I don''t know.The power is out, it''s dark and Halloween¡ªy and no sane person would be on the road right now, yet whoever it is, is driving up your driveway. '' The car parks and it''s too dark to see the make. I can''t even distinguish the color. It looks like the driver''s side door opens and I leave Harper to rush over to the front door, opening it and yelling, ¡°Who''s there? '' There¡¯s no response as the rain pelts down, the crack of the thunder vibrating through the surrounding trees. ¡°Who is it? ''Ryan asks. ¡°Easton, say something, '' Harper adds. I''m squinting again, trying to make out the figure, realizing it''s running right toward me. I squeeze the door handle, not sure if I should keep it open or close it as the figurends on the front porch, pulling their hood back, showing me his face. ¡°Hey, man, '' ke says, winded, just as I hear the sound of the passenger door open, seeing Aisha running straight for me. "The roads are too bad, and we had to turn around ande back. '' Harper is now next to me, her fingers digging so hard into my waist, she''s going to leave a bruise. ¡°l was right ...it''s not a sane person, '' she whispers as soon as Aisha joins ke on the porch. ¡°And this is a damn nightmare." Chapter 107 Chapter 107 Harper I''m in shock. I don¡¯t move for a few minutes after my confession to Easton that their arrival is a nightmare. He grips my hand in his. I squeeze right back. How are we supposed to deal with this? While I don''t like Aisha, okay, I hate her, and I¡¯m at a breaking point with ke, I don¡¯t wish death on them. At least not yet. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s rough out there, '' Ryan finally says, getting up on his feet and grabbing a few nkets. ¡°We were just sitting down to y a few games, you guys hungry? '' Ryan looks like he¡¯d rather shove his head into a toilet then offer them food, but bonus points for actually being nice. I¡¯m still trying to look away from the massive amount of cleavage Aisha is showing. I can¡¯t stop myself from rolling my eyes. I want to toss a sweatshirt at her and then a nket for good measure just so her girls don¡¯t spill out and give the guys a show. I know I''m being ridiculous, but at the same time, I''m so angry that they''re back and ruining our time together once again, I want to scream. ¡°Starved. '' ke plops himself down on the couch, his dark man bun in disarray as if Aisha has had her hands through it. I frown. He meets my gaze, his eyes lock on mine, like he has something to say, which automatically makes me squirm as he licks his lips and winks. What? I quickly look away as Ryan brings over some chips and dip, along with a fifth of whiskey¡ªwow, yeah, because all good choices follow shots of whiskey. Maybe I should numb myself a bit, so I don¡¯tmit homicide because as of right now, as Aisha adjusts her ck top where I swear I almost see nipple, I think prison might be nice. ¡°S$00000. '' ke rubs his hands together, then runs them through his long, jet ck hair, pulling it back into his little bun again, looking effortlessly hot, which just annoys me even more because why the hell is he with Aisha? What a waste. ¡°What were you guys up to before we came back? '' ¡°Rxing, '' I say in an annoyed voice as I lean in closer to Easton and grab his hand. He kisses me on the head almost as if to say hey, it¡¯s fine, it¡¯s just a storm, everything¡¯s all right. The sound of thunder has everyone in the house jumping a foot. And, then, the lights flicker, giving me hope they¡¯ re about toe back on, but my hope is wasted as the room stays deathly dark. ¡°I need to go check on the food, '' Easton says, kissing me on the cheek. He gets up and ke decides to join him along with Ryan. So basically all the boys are ying hero while the girls are sitting in a small circle, staring at each other, waiting to draw blood. It¡¯s awkward as hell. I just want Easton. And more vacation. Moreke. And no Aisha. With her fake blonde hair and emerald green eyes, she''s pretty, I''ll at least give her that, but she uses her beauty as a weapon. She''s the sort of girl who you warn people about, one who will pretend to be your friend to your face while jamming a knife in your back while she says sorry. I shudder. ¡°So. '' Sadie clears her throat. ¡°Bad roads, then? '' Aisha rolls her eyes. ¡°Duh, isn¡¯t that what we said? '' Sadie¡¯s hands clench into tiny fists. ¡°Were there some trees down or something? '' I intervene. ¡°Yeah. '' Aisha looks away, then jumps a foot when the thunder sounds again. Her eyes flicker to mine, then to the door. ¡°Are the guysing back? '' ¡°They''re fine, probably just working on the food, '' Sadie says in a bored voice, but I notice something different. I notice Aisha. Frowning, I watch closely as she grabs a nearby nket and wraps it around herself. Her body shivers as lightning shes through the window and when the thunder hits again she squeezes her eyes shut. One solitary tear slides down her cheek before she swipes it away with her perfectly manicured, pointy, purple nail. ¡°Are you scared of storms? '' I ask, curious but also trying to cut the tension a bit. She shrugs. ¡°Storms are scary. '' ¡®Yeah, so are heights and Ryan somehow manages to go bungee jumping like a pro. '' She shudders. ¡°It¡¯s okay to be scared of shit. '' She peers around me. ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. ¡°Are we sure the boys are okay? '' ¡°They''re fine. '' Sadie jumps to her feet. ¡°But, because you''re so damn worried, I''ll go check on them. Happy, princess? '' Aisha sniffs. ¡°Yes. '' ¡°Perfect. '' Sadie halfway growls, then stomps out of the living room, abandoning me to Aisha and her weird moods. More thunder sounds. Aisha practically sters herself against the couch. ¡°Do you need anything? '' I ask. She snorts out augh. ¡°Like you actually care. '' ¡°I do care. '' And I mean it. ¡°I mean, while I would one hundred percent attach your body to a metal pole and leave you for the lightning, I do care. Right now, I care. '' Aishaughs. ¡°I''m feisty, you''d have to get me strapped in the first ce. '' ¡°Oh, I have ns, I''d knock you out first. '' ¡°I''ll be sure to be on the lookout for blunt objects. '' She actuallyughs. And I find myself joining in. ¡°So. '' I shrug. ¡°Storms? '' She swallows, then her eyes meet mine. For the first time since I''ve Known her, there isn¡¯t a pretense, no hidden agenda, just a scared girl. ¡°He died. '' I lean forward. ¡°Who did? '' ¡°My brother. '' She hugs the nket tighter around herself. ¡°What do you mean? '' I pry. ¡°I didn¡¯t even know you had a brother? '' I vaguely remember Ryan being upset about a kid at another school getting hurt but we didn¡¯t hang out as much back when we were freshman, I hurt his cool factor. ¡°How could you? '' She shrugs. ¡°He went to the perfect private school across town, besides, most people forget, it¡¯s easy to forget. You know, way easier, because then it doesn¡¯t hurt as much, then you can almost believe it didn¡¯t happen because how could that happen to someone so young? '' Her voice cracks. ¡°He was driving up here, to Easton¡¯ske house, actually... '' She shudders. ¡°We were freshman, he was a senior. '' I shake my head. ¡°I don¡¯t remember. '' ¡°Well, you are a nerd. '' She offers with augh. I weirdly don''t feel offended. ¡°But there was a storm, a lot like this one, and my idiot brother needed to drive back for football practice. '' ¡°What happened? '' I''m almost afraid to ask more of the story. Her eyes meet mine before she whispers, ¡°Easton killed their friendship. The storm finished him off.¡± Chapter 108 Chapter 108 Easton ¡°Storms suck ballllssssss. '' Ryan kicks a piece of firewood. ¡°How do you only have like two days worth of firewood and zero storm gear in this ce? '' I shrug. ¡°No idea, I''m not exactly a cub scout, then again¡±¡ª I turn to ke¡ª¡°Anything you''d like to add to this Mr. I[-have¡ªat¡ªleast¡ªseventeen¡ª survival¡ªpatches. '' ke flips me off. ¡°l was nine and you''re a dick. '' I burst outughing. Damn, sometimes I miss him, and then I remember Aisha sucking my dick sophomore year and I get all better. ¡°Well ... '' I look around the shed. ¡°I think other than the nkets, junk food, and the rest of the firewood this is as good as it¡¯s going to get. '' ¡°Yeah, '' Ryan agrees. ¡°At least it¡¯s not too cold yet at night and we won''t starve. '' ¡°And we do have girls to spoon, '' ke points out. I immediately want to be like my girl, my spoon, go fork somewhere else, then remember he has Aisha and feel my balls actually tremble. ¡°About that. '' ¡°What? '' ke looks genuinely rxed when I''d be making SOS signals in order to escape being alone with her. ¡°Are you guys like... '' I make a gesture with my hands that makes zero sense, then finally just say, ¡°Fucking. Are you fucking? '' ke doesn''t even blink. ¡°Would that bother you? '' ¡°No! '' I pretty much yell. ¡°Not at all, you do you, man. [''m just curious because you brought her up here and people don''t typically bring others up here to talk about feelings and knit. '' ¡°How would you know? I knit a damn good sweater. '' ke crosses his arms. ¡°He knits? '' Ryan asks. ¡°He does, '' ke answers with a grin. ¡°But, for your information, we''re just friends. I¡¯ve been reaching out to hertely, you know, it¡¯s the anniversary of her brother''s death tomorrow and it just seemed like the right thing to do. '' My stomach drops. How could I forget Deacon? I never could. Never would. That night. The way he looked at me like I¡¯d betrayed him. And the way he drove off in pain. And never came back. ¡°Yeah, Deacon was a good guy, '' I find myself saying, hiding my secrets, my past, digging deeper into the mud, and praying that nobody sees the dirt under my nails. ¡°Didn''t you know him pretty well? '' Ryan asks. I shrug. ¡°Yeah, I mean, I knew a lot of the guys from other schools, especially the football teams, but I wouldn''t call us close. '' ¡°Huh. '' ke smirks. ¡°That''s funny. '' ¡°What is? '' I try to keep my tone even. ¡°Nothing. '' He smiles. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, I¡¯m just thankful you let us crash here tonight, so we don''t repeat history and all that. '' ¡°History? '' Ryan scratches his head. ¡°Oh wait, didn¡¯t a huge storm hit? '' ¡®Yup. '' ke locks eyes with me. ¡°The biggest storm to hit the family, I''m surprised more people weren''t hurt. '' My nostrils re. ¡°Storms happen. '' ¡°Yeah. '' ke grabs one of the nkets and grips it in his hands. ¡°Sometimes, they do. It''s about how you handle them in the moment though that defines everything. '' ¡°We still, um, talking about lightning? '' Ryan asks. ¡°Yes, '' we say in unison. ¡°Let''s go, '' I say gruffly. C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. ¡°The girls are waiting and probably super scared and cold. '' ¡°Nah, not my girl, Sadie¡¯s a fucking beast, a warrior a¡ª '' ¡°¡ªGet it offfffffl '' Sadie¡¯s voicees down the hall. We all start running and stop when we see Sadie dancing in the middle of the living room, pping her arms all over the ce. ¡°Stop moving! '' Aisha yells. ¡°You''re making it worse! '' Harper adds. ¡°It¡¯s alive! '' ¡°IT¡¯S A LEAF! '' Harper yells. ¡°Sit the hell down before I smack you! '' Sadie stops moving and looks down at her arm. ¡°{t felt real. '' ¡°God, you guys are lunatics! '' Aisha screams, then realizes we''re all standing there, watching them, and her face softens. ¡°A leaf flew in through the door when Harper opened it to look out and they thought it was a mouse or a bat, who fucking knows. Point is, you guys are all crazy and I''m already exhausted. Where''s the whiskey? '' Aisha¡¯s eyes are full of tears. And I know why, the thunder making her flinch again. She grabs a nket and sits on the couch, wrapping it around her, then reaching for the whiskey that was there the whole time. She tips the bottle back in one huge gulp before setting it down and staring straight ahead. Harper shares a look with me while Sadie sits across from Aisha and makes a valiant attempt to look friendly. They don''t know though, do they? Not what happened. Not why this is hard for Aisha. As much as I hate her, I do get it. I feel it in my bones. My soul. Like Deacon is still here, haunting us, reminding us of memories I''d rather forget. For one brief moment, I look at Aisha and she looks right back, her eyes meeting mine in a way that¡¯s almost familiar, friendly, like she¡¯s sharing the pain. But, as quick as it happens, it goes away, and she leans forward, her tits nearly falling out of her dark ck tank and says, ¡°So, strip poker, then? '' ¡°Sure. '' keughs and sits next to her, pulling Aisha to his side, like they''re together. She doesn¡¯ t flinch, but she does elbow him and scoot away. ¡°I think we''ll need more drinks for this. '' ¡°Yup, '' Aisha agrees. ke meets my gaze. ¡°The booze still in the same spot in the garage? '' ¡°You know the way. '' Maybe too well. ¡°Cool. '' He gets up and looks down at Aisha. ¡°Wanna help me carry them in? '' She crosses her arms and pouts, ¡°Baby I¡¯m so tiiiiiiiired. '' ¡°Fine, fine. '' He winks. ¡°What about you, Harper, wanna help me carry some beer in? '' Harper looks to me. I kind of hate that she thinks she needs my permission. Hell, I''ll kick his ass if he tries anything, so I just smile and say, ¡°She¡¯s woman enough to carry all that booze in here, right, Harp? '' ¡°Right. '' She jumps to her feet, and then yawns, stretching her arms over her head. Her shirt rides up, giving me a perfect view of smooth skin and full hips. ke¡¯s hungry look isn¡¯t helping my generosity in letting him be close enough to breathe the same air as her, but what else am I supposed to do? ¡°Let''s get it. '' ke leads the way and Harper shares a smile with me before following him. I''m totally calm, at peace, ready to put things behind me when Aisha starts tough. ¡°What? '' I frown. ¡°You high or something? '' ¡°You''re an idiot, '' she says, grabbing the ying cards from Ryan. ¡°If you think that you don''t have some seriouspetition when ites to ke, you''re wrong. '' ¡°Huh? '' I almostugh. ¡°That cock sucker? '' She smiles. ¡°Never underestimate the underdog ¡ªand the one guy who can possibly make you look and feel like a dumbass at school, other than that dip shit over there. '' She points at Ryan. ¡°But clearly, he¡¯s about to getid, so he doesn¡¯t give a shit about you right now, he just wants pussy. '' I wait for Ryan to defend me, but he¡¯s already making out with Sadie and her hands are tugging at his pants and before I know it, they''re stumbling out of the living room, which means I get to y strip poker with ke, Aisha, and the girlfriend I just confessed my love to. Awesome. Chapter 109 Chapter 109 Harper ¡°You boys ready to lose? '' Aisha asks. I look at her, like really, really look at her. She went from being emotional and an actual human a few minutes ago, sharing stories of her past, her brother, and why they were so close, why his death effected her so much, to this flirty little thing who looks ready to have a threesome with ke and Easton. She adjusts her top again, of course, exposing her boobs, then sits back against the couch and sps her hands together. ¡°Boys against girls! '' That means I¡¯m on her team. Yay me. How did that switch flip so fast? I share a look with her, she lifts her chin, her eyebrow arching, like game on, and I have zero choice but to reply back with a look of my own that I hope appears confident and sexy as fuck. ¡°Never, '' keughs. ¡°Hey, where did Sadie and Ryan go? '' ¡°They''re having sex, '' Eastonughs. ¡°Lots and lots of sex, in fact, if you guys want to give up on the game, I¡¯d be more than down to take this girl over here¡±¡ªhe grabs me¡ª¡°and eat her out until my tongue falls off. '' Aisha¡¯s cheeks turn pink. ke res. ¡°Thanks for the overshare, but I think we should hang out a bit. Isn''t that what friends do? '' I want to punch him. Easton''s tongue falling off? Well, yeah, that sounds super nice, sign me up! Instead, I''m ying stupid cards with ke and Aisha. I don¡¯t growl, but a sound I can''t quite define escapes my parted lips as Aisha deals the cards out and starts the game. ¡°Actually, '' sheughs, ¡°how about we do a game of pjack instead? Super easy to understand, you just have to p, and if you lose, well... '' She shrugs. ¡°An article of clothing gets to leave your body. '' ¡°I don''t think so, '' Easton mutters, his gaze meeting mine. ¡°Awesome idea, '' ke encourages. ¡°Are you really okay with this? '' Easton asks me. ¡°Sure. '' I shrug, remembering I have a see throughce bra on, so once my shirt is gone, or pants, I have like zero choice left. I''m wearing flip flops, sweats, a thong, and a sweatshirt. Clearly, I did not n for this. I''ll just have to win pjack, which I can do. I can totally do this. A half hour goes by and I realize I really cannot do this. I''m sitting in my thong. My flip flops are gone. ke is shirtless, showing off an eight¡ªpack. It¡¯s impressive and I want to stare, but I force myself to look away. And Easton? He¡¯s fully dressed, a pro at pjack, to the point that it¡¯s almost rming. And Aisha? Same. The only thing she took off is one high heel. That''s it. One. Heel. I officially hate this game. We continue to y. My eyes are moving faster than what should be humanely possible as I try to locate the stupid jack card, so I can p it. Aisha sees it first. My hand hits hers. Easton hits mine. ke isst. All eyes fall to me. Because unless I want to pull off my stupid thong, I have to pull off my hocdie. ¡°No. '' Easton tugs me against him. ¡°Hell no. '' I pull away slightly and look into his eyes. N?velDrama.Org ? content. ¡°It¡¯s fine, it¡¯s not like ke hasn''t seen boobs before and I''m sure mine are so big that we''ll give Aisha a real live human anatomy lesson. '' I start to take off my top. ¡°PS, this is what real boobs look like, you know, without padding, without help..just all natural perfection. '' I''m shaking as I flip off my sweatshirt and toss it into the corner, clearly I¡¯m nipping out because I¡¯ m cold and freaking out. Aisha res at me, like her n backfired, while ke looks at my chest, looks away, then looks again. ¡°Look at her tits one more time... '' Easton warns. ¡°And I will fucking kill you. '' Aisha snickers. ¡°Not like you haven''t had your share of strip poker, tits, and pussy. '' Easton stiffens next to me while ke looks away like he¡¯s ashamed. I frown. ¡°What? '' ¡°Oh, you know. '' Aisha starts equally splitting the deck again. ¡°Or maybe you don¡¯t? '' I''m quiet. I don¡¯t want to hear this, do I? But it¡¯s like an addiction I can¡¯t quit, like I need to know Easton''s past even if it affects our future. ¡°What? '' I ask again. ¡°Aisha, '' Easton warns. ke clears his throat. ¡°Probably not the time, Aisha. '' Even ke is warning her? Is it horrible that now I really want to know? ¡°What? '' Sheughs. ¡°Are you two, like, actually embarrassed about it? '' She throws her head back andughs more. ¡°God, I thought you were more mature than that. '' ¡°Aisha, '' Easton says her name again. ¡°I''m serious. '' ¡°So am I! '' Sheughs harder. ¡°It was fun while itsted, am I right? '' She does a little shimmy. ¡°Man, you''d think Harper was the only girl who''s ever been topless in thiske house. '' I freeze and reach for my sweatshirt, I¡¯m officially done ying games with her. ¡°After all... '' Aisha deals another card ignoring my cheating. ¡°Wasn''t it just a year ago that I was up here with you two, drinking...ying the games we always y and getting naked... '' I hope she doesn''t finish the sentence because I¡¯ m afraid it might make me kill her. And then she adds, ¡°Even fucking '' ¡°Okay. '' ke stands. ¡°Sorry, we should go to bed, she¡¯s had a lot to drink. '' ¡°No. '' Aisha ms the cards onto the table. ¡°I don¡¯ t want to go to bed. Not yet. Don¡¯t you want to stroll down memoryne? Didn''t we fuck around that one night, after we got really drunk and yed strip poker? I seem to remember a threesome with you on top ke... '' ¡°Fuck, Aisha! '' ke yells. ¡°Are you serious right now? '' She nods, and I swear she¡¯s just warming up. ¡°Maybe it was just a dream, but I swear I was handling two dicks that night¡ª¡ª '' ¡°Enough. '' Easton¡¯s deep, angry voice makes her jump. It makes me jump too. Aisha pouts. ¡°You''re no fun. '' ¡°And you''re drunk. '' Easton¡¯s gaze shifts to ke. ¡°Get her out of here. Before she says something she regrets.¡± Chapter 110 Chapter 110 Easton I''ll kill her I will actually kill this bitch. I stand up. Harper is stunned, I think. She grabs on to me¡ª hard. ke yawns. ¡°Aisha, babe. Let''s go to our room. Fuck around a little bit and put that mouth to good use like you did for mest night. '' ¡°You''re such a fucking jack ass! '' Aisha gets up and stomps off. ¡°I''m taking a shower, don¡¯t follow me! '' She stumbles away from him clearly drunk off her ass. ¡°Had to give it a shot, '' ke says under his breath so only we can hear. I keep myugh in while she stomps off in a zig zag. I pull Harper closer next to me, thankful she has her top back on and is in the process of putting the pants back where they belong¡ª¡ªon her ass. She¡¯s stiff next to me. I can feel her tension, her stress, all the words Aisha said seem to just seep into her body as if my I love you doesn¡¯t even matter anymore. ke shakes his head at me as if to say, don''t. What doesn''t he want me to do? The hell? ¡°Hey, Easton, I¡¯m gonna go grab some beer from the garage, want more? '' I want to say no because my girl¡¯s here and I want to be with her, but also, I¡¯m not sure I should be. I¡¯m not sure if she needs a minute and I don''t want to ask her in front of him. ¡°Actually. '' He scratches his head. ¡°Sorry to be an ass, Harper, but I¡¯m gluten free and I can''t remember the right brand, can you just run out and help me real quick? It might just be easier since it¡¯s so dark and all..You hold the sh candle and I''ll fill my hands, God knows we need more alcohol after that drama. '' Harper lets out a curse, then gets up. ¡°Yeah I could use some air. '' N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. ¡°Great. ''ke winks at me. Is that an I got this wink or an, I''ll steal this wink? No clue. All I know is that Harper leaves, fucking leaves with ke and I''m left there wondering what the hell to do. Was Aisha right? Is he really mypetition? No fucking way. I don¡¯t have to wait long until I¡¯m no longer alone. Two minutester, outes Aisha. She¡¯s wearing a white, fluffy towel. Her hair¡¯s wet and tied up in a knot on her head and she looks hungry for dick. ¡°Hey there. ''She drops the towel. ¡°You wanna y some more? '' ¡°No. ''I deadpan. ¡°Also, your snatch needs a bit of trimming, oh, and I''m into pussy that hasn''t been pounded at least a dozen times... '' I pause.¡°In thest week. '' ¡°Fuck you! ''she yells, grabbing her white towel and pulling it across her chest wrapping it tight. ¡°Why are you such an asshole? '' ¡°Why are you so obsessed with me? '' I tease back. ¡°But, seriously, Aisha, I have a girl who¡¯s hot as fuck¡ªsomething you can never im. I''m happy, also something that you''ll never be able to say if you keep doing what you''re doing and... '' I shrug. ¡°I''m done, so fucking done with you and your games, so try all you want, but this is my fucking house, I¡¯m just letting you stay the night so you don''t die in a storm¡ª '' ¡°The way my brother did, '' she counters with a sneer. ¡°The way you let him die? '' ¡°That wasn¡¯t my fault and you know it! '' I yell. ¡°Oh bull fucking shit! '' she screams. ¡°It was you who let him go! Admit it! Just admit that you were the reason he left! That you were the reason he was depressed! '' My heart clenches in my chest. ¡°It had nothing to do with me. '' ¡°You could''ve been nicer to him! '' ¡°I was! ''I scream. ¡°He was my friend! '' ¡°He was my brother! '' she screams back. ¡°And you ruined him! '' ¡°No, ''I say quietly. ¡°He ruined himself. '' ¡°Fuck.You. '' Tears stream down her cheeks. ¡°l hate you.I hate you.I hate that I thought you were different.I hate that at the end of the day, you''re just this spoiled little fuck who doesn''t care about anyone else but yourself. ''I nod, my chest tight. ¡°I¡¯m sorry you feel that way. '' ¡°And I''m sorry he¡¯s dead, '' she says, tears streaming down her face even more. ¡°But it doesn''t bring him back. '' ¡°No, ''I whisper, looking out the window into the darkness. ¡°But I wish it did. '' She swipes the tears at her eyes and starts to climb the stairs, then stops and turns around, looking over her shoulder. ¡°Did you ever care about him? Even a little bit? '' ¡°Of course, '' I answer without even thinking about it. ¡°He was one of my friends.Talented. He had it all. If anything I was jealous. '' ¡°So... ''She sniffs. ¡°Why couldn''t you be there for him? '' ¡°Because he was my friend, Aisha. That''s it, that''s where it stopped. '' ¡°I loved him, ''she says. ¡°So much.But it wasn¡¯t enough. '' ¡°Aisha, ''I sigh. ¡°No one could save him. Not even you. '' ¡°They bullied him. '' She starts to cry even harder. ¡°They called him names. You were his only friend. '' ¡°Yeah, I was, ''I whisper. ¡°It¡¯s why, despite you being crazy, I¡¯m still your friend, because that¡¯s what he would have wanted. '' Her eyes squeeze shut. ¡°You hate me, though. '' ¡°I hate what you''ve be. I don¡¯t hate you. '' She nods, and then she¡¯s walking back down the stairs until she¡¯s right in front of me, standing there like I''m supposed to do something. ¡°Thank you, '' she whispers. ¡°For understanding. '' ¡°For understanding him? ''I ask.¡°No. '' Her arms reach around my waist. ¡°For understanding us. '' ¡°What the fuck are you¡ª '' Her mouth ims mine so fast, I can¡¯t even finish my sentence as the back door to the garage ms and voices sound. I shove her away in a panic. Harper walks around the corner, smiling. ¡°Hey, you guys ready for bed? '' ¡°I sure am. ''Aisha winks. ¡°What about you... '' She looks around me. ¡°ke?¡± Chapter 111 Chapter 111 Harper I can tell something is wrong by the way Aisha¡¯s grinning and wiping her mouth and the way that Easton looks ready to hurl. His face is pale. And memories of what ke said in the garage have my head spinning already. He warned me about her, he said that she¡¯s still hung up on Easton and would do anything short of murdering me to get to him. I didn¡¯t expect ke toe right out and confirm all suspicions, I also didn¡¯t expect him to pull me in for a hug and tell me he cared. I was so confused by the time I made it back into the house that all I could get out was, bed, ready for bed¡ªand the confusion had nothing to do with my feelings for ke but more or less what the hell sort of game were they both ying. And why did it feel like they were trying to get both of us alone? Aisha¡¯s still grinning at me. And I¡¯ve had it. I stomp over to her and shove her away from Easton so hard she stumbles back and falls against the couch¡ªit¡¯s extra dramatic on her part, but whatever. ¡°Stay the hell away from Easton! '' ¡°Or what? '' She adjusts her towel. ¡°You''re going to cry? Run me over with your car? You''ll never have what we¡ª- '' I p her.I just go for it.I can''t handle it anymore and I don¡¯t have to take it. The sound of my palm hitting her face goes off like a bomb in that room. ¡°Listen... '' I barely recognize my own voice. ¡°I would never keep Easton trapped ina rtionship just because I wanted him on my arm, or just because I felt like I deserved him. I love him. And if you''re what he wants, then even though it would kill me, I''d let him go. '' I back away and turn to a shocked Easton. ¡°So is this it? Is this what you want, Easton? '' ¡°No, ''he says gruffly, and then pulls me into his arms and kisses the crap out of me, lifting me into his arms so steady, so fast, that all I feel is him¡ªeverywhere. He tears his mouth away long enough to say, ¡°Take a room, sleep outside, hell, burn the ce down, I don''t give a fuck, just don¡¯ t bother us and Aisha¡±¡ªhe looks over his shoulder, eyes zing¡ª¡°We''re done. I don¡¯t want to see you. I don''t want to talk to you. Forget what I said earlier, your brother would be ashamed of you¡ªI know I am. '' Tears stream down her cheeks as Easton walks us toward our bedroom, kicking the door closed with his foot and tossing me onto the bed before I can protest. ¡°I''m so fucking sorry, '' he whispers between kisses. I kiss him back, because I love him, but I¡¯m still so.,.pissed she said all of that. I know it¡¯s irrational, we weren''t together then, but still. Is that what he was into? What he wants? ¡°I know we''ll have to talk about everything that went down. '' ¡°Aw, he¡¯s learning. '' I cup his face and sigh.He smiles. ¡°He¡¯s a slow learner, but he¡¯s getting there with this whole I love you rtionship stuff. '' Tears fill my eyes. ¡°Well as long as you get there. '' ¡°I know I have a past that I¡¯m not proud of and it keepsing back to haunt us. But I swear that¡¯ s not what I want anymore. '' He cups my cheek. ¡°Maybe I was just searching for something I believed would make me happy, but I could never find it. Until you. You¡¯re what makes me happy. '' My heart expands. ¡°That''s so sweet. '' ¡°Also, that p was really hot, '' he adds. Iugh because I didn¡¯t expect him to say that. ¡°Are you serious right now? '' ¡°Made my cock so hard. '' He nips at my lower lip twice before his tongue dives back in as he moves his body across mine. ¡°Feel that? Imagine, all it took was a quick p and I¡¯m ready for you. '' ¡°You''re always ready for me. '' Our next kiss is full of all the words we haven''t said but will eventually need to as he pulls off my clothes in a frenzy. I kick down his jeans. He jumps over me andys on his backpletely naked.N?velDrama.Org ? content. ¡°Alright, service me. '' I punch his perfect six¡ªpack, getting nothing butughter out of him as he tackles me against the bed, hovering over me. ¡°Too soon? '' ¡°Read the room, Easton, read the room. '' A crack of lightning shes, causing everything to light up briefly, showing me his full lips and perfect face. The way he looks at me makes everything disappear, all the chaos from tonight, even Aisha¡¯s hurtful comments. I shudder. I can¡¯t think about her even touching Easton let alone... I look away quickly. ¡°Or... '' Easton lowers his mouth to mine. ¡°We can talk about it now because my girl just lost a bit of the light from her eyes and I fucking hate it. '' I smile and stare up at him. ¡°I hate that she touched you. '' ¡°That makes two of us, '' Easton says, slowly kissing down my neck. ¡°But do me a huge favor and remember that guys a lot of times think with their dicks and when a girl''s easy and throwing everything out there all the time, well, it¡¯s not an excuse, but guys are dumb. '' His breath tickles my neck as he keeps talking almost like he has to say it without looking at me. ¡°I would take it all back if I could¡ªevery kiss, every touch, every moment, and save them all for you. '' My chest tightens. ¡°You mean that? '' ¡°Every word. '' He pulls me against his chest, flipping onto his back. ¡°Il would Harry Potter the hell out of thest few years just so you could be by my side, so that every time I kissed you it wasn''t ruined by crazy pants over there¡ªshe does realize we''re at ake, right? '' ¡°Thank you! '' I give him a shove. ¡°Someone needs to send her a memo about wearing safe footwear along theke, who knows, she could idently fall in¡ª '' ¡°Or get pushed by my angry girlfriend, but totally the same thing. '' ¡°Girlfriend. ''I draw out a long kiss from his mouth. ¡°I really like hearing that. '' ¡°And the angry part? '' ¡°I purposefully ignored it. '' ¡°Figured. ''He grips my sides and pulls me close, so that we''re face to face. ¡°Fuck her... '' His eyes are teasing. ¡°And when you''re done forgetting all about her... '' He licks his lips. ¡°Let me¡ª '' I expect him to say fuck you. Instead, he brushes a featherlight kiss to my mouth. ¡°Love you. ''I gasp. ¡°Thought I was gonna say something different, but guess what, Harper¡¯¡ªhe grips my ass with both hands¡ª¡°I read the fucking room. '' ¡°And there he is. '' We fall into fits ofughter and kissing and I can¡¯t help but think this is absolutely one of my favorite moments with him. The teasing.Loving. Him opening up. I can¡¯t imagine how anything can get any better between us when things feel so perfect, and as our teasing quickly turns into him thrusting into me while I hold onto the bedpost, I imagine a world where it¡¯s just us like this all the time. Where we finally get our happily ever after. Chapter 112 Chapter 112 Easton I wake up the next morning with a naked Harper in my arms, snuggled up close, her tits resting on my chest and her hair in my face. I crack my eyelids open only to immediately m them shut thanks to the blinding sun that''s pouring through the open window right next to the bed. With the power outst night, I forgot all about closing blinds and curtains, it was so damn dark. Harper shifts next to me, a little moan falling from her lips. My cock stirs¡ªwhen does it not¡ª and I¡¯m about to flip her over and kiss her awake when I hear her speak. ¡°Who turned on the lights? '' Chuckling, I kiss her forehead. ¡°It¡¯s the sun. '' She pulls out of my arms and sits up, pushing her hair out of her face as she looks around the room. Theforter has fallen to her waist, showing off her perfect tits and I''m reaching for one when... ¡°Hey fuckers, are you awake? '' ke. Yelling at us from behind our closed bedroom door. ¡°Yeah asshole, we''re awake. '' I sit up too, dropping a kiss on Harper¡¯s bare shoulder. ¡°Cool. We''re leaving in a few. Aisha wants to head back early, '' ke says. I look outside the window, surprised by the clear blue sky that''s dotted with fluffy white clouds. Like a horrible storm never blew through here yesterday and dumped a buttload of rain. ¡°Are the roads cleared? '' ¡°Yeah, they are. We''re good to go. '' ke hesitates for only a moment. ¡°Thanks for having us. '' So polite to the host. Such a bunch of bullshit. ¡°Drive safe! '' Harper calls, always so sweet. ¡°See you guyster, '' ke calls. We hear footsteps as he walks away, then nothing but silence. I grab hold of Harper and bring her with me as I fall back onto the mattress. She''s giggling, shoving at my chest but she doesn''t really mean it. I can tell, thanks to the way she¡¯s rubbing that hot body of hers against me, her legs tangling up with mine. ¡°We should probably get ready to leave, '' she says when I start kissing her neck. ¡°We can stay in bed for a few more minutes, '' I murmur against her throat. ¡°I bet Ryan and Sadie are still in bed. Like us. '' ¡°Can''t think about it, '' she quips, shoving at me again. But I don¡¯t budge. Pulling away slightly, I stare into her eyes, overwhelmed with emotion for this girl who stands by me no matter what. And there was a lot of shit thrown at her this weekend, despite us having fun too. Any other girl would''ve probably run by now, but not mine. ¡°I love you. '' Her expression softens and her lips curl into the sweetest smile. ¡°I love you too. '' ¡°I''m going to fuck you. '' I thrust against her, nice and slow. ¡°And then we can Start packing up and getting ready to leave. '' Sheughs. ¡°Okay. Deal. '' N?velDrama.Org ? content. I press my mouth to hers and seal our deal with a tongue-¡ªfilled kiss. kk The drive back home is quiet. Almost somber. Ryan and I are sitting in the front of the Jeep, while the girls are in the back. Like we''re a couple of old married couples traveling together. But I could tell the girls wanted to get a private talking sesh in and I can handle not sitting next to Harper for a couple of hours. Barely. ¡°Heard what happenedst night, '' Ryan says to me out of the blue. I nce over at him. ¡°What exactly are you referring to? Lots of things happenedst night. '' Fucking Aisha and her big, never stop talking mouth. ¡°Aisha bringing up your uh..friendship with her brother. '' Ryan squirms in his seat, as if it makes him ufortable. He didn¡¯t know Deacon. He only heard the stories. After he died, I never brought him up. ¡°Who told you? '' ¡°ke. I was up early this morning and he found me in the kitchen. Filled me in on what Aisha saidst night. What she did. '' Ryan shakes his head. ¡°She''s evil, man. Toxic. What the fuck is ke doing with her? '' ¡°I don''t know. I think he likes pain. '' Sometimes I wonder if I do too. Why else would I put up with ke¡¯s¡ªand Aisha¡¯s¡ªconstant bullshit? ¡°Don''t we all? Look... '' Ryan nces over at me and I see the sincerity written all over his face. ¡°Whatever sick, twisted game you used to y with Aisha and her brother and..whatever, I don¡¯t want my sister to be a part of it. I know you care about her, and I believe you when you say that. But [''m worried about Aisha. '' ¡®I''ll protect Harper, '' I snap, irritated Ryan would think I don''t have her best interests at heart. ¡°I won''t let Aisha touch a hair on her head. '' ¡°I don''t worry about Aisha touching my sister. It¡¯s what she says to her that could fuck with her head. '' He pauses, slumping in his seat. ¡°And her heart. '' Fuck. Ryan¡¯s right. Aisha¡¯s weapons are her words, and she knows how to wield them so they cut deep. The fucking bitch. ¡°I''m sick of her shit, '' I mutter, gripping the steering wheel. ¡°If she even looks in Harper''s direction, I''m going to do something about it. '' ¡°Like what? Beat her up? That''ll get you tossed in jail. Yell at her? She''ll justugh in your face and bring up some old, hurtful memory that''ll make you look like a douche. Face it, she¡¯s got too much on you. She''s got too much on all of us. '' Ryan shakes his head. Hate to admit it, but Ryan''s right. Aisha does have too much on all of us in this Jeep. ke too. Hell, more than half the school poption. She''s feared. Hated. ¡°What do we do then? '' I ask, feeling helpless. And that is an emotion I don''t like experiencing. At all. ¡°(gnore her. Don¡¯t acknowledge her. That''ll drive her crazy. We''re going to have to do the same with ke. Cut ther out of our lives for good, '' Ryan suggests. ¡°That''s easier said than done. '' ¡°No shit. But we can sure as hell try.¡± 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''ming 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 sses. '' 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 immediatelyy 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¡¯ste. '' ¡°I need to go, '' I tell Easton. ¡°Talk to youter? '' ¡°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 muchtely. 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 theke 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 ce. '' ¡°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 des and it¡¯s absolute torture to swallow. ¡°How''s Ryan? '' I croak, knowing Mom is still standing in my bedroom. ¡°He seems fine. Didn¡¯tin about feeling bad, '' Mom says. ¡°Could you ask him toe 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. '' ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. 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 himpletely, '' 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.¡± Chapter 114 Chapter 114 Easton It fucking sucked, not having Harper at school today. I missed her something fierce. To the point that I turned into a growly, grumpy motherfucker who snapped at anyone who asked me a fucking question, including my teachers. I didn¡¯t give a shit. Who knew I''d be so whipped for a girl that I''d turn into a mess when she wasn''t around? ¡°I really hope my sisteres back to school tomorrow, '' Ryan says as we leave campus at the end of the day, headed for the parking lot. ¡°Because you''re being a total asshole. '' ¡°I don''t like it when I can¡¯t see her, '' I admit, hating how I sound like aplete pussy. But fuck it. ¡°How''d she look this morning? '' ¡°Miserable. '' A string of curses leaves me and Ryan barks out augh. ¡°d I didn¡¯t tell you that this morning. Might¡¯ve made you even grumpier, if that¡¯s possible. '' ¡°Hey guys. '' We both turn to find Sadie approaching us. When she''s close enough, Ryan swoops in, wrapping his arm around her shoulders and pulling her into his side, dropping a kiss on her cheek. Watching them only makes me miss Harper even more. I''m such a fucking sap. ¡°I heard from Harper, '' she says. ¡°She just called me. '' ¡°Why didn''t she call me? '' Sadie¡¯s gaze meets mine. ¡°She said she tried you first but you didn¡¯t pick up. She went to the doctor. They put her on antibiotics. '' ¡°She¡¯s legit sick, huh. '' Ryan shakes his head. ¡°I figured if she was faking it. '' ¡°Harper wouldn''t fake being sick. '' She''d want to be at school so she could see me. ¡°I don''t know if she''ll be at school tomorrow either. '' Sadie winces, as if she¡¯s preparing herself for the blow that is my wrath at hearing this. ¡°Just thought I''d warn you, E. '' Ignoring her, I reach into my back pocket and pull out my phone to see that yep, I have missed calls from my girl. I immediately call her back. ¡°Hey, '' I say when I hear her soft greeting. ¡°How are you feeling? '' ¡°Terrible. '' She sniffs loudly. ¡°Now I¡¯m congested. '' ¡°You sound bad. '' ¡°Gee thanks. '' ¡°Sadie said you''re on antibiotics. '' ¡°One of those five day Z¡ªpack things. I''ll be fine, '' she says, sounding anything but. ¡°My throat is still killing me. Doctor said it¡¯s going around and prescribed some cough syrup for me too. Mom says it¡¯s because I¡¯m too busy and doing too much. '' ¡°You need rest, '' I tell her, thinking of all the things I could do for her to make her feel better. ¡°And lots of fluids. '' ¡°Okay, Dad, '' she jokes. ¡°Don''t ever call me that, '' I growl, turning away from Ryan and Sadie so they can¡¯t hear me. ¡°Unless you''re into that ¡®daddy¡¯ thing. I might be down for that. '' ¡°Easton, '' she groans, just before she starts coughing. ¡°Stop. '' ¡°Babe. You need to go back to bed. '' ¡°Lam in bed. '' ¡°Well, take it easy then. '' I soften my voice. ¡°I''m d your mom took you to the doctor. I just want you better so I can see you. I miss you. '' ¡°You don¡¯t want to see me right now. I look awful. '' ¡°You''re always beautiful to me. '' ¡°And I''m contagious. '' ¡°I''m not scared. '' She¡¯s quiet for a moment. ¡°You''re really not, are you. '' ¡°Hell no. '' I pause. ¡°I love you. Now go take a nap. '' ¡°I love you too. Bye. '' I turn back to Ryan and Sadie to see they¡¯repletely making out in the middle of the parking lot. I clear my throat, which causes them to pull away from each other, Ryan ring at me. ¡°Go with me to the store. '' They both frown. ¡°Why? '' Ryan asks warily. ¡°I need to grab stuff for Harper to make her feel better. '' I shove my hands in my front pockets, feeling... don¡¯t know. Bashful? What the fuck? ¡°I need help picking out some things. '' Sadie grins. ¡°This is right up my alley. I''ll totally help you. '' ¡°I thought we were going back to my house, '' whines to her. ¡°My parents are gone. '' ¡°Harper is there. Sick. In the bedroom next to yours. I¡¯m not having sex with you in your bed when she¡¯s lying there miserable, listening to every single thing we do and say. '' She mock shudders. I can¡¯t help butugh. The first time I''veughed all day. When I see Ryan''s annoyed expression, Iugh a little louder. ¡°Come on. Help a bro out. '' ¡°Fine, '' Ryan mutters. ¡°Let¡¯s go. '' We end up at a shopping center not too far from where Ryan and Harper live. There''s a supermarket and a CVS there, which should cover all the basic necessities I want to pick up for my sick girlfriend. I buy her a giant ass bag of cough drops and her favorite candy at CVS, plus a cute little stuffed white cat Sadie says Harper will love. At the supermarket, I pick up some of their chicken nocdle soup from the deli that¡¯s freshly made, plus a container of her favorite cookies. Sadie is helping me out every step of the way, eager to spend all my money to make her best friend happy, but I don¡¯t mind. Anything to put a smile on my girl''s face. We''re picking out balloons and flowers when Ryan ps me on the back. ¡°Don¡¯t make it obvious, but look to your right. '' Slowly I nce over to find Aisha standing in the produce section, examining a banana, her gaze going to us every few seconds. ¡°What the fuck is she doing here? '' I haven''t really seen her all day, which is just the way I like it. And I''m surprised, considering Harper wasn''t at school. I assumed Aisha would be all over me. ¡°Following us? '' Sadie suggests. ¡°Doubtful. '' This is from Ryan. But I don''t know... "Why does she keep caressing the banana? '' Sadie giggles. ¡°Maybe that¡¯s all she can get now that she¡¯s scared off every guy at school. '' ¡°Don''t think ke''s scared, '' I say. ¡°I bet she wants to stroke his banana. And that asshole will dly let her. '' ¡°Gross, '' Sadie calls, so loudly that Aisha tantly stares at us. ¡°Yeah, I''m talking about you. '' ¡°Sadie, '' Ryan groans, but I don¡¯t think she cares. Aisha drops the banana and makes her way over to us, a sneer on her face. ¡°Where¡¯s your girlfriend? '' she asks me. ¡°None of your damn business, '' Ryan snaps, defending his sister. ¡°He''s talking for you now? '' Aisha nods toward Ryan. ¡°He''s just answering your question. Because he¡¯s right. It¡¯s none of your damn business, '' I say, my voice calm. My hands though, are clenched into fists. I would love to punch her, just like Ryan suggested, but he¡¯s right. She''d call the cops on me and my ass would get arrested. And truly, I¡¯m not one tomit violence against women. With the exception of her. I''d choke her out if I could get away with it. ¡°Tell Harper I hope she gets well soon, '' Aisha croons as she walks away. What a minute. How did she know Harper is sick?? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. Chapter 115 Chapter 115 Harper I may be sick and I definitely don¡¯t feel like going anywhere, but I¡¯m already bored out of my mind. I think I''ve scrolled enough on social media tost me a lifetime. I''m even tired of watching TikToks. I slept for a while when I got back from the doctor¡¯s appointment, but now I¡¯m lying in bed and wide awake, wishing I had someone to hang out with. Like Sadie. No, scratch that. I love my best friend but I''d much rather see... Easton. I can¡¯t help but smile when I think of him. Sadie sent me photos during lunch that she secretly took of Easton sitting by himself, not wanting to talk to anyone. He looked so mad. And handsome. And even a little sad. My poor, grumpy boyfriend who misses me. Who knew this moment would ever happen between us? Me and Easton? He treated me like garbage. Bullied me relentlessly, yet secretly craved my kisses¡ªespecially when I was his mystery girl. We''vee a long way. My phone dings with a notification and I check it to see I have a text from the very boy I can¡¯t stop thinking about. Easton: Check your front porch. Me: Why? Easton: You have a special delivery. I slowly climb out of bed and head downstairs, grateful I took some Tylenol earlier so the body aches are mostly gone. Mom left for work after she took me to the doctor''s office, and she told me she won''t be home untilte. Dad is always homete. I have no idea where Ryan is. Probably with Sadie. When I open the front door, I can¡¯t help but smile. There is a giant giftbag filled to the brim with stuff sitting on the doormat. A balloon bouquet is tied to the gift bag handle, all of them saying get well soon! There''s a bouquet of pink roses and a bag from the nearby supermarket¡¯s deli. So much stuff. And I can tell it¡¯s all stuff I like. I mean, who doesn''t love food and balloons and flowers? But I swear I see a package of mini Reese¡¯s peanut butter cups in the gift bag, and those are my fave. How did Easton know? I get another notification. Easton: What do you think? Me: Did youe up with all of this yourself? Easton: I had some help. Me: Where are you? ¡°Don''t think he picked out all that stuff¡ªI totally helped him! '' I look up to find Sadie and Ryan standing on the sidewalk just to the left of our house so they weren''t in my direct line of vision. Those sneaks. ¡°You guys! Thank you! '' I wave at them before I nce around, looking for my boyfriend. Easton suddenly appears from behind them, like he was ducking down and hiding behind them. Despite feeling like shit, and knowing I must look terrible, I can¡¯t contain the smile from my face. When he starts to approach the front porch, I hold my hands out in front of me, trying to stop him. ¡°Don¡¯te any closer! '' Hees to a halt, frowning. ¡°Why the hell not? '' ¡°I told you. I¡¯m contagious. '' ¡°And I told you, I''m not scared. '' Easton starts walking once more, slow and steady until he¡¯s standing directly in front of me and I''m dying tounch myself at him. But I restrain myself. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you did this all for me, '' I admit, waving at my gifts still on the ground. He grins. ¡°Like I said, I had help. '' ¡°And don''t you forget it! '' Sadie yells. He nces over at where they''re still standing on the sidewalk. ¡°Didn''t I tell you guys to go to my house and use the hot tub for a while? '' My brows shoot up and I make eye contact with Sadie, who is grinning. She snags Ryan¡¯s hand and leads him to his car. ¡°We''re out! '' ¡°Thanks man, '' my brother calls as they climb into his car. ¡®You''re letting them use the hot tub? '' N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. I ask Easton once they''re gone. He shrugs. ¡°Someone may as well have fun in there. '' ¡°Did you tell them we''ve had fun in there? '' Multiple times. Enough fun to make my entire body break out into a flush just at the memories. ¡°They don¡¯t need to know. '' He pulls me into his arms and holds me close. ¡°I missed you so damn bad, Harper. I need you to get better. Like now. '' ¡°Help me carry in all my stuff and I''ll try, '' I murmur against his chest before tipping my head back. ¡°You are the best boyfriend ever. '' ¡°Don''t you ever forget it. '' He presses his lips to my forehead. ¡°Come on. '' He smacks me in the ass and starts gathering the things he left for me, only letting me carry the flower bouquet with the roses attached. We enter the house and head straight for the kitchen, where I sit at the counter and let Easton wait on me. It¡¯s kind of nice. He brings me a bowl of chicken noodle soup and scrounges up some crackers in the pantry. He adds more water to the bouquet of flowers and attaches the balloons to the back of one of the chairs at the kitchen table. He shows off the various bags of candy he bought me, and the giant bag of cough drops. ¡°Something else for you to suck on while you''re sick, '' he says with a mischievous smile. ¡°So dirty, '' I tease him. It¡¯s the cute little stuffed animal cat that gets me the most. Soft white fur and a pink nose, with big blue eyes. I cuddle the kitty close, knowing I''m going to sleep with it tonight. For all the nights. ¡°I love it. '' I smile at him. ¡°Thank you so much. '' ¡°And I love you, '' he says,ing to me. Despite me trying to push him away, he manages to give me a kiss on the lips. ¡°Ill do whatever I can to take care of you. You know that, right? '' When I stare up into his eyes, I wonder why he looks so... Worried. Chapter 116 Chapter 116 Easton ¡°Let''s hang out, '' Ryan says to me at lunch the next day. Harper is still at home sick. I think she¡¯s even worse today. The fever is gone but she''s coughing like crazy and can¡¯t stop blowing her nose. It was risky, kissing her yesterday. Spending time with her, but damn it, a cold is worth being able to see my girlfriend, even if it¡¯s just for a little while. ¡°What are you thinking? '' I ask him. The cafeteria is packed with people since it¡¯s raining outside, and the aroma in this ce is kind of awful. Smells like abo of greasy food and smelly feet. Makes me a little queasy. ¡°Let¡¯s go grab a pizza when school¡¯s over. Maybe go to your house and y some pool. Catch up without the girls always around? '' ¡°Sounds go¡ª '' ¡°What are you whores nning? '' We both nce up to find ke standing by our table, his expression easy going. As if he hasn''t just screwed us over in an endless amount of ways over thest couple of months. Yes, he¡¯s one of my oldest friends. No, I still don¡¯t trust him. Anyone who willingly spends time with Aisha has to be given serious side eye. But how does that old saying go? Keep your friends close and your enemies closer? Yeah, that¡¯s what I''m trying to do. ¡°Nothing, '' Ryan answers too quickly, his expression guilty as hell. ¡°We''re gonna go grab some pizza after school, '' I say, leaning back in my chair. As casual as ever. ¡°Want toe with? '' ke shrugs, ignoring Ryan. ¡°Sure. Sounds good. '' ¡°Probably head to my house after we''re done and y some pool. Or just hang out, '' I continue. ¡°All right. '' ke nods. ¡°Meet you in the parking lot after seventh period? '' ¡°Perfect. '' We p hands in aplicated ritual we made up when we were fifteen and stupid and then he¡¯ s out. ¡°What the fuck, Easton? Why did you invite that asshole? '' Ryan asks me, his voice rising. ¡°Because that asshole used to be our friend, '' I remind him. ¡°Yeah and now you think he¡¯s aplete dickwad who''s nning our demise with Aisha. '' Ryan makes a face. ¡°You don¡¯t trust him. '' ¡°Nope, I don''t. '' ¡°So why would you invite him to hang out with us? '' ¡°I want to pick his brain. Figure out what his motives are and where his loyalty lies. I don¡¯t understand him. '' ¡°Me either. I don¡¯t want to understand him. '' Ryan¡¯s eyes narrow. ¡°Fuck that guy. '' ¡°Look, I don''t disagree. Just...go along with me. Okay? '' After school ke meets us in the parking lot and we go to a nearby restaurant that has some of the best pizza in town. Once we make our orders, we get our drinks and find a booth to sit in. ¡°I haven''t been here in a long time, '' Ryan says once we''re settled in. ¡°Me either, '' ke says. ¡°Wish we could''ve ordered a pitcher of beer. '' He sneers at his ss full of Pepsi like it¡¯s full of poison. ¡°I got beer back at my house, '' I say. ¡°We can have a few. '' ¡°I''m d you guys invited me, '' ke says, his expression oddly sincere. ¡°I''ve missed you both. '' ¡°Really? '' Ryan leans forward, his brows shooting up. ¡°I figured you were too busy with Aisha to miss us much. '' ke frowns. ¡°Look, I know she was kind of nasty at theke house¡ª '' ¡°Kind of? '' I interrupt. ke sighs. ¡°Fine. She was fucking awful. But she¡¯ s damaged goods, man. And that storm fucked her up but good. Made her think of her brother and when she goes there... '' ke shakes his head, making a tsking noise. ¡°I don''t want to talk about him, '' I say, hating the misery coursing through my blood. Those memories are best left behind me. ¡°And I really don''t want to talk about Aisha either. '' ¡°He''s the dickhead who brought her up in the first ce. '' ke waves a hand at Ryan. ¡°Only because I''m trying to figure out if you''re still a friend to us, or are you nning on digging up information from us and reporting to that snake you''re fucking? '' Ryan throws back at him. ¡°Guys. '' I blow out an irritated breath, already regretting my choice to invite ke. ¡°Shut the fuck up, okay? '' ¡°Hey boys. '' I gopletely still when I hear the too familiar female voice. Fucking Aisha. We all lift our heads to watch her, Julia by her side. The smug looks on their faces make me think they already knew we''d be here. ¡°The fuck? Did you follow us? '' Ryan yells. Aisha visibly flinches. ¡°As if I would follow you. Get over yourself. '' My gaze shifts to ke. ¡°Did you tell her we''d be here? '' ke shakes his head. ¡°No way. Uh uh. I wouldn¡¯ t do that. '' I stare at him, not saying a word. Ryan goes quiet too. ¡®You have room for two more? '' Julia asks flirtatiously. ¡°No, '' I say, not even looking at her. The girls stand at the head of our table for a few more seconds before they both flounce away, visibly pissed. I don¡¯t give a shit. ¡°You told her, '' N?velDrama.Org ? content. I say to ke once the girls are out of earshot. ¡°Swear to God I didn¡¯t say a word to her. I don''t know how she knew we were here. '' ke¡¯s eyes are wide, his tone insistent. ¡°I mean it when I say I miss you guys. I wouldn''t want her to here to fuck up our bro afternoon. '' ¡°Uh huh. '' Ryan shakes his head, nudging me in the ribs. ¡°I told you this wasn¡¯t a good idea. '' ke rears back as if Ryan¡¯s words shocked him. Fucking Ryan, opening his big mouth. ¡°What exactly are you doing? '' ke asks me, his gaze narrowed. ¡°Testing me? Seeing if you can trust me? Fuck this. I don¡¯t need friends like you two. '' ¡°We don''t need a friend like you either. Get the fuck out of here, '' I snarl. ke jumps to his feet and grabs his drink. ¡°Fuck off. The both of you. '' We watch him go to Aisha and Julia¡¯s table, where he¡¯s happily weed. Of course. ¡°He''s up to no good, '' Ryan mutters as he watches them. ¡°Yeah, he is, '' I say as I watch them too. He most definitely is. But what exactly is he up to? Chapter 117 Chapter 117 Harper Panic is the first thing I feel the moment my rm goes off, waking me for school. My brain is buzzing with all the things I need to do as the semester wraps up. I¡¯m about to start finals and I''m so behind on studying. I''ve been spending all my time with Easton when I should have my face nted in a book. God, I''m so worried about those tests. If I don¡¯t ace them, my parents will kill me, and colleges won''t be impressed. My parents don''t have the funds to pay for school for both my brother and me, so we have to rely on schrships. Schrships that require a certain grade point average. An average that is easier to maintain when you''re not spending twenty¡ªfour¡ªseven with your sexy boyfriend. At least there hasn''t been any drama for thest month. We had an easy, fun-filled Thanksgiving break that didn''t involve any spray painting or nasty posts from WHGOSSIP. Things have actually been¡ªdare I say¡ªquiet. So, I don''t know why, while Iy in bed, my stomach is churning. Why I feel this knot in my chest. Why my nket feels far too warm. I kick it off and the cool air in my bedroom hits my skin, making me realize how badly I¡¯m sweating. There¡¯s a pool under my back. More on my neck. The room is spinning and my mouth is watering. Oh no. I fly out of bed and run across the hall to the bathroom. Fortunately, I get up before Ryan, so I don''t have to bust in while he¡¯s in the shower. I rush over to the toilet and everything in my stomaches up. It hurts¡ªthe pain in my chest, the ache in the pit of my gut, the burning in my throat as I retch. And then I hear, ¡°Got too fucked up with Eastonst night? '' My brother is standing in the doorway,ughing at me. ¡°Screw you, '' I say, flushing the toilet and going over to the sink to brush my teeth. I swear I closed the bathroom door, but maybe I d forgotten. Regardless, he¡¯s an asshole. ¡°Dude, you''ve heard me puke my brains out plenty of mornings after I''ve gotten fucked up with your boyfriend. '' ¡°I didn¡¯t get fucked up. '' I didn''t. Really. Two beers and a hit of his joint, I can¡¯t call that fucked up. But, man, it messed with my stomach, which is funny because I didn''t feel all that buzzed when I went to bedst night. I drop some toothpaste on my toothbrush and scrub my teeth, getting the awful taste out of my mouth. Once I spit, I look at Ryan and say, ¡°Close the door, I need to shower. '' ¡°Lightweight, '' he jokes. I give him the finger, but it¡¯s toote, he¡¯s already gone, and I quickly strip and get under the warm water, trying to rx. But even the heat can¡¯t take away this feeling inside me. This heaviness in my chest. The uneasiness in my stomach. I finish washing my hair and body and I get dressed, twisting my hair into a bun, not bothering with makeup. Ryan drives us to school and as I¡¯m walking through the main entrance, Sadie¡¯s the first person I see. I loop my arm around hers, resting my face on her shoulder. ¡°Ugh. '' ¡°Babe, what''s wrong? '' ¡°No. '' I pause. ¡°I mean, I got sick this morning, but I don¡¯t think I''m sick, sick. I¡¯m just stressed AF. '' She pulls me into an empty nook by her locker, giving us privacy from the other students in the hallway. ¡°Talk to me, what''s going on? '' ¡°It¡¯s stress. It¡¯s eating at my stomach. '' She nods sympathetically. ¡°Been there, I know exactly how it feels. Maybe if you talk about it and let it out, you''ll feel better. '' ¡°It''s my grades, Sadie. If I don¡¯t ace these finals, I¡¯ m not going to get a schrship, and then what? No college for me? Or student loans and a mountain of debt for the rest of my life? And where am I going to go? Where is Easton going? What will that mean for us if we go to different colleges? '' ¡®You''re right, that¡¯s a lot. '' She puts her hands on my shoulders. ¡°But you get the best grades and you''re going to kill your finals. If you need to take a few Easton¡ªfree days, then do it. Bust out some heavy studying and then¡¯¡ªshe smiles hard ¡ª¡°make up for lost time. '' But every minute apart seems like an eternity, especially when,e summer, we''ll probably be heading to different states. Ones that will be far from each other. ¡°Has Easton talked to you about his college ns? '' I shake my head. ¡°I haven''t asked. I don¡¯t even want to bring it up because I don¡¯t want to face the reality. We''ll probably be ne rides away from one another and then what? I can''t afford a ne ticket, never mind buying one once a month. '' ¡°But he can afford it. '' "Sadie ... '' ¡°I know, not the point, '' she says. ¡°But you can¡¯t stress about this now. Graduation is months away and so much can happen between then and now- '' ¡°Like me falling even deeper in love with him. '' She pulls me against her, hugging me. ¡°Oh, babe. It''ll work out ... I promise. '' ¡°And if it doesn¡¯t? '' She¡¯s silent for a few seconds, and then, ¡°That''s not an option. I don¡¯t even want you thinking that way. You and Easton are perfect for each other. '' ¡°Harper? '' Easton says. His voice startles me, and I release Sadie, finding him standing only a few inches away, concern etched across his face. ¡°Hi, '' I whisper to him. He nces at Sadie, and then back at me. ¡°What''s wrong? '' He holds out his hand, waiting for me to grab it, and when I don''t, he reaches for my waist and pulls me against him. ¡°What happened? Did someone say something to you? Is there more spray paint¡ª '' ¡°No. '' I wrap my arms around his neck. ¡°I was just having a shitty morning, but I''m fine now. '' As he stares at me, I can tell he¡¯s trying to get inside my head. I break our eye contact to quickly look at Sadie and mouth, ¡°Thank you, love you. '' She smiles and nods and leaves me alone with Easton. ¡°I don''t like seeing you upset. '' ¡°I''m not, '' I assure him. ¡°I mean, I was, more like overwhelmed with school stuff, but Sadie talked me off the ledge. '' ¡°Why didn¡¯t youe to me? '' N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. His expression doesn''t change, but I see the hurt in his eyes. ¡°Sadie was by the entrance when I came into school. That''s the only reason I vented to her first. '' I bury my fingers in his hair, pulling him closer. ¡°I tell you everything, you know that. '' The sound of the bell goes off and I add, ¡°If we''rete, it¡¯s detention. '' Words we live by now since he no longer has the hook up¡ªsomething I''m extremely grateful for. ¡°I''ll see you next period, '' I tell him, giving him a quick kiss. ¡°Harper¡ª '' ¡°I promise I¡¯m okay, don¡¯t worry. '' I chew my lip, knowing it drives him mad. ¡°And you''re mine after school. I have a little n for us. '' ¡°What? '' ¡°What''s not the question, Easton ... it¡¯s where.¡± Chapter 118 Chapter 118 Easton When Harper and I parted at the start of first period, where was thest thing she said to me. Now that we''re at her house, sitting on the couch in her living room, she just finished spilling where she had in mind. And I''m a little surprised. ¡®That''s your fantasy? '' I ask, nodding toward the Christmas tree. ¡°To fuck under there? '' The location is weird as hell, but that doesn¡¯t stop my dick from getting hard. It¡¯s been throbbing to be inside her since the moment we walked into her house. There¡¯s something about going all day at school without being able to touch her the way I want to, that always works me up. She bites her nail as she says, ¡°Do you think I''m crazy? '' ¡°Crazy, no. We all have fantasies, Harper. Shit, I have plenty of my own. '' ¡°I''ve been nervous to tell you, but since my mom put the tree up a few days ago, it¡¯s all I''ve been thinking about. '' ¡°Tell me why. '' She shrugs. ¡°I ... know it¡¯s strange. But, since I was a kid, there''s always been something about that tree. Maybe it¡¯s the scent of the fir needles or the twinkling lights, maybe it¡¯s the soft, fuzzy skirt around the bottom¡ªI don''t know, I just want it to happen. '' She stops chewing her nail, moving on to her lip, gnawing on that bottom one like it¡¯s gum. ¡°And I want it to happen now. Her neediness, the way she¡¯s demanding my cock, makes me smile. The truth is, I don¡¯t give a fuck if it happens under the tree or in the bathroom under the stairs, like the first time we kissed, or in the janitor¡¯s closet at school. I just want to touch her, I want to taste her. I want toe inside her. I stand from the couch and kneel on the floor in front of her, holding her face with both my hands. ¡°Kiss me. '' Her lips immediately fall against mine, her mouth parting, allowing my tongue in. I don¡¯t know how a kiss can turn me on this badly, but something about the way Harper moves her lips causes an urge to take over my body. All can think about is her pussy. I reach underneath her shirt, fisting her tit through her bra, grazing my thumb back and forth across her nipple. Her breathing increases, each exhale ending in a soft, sweet moan. There¡¯s nothing better than the way her body responds to me. It doesn¡¯t matter how I¡¯m touching her, she finds pleasure in all of it. But I need more. I lift her off the couch and carry her over to the fuzzy skirt that frames the tree, lying her down on top of it. ¡°Here? '' She nods. ¡°Yes. '' My hand rests against her stomach, lowering until I reach her pussy. ¡°And here. '' She smiles. ¡°Fuck, yes. '' In one quick movement, I have her pants unbuttoned, her zipper down, and her pants pulled off. I don¡¯t want to waste a goddamn second. From the moment I saw her this morning, hugging Sadie, clearly upset, all I thought about was making her feel better. My mouth can certainly do that. I get on my stomach, positioning myself between her bent knees, and I shift her panties aside, my tongue licking her clit. ¡°Easton... '' she moans, tugging at my hair, bringing me even closer. What that earns her is a finger, slipped into her wetness. I bury it inside her until I reach my knuckle, that¡¯s where I turn my wrist, pulling out, and diving back in. ¡°Oh God, yes, '' she hisses. She tastes so good, her wetness coating me, her tightness sucking me in. I can¡¯t wait to dip my cock into her, to feel her pulsing around me, to hear her screaming my name over and over. But I''m going to make sure that happens from my tongue first. I''m going to make sure shees so hard, she doesn''t even remember what upset her earlier. My hand speeds up, so does my mouth, focusing on the top of her clit, licking it horizontally. My finger tilts forward, finding that ce, deep inside, that I know she loves. ¡°Ahhh! '' I add a second finger, her moans turning even louder, and that makes me lick her harder, it makes me finger¡ªfuck her faster. Her thighs fall against my face, and I push them apart as her back arches off the floor, her fingers twist my hair like she¡¯s trying to rip it out. Goddamn it, she¡¯s so fucking hot. Especially when shees, like she¡¯s about to right now. I can feel the build happening inside her body as she starts to grind her clit against my mouth. Her sounds are filling my ears, her wetness thickening the more I lick, her pussy clenching against my finger. She¡¯s seconds away. She just needs that push. And I¡¯m going to give it to her. I suck her clit into my mouth, flicking just the edge with the tip of my tongue, and that¡¯s when I hear, ¡°Easton, I¡¯m going to¡ª '' ¡°What the fuck! '' Harper¡¯s mother gasps. My tongue goes still. My body goes rigid. My dick goes limp. I don¡¯t nce up ¡ªI don¡¯t dare¡ªbut from what I just heard, her mom can¡¯t be more than a few feet away. Harper and I react at the same time. She shouts, ¡°Mom, '' and grabs for her jeans. I push myself to my feet, turning my face so her mom doesn¡¯t see me wipe her daughter''s wetness off my lips. When I finally face both women, I say, ¡°Il, ah¡ª '' ¡°Easton, I think you should leave, '' her mom says, cutting me off. ¡°l... '' I don¡¯t know what the fuck to say to that. Harper is trying to wiggle into her jeans, I know she¡¯s about to get the wrath of her mother any second. I don¡¯t want to leave her, but the way her mom is looking at me, tells me I have seconds to find the door before she kills me. ¡°I''ll call you, '' I tell her. ¡°You will most certainly not, '' her mother says. ¡°Because Harper''s phone is going to be taken away ... for the rest of her life. '' ¡°Mom¡ª '' ¡°Are you really going to Mom me? '' her mother snaps. ¡°Because you think you have a right to talk back to me when I just walked into my house and saw you on the floor with your brother''s best friend, under our family¡¯s Christmas tree, no less, with his face between .. '' Her hand goes to her forehead. ¡°I can''t even say it, I''m so disgusted. '' What the hell? Why did she call me her brother''s best friend? I''m Harper''s boyfriend. I look at Harper, waiting for her eyes to find mine. But they don''t, they stay glued on her mother. I just want to grab her by the hand and walk her out of here and take her to my ce. ¡°Easton, '' her mother says, forcing my attention to her. ¡°It¡¯s time to get moving. '' Text content ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Bye, Harper ... '' I keep my eyes on her as I walk toward the door. With my hand on the knob, I add, ¡°I''ll see you at school tomorrow. '' The second the door closes behind me, I ce my ear against, listening ¡°Sit down, '' her mother shouts. ¡°You have some serious exining to do. '' Fuck. Me. Chapter 119 Chapter 119 Harper ¡°Mom¡ª '' ¡°No. '' She puts her hand in the air. ¡°I need a second. '' She¡¯s not supposed to be home. No one is. Ryan is at Sadie¡¯s and my parents are always at work at this hour. Mom never gets home at this time, so I don¡¯t know what she¡¯s doing here. But that¡¯s not the point anymore. The point is, she saw us under the tree with Easton''s face between my legs. And I¡¯m mortified. I seriously want to die. ¡°Exin yourself, Harper. What would make you think it¡¯s appropriate to bring a boy into our home and have him do¡ªthat¡ªunder the family Christmas tree? Or THAT in general. '' Her hand goes to her forehead, like she has a migraine. ¡°Are you having sex? Are we about to have that kind of talk? '' She swallows, her knuckles turning white. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you were even getting close to, to, to what I just witnessed. You''ve said nothing to us about dating or boys or¡ªsex. '' Text content ? N?velDrama.Org. This conversation would be easier if I could ease into it. Bring up the idea of a boyfriend, mention that we''re getting closer, and then revisit it after several months. Guess that opportunity is long gone. ¡°Mom, Easton and I are together. As in, we''re dating. As in, we¡¯re a serious couple. '' ¡°Why am I just finding out about this? '' I don¡¯t know what to say. I didn¡¯t even think to mention him to my parents. Maybe it¡¯s because, for the longest time, my brother wanted to murder Easton. And then we went from hiding to being totally open and somehow the concept of sharing the news just got lost. Plus, it was nice, not having to exin myself when Easton was around all the time. They just assumed he was here for Ryan. Not me. ¡°I... don''t know, '' I tell her. ¡°Harper, I let you go to Easton''ske house for the weekend, I had you stay there an extra night because of the storm. And that whole time, I had no idea you two were¡ªare¡ªintimate. '' Her eyes widen. ¡°How could you do that to me? How could you be so dishonest with me? '' ¡°It wasn''t intentional. I didn¡¯t do it to upset you. '' ¡®You''ve always been the most honest, loyal, forting girl¡ªit''s your brother who keeps everything locked up like a vault. And now I have to find out like this? Does Ryan know you''re dating his best friend or is that another fire I have to prepare myself for? '' I swallow. ¡°He knows. '' ¡°Of course. I¡¯m thest to find out, makes perfect sense. '' ¡°I- '' ¡°Disappointed doesn¡¯t even begin to cover it, Harper. I¡¯ve always trusted you to make mature decisions, I''ve given you the freedom to do so, and this is how you treat that freedom? With this much disrespect? '' ¡°Mom... '' I reach for her hand, knowing I have to make this better. ¡°What happened today was wrong, I shouldn¡¯t have done that. You definitely shouldn''t have walked in on it, but you need to know I''m being careful. Easton and I¡ªwe''re both being careful. I''ve waited a long time to do this, I wanted to make sure it was with the right person. '' I nod. ¡°And it is. '' I take a breath, fibbing just a little when I add, ¡°He''s been so incredible to me¡ªfrom day one. '' ¡°Wait ... are you telling me .. '' She pauses, her chest heaving as she takes a massive breath. ¡°You''re on birth control? '' ¡°Don¡¯t you remember when I went to the doctorst year because my cramps were so bad, and she put me on the pill to help make them better? You came to the appointment with me, Mom. '' ¡°Jesus. '' She grabs her chest, pushing against it. ¡°I didn¡¯t even think about it because in the same appointment, you told the doctor you weren''t sexually active. '' ¡°And I wasn''t¡ªthen. '' She continues to stare at me, my stomach in knots. ¡°But now you''re using birth control, so you won''t get pregnant. '' Disappointment is dripping from her voice. It¡¯s killing me. ¡°Mom, I''m a senior in high school, I¡¯m almost eighteen¡ª '' ¡°And I''m still your mother, something you''re obviously forgetting. '' She shakes her head. ¡°I knew this wasing one day, I¡¯m not naive. But to find out like this? '' Her face drops, her stare now on the floor. ¡°I think I need another minute. '' She gets up from the couch, pacing the living room. Every time she looks up at the tree, she turns, and heads in the opposite direction. When she finally stops in front of me, she holds out her hand. ¡°Give me your phone. '' ¡°Mom¡ª '' ¡°Your phone. Now. '' ¡°Because I¡¯m having sex? '' She threatened to take it when Easton was here, but I didn¡¯t think she was serious. I thought I could make this better if I exined everything. And now ... it¡¯s worse? ¡®This is my house, my floor that I found you on¡±¡ª she grabs the phone from my hand¡ª¡°and your father and I pay for this phone line. Until you buy your own phone and pay for service, then I''ll take it away whenever I damn well please. '' She points to the stairs. ¡°I want you to go to your room right now and I want you to think about respect and what that exactly means and theck of respect that you showed this family today. '' She shoves the phone into her back pocket. ¡°I also want you to think about how wrong you were by not telling me about you and Easton¡ªhow allowing that boy upstairs, allowing you to stay at hiske house is an entirely different situation now that I know he''s sleeping with my daughter. '' Her hand is back on her chest, holding it like her heart is about to fall out. My arms wrap around my stomach. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. '' ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear it. '' She points to the stairs. ¡°Go. '' I feel the tears start to pool the minute I stand and hurry for the stairs, rushing up the long flignt and running into my room, shutting the door behind me. No phone. No trust¡ªit''s gone as far as my mom is concerned and the minute she tells Dad, it''ll be gone with him, too. I feel sick. I look at my bed and almost throw myself on it, burying my face under a pillow to scream, when the sight of myptop catches my attention. I sit at my desk and click the screen alive, pulling up my email and typing a message to Easton. Me: I''m so sorry Mom barked at you, ugh, she¡¯s so pissed. She took my phone, and this is the only way I canmunicate. FML. I can¡¯t believe she came home. I mean, talk about bad timing, right? I get up to go to bed when a message almost immediatelyes into my inbox. Easton: Are you okay? Me: Yes. No. I don¡¯t know. She¡¯s really mad, I know she¡¯s going to tell my dad. Maybe I should have told them about you ... I stare at my inbox, waiting for him to respond. Several minutes pass and there''s still nothing from him. I go to my bed, looking back at the screen every few seconds to see if a messagees in. But nothing. Not even after the most awkward family dinner ever. Not even when I climb into bed to go to sleep. Not even when I wake up the next morning for school after the most restless night ever. Is Easton ... mad? But what did I do wrong? Chapter 120 Chapter 120 Easton I''m not surprised to find Harper at my locker when I get to school the next morning. I expected her to be standing there, looking pouty, just like she is, especially after not emailing her backst night. Truth is, I was fucking pissed. And I still am. ¡°I''m not in the mood, '' I tell her. I twist the padlock to enter thebination and pull the door to my locker open once it¡¯s unlocked. ¡°But why? What happened? What did I do? I can¡¯t handle my parents being angry at me and you, too, Easton¡ª '' ¡°That¡¯s the whole thing, Harper. I can¡¯t fucking figure out why you wouldn''t tell your parents about us. Am I this disgusting little secret to you? '' She backs up, like I just spit in her face, ¡°What? Is that really what you think? '' ¡°Now I do. '' I grab two books, toss them into my backpack, and m the locker shut. ¡°I had you over to my house for dinner, you sat with my parents, and it was clear to them¡ªto everyone¡ª that you¡¯re my girlfriend. Yet, I¡¯m this big fucking secret to your family. How do you think that makes me feel? '' ¡°I... '' Her eyes are filling with tears. ¡°I didn¡¯t even think of it that way. '' ¡°Because you didn¡¯t think and that¡¯s a fucking problem. '' ¡°¡ª '' ¡°Do you know how much I''ve changed for you? I¡¯ ve settled down, I''vemitted, I''ve basically ruined a friendship with ke all because of you. And what are you doing for me? Lying to your family about us being together? '' She shakes her head, the first drip falling from her eyes. ¡°No. It¡¯s not like that. You know it¡¯s not like that. '' ¡°I do? Tell me. '' ¡°I love you, Easton. '' I sigh. It kills me that she¡¯s crying. That her parents are upset with her, that I¡¯m upset with her, that she¡¯s feeling raw as hell. But, damn it, she¡¯s wrong, and I don¡¯t know how to make it any clearer to her. ¡°What now? '' I ask her. ¡°Your mother catches me eating your pussy and now I''m supposed to just go over to your house, like nothing happened? Like every time she looks at me, she¡¯s not visualizing me on the floor, feasting on her daughter? '' ¡°Oh God ... I don¡¯t know, '' she says in almost a whisper. ¡°They''re not talking to me, so I don¡¯t know what''s going to happen. '' ¡®You need to make this right. '' ¡°I will. '' She reaches for me. ¡°I promise. '' I say nothing as she grips my waist, trying to pull me closer to her. ¡°Please love me right now. I had the worst night, I¡¯m falling apart from all this fighting. Everyone is mad at me, and my heart can''t take it. '' ¡°Because you fucked up. '' She wipes her eyes. ¡°I know, Easton, and I¡¯m going to fix it. They know now¡ªabout us, that we¡¯ re having sex, that I¡¯m on birth control so I won''t get pregnant, there are no secrets anymore. '' ¡°And your mother wants me to fucking die, and your dad probably wants to slit my throat. Thank God he didn''t catch us. '' She winces at the description, and then shrugs. ¡°Maybe? '' She puts up her hand the second I start to respond and says, ¡°But they would anyway, think about it. I''m their little girl, every dad wants to kill the man their seventeen¡ªyear¡ªold daughter is sleeping with. '' She has a point. That doesn¡¯t make me any happier. ¡°I''m still pissed. '' ¡°I know. '' When she tries to pull me closer and I don''t budge, she wraps her arms around my back, burying her face against my chest. ¡°AllI thought aboutst night was why you weren''t messaging me back. It broke me, Easton. '' I can feel her tears soak through my shirt. ¡°I needed you. I was hurting so badly. '' Fuck me. I hold the back of her head, my fingers lost in her wet hair. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to abandon you, but fuck, Harper, that shit is wrong, and you know it. You ¡ª¡ªhurt me. '' ¡°I''m sorry. I¡¯m so, so sorry. '' We stand there in silence, hugging each other, the anger just starting to simmer out of me. I don¡¯t know how she¡¯s going to make this better. I also don¡¯t know how I''m going to face her parents again, which causes a real problem because of my friendship with Ryan. I can only imagine the next time I¡¯m around them, I¡¯m going to feel like the biggest piece of shit. I don¡¯t want that. I''ve respected their daughter. I didn¡¯t push her to fuck me. I made sure she was on the pill before I stopped using a condom. I''ve honored her¡ªin ways I¡¯ve never honored other women in the past. The drama,tely, never fucking ends. I kiss the top of her head, holding her tighter, when the bell rings. ¡°We have to get to ss, '' I tell her. ¡°You''re going to have to let go. '' She squeezes for a second longer, and then looks up at me. ¡°Favor? '' ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. ¡°What? '' ¡°Can I borrow your phone? '' I chuckle. ¡°Why? '' ¡°Seriously? '' She snorts. ¡°I haven''t seen my phone in over twelve hours and my entire life is on it. I just need to log into some of the apps and see if there are messages waiting for me. '' I reach into my pocket and hand her mine. ¡°We¡¯ re not done talking about this. '' ¡°I know. '' She leans up on her tiptoes and kisses me on the lips. ¡°I''ll see you after ss. '' She then hurries down the hall. Since I¡¯m headed in the opposite direction, I watch her ass for a few seconds longer, the way that perfect¡ªshaped heart moves as she walks, and then I turn toward my ss. ¡°Lovers spat? '' I hear. Of course ke''s here. Of. Fucking. Course. ¡°Stop with the jealous remarks, ke. They make you sound pathetic. '' I don¡¯t even bother to turn toward him, he doesn''t deserve my eye contact. ¡°At least I would know how to keep her happy. '' All he saw was Harper''s tears and my anger. And he assumed. Well, he assumed fucking wrong. Now, I turn, my teeth grinding together when I say, ¡°Why don¡¯t you mind your own fucking business and stop chiming in when you don¡¯t know what the fuck you''re talking about. '' He smiles, like the motherfucker is getting a blowjob. ¡°Because I do know what the fuck I''m talking about. '' When will this dude ever stop? ¡°Yeah? Then you''d know this one wasn''t on me. Now go hump the urinal, that¡¯s about the only hole in this school that will put out for you. '' I walk into my ss and take a seat next to Ryan. I can feel his eyes on me, and it takes everything I have to look at him. ¡°Listen¡ª '' He puts his hand up. ¡°I heard¡ªmy parents yelled all night about it. I don¡¯t want to talk about it, Easton, my fucking ears are still bleeding. '' I nce straight ahead, my fingers winding together, my patience so thin, I want to flip this desk over and throw it toward the front of the ss. But there¡¯s something I need to know. Something that will make this situation even worse. ¡°We good? '' I ask him. He takes a few seconds to respond, and then he finally nods. At least one thing is going right today. Chapter 121 Chapter 121 Harper With Easton''s phone tucked under my arm to hide it from my teacher, I enter the ssroom, and hurry to my desk. Once I''m sitting, I take out my textbook and notebook and pretend to be ready for ss. Really, it¡¯s just a stage, so I can look prepared while, in all actuality, I¡¯ll be hiding behind the guy in front of me, using Easton''s phone to catch up on all the things I¡¯ve missed. Just as I''m typing in his passcode¡ªthe same code, I¡¯ve learned, that opens his locker¡ªI hear, ¡°Are you all right?" The questiones from my left, the seat where ke sits. I''m sure he¡¯s asking because he saw Easton and I arguing. ke misses nothing. I don¡¯t want to get into it. It''s none of his business. Whatever I tell him, I¡¯m sure will get right back to Aisha, and then I''ll have to listen to her teasing, too. I''m over it. I nce at him, observing the concern etched across his face. ¡°Yeah, I''m fine." ¡°You deserve better." He turns his body toward me. ¡°I told him that when I saw him gloating in the hallway a few seconds ago. What dude does that, by the way? Fight with their girlfriend, and then act like king of the world?" He rolls his eyes. ¡°Anyway, I just want you to know that you don''t have to put up with someone treating you that way. You''re a hell of a catch, Harper. Any guy in this school would agree." My heart aches. I was the reason for today¡¯s fight. I was the one who royally fucked things up. I was the one who waited her whole life to date someone¡ªsomeone as amazing as Easton¡ªand then kept him a secret from her parents. What''s wrong with me? How am I going to make this up to Easton? How am I going to show him how much I love him? ¡°Harper?" I realize I''m staring at ke, lost in my thoughts, not saying anything. ¡°Yes?" ¡°Stop doubting yourself. Every word I said is true." I nod and turn back toward the front of the room, the teacher beginning her lecture. I don¡¯t know what she''s saying, nor do I care. What I need is to get out of my head for a few minutes and focus on something other than my massive fuck¡ªup. I unlock Easton¡¯s phone and pull up his Instagram. Do I snoop? Ugh, I can¡¯t help myself. ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. I immediately pull up his DMs and start scrolling, looking for names that stand out. There''s nothing, just a bunch of stuff with his guy friends. Phew. I logout of his ount and login to mine, catching up with all the messages I''ve missed. I check Aisha¡¯s page, surprised there isn¡¯t some type of reference about my fight with Easton this morning¡ªor anything about me in general or her evesting love for him. She¡¯s been quiet, and that¡¯s not like her. WHGOSSIP hasn''t had anything really juicy to share either. In fact, their posts have been a littleme lately, a few hookups that the school already knows about, a fight between two cheerleaders that resulted in lost weaves. Snore. I logout and check my Facebook and TikTok,ughing at Sadie¡¯s video with her hairless cat. She likes to dress him up in these wild costumes and the cat couldn¡¯t be more uninterested. It''s hysterical. And it¡¯s gained her over a hundred thousand followers. She¡¯s even having petpanies reach out to her for endorsements, it¡¯ s nuts. Seeing that I haven''t really missed much, I logout of all my ounts and stare at the background on Easton¡¯s phone. The photo is of us, the first night at hiske house, sitting outside on the dock. Sadie had taken the picture and our legs are dangling in the water, his arm is around my shoulders, my head is resting by his neck. I''m sorry. I''m so sorry, Easton. I didn¡¯t mean to fuck this up. Even though things didn¡¯t end badly when we parted in the hallway, I feel hopeful that he¡¯s somehow going to forgive me, and I''m going to find a way to make this right. Still, my heart aches. I need more. I need to feel the love he didn''t give me this morning. I pull up his photo App and start scrolling through all his pictures. I¡¯m surprised at how many there are of us, I didn¡¯t realize Easton took as many photos as me. Some are of us snuggled together at his house, others were taken in my bedroom, lots were snapped while we were at school, tons more of us at theke house. I scroll through many more random shots, searching for more pics of us. I¡¯m going pretty fast, so there¡¯s quick shes of detail that catch my eyes¡ªliquor bottles, Ryan doing a keg stand, the boys moshing at a concert. I keep scrolling, knowing there has to be more shots and suddenly, something out of nowhere catches my attention, and I reverse back a few photos. There''s a fluttering in my chest as I rewind the pictures I''ve already seen, going slow to make sure I don''t pass it again. I don¡¯t know exactly what I¡¯m looking for, I just know something didn¡¯t feel right when I saw a sh of it the first time. My thumb swipes again and suddenly my chest tightens to the point where I can¡¯t breathe. It''s not like I''ve been running and can''t catch my breath. This is the feeling that something has literally taken the air out of my lungs. Because that thing has punched me in the fucking gut. And it doesn¡¯t stop with one kick. It punches again. And again. My hands shake as I hold Easton¡¯s phone. My stomach churns. Why does he have this photo? Why does it appear like he¡¯s the one who took it? I don¡¯t want to¡ªand I don¡¯t know why I do ¡ªbut I spread my thumbs over the picture to blow it up. My heart begins to pound as the pixels spread, Mrs. Scott''s boobs erged over the center of his screen. She''s topless. Braless. Smiling. At my man. In what seems like a house¡ªprobably her house because I know it¡¯s not Easton¡¯s, I''ve never seen that painting hanging on any of his walls. I can¡¯t. I fucking can''t. A thoughtes to me. Maybe it¡¯s a super old photo that he forgot to delete. That he meant to trash, and it just slipped his mind. I pull up the details of the picture where it shows the date it was taken. My stomach churns again, the bile threatening to rise to my throat. The date that¡¯s timestamped is a date I''ll never forget. Because it changed our entire rtionship since that very next morning, every student in this school thought he had slept with Mrs. Scott. But I believed he didn''t. I thought he was loyal to me. I stupidly took his words for the truth when he told me nothing happened between them. But something most definitely happened. This photo is proof. Proof that my boyfriend cheated on me with that bitch. I set the phone down on my desk, my chest heaving, my lips quivering, this overwhelming urge to scream takes over my body. How could he? Why would he? It doesn¡¯t matter. Because ... We''re done. Chapter 122 Chapter 122 Easton It''s weird not having my phone. And not being able to text my girl when I literally want to bang my head against my own locker, add in a few ms, then get high so my anxiety slows down all because I just need her. Don''t get me wrong, I''m still livid as fucking hell that she didn''t tell her parents about me. And let''s be honest, I''m still embarrassed that I was eating her out under a mother fucking Christmas tree while both the Santa figurine and baby Jesus watched. Son of a bitch. I''m going to hell, aren''t I? I start to sweat as I think about all the ways I''ll burn for shoving my head between her thighs while her mom walked in. I pull my beanie down over my eyes and groan when the bell rings. Thank. God. I need my phone. I need Harper. It''s been stressful since the cabin, her sickness, grades, uing finals and just everything, everything seems to be causing both of us to pull more apart just when I felt like things were finally getting better. Add in fucking ke and yeah, maybe I do need to just store edibles in my locker and pretend they''re actual candy. I barely make it to my locker when I see Ryan approach, and he looks just as tired as I feel. ¡°School blows,¡¯ he groans and leans against it. "I can''t wait to be done with all of this shit." I put in my History book and m my locker closed. ¡°Something happen in Pre¡ªCal that I don''t know about? Or is this just you bitching like you always do that Mr. rk is dumber than a box of rocks and needs to retire?" ¡°He called me Bryan,¡± Ryan says. "Three times.¡± I bust upughing. "Damn, I needed thatugh. Did you at least respond?" "Yeah, because he kept going, Bryan, Bryan, Bryan, and I was fucking annoyed. He pointed his stapler at me. It was an entire experience that made me want to toss my desk." He frowns. "Honestly, things with Sadie are going good, too good, I just have a weird feeling, one that tells me it can''t always be like this and after..." He hesitates. "You know the... desecration." I re. "Must you bring it up?¡± "Some things you can''t unhear, bro, some things scar you for life, you fucking ruined holiday decorations for my entire family. I couldn''t sleep and had to turn baby Jesus toward the window along with the littlemb because I felt guilty on your behalf.¡± He shudders. ¡°Anyways, it''s just a lot. Don''t people always say senior year is supposed to be the best? Nobody ever talks about the stress.¡± ¡°All the stress," I groan. Ryan jerks his head toward the hallway behind me. "Speaking of stress, there''s my sister and she looks...¡± He frowns, and then ps me on the back. "The same way she did when our grandma died so... may the odds be ever in your favor. I''m out.¡± He runs away like a little bitch and I wonder why the hell she looks so angry and sad when I''m the one who got caught by her mom of all people¡ªand not only that, I wasn''t even brought into the fold as far as being her boyfriend. I frown. I cross my arms. I prepare for impact. "You." She says it in a terrifying way that has my teeth clenching and my sperm most likely dying out of sheer terror. "You." Does she really need to repeat it? I don''t ask. I simply clear my throat and wait. Tears start to fall. Damn, this isn''t good. I reach for her only to have her flinch and pull back as more tears flow. People are watching. I have no clue what to do and almost ask if it''s that time of the month when she points my phone at me, showing me my own screen. I immediately feel like puking when I see the picture of Leigh and grab Harper by the wrist, pulling her down the hall and outside so that people can''t hear, can''t see, can''t know. Panic has me almost hyperventting because what the hell do I say? What. The. Hell. Do. I. Say? It starts to rain, because of course it starts to rain when you''re a senior in high school and dealing with drama and trying not to have a nervous breakdown. Hell, are we on Riverdale or starting our own Netflix drama these days? I clench my fists as I stare at the photo of Leigh. Her tits could not be any more visible, obvious, huge, damning. "I didn''t take that.¡± I lie right away because I''m so used to it. I am so fucking used to being that guy, the one who''s never been in a real rtionship and doesn''t want to get in trouble. But the minute I say those four words I regret it. Harper''s eyes squeeze shut and open again, ssy yet so clear and sad that I want to rip my own beating heart out of my chest just so I can exchange it and take on her pain. My fault. Fuck. ¡°The date,¡± she whispers hoarsely. ¡°It was the day everything changed for us, the night, the hot tub..." More tears fall until she''s full-on sobbing. "Did you cheat on me? When I gave everything to you? When I made the decision to be transparent? When you made the choice to be the guy I''ve always known you could be? ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. When you said all those... things?" A knot forms in my throat. I know I''m about to cry. I''m still angry for my own reasons, but right now I feel like aplete dick head, the worst of the worst because while I took that to protect us¡ªI still kept it from her, and the whole point of a rtionship, of being open, is to share things that matter, and things that affect us. "I''m starting over,¡¯ I whisper as tears fill my eyes. God, I can''t believe I''m ready to cry, that I might actually shed a tear in front of my girlfriend. But it hurts. It hurts so fucking bad. Everything hurts. I love this girl. I love her so much I don''t know how to function. And her expression is breaking me. I open my mouth, only to close it again, then finally mutter the damning words, "I lied. I''m sorry. I had my reasons. I only did it so¡ª" The bell rings at that moment. ¡°Look, wait for me after school, I can exin...let me exin." It''s my turn to squeeze my eyes shut and open them again, knowing that this might end us. "I went over there to protect you¡ªto protect us. And when she came onto me again¡ª" I take a deep breath. ¡°She doesn''t matter. Because you''ve always only been mine and I wanted to keep it that way." Chapter 123 Chapter 123 Harper "No." It''s all I can say, alll can think. No. No. No. No. ¡°Harper.¡± He reaches for me. All I can do is p his phone into his hand and turn away from him. This isn''t okay. Nothing about this is okay. He has a naked picture of the school counselor on his phone in order to ckmail her and he never told me. He fucking left me that night and lied. The problem is his lies. Had he just said, oh hey, btw, this woman is the worst and I slept with her and here''s everythingid out on the table, full disclosure, like he SAID he was going to do. I feel sick to my stomach. Forget feeling like shit this morning thanks to my cold. Nothingpares to this feeling of finding that photo on his phone. I turn around and start to walk away. ¡°Harper.¡± The way he says my name kills a part of my soul. He says it like a prayer every time, and it''s so damn hard not to fall to my knees and worship the way he treats me or how I thought he treated me. I think back on when I was sick and he dropped stuff off, I think back on all the times he was my rock and I wonder what I did wrong to make him feel he couldn''t trust me, when he fucking lied and said he did. I want to be his as much as he''s mine. So why doesn''t it work? Why are there so many obstacles the minute I think things are okay? The stress is starting to really get to me. ¡°Not now,¡¯ I finally say. It''s all I really can say without puking all over the sidewalk and I make my way back into the school for myst ss. Shit. I know I probably look horrible. I rush into the girls bathroom and grip the sink, then stare at my reflection, wondering why it''s hard to even recognize myself anymore. The door opens. ¡°Girl, Sadie says. "I saw you running, are you okay?¡± "Yes." I fib. And then fall into broken sobs. "No, he I¡ªlied. He went to her and I had his phone...¡± After checking all the Stalls it only takes me three minutes to tell her before the bell rings. ¡°This isn''t over.¡± She juts a finger at me. ¡°If Ryan knew about this, I''m burning his ass with a fucking torch!" I sniffle and shrug. "Can you at least tell me I don''t look like hell before I head over to gym?" She winces. ¡°Maybe just...put on some lipgloss?¡± "Lipgloss doesn''t fix broken hearts,¡± I point out. "No." She braces my shoulders with her hands. ¡°But it does give you more power when you''re wearing lipstick. Ask my grandma, she''s eighty, and red lipstick still gets herid." Iugh through my tears. ¡°I knew I liked your grandma.¡± ¡°Everyone clearly does." She winks. "Put on the pink gloss, go to gym, ignore him for the rest of the afternoon. You only have fifty minutes of hell before you can sneak into the liquor cab or DoorDash fries, kay?" I nod and swallow the giant sized golf ball in my throat, trying to clean up my face as much as possible before I head to gym. With Aisha and ke. Yay, the hits just keeping. I don''t even have a phone I can utilize just in case Easton actually does have a better confession or exnation. I want to say we''re done, but right now I just need a break from it all before I rage. I change into my gym clothes and walk into the giant space. Aisha is off to the side, talking to Julia, and when ke sees me, he frowns as he approaches. Like literally thest thing I need right now is one of his pep talks. I turn away as the teacher blows his whistle. ¡°Line up, we''re ying badminton! Find a partner and remember if I see any more cell phones out or Toks or Tiks¡ª whatever the hell you kids call it being filmed, it''s detention. You know things happen in actual real time here at school and filming your life for the world to see because you want to be an influencer isn''t how it''s done if you want to go to college." ¡°Someone''s pissed, ke says from behind me. "His daughter, by the way, has two million followers on TikTok. Think he''s triggered that she makes more than him?" I smile, despite my grumpy mood, and turn around. ¡°It''s not like teachers are rolling in it.¡± ¡°Especially gym teachers.¡± He runs a hand through his dark hair, pieces of it falling against his high cheekbones. "Let''s team up, you look like you could use a win today.¡± I shrug. ¡°Technically, you''re ying against me.¡± "Right." He takes a step forward until he''s inches from me, licking his lips before saying, "I suck at badminton, couldn''t ever get into it once I found out you technically call the little birdie shit a shuttlecock.¡± He grins. "So, what do you say? You wanna shuttle my cock? And I mean that in the most respectful way possible.¡±N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. Our teacher starts yelling about lining up again as ke holds out the shuttlecock. And for some reason. I want nothing more than to grab him. Rage. And beat his ass. Chapter 124 Chapter 124 Easton I''m a fucking mess throughst period and can''t even fucking text Harper to apologize or discuss the whole thing with her mom. The sick feeling I get in my chest when I think about her not iming me and of course on top of that the picture. Fuckkkk, the damn picture. I see Sadie the minute I get out of ss and think, oh good, someone I can convince to be on my side, when she smacks me on the ass with her backpack. "The hell, Sadie!¡± ¡°How could you hurt her like that! I thought you trusted her! She was bawling." Her own eyes tear up. "Really, Easton? I mean, fucking, really?" "Keep your voice down." I grab her by the elbow and bring her toward my locker when Ryan walks up. "Is there a reason you''re hitting him?" "Yes," she seethes and looks around us. "He has a picture of Leigh on his phone with her tits just dangling out there and Harper saw it and it was the same day...it was..." She shakes her head. "That same fucking day you guys decided to get serious, you lied, Easton. AGAIN!¡± "Keep your voice down!" Ryan repeats and shares a look with me. "Sadie, you don''t know the whole story.¡± Her eyes widen. "You knew?" "Shit." Ryan lowers his head. "Look, can we do this in the parking lot at least? People are starting to stare." Sadie appears ready to chop his dick off. I''m so miserable, I''m still on the verge of tears as we leave the building. Sadie and Ryan walk ahead of me, but she jerks out of his embrace and already I feel guilty because I know she''s taking sides and is pissed off. Harper soon appears in the parking lot, heading toward Sadie''s car, and I know all hell is about to break loose as ke follows behind her and hands her a scrunchie. Really? A fucking scrunchie? I hear him say, ¡°You dropped this after gym." He winks at her, tuffles her hair and says, "Good game, thanks for handing me my ass. It was actually more fun losing, I think.¡± He looks over at me and smiles. "Maybe winning first isn''t where it''s at these days...¡± I want to kill him. Blood pumps through my body as my nostrils re. Ryan grabs me before I can run after ke or just hop into my car, start the engine, and run him over. ¡°Not worth it, man,¡± ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. Ryan says quickly. "Look, maybe we should just head out and talk or something? You could use it" Hell yeah I could, but I want to talk to Harper. The minute my eyes search for her again, she''s already hopping into Sadie''s car and putting on her seatbelt. ¡°Wait!¡± I call out. She hesitates putting it on. I wait for her to get out. Instead, she looks away and clicks herself in while Sadie gives me the finger and burns out of the parking lot, like she''s getting chased by the devil after stealing his horns. I curse until Ryan again informs me that people are watching, then I blindly crawl into my Jeep and follow him to the pizza ce by his house. I don''t remember him ordering. I don''t even remember eating my first slice of pizza before he cracks his knuckles and says, "Tell me everything, like you''re a girl on a super dramatic reality show. Then, tell me why you look so equally pissed and sad.¡± I grit my teeth and stare at my empty te. "Other than, you know...the incident." "Is the whole tree thing called the incident now? I like that better than¡ª" "Yes," l interrupt him. "For the love of God, can we not talk about it anymore?¡± He lifts up his hands in surrender. "Fine by me, again, it''s my sister. If I could bleach my brain I would." I shrug. ¡°I''m sure your mom feels the same way." He shudders. "I have constant second¡ªhand embarrassment and horror, just so you know." ¡°I''ll have nightmares of her face for life." I take a sip of my Coke and lean back in the chair, exining how everything went down. Pure anger flows through me as I exin how much it hurt that Harper didn''t tell their parents she had a fucking boyfriend who also happens to be her brother''s best friend. And then I rage about the chaos that is Leigh. And to his credit, Ryan sits there and listens, though I can tell I''m stressing him out too because he''s had five Cokes and he hates soda. I''m sure he wishes each of the Cokes had rum in them. Give me a damn bottle at this point. "So..." Ryan winces. ¡°I think you quys need to sit down and talk. I know why you kept it and I still support it, the picture that is, but she''s so stressed out, man. Mom and Dad were not easy on her after...the tree." He clears his throat. ¡°And, on top of that, she doesn''t have her phone, she can''t evenmunicate with you right now and seeing that on your screen couldn''t have been easy after all the lies and drama. I know Sadie isn''t being helpful either because girls have this need to stick together like they do when one has to pee and seventeen of them get up and go. The point is, I know my sister. It''s going to be fine¡ªeventually. Just be patient. She''s stressed about finals too, after being so sick, and this is just as new to her as it is to you." The man has a point. I nod as the bell on the restaurant door goes off and Aisha walks in with Julia and maybe because I''m stressed and sad as fuck I lose my censor and end up barking out, "Why the fuck are you always finding us?" Aisha rears back, her face a mask of innocence. "Can we not eat pizza?" "You always said you hated this ce because it was a greasy, toxic dump.¡± Ryan sips more Coke. "So, no... and sorry they don''t have any sd. Grab a fucking baked cookie or slice of greasy pepporoni and leave.¡± Julia goes pale. Aisha juts her chin out. "We just came here to grab a quick soda." lroll my eyes. "Whatever, dude.¡± I p some bills on the table. "We were just leaving anyway.¡± Aisha has the audacity to pout. "Aw, we were going to join you, rememberst time we were here and ¡ª" ¡°Gonna stop you right there.¡± I hold out my hand. ¡°I''ve had a shit day and you''re giving me actual stalker vibes. We''re out, enjoy your diet soda and don''t forget to puke up whatever food you eat after so you can stay a size two." Julia''s eyes widen. Aisha looks ready to cry. I honestly don''t care anymore. I leave the restaurant with Ryan. ¡°A bit harsh," he says under his breath. "Even though she''s a bitch." "It''s not normal,¡± I find myself saying as I unlock my Jeep. "How often she finds us.¡± He frowns. "You''re right.¡± I shake my head. "Hey, I''ll text youter.¡± ¡°Let me know how I can help.¡± "Yup." I feel like shit my entire drive home. Chapter 125 Chapter 125 Harper "It would be so much easier if I still didn''t feel like shit!" I throw myself onto my bed as Sadie paces back and forth as if that''s going to help the trauma of the day. Why can''t things be easier? I do love him. I do. I just feel betrayed. Hurt. And exhausted, quite honestly, I could nap for ten days and probably still not feel rested. Maybe it''s the fact that I was so sick and jumped right back into school, the trauma of my mom finding us, or feeling guilty over not telling my parents about the love of my life. Wow, take your pick. "He''s an asshole,¡¯ she finally says. "Let him sweat it out a bit." ¡°Would you?" I ask. "Let Ryan sweat it out? Or would youmunicate? Hear him out? Be mature? I don''t even know what I want to do. One minute, I want to run Easton over, the next I want to hold him and never let go. He''s mine, Sadie. Mine. I love him. I just...I don''t understand this side of him. The one that''s still holding back, the one that''s afraid.¡± She sighs. ¡°Love is scary, babe. No matter how young or old you are. It has no prejudices, it is what it is. One day, it cuts you so deep you think you might bleed out, the next day you wonder how you ever lived without that feeling. It doesn''t take sides. It simply exists and you live in it because on those good days, the really good fucking days, you can''t imagine waking up without your person. You can''t imagine breathing one more second without that person holding your hand and standing by your side. So yeah, while this all sucks, I know if you really love each other, you''ll get through it, fight for it, and come out on the other side. Until then.¡± She ps her hands. ¡°He''s dead to us.¡± Text content ? N?velDrama.Org. Iugh, I can''t help it, and then I burst into tears again. "I''m sorry, I''m just so emotional these days. I hate that I missed school when I was sick, and I feel so much pressure over finals and getting into college. Things with Aisha still feel like a true crime story ready to unravel and ke..." I stop myself. Sadie tilts her head. "ke seemed extra friendly today. Wanna talk about that?" I shrug. "He was pretty tame. Normal. He wanted to be my partner in gym. I let him because honestly everyone else was pairing up while I was throwing a pity party and he just seemed...nice." "Was he nice?" she asks, examining her fingernails. "For ke, I mean, since all the Aisha shit?¡± "He was. We had fun." I smile. "He barely flirted and it at least distracted me for nearly an hour, which I totally needed.¡± She nods. "I still think something''s off there." "Yeah." I don''t tell her that I''m back to wondering what exactly is off because I can''t put my finger on it. "Maybe. I don''t know. Either way, it was a horrible day and I hate that I can''t talk to him...¡± "ke?" ¡°Easton, I say, then rush to myptop and open it. "Let me just send this real quick..." Aknock sounds at my door. "Yo." Ryan lets himself in. "Hey, beautiful, mind if I borrow you real quick?" He kisses Sadie on the cheek. She blushes, then shoves him. "Nope, wait, you''re friends with the devil.¡° He rolls his eyes. ¡°Yeah, let me just say right here and right now, you both need to listen to the reason. Yes, I knew, h, h, h, you all want to murder me, who runs the world, girls, but for real...he did nothing wrong and Harp...¡± His eyes soften. "He loves you. He would never cheat on you. Besides, if he did, I''d cheerfully kill him and go to prison." Tears fill my eyes. "Thanks, Ry.¡± ¡°Anytime.¡± He grabs Sadie''s arm and pulls her out of my room, leaving me alone with myptop and all my dark thoughts. I take a deep breath and get on gmail. And then I type. Easton, I know we need to talk. I don''t know if I overreacted or if I''m just letting life kick my ass, but I miss you. I don''t want to break up, I just need some time...but I also need you. I don''t know what to do and how things got soplicated so fast, but... can''t text you, so I at least thought I could email and let you know that no matter what, right now, in this moment, you''re still mine. And I''m still yours. I click send and I stare at my screen. Wondering if there''s a way to salvage this. Or if we really are done. I don''t have to wait long as my email pings minutester, making me nearly drop myputer onto the floor in an effort to check if it''s him. It is. Googlechat? Zoom? Hand signals? I smile, despite being hurt and email back right away. I can zoom, send me an invite. Minutester, he does. And when his face appears, just like that, my fears dissipate a bit as I see a tear run down his cheek. He looks away and wipes it. And then he grabs the screen and whispers, ¡°I fucking love you so much. You don''t even know. And I''ll tell you. Everything. I just need one fucking minute to stare at your face. To memorize it, so I can go to bed tonight without having nightmares of losing you. I''m yours too. And know that every choice I''ve made has been to protect us. To protect what we have. And, most importantly, to make sure that you''re in my life forever. I know that doesn''t forgive what I did, but quite honestly, it doesn''t forgive what you did either. If we''re in this, I need to know that everyone you love knows how much I love you. So, before we go any further¡ªare you in this? With me? Do you love me the way I love you? And are you ready to tell the world to go fuck themselves, so I cane over to your house and fucking love you the way you deserve?" I gasp. And burst into tears. Chapter 126 Chapter 126 Easton Her tears are killing me. I can''t reach through the screen and love her. I can''t hold her hand. It feels like I''m suffocating, falling deeper and deeper with each tear that streams down her cheek. My hands shake. I hate it. Because I know that I''m part of the problem and that I''m still pissed over not being imed and I know it goes back to my own parents being kind of absent. Harper has made me feel like I''m everything. She doesn''t realize the jealousy I had over how much her parents treated Ryan like an adult, how many times I had toe to their shitty suburbia house and watch themugh with them both and do movie nights when mine were too busy making all the money to even contemte doing a Netflix night with pizza and it''s super super fucking shitty when you feel that way, but know if you express it the damn¡¯s going to fucking shit all over the ce. All things considering I was rich, what did I have to worry about, right? Don''t get me wrong, I love my parents, and I know they love me, but we''re rich and sometimes when you''re rich, you tend to take a backseat to stock options and making more money that you can''t take with you when you die. I stop being a pussy just watching my girlfriend cry and wait for her to finally draw in a few deep breaths as she takes a swig from her water bottle. "Easton, She hups. My hands shake with the need to touch the screen as if I can feel her warmth and dry her tears. ¡°That was...a lot. I don''t even know what to say because things feel so messed uptely, you know? It''s like were fine, better than fine and then crazy things happen." I wipe my hands down my face. "You mean Aisha? ke? Spraypaint? College pressure?" She sniffles and smiles. ¡°Yeah to name just a few." "L wish I could take it all away, take all the bad back, you know I do." Fuck it, I touch the screen with my fingertips like a total simp and nearly shout with joy when her fingertips meet mine pressing against her own screen. ¡°Well,¡± She drops her hand. I drop mine. "At least I beat ke''s ass at badminton today. Don''t be jealous that you werent there. Be proud that I shoved that shuttlecock right up his ass in a very that feels traumatic way.¡± I choke out augh. "Cocksucker." ¡°Shuttlecocksucker.¡± Her cheeks are nearly dry now. "Do you think we can meet tomorrow morning? At the coffee shop next to the school around seven?" I want to meet now even if it means driving my ass all the way over to her house and facing the wrath of her parents but I simply nod my head and then smile. ¡°L need that.¡± I whispered. "Would love it. I need you." ¡°lL need you too.¡± "Harper!" Her mom''s voice filters through the room. "Did you finish your homework?" ¡°That''s my cue.¡± Cockblocked again by her mom. "I love you." Her smile is still sad but she says. "I love you too.¡± Then the video disappears. N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. Hourster, like an idiot, I stare up at my ceiling all night because I can''t sleep worth shit thinking about meeting her, holding her, talking to her, and making her understand how deep my feelings go for her. Damn, andst year I was able to actually attend school like a normal person while this year, I can barely go five minutes without seeing her. By the time morning rolls around, I''m up at five doing push ups in my bedroom to calm my anxiety. I get ready so fast, I think I scare my mom when I run downstairs and out the door, if the spilled coffee on the counter is any indicator. Harper is waiting at the shop the minute my Jeep pulls up. She looks fucking gorgeous in her jeans and crop top. Her blue peacoat is open giving me a perfect view of her stomach. I honest to God, just want to say, screw it and eat her out again underneath the Christmas tree, let them all watch! SORRY BABY JESUS, SANTA, SMALL LAMB, WISEMEN, damn, I''ve gotten possessive this year. And why did I fucking scream that in my head like a lunatic? I wave at her again and then approach. Tears fill her eyes. I can''t help it, I pull her into my arms and squeeze her tight, relishing the smell of her against me. Today, she smells different, like jasmine and vani. I love it. ¡°Sorry,¡± I whisper. "Me too.¡± She sniffles. "Now, before I force you to buy me coffee"¡ªI smile, she smiles back¡ª¡°tell me everything, so I can decide if I''m going to throw it in your face." ¡°Wait, is it going to be hot?" ¡°Nah, I''ll take it easy, make it iced but with extra cream so it gets in that perfect hair of yours and looks like you jerked off and missed the tissue and hit your face instead.¡± ¡°Violent.¡± I nod. "Sounds exciting and probably another visual that will never leave my headspace or at least take a lot of time to forget when ordering a cold brew with extra foam." She makes a face. "When you put it that way...¡± ¡°Congrattions, you just ruined your own favorite drink.¡± She shrugs. "I''d lick it.¡± ¡°Fuck.¡± I hang my head. ¡°Please do not make me go into that coffee shop with a boner. I''ll never live it down." She actually does look down, which just makes things worse and I have this sudden fantasy of throwing her across one of the coffee tables and having my way with her. I clear my throat. She looks up. "Sorry..." ¡°Your fault.¡± I grab her hand. "Time for the truth." I confess to everything once we''re in there, the whole reason behind the picture, why I took it, why it was necessary, and then I say what''s been on my mind and heart since the incident. "Why though, Harper? Why not tell your parents?" She squeezes my hand. "We''ve been through a lot and I really just didn''t think about it, honest to God, I just wanted to keep you...for myself for a bit. I''ve always had to share you with everyone else, my brother included, and even then it''s not like we actually got along. It was hard enough when Ryan got pissed and I wasn''t sure my parents wouldn''t question me to death, so I just...forced myself to focus on us." It''s a good answer, one I can actually understand. I blow out a breath. "Does this mean you don''t hate me anymore?" "I don''t hate you. I never hated you.¡± She wraps her arms around my neck, at this point we need to get going to ss, but I don''t want to walk away from her arms, from her smell, and the way she clings to me like I''m her everything. Maybe in this moment, she finally understands this is it. ¡°lL can give you space,¡¯ I say, hating myself. "If you need it.¡± "No, she muffles out against my chest. "I''m with you. We''re with each other. I just wish life was a bit less stressful right now.¡± I chuckle. "Yeah, same, wee to high school.¡± She groans. "Let''s just try to put this behind us. I''m not saying I''m over the fact that you weren''t honest with me. Just like I''m sure you''re still hurt that I didn''t tell my parents we''re together, but it''s almost Christmas. I really want to enjoy what we have left of this year and winter break together.¡± ¡°Very mature decision," I joke. "Say you wouldn''t be turning eighteen soon, would you?" She shoves me and rolls her eyes. ¡°Okay, boner boy, let''s go." I don''t even have to look down. I just shrug. "When you''re close, my body can''t help it.¡± ¡°Well, it needs to calm down during English Lit or you''re going to have to figure something out." I grin. "We can always go to the janitor''s closet.¡± She smiles. I smile back. And during lunch she makes me smile even harder when we enter somewhat of a cease fire and she sucks me off in the janitor''s closet. Then, shoves me and says, "This still isn''t over...we''ll both have to grovel." Her on her knees? Me on mine? Game on. I''m calm the rest of the day. Until another stormes walking down the hall. ke and Aisha, Julia. And a sinking feeling that this isn''t over. Chapter 127 Chapter 127 Harper "Oh my God, I cannot wait until finals are over,¡± Sadie says to me as we make our way down the hall at school. "Same,¡¯ I agree,pletely distracted as I look for Easton. He texted me only a few minutes ago saying he didn''t wake up with his rm and now he''s running late. I know that''s because we were studyingst night at the library, trying to prepare for our history final. It was the only ce I could get my parents to let me go. They believed I was studying with Sadie, which at first, I was. Sadie and Ryan were there with us, but they eventually took off. Leaving Easton and I alone. We tried to study, we really did. But we ended up getting distracted. Too much smiling at each other. Hands bumping, fingers tangling.Kissing. Lots and lots of kissing... ".and on top of everything else I''ve got going on, my cramps are freaking awful today. Like, the worst. I''m gonna need to mainline some Midol to make it through,¡¯ Sadie says, just before she starts tough. "I mentioned to Ryan how orgasms help ease cramps but he says he doesn''t want to bathe his dick in the Red Sea.¡± ¡°Oh my God, TMI, my friend,¡± I practically groan, shoving her shoulder. Thest thing I want to hear about is my brother having sex with my best friend when she''s on her¡ª Yeah. Can''t even finish the thought. Sadie''sughter grows as she nearly goes toppling over. "Sorry. Couldn''t resist." Her gaze snags on the girls¡¯ bathroom door up ahead. "Speaking of cramps, let''s make a stop in the bathroom real quick before ss starts." ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Have you started yet?" Sadie asks me. "You usually do before me.¡± "No.... haven''t.¡± I frown as I follow her into the bathroom, mentally calcting thest time I had my period. Last month like usual. I open my phone¡ªgot that back from my mom yesterday thank God¡ªand check my period app to see that I should most definitely be on it right now. So why am I not? ¡°What the hell¡ª¡± I run right into the back of Sadie, who''se to aplete stop in the middle of the bathroom. ¡°What''s wrong?" I ask,pletely distracted as I stare at my phone screen. A textes through from my boyfriend. Easton: Hey just got here. Where are you? Me: In the bathroom. Wille see you in a sec. ¡°Look at the mirror, Harper. Just¡ªholy shit! I''m gonna go off and kill a blonde bitch right now, I swear to God! You know Aisha is behind this." Sadie points at the mirror above the sinks and I nce up, staring at it, notprehending at first. Until the letterse into focus and I read the words spray painted big and bold across the ss. Harper loves to suck big dick! ¡°Oooh, I need to document this." Sadie''s phone is out and she''s taking endless photos from every angle possible while I just stand there, too shocked to move. "We need to report this Harp. Now.¡± A toilet flushes and both our heads whip in the direction of the closed stall door. I thought we were alone in here. Sadie sends me a look, her eyes wide. I can only shrug in return. Whos in here with us? The stall door suddenly smacks open and out walks... Julia. With a giant smirk on her face. We''re silent as she walks to the sink and turns on the water, dumping a bunch of soap in her hands before she starts washing them vigorously. Her gaze meets ours in the mirror, right below the spray painted message. "Why are people always talking mad shit about you, hmmm, Harper?" she asks me, her expression one of pure innocence. "I don''t get it." ¡°Who did this?" Sadie marches right up to her, her entire body tense. "Did Aisha put you up to this?¡± Julia calmly turns off the water and pulls a couple of paper towels from the dispenser, wiping her hands before tossing the crumpled paper in the trash. "Are you using me of writing that?¡± She points at the words written on the mirror. "Fucking DUH, bitch.¡± Sadie takes a step closer, practically getting in Julia''s face. "Who did this?" ¡°It wasn''t me,¡± Julia says, her voice firm. ¡°Then it was Aisha.¡± "She''s not even here.¡± Julia crosses her arms in front of her chest. "She''s sick today." Sadie takes a step back, her confused gaze going to mine. "L call bullshit,¡± N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. I say, finallying to life. I can''t let Sadie fight all of my battles. ¡°It''s finals week. She wouldn''t miss school." ¡°She''s got like, mono or something. I don''t know. But she''s really sick. She''ll have to take her finals after winter break." Julia sends us both a withering stare. "Not that it''s any of your goddamn business.¡± ¡°Who else would do this then?" Sadie throws her hands up in the air, clearly frustrated. "No one else has the motive. Just Aisha. Or you." ¡°You really think all the girls in this school are thrilled for Harper that she snagged the hottest guy on campus? The unattainable Easton? Please.¡± Julia rolls her eyes. "There are girls who would probably kill for a chance at him. You''re lucky all they''re doing is writing crude messages about you on bathroom mirrors." And with thatst statement, Julia walks out of the bathroom, never once looking back. Sadie growls the moment she''s gone. "She''s so annoying.¡± I grab a bunch of paper towels and run water over them in the sink before I start scrubbing at the mirror. ¡°Let''s get rid of this." Sadie tries to stop me. "Don''t do that. It''s evidence." ¡°Evidence of what? That people hate me because I''m dating Easton? I don''t need the reminder.¡± Turns out it wasn''t spray paint but the washable stuff the cheer team always uses. Ites off pretty easy and I keep up the task. Eventually, Sadie joins me, her expression like stone. She''s mad. Well guess what? I''m mad too. But I don''t know what to do about it. Chapter 128 Chapter 128 Easton I''m at my locker right before first period when I''m practically tackled not just by my girlfriend, but her best friend too. And they''re both talking a mile a minute. "You''re never going to believe¡ª" ¡°Spray painted on the mirror¡ª" "Julia was in there and she said Aisha''s gone¡ª" ¡°We got rid of it. I couldn''t look at it any longer." Thatst statement is from Harper, and she says it in such a sad way, my heart literally breaks for her. From what I can tell, something awful was spray painted about Harper¡ªagain ¡ªthis time on the mirror in the girls'' bathroom. Anger rises and I clench my jaw so tight I''m afraid I might break it. Why do they keeping for my girl? And who is it that keeps doing this? The drama never fucking stops and I''m sick of it. Sick. Of. It. I grab hold of Harper''s shoulders and gently shake her, needing her to pay attention to me. ¡°Tell me what happened,¡± I demand. She exins everything, starting from the beginning. How they walked into the bathroom, spotted the rude message written on the mirrors, and how Julia was in there. They confronted her but she denied having anything to do with it. Of course. I''d deny everything too if I were her. "She mentioned something about how all the girls are jealous of Harper because she''s with you, but I call bullshit,¡¯ Sadie says as she grabs her phone and goes into her photos. She pulls up an image and shows it to me, nearly thrusting her phone into my face. ¡°Here''s what it said.¡± I take her phone, staring at the photo. Harper loves to suck big dick! Is it wrong that I''m vaguely ttered it says big dick? Because hey...it''s true. And it''s also true that Harper enjoys sucking it. At least, I think she does¡ª Sadie thwacks me on the arm. So hard, I take a step away from her with a muttered, "Ow." "What do you think is going on?" Sadie asks, her voice rising. ¡°Who the hell is doing this?¡± ¡°Aisha of course, I say without hesitation as I hand Sadie back her phone, then pull Harper in for a long hug. She clings to me and I bury my face in her hair, breathing deep her unique scent. She''s over this, I can just feel it. I''m over it, too. I feel fucking awful that we can''t shake this shit. I wish I could protect her everywhere she goes, but I cant. I hate feeling helpless. It''s the fucking worst. The warning bell rings and Sadie dashes off in search of Ryan before they go to ss. I pull away slightly from Harper, reaching out to smooth the worry lines from her forehead. ¡®I''ll take care of this." Harper doesn''t look reassured by my promise. More than anything, she seems worried. Tired. So damn tired of it all. ¡°How are we even going to figure out who did it? Aisha isn''t here, ording to Julia. Julia denied she did it¡ª" "I would too," I say, interrupting her. "Maybe Aisha put her up to it and she wasn''t expecting you to walk into the bathroom like you did.¡± ¡°She didn''t seem bothered by us walking into the bathroom at all. When she came out of the stall, she was weirdly calm,¡¯ Harper exins. I grin, trying to make light of it. Trying to cheer up my girl. "Maybe she was feeling good after taking a solid morning dump." Harper makes a disgusted face and shoves at my shoulder, augh escaping her. "Ew. You''re so gross.¡± ¡°At least I made youugh," I point out. Herughter fades and her expression turns pensive. ¡°You''re right. You did." She throws herself at me before I can m my locker shut, squeezing me tight. ") don''t know who to trust anymore.¡± "You can count on me,¡¯ I tell her, rubbing her back. "I''ve got you.¡± ¡°L know," she murmurs. ¡°You and Sadie and Ryan. That''s it. You''re the only people I can trust. Everyone else feels like a threat.¡± I''m d she didn''t include ke in her list. That guy is up to shady shit, I just know it. I can''t prove it but damn, I can feel it. We finally separate and head to ss. I''m in Spanish and we already turned in our final project, so it''s a ss I don''t have to stress over. Thank God. Finals week has put Harper under enormous pressure, and I can''t lie¡ªit''s been stressful for me too. Now with Leigh not around to change my grades, I have to actually study and maintain solid scores. I''m not an idiot, but this shit is hard. And I want to get into a good school. Harper and I discussed college a few weeks ago, right before we turned in our applications, and we applied to a few of the same schools. That''s some serious shit, us wanting to go to the same college. We haven''t said it outright to each other, but we''re both thinking it. We''re in this for the long haul. And not gonna lie, that''s kind of scary. Ryan cruises into my ss at one point, sitting in one of the chairs in the back and I go to him. "You hear about the spray paint message in the bathroom?" I ask as I settle into the empty desk next to his. He nods, his lips tight. "Sadie told me. Who the fuck do you think it is now?" ¡°Aisha, via Julia. I don''t care if she denied that she did it. I think she did." Text content ? N?velDrama.Org. I nce around the room, wishing she was in this ss so I could stare at her. Intimidate the shit out of her. She''d deserve it for fucking with my girlfriend. "She might''ve." Ryan hesitates for only a moment. "Could''ve been ke." ¡°Could''ve been,¡¯ I agree. ¡°Could¡¯ve been any of these motherfuckers in this room, really.¡± "True." I watch everyone, fighting the unease that wanted to take over me. Every time I think I''ve got it all figured out... Something¡ªor someonees along and trips me up. Chapter 129 Chapter 129 Harper I''m in a shit mood for the rest of the day, barely able to concentrate on my final exams, which freaks me out. Yeah, just add another thing to my freak out list. Like the fact that someone is still writing shitty messages about me at school. That I think I''ve skipped my period¡ªwhat the hell? That I feel like shit still thanks tock of sleep and everything else that''s going on. I''m so over this year. I swear the minute it''s winter break, I''m going straight home and falling into bed. Maybe I''ll sleep my way through the rest of the year, I don''t know. All I know is, I need some down time. Some drama free time too. Don''t know if thatst one is possible, but a girl can dream. We''re out of school earlier than normal thanks to our finals schedule and I''m heading for the parking lot when I hear a deep male voice say my name. I turn to find Easton behind me, his gaze lifting at thest second, like he might''ve been checking out my butt. Knowing him, he probably was. ¡°What are you doing?" I ask, trying to go for a flirty tone. He smiles, but his eyes are full of concern. For me. "Waiting for you. Want toe over to my ce?" I press my lips together, wishing I could say yes. "I should probably go straight home with Ryan. My parents are still unhappy with me thanks to the tree¡ª" Easton holds up both hands, silencing me. "Yeah, yeah. The tree incident. Don''t say anything else." My cheeks grow warm. It''s still a touchy subject in my house, which is no surprise. ¡°I wish I could go home with you.¡± ¡°Why can''t you?" he asks, his voice soft. "Where are your Parents?" ¡°At work." ¡°And how are they going to know where you''re at?" ¡°Find my phone. She''s checking." I pause for dramatic ir. ¡°Constantly.¡± ¡°I fucking hate that shit," he mutters, shaking his head. "Let me take you home then.¡± ¡°What do you mean?" I frown. ¡°Instead of riding home with Ryan, I''ll drive you home. They won''t check on you right away, will they? We can tell Ryan to go somewhere else and make it look like you got a ride with... I don''t know. Sadie maybe?¡± "She''ll be with Ryan.¡± Harper rolls her eyes, but I can tell she''s into the idea. ¡°Just¡ªlet me take you home. We need a little one on one time." He smiles, and I swear his eyes are glowing. "Let me help you forget all your troubles for a little bit.¡± I raise my brows. "What''s that supposed to mean?" Text content ? N?velDrama.Org. He t out grins. ¡°You''ll see.¡± Once we convince Ryan and Sadie to go somewhere else for a while, I climb into Easton''s Jeep and he heads for our house. He takes the long way, driving slow, which is incredibly unlike him, my hand in his and resting on his thigh as he cranks up the stereo once I plug in my favorite ylist. Taylor Swift is sting at full volume and I''m singing at the top of my lungs along with her song, throwing my head back and losing myself in the lyrics. Her songs remind me of some sort of teen dream movie, and once I got involved with Easton, I felt like I was actually living one. While it''s been great, and I''ve had a good time with Easton, it''s also been really hard. Maybe loving someone isn''t supposed to be easy. The challenges only make us stronger, right? That''s what I tell myself. By the time we''re pulling into my driveway, I''ve stopped singing along with Taylor and Easton has turned down the volume. He puts the Jeep in park, but doesn''t shut off the engine. Instead, he turns toward me, his gaze warm as he studies me. ¡°How did that feel?" I frown. "How did what feel?" ¡°Taking the long way home and singing along with Taylor? Seemed therapeutic.¡± I realize that it was. My shoulders are rxed. And I didn''t think about finals or my future or Aisha and spray paint once. ¡°It actually was." He smiles, leaning back in his seat. "Good. That''s all I want." "What do you mean?" I ask, though I''m pretty sure I know what he''s saying. I just want to hear him actually say it. "I hate seeing you miserable and feeling like I can''t do anything about it. I hate that people attack you when they don''t even know you. Because if they knew you, they''d realize how great you are. You''re sweet and thoughtful and kind. You''re funny and sexy and while I know you didn''t like what was written on the bathroom mirror, I have to admit something,¡± he says. I brace myself. "What?" ¡°You really do seem to love sucking my¡ªbig dick.¡± He bursts outughing and while I know I should be really, really angry about that, I''mughing too. ¡°Come here,¡¯ he murmurs once ourughter has calmed and I go to him, letting him kiss me until my head is spinning and I swear I see stars behind my closed lids. His lips and tongue work some sort of magic over me and by the time he''s pulling away, I can only sit there and stare at him in a stupor. ¡°There''s my girl." He reaches out and cups my cheek. I lean into his touch, wanting more. Wanting everything he could possibly give me. "Okay. I''ll see you tomorrow.¡± He drops his hand and I blink at him repeatedly. ¡°That''s it. That''s all we''re going to do?" ¡°Well yeah. I didn''t drive you home so I could fuck you real quick in the backseat. I was just trying to do something nice for you. Help you forget your troubles and stress for a little while.¡± I stare at him, overwhelmed with love for this boy. Man. My man. "Thank you,¡¯ I whisper, fighting tears. "I love you." ¡°Llove you too." His smile is soft. "I wish I could do more for you.¡± ¡°You''ve done enough," I reassure him, leaning in for another quick kiss. "This was perfect." ¡°You''re perfect,¡± he says, just before he kisses me again. Chapter 130 Chapter 130 Easton Winter break is upon us and I swear to God, I can breathe easier. Helps that finals are over, and my girlfriend isn''t so damn stressed out all the time. Helps even more that her parents have loosened the leash theytched onto her after the Christmas tree incident, and they''re letting her go out more. Not too sure if she''s telling them she''s actually going out with me, though. That''s something I need to bring up to her soon, but for now, I''ll take her any way I can get her. As long as she''s in a good mood. And finally, she is. Soam I. I pull into the gas station that''s not too far from campus and park next to a pump. The ce is busy, full of cars and I notice the one parked on the other side of the pump I''m at. It''s familiar, and as I''m inserting my credit card into the machine, I notice the passenger seat and the backseat are full of boxes and belongings. Like someone is moving. Once I''ve got the gas situation handled, I lean against my car and wait for the tank to fill, checking my phone. We''re going to the movies and we''re meeting at the theater, since Harper isn''t ready to bring me back around the parents yet. I''m a little hurt over it, but I also understand. I mean, their mom did catch me going down on their daughter, and that is some fucked up shit right there. I''d rather pretend the moment never happened. Wipe that shit from my brain once and for all, but I know the next time I see their mom, it''s going to be there, hovering between us. Fuck my life, that was messed up. I scratch the back of my neck, my gaze snagging on the woman approaching the car full of stuff. Her walk, the color of her hair, everything about her is familiar and I know in an instant who it is. Leigh. She spots me, a sneer forming on her face as she rolls her eyes. "You would be thest person I have to see before I leave this godforsaken town." I slouch against the car, pretending I could give two shits about seeing her, though I can''t help but be curious. "You''re leaving?¡± Leigh must''ve had to pay inside, because she''s undoing her gas cap with jerky movements and shoving the gas pump nozzle into her tank so roughly the car rocks. ¡°More like I''m being forced out.¡± I don''t feel bad for her. Not one bit. She''s a conniving little bitch who used me. At least I was able to use her too. "You get fired?¡± ¡°No, thanks to you,¡¯ she mutters. ¡°I had nothing to do with that. I didn''t tell them shit.¡± N?velDrama.Org ? content. Why I feel the need to reveal that to her, I don''t know. "Sure." She practically snarls at me. "My husband kicked me out of the house, you know." "No shit?¡¯ I run my hand through my hair, bored already. "Guess I can''t me him. You were fucking around with a teenager.¡± "You''re a pig," Leigh spits at me, already yanking the nozzle out of her tank and putting it away. "I hate you. I hope you rot in hell.¡± "Right back at you, babe. You''re the one who messed with my head, you know. I was a minor back then. You broke the fuckingw," I remind her. ¡°And you enjoyed every minute of it, you little cocksucker.¡± She marches straight up to me and I push away from the car, standing my ground. "You think you''re so smart? Always getting away with shit. Someday you''re going to get found out for who you really are, and then what are you going to do?" I frown, hating her words. What she''s saying. The intent behind them. ¡°Shut up,¡¯ I mutter, but it''s like she doesn''t even hear me. "You''re nothing but a facade. A fake. Pretty face, I''ll give you that. Nice body. Thick cock. But that''s all you''ve got going for you. Up here?" She taps her temple. ¡°Empty. Stupid. You won''t get into a decent college, no matter how hard you try. Your grades don''t measure up. You don¡¯t measure up. I''m afraid you''re just aren''t good enough for anyone.¡± I re at her, trying to ignore the way her words make me feel. How she knows where to stick it to me. I might''ve trusted her in the past, and admitted my worry over school, and how I fucked off all the time and never took it seriously. She helped me. Made sure my test scores were up to par. Ensured my overall grades were ster. My parents neverined. My father told me I was a genius just like him. I was on my way to achieving anything I could ever want. "Truth is painful, isn''t it? I see it in your eyes. It''s hitting you that I''m right. That you''re not as smart as everyone thinks you are.¡± She takes a step closer, her voice lowering. ¡°You might''ve used me for sex, Easton, but you also used me to look like an academic superstar and now that I''m gone? You''re going to fail everything.¡± "Fuck off. I don''t need you." My voice is low,ced with fury, and the bitch actuallyughs at me. "Good luck,¡± she calls as she makes her way to her car and jumps into the driver''s seat. I watch her drive away, ncing up at thest second when I think I spot someone I recognize. A sh of blonde hair is there, then gone. Chapter 131 Chapter 131 Easton Harper: Where are you? We''re already at the movie theater and it''s about to start! I climb into my car and just sit there, staring at the message from my girlfriend. I should tell her who I ran into. I should. It would be the right thing to do. The honest thing to do. We need to keep up openmunication. I need to tell her everything. Running into Leigh is major. I don''t need to go into the specifics, but I should tell her. Yeah, I definitely should. But damn it, I''m full of doubt. About everything. Me: Had to get gas. It''s busy but I''ll be there soon. Promise. Harper: Hurry! I''ll save you a seat. Only if you bring me popcorn. :) I smile despite everything, regretting my decision to stop and get gas. If I''d only waited, I never would''ve run into Leigh. But I can''t tell Harper via text that I talked to Leigh. Can''t tell her at the movie theater either. I''m not about to ruin our date. The longer I wait to tell her, the less inclined I''ll be to say anything, and then I won''t tell her at all and look like a giant ass liar who''s got something to hide. Fuck. I punch the steering wheel once. Twice. It doesn''t make me feel better. All I''m left with is a throbbing hand and a messed up head because I don''t know what the hell I should do. Reaching for my phone, I go to my text thread with Ryan and start typing. Me: I ran into Leigh just now at the gas station. Ryan: No fucking way. Me: Yeah, and she said some fucked up shit too. Ryan: She was always aplete bitch. Damn, I love my best friend. He''s forever in my corner. Me: Yeah, she was. She still is. Guess her husband kicked her out and she¡¯s leaving town. Ryan: Good riddance. You can breathe a little easier without her around. Hesitating for only a moment, I decide to ask him for a little advice. Me: Should I tell Harper I ran into Leigh? He takes a while to respond, and I get antsy. So do the people who are waiting to use the pump I''m sitting next to. They start honking at me and I pull away from the pump, parking in one of the spots as I wait for Ryan''s response. I''m gonna be reallyte to the movies at the rate I''m going, but fuck it. I need advice from my best friend first. Finally, I get a response. Ryan: I don''t think you should mention your run in with Leigh to Harper. It''ll only upset her and she finally feels good. Today is the happiest I''ve seen her in a long time, and I don''t think you want to ruin her mood. Me: I don''t, but I need to be honest with her. I love your sister, Ryan. I don''t want to hide things from her. When I do that, it gives her reason to distrust me and think I''m up to no good. Ryan: Well you''re not, right? I mean, fuck that bitch. You haven''t been with Leigh in a while. Me: You''re right, but still. I hate keeping things from her. Ryan: Think of it as keeping the peace. And hey, if she finds out, me me. It''s my fault. I told you not to tell her. Me: Fucking deal, dude. You said it, not me. Ryan: Cool. Whatever. Now get your ass over here. The previews are about to start. By the time I''m walking into the theater ten minutester, the ce is pitch ck dark and the previews are definitely running. The seats are mostly full, but I spot my girlfriend smiling at me in the darkness. I make my way up the stairs and down the row where they''re sitting, plopping into the empty seat beside Harper and shing a grin in her direction. "Hey, babe." She pokes me in the ribs. ¡°You''rete. And you said you would buy me popcorn.¡± I''m about to leap out of the seat and do just that but she holds me back, keeping me in my seat. "I''m kidding. I made Ryan buy popcorn for us." Ryan leans over to whisper shout, "You owe me big, bro. That shit ain''t cheap and she always wants the biggest size." ¡°I really love popcorn, Harper says innocently as she takes our popcorn bucket from Sadie and puts it in between us. ¡°There you go.¡± I lean in and deliver a kiss to her lips, discovering that they''re buttery delicious. "Thanks, babe. You''re the best.¡± We share popcorn and watch the movie, our fingers brushing each time we grab more. The movie kind of sucks and I''m distracted by Harper''s scent, especially when she leans her head on my shoulder and scoots in closer, like she''s trying to snuggle. I lift the armrest, so there''s nothing separating us and she''s practically in myp. ¡°No funny business over there," Ryan says, earning a few shushes for his warning. I just smile at him, my arm around Harper''s shoulders, her lush body snug against mine. No way am I feeling Harper up in a movie theater with her brother sitting right there. I''ll save the feeling up in a theater for another time, when we''re alone. Besides, I''m too damn distracted thinking about Leigh and the shitty things she said. That bitch knows how to carve someone up with words, that''s for damn sure. Maybe it''s because she''s as mean as a snake and twice as fucking deadly. I hate her. Worse? I hate how that little confrontation with her made me feel. Text content ? N?velDrama.Org. Stupid. Dirty. Like I''m a liar. ncing down, I drop a kiss on Harper''s forehead and tell myself it''s going to be okay. Really. Chapter 132 Chapter 132 Chapter 132 Harper Easton: Are you sure about this? Me: Sure about youing over tonight? Umm, yes. It has to happen, Easton. You have to spend time with my family or this is going to be awkward forever. Easton: But your mom ... she''s going to look at me ... and remember. I cringe as I stare at hisst text. I''m sure he''s right, but there''s nothing I can do about it. Despite every warning that''s humming through my body, I know it''s time that the love of my life finally faces my parents. With a face that''s not covered in me. Oh God. I don''t think I''ll ever recover from the Christmas tree incident. But if things are going to progress with Easton¡ªand I want them to more than anything¡ªthen my family has to move on. They have to ept him. They have to get to know him on a level that isn''t just Ryan''s best friend, but as the boy I''m dating. The boy I''m positively in love with. And, now, they will, because after a long conversation with my parents, my punishment finally over, they''ve decided they''re ready to wee Easton. So, they''ve invited him over for dinner, followed by a sleepover, which is something Ryan had asked for. I''m positive Easton will be sequestered to my brother''s room with probably a padlock and chains wrapped around the door. Sadie will be in mine, and Mom said she''s going to make us breakfast in the morning. One of the perks of being off from school for winter break. Me: I''ll encourage Dad to pour her some wine and after half a ss at dinner, she won''t even remember. Easton: Or that''s all she''ll think about. I hope he isn''t right, but there¡¯s a good chance he is. Fuck. Me: Does that mean you''re not going to come? Easton: You know I''ll be there. At 5, right? Me: Yup. Sadie and Ryan should be here at that time, too, giving my parents plenty of distractions so the attention won''t just be on us. Easton: You mean, ME. Me: Stocooop. Let''s focus on something amazing, like you staying for breakfast tomorrow morning. Easton: I''d rather be devouring you, but I have a feeling the days of hooking up at your house are long gone. Me: Don''t be so sure, I may just be able to surprise you. See you soon. Don''t bete. Easton: And piss your mom off even more? I know better ... I find Sadie''s number and press it, holding the phone to my ear. "Hey," I say when she answers. "What are you doing?" Sheughs and I can tell it''s not at me, especially when she adds, "Ryaaaaaaan, stop, your sister is on the phone." She pauses. "Sorry, your brother is being all kinds of cray. What''s up?" ¡°I''m calling to make sure you guys are stilling for dinner." I move over to my closet, trying to look for something to wear for tonight. "And that you''re definitely staying the night?" ¡°And miss a sleepover with my girl,e on, Harp. Like I''d ever forget." I sigh, shutting the door to my closet, nothing inside looking cute enough. ¡°Sadie, I''m so fucking nervous." I fall onto my bed, covering my face with my arm, the worry I didn''t mention to Easton now really hitting me. "This is the first time my parents are meeting him as my boyfriend¡ªI mean, they''ve met him plenty of times as Ryan''s BFF. But boyfriend status changes everything." "It''s going to go perfectly, Ryan and I will be there to take the heat if things start to get fishy. And, don''t worry, I''ll say something super sassy if that happens, enough so that your mom won''t even remember that she busted his ass¡ªya know, eating you out." "SADIE." I groan. "Oh God. I can''t." I stuff my face into my pillow. "Easton keeps bringing it up and I just want to forget it." "Okay, no more stressing. The food is going to be great because your mom''s a hell of a good cook. Ryan and I are bringing dessert, and your parents are going to fall for Easton''s charm and we''re all going to live happily ever after." I snort. "I love your confidence." "Oh ... and if you feel the need to take a few hits from one of the joints in Ryan''s nightstand, that might not be a bad idea either." My eyes go wide. ¡°What are you saying? Do you think I need to? Because shit is going to hit the fan¡ª" "Rx, it''ll all be fab." I hear my brother say something in the background. "I''ve got to go. We''ll be there soon." The phone goes dead, and I push myself off my bed and out of my bedroom, scents from the kitchen hitting my nose before I even reach the bottom of the stairs. ¡°Need help with anything?" I ask, standing by the counter. Mom is cutting up vegetables for what looks to be a huge sd. She nces up at me, and then at the microwave. "No one will be arriving for another hour, I think I''m fine, I have plenty of time." I can''t tell if she''s feeling as anxious as me. Mom always has a cool demeanor unless she''s screaming at one of us and most of the time that''s aimed at Ryan. ¡°What are you making?" N?velDrama.Org ? content. I walk over to the stove. ¡°It smells delicious." Sheughs. "Lasagna, you can''t tell? Normally, you sniff that out like a bloodhound." That''s because it''s the best dinner she makes, and I have a feeling my love for it is the reason we''re having it tonight. "Right," I reply, ncing through the window at the stove, seeing the cheese bubble. "Looks yum." ¡°Do you want to tell me why you''re hovering?" I turn around, meeting her stare. "I ..." I didn''t n on what I was going to say. I''m not even sure what made mee downstairs. I just know the nervousness I was feeling in my room was too much and I needed to bust out. "No reason," I tell her. "I just thought I''d offer to help." Which I never do and that suddenly makes me feel worse. "I mean, since it''s my boyfriending over and you''re going out of your way to do all of this for him, the least I can do is ... set the table?" Her eyelids narrow as though she sees right through me. ¡°You want to make yourself useful?" She nods at the pile of carrots. "Peel those and chop them when you''re done." "On it." I hold one of therge carrots in my hand, aiming the peeler against it. "Hey, Mom"¡ªI take a breath¡ª"I appreciate this." A heat starts to warm my cheeks. "It ... means a lot that you invited him over." She wraps the garlic bread in foil and says, "Your father and I ¡ª" But her voice is cut off when my dad walks in. He''s holding a bag that he ces on the counter, taking out arge bottle of wine from inside. "I thought we could both use this." He then removes four nips of vodka and adds, ¡°And these." ¡°Honey, start pouring," she replies. My parents feel the need to get wasted, something they hardly ever do. Because they can''t get it out of their mind. The fucking Christmas tree. Awesome. Chapter 133 Chapter 133 Chapter 133 Easton "Hi,¡¯ Harper says as she opens the door for me, throwing her arms around my neck. I take a quick nce around us, making sure her parents aren''t in sight. Thest thing I need is for them to oversee any kind of PDA ande running at me. With fucking knives. But the coast is clear, so I wrap an arm around her waist and bury my face into her neck. "Fuck, you smell good." "Don''t get any ideas." "I have zero ideas. Tonight, tomorrow morning¡ªyou might as well be my sister with how far apart we''re going to be." I lean back, looking at her face. "All right, maybe not a sister, that would make the thoughts that are in my head right now really fucking gross." Sheughs and holds out her hands. "Is this for the fam?" I nod as she takes the bag from my grip. ¡°It''s wine.I told my parents I wasing over and Mom insisted.I think there''s something else in there, too¡ªsome oil or vinegar, or some shit like that." "That''s so nice of them, I''m sure my parents will really appreciate the gesture." She takes my overnight duffle from my arm and says, "Come on."I follow her, knowing within a few steps, I''m going toe face to face with my biggest fear. Her father, my worst fucking nightmare. And, just like I anticipated, he''s there when I round the corner to the kitchen, holding a ss of wine as he leans over the ind, talking to Harper''s mom. They both turnpletely silent the moment I enter. "Dad, Mom,¡¯ Harper initiates, ¡°Easton''s here."Every moment under the fucking Christmas tree shes through my head, followed by the look on her mom''s face when she kicked my ass out. Fuck. ¡°Easton, her mom says, ¡°it''s nice to see you again." I can''t tell if she really means it or it''s the wine talking¡ªthe ss that''s so fixed in her hand, it looks like it''s glued there. ¡°Easton ..." her dad says, and he steps closer, his hand going to my shoulder, which he squeezes. Harder than I''m expecting. ¡°Thanks for joining us."I nod. "Thank you for having me." "His parents sent gifts,¡¯ Harper says, taking out the items from the bag, making sure her parents see. But her dad isn''t interested. His eyes are on me and they''te not going anywhere. "So ...ahhh," I pause, trying to think of something to say. ¡°Where''s Ryan and Sadie?" I look around the kitchen, listening for noises upstairs. "They''re not here yet,"Harper tells me.She winces."They should be here any second." I can still feel her dad''s eyes on me. I''m trying to avoid his stare with every bit of resistance I have, but I can''t any longer. The second I make eye contact, I immediately regret it. Because his stare tells me something is about to go down. And I''m only proven right when he says, "Why don''t we go have a little chat, son."My fucking stomach drops.Especially when he nods to the porch. ¡°Out there." ¡°All right,¡¯ I reply, quickly ncing at Harper whose eyes are sending apologies and horror. I wish, more than anything, I could take the ss from her mom''s hand and down the red that''s in there. That feeling only intensifies as I follow her dad outside and take a seat next to him. "I''m not going to beat around the bush,¡¯ he says. "You''re a man, you''re doing manly things, therefore I want to know you have good intentions with my daughter." I want to fucking die.I didn''t prepare for this.I didn''t expect to be hauled outside and have toy my truth on the table.I just want to tell him I love his daughter and things are going to be all good. But can I say that? ¡°Lonly have good intentions, sir." The sir surprises me, but I''m happy I added it. "Harper means a great deal to me. I care about her so much and ..." My hands are sweating, my stomach queasy. I feel like I''m standing in front of our whole school, naked, with my hand covering my junk. "And our rtionship is very important to me." ¡°Are you being careful?" I clear my throat. "Careful?" "Yes, son.Careful.Harper is seventeen years old.She''s going to college next year.Thest thing I need ¡ªthest thing the both of you need¡ªis a bun in the oven." Another topic I didn''t expect. And one that feels like a p across the dick. I shake my head. ¡°No buns, sir. Definitely no buns." ¡°You''re sure about that?" I swallow.Do Ie inside her?Yes.But she''s on the pill.Fuck, I feel like the audience just grew to our entire fucking city and now I''m standing buckass naked in front of them, too. "I''m sure.We have our whole future ahead of us¡ªI''m going to college too, my parents are pushing for prew, so! can follow in my brother''s footsteps and work at Dad''s firm." ¡°I know you''re one of the responsible ones, Easton." He takes a drink of his wine and I watch it go down his throat, envious when he swallows. "But Harper is my baby girl.I have to watch out for her, no one else will." ¡°I will, sir.I always have her back.Nothing will ever happen to her when she''s with me.I promise you that." "Then that leads to my next question." I shift in my seat, the interrogation making this chair extremely ufortable. ¡°You say you''re going off to college and so is Harper, what''s going to happen if you go to different schools? Do I have to worry about Harper dropping out so she can be closer to you?" He leans his elbows onto his knees, moving even closer to me. "Because my daughter will graduate, and she will get her degree, and she will be everything she''s ever dreamed of, mark my words. You¡ªor anyone¡ªwon''t be stopping her from making that happen." I shake my head. "I want all those things for Harper as well. I''m only here to make your daughter''s life better, I''m not here to hold her back from anything." N?velDrama.Org ? content. He stares at me. Like he''s ready to toss me inside a ring. But within a few breaths, his re calms, and he takes a drink. "Good.It sounds like we''re both on the same page, then."I nod. "Definitely." ¡°There are rules in this house, son." He points to the window that overlooks the backyard¡ªa window, I know, is in Harper''s room. "You will never step foot in that bedroom, do you hear me?"I''m halding down the bile in my throat when I say, "Yep.Got it" He continues to eye me down. "I can''t control what happens outside this house, but I''ll be damned if you touch my daughter while you''re under my roof. So, not a single needle on that tree better shake. Have I made myself clear?" ¡°Loud and clear." ¡°Good." He takes another drink. "Then, it''s settled.You''ll have manners while youre in this house, Harper is going to college, and there won''t be any grandchildren in my near future.I think I''ve covered everything." "Sir?" His eyes widen. ¡°Yes." "I just want to say ...thank you."For not fucking killing me.And for making this the most awkward and ufortable conversation I''ve ever had in my goddamn life. Chapter 134 Chapter 134 Chapter 134 Harper Easton and Dad return from the patio and Easton looks like he''s seen a ghost. Or an entire colony or paranormal creatures. He''s pale and sweaty and I feel terrible for him. I can''t believe Dad hauled him outside. Well, I can, but I can''t imagine what he said to him. Part of me wants to ask Easton when we get a minute alone, and part of me would rather never know to save myself the embarrassment. ¡°Are you all right?" I whisper the moment he''s at my side. "No." He wipes his forehead. "I''ll never recover from that conversation. Ever." I nce at my dad who''s now standing next to my mom as she adds dressing to the sd. The two of them smiling at each other, like they just checked the final item off their list. "Was it that bad?" ¡°Let''s put it this way ..." He nces toward the oven. ¡°If there are buns in there, baking, don''t serve me one." He adjusts his shirt and I see the sweat marks under his arms. "In fact, I don''t know if I''ll ever eat another bun again." Oh God. It was THAT bad. "I''m going to go add ice to the water sses," I dere, and quickly fill arge bowl with cubes and carry it into the dining room, Easton on my heels. When I get us out of ear range, I say softly, "What did he say to you?" He holds onto the back of a chair. "Oh, he covered it all¡ªbirth control, pregnancy, not being allowed in your room or touching you under his roof, you going to college, dropping out of college because of me." He pauses. "I think I''ve covered most of it." "I think I''m going to be sick." He shakes his head. "That makes two of us." I drop the ice into the sses and move over to him. He immediately takes a step back. And then another. ¡°Easton?" "I don''t want him to think anything is happening in here." "Seriously?" I ce the bowl on the table. "It''s like that?* He nods. "You weren''t out there ... you have no idea." "Ugh." I want to kill my father, but I can''t. "Graduation can''te fast enough." Except ... do I really mean that? Easton will be off to college. I will be, too. What if those ces aren''t anywhere near each other? ¡°Harper, thesagna is done, can you grab it from the oven?" my mother calls from the kitchen. It''s like she stopped hearing the clink of ice being put in the sses and no longer wants us alone together. This is already getting old. "Be right back," I tell Easton and I hurry into the kitchen, grabbing the mitts before I reach into the oven. Dad is mysteriously gone, and Mom is cutting and ting the garlic bread. ¡°Mom?" She nces up, the knife still in her hand. ¡°Mmm¡ªhmm?" I don''t know how to say this, but I need to say something. ¡°Easton has gotten the wrath from Dad. Can we... I don''t know ... make a promise to move on and never mention"¡ªI nod toward the living room where the Christmas tree sits ¡ª"that again?" She sets the knife down, the noise making a nk against the counter. "Do you really think you''re in a position to negotiate?" She puts her hands on her hips. "You just got off thin ice, youngdy. You have your phone back. I''m not breathing down your neck every time you leave this house. Don''t push it, you hear me?" I take that back, I don¡¯t care where we end up, graduation needs to happen right now. ¡°Mmm-¡ªhmm,¡¯ I answer, giving her a taste of her own verbal medicine. ¡°We''ve armrrrived, Ryan shouts from the front door, in a sing¡ªsong way. Relief suddenly floods through me. I look toward the entryway of the kitchen, where Easton is standing, he mouths, ¡°Thank fucking God,¡¯ telling me he feels the same way. ¡°You''rete," I say, punching my brother in the arm as he joins us in the kitchen. "me Sadie, she was being naughty." ¡°Ryan!" Sadie shouts, her face turning red. "He''s lying!" I look toward Mom and she''s smiling, hugging Ryan hello, not an ounce of anger on her face. Of course, she doesn''t get upset by what Ryan said. He''s a son. Christmas tree shenanigans don''t apply to him. Ugh. Again. ¡°How''s it going?" Sadie whispers as she hugs me. ¡°Easton looks like he''s about to raid your parents¡¯ liquor cab." "I''m surprised he hasn''t yet." "That good, huh?" "If you didn''t show up soon, I was going to have to fake an illness or drop thesagna or set the kitchen sink on fire¡ª something, anything." She pulls out of our hug, giggling. "I''m d you didn''t. You''re a horrible liar and not exactly a professional arsonist. Your parents would end up grounding you for life and the next time you''d see Easton, you''d be his neighbor in some old¡ª ass assisted living ce." I startughing at the thought. So does Sadie. And the whole build¡ªup of tonight and all the anxiousness I''ve been feeling makes meugh even harder. ¡°What''s so funny?" Ryan asks. I know Mom''s looking at us and Easton is ring from the entryway, obviously too spooked toe any closer in fear that we''ll be less than six feet apart. ¡°Nothing," I tell Ryan. He wraps his arms around Sadie''s waist. ¡°Doesn''t sound like nothing to me." ¡°You''re finally here,¡¯ my father says as he walks in, rubbing his hands together before he picks up the wine ss he left on the counter. "Hmmm," he says, lifting the ss into the air, inspecting it. "Did I drink all of this? I swear it was half full before I went upstairs." I feel like all eyes are on me, so I say, ¡°It wasn''t me." ¡°I didn''t touch it,¡¯ Easton says, his hands up, like he''s being arrested. Ryan walks over to our father and puts his arm around his shoulders. "It was me. The wine was looking a little lonely and I decided to sample it." ¡°Lonely, seriously?" I inquire. "A half of a ss ... gets lonely?" I can''t wait to hear this. Ryan smiles, lifting the bottle to refill Dad''s ss. ¡°Yeah, and it''s a good thing I was here to keep itpany." He pats his stomach. "I''m starving, let''s eat." Mom shakes her head, rolling her eyes. "Oh, Ryan." Oh, Ryan? OH, RYAN? That''s all she''s going to say? I can''t even with my parents. Text content ? N?velDrama.Org. With Ryan getting away with drinking and naughtiness and grabbing Sadie. While my poor boyfriend looks like he''s about to give birth through his dick. ¡°Does that mean I can have a ss?" I ask. ¡°No!" both of my parents say at the same time. What. The ever loving. Fuck. Mom points at thesagna. "Bring that into the dining room, Harper, and pour water into the sses you just filled with ice. It''s time to eat." I put my hands through the mitts and as I''m passing Sadie onto the way to the dining room, I whisper, "You better have brought edibles for dessert." Chapter 135 Chapter 135 Chapter 135 Easton "This is delicious,¡¯ I say to Harper''s mom after I take my first bite of hersagna. "Thank you again for having me over." Harper had told me her mom was a good cook. She wasn''t kidding. At least that''s one positive thing that wille out of this experience. I certainly won''t go to bed hungry. "Thank you, Easton. I''m happy you like it," her mom replies. "Yup, he''s right,¡¯ Sadie says, her mouth full. ¡°This is some seriously good grub. Thest time my mom madesagna, she used cottage cheese instead of ricotta¡ªI guess she ran out." She takes a bite of garlic bread, the crunch loud enough to wake the dead. ¡°I wish I could say it was good, but it had chunks of pineapple in it." She makes a face like she''s about to hurl. "Pineapple with meat sauce, that''s a hard no." "I''m happy to share my recipe with her," her mom says. "Just remind me in the morning and I''ll text you a picture of it." ¡°Easton, her dad says, wiping his mouth with a napkin, giving me a second to chew and swallow, preparing for more battle. ¡°How are your grades this year?" "My grades are good, sir." ¡°Easton always makes honor roll," N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. Sadie chimes in. "He''s one of the smart ones. You know, like Ryan here." She bats her eyes at him, and he kisses her. Man, that kid has balls. I''m sitting beside Harper, but I''ve barely looked at her. I don''t fucking dare. With her dad sitting across from me, I can feel him stare at me while he chews. While he takes a drink. While he moves his sd around the te. Will this ever fucking end? "So, is Sadie right, you make honor roll?" he asks me. "Yep." I hold my piece of garlic bread, but I dont take a bite. It reminds me of a bun¡ªand just, no. "My parents have always pushed for good grades." And that''s why I pushed Leigh to make sure I was always receiving them. Damn, wouldn''t that conversation go over well at this dinner table. One mention of it and he''d probably bury me next to Fido in the backyard. "Your dad, hisw firm is the one down on Main Street, next to the bank?" "That''s the one," I tell him. ¡°Thought so. I pass it every time I go to the bank. I didn''t realize your brothers work there as well until you mentioned it. What an aplished family you have there, young man." Did I mention that part? Or did he Google my family when he disappeared upstairs before dinner? The thought has me even more uneasy. On paper, we look like the dream. But if you start digging¡ª and maybe he knows how¡ªwe''re a hybrid of American Gangster and The Wolf of Wall Street. ¡°Easton''s going into prew,¡¯ Harper says, looking at me. At least I can feel her looking at me. I don''t nce at her. ¡°My parents would like me to, I admit. "But I haven''t decided on a major yet. I want to keep my options open. Seems a little early to dere something I could end up changing." "Changing to what?" he asks. ¡°Law would certainly provide well for your future family." ¡°Dad, the wife is allowed to provide too, you know. It''s not like I n to sit home and watch The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills all day." He lifts his wine into his hand. I''ve lost count how many sses he''s had tonight. But this time, when he sips, he swallows half the ss. ¡°Harper, my dear, let''s not have the marriage conversation. You still live at home, you don''t even own a car. Hell, you don''t even own the clothes you''re wearing. Marriage is getting ahead of ourselves, dont you think?" Now the marriage image is in his head. Wonderful. ¡°Let her dream, honey,¡¯ her mom says. "We had dreams when we were her age, didn''t we?" He eyes his wife. ¡°Sure did. And now, we''re here, at this wonderful stage of our lives, where you walk into our house and see our daughter doing the unmentionable under the Christmas tree." This conversation went from bad to worse. Fuck me. I want this table to just swallow me whole. "Dad ..." Ryan starts. "Trust me, it''s better that it happened to Harper. Had it been Sadie under there, there wouldn''t be an ornament left and every light would be shattered all over the rug. My girl gets w¡ªi-I-d.* "Ryan!" Sadie gasps. Ryan looks at Sadie and says, "What? It''s not like I''m lying." ¡°L can''t believe what I''m hearing right now,¡¯ Harper groans. I don''t know what the fuck to think. I''m just happy the conversation has shifted to someone else. "Did Ryan behave this way with every girl he''s brought home for dinner?" Sadie asks Harper''s parents. Her mom sets down her fork. "Honey, you''re the first girl Ryan has ever brought to dinner." ¡°What?" Sadie says, smiling at Ryan. "Is that true?" He shrugs. "You''re special and loud¡ªtwo things I like." She ps him. ¡°OMG, shut up!" ¡°And that''s what you love about me." I finally look at Harper while Ryan and Sadie are having their back and forth and she''s shaking her head. She''s as fucking horrified as me. "I don''t know who I want to kill more," she whispers to me. ¡°But this dinner can''t be over soon enough." ¡°What''s that?" Ryan says from across the table. ¡°Nothing," Harper replies. ¡°Keep talking about¡ªyour sex life, or whatever it was you were sharing with us." ¡°I wasn''t, but if you really want me to go there¡ª" "No!" Harper says, nodding toward Sadie. "You''re my brother, she''s my best friend. I''m good. Really. If I need to filter myself, the same rules apply to you." ¡°Actually," her dad says, ¡°the same rules don''t apply because Ryan hasn''t been walked in on, so the image isn''t burned into our minds." "I thought we were moving on from this," Harper pleads. ¡°Moving on?" Her dad mocks. "I''m afraid we''re just getting started." There really won''t ever be an end to this. Every time Ie to this house, I''m going to have to prepare myself for these relentless digs. Fuck. Harper looks at Sadie, and Sadie immediately says to their parents, "Did Ryan tell you guys what we brought for dessert?" "You really didn''t have to bring anything," her mom says. "I picked up some ice cream, it''s more than enough for everyone." "No, no, I insist,¡¯ Sadie says. "We stopped by this super cute bakery downtown, right by your dad''sw firm"¡ªshe smiles at me ¡ª"and they had the prettiest cupcakes I''ve ever seen. We got a dozen." "A dozen?" Harper says. "Who''s going to eat all those?" ¡°We''ll work up an appetite and finish those off in no time, don''t you worry, Ryan answers. ¡°I know how you boys work up those appetites nowadays, so let''s keep Easton out of the living room,¡¯ her dad says. "Dad, enough!" Harper barks. ¡°Honey, you''re too much," her momughs. Ryan points at me and smiles. He thinks this is a fucking riot. When I nce at Harper, she''s setting her fork down on her te. The same ce mine is resting. Our appetitespletely gone. Chapter 136 Chapter 136 Chapter 136 Harper "That was fucking brutal," Easton says as we copse onto the couch in the living room, the dinner finally behind us. "Like a root canal with no Novocain, performed by a first¡ª year dental student, kind of pain." I feel every word of that, deep in my soul. ¡°Easton ..." I turn to him. "My family is the worst. If I knew it was going to be like that, I would have ..." My voice fades as I think of what the alternative would have been. "I don''t know what I would have done, but I''m sorry." I lean toward him, needing to feel his arms around me, his lips on mine and the moment I get within a few inches, he puts his hand on my chest, keeping me froming any closer. "Not under this roof, remember?" I roll my eyes. "They''re in the kitchen, they can''t see anything that''s happening out here." ¡°What if your dad hasser vision or cameras or, I don''t know, a sixth sense.Text content ? N?velDrama.Org. I''m not taking any fucking chances." ¡°Dude, Sadie and I banged in their bed a few days ago and he didn''t notice. You''re giving my dad far too much credit," Ryan says from the recliner where Sadie is sitting on hisp. "Gross." I gag and look at Sadie. "My parents¡¯ bed? Really?" She shrugs. ¡°It''s spacious." ¡°I''m not taking any chances,¡¯ Easton says. "From now on, we go to my house, yours is forever off limits." Which makes me sad. Our house was always somewhat off limits, a ce no one wanted toe to since it''s on the poor side of town. But now that Ryan and Sadie are together and Easton and I are dating, our house has be much more popr. And now that''s going to change. Because my parents are ridiculous. Ugh. "Well, we''re here now,¡¯ Sadie says, "so what do you guys feel like doing? Watching a movie? ying a game?" ¡°Getting high, Easton says. "I second that,¡¯ Ryan adds. "Third," I reply. ¡°Mom!" Ryan yells. "Dad!" He stands from the chair, setting Sadie''s feet on the floor. "We''re going to the gas station." ¡°All of you?" Mom asks from the kitchen. "Yep, we''ll be back in ten." "Drive safe," my father says. It''s literally amazing how much Ryan can get away with. My brother runs upstairs to get his keys and weed, and we hurry out to the car, Easton climbing into the backseat with me. ¡°Drive," Easton says, keeping his eyes on the front door. "Before your dad changes his mind." Ryanughs and hits the gas and Sadie lights up the joint, taking a hit before passing it to Easton. "Dude, that was an hour of pure fucking torture,¡¯ he exhales, smoke now filling the car. I take the joint from him. "My dad just doesn''t know when to stop." "I think it could have been worse," Sadie says. "Your dad could have hung Easton by the balls, and he could have eaten dinner dangling over us like a chandelier." ¡°Fuck,¡¯ Easton groans. "No, thank you." "See?" Sadie says. "Way worse." Ryan keeps an eye on the time and the second we''re done with the joint, he heads back to our neighborhood and parks in the driveway. ¡°Perfume," Sadie says, spraying all of us. "Gum," she offers, taking out a pack from her purse. I''m chewing a piece,ughing at Sadie''s wobble as we walk back into our house, my parents sitting in the living room, watching some stupid show. ¡°Cupcakes,¡¯ Ryan says, and we follow him into the kitchen. ¡°Jesus, I''m fucking starving." He opens the box and digs right in, taking a bite before the baking cup is even off. I pick up a chocte strawberry vored one and devour a bite of frosting, watching Easton do the same. I''m just getting to the cake part when Mom appears in the kitchen. ¡°Just so we''re clear¡ªgirls, you''re sleeping in Harper''s room. Boys, you''re on the couch." "What about my room?" Ryan asks. Mom shakes her head. "Which is across from Harper''s room, not a chance." She leaves and I look at Easton. "It just keeps getting better and better." I finish and lick the remainder of the cupcake off my fingers. "I''m d tonight was somewhat salvaged with this ..." I go to lean in for a kiss and he stops me. ¡°Still nope" I sigh and look at Sadie. "I''m over this. Let''s go to bed." She nods and kisses Ryan. ¡°Until the morning, lover?" He grabs her ass. "You know it." I blow Easton an air kiss and Sadie and I hurry up the stairs, falling onto my bed the moment we get inside. ¡°L could eat seven more cupcakes,¡¯ she groans, cuddling into my side. "Same." ¡°It wasn''t as bad as you think. It really wasn''t. Maybe they''re giving him shit because they really like him. Ever think of that?" It might be the weed, but what she''s saying actually makes sense. "You might be right." ¡°What''s your mom making for breakfast?" Iugh. ¡°I saw a bunch of bread on the counter, so I''m thinking French toast." "Mmm." ¡°Go to bed, you endless pit of hunger," I giggle. "Don''t be surprised if I sneak downstairs soon for a snack." ¡°A Ryan snack or a snack¡ªsnack." "Ohhh," she moans. "I like your idea waaaay better." "Go to bed," I repeat, and I close my eyes, the night reying in my head. I don''t know when I fall asleep, but the sound of my phone wakes me. It''s not just the beep of a text message. It''s a notification explosion and I pat the bed, searching through the sheets and nket until my phone is in my hand. The brightness of the screen makes me squint through my sleepy eyes and I bolt up from bed the moment Ie across a notification from WHGOSSIP. WHGOSSIP: It''s the start of winter break and what''s more fun than some unexpected flurries? Yes, friends, I have the storm you''ve all been waiting for, and it involves our favorite duo. Just when we thought things were over between Easton and Mrs. Scott, wee across this little frosty ke. Hey, WHORE, do you think he was confessing his love ... or giving her directions¡ªto his cock? My hands shake as I click on the notification and see the picture that loads. One of Easton and Mrs. Scott outside a gas station. The two of them standing close. Way too close. His hand is reaching for her. Her face is full of anguish, like missing him is eating her alive. The timestamp shows the date and time. Both I can''t forget because Easton was supposed to be with me. At the movies. But he was running incrediblyte. And now I know why. "I''m going to fucking kill him," I say to Sadie, who''s still asleep. ¡°Huh?" she grumbles. "Who?" I clutch my phone and haul ass downstairs where Easton and Ryan are passed out on the couch, my mom cooking in the kitchen. "Get up," I seethe, hovering over Easton. I wait for him to look at me, earning Ryan''s stare too, and I hold my phone so he can see the screen. "How the fuck are you going to exin this?¡± Chapter 137 Chapter 137 Chapter 137 Easton There are moments in a guy''s life where he questions if he¡¯s seen it all. I had about a million of those moments tonight. Never thought I''d be the sort of guy to stare longingly at the knives just a little bit too hard and wonder how the hell I could get just injured enough that I''d have to go to the ER by way of an ambnce. I mean, I clearly couldn''t escape in my own car, why not use the health insurance my dad so generously provides? People slip all the time, right? It''s the holidays! Turkeys explode. Houses burn down. Tree''s get desecrated. It could have worked. So could making a run for it into oing traffic, but I couldn''t do that to Harper, I doubt she''d want my death on her hands by way of her dad scaring me shitless and mentioning trigger words like pregnancy, buns, and tree. I shudder and find myselfying on the couch, staring up at the ceiling, high as fuck, missing my girl and sleeping like shit. My eyes get heavy as I turn on my side and throw my arm over my eyes since I''m in direct sight of the Christmas tree. Motherfucker, was that on purpose? I groan and flip to my other side toward the couch and finally settle in with visions of sugarplums and Harper''s dad dancing on my grave in my head. Nice. ¡°Get up!" Harper''s voice hisses from behind me. I nearly fall off the couch in an attempt to turn around and stare up at my girlfriend. Ryan''s sleepy gaze goes from high topletely sober as he stares at her holding up her phone at me. This can''t be good. I literally can''t see at first, despite how bright her screen is and have to rub my eyes a few times before things get more clear. ¡°Are you kidding me?" I grab her phone, fully aware my girl has tears of anger in her eyes and that this could potentially be really bad for me¡ªagain. Should I just start expecting this on the daily? I momentarily wonder if I need to have a therapist on speed dial, then I think of Leigh, and see the picture of us talking, along with a video that seems to have just posted, showing me reaching for her. I want to snort. Yeah, I wasn''t reaching out for a hug, can nobody tell that it was total self defense on my part? The woman''s like a leach and thest thing I needed was her trying to touch me or hug me. I shudder. What the hell did I ever even see other than an easy way to keep an easy A? Ryan gives me an oh shit look. And Harper looks ready to legit bang her cell over my head until either my skull cracks or her screen. Perfect. More certain death. Ryan is the first to speak, ¡°Harper, as angry as you look right now, you still gotta keep it down so Mom and Dad don''te out here and lecture us again, mention the tree, or make it so I can''t getid because you can''t keep quiet. I get low key stressed every time you get upset and, yes, that''s selfish, but damn guys have needs, too!" Harper lets out a sigh and stares down her brother in a way that sends alerts all over my brain and toward my body, like I might need to actually cover my dick, so she doesn''t just start kicking random dicks out of anger. ¡°Ryan," she says through clenched teeth. Ryan, good friend that he is, starts to bolt from the room, then suddenly stops and looks over his shoulder. "I''m always on your side, Harper, you''re my sister. But, honestly, those bitches are just jealous whores and at some point you have to know that shit''s gonna happen. And they arent going to leave you guys alone, at least not anytime soon." He sighs and looks up while I lick my lips, waiting to defend myself. ¡°Look..." Ryan strolls over to her and pulls out his phone. ¡°These are the texts from Easton the day some idiot took that video and picture." Harper slowly grabs his phone and stares down at the screen. I know what they''ll say. They''ll say that Ryan said not to stress Harper out and to keep it to myself, not because I need to hide shit, but because she wasn''t feeling well and she''s dealt with enough. I wait for her to finish reading. She lowers the phone and hands it back to Ryan. "So..." He yawns. "I''m off for cupcakes, and when I say cupcakes, I mean I''m off to lick Sadie''s¡ª" "Not now,¡¯ I interrupt. He just grins and slowly makes his way toward Harper''s bedroom, like he''s Tom Cruise in Mission Impossible. The idiot even skips two of the creaky stairs and crawls across the floor. "Damn, he''s still high, I say to myself as I fall back against the couch and stare up at my girl. Harper slumps her shoulders and drops her phone onto the carpet, then crawls onto me, straddling my body. ¡°I''m sorry, I just...panicked. People are going to talk and¡ª" "People always talk,¡¯ I interrupt with a shrug. "But what''s most important is how you feel and what you believe." I lightly grip her chin between my fingers. "So, what is it, Harper? What do you believe?" ¡°You."? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. She leans forward, our foreheads softly touch. ¡°Il believe in you." I smile despite the stress of the night and the sudden wake up call. "Good." It feels good that she has no hesitation. ¡°Now, can we please all put this night of horror behind us?" Sheughs then jumps off myp and grabs my hand. "Come on." We both tiptoe into the kitchen. Two cupcakes are left. ¡°Is she here?" I look from left to right. Harper holds up her hand and walks around the corner toward the master and turns back to me in triumph. ¡°She''s showering and getting ready, it''s gonna be at least another hour." "Yessss." Harper approaches and grabs one of the cupcakes then, looks around the corner toward the master, then pulls me into the pantry and turns on the light. ¡°Are we making soup?" I joke. She hands me the cupcake. Okay? I take it. She pulls her shirt over her head and I thank God she''s not wearing a bra. Damn, her tits are the thing of dreams, legends, and wars. She holds out her hand. I give her the cupcake, expecting her to eat it topless which hey, that''s the sort of porn I could jack off to for an eternity. Instead, she presses the top of the cupcake between her tits, letting the frosting smear down the middle. I gawk. Like a horny, pre¡ªteen who can''t control his boner, I feel myself surge to life, my cock pressing so hard against my briefs that I want to jack off to a fucking cupcake with pink sprinkles. I''ll never be the same after this moment. She shoves me back against the shelf of cereal, then runs the cupcake down toward her pajama shorts until frosting touches the waistband, wraps a leg around my waist, nearly knocking over the Lucky Charms as she whispers, "Eat me." I don''t have to be told twice. Chapter 139 Chapter 139 Chapter 139 Easton How is it possible to still feel myself inside her? I think I walk funny the rest of the morning, my poor dick just wallowing in sadness over the fact that Harper''s mom has eyes in the back of her head, but thank God not in the pantry. Damn. I think I bruised my knee and nearly broke a tooth face nting against that door in absolute terror that she was going to call me out for licking pink sprinkles off her daughters breasts. Don''t even get me started on fucking in the bedroom. "Yo..." Ryan ps me on the back, scaring the shit out of me. I almost drop the bowl of popcorn onto the ground. ¡°Wanna get drunk?" ¡°I knew you were my best friend for a reason,¡¯ I mutter as his mom moves around the kitchen in a panic. Apparently the syrup wasn''t the only thing she was missing from that damn list and in order for her to make sugar cookies for some nursing home¡ªshe needs basically every ingredient. Because, again, Ryan. He said whoops. Got pped on the back of the head. And then decided we should all leave his mom in peace before she choked him with one of the dish towels since she''d already literally been at the store to get syrup. The girls wanted popcorn so here we are, watching her pace, and me wondering if she really will kill her first born by two minutes. "I think that''s it," she says to herself, doing a small circle. ¡°Powdered sugar, frosting, oh food coloring, sprinkles..." ¡°Bro,¡¯ I whisper. "You literally forgot everything." He grabs a few sodas from the fridge and sighs. "My dick was distracted, alright?" ¡°What does that have to do with anything?" I give him a light shove. His mom grabs her keys, keeps talking to herself then turns to both of us. We jump back like she''s holding a shank instead of her keys. ¡°Both of you..." She jabs them into the air like she''s trying out for the role of King Arthur and his excalibur. "Dad''s in his office getting work done, no funny business." I almostugh because she said funny business and it''s such a boomer thing to say, but I hold it in¡ª barely. ¡°Of course." I nod my head seriously. ¡°We would never...after...you know." Her eyes narrow. "And Ryan? Do. You. Understand. The. Words. I. N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. Am. Saying." ¡°Loud and clear!" He announces with a nod of his head. "I''ll keep my hands to myself and jack off in the bathroom if I get desperate. Thanks, mom, for this very enlightening talk." I bite down on my bottom lip to keep fromughing as her face flushes red, she mutters, "Your fathers son," under her breath and leaves. I shake my head at him. "Really?" "What?" He shrugs. ¡°It made her leave faster and I really do have a boner, Sadie''s not wearing underwear and she keeps texting it to me throughout the day just to torture me, I really might have to jack off in the bathroom." "Didn''t need to know that, now everytime you take a piss I''m going to be thinking you''re jerking your dick raw." He snorts out augh. "Like you wouldn''t after being told no sex under this roof." Yeah and I kept that promise for what? Less than twelve hours? Damn, something was wrong with me. Or maybe Harper. She''d been so horny, so hot, what was I supposed to do? Say no? Who does that? Not me. Clearly. "Guysssssss!" Sadie calls from the basement. ¡°We''ve been summoned." I grab the popcorn then nudge Ryan. "You said drunk. Where''s the alcohol?" "Private stash downstairs." He shrugs. "Plus dad will be in his office most of the day and it''s pretty damn hard to smell vodka." He winks. Have I mentioned he''s my best friend? Because really. If I can''t have sex without her dad finding us, which really I''d take the risk since it would be the second time...and we have no edibles or joints, getting drunk seems the best optoin. Plus, am I really that lucky right now to be able to get away with sex twice under this roof? I almost ask baby Jesus, then realize that would be wrong, so I just shrug and realize that, damn, everything really doese back to Harper. Even Jesus. Amen. I nearly fall down the stairs behind Ryan thinking all the sexual thoughts that I''m not allowed to follow through with. Sadie has taken full control of the Apple TV remote and is scrolling through Netflix while Harper is spread out on the couch. Her thin white tank has crept up, showing off her stomach and for some reason the sight of her in a cute oversized blue cardigan has me wanting to jump her. She''s not just gorgeous. She''s fucking adorable. I smile and set the popcorn down on the coffee table, then make my way over to her. She rubs her eyes and yawns. "Tired from all the sex?" I ask. ¡°Literally standing four feet from you,¡¯ Ryan says. "Break her heart I break your nose." ¡°Okay, Rocky." I roll my eyes and turn back to Harper whos watching with a small grin spread across her face. ¡°Want a massage?" I lean in. She puts her hands on my shoulders and squeezes. "That would be amazing, I don''t know why I''m so tired." I lean in and whisper, "That''s what happens when you try to tame a wild stallion, Harper." I grin. "Things get hard. Lots of things." She pinches me in the arm."Ouch!" ¡°Are youining?" ¡°Never," I steal a kiss. "I''m just giving you a friendly warning that I''m dangerous. That''s all..." "Yeah," Her eyes narrow. "So dangerous that you''re terrified of my parents and literally called my mom, mam twice all within a five minute span." "I panicked." I say defensively. "And I thought she knew about the Lucky Charms!" ¡°What about the Lucky Charms?" Ryan suddenly asks from behind me making me jump a foot. I scratch my head. ¡°I uh, really like the... marshmallows." He frowns. "Who doesn''t?" I shrug. "Oh people..." He looks between us. I smile. His eyes narrow further. "I''m watching you two." ¡°Hey Sadie," I call, ¡®a little help would be nice." "Got it." Shees over and grabs Ryans hands and puts them on her tits and immediately his eyes go all ssy. Poor bastard probably doesn''t even remember his own address right now. Was I that bad? "Come on, Ryan, let''s go sit down, good boy, good job, right over here." I swear he''s drooling as he follows her like a pussy to the corner of the couch and sits, hands still firmly nted on boob like he''s afraid they''ll disappear if he lets go. I shake my head. "What a fucking simp." Harper starts tough. Something grazes the front of my jeans. I look down, her fingertips dance a bit and then she pulls back like she wasn''t touching me. I''m so hard my dick could probably punch through a wall. Fuck with my luck it would probably somehow lead directly to her dads office, said dick would be caught, and they''d bury me right next to the tscreen. And here lies Easton¡ªdead but somehow still hard, may he rest in peace. ¡°Alcohol," I barely get out. ¡°Where." Harper jumps up then stumbles against me. "Sorry that was weird. Must have gotten up too fast or something." ¡°Careful." I pull her into my arms, and then look to my right. Sadie''s on top of Ryan. Ryan''s dry humping Sadie. I shake my head. "Think vodka will help bleach our eyes?" I ask. Harper makes a gagging sound. "Nope, but maybe it will help us forget the sight of my twin ruining this couch for life." ¡°Yup." "Come on.¡± Chapter 140 Chapter 140 Harper I''m exhausted. Mom and Dad have finally gone to bed, but I wouldn''t put it past them to do room checks like they used to at summer camp. I''m still downstairs with Easton bingeing some murderous documentary about a crime of passion, and some creepy stalker who always pretended to be her work friend but secretly cut pieces of her hair and slept with them in his pillow. Ryan and Sadie are upstairs doing who knows what in the kitchen. The creepy man on the screen continues his stalking. Gross. I shudder. "Are you cold?" Easton asks, pulling me close. I frown. "Is it just me or are you way too into the part where he almost gets away with it.¡± He shakes his head like he''s disappointed in the mass murderer. "I mean, he''s an idiot, he could have made it, but noooo, he has to go back for one of those creepy pieces of hair like he didn''t just kill her for rejecting him." I scrunch up my nose. "Weird that the husband ended up living." "Poor guy probably wishes he were dead, imagine someone standing over you while you sleep with a butcher knife." "Yay, what a great Christmas, so merry and bright," I tease and give him a hard shove. ¡°I''m going to have nightmares tonight about knives.¡± Heughs. I turn to him and grip him by the shirt. "I will end you if you sneak into my room, hover over me with a knife and scare the shit out of me. I''ll take that same knife and chop off both balls.¡± "Wouldn''t that make me a eunuch?" "Yes," I seethe. "With the giant dick but a severeck of testosterone and desire to have sex." "Should I be scared that you just gave me an exact definition?" He smiles. "Chill, I won''t scare you, I actually like my testicles and um..." He crooks his finger and whispers in my ear, "So do you." "Do not." I sniff and look away. "Babe, you sucked them so hard the other day I was afraid you were going to bite down." His smile is devastating. "Lately, you''ve been like a wild animal in bed, not that I''mining whatsoever..." He holds up his hands. "In fact..." He leans in, my heart pounds so hard it almost makes my chest hurt. Our lips meet in a hungry kiss. God, how did I ever survive without this man? These kisses? He''s the addiction your mom always warns you about. I keep thinking he''s going to get tired of us, of this, that one day we really will make it through the end of the movie without getting naked. He answers that question as our legs tangle with each other and the nkets on the couch. "I love you and I want this tost," he says between kisses. "But after watching the whole man with the butcher knife, I can''t stop thinking about your dading down the stairs with one of the steak knives from the kitchen." He groans and kisses me again. "It''s messing with my erection." "Huh, my dad''s messing with your erection, that''s new,¡¯ I tease, kissing his nose. He tickles my sides and tugs down my shorts quickly unbuttoning his jeans and pressing me back against my childhood leather couch. I have to admit I dreamt about it but never saw this in my future, I was too afraid to hope for it as he guides himself between my legs. I used to brace for how big his dick was, but now my body instantly rxes, basically sucking him in and saying a small prayer that he''ll stay. But he''s right, I''m so sensitive and emotional I can''t even control my own body as I get dangerously close within a minute. He grips my hips and looks up at the stairway like he''s afraid then looks back down at me. "I was going to warn you about how fast I was going to go but fuck, it''s even worse than I thought.¡± He bites down on his lower lip. "Fuck, baby, you have a magic pussy. That''s really all there is to it." We bothugh and it makes the pressure shift just enough for his angle to hit the perfect little magical G¡ªspot. I don''t know what I say. Or if It''s just gibberish. All I know is Mom can never find out that the couch has joined the soon to be long list of desecrated items in our household. I''m almost embarrassed as Easton pulls out. We''ve made a mess, like a way bigger mess than we''ve ever made post sex. "I got it." He kisses me again and returns from the downstairs wet bar with an array of paper towels and a warm rag from the sink. I groan as he rubs me down. He growls, "Gonna have to not do that...the only reason I have self control is fear of an early death." "Worst case scenario,¡¯ I say as he tugs my shorts back up and wipes down my legs. "Dad chases you with one of his old shotguns that he probably doesn''t even know how to use." "Perfect." Easton rolls his eyes and gathers the used paper towels, tossing them in the trash in the corner, taking one look at the wash-¡ªrag and looking to me for help. "With my luck, he''ll misfire and hit my dick, making your prophetic story actuallye true.¡± I fall back on the couchughing. He drops the towel and walks over. "Oh, is that funny?¡± ¡°Hrious.¡± Iugh again as he pulls me into his arms, kissing me on the top of the head. "I can feel your stress, Harper." His body is hot against mine, muscr, firm, and safe. ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. I snuggle closer as we sit with the reflection of the documentary on the TV. "I just want you to know that I''m here, by your side, no matter what. I know we''re young and we''ve talked about it off and on, but I''m not leaving you. We''ll figure this whole college and adulthood thing out." "I cant even write a check." "People still do that?¡± He teases. I elbow him in the gut. "I''m serious, I mean my parents have taken care of everything for us, my only job is school and now I''m worried I failed at my only job. My grades have to be good, Easton. They have to be.¡± "You''re literally the smartest person I know,¡¯ he says. "I mean you''d have to be, you were crushing on me for how many years?¡± I turn in his arms. "So does that make you dumb?" "So fucking dumb, the biggest dum dum on the." He kisses my forehead. "It just means that for a short time, I was yours before you were mine. That''s all. Timing.¡± "And now?" "Now..." He links his hands in ours. "We get to be an us." "I like the sound of that." I feel myself start to tear up. "Thanks, you always know what to say." "I''ve had four drinks, I turn into fucking Einistein when I''ve got vodka in my veins." He gets up really quick. "Gotta pee." I swear I don''tugh when he trips over the nket, runs into one wall only to m into the bathroom door. "It''s dark,¡± Is what he says before closing it. I turn back toward the TV. He''s right. We have seriously nothing to worry about. After all, we love each other. And love is stronger than anything and everything in this universe ¡ªno matter the age. Chapter 141 Chapter 141 Easton "Oh look..." I m 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 mes, s, 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 pping me on the back with one of his gloves. "At least it''s ourst semester, we''re only here for the dumb Christmas spectacr concert that we''ve been forced to volunteer for and we aren''t virgins wondering how to getid at prom." All good points. I nod. But, fuck it sucks that mid break we have toe 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 ss 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 ke 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 ss 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," ke 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 popr guys walk down the middle of the hall and people stare, girls giggle, cameras are raised for whatever slow motion Tik¡ªToks students n on doing. What I''m saying is that''s us. Merry Fucking Christmas. Even with us still semi¡ªfighting and not knowing where ke 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?" ke asks, totally stealing my line like a douche. Her eyes dart from mine to his. "Um, yeah, just didn''t sleep wellst 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 guyster." 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. N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. 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 toe 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-¡ª in Science. That bastard hates me, though, so I''m not too surprised. "Posted," I whisper. ¡°H¡ªhow''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, thennd 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 hyperventte 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 yed badminton with ke I do, too,¡± I grumble. ¡°And, um, I think there''s a misunderstanding for thisst 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¡ª" She slides down to the floor and sobs. I have no choice but to join her and do what I promised¡ªstop the bleeding. Chapter 142 Chapter 142 Harper I don''t feel...right. After my epic, over the top hissy fit about my grades at school, Easton took me straight home, quiet the entire drive while I sobbed as if someone had gutted our family dog and left him on the front porch for us to find. He tried to reassure me, but his softly spoken words only made me wail harder. Once I got home andposed myself, I emailed my history teacher and luckily enough, he responded quickly. I reminded him about my extra credit work, he apologized for forgetting to include it and my grade moved to a solid B+. Not the A I wished for, but good enough. I FaceTime Easton a few hourster, after I''ve taken a nap and feel like a rested, semi¡ªwell¡ªadjusted human. ¡°You better?¡± he greets me once his handsome face fills the screen. Nodding, I smile at him. ¡°I took a nap.¡± ¡°So did I.¡± ¡°I emailed my teacher and he added the extra credit assignments. Now I have a B+.¡± He grins, running a hand through his hair. N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. Did I mention he¡¯s shirtless? And his biceps are bulging? Heart eyes all day for Easton, I swear. ¡°That''s great, babe. I bet you''re happy.¡± ¡°So happy.¡± ¡°And less stressed.¡± Not all the way. For some reason, something is still hanging over me. Something I can¡¯t quite put my finger on. ¡°Sure,¡± I tell him, not wanting to delve into something I can''t really exin. ¡°What are you doing tonight?¡± ¡°I thought I¡¯d take my favorite girl out,¡± he says casually. ¡°We could grab some food. Check out the Christmas lights around town.¡± Butterflies flutter in my stomach at him calling me his favorite girl. I will never grow tired of that. ¡°That sounds fun.¡± ¡°You want me toe pick you up in about an hour?¡± He hides a yawn with his hand. ¡°Will your parents let you out of the house?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± I say firmly. ¡°Because they''re not here. They''re visiting my great aunt Jenny at her house. She¡¯s ny, still lives on her own and is mostly toothless, but she¡¯s also living her best life. My mom is bringing her a giant tin of cookies as an early Christmas present. Despite being toothless, she loves sweets.¡± ¡°That''s probably why she¡¯s toothless,¡± he says. I burst outughing. ¡°Probably.¡± ¡°I''m surprised they didn¡¯t drag you and Ryan along with them,¡± Easton muses. ¡°Aunt Jenny hates children. I cane around when I¡¯m twenty. She told us that a few years ago.¡± Iugh again. So does Easton. ¡°Do you like children?¡± Easton asks me once ourughter has died. My heart trips over itself. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°I don''t know. Guess I can see you being a good mom someday,¡± he says with a shrug. I swallow hard, wondering how the conversation deviated to this... ¡°But that¡¯s a long time from now,¡± Easton continues. ¡°You having kids. Maybe even¡ªus having kids. After that conversation with your dad, I''m not allowed to think like that, you know? No buns in the oven. No babies. Thank God you''re on the pill.¡± ¡°Right,¡± I say, my voice thin. ¡°Thank God I¡¯m on the pill.¡± ¡°I''lle get you in about an hour, okay? Dress warm. We''ll have the windows down and I''ll st Christmas music for the entire drive. That''s what my parents used to do when I was a kid,¡± he says. ¡°Sounds fun. I''ll see you soon.¡± We end the call and I stumble off my bed in a haze, going to my dresser to grab some clothes to wear before I head for the bathroom. I open my bedroom door, stopping short when I spot Ryan standing there, his gaze snagging on mine. ¡°Where have you been?¡± he asks. ¡°Napping,¡± I admit, pressing my lips together. ¡°How did the volunteer thing go at school?¡± ¡°Lame. We stayed for a while after Easton got you out of there, but we eventually left and went to lunch,¡± he exins. ¡°It''s like, five o¡¯clock. You had lunch for thest four hours?¡± I lift my brows. Ryan grins like a maniac. ¡°You don¡¯t want any details, sis. Trust me.¡± His gaze drops to the clothes I¡¯m clutching in my hands. ¡°What are you up to?¡± ¡°Taking a quick shower before Easton picks me up. We''re going to drive around and look at the Christmas lights,¡± I exin. ¡°Where''s Mom and Dad?¡± ¡°Having dinner with Aunt Jenny.¡± A full body shudder seems to take over my brother at the idea. ¡°d we dodged that bullet.¡± I slide into the bathroom and shut the door, dropping my clothes on the counter. After I start the water, I use the bathroom, realization dawning slowly but surely. Kids. Birth control. Period. Orck thereof. Grabbing my phone, I check the date again, remembering thest time I opened my period app. I waste back then. And that was a week ago. Or maybe longer? Oh shit. I skipped my period. Dread consumes me as I strip out of my clothes and step under the hot spray of water. I didn¡¯t have a period, and here¡¯s Easton casually talking about how I''ll make a great mother someday. Holy hell, I could make someone a great mother in approximately eight months. My parents are going to kill me. Wait¡ªthey¡¯ll probably kill Easton first. That''s when the tearse, and I hurriedly wipe them away, pissed at myself. How could I be so stupid? Even though I took my pill at the same time every single day. I even have an rm set to make sure I don''t forget. Huh. Maybe that¡¯s why I¡¯ve been so tired all the time. And emotional. I¡¯m pregnant. I brace my hand against the tiled wall, overwhelmed by a st of confusing emotions. This is... This is the scariest, most surreal moment of my life. Once I¡¯m out of the shower and dressed, I''m fixing my hair when Easton sends me a text. Easton: I¡¯m here. You ready? Me: Give me a sec. I grab my bag and throw on a coat, bounding down the stairs and yelling, ¡°Bye Ryan! See youter,¡± as I exit through the front door and practically run toward Easton¡¯s Jeep. The moment I¡¯m inside, Easton leans over to drop a kiss on my lips, murmuring, ¡°Hey beautiful.¡± I stare at him. His handsome face, those gorgeous blue eyes of his. This man could be the future father of my child and oh my God, how am I going to tell him this? He frowns when I don''t say anything. ¡°Harper, you okay?¡± ¡°I''mte.¡± Chapter 143 Chapter 143 Easton What the hell is she talking about? She¡¯ste? ¡°Where you gotta be?¡± I ask stupidly. Harper rolls her eyes and settles into the passenger seat, her arms crossed in front of her as she stares straight ahead. ¡°I''mte. My period.¡± Swear to God, her lower lip is trembling. ¡°Wait a second.¡± It alles flooding back. How emotional she¡¯s beentely, crying all the damn time over silly stuff. The breakdown she had earlier. The stress. How tired she¡¯s been. How horny she¡¯s been too. ¡°Do you think you¡¯re¡ª¡± My voice drops to a whisper. ¡°¡ª pregnant?¡± She nces over at me, her expression full of misery as she nods. ¡°I haven''t started my period yet. I¡¯m like¡ªtwo weekste.¡± ¡°Is that normal?¡± ¡°No. I''m like clockwork. I¡¯m so regr, it¡¯s almost annoying,¡± Harper practically whines. I make a face. Too much information, don''t really need to know the details of Sadie¡¯s irregr cycle. ¡°Have you taken a test?¡± ¡°I''ve taken a lot of teststely, Easton. Just like you since we just had finals¡ªoh.¡± Her face falls and her voice bes hushed. ¡°You mean a pregnancy test.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Reaching out, I settle my hand on her knee and give it a squeeze. ¡°Maybe we should do that.¡± ¡°Right now?¡± she squeaks, her eyes wide. Damn, my girl looks terrified. I''m feeling a little terrified myself. This is serious, the chance that Harper could be pregnant with my baby... I bang the back of my head against the seat and close my eyes. ¡°Your dad is going to murder me on the spot when he finds out.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not for sure.¡± She pauses. ¡°But I had that exact same thought.¡± I scrub a hand over my face. ¡°It¡¯s not like we meant to. You¡¯re on the pill. We''ve been safe.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Harper hangs her head, her hair falling in front of her face. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be a mom. Not right now.¡± ¡°Hey.¡± I reach for her, slipping my fingers under her chin so I can tip up her face, her luminous gaze meeting mine. ¡°It¡¯s going to be okay.¡± ¡°Really?¡± I hate how doubtful she sounds. I guess I can¡¯t me her. This is some scary shit. ¡°Really,¡± I say firmly. ¡°I''ve got you no matter what, okay?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°You want to get food first? Or stop by a store and get a test?¡± ¡°Let''s do the test first,¡± she answers. ¡°And nowhere nearby. Let''s go to the other side of town.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°We don¡¯t want to run into anyone we know.¡± ¡°Good call,¡± I admit as I put my Jeep into gear and pull onto the street. We drive until we¡¯re on the other side of town, just as Harper requested. We don¡¯t make much conversation. Think we''re both too preupied with our thoughts. And they''re pretty fucking serious thoughts, if you ask me. We finally find a Walgreens and I pull into the parking lot. We don¡¯t say a word as we climb out of the Jeep, but before we walk into the store, I grab her hand, intecing our fingers. Hers are icy cold and I¡¯m pretty sure they''re trembling. I bring our locked hands up to my mouth, dropping a kiss on her knuckles. Text content ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°I love you.¡± ¡°I love you too,¡± she answers shakily. Christmas music is ying over the speakers in the store, loud and crackling with static. There are people everywhere, and I guess it doesn¡¯t matter where you go, if it¡¯s right before Christmas, the shoppers are out, looking for thosest¡ªminute gifts. I let Harper lead me to the aisle where the pregnancy tests are, right next to the condoms which I think is hrious. A nice little reminder¡ªoh and those condom packages are under lock and key, which is some bullshit. Condoms should be provided for free if you ask me. But whatever. Can''t worry about it. ¡°What test should we get?¡± Harper asks as we study our options. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Not the cheapest one.¡± I wave a hand at them. ¡°Why not?¡± She turns her frown on me. ¡°Maybe they''re not as urate.¡± ¡°True.¡± She taps her lips with her index finger, pulling her hand out of mine as she leans over and plucks one of the tests off the hook. ¡°This test looks good.¡± I grab the box from her and read over the back. Seems fairly simple. It''ll tell us if she¡¯s pregnant in minutes. Not the most expensive test, but not the cheapest either. ¡°Want to get two? Just in case?¡± She nods, grabbing another one. ¡°Let''s go.¡± We wander through the store, Harper picking up a bag of miniature peanut butter cups wrapped in Christmas colors and a gift bag with Santa¡¯s face on the front of it. ¡°Do you need that stuff?¡± I ask her as we head toward the line for the registers. ¡°No one needs candy,¡± she says, sounding vaguely irritated. ¡°But I want some.¡± ¡°And the gift bag?¡± ¡°I don''t want to look like we came in here just for these tests,¡± she admits, her voice low. ¡°Give them to me.¡± I wave my fingers at her and she hands over the items. I know she¡¯s embarrassed about this. Time to man up. ¡°You want to wait in the Jeep?¡± Harper gapes at me, surprise etched all over her face. ¡°You''d do that for me?¡± ¡°If you''re embarrassed, I don¡¯t mind making the purchase.¡± I hand over the keys to her. ¡°Start the engine and run the heater so you don''t get too cold.¡± Her lips curve upward and she rises up to kiss me. ¡°Thank you.¡± I watch her leave the store, wondering what the hell we''re doing. I¡¯m not ready to be a dad. And I''d bet she¡¯s not ready to be a mom either. But looks like we don''t have a choice in the matter. Either she¡¯s pregnart... Or she¡¯s not. Chapter 144 Chapter 144 Harper I¡¯m walking out the double doors, stopping short when I see her in the parking lot. N?velDrama.Org ? content. Aisha. Say what? She hasn''t spotted me yet and I rush back inside, going to where Easton is still standing in line. He sees me, looking confused as I approach him. ¡°We have to go.¡± ¡°Why-¡± I grab his hand and pull him out of line. ¡°Follow me.¡± I''m dragging him to the back of the store, not looking backward, grateful he¡¯s not resisting. We''re near the pharmacy, hiding behind one of the taller racks when I finallye to a stop. ¡°What the hell, Harper? What''s going on?¡± ¡°I saw¡ª" I release a shuddery breath, hating how out of shape I feel. ¡°¡ªAisha in the parking lot.¡± ¡°What the fuck?¡± I shush him because his voice was really loud just now. ¡°Are you serious?¡± Nodding, I take a couple of steps to my right, peeking around the taller disy that¡¯s hiding us. I don''t see her stupid blonde head anywhere, but that doesn''t mean anything. ¡°What is she doing on this side of town?¡± ¡°I don''t know. That''s the reason why you made me drive all the way over here. So we wouldn''t run into anyone.¡± ¡°Right. Yet here she is.¡± Pretty freaking suspicious if you ask me. ¡°Let''s buy our stuff at the pharmacy.¡± Easton nces over his shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s still open.¡± ¡°Good idea.¡± There¡¯s no line so we¡¯re able to approach the woman working behind the counter and make our purchase, me with my back to her so I can see the entire store, my gaze searching for that familiar, bitchy blonde head. But she¡¯s nowhere to be found. Hmmm. ¡°All right, let¡¯s get out of here,¡± Easton says to me once he¡¯s done, clutching the long receipt in one hand and the bag in the other. ¡°I''ve got everything in here. Even your Santa sack.¡± I roll my eyes at him, relieved that the pregnancy tests are hidden away in the shopping bag. ¡°You never know. Maybe I want to put your Christmas present in there.¡± He grins, and for a moment, I forget all of our troubles as I stare into Easton''s sparkling eyes. ¡°Can''t wait to open it on Christmas morning.¡± ¡°Oh look. It¡¯s the lovebirds.¡± We both nce over to find Aisha standing in front of us, her lips curled into a sneer, her gaze full of thinly veiled disgust. ¡°Go away,¡± Easton practically snarls, his arm going around my shoulders and pulling me in close to him. I want to shout with happiness at how rude he¡¯s being toward her. It¡¯s the best thing ever. ¡°Well hello to you too,¡± she retorts. ¡°Seriously, Aisha. What the fuck do you want from us?¡± Easton shakes his head. ¡°Don''t bother answering. I think I know. And you''re never going to get it.¡± ¡°No need to be so rude. It¡¯s the holiday season. Aren''t you supposed to be nice to the people you know?¡± Aisha asks. ¡°Not crazy bitches who seem to be following my ass everywhere I go,¡± Easton throws back at her, full of annoyance. ¡°I''m starting to think you''re tracking me.¡± ¡°You''re not worth following, trust me.¡± Aisha lifts her head, her nose in the air. ¡°Rot in hell, Easton.¡± ¡°Right back at you,¡± he yells as she walks away. The moment she¡¯s gone, we make our way out of the store, practically running to the Jeep. Once we''re inside, I¡¯m pulling the pregnancy test out and staring at it as I hold it in myp. ¡°What if she would¡¯ve seen us in that aisle?¡± I ask, not really expecting an answer. ¡°She would''ve told everyone. The entire school would know I was pregnant.¡± ¡°We don''t even know if you''re pregnant yet,¡± Easton reminds me. ¡°That wouldn''t stop her from spreading the rumor,¡± I say, slumping against the seat. ¡°Seeing her has ruined the entire night.¡± ¡°Oh and the pregnancy scare didn''t do that already?¡± He sounds like he¡¯s teasing. I don''t think he meant to upset me by saying that, but man... I¡¯m upset. I can feel the tears threatening to spill, and I press my lips together. Close my eyes. It¡¯s no use. The tears start falling, sliding down my cheeks and then Easton is right there, his fingers on my face as he wipes them away, his lips on my forehead. ¡°Hey, I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t mean it like that. I was trying to make a joke.¡± ¡°I-I know.¡± I lean into him, really crying now. ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not. I hurt your feelings and I¡¯m sorry.¡± He curves his hand around my nape, his fingers sliding into my hair. ¡°Baby, I¡¯ve got you no matter what that test says. I will stand by your side and support you through the good times and the bad.¡± ¡°Are you saying me being pregnant would be b¡ªbad?¡± I practically wail. ¡°Well, our timing would suck, but it wouldn''t necessarily be...bad.¡± He pauses. ¡°We could make the best of it.¡± ¡°You really think so?¡± ¡°I know so.¡± He kisses my forehead again, his lips feather soft. ¡°Want to go back to my house and take the test?¡± ¡°Where are your parents?¡± ¡°They had somepany holiday dinner to go to. They won''t be home for hours.¡± He pulls away slightly so he can smile down at me, his gaze so gentle, a fresh batch of tears start up. ¡°Let¡¯s grab some food to go and we can chill at my house while you¡ªtake the tests.¡± I nod once, exhaling loudly. ¡°Okay. That sounds good.¡± We pull out of the parking lot, spotting Aisha¡¯s car as we leave. She¡¯s already in the driver''s seat, I see her unmistakable blonde head and I can¡¯t help but wonder what she¡¯s up to. Is she actually following Easton around? Or is it all coincidental? Too much of a coincidence if you ask me. I wouldn''t doubt for any instant that she¡¯s tracking my boyfriend. But how? Chapter 145 Chapter 145 Easton We grab some food to¡ªgo at a local Mexican restaurant, and then head back to my house. The minute we''re in the kitchen, I¡¯m pouring Harper a giant ss of water to prepare for her peeing on the stick after dinner. N?velDrama.Org ? content. She¡¯s pulling all of the food containers out of the bag, setting them up on the kitchen counter where we¡¯ re going to sit and eat. ¡°You bought a lot of food,¡± she says as she cracks open one container, revealing a pile of torti chips and a small container of salsa. ¡°I¡¯m starving,¡± I admit as I grab a couple of chips and stuff them in my mouth. ¡°And I wanted to be prepared since you might be eating for two.¡± She rolls her eyes and socks me in the arm. Her gaze goes to the cup of water I set in front of her. ¡°You expect me to drink all that?¡± ¡°Probably enough for two tests.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± She swallows hard and pushes the container with her food inside away from her. ¡°I¡¯m freaking out, Easton. Our lives could change tonight.¡± ¡°Or it could be no big deal,¡± I say with a shrug. ¡°No matter what, we''ll figure it out.¡± ¡°You really think we will? Because I¡¯m scared,¡± she says, her voice barely above a whisper. ¡°Like¡ªreally scared.¡± I turn to her and pull her off the stool she¡¯s sitting on. Until she¡¯s standing in between my spread legs and my arms are around her waist. She wraps her arms loosely around my neck, our gazes never straying. ¡°I¡¯m scared too. But you need to know something before we take that damn test, okay?¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°I''m in this with you. For real.¡± I squeeze her even closer. ¡°I¡¯m not going anywhere. I love you, Harper. And no matter what, we''re going to get through this together.¡± Her eyes are shiny as she stares down at me and I hope to hell she doesn''t start crying again. Her tears do me in every single time. ¡°I love you too. You say the best things.¡± ¡°I mean every fucking word I say.¡± I grip her nape tighter and pull her down so our lips meet for a brief kiss. ¡°I¡¯m starving. Let''s eat.¡± Sheughs as she pulls away from me, settling on the barstool she just vacated. ¡°How can you eat right now? I¡¯m too nervous.¡± ¡°Oh, I''m nervous,¡± I admit, just before I take a giant bite of my burrito. Fuck, it¡¯s delicious. ¡°But a man¡¯s still gotta eat.¡± Harper shakes her head and pops open the lid of her container, staring at the two tacos she ordered that are nestled inside. A shiver steals over her and she ms the lid shut. ¡°I can¡¯t. I''ll barf.¡± Not a good sign. If she¡¯s throwing up and tired all the time and horny... My girl is probably pregnant. As in, I knocked her up. I''m responsible for making her that way. Fuck, her parents are going to be so disappointed in me. And I can''t even think about my parents and how they''ll react. My dad will go on a rampage, telling me how I ruined my life all over a girl. Well, she¡¯s the most important person in my life, so if I''m going down and ruining my life, at least I''m doing it with the girl I love. ¡°Drink up,¡± I tell her, waving at the ss of water. ¡°Then, go take the test.¡± She chugs water while I consume my burrito, and I¡¯m d to see her munch on a few chips. She''s been looking thintely. And pale. I just chalked it up to stress. But maybe it was something else. I¡¯m about halfway through my monster burrito when she grabs one of the tests and heads for the guest bathroom that¡¯s next to the kitchen. ¡°I¡¯m going in.¡± ¡°Want me toe with?¡± I ask, my mouth half full. ¡°After I pee,¡± she says. ¡°I''ll call for you.¡± Within minutes, she¡¯s calling my name and I head for the bathroom, my steps heavy the closer I get to her. These next few minutes should determine the course of my life. My heart starts beating wildly in my chest, causing a dull roar in my ears. Swallowing hard, my mouth is dry, and I sort of feel like I could throw up. Fuck. She¡¯s at the sink, staring at the test device as it sits on the counter and when she hears me approach, she lifts her head, ncing over her shoulder at me. ¡°I was going to wait for you, but...¡± ¡°But what?¡± I ask, my heart in my throat. Her smile is a glorious sight to see. ¡°It¡¯s negative.¡± ¡°No way.¡± I stand next to her, staring down at the test, seeing the best word ever appear. Negative. ¡°Take the other one,¡± I suggest. ¡°What if ites up positive?¡± ¡°It won''t,¡± I say with confidence. We go back to the kitchen and I finish my burrito while Harper eats one of her tacos. She seems lighter. Happier. So aml. She guzzles the water and I crack open a beer because, holy fuck, I need it to calm my frazzled nerves. We¡¯re not in the clear yet, but we''re close. Really close. ¡°Should I really take the other one?¡± she asks once she¡¯s finished her second taco. ¡°Yeah. Definitely,¡± I say with a nod. She heads for the bathroom and I check my phone to see I have a text from my best friend. Ryan: Where are you guys? Me: At my house. Ryan: Fucker. You should''ve invited us. Harper gave me some bullshit about you guys looking at Christmas lights. Me: We were going to do that, but we changed our minds. Ran into Aisha at a Walgreens. Ryan: Why were you at Walgreens? Damn it. I don¡¯t want to exin myself. Me: Harper wanted candy. Ryan: Figures. Can wee over? Sadie and I are bored. Now is not the time, but how do I tell that to Ryan? Me: I don¡¯t think so. Harper is stressed out. Ryan: She was born stressed out. Me: She''s been worsetely. You''ve noticed it. Ryan: You''re right. She has. Work your magic over her and calm her down. Maybe we could get together tomorrow. Me: Maybe. ¡°Easton!¡± Harper shrieks from the bathroom. My phone tumbles from my hands andnds on the floor with a plop, but I don¡¯t even care. I''m rushing toward the bathroom, stopping in the doorway when I spot Harper standing there, the test clutched in her fingers, her cheeks dripping with tears. Oh fuck. ¡°What does it say?¡± I ask, bracing myself. She bursts outughing. ¡°Negative, motherfucker. You''re not my baby daddy!¡± Chapter 146 Chapter 146 Harper I¡¯m light for the rest of the night, like a dark cloud has been lifted and all I can feel is warm sunshine. Easton warns me at one point that the chance I could still be pregnant is possible but I can''t even let that thought enter my brain. Nope. I¡¯m not pregnant. I took two tests proving exactly that. Feeling impulsive, I attack Easton in the living room, straddling him as he¡¯s trying to watch some corny Christmas movie on the Hallmark Channel. My boyfriend, the secret romantic? Yes, it''s possible. ¡°Babe,e on. I need to know if this chick is the real daughter of Santa,¡± he says, his hands resting loosely on my hips as he looks around me so he can stare at the TV. ¡°Forget that chick. She¡¯s not Santa¡¯s daughter,¡± I tell him, grabbing him by the shoulders and leaning in so I can give him a long, tongue filled kiss. Wee up for air a few minutester, his hair a mess thanks to my hands and his fingers cupped firmly around my left tit, his arm tunneled beneath my sweater. ¡°How do you know?¡± I roll my eyes. ¡°I watched the movie with my momst week.¡± We kiss some more, until I''m basically dry humping him and he¡¯s helping me along, his hands firm on my hips as he shifts me back and forth over his erection. I pull away slightly, my fingers seeking when he tries to wrench away from me. ¡°What are you doing?¡± I ask, exasperated. ¡°I just had a thought.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± I lean in to kiss him again but he averts his head. ¡°You were sick a few weeks ago. You went on antibiotics,¡± he says. ¡°Yeah, so?¡± ¡°I''ve heard that can make birth control less effective.¡± His gaze locks with mine. ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. ¡°Maybe that¡¯s what happened. And maybe you¡¯ re actually pregnant.¡± A sigh leaves me as I crawl off hisp and fall onto the couch, sitting right next to him. ¡°You''re ruining the mood.¡± ¡°I can''t stop thinking that you might be really pregnant. What if that test is wrong? They''re not one hundred percent foolproof, are they? We probably should¡¯ve bought some other ones, just in case,¡± he says absently, his gaze growing distant, as if he¡¯s lost in thought. ¡°It imed to be pretty urate on the box,¡± I reassure him, but he¡¯s not having it. ¡°Nothing is guaranteed, babe.¡± He sends me a look, like I¡¯m so silly for believing that we''re in the clear. ¡°We won''t know anything until you get your period.¡± Another sigh leaves me and I cross my arms. ¡°Like I said, you¡¯re ruining the mood.¡± ¡°And I can¡¯t stop thinking about the possibility of us having a baby.¡± He shakes his head, his gaze finding mine. ¡°That''s some trippy shit.¡± ¡°For sure,¡± I agree, realizing I''m not going to get what I want tonight. Oh well. I enjoy spending time with him. Kissing him. Watching him get into a silly holiday movie about Santa¡¯s daughter and how she¡¯s helping a small town find the magic of Christmas once again. It''s corny yet Easton is enjoying it. Maybe he needs the distraction. It''s been a whirlwind of emotions tonight. I¡¯m exhausted, and I lean my head against his shoulder, silently marveling at how warm and solid he is. I could sit like this forever if he¡¯d let me. We¡¯re wrapped up in a throw nket, watching the movie in silence. Once it''s over, Easton kisses my forehead and murmurs, ¡°I should get you home.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± I don¡¯t want to go though. He drives me back to my house, my mind full of crazy thoughts. Like what would happen if I was actually pregnant. We could move in together. Easton¡¯s family has lots of money and I know he''d take care of me and our baby. I rest my hand over my stomach at the thought. Our baby. So crazy. When we''re finally back at my house he walks me to the front porch, pulling me into his arms and delivering a blistering hot kiss to my lips¡ª The porch light zes on and the door swings open, the both of us springing away from each other. It''s my dad standing in the doorway, and he looks pleased as hell to catch us. ¡°Good evening, Easton.¡± My boyfriend nods, looking nervous. ¡°Good evening, sir.¡± ¡°I heard you went for a drive to check out the Christmas lights.¡± ¡°Yeah, we did.¡± He sends me a look. One that says, please go along with my lie. ¡°The town is lit tonight.¡± My dadughs. ¡°Indeed, it is. Well, time for you to leave. See youter, Easton. Drive safe.¡± ¡°Good night.¡± Easton¡¯s gaze finds mine once again, and he mouths I love you before he turns away and heads for his car. ¡°He¡¯s a nice boy, Harper,¡± Dad says as we enter the house together. ¡°Once we can get past the tree incident for good, I¡¯m sure everything will be fine.¡± God, the tree incident. Will it ever not be mentioned? Knowing Ryan, he''ll bring it up every Christmas from now until we''re dead. ¡°Good night, Daddy,¡± I tell my father, dropping a kiss on his cheek before I head upstairs. I go into the bathroom and use the toilet, shock coursing through me when I see what''s on my underwear. Blood. Chapter 147 Chapter 147 Easton There¡¯s only one way I want to spend New Year¡¯s Eve and that¡¯s with my girl, her lips locked on mine at midnight, and zero drama, especially now that I know we''re in the kid¡ªfree zone. Holy fuck, that was close. Too close. But the overflowing amount of drama that¡¯s surrounded ustely is why I wasn¡¯t sure that I was going to head to ke¡¯s New Year¡¯ S party, even though Harper and I had been invited. ke still isn¡¯t my favorite person in this world. Where he travels, Aisha is never far behind, and she¡¯s nothing but trouble. I just don¡¯t want to deal with their bullshit. But when I told Ryan that, he lost his shit and said I have no choice, I was going¡ªthat we''re all going, him, Sadie, Harper, and me. So now, I¡¯m driving to Harper''s house to pick up the three of them for the party. Fortunately, they alle out as I pull into the driveaway, saving me from having to go inside and see her parents. Thank fuck. ¡°Hi,¡± Harper says, leaning across the front seat to kiss me. The diamond ne I bought her for Christmas is sitting on her neck and I¡¯m wearing the boxers and button¡ªdown she got me. ¡°Mmm, you taste delicious,¡± she adds. ¡°I taste like ... me.¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± Iugh, resting my hand on her thigh as Sadie and Ryan get into the back. ¡°Are you guys ready for this?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Harper replies, her voice now full of anxiety. ¡°I know Aisha is going to be there and that doesn''t get me excited to go.¡± ¡°But you know I''ll cut a bitch if she tries to fuck with you,¡± Sadie chirps in. ¡°And I love you for that,¡± Harper adds. ¡°But I¡¯m still ugh about it.¡± ¡°Listen, if there¡¯s drama tonight, we''re all going down together,¡± Ryan says. ¡°But there won''t be, tonight''s going to be fun as hell.¡± I definitely don''t have Ryan''s positivity when it comes to this party. Maybe that¡¯s because my girl and our rtionship have been the center of every controversy that¡¯s come through our schooltely where Ryan and Sadie seem to slip by unnoticed. ¡°You know what would make things much better?¡± I announce. ¡°A joint.¡± ¡°I''ve got you,¡± Ryan says, and I instantly smell the smoke as he lights one up. As he hands it to me, I squeeze the paper between my fingers and take a hit, holding in the smoke until I cough. ¡°Do we know who''s going to be there tonight?¡± Harper asks. ¡°Everyone,¡± Sadie replies. ¡°I scanned Insta before I came over to your house and saw a ton of stories of all the girls getting ready.¡± ¡°Great,¡± Harper says. ¡°More of an audience.¡± ¡°Um, no,¡± Sadie responds. ¡°The more people there, the more of a distraction it''s going to be, so less peeps paying attention to you and Easton.¡± Harper sighs. ¡°So, you''re saying, WHORE or BIG DICK isn¡¯t going to be painted on one of ke¡¯s mirrors? Seems like everywhere I go, I¡¯m hit with those wonderful words.¡± Fuck me, it¡¯s affecting her. And I can¡¯t fucking me her. I squeeze her leg as Sadie says, ¡°Harp ...¡± ¡°And I better be all smiles or WHGOSSIP is going to snap a pic of me in the most unttering way and air it across every social media site with some headline that makes me want to die.¡± ¡°Baby,¡± I whisper, gripping her even tighter. ¡°I''ve had it, Easton.¡± ¡°That''s why we''re going to have fun tonight.¡± I nce in the rearview mirror, making sure Ryan and Sadie see me, letting them know we all need to watch out for our girl this evening. ¡°I think we could all use some, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Hell yes,¡± Sadie sings. I give Harper the joint, ncing over to see her suck down several hits. When she passes it to Ryan, I grab her hand. ¡°You look gorgeous,¡± I say softly. ¡°Yeah, yeah.¡± I release her fingers to trace mine across her corbone and down her side, feeling the tightness of the dress hug her hips. ¡°Fuck, with you looking that good, I don''t know if we¡¯re even going to make it to the party.¡± ¡°Uh, can you drop us off first? You might be my boy, but she¡¯s my sister, let''s not forget that,¡± Ryan says. Harperughs and it¡¯s a sound and sight I want more of. I park in a spot about a block from ke¡¯s house and we join hands the moment we''re on the sidewalk. As we walk toward his mansion, I bring her fingers up to my mouth and kiss across her knuckles, keeping an eye on her as we get closer. ¡°Hey,¡± I say before I ring his doorbell, waiting for her to look at me. ¡°Remember ... fun.¡± She nods. ¡°Harper, that¡¯s all we¡¯re going to have tonight. I promise you.¡± I know the responsibility I¡¯m taking on as I say those words and what will happen if some shit goes down. But I need my mystery girl smiling. I need that more than anything. I press the bell and ke opens the door, grinning while he says, ¡°My party people!¡± He pounds each of our fists. ¡°Happy you''re finally here.¡± As I step inside, the music is sting. Balloons cover his ceiling, their long, glittery tails giving the room almost a psychedelic effect. Everyone is holding cups, dancing,ughing. There''s definitely fun happening here. He hugs Harper and my entire body stiffens. I don¡¯t like his hands on her, but I¡¯m not going to make a scene. I¡¯m not going to start this night off with a confrontation. I¡¯m going to uphold the promise I made to her. ¡°Man, I¡¯m d you came,¡± ke says to me when he releases her, leaning in for a man¡ªhug. ¡°Looks like a good party,¡± I tell him. I can feel Sadie and Ryan behind me, Harper¡¯s fingers tapping me as though she¡¯s warning me to be nice. ¡°Wouldn''t be the same without you.¡± ke¡¯s hand goes to my shoulder, shaking it. ¡°Listen, Easton, I want to start over. N?velDrama.Org ? content. I want things to be good between us, like they used to be.¡± I''m shocked to hear his admission. Especially now, at the end of a wildly, rocky year, where it feels impossible to just forget everything that¡¯s gone down. But I know hating one of my best friend¡¯s has been hard and it¡¯s thest thing I''ve wanted. And knowing we only have a little time left before we all part ways and go to college¡ªthat thought does sting. I don''t know if the trust can be repaired, but maybe it''ll return as time goes on. ¡°I like that idea,¡± I tell him. ¡°Excellent.¡± He puts his arms around Ryan and me and says, ¡°Drinks are in the kitchen, along with a shitload of food. The hot tub is bubbling outside if you want to use it. Game room downstairs has everything you want, plus beer pong if you feel like joining the tournament that¡¯s going down in a little while.¡± He looks at his empty hands. ¡°I need to go get myself a drink. Boys¡± ¡ªhe then nces at Harper, smiling¡ª¡°and girls, make yourself at home.¡± He leaves us and I put my hand on Harper''s face, forcing her to gaze up at me. ¡°See, all good.¡± I kiss her. As she pulls away, her eyes tell me how leery she is. ¡°It''s still early ... just wait.¡± Chapter 148 Chapter 148 Harper I didn¡¯t want to go to ke¡¯s party, and I tried toe up with every excuse in my head to back out. I even ran a few of them past Sadie once I found out Easton was dead set on going. But each excuse I gave to my best friend, she returned with the same reply¡ªthat I was going no matter what, and her sassy self didn''t want to hear any more abott it. Anxiety ate at me all day. I could feel it in my hands while I was getting ready, my eye liner a wobbly line, far too thick and beyond repairable. But after that joint we smoked in the car and the electric blue punch that I''ve been sipping from ke¡¯s kitchen¡ªthat probably has thirty different kinds of alcohol in it, oops, whatever¡ªI hate to admit that I¡¯m actually having fun. But I really am. ke¡¯s game room, which is more like an arcade, is where we''ve spent most of the night. The boys have been battling out an epic game of beer pong, Sadie and I jumping in to partner with them when we''re not lost in our own war of Ms. Text content ? N?velDrama.Org. Pac¡ªMan or bowling¡ª because, of course ke has a bowling alley in his basement. And whenever we run low on drinks, ke sends one of his servers to refill our sses. I''ve never been to a high school party that has waiters. Not even Easton hires them for his ragers. But I¡¯m not surprised that ke has gone all out, he doesn¡¯t do anything half¡ªassed. Even as he¡¯s standing next to Easton, partnering with him on this round of pong, he looks perfect. His hair is more styled than mine. His outfit is so put together, I swear he uses a Stylist. He catches me looking at him and smiles and when he finishes the round with Easton, hees over to the bowling area where Sadie and I are hanging out. ¡°Hey,¡± he says, clinking his ss against mine. ¡°Having a good time?¡± He looks up at the TV that¡¯s tracking our score. ¡°Damn, you''re on fire. I didn''t realize you were that good at bowling.¡± ¡°Neither did I,¡± I admit,ughing, watching Sadie¡¯s ball head straight into the gutter, missing all the pins. ¡°But this has been a st.¡± ¡°A few more of those¡±¡ªhe nods toward my ss¡ª¡°and I just might be getting a kiss at midnight.¡± ¡°ke ...¡± ¡°I¡¯m kidding, Harper. We''re friends, that''s all we''ve ever been, and I know that.¡± ¡°Damn it!¡± Sadie shouts at her second attempt, which turns out to be a gutter ball, too. ¡°I hate this game.¡± ¡°You do know I''ve only ever wanted to protect you, right?¡± he says when I nce at him again. ¡°I don¡¯t want anyone hurting you, Harper. The thought of that makes me fucking crazy.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± I whisper, feeling his words, the impact of each one nestling into my chest. ¡°I¡¯ve always known you''ve had my back.¡± That''s mostly true. Sure, there were times I¡¯ve doubted him, but that''s when I''ve allowed Sadie and Easton and Aisha to creep into my thoughts. But if I went by my heart and the way it¡¯s felt, I¡¯ ve been team ke all the way. ¡°Good.¡± His grin grows. ¡°I''m d you feel that way and you know there isn¡¯t anything I wouldn''t do for you.¡± ¡°What am I doing wrong?¡± Sadie whines, a quick nce telling me she went for a third try, even though she technically isn''t supposed to. I giggle at Sadie who¡¯s throwing her hands up in the air, like she¡¯s trying to actually fight the bowling alley. But when I turn back to ke, my thoughts be more serious. ¡°What you can do for me is keep Aisha tamed and make all this drama¡ªthe spray painting and the name calling and the WHGOSSIP posts¡ªgo away.¡± When I realize how silly I sound, that ke doesn¡¯t have control over any of that, and I¡¯m just venting, probably to the wrong person, I add, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I know none of this is in your control, but it¡¯s getting to be a lot.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t deserve it, Harper. Not a second of it.¡± ¡°Then why does it keep happening? Who am I hurting so badly that they want to hurt me?¡± His stare shifts between both my eyes. ¡°I wish I knew. I wish I could take it all away and rece it with happiness.¡± ¡°Me too,¡± I say so softly. One of the servers returns with a full ss of punch and a drink for ke. ke grabs them off the tray and hands me mine. ¡°The good news is, you''re here. You''reughing at Sadie¡±¡ªhe points to her as she attempts a fourth try and fails again, cursing at the lane like it can hear her¡ª"and you''re enjoying yourself. It¡¯s the start of a new year and that¡¯s he important. You can¡¯t start it off with a fucking dud of a night.¡± He''s right. This is probably thest New Year''s I''ll ever celebrate with all these guys. Once we go to college, everything is going to change. When we all return home for the holidays, who knows if we''ll all even get together. We could lose touch. We could be totally different people then. ¡°Thanks for having this party,¡± I say. ¡°I guess all these final celebrations really matter. Who knows how many more we''re going to have before we all part and go our separate ways.¡± He sps my shoulder and shakes it. ¡°Getting nostalgic, are we?¡± Iugh. ¡°It''s this wicked punch. What the hell did you put in it, anyway?¡± ¡°You don''t want to know. But trust me when I say, go slow, because it¡¯s going to sneak up on you and kick your ass.¡± ¡°I think it already is.¡± He smiles as he gazes at me. ¡°I¡¯ve missed you, Harper. You¡¯ve changed since you and Easton have gotten together. Not in a bad way, I don¡¯t mean that. You''re just a different person now.¡± ¡°How so?¡± He shrugs. ¡°I remember that timid, insecure girl who came out into the backyard during her brother''s party, wearing a tiny bikini. He ordered you inside because he didn¡¯t want any of his friends looking at you and you went back in and changed. Do you remember that?¡± That seems like a thousand years ago. But, of course, I couldn¡¯t forget, that was the first time I kissed Easton. ¡°What would you tell your brother now, Harper? Would you go back inside and put something else on?¡± ¡°Fuck no.¡± ¡°Exactly ... you''ve changed.¡± His eyes narrow, like he¡¯s really seeing me. ¡°But I have to say, the confidence looks really good on you.¡± ¡°ke¡ª¡± I stiffen, my voice cutting off when I feel a set of hands on my shoulders, a ce where ke had just gripped. But it¡¯s not him, it¡¯s Easton¡ªI can tell by the feel of him, from a breeze of his cologne that hits my face. His hand falls to my waist, his expression telling me he¡¯s not happy. ¡°ke ...¡± His voice is low, gritty. ¡°I know you''re not creeping up on Harper behind my back again ...¡± Chapter 149 Chapter 149 Easton I swear, every fucking time I turn my back, ke is there. He¡¯s like Aisha. The two of them can sniff out a moment when one of us is alone and vulnerable and they make their move. But this one I especially didn¡¯t like. I didn''t like the way he was looking at her. I didn¡¯t like the way she was gazing back at him. And I didn¡¯t like the way they were standing so close. There¡¯s over twenty people in the game room, why oh fucking why, is he talking one¡ªon¡ªone with my girl? ¡°Easton,¡± ke starts, ¡°I know Harper is yours and I just want you guys to be happy. You belong together. Creeping up on her is not my intention at all. I told you when you came over tonight that I want to start fresh. I wasn''t kidding. You think I¡¯d jeopardize that by hitting on her?¡± He smiles, taking a step back. ¡°She was just standing there, alone, and I went over to keep herpany. Ask her ...¡± I look at Harper for confirmation and she¡¯s agreeing with him. ¡°He wasn''t hitting on me, Easton. I promise.¡± I hold her tighter, trying to push every ke thought out of her head. Even if he wasn¡¯t putting a move on her, she was gazing at him in a way that didn¡¯t sit right with me. ¡°If you''re telling the truth,¡± I say to him, ¡°Then, it looks like you''re going to live to see another day.¡± He raises his ss. ¡°You cats have fun, I''m off to see the bikinis in the hot tub.¡± He leaves us alone and Sadiees over. ¡°Bowling and me¡ªwe¡¯ ve broken up. Dunzo. I never want to see an alley or a bowling ball ever again.¡± ¡°That bad?¡± I ask her. ¡°I broke three nails and have a score of zero.¡± I nce up at the monitor that shows their score. ¡°You''re on your eighth frame and you haven''t hit a single pin?¡± Iugh. ¡°You weren''t kidding, maybe you should break up.¡± She ps my arm. ¡°Asshole.¡± ¡°What did he say this time?¡± Ryan asks as he joins us. ¡°The truth,¡± Sadie replies. ¡°I just didn¡¯t want to hear it.¡± ¡°We''ve conquered beer pong,¡± Ryan says to me. ¡°What are we going to kill now?¡± ¡°Not bowling,¡± I joke. Sadie rolls her eyes. ¡°How about we just get drunk. I think we''re all really good at that.¡± Harper clinks her ss against Sadie¡¯s. ¡°I''m in.¡± She hups, her hand going over her mouth. ¡°But I might already be halfway there.¡± ¡°Hell yes,¡± I growl, hauling her body against mine. ¡°Does that mean I can do whatever I want to you tonight?¡± Her parents think she¡¯s staying the night at Sadie¡¯s. Which is true. But given that Sadie¡¯s parents are much more lenient than Harper''s and Sadie doesn''t have a curfew, who knows what time they''ll actually end up going home. ¡°You mean ... hook up ... here?¡± She giggles. ¡°All right, this is where I leave the conversation because I''ve most definitely heard enough.¡± ¡°No,¡± Harper says, grabbing Ryan¡¯s arm. ¡°It''s almost midnight. We all need to be together for the countdown. Easton isn¡¯t dragging me anywhere until that happens.¡± I growl again, squeezing her ass. But, the truth is, I know she''ll want to be close to Sadie when the clock strikes midnight, that¡¯s just how those two girls roll. ¡°We have fifteen minutes,¡± Sadie says, looking at her phone. ¡°What do you say we grab some drinks and go outside? I think I heard someone say there''s going to be fireworks.¡± ¡°Sounds good to me,¡± Harper responds and leaves me to loop an arm through Sadie¡¯s. We follow behind the girls as they make their way to the stairwell, hurrying up to the first floor. We go through the living room, which is packed with people, and into the kitchen. I¡¯m pouring myself more vodka and Harper is grabbing some punch when I hear, ¡°Hello, boys.¡± Fucking Aisha. She¡¯s a whitehead that never wants to pop. We''ve been lucky as hell to have avoided her so far tonight. Of course, my luck has run out, and now she¡¯s moving in next to me, a smile on her face that makes me fucking itch. ¡°You had to bring her?¡± Aisha says, nodding toward Harper. ¡°Funny,¡± I utter back, ¡°I was thinking the same thing about ke inviting you.¡± ¡°Aisha,¡± Sadie seethes, ¡°I have zero patience and a lot of alcohol inside me. I strongly suggest you y nice or you''re going to find yourself floating face first in the pool after I drown you.¡± Aisha rolls her eyes. ¡°Whatever. I¡¯m justing over to see if everyone¡¯s having a good time tonight.¡± ¡°No, you''reing over here to start shit,¡± Sadie says. ¡°I''m not going to tolerate it, so turn yourself around and march back to wherever you came from. Hopefully, it¡¯s a cell thates with a lock.¡± ¡°You''re going to let your girlfriend talk to me that way?¡± Aisha says to Ryan. Ryan eyes Sadie, like he¡¯s about to devour her. ¡°Hell yes, it turns me the fuck on.¡± ¡°You''re all fucking sick and twisted¡ªyou deserve each other.¡± She stomps away. We allugh. ¡°That''s all it takes to get her to leave us alone?¡± Harper asks. ¡°Sadie, you really need to mouth off to her more often.¡± I hand the vodka to Ryan, and he refills his ss. ¡°Right? That was far too easy,¡± Sadie says, looking at each of our sses and adds, ¡°We''ve all got something to drink, good, now let''s go outside.¡± When we reach the pool area, ke has his arm around Aisha, which makes me nauseous, but she¡¯s his problem. As long as she¡¯s not bothering us, I don''t care what she¡¯s doing or who she¡¯s snuggling up to. The four of us move to the other side of the pool where I sit on one of the empty loungers, Harper fitting in between my legs. Ryan and Sadie sit the same way on the one beside us. We''re just getting settled as the first firework shoots into the air, an explosion of pinks and purples, greens and yellows. ¡°Wow,¡± Harper sighs, leaning into my chest. ¡°This is incredible.¡± A second round lights up the sky, this one in different shades of blue and red. ¡°Our own private fireworks show.¡± I shake my head. ¡°Damn, ke¡¯s the only motherfucker who can throw a better party than me.¡± ¡°Not true.¡± Harper nuzzles into my neck. ¡°Your Halloween party was perfect.¡± ¡°It didn¡¯t have fireworks.¡± ¡°But it had you,¡± she admits. ¡°And that''s all it needed, in my opinion.¡± I turn her chin to face me, gently kissing her lips. ¡°I fucking love you.¡± ¡°Ten!¡± someone yells in the background. ¡°Nine!¡± I smile, breathing her in, a rainbow of colors igniting above us. ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. She replies, ¡°I love you more.¡± ¡°Five! Four! Three!¡± Sadie reaches across the small space and links fingers with Harper. I give Ryan a nod. ¡°Two!¡± ¡°Happy New Year, Easton¡ª¡± Before she even finishes speaking, my hand moves to her cheek, and I smash my lips against hers, kissing her in a way that should settle every question she has about our future. Because, no matter what, Harper is going to be mine forever ¡­ Chapter 150 Chapter 150 Harper Mom and Dad think I''m still with Sadie, that we''re sleeping off the New Year''s Eve party and then going for pizza. That''s the story I told them, anyway. But the truth is, after sleeping off our hangover, Ryan is leaving Easton''s house, where he stayed the night, toe over to Sadie¡¯s, and I''m going to Easton¡¯s. And Ryan and I are switching phones in case the parentals decide to check our locations. I''ve thought about tasting Easton from the moment I woke up, all while Sadie was cooking us breakfast, the feeling growing even stronger as she drives me to Easton''s. And because the four of us had discussed this idea prior to the party, nning well in advance, I''d had time to buy Easton a little present. It¡¯s wrapped in a box that I carry inside his house, passing Ryan in the hallway on his way to the front door. ¡°If Mom calls, have Sadie answer or something,¡± I tell him, handing him my phone in exchange for his. ¡°She won''t call, she''ll text. Her and Dad are probably as hungover as us. But if she does text, do me a favor and try to sound like me.¡± Iugh. ¡°Oh, you mean, like give her a one¡ªword response?¡± ¡°Whatever, just don''t get us caught.¡± He closes the door behind him, and I find Easton on the couch, a nket over him, a buffet of fast-food wrappers on the coffee table. ¡°Is your head pounding as hard as mine?¡± I ask, setting the box on the table and crawling up next to him, snuggling under the nket. ¡°Everything hurts.¡± He kisses the top of my head as I rest it on his chest. ¡°But so worth it. That was a hell of a party.¡± I don¡¯t want to admit this, but it was so much better than I expected. In fact, I had a st. ¡°What time did we get home?¡± I ask. I remember the four of us jumping into an Uber and the boys having the driver drop us off first, but I was far too drunk to see the time. ¡°I think it was close to four.¡± ¡°Woof.¡± ¡°Yeah ... tell me about it.¡± He rubs his hand over my back. ¡°Are you hungry? Ryan and I had all this food delivered and a whole other bag that I stuck in the fridge.¡± ¡°Sadie made pancakes. I¡¯m stuffed.¡± ¡°Pancakes sound pretty good.¡± ¡°They were chocte chip and she made hash browns to go with them, mmm.¡± ¡°You might be making me hungry again.¡± I nce up, our eyes connecting. ¡°Hungry for what?¡± He chuckles. ¡°I love that you want my cock as much as I want your pussy.¡± I freeze and try to listen for movement upstairs. ¡°Your parents aren''t here, are they?¡± ¡°Nah. We''re all alone until tonight.¡± I wiggle away and lean up, grabbing the box from the table. ¡°Perfect, then you can open your gift.¡± I ce it on hisp. ¡°You already got me a Christmas gift.¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t for Christmas ...¡± He eyes me, and then he slowly unwraps the paper from the box, tossing it onto the table before he lifts the top to peek inside. ¡°Do you want to exin this?¡± he asks, smiling. ¡°It''s simple really ...¡± I y with the tassels on the end of the nket. ¡°There¡¯s something else I wanted to give you aside from my virginity.¡± He lifts the present out of the box, the bottle of lube now resting in his palm. N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. ¡°Your ass?¡± I nod. ¡°It''s the only part of me you haven''t had.¡± ¡°Get over here,¡± he growls, and I giggle as his hands surround me, lifting me onto hisp where his mouth devours mine. ¡°Before you get too carried away, let¡¯s go take a shower¡ªI think we could both use one¡ªand then have some fun.¡± ¡°You want to use the lube now?¡± I lick across my bottom lip, something that drives him nuts. ¡°Unless you have a better idea ...¡± ¡°My hangover is suddenly gone,¡± he jokes, and he rises from the couch, leading me upstairs to his room, and into his own private bathroom. He turns on the water and while we wait for it to warm, we strip off our clothes. When we''re both standing naked in front of each other, he pulls out the tie that¡¯s holding my hair in a ponytail. ¡°Fuck, I''m the luckiest guy in the world.¡± His stare is like fire as it moves across my tits and down my stomach to the spot between my legs. It scorches me in a way where I¡¯m instantly wet. His words do the same. Sometimes, so simple, but they hit the hardest. I can feel them deeper than my chest. Deeper than my heart. It¡¯s like they live inside me. He backs me up into the shower, the heavy, hot stream running over the top of my head, soaking my hair and body. Eastonthers his hands in soapy bubbles and rubs them across my breasts. ¡°Mmm,¡± I moan, my head falling back, the water now beating on my face. ¡°That feels so good.¡± He goes lower, covering my stomach and hips, pausing when he reaches my clit. He circles the top, adding pressure and I can¡¯t breathe without a moaning out of my lips. ¡°Easton ...¡± His mouth is on my neck, the whiskers that had grown overnight, tickling my skin. He feels amazing and I have a hard time staying in the moment and not getting lost in the pleasure. I reach for the bottle of body wash and squirt some in my hands, running the silky soap over his shoulders and down his chiseled chest, my fingers falling into the grooves of his abs before I fist him. He''s so hard. He rocks his hips forward the moment I surround him and I pump my fist up and down along his length. ¡°Fuck yes,¡± he hisses. I gasp as his finger enters me, the water only adding to the sensations that are already pulsing, his thumb circling the top of me. ¡°Oh God.¡± Thebination is making my back arch, it¡¯s making my legs numb. I can feel a build and it''s taking over, and I don¡¯t know if my feet are going to hold me. ¡°Easton, yes!¡± He needs to feel what I¡¯m feeling, so I tighten my grip and stroke him even faster, twisting my wrist as I reach his crown, running my thumb over the center of his tip. ¡°Harper,¡± he breaths, taking my bottom lip into his mouth, gnawing his teeth into it. I¡¯m drowning in Easton and the tingles that are shooting through my lower stomach. When I know I can¡¯t hold on any longer, a st explodes through me, and I begin to shudder. He grabs me with his free arm, taking my weight, while grinding out my orgasm with his other hand. And when I can¡¯t focus on anything but the mes that are licking through me, I release his dick, and wrap my arms around his shoulders. I just need to hold on¡ªto him, to all of this. I finally start to still and catch my breath, and that¡¯s when I hear, ¡°It''s time to use my present.¡± Chapter 151 Chapter 151 Easton I wrap Harper in a towel and tie one around my waist. I bring her into my bedroom, setting her on top of my bed, a hell of a surprise waiting for me in that bottle on my nightstand. I certainly didn¡¯t expect to find lube in that box. For Harper to give me her ass, the same way she gave me her virginity. But it just shows how much she loves me. And I¡¯m silent promising her that I''m going to do everything I can to make sure this moment is painless and unforgettable. I pull the towel from her body, dropping my own onto the floor, and I reach for the bottle. I kiss over the tops of her tits, taking each of her nipples into my mouth. Sucking, biting the ends, before I make my way down to her stomach, stopping at her pussy. I spread her legs, positioning myself between them, and squirt some of the cold jelly onto my fingers. I rub it across my skin, making sure both fingers are covered, and while my tongue goes to her clit, my fingers go to her ass. ¡°Ahhh,¡± she breathes. ¡°Oh God.¡± I lick, concentrating on the top, and at the same time, I circle her ass. I make sure the edges are prepped before I gradually dip a finger inside. ¡°Easton,¡± she moans. Fuck, she¡¯s tight. I can only imagine how this is going to feel on my dick. I groan at the thought and as my finger moves inside her, I go slow, taking my time to stretch her, adding a second finger when I feel she¡¯s ready. I give her more pressure, more speed, wanting to make sure she can handle it before she gets my cock. She''s taking everything I give her. Moaning. Rocking against my mouth in a way where I know this feels incredible for her. When she feels worked up enough, I squirt more lube over my whole shaft, ensuring there¡¯s a thick layer across my crown, and I aim my tip at her ass. I frame her face with my hands, locking my eyes with hers. ¡°This is going to hurt a little,¡± I warn. ¡°I know.¡± ¡°I''m going to go slow. I need you to tell me if you want me to stop.¡± She nods. ¡°Okay.¡± I shift my hips upward, the tip sliding in, her breathing instantly changing. ¡°Is it too much?¡± ¡°I''m all right.¡± But I can see the pain in her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m going to stop¡ª" ¡°No.¡± She kisses me. ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . ¡°I want this.¡± I force myself to move even slower, going in a tiny bit more, her tightness taking a hold of me. Fuck me, if I thought her pussy was snug, her ass is a like a lock, and I know I¡¯m going to have a hard timesting. ¡°Once I''m all the way in, it''ll feel better,¡± I promise. The pain has moved into her lips, and I devour them, hoping to take her mind off it, gradually working in deeper. I can feel her heart pounding against my chest, her emotion in every one of her breaths. ¡°There,¡± I say, now still. ¡°You have all of me.¡± I know it¡¯s going to take some time for her to get used to me, my size, this new foreign feeling. ¡°Tell me when you''re ready.¡± ¡°Ready,¡± she says after several seconds. ¡°It''s not going to feel any better at first, but you''ll soon get used to it, and then it''ll start to feel really good.¡± I reach down, rubbing my thumb over her clit. ¡°Especially as I do this.¡± ¡°Mmm,¡± she moans. Still moving as carefully as I can, I slide out to my tip and work my way back, the tightness not letting up at all, the wetness coating me. ¡°Fuck me, Harper.¡± I repeat the same motion several times, using the identical speed, and I finally notice a change. The pain is dissolving from her eyes, it¡¯s left her face, and each thrust is sending soft, sweet moans from her mouth. ¡°Fuck,¡± I roar, kissing her, needing her taste on my tongue. She begins to move with me, her legs not just spread, but circled around me, her hands clutching my shoulders. ¡°Easton,¡± she cries, her neck leaned back, giving me the chance to kiss it. ¡°This feels ...¡± She swallows and I kiss across her throat. ¡°So good.¡± My thumb is still on her clit, and I pick up speed, feeling the tightening in my balls, that incredible build up not far behind. I don¡¯t want to flip her around and change positions, having to put her through the feeling of spreading again, so I lift her legs onto my shoulders, giving me the most perfect view of her pussy, and I drive into her. Flicking her clit with my thumb, giving her nipples quick pinches, watching the sensations spread across her face. ¡°Harper,¡± I moan, holding her calf, kissing across her shin. ¡°Goddamn it, you feel amazing.¡± ¡°Easton,¡± she inhales, ¡°you''re going to make mee.¡± That''s the only thing I want. The words I¡¯ve been waiting to hear. To fulfill the promise I made to my girl that this wouldn''t hurt her. And now she¡¯s about to feel the best part of it. ¡°Ahhh, yes!¡± she shouts. I rear my hips back, plunging inside, giving her hard, deep, passionate strokes. She¡¯s pulsing around me, clenching, and that causes her to feel even tighter. I make sure her clit has the pressure she needs and when she starts to scream, ¡°Fuuuck,¡± shudders moving through her stomach, I know it¡¯s my time. I punch forward, the intensity moving through my body, shooting out the end of me. ¡°Fuck!¡± Ripples are sting through my body, every part of me turning numb aside from the tingles that are erupting. ¡°Yes! Damn it!¡± Each thrust sends more of me into her, filling her to the point where I watch it drip the moment I pull out. She gently bites her lip as she looks at me. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect that.¡± She shakes her head. ¡°I mean, for it to feel that good.¡± I smile. ¡°I knew it would ... you just needed to trust me.¡± ¡°I do. Always.¡± I quickly kiss her, and then I leave her for just a second to go into my bathroom, grabbing a washcloth that I soak with warm water. When I return, I gently rub it over her, cleaning me and the lube off her ass. I toss the cloth back into the bathroom and I get under the covers, pulling her against my chest. I bury my lips into her hair, breathing her in. ¡°One hell of a present, Harper.¡± ¡°I''m the best girlfriend in the world.¡± ¡°You are ... that¡¯s for sure.¡± She nces up, a mischievous look in her eyes. ¡°Now, what other kind of trouble are we going to get into today ...¡± Chapter 152 Chapter 152 Easton I''m still not over it. I''m not gonna lie, I stared at my locker longer than what should be appropriate once we were back at school for at least two months. Things were somewhat back to normal. I mean, if normal was fucking your girlfriend''s ass more than once and receiving presents you never thought you''d receive¡ª even post¡ªChristmas. I smirked again. "Stop thinking about my sister before I strangle you,¡¯ Ryan says next to me, leaning against the metal locker and giving me a disgusted look. "Fuck, I hope Spring Semester goes by fast.¡± "You know you just ruined my perfect mood, right? I was thinking about all these tight holes that needed to be filled with my¡ª" "¡ªFuck you!" "¡ªbruh, stop, I''ve got shop thisst semester, wanted to take things easy. What the hell were you thinking about?¡± I smile because I know he can''t kill me but wants to since his brain went exactly where I wanted it to go just because he ruined my awesome mood. His eyes narrow. "Somethings not right with you." "And you''re so much better.¡± I scoff. "You look like you got kicked in the nuts before walking in here, and you''re more pissy than usual.¡± "Whatever." He looks away. The bell rings. He pushes off the metal lockers and turns to walk away, then turns back to me. "Look, it''s like this."Oh shit, I''m gonna bete to ss, I just know it. "This is it." In dramatic fashion, Ryan spreads his arms wide like he''s trying out for a musical and ready for his big moment. ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . "This, right here." "Um, the bell ringing? Smelling gross freshman? Watching them get a boner over Miss. Stead when she hosts an assembly about sex ed?" "No man." Ryan looks ready to bang his head against my locker. "I''m just saying, we don''t have much time left. I want to make it worth it. With you, possibly ke if he survives that long, Sadie, and yes, even my sister.¡± He makes another face. "What did you have in mind?" He suddenly grins. "Well, for today, we''ll behave." "And tonight? Tomorrow?" I bang my fist against the locker in excitement. "What did you have in mind?" "Trouble." "The good kind?" Sadie sprints down the hall at that moment. "I''mte for ss! Aghhhhh!" Ryan pulls her into his arms and presses a kiss to her lips, and I''m suddenly sad, not just sad, but jealous. I miss Harper. She left me early to go to ss and turn in more extra credit.It''s weird. How the school year started. I frown and stare down the hall even though I''m supposed to be going to ss. Months earlier, Harper was invisible to me... okay, not invisible, but she was just there. She existed almost as a part of Ryan, which is freaky as fuck now that I think about it, but I just, I don''t know. She annoyed me, maybe because I could never figure her out. But I''d be a lying dumbass to admit that I never found her hot. She''d always been hot, curvy... I''d just been distracted and a stupid dick. I smile to myself. Yeah, a total dick.Nice. I shake my head and walk to ss, dropping my shit onto my desk before sitting. ke is next to me, I can hear him talking to Aisha, which just sets me off and ruins my super good mood. I flip open my book to a random page as if I''m paying attention, then grab my phone and send a text to Harper. Me: let''s skip. Harper: You''ll have to be more specific. Me: School. ss. Life. I mean I have presents now. It would be offensive not to use them...daily. Some might say hourly. Harper: Some being you? Me: You''re a good giver, I''m a good receiver, what can I say? Do you want me to apologize for that? Harper: What did you have in mind? I sit up straight. Is she serious? Would she risk it, and was it our moment after her amazing gift giving that''s tempting her? Fuck, just thinking about my cock anywhere near her has me ready to rub one out beneath my stupid as hell desk in front of whoever watches. Weird. She''s making me weird and desperate, and still, I can''t stop smiling or wondering how it would feel to just bend her over the very desk I''m sitting at, legs wrapped around me tight, mouth open, waiting... "Someone likes Chemistry.¡± Aisha snorts. Slowly, I turn my head. "Weird, how when you finally experience it, you want it more and more, am I right, ke?" His eyebrows shoot up, and then he shrugs even though his hands seem to clench into fists like he''s tensing up. "Not your fault you''ve got someone you want that bad, right?" "Nope." I halfway snarl in Aisha''s direction as my phone goes off. I look down. Harper: Does this have anything to do with the fact that it''s Valentine''s Day? Is that my surprise? We get to skip? I smile at my phone as I raise my hand. "Yes? Easton? What is it?¡± Mr.Rayne looks like a grumpy turtle that forgot his shell and threw on a wrinkly green coat hoping nobody would notice. "Gotta pee." I shrug. He rolls his eyes. He''s easy though, as he hands me the hall pass. I sprint out and go to my locker first. My hands feel numb, almost cold as if I''m proposing or something. Maybe it was the pregnancy scare or the very fact that I thought about it. For a few minutes, I fucking thought about being a dad. About her being a mom, and while I was scared, I was weirdly excited about having a life with her. The only issue was that I didn''t want to confess that to her, not yet. I could still see her face after going to Walgreens and after taking the tests. The main point was that I wanted her forever. And I wanted her to know it. So I grabbed the shit in my locker, took my hall pass, and smiled with pure joy the entire way to her locker. Sure, yeah, the year started off rocky, but I''d do it all again if it meant I was able to be the dumbass standing in front of her locker with a shit¡ªeating grin on my face hoping that she liked what I had nned for her. And praying it helped seal a forever I could have never hoped for then¡ªbut lived for now. Chapter 153 Chapter 153 Harper I stare at the roses in my locker and almost burst into tears. "What do you think?" Easton''s deep voice is behind me. I swipe my cheek as a tear trails down it. I don''t tell him, but all I keep thinking about is this ridiculous montage of all the moments as I walked by his locker, mine, wishing things were different. Wishing we were together. And now I''m looking at a locker full of roses, candy, and I''m hearing my man''s voice behind me as he wraps his arms around my body, resting his chin on the top of my head. "Didn''t expect tears," he whispers. "I mean, I expected at least a kiss, a hug, maybe a BJ if I was a really good boy¡ª" I elbow him in the ribs and turn in his arms. "I love you.¡± His eyes go ssy. Did I do that? It''s only us in this moment, and it''s all I need as I wrap my arms around his neck and kiss him hard, he pushes me against the locker next to mine, and I start to hear whistles and catcalls. I don''t care. All I care about is him. All I need is him. And then I wonder how did I ever survive without this boy? His mouth on mine and the way he makes me feel like I can conquer anything in this world as long as he''s by my side? He pulls back. "Happy Valentine''s Day." ¡°I got you a card,¡± I blurtmely. He throws his head back andughs. "I like cards." "It has a turtle on it,¡± I grumble. "With a heart, so at least there''s that, but I didn''t know what to get you, and I just¡ª" He cuts me off again with a kiss. Then another. Easton pulls away again. "I have tonight all nned." I''ve never been more excited that school is done for the day as I am at this moment. I want to jump his bone and fuck him against the metal and wrap my legs around his body. We break apart when I hear Ryan curse under his breath. "Sorry man.¡± Easton wipes his mouth like I licked him, and my brother narrows his eyes like he''s contemting homicide. "It is Valentine''s Day though, so..." Ryan grunts. Thank God Sadie rushes to his side and pulls his head down for a kiss. "We gonna hook up on a bed of roses?" Ryan kisses her back. Totally my turn to gag. He flips me off literally while kissing her, then stops and turns to Easton and me. "Should we tell them?" Sadie starts bouncing on her feet. "Tell us what? Are we going out to eat? Italian? French? Should we go get all hot for you guys and¡ª" "¡ªStop,¡¯ Ryan says and silences her with a kiss. "All you girls need to know is that you need an overnight bag. Dressfortably and be ready to rx." Weirdly enough, I literally slump against Easton, already thinking about how nice it would be to rx with my people. My rxation is ruined however when the sound of Aisha''s heels click against the ground. I smell her gross perfume as she stops in front of us and puts her hands on her hips. She''s wearing a pink skirt and white crop top with sparkly pink heels. Every part of her looks like she should audition for Legally Blonde or at least be a body double as her eyes move from left to right, taking us in. "Must be an exciting Valentine''s Day." Her penciled eyebrows arch. Suddenly kees up behind her, gives her a weird look, and walks off. She doesn''t see it, but I do. It''s still strange how he was so close with her only to shove her away and try to get back with the guys, but who am I to even attempt to understand High School politics at this point? "What the fuck do you want?¡± Easton sounds almost exhausted like he''s at the point where he wants to toss in the towel and just run her over with his Jeep. "I used to think you were like a bad cold, now I''m pretty sure even Hitler would be annoyed.¡± She gasps. "Don''t gasp like you even know History. Didn''t you fail twice?" Easton smirks. "Anyway, we should be going...¡± "Where?" Aisha lifts her chin. "Out to eat like every other loser on Valentine''s Day?" She peers around me and smirks. "Ohhhh, roses in a locker, ssic. Hey, Easton, didn''t you do that for me Freshman year? Only I think they were white roses? God, those choctes were amazing too, so was the sex¡ª" "¡ªShould have been ck roses representing your funeral,¡± Ryan says under his breath. "Let''s go man." Sadie is fuming at his side. And I''m just done. So what? He gave her roses. He gave me his heart. And I gave him my ass. Iugh just thinking about it. "What''s so funny?" Aisha nearly growls. I turn around, grab Easton''s hand, and put it on my ass. "Oh nothing, just the fact that there are still some things you never gave him... and some things he never gave you. Too bad I took it all. So take your flowers, take your choctes, and shove them up your ass the way his dick was shoved up mine during break." "My ears!" Ryan yells. Sadie offers a high five. And Aisha stumbles back in her stupid pink heels. "Best ass ever." Easton kisses the top of my head. "You guys ready?" "I will never recover from this," Ryan mumbles. "Atta girl!" Sadie is basically dancing as we leave Aisha in the hall scowling at us with her jaw dropped open. And Easton''s hand is pressed against the very ass he imed. Point. Me. "So," I ask once we''re at the Jeep. "Where are we going?" Easton pulls me against him for a quick kiss. "We''re going to the Lakehouse. Your parents are gone for the night, so are mine, not that they care...and we even have our dinner already pre¡ªmade and packed in ice chests.¡± I wrap my arms around him. "What are we having?" He leans down and whispers in my ear. Text content ? N?velDrama.Org. "Ass." I swat him. He justughs. "You know you''re fucking amazing, right?" "Me or my ass?¡± "Both." Heughs. "Both." I turn around. Ryan''s plugging his ears, and Sadie''s trying to get him to stop. I realize in that moment it doesn''t matter how we got here, but the fact that we are here, and it''s perfect. More than I could ever ask for. Finally. We''re finally having our moment. It just took a hell of a lot of shit to get here. I almost flip off Aisha as she walks out into the parking lot but honestly, at this point, I almost feel sorry for her. Who''s getting into Easton''s Jeep? Me. Who had a pregnancy scare then had that same guy promise to stay? Me. Who loves me? I turn. He smiles. Him. It''s always been him. "What?" He kisses my forehead. "Nothing." I shrug. ¡°Just having a moment.¡¯ "Well, let''s pause that moment so we can both share in it once we''re at the Lakehouse...I brought...things." My eyebrows shoot up. "Things?" He grips my ass. "You''ll see." Chapter 154 Chapter 154 Easton I went up the day before and made sure the Lakehouse was perfect for the girls, I set the temperature so they wouldn''t freeze their asses off, and I made sure that the fridge was stocked with all their favorite drinks. Truly''s Champagne, Diet Coke, Bottled Water, and in the freezer, I dropped in some Gin and Whiskey. I had a chef prepare one of the best meals I could think of. Mac and Cheese. But not just a normal Mac and Cheese¡ªone that had like a billion different cheeses in it along with bacon and cream, and let''s just say it should give them orgasms bite by bite. I added in a whole bunch of appetizers and even made sure to get the projector so that we could watch a movie on the side of the house with the outdoor fire pit going as they hear theke wash up against the shore. It''s going to be perfect. And I can''t fucking wait for her to see it now that we''re finally here. I''ve never gone to this extent during Valentine''s, let alone any holiday, not even for my parents, best friend, nobody. It''s all about her. Ryan''s lucky as fuck that I''m letting him barge in. Then again, he is my best friend, and I know I''ll have Harper all to myselfter. Besides, she''s happy with her girl around, which makes me happy, which makes us both happy when I get her to myself. She might even thank me with her mouth before I fuck her with mine. I smile to myself. "Stop it." Ryan shoves me a bit. "Still, my sister." "Oh please, like I didn''t bring earplugs because Sadie keeps going, oh fuck me, fuck me, Ryan!" He clears his throat and looks around the kitchen while the girls get into their sweats because fuck, the last thing they need is to get all ready and stressed out. No, this is supposed to be rxing as fuck. "We gonna talk about the ass¡ª" "¡ªNever.¡± I interrupt him. "Cool, good, awesome." Ryan nods his head. I nod mine. Awkward as hell. We do this weird fist bump thing, run into each other before aimlessly wandering around the living room and kitchen waiting for the girls. A door opens. I look up. And there she is. My life, my soul, my girl. Harper. I get angry at myself, like legit want to run my head through a wall when I think about all the time I didnt have her in my arms. When I was ignoring her, being mean to her, all of it just makes me sick because fuck, I could have had this years ago, and instead, I let myself get distracted. I let myself be that guy. I fucking HATE that guy. And I was him. But now I''m hers. So I know it''s better, but damn, that girl is beautiful, and mine. She''s wearing a pair of ck high¡ªwaisted sweatpants with a matching crop top sweatshirt, her hair is pulled back in a braid that I can''t wait to pull with my teeth, and her smile is all for me. "Hey gorgeous,¡± I whisper. "Hey handsome." She skips toward me, like literally skips from the room. All I can do is pick her up and swing her around and wonder how the hell I got so lucky to be with this human, meanwhile panicking, can I keep her happy? I''m not trying to be insecure, but damn, this person is my person, and I want her more than anything all the fucking time, and I can''t imagine a world without her in it. "You happy?" I ask, twirling her around and setting her down on her bare feet. She looks around the house. There are vases of roses of various colors ced strategically everywhere, along with the roaring firece giving us an ambiance that I hope makes her want to just sit with me on the couch and make out. Making out is still the best even if you don''t have sex, and I''m totally okay with my body pressed against hers while we rub each other off and just exist in that moment. Harper looks up at me with tears in her eyes. "It''s everything I''ve always wanted." I smile. "The flowers? Food?" "You," she says, quickly grabbing my head with possession, her hands on each cheek. "It''s what I''ve always wanted. You." I swallow, afraid to speak because I know my voice is going to fucking crack. I know this is a special moment, and I can''t get past the fact that I just want to hold her. Right now, I''m not thinking about having sex, stripping her bare. I''m thinking about holding my girl and humming my favorite song. I''m thinking about a future where we do have kids and still escape up to the Lakehouse when we can. I''m thinking about what happens when we graduate, but fear creeps in because what if this doesn''t last? I need it to. It must. It has to. This sort of love is what people go to war for. It''s what people wish they had when they watch movies and imagine a world where you''re with your other half. I''m so damn lucky I can''t even take it all in as I press my mouth to hers again. She tastes like thest woman I will ever kiss¡ªand fuck, it''s the most addicting taste I''ll ever experience as I slip my tongue against hers, as we hold each other and cement this moment into a forever where we always go back and say remember that time at the Lakehouse, when I knew once and for all, that I was yours? That was this kiss and this moment. "Wow." Ryan finally says. "You realize I''ve been standing here this entire time?" We break apart as Sadiees out of the other guest room. Ryan''s jaw drops. Sadie''s in tiny shorts and a tank that may just fall apart. She grins. "I like my present." "It was mine," he says with augh. "And you did so well unwrapping it." "Unwrap me then?" She tilts her head. And he''s gone. Sprinting toward her, tackling her toward the bedroom, and mming the door shut, leaving Harper and me alone in the kitchen smiling. "So..." I twirl her in my arms. "What does my princess want? A movie? Food? Champagne?" She looks up at me with what feels like stars in her eyes. "You. I just want you, Easton. Text content ? N?velDrama.Org. I''ve only ever wanted you. Not just for Valentine''s Day, or Christmas, Or my birthday. My wish already came true, so kiss me, love me, and show me how much you want me now...and that, my sexy boyfriend, will be the perfect Valentine''s Day.¡¯ I can''t speak right away, it''s my turn to be weirdly emotional as I wait a few seconds and whisper against her lips. "Done." Chapter 155 Chapter 155 Harper It takes mere minutes to make it into the bedroom. The door closes, my mouth opens to drink in more of his kiss as our foreheads press together. I can feel the heat of his body, the want from the way his cock strains against his jeans. I reach down and touch him. He shudders, his entire body shaking like we''ve never had sex before like we''ve never had moments like this. Why does this feel different? It is. And I don''t know why. But this is different. It''s not just us in this room¡ªit''s our forever. I don''t know why I feel like crying... it''s not like they''re sad tears, everything about this moment is happy, it''s everything. Easton pulls away, his eyes lock onto mine. I couldn''t look away if I tried. "I love you." He shoves me back onto the bed. "Forever. Always." I shove him back and love the way he frowns like he''s getting his favorite toy taken away from him in confusion. ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. "Wait." I hold up my hand. His hungry look is all it takes for me to quickly pull off the sweatshirt. Little does he know that I''d been nning my own Valentine''s Day surprise, and it has everything to do with sexy lingerie and his mouth on mine. I toss the sweatshirt to the ground and grin up at him as Iy against the bed. I''m wearing a white and red bra that leaves basically nothing to the imagination with its stratege. My boobs look huge, and he looks ready to shove his face between them and die a sweet death. Easton licks his lips, his eyes going from my boobs to my eyes, then back down again like he''s trying to be a gentleman and control himself when all he wants to do is go all caveman, which I would so love. Pull my hair. Stick your cock inside me. Throw me against the wall. Maybe we''ll make permanent dents in the Lakehouse? One can only hope. "Damn," he finally whispers. "Your tits..." I grin. "Nice, right?" "Fucking delicious.¡± He reaches, I swat his hands back and then slowly shrug out of my sweatpants, tossing them with the sweatshirt, and I swear Easton nearly swallows his tongue whole as his eyes widen and he looks down. I''m in nothing but a matchingcy thong that''s high on my hips. I tug at the small strings on the sides, then flip over onto my stomach and arch up toward him doggy style. "Fuck!" he growls. "Shit!" His hands hit my ass gently and then firmer as he digs in. "Fuck!" "I like it when you yell," I say, arching toward him. "And I like it when you scream." He bites down on my neck and tugs my thongpletely from my body, tossing it onto the floor. Easton grabs my ass, and then his tongue is running down the back of my thighs as he grips my skin. Ecstasy washes over me as I m back against him, needing him in ways I don''t even think my body understands. There is nothing but pure need as he groans and grips me by the hips again and flips me onto my back, hovering over me. With a grunt, he peels off his shirt. My fingers shake as I touch his six¡ªpack and imagine my tongue in between each muscle. I grab the front of his jeans and flick open the button. In a hurry, he undoes them and kicks them off, then leans down and kisses me again. Emotion washes over me as I stare up into his eyes. I feel him everywhere, from his hand gripping my hips to the way the heat of his body presses against my thighs. I gulp as he lowers his head and presses a soft kiss to my lips. "It should have always been you," he whispers. "Always." A tear slides down my cheek onto the pillow as I reach for his shoulders, then slide my hands around his neck and pull him close, deepening the kiss. "Guess what?" "What?" Easton asks against my mouth. "You''re mine, you can fight it all you want, but in my head, it''s always been you, even when my heart knew that it wasn''t real... it''s you." Easton pulls back a funny expression on his face. He pulls his hand from my thigh, sliding it up my stomach between my breasts until he finally rests on my chest, his fingertips nearly burning into me. I frown, wondering what he''s doing. His smile is pure sexy perfection. His head descends, his lips are on my ear. He bites, then he whispers, ¡°It''s yours. My heart. It''s yours. It will always be yours. And you''ll always be..." He hesitates, then tugs my ear with his teeth again and damn near growls. "Mine." I gasp, my hips bucking up against him. And then it''s all over, my hesitation, his, our words, and the way we''ve been lingering on the edge of this moment. He grabs my hair tugging it as he kisses me hard, his mouth mming against mine like he''s trying to make a point or possibly stake a im, and I''m ready for it, so on board as I kiss him back with everything inside of me. The bad. The good. The insecurities. Everything we''ve been struggling with this year. I let it go. I finally fucking let it go. I let Easton take it. I let him fix it with this love we have between each other. He thrusts into me, his mouth leaves. I feel empty when I''m full. But he''s pumping into me, his eyes locked. It feels so good that I want to cry out, but I stay silent. Which is good since he uses this moment, this very special moment, to talk. "Heal with me," he says. "Be with me.¡± He slides further out of me and then ms into me. "Stay with me." His smile is almost sad. "I would love you no matter what." He kisses my nose. "I''ll love you either way.¡¯ "Whatever the future holds, wherever it fades..." He keeps fucking me slowly. "..my love doesn''t change, Harper. It''s going to grow, but it will never fucking change." "I¡ª" I can''t find the words. And I swear he reads my mind as he responds. "Then dont, Harper, just listen to us, listen to the way our worlds collide." Another pump of his hips. "Listen to fucking perfection....and don''t forget..." He grins. "To scream my name." "Easton, I whisper it as if it''s more powerful as his eyes roll into the back of his head like he''s nearly finished. "I worship you." The confession falls as we both finish. And I realize in that moment that no matter what happens. He''s no longer just mine. He''s my future. Chapter 156 Chapter 156 Easton I can''t remember ever feeling this way in my entire life. She''s lying against me, naked. And for the first time in like... months, all I want to do is hold her close, treasure this moment, maybe eat some bacon, have some coffee, a shot of something strong, and ask her what she wants to watch on Netflix. Holy shit, we''re in a rtionship. You know you are when suddenly sex isn''t the first option but cuddling on the couch, spooning, asking who the big or small spoon is, and actually looking forward to the new Ryan Reynolds movie because he''s just such a badass that sex can wait at least ny minutes. We get up after that incredible sex and eat more of the food,ughing when we find Sadie and Ryan already digging in. And weirdly enough, they had the same idea. We spend the rest of the nightughing and watching Netflix, and I can''t remember a time in my life where I''ve ever felt so at peace. So perfect. It''s jarring, almost. What if it''s taken away from me? I want to protect it. To protect her and this moment that''s always been mine, I just was too blind to see it. I pull Harper closer into my arms as we finish up the movie. Sadie and Ryan are bothpletely passed out on the other couch, he''s snoring, and she''s kicking him in her sleep. Sounds about right. "Hey." I nudge Harper. "We should go to bed.¡± "You''re my bed." She climbs further onto me. "I''mfy.¡± I''m not. But I don''t have the heart to say it. Hell, even if my legs were falling asleep and my arm was about to get cut off, I''d probably still stay in that position, with my girl lying across me, her cheek pressed against my chest, her breathing slow, heavy. I would die for this moment. I would kill for it too. I run my hands through her hair and smile. "Okay, let''s stay here." Forever. I wake up hourster with Ryan and Sadie both on the floor like they fell off the couch but were too tired to move. He''s just starting to wake up. ¡°Huh?¡± Sadie jumps to her knees then slides one toward Ryan''s dick. Iugh as he falls to his side. ¡°Whyyyy!" "Oh no!¡± She reaches for him. "Don''t touch it!" He yells. "It''s bruised!" I burst outughing. "You bruised his dick." Harper yawns and rubs her eyes rising from her spot on me and the couch. "Whose dick is bruised?" "Son of a bitch, it burns!¡± Ryan groans. "Wait, why does it burn?¡± I ask. He looks down. "I''m on fire!" "What?" I yell. "Huh?" Sadie shrieks. A me gets doused by one of the nkets quickly by a fast¡ª thinking Ryan. He was apparently dangerously close to the thing, some might say too close. I burst outughing. "Holy fuck did you nearly burn your dick off?" "Shut the hell up!" Ryan yells, throwing the candle to the ground. "Who lit this?" Sadie raises her hand. "It was romanticst night?" He points to his nearly burned briefs. "IS IT ROMANTIC NOW?" "Aw, baby." She reaches for him. He ps her hand away and points at her. "No! You nearly destroyed us!" "Us?" I repeated. "Ew." Harper shudders next to me. "I''ll just leave you guys to argue over my brother''s dick and the candle and start packing." "Do that." Ryan res. Harper disappears, and while Sadie and Ryan argue over the candle incident, I go and grab some bacon and eggs to cook. It only takes a few minutes before they''re making out, naturally, and Harper''s back with our bags. "No shower?" I ask. She shrugs a shoulder. "It was boring without you." "lll take care of that." I drop the piece of bacon just cooked, grab her hand and lead her into the main bathroom and start stripping her as we stumble under the shower. I turn on the water, it''s cold then so hot I start to sweat with my girl by my side. Soon she''s grinding against me, and I''m losing my mind trying to find a way to maneuver her so I can fuck her hard. My girl''s brilliant though, and bends over, spreading her thighs for me as I lift her a bit and fuck her as hard as I can as her hands slide against the tile. Her cheek presses against it, her hair sticking to the same cheek, and it''s beautiful as we find a quick release then wash each other off. Again, I can''t imagine a more perfect day. No Aisha. No ke. No interruptions. Just us. I almost high five myself for the best Valentine''s Day ever as we pack up the rest of our shit and start to put stuff in the Jeep. "Messy little bitch," Ryan says under his breath, moving things around the back seat. "Why do you still havest year''s cup from football? You don''t even y anymore!" I shrug. "It got stuck under the seat because it was too big?" He throws it at me while Harper mutters, "Damn right it is." "Whyyyyy!¡± Ryan throws his bag in the back seat, then grumbles when it bounces back and nearly hits him in the face. Harper, taking pity on him, rolls her eyes and starts to organize the bottom back where I''ve left some random clothes and empty coke bottles. She suddenly freezes, then frowns. "What the hell is this?" "Technology?" Ryan jokes. She''s holding up a white circle that I''ve never seen. Harper holds it out. I grab it right away and know exactly what it is. It''s an Apple tag or tile, the same kind that my mom gave to my dadst Christmas so he would stop losing his fucking keys. Spoiler alert¡ªshe never gave me one. What the fuck? "This isn''t mine." I look at it closer. There''s no fucking way. No way. And then it hits me. All those times that Aisha showed up in random ces. All those instances that could have been avoided. All the fuckery. And I lose it. After all the calm, all the greatness of Valentine''s Day¡ªMy entire temper just snaps as I chuck the tag and scream. N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. "MOTHERFUCKER!" Chapter 157 Chapter 157 Harper "Motherfucker, someone''s been tracking my ass!" Easton''s voice is deep. ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . Downright vicious. He swipes the round disc from the ground and holds it between his fingers, staring at it for a long, silent moment, just before another roar leaves him and he chucks the tracker so hard, it bounces off Ryan''s thigh. "Ow! What the fuck, man?" my brother yells, ring at Easton. Sadie goes to pick it up off the ground, frowning as she examines the round disc. "What is this? Like a tile thing or whatever?" "It''s one of those Air Tag things," Easton says between tight lips, his expression so thunderous it kind of scares me. "Someone''s been tracking me." "Do you think it was your mom and dad?" I didn''t think his parents were that strict. They care about his grades and what he''s going to do with his future, but the normal day to day stuff? He''s kind of on his own and basically does whatever the hell he wants. So why would they track him? They have Find My Phone like every other parent on the. Isn''t that good enough? Easton slowly shakes his head. "No, it''s definitely not them." ¡°Then who?" I ask, at aplete loss. "Aisha," Ryan supplies for him, his eyes going wide. He points at Easton. "It''s fucking Aisha, dude!" My stomach drops. No. No way. She wouldn''t track my boyfriend... Would she? Absolutely not. That''s taking things way too far. I turn to my twin. "What do you mean, it''s Aisha?" "It''s her.¡± Ryan nods, already convinced. He turns to Easton. "She shows up everywhere we''re at, bro. Like, fucking everywhere. The pizza ce that one time. Oh shit, remember when we went to the grocery store to pick stuff up for Harp when she was sick, and Aisha was there?" "Lurking around the bananas like a fucking stalker,¡± Sadie says savagely, clutching the tracker in her fist. ¡°Or the time we went to Walgreens across town,¡¯ I say, my voice soft, my mind reying the memory in my head. How Aisha showed up right when we were in line to make our purchase. How startled I''d been. What were the odds of her being there? At the time, it made no sense. I wrote it off toplete coincidence. Plus I was distracted that night, sick with worry I could be pregnant. But I wasn''t. And her showing up wasn''t a coincidence either. She''s actually been tracking and following my boyfriend. "That bitch.¡± My voice is so loud I make Sadie jump. "I hate her." "She''s fuckin¡¯ crazy.¡± Ryan nods. "Let''s go to her house right now and kick her ass. She fucking deserves it for all the shit she''s put us through." Sadie starts for the back door of the Jeep, ready to hop in, but she turns to look at all of us at thest second. "Should we throw this thing away?" She holds up the tracker. "No way.¡± Easton holds out his hand. "Give it to me." "Why would you keep it? Don''t let her track you. It''s messed up, how she knows your every move. Easton." I grab his arm, giving it a light shake, but he doesn''t respond. His body is tense, his gaze distant, and I can tell he''s in his head. Furious. Upset. Maybe even a little... Hurt? I hate to think of him with Aisha¡ªgag¡ªand I hate her with everything in my entire being, but once upon a time, these two were sort of a thing. Gross. Maybe he feels vited by her doing this. Who knows how long she''s been tracking him? Sadie hands the disc over to Easton and he curls his fingers around it, clutching it tight. "This bitch is going down,¡± he mutters. "Yes!" Sadie crows, pumping her fist in the air. Ryan grabs her arm, tugging it back down to her side. "Calm down, babe. We have to approach this situation right." I frown. "What do you mean, approach it right?" "We can''t be too obvious,¡¯ Easton says, his gaze going to Sadie. "No ass kicking allowed." "God, you''re no fun." Sadie crosses her arms in front of her chest, her lips forming into a pout. ¡°Let''s get on the road,¡¯ Easton says, the tracker still in his hand. "We should head home before your parents get back." All four of us climinto the Jeep, Easton dropping the tracker into one of the cup holders in the center console before he starts the engine. The mood is somber, all of us lost in our own thoughts, mine filled with stupid Aisha and what she''s done to us since Easton and I started our rtionship. The things she said. The horrible way she''s treated me. Again and again and again. ncing over my shoulder, I see Sadie is leaning her head on Ryan''s shoulder, her eyes closed. My brother is staring at his phone, his Air Pods in his ears. Meaning we don''t have an audience. ¡°Easton,¡± I murmur. He nces over at me. "What''s up, baby?" My entire body goes warm at him calling me baby. I don''t want this weekend ruined. What happened between us yesterday,st night...has beenpletely tainted by finding that stupid tracker. "I love you," I tell him, just needing to get it out there. His smile is faint, but it doesn''t quite reach his eyes. "I love you too." "Yesterday was the best Valentine''s Day I''ve ever experienced." His smile grows bigger, his gaze on the road. "For me too." "That''s why I don''t want this tracker thing to overshadow our first Valentine''s Day together." I reach over the console, resting my hand on Easton''s muscr thigh. "Let''s focus on what happened yesterday." A ragged exhale leaves him as he grabs my hand and brings it up to his mouth, pressing a kiss to my knuckles. "I love what you''re saying, but you gotta know, it''s impossible.¡± Unease washes over me and I slowly pull my hand from his. "What''s impossible?" "Trying to put what Aisha did out of my mind." His grip tightens on the steering wheel. "It''s fucking insane. She''s fucking insane." "We don''t even know if she''s the one who did it,¡¯ I point out. He actually scoffs. "Come on, Harper. She totally did it. Who else would?" "I don''t know." I feel helpless. Stupid. "Right. The logical answer is Aisha." He pauses. "Or ke." I suck in a sharp breath. "ke would never do that to you. He''s known you and Ryan forever. Why would he track you? Why would he care where you are and what you''re doing? Wouldn''t he just tag along?" The triumphant look on Easton''s face is obvious. "Exactly. That''s why it wasn''t him. It was Aisha. That bitch has shown up everywhere we''ve been for months. Even the Walgreens, Harper. And no one knew where we were that night. We were ina completely different part of town. There was no reason for her to be over there¡ªby herself. None." I dip my head, staring at my clutched hands resting in myp. "What are you going to do about it?¡± "I don''t know, but I''m going to take care of it." He nces over at me, a devilish gleam in his eyes. "I promise." Chapter 158 Chapter 158 Easton "This ce is so cool." Harper nces around the restaurant, her eyes wide. "I love all the dragons everywhere." I took my girl to a Chinese restaurant that I used to always go to with my parents when I was a little kid. Some obscure ce that doesnt look like anything special from the outside, but once you enter, it''s like walking into another world. Giant mirrors hang on the ckcquer walls, reflecting the multiple red Chinesenterns that hang from the ceilings. There''s a giant water feature when you first enter the restaurant, and you can hear the gentle tinkling of the water even from our table, which is on the other side of the building. Even on a Saturday afternoon at three o''clock the ce is packed. Luckily we got right in before the current surge came. "I think it''s still Chinese New Year,¡¯ I say as I nce around the room, looking for a familiar face to pop up. So far, we''re in the clear. Harper catches me ncing around yet again and frowns. "She''s not going to show up." "She still might.¡¯ "Maybe she wouldn''t be so obvious.¡± Harper looks out the nearby window. "Maybe she''s waiting for us in the parking lot." Anger simmers in my blood, making my skin hot. Since I found that fucking tracker yesterday I can''t think about anything else. Even though we shut Sadie down about confronting Aisha, I can''t help but think we should''ve. The bitch deserves it. But Ryan was right. Aisha would deny she had anything to do with that fucking tracker and that would''ve been it. Case closed. We have to catch her in the act. It''s the only way to prove she''s behind it. "I''m so full,¡± Harper practically groans, pushing her mostly empty te away from her. "It was good.¡± "Yeah it was." I grab a piece of broken off wonton and pop it into my mouth. "Should we take the leftovers home forter?" "Easton. Look." She waves a hand at the near bare dishes on the table. "We''ve pretty much eaten it all. There''s nothing left to take home." "Yeah. True.¡± With a sigh I lean back in my chair, casually looking around the restaurant yet again. "Should we go?" "Did you pay the check?" "Not yet." My gaze is sweeping the restaurant yet again and Harper actually growls. "What?" "Are you always going to keep that up now?" "Keep what up? My dick?" I grin at her and she rolls her eyes. "It''s always up for you, baby." ¡°Easton, please. Not in the middle of the restaurant.¡± She''s blushing, which is cute. Considering all the filthy things we''ve done together, I love that I can still make her do that. "I''m talking about you always on the search for Aisha.¡± "I''m not always looking for her¡ª" I go silent when I see the look on Harper''s face. She is clearly calling me out on my bullshit. And she''s right. "I''m paranoid, okay?" I grip the back of my head, tugging on the ends of my hair before I let go. "Just knowing she''s followed me for who knows how long fucking makes me want to lose my mind." "It''ll be fine. Really.¡± She tosses her napkin on her empty te. "Let''s go. You can pay the bill at the counter on the way out." I follow Harper toward the front of the restaurant, my gaze dropping to her heart shaped ass that looks extra juicy in those jeans. We should go back to my house after we''re done and mess around. I was just with her a couple of nights ago, and I''m already craving more of her. I always am. I could have her naked and in my bed twenty¡ªfour¡ª seven and it still wouldn''t be enough. "You ready?" I ask Harper once I pay for the bill. She nods and smiles. "Let''s go." We walk out into the parking lot, the sun shining so brightly I wish I brought my sunsses with me. We head for the Jeep hand in hand, my gaze snagging on a passing car that vaguely resembles Aisha''s, watching the vehicle carefully as it makes its way out of the parking lot. It''s not her. I knew it wasn''t her from the beginning, but I couldn''t help myself. Harper yanks her hand out of mine, making me pause. "What''s wrong with you?" "I''m sick of it. Sick of this. Ever since you found out about that stupid tracker, it''s all you can focus on. It''s like you forget I even exist.¡± Damn. She sounds pissed. I frown. "What are you talking about? I''m watching out for that bitch because I don''t want hering for you!" "Oh please, I can handle her." Harper starts walking faster, until she stops by the driver''s side of my car, turning so she can watch as I approach her. Her arms are crossed in pure defensive mode and I know I''ve got a fight on my hands. "You really think you can handle Aisha?" I stop directly in front of her and she tilts her head back, a pissy look on her face. "I don''t want to talk about her right now. Let''s just go." She drops her arms, ready to go to the passenger side but I grab hold of her, keeping her in ce. "No, let''s discuss it. You''ve been acting shitty toward me since we found that tile thing yesterday. Like it''s my fault this happened.¡± My voice is loud and full of usation. "You never once tried to deter her, Easton. Like¡ªever. If you would''ve just told her to fuck off at the very beginning, we wouldn''t be dealing with this."? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. Harper jerks her arm out of my hold. "She''s been an issue in our rtionship since we''ve been together.¡¯ "Only because you let her." "Only because I let her?" Harperughs, the sound harsh. "Give me a break. You''re the one who''s constantly letting her overshadow our rtionship. Sometimes I wonder if you enjoy the drama." "I fucking hate it." "Whatever." She nces down at the ground, mumbling, "We should''ve let Sadie kick her ass yesterday." "Jesus Harper, really? How immature are you? Like you or Sadie could kick Aisha¡¯s ass anyway." She jerks her head up, her eyes extra wide, her lips pressed tightly together. She looks like she wants to murder me with her bare hands. Shit. I probably took it too far. Chapter 159 Chapter 159 Harper I stare at Easton, shocked he would say such horrible things. He actually believes I couldn''t kick Aisha''s ass? That Sadie couldnt either? Please. It would probably be an even fight between Aisha and I, but if we were ever topletely unleash Sadie on Aisha, I would worry for Aisha''s entire future. Sadie hates her that much. "You think I''m immature?" I squeak out, like that''s the only word I can focus on. He nods, his entire expression tight. Even when he''s pissed, he''s still gorgeous, which is infuriating. "You can''t just go around beating people up and thinking that''ll solve your problems." "This from the guy who gets into physical fights all the time, even with one of his best friends.¡± I''m referring to the fights with Ryan. With ke. With everyone, I swear. "Look, babe. Men are different." He shrugs. "We get in each other''s faces and hash it out¡ªand sometimes we hit each other, I can''t lie. But then we''re over it and we''re friends again. Women are petty. You hold grudges and always end up getting into stupid cat fights. Even when you say you''re not mad at each other anymore, deep down, you still are." I absorb what he said, not bothering to deny it. "You and Sadie always talk about kicking Aisha ass," he continues. "It''s stupid. At least with guys, we get over it." "You''re being a misogynistic jerk right now." My voice is shaky, and I''m so tempted to say something worse. But I don''t. "Only speaking the truth." His expression is smug. "Just...let that shit go, babe. Aisha isn''t a threat to us.¡± "Yesterday you were furious at her and calling her all kinds of names. And now she''s not even a threat?¡± "I can forgive and forget." "Really? After everything she''s done? After all that she''s put me through?" My eyes sting with tears and I blink hard, forcing them away. I refuse to cry right now. This is not the time. "Dont let her factor into our rtionship,¡± Easton says, his voice easy breezy, like what he''s saying is no big deal. "She isn''t worth all of this. Don''t you trust me?" I don''t even hesitate with my answer. "Of course I do.¡¯ "Then prove it. When I say she doesn''t matter, believe me. When I say you shouldn''t go after her, don''t do it. Listen to me.¡± He taps his chest. "I know what''s best for you. For us." What the hell? Is he for real? "You''re being a total asshole.¡± "And you''re being ridiculous.¡± Without thought I reach out and p him across the face. So hard, the sound cracks in the air when my fingers make contact with his cheek. Oh shit. My hand, my entire body is shaking. I didn''t know I could deliver that big of a wallop. Easton''s eyes are wide with shock as he slowly brings his hand to his cheek. "You pped me." "You deserved it.¡± I am eerily calm. Totally Zen. Not that I would ever say it out loud, but it kind of felt good, to smack him like I did. Months of pent up aggression inside of meing out, I guess? Maybe I have a violent streak after all. "What the hell, Harper?" He removes his hand from his face, the red marks my fingers left on his skin obvious. "I didnt mean to hit you that hard," I whisper. The dirty look he sends me would normally make me copse to the ground. "Got a little too into it, I think." Frowning, I watch him as he hits the keyless remote to unlock the Jeep and then throws open the door to climb into the driver''s seat. "Get in the car, Harper.¡¯ I cant move. It''s as if I''m rooted to the spot. It''s only when I feel his icy gaze linger on me that I finally bolt into action. I round the front of the Jeep and open the passenger side door, slipping into my seat and mming the door so hard the vehicle rocks. "Damn woman." He''s wincing as he rubs his face. "That fucking hurt." "I''m so sorry." I lean over the console, quickly raining kisses on his cheek where I pped him before I pull away. "Did it hurt?" "Yeah, it did. And I wasn''t expecting it, so that made it worse." He''s shaking his head. "You were fierce." I smile faintly. "You were too.¡¯ "If I hurt your feelings with all that shit I said, I''m sorry. I didn''t mean to,¡¯ he says, his voice low, his gaze lingering on my lips. As if he''s thinking about kissing me. Which he shouldn''t do. Not right now. That would ruin everything. "It''s okay." My smile is faint. "I''m sorry if I hurt your feelings. I got really into it." "Clearly." He rubs his face again, but at least he¡¯s smiling. "And you didn''t hurt my feelings. We''re good.¡± "Good." He leans in, his lips hovering above mine. "I''m dying to kiss you. It was kind of hot, how mad you just got.¡¯ "Even when I pped you?" He nods. "Even then." Text content ? N?velDrama.Org. "But you can''t kiss me,¡± I whisper. "We don''t want¡ªher to see us." "I know.¡± He pauses. "Think she bought it?" I nod. "Think she''s here?" "Oh she''s here," he says with arrogant confidence. "Pretty sure I saw her skanky blonde ass when we walked out of the restaurant. In fact, her car is parked two rows over." "You can see her right now?" My brows draw close together and I nce over my shoulder, wishing I could see her. "Pretty much. But don''t look. She might figure out we''re on to her,¡± he says. "Let''s go find Sadie and Ryan and see what they got." Excitement fizzes in my veins and I put my seatbelt on as Easton starts the Jeep. "Look sad for a few, okay babe? Or look mad. Like you want to tear me apart,¡¯ Easton suggests as he backs out of the parking space. Crossing my arms in front of my chest, I slump in my seat, staring straight ahead with a glower on my face. I feel like a bratty little kid. "How''s this?" He chuckles. "Perfect." Chapter 160 Chapter 160 Easton I immediately pull the Jeep around to the back of the Chinese restaurant, sliding into the avable parking spot next to Sadie''s mom''s car, which sits empty. Huh. "Where are they?¡± Harper asks, ncing around. "They should be here.¡± "Probably still hiding behind a tree," I mutter as I put the vehicle in park and shut off the engine. Ryan and Sadie were way into the spying part of this scenario when we were making our nst night. Hopefully they weren''t fucking around and actually got some damning evidence against Aisha. Knowing Sadie, she''lle through. She''ll do anything to take that bitch down. "I''m texting Sadie." Harper grabs her phone and starts tapping away, sending a quick message. Her phone dings almost immediately and she reads the text before saying, "They''re on their way back to the car now." Text content ? N?velDrama.Org. We wait in silence, adrenaline coursing through me as I think about what we''ve done. What we''re about to do. If everything goes as we nned, this is going to be major. Like, stop Aisha from doing any of her shit ever again, major. Within a few seconds they''re in the back seat of the Jeep, the both of them out of breath and high fiving each other over and over again, giant smiles on their faces. "Hey. What did you two find out?" I ask. "So much good shit!" Sadie crows, pleased with herself. "We were both recording and got your fight from different angles. It''s so epic." "Did you get Aisha in any of the footage?" Harper asks. "Yesss, oh my God. I filmed her almost nonstop. She took a ton of photos of you guys," Sadie says as she brings up her photos on her phone. "Check it out." Harper scrolls through the photos, our heads bent close together as we study each picture. There are multiple ones of Aisha watching us and taking photos with her phone. Hiding behind cars like a freaking stalker as she watches us. "We''re going to take her down.¡± Ryan reaches out to grip his sister''s shoulder, giving it a reassuring squeeze. "She''s going to regret everything she''s ever done to you." I''ve given Ryan a lot of shit since Harper and I started seeing each other. He''s used me of doing some bad things too. But in the end, we''re always there for Harper. He''s a good brother to her. And I hope like hell he thinks I''m a good boyfriend for his sister. "Yeah. I''m thinking Aisha''s done a lot more than we even know,¡¯ Sadie says cryptically. Harper and I share a look, but don''t say anything. Now we wait and see. xk The fake fight was Harper''s idea originally. She thought it would be a good idea to give Aisha something to gossip about, and we all agreed. Taking Harper to a Chinese restaurant in a part of town we never go to was my idea. If we wanted to prove Aisha was tracking my ass, we had to set her up and go somece obscure. It worked. Of course Aisha showed up. And for once, she didn''t make herself obvious. How many other times did she do that when she was watching us? Watching me? Lurking in the shadows, taking note of my every move. Fucking creepy. What was Aisha''s n? Why did she do it? Did she actually think she could get with me somehow? The chick is seriously delusional. After I dropped Harper off at her house, I went home and took a shower. Kept checking my phone to see if there were any notifications of Aisha posting. So far, nothing. Damn it. By the time I''m in bed and about to fall asleep is when I get a FaceTime call from Harper. I answer, smiling when I see her pretty face filling my screen. "What''s up, beautiful?" "You won''t believe what just dropped.¡± Her eyes are glittering with excitement. "What happened?¡± She''s so pretty right now. I wish she was here with me. In my bed, instead of staring at me through a screen. ¡°WHGOSSIP just posted.¡± "So?" What do they have to do with this? ¡°Are you ready to hear what they said?" She sounds like she''s going to burst with excitement. "Give it to me." Harper clears her throat. "Looks like there''s trouble in paradise. The golden couple of the senior ss was caught having a raging fight in a parking lot earlier today. Things got so bad that Little Miss Whore pped her supposed boyfriend across the face. Shit''s getting real yo. We predict the end is near.¡¯ "Wait a minute¡ªare you saying Aisha is WHGOSSIP?" WHGOSSIP first appeared when we were freshmen, and it''s been terrorizing the high school on a semi ¡ªweekly basis. It makes total sense Aisha would be the one who''s behind it all. "Yes! She has to be. At the very least, she''s a part of it. Can you even freaking believe it? Oh, and she posted a photo of us in the parking lot too.¡± My phone dings and I check Harper''s text message, hitting the link that takes me to Instagram. And there it is, the post Harper just read to me, apanied by a photo of us in the parking lot, having our fake argument. Damn, we look mad. Harper''s arm is raised, her hand poised and ready to smack my face. Still can''t believe my girl did that. So ferocious. Even though it hurt, it was a nice touch. The perfect end to our passionate argument. "That is all the proof we need Easton,¡± Harper says. "Aisha is WHGOSSIP. She followed you to the restaurant and she took that photo." "Okay." I click out of IG and go back to the FaceTime screen. "Now that we know what''s up, what are we going to do about it?" Harper smirks. "Sadie has a n¡ªand it''s a good one." Chapter 161 Chapter 161 Harper Sadie came over to our housete Sunday afternoon with herptop, and we went right to work editing the video footage she and Ryan got yesterday at the restaurant. As we keep pouring over it, trimming it down to the highlights, I realize what they filmed is so damning. When it gets out that Aisha is WHGOSSIP and she''s the one behind all the malicious stories that have spread over the years, she''s going to be ruined. Finished. Over. For good. "I can''t wait to see her face at school Monday. When she realizes she''s been exposed and there''s nowhere for her to hide,¡± Sadie says as she stares at herptop screen, her expression downright gleeful. "It''s going to be so good.¡± "How are you even going to spread this around to everyone?" "I''ve got a n." She is being way too evasive. "And what exactly is that n?" "I''d rather keep you on a need to know basis. As in if you need to know, I''ll tell you." Sadie cackles. "You''re being ridiculous." I roll my eyes. Start giggling. ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . Immediately stop. "I feel kind of bad." "Girl, if you say you feel guilty about exposing Aisha and all of her bullshit, I''m kicking you out of the house.¡± Sadie is dead serious, I can tell. "But are we being too mean?" ¡°Nothing is too mean for that snake.¡± A sigh leaves me and I lean back in my chair, already giving up on the editing process. I grab my phone to check it and see I have a text from my boyfriend. Easton: Come outside. "I''ll be right back," I tell Sadie, who''s not even paying attention to me. Her gaze is still glued to herptop. I walk out onto the front porch to find Easton waiting there, a faint smile on his face. He sweeps me into his arms, holding me close, delivering a soft kiss to my lips. "What are you doing here?¡± I ask, breathless. His hand slides down to my ass, gripping it. "Been missing my favorite mystery girl, so I thought I''de see you." "You just saw me yesterday." "Yeah, like twenty four hours ago.¡± I roll my eyes. "I FaceTimed youst night." "Not good enough. When we were talkingst night, all I could think about was you being in bed with me." He kisses me again, and I''m done for. I love it when he says stuff like that and calls me his mystery girl. Or when he holds me tight, like he never wants to let me go. He watches me as if I''m the most beautiful thing he''s ever seen and he makes me feel beautiful. Wanted. Loved. We went from having an amazing, romantic Valentine''s Day together straight into all of this Aisha drama. I just want some time with my boyfriend. Looks like he''s feeling the same way. "I''ve missed you too," I whisper against his lips. His strong arms squeeze me tight, pulling me in closer and I fall into his intoxicating kiss. His tongue searches my mouth, making me whimper and I break away from his seeking lips, ncing toward the front door of the house. "My parents are in the kitchen,¡± I murmur. "So?" He nuzzles my neck just before he kisses it, his lips hot on my skin. A shiver steals over me. "I don''t want them to see us like this." "They have to get used to us being together.¡± I pull away from him, my lips parting and he presses his index finger against them, silencing me. "And dont you dare bring up the Christmas tree incident again. They''re over it." "Sort of." "Uh huh," he practically growls before he kisses me again. I press against his chest, ending the kiss and pulling out of his embrace. "Sadie is inside.¡± "With Ryan?" "No, with me. She''s editing the footage they got yesterday.¡¯ "And what exactly is she going to do with the footage once it''s edited?" "Somehow put it on st and share it with everyone." "Via social media?" I shrug. "I don''t know if that''s as effective as she thinks it''ll be." "Then how is she doing it?" "Why don''t you ask her?" I grab his hand and drag him into the house, walking past the kitchen where my parents are. "Easton''s here! Say hi!" "Hi Easton!" At least her mom is cool with me. But her dad doesn''t say anything at all. Whatever. We head up the stairs for Harper''s room, running into Ryan in the hallway. "What are you doing here?" he asks me. ¡°Came to see Harper.¡± He smacks my ass, making Ryan scowl. ¡°Tone it down, bro,¡± he mutters before he runs into my bedroom and basically mauls Sadie where she sits, making her squeal. "Such a hypocrite.¡± Easton shakes his head as we enter my bedroom. "Okay guys, I''ve got it all put together,¡¯ Sadie announces triumphantly, rising to her feet. "The video has been uploaded to the cloud. Want to see it?" Ryan grabs Sadie around the waist and delivers a noisy kiss to her cheek. "You know it, babe.¡± She disentangles herself from Ryan''s grip and grabs her phone, tapping at the screen a couple of times. "Okay. It''s sent." All three of our phones sound with notifications from an unfamiliar number. Frowning, I open the text to see a message and a video attachment. Unknown number: Check THIS out. ncing up from my screen, I study Sadie, who''s watching all of us with an eager expression on her face. "What did you do?" "Did you watch it?¡± I click on the video and it starts ying YouTube. "What''s up with the unknown number?¡± Ryan asks. "And who did you send this to?" Easton adds. "Everyone." I frown. "What do you mean, everyone?" "Like everyone you know. Everyone at school. Including staff.¡± Sadie looks extremely pleased with herself. "No freaking way,¡¯ Easton says, shaking his head, watching the video y out on his phone. "Damn Sadie, pretty sure you just ruined Aisha for good.¡± Sadie grins. "Told ya that I would.¡± Chapter 162 Chapter 162 Easton "You almost ruined my fucking life, you bitch,¡± Reba shouts at Aisha as she''s walking down the hall. "I can''t believe you''re WHGOSSIP. who the fuck do you think you are to do this to us?" ¡°Come on, Reba, your little love triangle isn''t nearly as bad as the shit Aisha aired about me,¡¯ Mickey says, his lip curling as he res at Aisha. "I almost got kicked out of school when you posted that pic of me smoking weed in the janitor''s closet." Aisha''s face stays almost stoic as Vicky now approaches her, but Aisha can''t hide the emotion that''s in her eyes, watering to the point where I wonder if she''ll actually let a tear fall. "I''m going to fucking kill you!" Vicky yells, squaring up in front of Aisha. "You want to post about me fucking around behind my boyfriend''s back, then youe say it to my face.¡± "Hi," Harper says as she moves in next to me, dragging my attention away from the fight that''s about to erupt. Damn it, my girl can''t look any hotter in that tight shirt and shiny lip gloss. "Morning, baby." I lean in to kiss her cheek, but she turns her head in time, giving me her mouth instead. She''s smiling when she pulls away and I know it''s not just because of the kiss we just shared, especially when she nods toward Aisha. "This happens to be one of the best days of my life." She bites one of the lips I just tasted. "That bitch is getting everything she deserves." To be honest, I''m pretty fucking happy too. I knew Aisha was guilty all along. Now she''s going to get it from every goddamn kid at this school ¡ªbecause that''s how many people WHGOSSIP has fucked over in thest four years. "I''m not gonna lie,¡± I say to Harper. "I''m pretty fucking happy to be watching this go down as well." I wrap my arm around her, pulling her closer, knowing we have a few more minutes of this before the bell goes off. "What did I miss?" Sadie asks as she joins us, Ryan at her side. "Has anyone thrown a punch yet?" "Not yet," Harper answers. "But it looks like Vicky is getting really close. "Do you remember when WHGOSSIP posted that photo of her kissing that college guy? Vicky hasn''t forgotten and it looks like it''s about to get ugly." "Oh my God, I die," Sadie replies. "I wish I had popcorn, that''s the only thing that would make this better right now." Harper reaches into her bag and hands Sadie a gran bar. "That''s the best I''ve got." Sadie opens the wrapper and takes a bite. "It''ll do." Ryan moves next to me and leans into my ear. "Do you think ke knew about this?" I turn toward my best friend. "You mean that WHGOSSIP is really Aisha?" Ryan nods and says, "They''ve been close as hell the whole school year. How could he not know?" That''s something that''s crossed my mind since we found out the truth about Aisha. Even though ke and I have made amends, I still don''t trust him. There''s something shady as fuck about that guy and it''s not just the fact that he keeps trying to get with my girlfriend. It''s something else. Something I can''t put my finger on. "I don''t know," I tell Ryan. "But I''m going to find out." "How?" I shrug. "Ask him." "You think he''ll tell you the truth?" "Dont know." I think about it again. "Doubt it, but it won''t hurt to ask him. Plus, I''ll get to see how he responds and maybe I can tell if he''s lying." "You fucking cunt,¡± someone yells, pulling my attention back to the hallway where two other girls have joined Vicky, all of them now pointing their finger at Aisha. "You stuck your nose in the wrong bitch''s business." Iugh. "Today is going to be interesting as hell.¡± "If anyone puts their hands on her, they''ll get suspended,¡± Harper says. "Which is so unfortunate because I''d love to see Aisha with a few ck eyes and a rearranged nose." "A nose that was just donest summer,¡¯ Sadie says. "Whaaaaa?" Harper says. "Aisha had a nose job?" "Oh yeah," Sadie replies, taking out her phone. After a few taps and swipes, she shows us the screen where there are side¡ªby¡ª side shots of Aisha. "Look at that hook. You can''t tell me she hasn''t had it fixed¡ªthe tip, the width, it''s all different now. "Nope, you''re right,¡¯ Harper agrees. "It''s definitely been done." She cups her hands around her mouth and chants, "Knock her out, knock her out." A few people join in and suddenly everyone starts shouting it, goading Vicky to punch her. Unfortunately, before Vicky gets in a swing, a teacher rushes into the scene and says, "All right, all right." She puts one hand on Aisha and the other on Vicky, pushing them apart. "All of you need to get to ss." When no one moves, she shouts, "Now!" The crowd slowly begins to thin out. Harper looks at me. "Well that sucks.¡± I run my thumb across her gorgeous cheek. "Don''t worry, they''ll find her after school. This isn''t even close to being over.¡¯ "Then, we need to be in the parking lot after thest bell, because I need to see it all go down." She smiles and kisses me. "I''ll see you after ss." "Yes, you will.¡± She loops her arm through Sadie''s and both girls head in the same direction. "Aisha isn''t going to survive the day,¡¯ Ryan says as soon as they''re gone. "You''re right about that." We start heading in the other direction toward our sses. "Not that I feel bad for that bitch, she''s stirred up enough bullshit in my life.¡± ¡°And mine,¡¯ Ryan agrees. "Do you remember when she posted that picture of me passed out on your couch after that rager you threw sophomore year?" "Dude, you puked all over yourself that night and we hosed you off and it left a mark on your shorts that looked like a piss stain." ¡°Except the whole fucking school didn''t know that part, so they assumed I''d pissed myself.¡± He was so pissed the next morning when the pic aired. I could never forget that. "Damn, that was a fun night, though," I say. "For you, asshole." ¡°And you." He finally chuckled. "Truth." I stop outside my ssroom. "This is me. I''ll see you next period." "You''re still an asshole,¡± he says as I walk inside. I take my seat next to ke who''s sitting all perky in his chair, like he just got the hottest chick''s number. Except, I''m dating the hottest chick in school and he''s got ... Aisha. "Man, what do you think of Vicky going after Aisha?" I ask him. "That''s some shit, huh?" I didn''t see him in the hallway, so I wonder how much he knows about this morning''s fight. He turns to me. "Don''t know. I wasn''t there.¡± "What, you''re not having her back today?" He chuckles, like the question is ridiculous. "Got to schoolte and didn''t want to get detention since your girl can''t get me out of it." He smiles. "You know ... the administrator you used to fuck." Motherfucker. "Did you know Aisha was WHGOSSIP?" His eyes narrow. "Don''t you remember all the posts she shared that were about me?" His teeth grind together, his jaw flexing. "I knew nothing.¡¯ I remember. I also remember them not being bad at all. ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . Nothing like what Ryan, Harper and I have endured. I''m still not sold that he''s telling the truth, so I say, "You''re sure you didn''t know?" He tilts his head, like he¡¯s the one testing me. "Positive." Chapter 163 Chapter 163 Harper The first few periods of school fly by and I can''t stop smiling through each ss. It''s like I took bong hits before I walked into the building, that''s how big the perma¡ªgrin is on my face. The reason? My enemy is finally getting what she deserves. Seeing everyone attacking Aisha this morning couldnt make me happier. Since I started dating Easton, she''s wrecked me more times than I can count and she''s done the same to so many kids in this school. Karma has kicked in. And it will kick in once more when it''s my turn to tell her how much I hate her. The opportunityes right after lunch. Easton, Ryan, Sadie and I are getting up from our table, about ten minutes before ss starts, and in walks Aisha. I''m shocked she has the nerve toe in here, knowing she''s opening herself up for a verbalshing. But when I really think about it, the movepletely fits her personality. Aisha is fearless, that''s why she opened the WHGOSSIP ount in the first ce. She doesn''t care about anyone or what they think of her. And she probably won''t care what I have to say. Except I''m giving her no choice but to listen. As she''s headed in our direction, I step in front of her, stopping her from passing me. "My turn." "For what?"she snarls. My hands go on my hips, preparing myself for this war. "To tell you how shitty I think you are. But first, I want to know why you put a tracker on my boyfriend''s car because that''s straight up psycho." She sighs. "I don''t have to answer that." "Seriously? You''re going to go to the extreme of knowing where he''s at every second of the day and you''re not going to give me your reasoning?¡± I re at her. "That''s fucked up on so many levels, I don''t even know where to start. Not to mention, that makes you pathetic and desperate. Stalking someone else''s boyfriend, how low can you go, Aisha?" "Whatever." "What about WHGOSSIP. do you have anything to say about that?" "Does the truth hurt, Harper? Did it hurt when everyone saw it?" She grins in a way that shows me she feels bad for me. "Oh, honey, it looks like it does." I want tough.In fact, I do, just to show her how little I care about her. "You''re the most vile person on this. You must feel so bad about yourself, have zero self¡ªrespect, that you get off by tearing people down." My heart is pounding, my hands clenching as adrenaline starts to pump through me. "What happened to you, Aisha? What made you such a horrible human being?" She smiles, the evilness shining through her face. "I want people to realize how much of a whore you are. Really, it''s that simple." She nods toward Easton. "Besides, you have something I want. Haven''t I made it clear throughout this whole year that I''m not going to stop until he''s mine?" "Except, I think I''ve made it clear that you can''t have him." I feel my eyes narrow as I use her words against her. "What I find so funny is that Easton has told you he wants nothing to do with you, yet your desperate ass keeps trying to win him. This isn''t a game, Aisha, nor is it a contest. There''s nothing to win. That boy is MINE." When she attempts to interrupt me, I continue, "If he wanted to be with you, he would be, so when are you going to get it through your thick, annoyingly relentless skull that Easton cannot stand you?" I take a look around the cafeteria. The other students are practically apuding. "In fact, no one can stand you, Aisha." "Do you think I give a fuck? I''m off to college soon where none of you losers are going to be and everyone is going to love and adore me.¡± Now it''s my turn to reallyugh, her response the most insane thing ever. "Love you? And adore you? That''s not even possible. Once they find out who you really are and what you''re capable of and all the lies and gossip you''re going to spread around campus, they''re going to hate you, just like we all do." ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . I look her up and down, quickly reminded that she''s thin, pretty, her clothes are trendy, and she knows how to do makeup¡ªreasons, I''m sure, she''s earned herself passes in the past. Passes that have excused her shitty behavior. But now that Sadie has aired the truth about Aisha, those passes are long gone. Everyone can see her for who she really is. A jealous, insecure bitch. "Harper, you''re wasting your breath." She rolls her eyes. "I''m honestly not even listening to a thing you''re saying." "No?" I cross my arms over my chest. "Then, at least hear this. I feel bad that you have zero self¡ªrespect and positively no self¡ª worth. These evil, desperate things you do are only to make yourself feel better. But nothing works, nothing can bring you up from the bottom because you''re scum¡ªlike that sticky filth that sticks to the soles of our shoes.¡± A grin spreads across my satisfied face. "You''re going to have a very long, lonely, pathetic life. Good luck with that." I turn toward Easton, his expression telling me he couldn''t be happier with me. "Fuck, that was hot,¡± he whispers in my ear. "Do you have something you want to say to me, too?" Aisha says. I turn around again, seeing that Aisha''s addressing Sadie. "My girl, Harper, has the words." Sadie raises her hands. "But I have the fists and if you don''t get out of here, I''m going to use them to punch that pretty, little nose of yours. You know, the one you had donest summer and the one that''s going to be he expensive to fix after I break it." Aisha hides her nose behind her fingers and says, "Fuck you, Sadie." She looks at our group and adds, "Fuck all of you," and then she hurries out of the lunch room. "Fastest I''ve ever seen that bitch move,¡¯ Sadie says. "I''m d you didn''t knock her, I couldn''t handle you being suspended,"I admit to Sadie. "But, oh my God, you breaking her nose is a sight I NEED to see." "She may be the techy one¡ªbeing all sly with that tracker¡ªbut I''ll kick that bitch''s ass,"Sadie says. "I love your feisty side," Ryan says, throwing his arm around Sadie''s shoulders. Easton''s arm goes around me and he whispers, "What you did back there, how you imed me as yours"¡ªhe stops to shake his head¡ª"damn it, I''m turned the fuck on right now." Chapter 164 Chapter 164 Easton Watching my girle down on Aisha was one of the hottest things I''ve ever seen. She didnt raise her voice. She didnt use her fists. And even if Aisha imed she wasn''t listening, she was. Her eyes gave that away, the same way they gave away the hurt she was feeling when my girl was going at her. I know, because I have the advantage¡ªI know what Aisha looked like when she lost her brother, when the real side of her came out, giving me the ability to see right through her. She wants everyone to think she''s this fearless girl, that nothing affects her. Just the opposite is true.She feels.She aches.And she''s doing both right now. But, me? I''m feeling none of that¡ªI hope that cunt gets taken down. What I''m feeling instead is a fucking tingling in my cock, the confidence Harper showed during that confrontation giving me an instant hard¡ªon. I can''t do anything about it while we''re in school. It''s too close to graduation, I can''t take the risk of getting caught and disciplined. But the second thest bell rings, I find Harper and drag her out to my Jeep. "We''re going to my ce,¡± I say as I open the passenger side door. Sheughs. "But I''m supposed to be going to Sadie''s to study¡ª" "I''ll drop you off there in a little while." I help her inside and hand her the seatbelt. "But I''m devouring you first¡ªbefore you even think of opening a text book." She chews her bottom lip. "You won''t hear me put up a fight." "I didn''t think so.¡± I shut her door and get into the driver''s seat, going at least ten over the speed limit, hauling ass back to my ce. Since my parents wont be home for hours, I lead her into the living room, not wanting to waste the time to go upstairs to my room, and immediately tear off her shirt. "I love when you don''t waste any time,¡± she moans. "I''ve been thinking about this since lunch and that was"¡ªI kiss across her bare neck while I reach behind her to unhook her bra ¡ª"hours ago.¡± The metal unfastens and I toss thece, cupping her tits, the heaviness of them filling my hands. "Easton,'' she breaths. I graze across her nipples, pulling them, rubbing the pad of my fingers across them, her breathing increasing with each pass. "Fuck me, I want you." Her head leans back and I kiss across her throat and over her corbone, her tropical smell of her making me fucking throb, the softness of her skin a tease I''ll never recover from. I groan, "You''re so fucking gorgeous." I then move her hands to my belt and say, "Get me naked, so I can fuck you." A giggle moves through her throat as I''m licking across it, and she starts unbuttoning my pants and lowering the zipper. I slip off my shoes and step out of my jeans, along with my boxer briefs, quickly yanking off my socks. Now that I''m naked, I concentrate on removing the rest of her clothes and the second she''s bare, I pull her into my arms and wrap her legs around my waist. "You have me, Easton ... what are you going to do with me?" The smile on her lips is so fucking sexy. But so is the thought that I can do whatever I want to her. "Taste," I answer and I walk her over to the back of the couch, setting her on top of the highest cushion. Once she''s sitting, I kneel down and spread her legs, my tongue going to the ce that she loves. The ce I fucking love. I lick across the very top of her and bury two fingers inside her, my hand moving slowly at first until my skin is coated in her wetness. "Oh God," she cries the harder I flick my tongue across her clit. Her scent is even stronger down her and it''s fucking perfect. Everything I want. Everything I''ve thought about all day. And even though I''m finally getting the chance to eat her, it''s not enough. I need more. I tten my tongue and wiggle it down, swiping the entire length of her, sampling more, swallowing. "Harper, fuck.¡± Her hand is in my hair, pulling at the strands, her breaths so loud. "You''re going to make mee!" she screams. That''s when I give her even more pressure, when I twist my wrist, reaching for that deep, sensitive ce, that spot that makes her fucking crazy. "Ahhh!" I know it''s only going to take a few more licks to get her quivering, just a couple more turns of my fingers. And I''m right. ¡°Easton!¡± she shouts at the top of her lungs, her legs closing in on my face, her stomach shuddering. I dont stop. I move faster instead, watching the pleasure spread through her, taking in every one of her sounds, feeling the way she''s responding to my tongue. When she finally stills, I slowly make my way up her body, pausing to take each of her nipples into my mouth, giving them quick bites and hard flicks of my tongue. When I eventually meet her face, she''s just finding her breath. "You are"¡ªshe swallows¡ª"beyond amazing at that.¡± "It''s because I can''t get enough of you." "I hope that stays true forever.¡± I grab her ass, her legs finding their way around me again. "Why would that ever change?" I can tell something is on her mind, but she doesn''t say it. She shrugs instead. If she doesn''t want to tell me what''s bothering her, then I''m going to reassure her the best way I know how. To make her feel how much I love her. "Kiss me, Harper." She nces at my mouth. "But you''re covered in me." She goes to wipe some of the wetness off and I stop her. N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. "Kiss me." She finally leans forward, closing the distance between us. Instead of taking her lips gently, I ravish her, the same way I just did to her pussy. While my hands hold the back of her head, thumbs pressing against her cheeks, I give her my tongue. The longer I kiss her, the faster she starts unraveling, her breaths bing shorter, her pulse increasing, thrumming under my hands. "Easton ...¡± It''s that sound that tells me she knows. She feels it. "I love you," I say against those beautiful, plump lips. "So fucking much." "And I love you." She travels down my chest, stopping at each muscle, dipping her fingers into the grooves of my abs until her palm is wrapped around my cock. I turn her face, kissing across her cheek until I reach her ear. I take her lobe into my mouth, sucking the end before I whisper, "Do you know what I''m about to do to you?" Her chest rises and falls so fast as though the anticipation is exploding through her. "What?" "I''m going to make you scream again." Chapter 165 Chapter 165 Harper I''m so full of tingles and jitters and this overwhelming pulsing, I can''t even imagine feeling this all over again. But I know Easton. When he wants something, he doesn''t give up. He doesn''t rush. He doesn''t do it half-assed. And right now, he wants me. I suck his lip into my mouth, gnawing on the end ... tasting myself. Something I never thought I''d do, but now I find it so incredibly sexy. I release him and take in his smoldering re, remembering the words he said to me moments ago and reply, "Then make me fucking scream." My response is barely out of my mouth when he picks me up from the top cushions of the couch and carries me over to the living room wall. The paint and texture are so cold against my bare back, as he positions us, my shoulders rub against the hardness of it. I hold onto him for dear life, knowing he won''t drop me, but still needing the reassurance, especially as his dick enters me. "Oh God,¡± I moan. The back of my head hits the wall, not in a way where I scream out in pain, but in a way that makes me want him more. "Fuck," he hisses. "You''re so tight." I dig my nails into him as he rears his hips back and plunges fully inside me. "Easton!"I don''t expect it. Nor do I anticipate the intense rush that follows or the perfect feeling of fullness thates in or the pressure that adds to this incredible burst of sensations. "Ahbh,¡± I sigh. As he holds me against the wall, there''s a quick grind of his hips. That''s followed by a hard rock forward where his tiny hairs are rubbing against my clit in a way that starts a whole new feeling inside me. "Harder,"I cry.I need to feel him deeper, I need him to pound me in a punishing way where I''m lost. And, within a few pumps, that''s what he''s giving me. It''s a relentless, consuming thrust that I can''t get enough of. He''s holding my mouth hostage, his breaths covering me, his eyes meeting mine every few drives of his cock. "Jesus fuck, Harper. You''re so wet."That''s because the build is there. I feel it moving through me. I feel iting on in a way where I can stop it. I can''t pause it. "Oh God." I hug him closer to me, urging him, bouncing over him as I try to meet him in the middle. "I''m going toe.¡± The first wave hits me,ing on so strong, I scream out a moan and then, "Fuck!" I gasp in some air and continue, "Easton!" "Fuck, yes," ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . he roars against my face. "I can feel it.¡± My stomach starts to shudder as the ripples move through me, each exhale sending more of the sparks through my body. "You feel so fucking good,¡± he growls the moment I''m still, but he hasn''t stopped moving, and now he''s pulling me from the wall. He brings me over to the dining room, sitting on one of the armless chairs where I''m straddling hisp. "Now fucking ride me.¡± I''m sensitive. Everywhere. Every part of me bursting with electricity. But the only thing I can think of, the only thing I want is to make Easton feel as good as I do right now. "Wow,'' I quiver as I bob over his dick, moving slow, the only speed I can handle at first. His hand drops down the front of me and finds that ce that his hairs had just rubbed, his fingers now circling the top of my clit. I don''t know where the energyes from, I don''t know how this feeling returns so easily, but it''s there and ites with more speed. I''m rising and falling, twisting my hips, Easton''s moans getting louder each time. And even though I''m in control, he''s moving with me, rocking my hips over him, biting me with his grip. "That''s it,¡± he says. "Fuck yes, just like that.¡± I''m dancing over him, taking in his fullness along with the friction from his fingers, and I''m in that ce again. The one that''s causing a build. "Yes!" I wrap my arms around him, bending my knees to get more bounce. "Easton!" "Fuck me, Harper.Ride my fucking cock." I suck in that order, holding it inside me as I take off, using a speed that I didn''t have before. But with ites a fire that''s erupting inside me, a heat that''s igniting through my body, spreading to each of my limbs, burying in my navel, scorching my clit. Easton circles his arm around me, squeezing my ass, and he starts to match my movements, rocking, thrusting, shouting, "Milk it, Harper. Fucking milk it.¡± And that''s when I lose myself again. And when I feel and hear him lose it too. "Fuck!" He tightens his grip. "Harper!" The rushes all at once, pounding through me, setting me on this overwhelming path of sensations. All I can do is hold on and ride it out, exhaling moan after moan. But Easton''s not done. His drives turn sharp, ending in deep, guttural explosions that tell me he''s feeling the exact same as me. The moment we''re both finally still, I press our bodies together and rest my face on his shoulder, filling my lungs with air. The pain I felt not too long ago is back and it''s burning my chest. "I''m going to miss this.¡± "Miss this? When?"I sigh. "When we both go to college.¡± He grabs my chin, aiming it up at him. "Don''t say that." "But how can I not, Easton?" I take a breath and that hurts too. "You''re the love of my life and soon¡ªso soon¡ªwe''re going to be leaving.¡± To where, I don''t know. We haven''t talked about that. He could be headed north, I could be going south. Not seeing each other again until Thanksgiving? Christmas? Oh God, I can''t even put my heart there. "Hey ..." His hands are cupping my face, his thumb rubbing across my lips. "I don''t want you to worry.No matter what happens, it''s going to be all right." It''s not that I don''t believe him. I just don''t know how that can be true. If we''re not together ... nothing is all right. Chapter 166 Chapter 166 Harper "Did you bring anything good for lunch?" Sadie asks as she meets me at my locker. I shake my head. "I watched Mom throw it together this morning before work" I hold up the bag, so she can see it. "Turkey sandwich. Chips. An orange.¡± Iugh. "I know you''re dying to get your hands on an orange. Wanna trade?" ¡°Um, hello, we know my mom is the worst cook ever, I''ve got nothing you''d want in my lunch bag. It''s going straight in the trash and I''m buying some pizza. Want a slice?" "No. I''m good" The truth is, even if I had a good lunch, I wouldn''t eat it. My stomach is such a mess. And it has been all week. I''ve been waiting to hear back from the colleges I applied to and I haven''t gotten a response. It seems like the entire senior ss has heard something¡ªwhether it''s an approval or denial from at least one school. Even Ryan and Sadie have. But all I''ve heard is silence. And it''s terrifying. I need to know, I need to n. I need to prepare for what''s about to happen with my life. But most of all, I need to prepare for what''s going to happen between Easton and me. I cant do that unless I have an idea of where I''m going to go and where he''s going to go. Knowing my best friend is waiting for a response, I say, "Honestly, Sadie, I''m not even hungry" She gives me a look. "Everything all right?" "Yep,¡¯ I lie. "You''re sure?" I even nod this time and say, "I''m positive" "Well, if you change your mind, let me know. I''ve got some extra cash on me to get whatever kind of slice you want" She loops her arm through mine and when we arrive at the cafeteria, Easton and Ryan are already sitting at our table. Sadie and I part, her going up to the lunch line, me tossing my lunch bag into the trash before I join the guys. I see Ryan has also ditched the lunch Mom made and is eating chicken nuggets and tater tots instead, money he probably scored by selling weed. Easton is devouring a slice of pepperoni and sipping on a soda. I take a seat next to my boyfriend. ¡°Hey,¡± I say softly. He reaches forward to tuck some of my hair behind my ear. "What took you guys so long to join us?" I shrug. ¡°Sadie and I were talking, that''s all.¡± I look at the empty spot in front of me where my lunch should be sitting, the weight of the day hitting me. Text content ? N?velDrama.Org. "Has school been a snore fest today or is it just me?" "Isn''t it always a snore fest?" Ryan asks. ¡°Agreed,¡± Easton says. "I guess you''re right," I admit. ¡°It just seems extra slow and draggy today" ¡°That''s because we''re seconds away from graduating,¡± ke says. I didn''t realize he joined us, but he''s standing behind Easton and me, Sadie now taking a seat next to Ryan. "And guess where this genius got into college?" He''s smiling so hard, I think his lips are going to crack. "Come on, any guesses?" he asks around the table. Easton shrugs. "Harvard? Isn''t that where your kind goes?" ¡°Funny, asshole; ke says. "But, let''s be honest, had I applied to Harvard, I would have gotten in.¡± He holds up his phone to show us the eptance letter on the screen. "San Diego State, bitches.¡± ¡°Wow; I say, viewing the school''s emblem at the top of the email, jealousy completely filling me even though I hadn''t applied there. It just must be an amazing feeling to have that approval in your hands. ¡°Congrats, ke, that''s amazing" ¡°What about you?" he asks me. "Any good news yet?" I suck in a deep breath and shake my head. "Nope, not a word.¡¯ "What about you, Easton?" He crosses his arms across his chest. "Your parents must have bought your way in somewhere, am I right? Since you don''t have Leigh''s pussy to get you a mailbox full of eptance letters?¡± ¡°Fuck you,¡¯ Easton snaps. "If I''m wrong, then tell me the giant list of schools you''ve gotten into,¡¯ ke goads. Easton chuckles even though I know he doesn''t find any of this funny. "I certainly don''t have to do that" ¡°That''s right ... Easton is too good for school. He''s probably going to be working as a busboy next year.¡± "Jesus,¡¯ Easton groans. "You''re fucking relentless" "I just don''t understand what you''re hiding.¡± Easton turns around to look at him. ¡°What makes you think I''m hiding anything?" ke smiles. "Prove me wrong.¡¯ I stare at Easton, trying to figure out if he''s going to knock out ke or start screaming at him or... ¡°Will it make you shut up?" Easton asks him. "Because that''s all I fucking want right now, for you to stop talking" He reaches into his pocket and takes out his phone, tapping the screen several times before he shows it to us. "Stanford" I don''t need to read the first few lines. I already know what they say. But I do anyway. epted. That''s the school Easton''s parents went to, the one they made him apply to. The one they want him to go to for prew. ke grabs the phone out of Easton''s hand and says, "Looks like you were epted over a week ago.¡± He smiles. "Knew it.¡± He hands back the phone. "So, did Mommy and Daddy make a big contribution to the alumni? Or did Leigh send them a selfie of her tits?" Easton points toward the exit of the cafeteria. "Neither, now get the fuck out of here, ke, before I kill you" "Damn, ke sings. "It feels good to be right" He winks at Easton. "You guys have a good lunch" Easton has known for over a week that he was epted to Stanford. And he didn''t tell me. My stomach immediately starts aching, my heart hurting. I cross my arms over my chest. "I didn''t apply to Stanford,¡± I whisper, knowing Easton can hear me. I didn''t because I couldn''t afford it. Seeing that Ryan and Sadie are deep in conversation, I look at Easton, the ache in my chest getting worse. "I wish you would have told me.¡± "I was going to" And now I ache even more that I found out this way. "When?" He takes a deep breath. "Harper¡ª" ¡°Don''t.¡± I swallow. "I don''t want to talk about it" Tears are moving into my eyes when I add, "Easton ... I can''t.¡± Chapter 167 Chapter 167 Harper Ever since my breakdown with Easton the other night, I feel like aplete idiot. It''s not like he can help where he gets epted. He''s brilliant and rich on top of that. I just had this oh shit moment of what happens to us along with the panic of how far we''vee and what happens if everything gets stripped away? I''m not in the best mood when I get to school the next day, despite Easton''s encouraging texts all night long and me apologizing, it just feels off. I still haven''t heard from any school, and no matter how many times you refresh your email on your phone, it''s not like the colleges go, oh cool, she''s finally ready for us to email her. Despite all that, I still refresh my email once I''m in the parking lot of the school. My hands shake as I stare down at the screen. I have new emails. And one is from a college, I panic, then get excited, then panic again. I probably wouldnt even notice if Aisha was breathing down my neck like a dirty little dragon whore. I click open. And nearly drop my phone. I got into San Jose State. Granted, it wasn''t my first choice, but I''m at least going to be going to a college and not having to exin to people that I wanted a year off or that I wanted to go to amunity school. God, that would have been horrible. I smile down at my phone again. "Looking at porn?" a deep voice asks. ¡°Hrious.¡± I turn and throw my arms around Easton. "Whoa!" He hugs me back. ¡°What''s this for? The naked dudes you were just looking at or¡ª" "¡ªShut it!" I squeeze him tighter then whisper into his ear, "I got into San Jose State" His body tenses, then rxes as he squeezes my body and rocks me back and forth. ¡°I''m so fucking proud of you" ¡°Thank you.¡± I''m happy, I really am, except for the fact that he''s not there and I''vee to rely on him the way you rely on air so you can breathe¡ª and not in a needy way¡ªbut a way that''s necessary because you love it so much. ¡°Baby...¡± He pulls away only slightly, enough to press his mouth against mine and make me feel wanted and loved. "This is epic" "I know" Tears fill my eyes. "I was so worried.¡± ¡°I wasn''t," he says confidently. I roll my eyes and start to move away, but he grabs my arm and pins me against his body. "I wasnt," he repeats. "Because you''re the strongest and smartest girl I''ve ever known, of course, any college would want you? Hell, they should be crawling on their hands and knees, begging to admit you" I cant help my smile as I answer back. "Does that mean you''d be willing to get on your hands and knees?" He immediately moves away and drops to his knees. "NO!" Iugh. "Easton, get up!" He shrugs and puts down his hands. Oh God. People are starting to stare. It''s like a whole Dirty Dancing moment but the opposite where Jonny''s on the ground and baby''s watching him crawl. "Easton!" I hiss his name again as phonese out around us. Students are starting to snicker but in a funny way like they''re catching the hottest guy on school legit crawling toward the invisible girl. I dig it. I really do. He stops in front of me, then very slowly rises, his body sliding against mine until he¡¯s facing me. The friction alone from our clothes could send us to Hell because damn this guy. How did I get so lucky? "About the crawling...¡± he says while people still watch. "I kind of liked acting like your bitch. If that''s wrong, I don''t want to be right" I throw my head back andugh. "Wow, you''re out of control, Mr. Stanford" ¡°Bro, why were you just crawling toward her?" Ryanes up and shakes his head. "Soon to be Stanford students, do not crawl my friend" The fun mood dies the minute Ryan mentions Stanford. Even Ryan realizes it as he looks between us, then forces a smile and grabs Easton by the shoulder. ¡°You wouldn''t happen to have pre¡ªcalce notes for me, right?¡± Easton sighs and reaches into his bag, handing over notes that just prove again why he got into Stanford and why even if I had the money¡ªI''d never be able to go. When the bell rings, I swallow the lump in my throat and start walking while Easton jogs ahead, swearing that he forgot one of his books in his locker. I watch, and then I wonder, are these thest moments we''re going to have? With us flirting in the parking lot, him running to ss, and me watching everything pass us by in a blur? I want to breathe it in. All the experiences we have left, because what if this really is the end of the road. Something hits me in the back of the head. "Why the hell did you bang me over the head with Easton''s notebook, you freak?" I shove my brother. He moves out of the way andughs. ¡°Because I know that look, fuck I''ve had to live with that look and the fact that my sisters getting banged by my best friend.¡± He shudders. "Anyway, stop overthinking this; it''s just college" "Oh yeah, okay.¡± I roll my eyes. ¡°Just college. I mean, you''d freak out if Sadie went somewhere else or if she got epted somewhere across the country" ¡°We''re not talking about us, and quite frankly, we''re in a different spot than you guys are. I know that look. It''s the same one you gave Mom when we had to put Buster down" I sigh. "I loved that dog" "Exactly,¡¯ he says. "Or when your goldfish died, or that one turtle you had to set free that Mom said went to that special lake down the road but didn''t?" I stop walking. "What do you mean Stuart didn''t go to that specialke down the road?" His eyes widen. "He did, he totally did. Swear.¡¯ "ON BUSTER''S LIFE!" I yell. ¡°ON BUSTER''S LIFE!" he yells back. "Damn, you''re weird" He opens the door to the school. "My point is this, you don''t have to say goodbye, justmunicate, talk things out, plus it''s not like he can say no when he''s a legacy" I stop walking. Text content ? N?velDrama.Org. "A legacy?" Ryan gives me a look that basically says, why are you dumb. "Yeah, a legacy, his dad went there, his grandpa went there, I think they even have one of the buildings named after their family and not just because they''re loaded. They''re just all wicked smart" A legacy. A legacy. There''s no way then, is there? I dete even more. Why would I ever take that away from the person I love the most in this world. "I''m happy for him," I say even though I want to burst into tears because the minute this school year is over. I have a sinking feeling... we will be too. Chapter 168 Chapter 168 Easton It''s a rare day where I''m at home with just Dad, texting Harper and begging her toe visit so I can fuck her in my pool. I''m not even ashamed to admit my actual text was ¡ªe to my house so I can fuck you in my pool. She has to study for a test, so I upped it and said, pool and hot tub. I have an hour before she can even attempt to get here, and I''m bored out of my mind, not because I''m not fucking, but because all I can think about is her and college, which stresses me out so much I''m useless when ites to anything else. Somehow, I find myself downstairs in the kitchen staring into the fridge like it''s going to magically shit out food for me when my dad''s voice sounds. I jump a foot. "Seriously? At least announce yourself. "So, my hard footsteps against the marble floors weren''t enough?" I shut the fridge and shoot him a re. ¡°Or my heavy breathing? Or the fact that I said your name at least three times while you stared into the fridge like it was Heaven and you were a few seconds away from following the tiny light?" "Very funny.¡± I run my hands down my face. "Sorry, it''s been a long day.¡¯ "Same" Dad pulls out a barstool and sits. I can tell he¡¯s not joking as he tugs on his ck tie then pulls it off all the way only to shrug out of his suit jacket. "I had to defend an innocent person who''s now going to jail all because sometimes even thew can''t save you. He has two kids under four, and his wife''s all on her own now.." Dad shakes his head. "Son, sometimes life isnt fair.¡± "No" I agree. "It isn''t.¡± He leans onto the countertop. "Want to talk about it?¡± "My feelings?¡± I state. "No, not really. I mean, what happens if I just blurt everything out then start crying like a little bitch?" "Then we disown you. It''s in the parenting handbook they gave us when you were born" Dad deadpans. ¡°And again, very funny.¡± Dad pulls out a chair. ¡¯Sit, talk, unwind, want a beer?¡± "Is this the part where I say I''m underage like a good little boy and refuse to admit the fact that I''ve consistently been having parties and raiding your liquor cab for at least three years?" "I''m going to pretend I didn''t hear that just like I''m going to pretend you arent underage and I''m not handing you alcohol, and you didn''t just send a text to your girlfriend about fucking in the hot tub.¡¯ I actually gasp. He doesn''t make eye contact. "Make sure you''re not connected to the cloud son, bad things happen when you are.¡¯ I clear my throat. "Noted" "Anyway.." He gets up and sure as shit goes to the fridge, grabs two beers, hands me one, and says, "Let''s go sit outside" Normally this is the part where every teen panics. Is my archaic father going to try to have the sex talk with me? Is he going to use puppets again? Am I going to be scarred for life? Or is he just going to try to be relevant? The horror. I mean. Fuck. Instead, we sit down in silence. He sips his beer, I open mine, and sip it while giving him side¡ªeye that says, spit it out before we awkwardly start talking about the weather or baseball, how ¡®bout those Yankees. I''ve had enough awkward conversations with my dad tost me an eternity, so I really don''t need to add another one. ¡°What''s on your mind?¡± Dad asks. "You know, other than the hot tub, I won''t ever go in for the rest of my existence¡± I hide my grimace behind the beer and take another sip before answering. "I''m going to Stanford" "And your mom and I couldn''t be more proud.¡± He ps me on the thigh. "So you''re nervous? Hell, I was nervous too. Your pop¡ªpop used to share stories with me about all his aplishments, the clubs he was a part of; it''s intimidating, I get it, but you''ll be fine. You''ll graduate with honors, take over thew firm he started and work with your family. It''s all set out for you, son, like the smoothest drive you''ll ever take" And yet, as I sit there, it feels bumpy. It feels wrong. It feels like I would be taking a left when I should be taking a right. I dont like this feeling. And I hate that I don''t feel like I can tell him that I''m apprehensive, that maybe I dont want to go there. That I''m thinking of changing his entire n and my trajectory because of a girl, but not just any girl, my girl. Fucking, MINE. "Yeah.." My voice sounds uncertain. "That''s it, just a lot of pressure, you know?" "Yup, sure do.¡± He finishes his beer in a few swallows and then turns to face me. "So are you going to tell me the real reason now or keep lying out of your ass?" "Son of a bitch,¡± I grumble. "Language" He sets his empty can down and faces me. "What''s going on?" "I love her¡± I blurt out. "That''s what''s going on. I fucking love her" "Your mom? Your Nana? That old goldfish you cried over when you were twelve?" "Okay, first of all, Goldy was a national treasure" I pointed out. "And even you felt bad when she went belly up" ¡°Only because my son cried,¡± he says. "So, who do you love?" ¡°You know who I love" I look down at my hands. N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. "And you know why I''m struggling.¡± He sighs. "Will you live your life making decisions based on your feelings or on fact?" Feelings, I want to say. Fact fails you. Fact always failed me because if I went by what felt right and what looked right on paper, Harper and I would equal a wrong, and I know in my soul we are the rightest thing that''s ever happened. Ever. "Dad¡ª" I take a deep breath. "I just think¡ª" "=Look who showed up!" Mom announces,ing out the door with Harper close behind. "I asked her to stay for dinner!" Awesome. Perfect. So my dad can look at her and know exactly who I offered the family hot tub up to in sexual sacrifice. Fuck, it''s like the tree all over again! "Hey there.¡± Harperes over and sits on myp. "What were you boys talking about?" Nothing. Everything. You. "Life," Dad finally says. "We were talking about life" He gets up and puts a hand on my shoulder, and finishes with, "Do the right thing." Chapter 169 Chapter 169 Harper He''s acting weirder than normal. My eyes narrow as Easton stares into his spaghetti then looks up at me like he''s trying to figure something out. I frown. "So, Harper his dad says, "what are your ns next year?" Easton shifts in his seat while I reach across and put my hand on his thigh. ¡°Honestly, I''m not sure. I got epted into San Jose State, so I''ll probably go there.¡± "Ah, congrats" His dad raises his wine ss. "Might be hard being away from Easton, huh?" Talk about stating the obvious. He drinks his red wine, tossing it back in two sips before setting his empty ss back down and looking between us. "If it''s supposed to work. It will" That''s it. That''s all he says before getting up; even Easton''s mom is grinning at us like her smile is either frozen, or she''s trying to look encouraging. Nothing about their expressions are helpful, nor do they make me feel better about my life right now. "Easton.." His mom stands and spreads her hands wide across her ck designer skirt. Even her makeup is perfect, her lipstick still somehow on after eating dinner, her smile white, and her dark hair pulled back into a low bun that just manages to look both pretty and ssy at the same time. "Why dont you and Harper watch a movie or something? Use thest few months you have together before school.¡± Her smile is genuine, but my gut still sinks to my feet as Easton stands and holds out his hand. We walk toward the living room, and then he tugs me down the hall into the theater room, and we walk inside. He says nothing as he grabs the remote and turns on Netflix. He presses y on Red Notice and snatches a nket from the little basket next to the wet bar, then curses under his breath and goes back, grabbing a bottle of expensive whiskey and slumping into a seat holding his arms out like he wants me to sit on hisp. I do. Text content ? N?velDrama.Org. I sit there. I feel how hard he is. But more so, I feel how sad he is. The whiskey bottle is handed to me. I take a sip, then hand it back; we do this for at least five minutes, each of us getting buzzed as we watch the movie. It''s hrious, but neither of us areughing. Because this world is one that exists without us together in it, at least that''s how it feels as we both think about our futures. He can''t leave. I cant leave. I assume he''ll probably fake a fight and break my heart in order to stop the pain from leaving my chest. He would fix it by breaking it, and I would let him because of his love for me. ¡°Easton,¡± I whisper his name; I taste it on my tongue and wonder what it would be like years from now, remembering his name, saying it, worshipping it, without having him in front of me. I dont want to imagine that sort of pain. And yet, my heart tries to. I try to imagine a world where our breaths aren''t mixed, our hands aren''t tangled, our bodies aren''t pressed against one another, and where our heartbeats aren''t synced. It''s like bleeding out¡ªthis pain. It''s like being shot and then told that there''s nothing you can do to stop the wound; that''s what it feels like sitting on hisp and imagining a world where we aren''t together. For a minute, I think I''m being dramatic, and then he rests his head against my back and sighs. "I can''t do it.¡± My eyes squeeze shut. "What are we going to do?" He holds me tighter. "I''ll love you no matter what" "My love for you-" I smile to myself "¡ªisn''t measured by distance. But by the size of your heart" "And my dick?" "Very funny.¡± For some reason, I want to burst into tears. My phone buzzes next to me on the couch. I grab it really quick. My parents are checking in. Typical. For some reason. I need a distraction from the pain and check my email, then nearly fall off the couch. "SHIT!" I yell. "Easton, SHIT!" I stumble away from him and start to jump in ce. "What? Are you okay? What''s going on? What?" He''s yelling. I''m yelling and jumping. "I got in!¡± I squeal. "Right!" Heughs. "To San Jose, you little badass¡ª" "=TO UCLA!" I shout. He freezes. I keep jumping in circles. And then I''m pulled into his arms. His mouth is crashing against mine, and I''m once again wondering why I would ever want to be in a ce where this boy didn''t exist. "This is¡ª" he kisses me hard ¡°¡ªamazing!" Tears stream down my cheeks. "My dream college" ¡°Your dream,¡¯ he repeats, his eyes locked on mine in a way that says, follow them but know that I wish I was there with you as if my dream could ever include something he wasnt a part of. But he was my dream too. I still in his arms. And of course, the moment is broken as my mom calls. He kisses my cheek. "I''ll grab something to help us celebrate.¡± He''s leaving the room as I answer. "MOM!" ¡°Are you okay?" she yells. "I just wanted to check¡ªin. You never texted back and¡ª" "¡ªMom, I got into UCLA!" I start crying for real. And contemte doing cartwheels around the room when she speaks, ¡°Oh honey, that''s incredible!" Her voice says otherwise. I frown. "Mom?" ¡°Sweetheart,¡± she hisses. "She got into UCLA" "Good job!" Dad says with pride on the other end. "That''s wonderful" "I''m so excited! I can''t believe it! Can you imagine?" I start to do a little dance again when Easton comes back with a bottle of champagne and two sses¡ªclearly, his parents aren''t paying attention to what he''s doing, but I don''t even care at this point. I''m grinning from ear to ear when he pops the bottle and smiles. I put the phone on speaker and keep dancing while Eastonughs and pours us champagne. ¡°We can talk about thister, Mom says in a calm voice. "When you get back to the house.." I pause. "What do you mean talk about it?" Dad clears his throat. "Honey, I want nothing more than for you to go to your dream school, but we''ll have to make sure our finances work with it... if not, we might have to discuss other options. But we''re so proud!" I dete immediately. Easton stops pouring and stares at me. Embarrassed, I look away and say, "Y¡ªyeah, okay good idea. Love you guys! I''m going to go celebrate, okay?" "Sounds good!" Dadughs. "And good job, honey.¡¯ "Thanks Dad" My voice catches in my throat as I hang up and turn to Easton. And burst into tears. Chapter 170 Chapter 170 Easton I didn''t mention the elephant in the room with Harper. Talking about money always felt weird, and after our champagne, I figured it would be smarter to just Uber her home and then have here pick up her carter. She left her keys with me, and I realized I could just drive the car back to her house tomorrow and see her at the same time. Besides, I had news to tell her. I got into UCLA too. Basically, miracles do happen, and I was pumped as shit to get to her house and tell her. I go down to the kitchen to grab something for breakfast and chug some coffee when my mom stops me and gives me the look every mom gives their kids when they want to have a talk. ¡°Something on your mind?" I ask, nervous that she already knows about UCLA and is going to try to steer me away from what I''ve already decided. She hesitates, rubbing her fingers down her coffee cup like she¡¯s nervous before blurting. "Are you being safe?" So not what I expected her to say. I trip a bit then grab an apple from the fruit basket even though my n was to grab a breakfast sandwich from the freezer or at least a cold brew from the fridge. "Hmm?" "Safe," she repeats. "With...Harper.¡± "Safe as in I make her put her seatbelt on?" I awkwardly bite into the apple and chew. "Yeah, Mom, we''re safe.¡¯ "Okay" She nods. "Okay, I just.." She sets the coffee cup down on the counter. "It¡¯s important that you go to college¡ªboth of you. And I don''t want any surprises like a pregnancy or¡ª" "¡ªGonna stop you right there.¡± Guilt creeps in. "She''s not pregnant, and we''re being smart, not stupid, and Mom...¡± I pull her in for a side hug. So now she wants to be a helicopter parent? Really? Only when ites to college? It kind of burns, but I try not to focus on it as I hold her close and breathe in her Chanel perfume. "I love you," I say simply. ¡°We''re together now, and I love her. We''re taking one day at a time" Mom exhales softly. ¡°Okay.¡± I kiss the top of her head. "Thanks for worrying though.¡± She looks up at me in confusion. "I always worry" She''s always been distant though, ever since High School started, but I don''t want to remind her because, for some reason, I''m suddenly seeing her differently, like maybe she just didn''t want to interfere and felt weird as I got old. "I do.¡± She pulls away. "Worry, you know.¡¯ ¡°Thanks mom" I start to feel emotional. ¡°For caring.¡± "We both care" She looks away, grabs her coffee, and then shows me her megawatt fake smile. "Anyway!" She takes a huge gulp out of her mug. "Have fun today!" And there it is. The fakeness. But maybe it''s not being fake¡ªmaybe it''s more about a shield she feels she needs to wear because of what my dad does and because of the money we have. I think I start to understand her a bit more as she basically bolts from the kitchen. I shake my head, put the rest of my apple in the trash, and go grab Ryan''s car, the one she borrowed last night to get here. It doesn''t take me long to get to her house, and by the time I''m there, I see Sadie''s car outside parked on the curb. Of course. They''re inseparable these days, not like I actually had a leg to stand on. I let myself into their house and right away hear yelling and the sound of dishes. Both of Harper''s parents are in the kitchen making pancakes. Ryan''s holding one over his head while Harper yells and jumps to grab it. Her dad''sughing. Her mom''s rolling her eyes. And Sadie is busy digging into the bacon like she hasnt eaten in years. I pause, just watching them, and realize something in that moment. Is college important? Yes. Is it important to follow your dreams? Absolutely. But what''s more important? Rtionships. Love. Laughter. This. I smile and toss Ryan''s keys in the air twice before dropping them onto the counter. "Looks like I''m right on time" Their mom grins while their dad nods his head, and then an rm from someone''s phone goes off. "Oh no!¡± Their mom pulls off her apron and scrambles around the kitchen while their dad quickly grabs his keys and kisses Harper''s head. ¡°Gotta go!" he says. "Wish us luck!" They''re flying by me before I can even say bye. "What the hell?" I ask. Harperes over and wraps her arms around me. "This is what happens when your parents find a Groupon for golf lessons.¡± She sighs. "They''ll be gone for three hours.¡± "I suddenly feel the need to thank Groupon" I grip her ass. Ryan curses under his breath. "Bring my car back in good shape?" "Nah, I jerked off on every seat then made sure to watch some porn in the front seat while getting high and touching my dick every few seconds just to make sure the entire ce smells like me and sex so you can never get it up again.¡± I deadpan. "Fuck bro, of course I took care of your bitch" His eyes narrow. ¡°Right, but that was also weirdly detailed.¡± I shrug. ¡°nned it the entire drive here just to make you piss yourself.¡± ¡°Fuck you,¡¯ he growls, grabbing a piece of bacon and sitting next to Sadie. She puts her hand on his thigh, then leans in and kisses his cheek. He bites into his bacon like he''s a predator. N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. And Sadie bites into his lower lip the minute he''s done chewing like he''s her snack. Gross. I look away and shudder. "Right?" Harper whispers. "Hey, I had a thought...¡± "Hmmm?" I hold her close, and the smell of bacon and syrup fills the air. ¡°What kind of thought?" She goes up on her tiptoes and whispers in my ear, had I been chewing, swallowing, or just doing anything but breathing, I would have choked to death. "Are you sure?" She nods. "Yeah, I mean, they''re gone.¡± ¡°Right,;¡¯ I whisper under my breath. "But don''t you think that''s crossing a line?" She looks over her shoulder. Ryan and Sadie are already making out. "Well, first off, they won''t even notice. Second, we can lock the door, and third, don''t you want to do something...forbidden" The way she says it has my dick straining already against my fly. Let''s be honest I''d probably follow her into a warzone at this point as I nod my head and rasp, ¡°Lead the way" "Knew you''d cave" "It''s sex. Guys always cave when it''s sex, plus you said forbidden.¡± "True" Sheughs over her shoulder. "Hey Ryan, don''te into Mom and Dad''s room, all right? It''s upied.¡± Ryan stops kissing Sadie, looks between us then scowls. "Son of a bitch, why do you ruin everything?" "Don''t be pissed you didn''t think of it first,¡± I call that ass out. He res. "Cool, just keep desecrating everything" "One minute,¡¯ I whisper just as we''re nearing the door. "I have some news that might help said desecration...¡± "What?" Sheughs. "What could possibly make this better, hmm?" "I got into UCLA" I blurt it out, and suddenly everything feels right like the universe is finally on our side. She stills in my arms. "Wait, does this mean¡ª" ¡°Strip, baby.¡± I shove her inside the room. "It''s time to celebrate.¡± Chapter 171 Chapter 171 Harper I love how eager he is, and I love how he isn''t the type to say no to things like this, like fucking in my parents¡¯ bedroom. He''s about to be even more surprised as I reach into my pocket and pull out the vibrator that Sadie got me for Christmas. I clutch it in my hands and pull it from my jeans, dangling it in front of me. "You ready to y?¡± Easton''s jaw drops. "Is that what I think it is?" "Sadie''s a good friend.¡± ¡°The best" He pulls me against him. "We should definitely put her in front of Ryan for best friend of the year" "Totally" ¡°Give her a ribbon" "A trophy even,¡¯ I add with augh. He kisses me hard, his teeth almost nging against mine before he pulls back and grabs it out of my hand. It''s small shaped almost like lipstick¡ª which is great since it fits in your purse and can be super useful during travel. I mean, really, there''s a reason she''s my best friend. ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . Easton looks at it like we''ve just discovered fire, and then he turns it on, which of course turns me on as I clench my thighs together and watch him watch it in wonder like he can''t wait to see all the ways he can make me scream. I look over at my parents¡¯ perfectly made bed and suddenly want nothing more than to shove him against it, mess everything up, and scream out his name. It''s forbidden. It''s dirty. Then again, it''s Easton and me; how else would we fuck in my house? Love should be like this, I think to myself. Life should involve things that make you excited, things that make youugh more than things that make you cry. I''m focused on the bed when I feel Easton behind me, his chest pressed against my back and only the sound of the vibrator filling the air. "Get the fuck on that bed" I still. "You didn''t say please" "I said.." He presses the vibrator against my ass and says it again. "...get on the fucking bed" A shiver runs down my spine as I sashay toward the bed andy down on my back. He follows, his stare determined as he roughly starts pulling off my clothes. My socks. My jeans. And then my sweatshirt followed by my bra. Before I know it, I''mpletely naked, shivering beneath his stare as he strips himself and grabs the vibrator again, holding it out to me like a threat of the best pleasure I''ll ever have. "I like this" He grins. "I''m not going to kiss you.¡± "What?" I lean up on my elbows. "This is fucking.¡± His nostrils re. "This is just fucking and fucking, and fucking. Sometimes we need that more than love, a good fucking.¡± ¡°Say fucking again" Iugh as goosebumps break out across my body. He sneers, nearly reminding me of the old Easton that used to be mean to me, and for some reason, I like it, almost like my high school bully''s punishing me in my parents¡¯ bedroom. "Take it,¡± he hisses and shoves the vibrator between my thighs. I let out a scream as he teases my clit over and over again. "Easton!" ¡°Take it,¡± he says again, this time twisting the vibrator and shoving it a bit deeper, only to bite down on my shoulder as he rolls his hips against mine. "That feels so good.¡± I can barely get the words out. ¡°Who makes you feel this way?" he asks as I nearlye off the bed. I feel everything, from the way his body slides against mine to the sound of his voice in my ear. Even the lights in the room feel brighter as he moves against me. He''s not even inside me, but I feel like he is. ¡°How does it feel, mystery girl?" Easton grinds harder, his dick against my thigh, the vibrator between them. "With me on top of you? Pleasuring you? Making youe?" "Good" I pant. "Good, very good, keep going" "Nahhhhh, do you even deserve it, curves?¡± Heughs against my neck. "Do you deserve my mouth? My cock?" "Yes, yes!" My body''s like a live wire as I clench theforter and try not to go over the edge. What the hell is he doing to me? He grabs my hair with one hand, keeping the vibrator positioned with the other. The vibrator''s like the worst sort of weapon or torture, and then finally, when I think I might actually lose it, he pulls it out. "What the¡ª" His cock ms into me so hard my body slides back, my head collides with the throw pillows, and hits the headboard. He pumps into me over and over again, and then he flips me over onto my stomach. I get up on my knees, arching my back toward him. ¡°Fuck yes!" Easton pounds into me from behind. I''m so wet that I can hear each thrust he makes. I grip the headboard, so my body stops moving. Easton has my hips between his hands. Thrust after thrust make it impossible for me to even speak; I can only moan, and then I feel him. I feel us both losing control. "Now" He smacks my ass with one of his hands, then does it again, and I''m gone, so gone, I probably couldn''t even remember my own address at this point. He shoots into me. And while I should be thinking about the incredible sex we just had or the way our sweaty bodies slide and fit against each other. All I can think about is that I can''t lose this. I cant lose him. And now I know I won''t. Because we''re both going to UCLA. We''re going to be together. And at the end of the day¡ªthat''s all that matters. Me. Him. Mine Chapter 172 Chapter 172 Chapter 172 Easton "That''s thest time we''re ever gonna do that,¡¯ I say as I follow Harper into her bedroom, shutting the door behind me. ¡°What do you mean?¡± "Having sex in your¡ªparents¡¯ bed.¡± I grimace. ¡°Still not sure how to feel about it" My girl turns to face me, her cheeks still flushed, her hair inplete disarray. "Oh. Well I know how to feel about what just happened.¡± Sheughs. Waves a hand in front of her face as if she needs to cool off. "It was hot" "Fuck yeah, it was.¡± I snag her hand, interlocking our fingers. "You''re hot" "No, you are" "This is not apetition.¡± I''m grinning. Feeling on top of the fucking world. "Can you believe we''ll be graduating and leaving this town soon?" Her brows shoot up in question. "Together, I add. "Yeah. Together" Her smile is small. My heart feels like it''s going to burst. I pull her into my arms, holding her close. Her body is warm and loose aftering so hard only a few minutes ago, and I savor the feel of her. Her tropical scent. How she melts into me as if we were meant for each other. A perfect fit. Who knew it could be like this? ¡°When are your parentsing home?" I ask, my face in her hair. "They should be gone for a few more hours" ¡°Let''s get into bed" Harper pulls away slightly so she can smile up at me. "We can''t get naked though" "Okay" Her expression is determined. "I mean it, Easton" "I know you do, Harper.¡± I press my lips to her forehead. "I just want to hold you" "Aw.'' She tips her head back and I kiss her lips, keeping it light. Easy. "You''re so cute" A few months ago I would''ve totally denied that. Hell, when all of this first started, I was aplete asshole to her, and I didn''t care. Not at first. Now when I think about our rtionship and how it first started, I have serious remorse. Why did she tolerate my ass? All the things I did to her, all the shitty things I said. She should''ve told me to fuck off. N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. I would''ve deserved it. Of course, I totally bossed her around just now and she loved it. My girl gets off on my demanding ways. I''m starting to believe we really are meant for each other. It feels that way. And now that everything is falling into ce so perfectly and we''re going to college together, I can''t help but think how lucky we are. How lucky I am. We crawl under her covers and the moment she slides up next to me, I''m hauling her in closer, her head on my chest, her hair in my face. Wey like that in silence for a few minutes, the only sound I can hear is our breathing. The steady beat of my heart. ¡°I''m so happy right now,¡¯ Harper murmurs, her lips moving against my chest, making me ache. Even though we just had sex and we''re fully clothed, every little thing she does turns me on. I give her shoulders a squeeze, kissing the top of her head. "Me too.¡± "I can''t believe we''re going to UCLA" "Proud of you,¡¯ I murmur. "I''m proud of you too" ¡°We lucked out, that we got in together" "We totally did" She nces up at me. "Now I just hope I can get enough schrship money so I can afford tuition.¡± "You can do it. We''ll figure it out" ¡°I hope so" She sounds so worried, and I hate it. I''ve never had to worry about money ever in my life, and it''s such a concern for her. I wish I could fix her problem. I wish I could fund her college and make all her worries go away. "My parents don''t want me to go,¡¯ Harper admits. "Not that they''d ever fully stop me, but if I do go, this is all on me. I have toe up with the tuition. Get schrships and grants. Take out student loans. Work a job every summer. I might have to work when I''m in school too.¡¯ "That''s going to be really intense.¡± "I can do it.¡± Her voice is firm. "I know you can" "Hey!" Ryan pounds on Harper''s bedroom door. ¡°Please tell me you''re not fucking in there right now!" "God Ryan, why did you have to say that word?" Harper groans. I can''t help butugh. These two are funny when they''re like this. ¡°Because that''s what you two are always doing. Like, all the time,¡¯ Ryan exins. "Please, you and Sadie are the worst" Harper nces over at me. "Why am I having this conversation with him right now?" ¡°Come in; I yell and Ryan immediately opens the door, staring at the two of us lying in bed wrapped around each other. "Thank God you''ve got clothes on," he says. ¡°Like I''d invite you toe in if we didn''t,¡± I mutter. "What do you want?¡± Harper snaps. "Shit, chill out. Sadie and I are bored. We want to go grab some food. You guys in?" "Definitely, I answer for the both of us. ¡°Good. Meet us downstairs in a ten.¡± Ryan leaves my room, shutting the door behind him. "I don''t want to go with them" Harper sighs, snuggling closer to me. "I''d rather stay here with you" "Babe" I kiss her forehead. "We need to get out of here before your parentse home. And I''m starving.¡± My stomach chooses that exact moment to growl. Loudly. Harper giggles. ¡°Guess your stomach just decided it for us" "Yeah. That was kind of embarrassing" I try to shift away from her but she mps down on me, not letting me go. "You''re not going anywhere.¡± She rises up, pressing her mouth to mine before she says, "You can''t be embarrassed around me about anything. We''ve done so much together. We''ve shared so much. I love every piece of you" My heart freaking flips over itself. "I love every piece of you too, baby." Chapter 173 Chapter 173 Harper We all jump in Easton''s Jeep and end up at a restaurant not too far from our house. After we order our food at the counter, Sadie and I make our way over to an empty booth, the guys getting our drinks before theye join us. The moment we''re seated, Sadie leans across the table, her voice lowering to a near whisper. "Your brother is pissing me off" I frown. "What did he do now?" "He got into a couple of colleges, but he hasnt made his decision yet. He got into Chico State, and so did I. That''s literally the only college I got into. The only one I ever wanted to go to.¡± Sadie nces in their direction, making sure they''re not close. "He won''t tell me where he''s going. Did he tell you?" I slowly shake my head. "Ryan and I haven''t really talked about college at all" Which is odd, because Ryan and I usually talk a lot, especially about school, homework, all that stuff. But we''re both so busytely. We spend a lot of time together, but never one on one. ¡°You don''t talk about college with him at all?" Sadie leans back against the booth, her shoulders falling. "I dont know what''s going on with him, and it''s so frustrating.¡± ¡°Why don''t you just ask him?" She drops her head, gazing at the table for a moment before she finally lifts her gaze to mine. ¡°I don''t know. I guess I''m just...scared.¡± I gape at her. Sadie¡¯s not scared of anything. She''s definitely not scared of my stupid brother and all of his antics. Text content ? N?velDrama.Org. "Ohe on.¡± "I''m serious. What if he tells me he doesn''t want to go to college with me? I''d be devastated. And what would that mean for our rtionship?" She thunks the back of her head against the booth once. Twice. "He''s so frustrating.¡± "I''ll say" He''s one of the most frustrating boys I know. Besides my very own boyfriend. "I should talk to him" ¡°You totally should," I agree. ¡°We talked before things got serious between us. He always mentioned he wanted to go to Chico State. That it was his dream school. So...I applied there" "Sadie, please tell me you actually wanted to go there versus just doing it for Ryan" "I partially did it for Ryan, but I also did it because I didn''t know where else to apply. I have no idea what I want to do, or what I want to major in. Why do they expect us to know what we want to do for the rest of our lives when were only eighteen?" Sadie is full blown whining now, and I feel sorry for her. "It''s okay. You''ll figure it out. Chico State is a good school,¡¯ I say, trying tofort her. ¡°You really think so?" I nod. "And if that''s where Ryan wanted to go, I''m sure he''ll stick to that n" The distress is written all over her face. "But what if he says he''s going somewhere else?" ¡°Then you''ll deal with it. I know you guys can make it.¡± They really are a perfect couple together. Sadie bnces my brother out. He''s not as snappy as he used to be. Not nearly as protective either. He''se a long way. We all have. "I don''t know.¡± I hate the doubt in my best friend''s voice. "I can''t imagine doing this without him" "I know what you mean,¡¯ I admit, my voice soft, my thoughts filled with Easton. Everything ising together so perfectly. I got epted to my dream school and so did my boyfriend. Not only that, he¡¯s going to UCLA with me. Life seriously can''t get much better than this. I''m getting everything I could ever want. Feels like there''s a catch somewhere and I''m missing it. Is the bottom going to fall out? What if I can''t afford to go to UCLA? My grades are good. I know I''ll get a few schrships, but will they be enough to make a difference? ¡°What are you two talking about?" Ryan asks as they both approach our table. I send Sadie a meaningful look, hoping she gets what I''m implying. This is the perfect opportunity for her to mention college and if they''re going together. "Oh nothing,¡¯ she answers, oblivious. She grabs the soda Ryan bought for her and she takes a sip. "Just about school" "School? Like...college?" Easton asks. Ooh thank you Easton, I think to myself. He just brought it up for us. Sadie''s eyes go wide, and they''re full of panic. "Yeah, I say. "Sadie''s going to Chico State" "I got into Chico State,¡¯ Ryan says, his focus solely on his phone. I re at him. So does Sadie. "You going there?¡± Easton asks. My brother shrugs. "Maybe" I roll my eyes. Sadie looks like she wants to throttle him. "What are you guys doing here?" All four of our heads swivel in the direction of the familiar voice to find ke standing by our table, a smile on his face. ¡°Eating, dipshit,¡± Ryan says. "You should join us" "Don''t mind if I do" ke slides onto the booth seat, right next to me, and I end up stered to Easton''s side. His body is tense. I''m sure he doesn''t like ke sitting next to me, but he''s totally harmless. "What''s going on tonight, kids?" Sadie giggles, at the kids remark I''m sure. ¡°We''re talking about college. Celebrating Easton and Harper''s big win" "Big win?" ke turns his attention to us. "What is she talking about?" "I got into UCLA!" I announce, the excitement still flowing in my veins. ¡°And so did I,¡¯ Easton adds. "No shit?" ke nces from me to Easton. "Congrats" ¡°You still headed to San Diego State?" I ask. He nods. "Oh for sure. That''s my dream school. Can''t wait to spend all my time at the beach" ¡°That sounds cool. Congrats,¡¯ Ryan says. ¡°Thanks.¡± ke stares into my eyes, his expression serious. "You two going to UCLA together then? I thought Easton would wind up at Stanford" "Change of ns.¡± Easton angles his body in ke''s direction, draping his arm across my shoulders. A public iming, I''m sure. "I''m just following my girl" "That''s great,¡± ke says, his voice weak. "Uh, I''m gonna go grab some food. I''ll be right back.¡± I watch him slide out of the booth, noting his somber attitude. What''s up with that? Chapter 174 Chapter 174 Easton It''s the weekend and my parents are out of town so that calls fora celebration. What exactly we''re celebrating, I''m not sure. But do we need to have a reason to party? I dont think so. I''m dragging a cooler out on the back patio when my first guests show up, all three of them strolling into my back yard. Harper, Sadie and Ryan. ¡°Hope you have lots of booze tonight!" Sadie does a little shimmy, hip checking my girlfriend and nearly sending her toppling over. "Plenty for you Sadie,¡¯ I tell her, extending my arm toward Harper and pulling her to me, delivering a quick kiss to her lips. "Hey beautiful" She smiles, her hand resting on my chest. "I will never get tired of hearing you say that" ¡°Gag.¡± Thises from Ryan, who''s watching us with a scowl on his face. N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. "You two disgust me" "Stop being such a grouch" Sadie lightly ps Ryan''s arm. "You should be happy right now" "Is there a specific reason why he should be happy?" Harper asks, her gaze questioning. "We discussed it a couple of nights ago and...Ryan and I are going to college together!" Sadie throws both arms up in the air, her expression triumphant. ¡°Oh my God!¡± Harper pulls away from me to wrap her best friend up ina hug. "I''m so excited for you!¡± "I''m excited too.¡± Sadie hugs her back. "And so is Ryan. Right Ryan?" "Sure, Ryan says automatically. Hmm. I wonder if that''s true. Soon after they arrive, all sorts of people start to show up. Someone starts ying music and it''s fucking loud. A couple of girls brought giant tters of food from a local Mexican restaurant and everyone starts eating. Harper and Sadie are hanging out, dancing to the music with giant smiles on their faces and I can''t stop staring at my girlfriend. She looks extra hot tonight in those short denim shorts and the tight shirt that shows off her tits. Her hair keeps getting in her face and she keeps batting it away,ughing at whatever Sadie says as she keeps shaking her ass. Harper catches me staring and shes one of those shy smiles that make my dick hard. I take a sip from my beer, my gaze never leaving her even when I feel someone approach. ¡°You really love my sister, don''t you?" I nce over at Ryan who''s standing directly beside him. "More than anything else in this world" He takes a sip from his beer. "I cant believe you gave up Stanford for her" ¡°Not like it was a hardship,¡± I drawl. Ryan rolls his eyes. "Besides, UCLA is an excellent school.¡± "Your parents cool with you changing your n?" ¡°It was never my n. It was always my dad''s. He never asked me once what I wanted to do. He just assumed I would follow in his footsteps. For most of my life, I figured I''d do the same,¡¯ I exin. Ryan takes a step closer to me, his voice lowering. ¡°Tell me the truth¡ªdid you switch it up just for Harper?" It started the end of my junior year¡ªthe realization thatw school didn''t interest me at all. I couldnt imagine spending the next seven or eight years of my life going to college andw school. Ofing to work for my father and eventually take over the business. That sounded like a nightmare. Deep down, I didn''t want to disappoint my father or cause a fight, so I kept my mouth shut. The next thing I know, I''m applying to Stanford with my father sitting right beside me, going on and on about my chances and how I would be a legacy, carrying the family tradition on. I usually do whatever the fuck I want, but for whatever reason, the idea of disappointing my parents about my future choices¡ªspecifically my father ¡ªfreaked me out. "I didn''t choose to go to UCLA only because of your sister,¡± I finally answer, my gaze still on her as she continues to dance with Sadie. ¡°But she helped make the decision easier for me. She gave me the strength to fight for what I want, and stand up to my father. And thank God my parents didn''t give me too much shit over it. Eventually" "You''re so fucking whipped.¡± Ryan tips his head back, draining thest of his beer. "You have no room to talk, considering you''re going to the same college as Sadie,¡¯ I remind him. "She applied to Chico State only because she knew I wanted to go there.¡± Ryan shakes his head. "I love that girl. She''s crazy. But sometimes I don''t think she gives me a choice" I frown. "What do you mean by that?" "I don''t know" Ryan shrugs. "I didn''t choose her. More like she chose me. She set her sights on me and honed in like a woman with a mission" ¡°That might''ve been the case at first, but I can tell you''re happy. You two are good for each other.¡¯ "You really think so?" I nod. "I didn''t think you noticed shit like that.¡± Damn, I normally don''t. Guess Harper''s got me all in my feelings. His attention snags on his girlfriend, who is drinking straight from a tequ bottle. "She''s going to be so fucking drunk.¡± ¡°Better watch it" I turn to look at him. "She''s fine.¡± Ryan makes a dismissive gesture with his hand, like it''s no big deal his girlfriend is already shit faced. "Just make sure she doesn''t throw up in my house.¡± That is thest fucking thing I want to deal with. "I''ll take care of her. Don''t worry.¡± Ryan''s quiet for a moment before he points at our girls. "But you should probably go interrupt that conversation.¡¯ I nce over at Harper to find she''s in an intense conversation with... ke. They''re standing extra close, his head bent as she nces up at him. He could easily reach out and touch her. I clench my hands into fists, the anger rising. Looks like I have to go im my girl. Chapter 175 Chapter 175 Harper We''ve only been partying for a couple of hours, but I am having the best night ever. The booze is flowing, I can feel Easton watch me as I dance, his gaze eating me up. He doesn''te over and talk to me or try to dance with me¡ªthat is definitely not his style¡ªbut I''m still having fun. Teasing him. Trying to turn him on. From the dark look on his face I''ve been seeing all night, I''m pretty sure it''s working. ¡°Your man can''t stop staring at you,¡± Sadie yells, that ever present tequ bottle clutched in her hand. "Your man is staring at you too" My brother is standing right next to Easton, the both of them watching us. The music switches to a slow song and Sadie grabs hold of me like we''re going to slow dance. "What are you doing?" ¡°Loving on my bestie.¡± She gives me a tight squeeze. "Thank you for always being there for me" "Oh my God, Sadie.¡± I hug her close. "You''ve been there for me so much this year. I don''t know how I would''ve survived without you" "Same girl, same" Sadie pulls away, her hands on my shoulders as she contemtes me. "I can''t believe Ryan and I are going to the same college" ¡°Are you happy?" "So happy" She lets go of me to take a long swallow of tequ, grimacing as she wipes the back of her hand across her mouth. "That shit is nasty" "Then why are you drinking it?" "I want to get fucked up" She shrugs. "Why?" Her grin is huge as she sways a little to the right. "You dont want to know what I''ve got nned for your brotherter.¡± ¡°God, no. I really don''t.¡± I shake my head,ughing. "I need to find more tequ" Sadie tips the bottle upside down, only a couple of drops leaking from it onto the ground. "I polished this one off" "Sadie.." I gape at her. She really drank that entire bottle? She''s going to be hurting so bad in the morning. "I''ll be right back. Unless you want toe with?" Sadie sends mea questioning look. "I''ll stay right here. Ask Ryan to go with you," I tell her, my gaze going to Easton to find him deep in conversation with my brother. ¡°Okay! Be right back" She darts off, heading around the pool for Ryan and Easton. Once Sadie distracts Ryan and drags him into the house in search of more tequ, I''ll make my move on Easton. A girl can tolerate her boyfriend staring at her as if she''s the hottest thing alive for only so long before she finally gives in and jumps him. And that''s exactly what I n on doing as soon as Sadie and Ryan are gone. I dont want to hang out outside all night with everyone. I''d rather be alone with Easton. ¡°Hey, Harp" I turn to find ke standing before me, a silly grin on his face. His cheeks are ruddy and his hair is trying to escape his ever present manbun. He''s teetering back and forth, as if he''spletely unstable and from the zed look I see in his eyes, I''m guessing someone is already super drunk. "Hey ke. Text content ? N?velDrama.Org. How are you?" His grin grows. "Fucked up" "It''s still early,¡¯ I point out with a faint smile. "Yet I''m still fucked up.¡± He steps closer, and I catch a whiff of alcohol on him. "Really going to UCLA with Easton, huh?" I nod, taking a step back. He''s so wobbly on his feet I''m afraid he might copse on top of me. "Definitely. UCLA has always been my dream school" ¡°And I''m guessing you''re Easton''s dream girl, so it works out perfect.¡± His smile fades, his expression turning grim. "Lucky son of a bitch" "ke" I rest my hand on his arm briefly. "You''ve been such a good friend to me. But don''t make this weird" "lL cant help it, Harp. I''ve crushed on you for a while¡ª" ¡°Please,¡± I interrupt, needing to keep the moment light. I do not want him to get serious on me. "You never noticed me the first three years of high school.¡± ¡°That''s not true" "Oh, it''s so true. You and Easton would hang out with Ryan all the time and never paid one minute of attention to me. And that''s fine. I was always hiding from you guys anyway,¡¯ I admit, sinking my teeth into my lower lip. His gaze zeroes on my mouth, lingering there. "Well look at you now. The most beautiful girl at school and with the most popr guy in the senior ss as your boyfriend, about to graduate and go to UCLA. You''re a superstar, Harp.¡± He keeps calling me Harp, like we''re the best of friends, even though we are so not. I''ve always liked ke, but we''re not close. Not at all. "I don''t know if I''d call myself a superstar" He shakes his head. "You are to me. A beautiful, bright shiny star that I always want to touch, though I know I shouldn''t,¡± he admits. ¡°ke¡ª" He holds up his hands. "I know, I know. You don''t want to hear it. You''re with Easton. You''re in love with him, even though he treated you like shit for way too long and didn''t deserve you. If you ask me, he still doesn''t deserve you" ¡°Hey.¡± I''m totally offended. He makes a face, though I can tell he¡¯s not sorry for what he said. "You know what I mean. I just wish I had a chance" "A chance for what?" "A chance with you.¡± He leans in, dipping his head, getting closer and closer... Right before he''s ripped away. Chapter 176 Chapter 176 Easton I''m heading towards Harper and ke when I see him lean in, as if that motherfucker is going in for a kiss with my girlfriend. What. The. Fuck. I see red. I break out into a full run, grabbing the back of ke''s shirt as soon as I get close, and yanking him away from Harper. She''s staring at me as if she''s in shock, a horrified expression on her face. ¡°Easton,¡¯ she breathes. I point at her. "Don''t move" I turn on ke whose facing me with a furious expression on his face, his right hand in a fist as if he''s going to throw it at me. "What the fuck, man? Why are you making moves on my girl?" My voice is loud enough that it carries across the pool and beyond, and I realize quick we have an audience. Fuck. "I wasn''t making moves on Harp.¡± ke lurches to the left, nearly copsing and I jump forward, grabbing hold of his arm to keep him from falling. ¡°I just¡ªI''m in a mood" ¡°You''re drunk.¡± "It''s not just that.¡± He shakes his head, his gaze distressed. "Don''t you miss how things used to be?" The music starts back up, a popr rap song ying at top volume and I take a step forward so we can hear each other. "Things change, bro. We grow up. And we can''t stop it from happening either" "I know" ke hangs his head, looking sad as hell. "I just miss how we used to be. When it was just me, you and Ryan and we''d hang out all the time. Get into trouble. Remember when you used to fuck around with Leigh?" I frown, hating that he brought that bitch up. "I don''t want to talk about her" "I know. Yeah, you''re right. I''m sorry. I should''ve never brought this shit up. My bad" He turns, ready to leave but I grab hold of his arm yet again, stopping him. ¡°I miss the good times we had too,¡± I admit, wanting him to know that despite everything, I still care about him. ke was one of my best friends for a long time. I still consider him a friend, but he''s right. Things have changed and we''ve grown up. It will never be the same between any of us again. Especially when he''s trying to make a move on my damn girlfriend. "Do you?" ke''s gaze turns hopeful. "We should hang out more. I''ll be leaving for college soon.¡¯ "So will I¡± I remind him, wrinkling my nose when he sways closer. The dude smells like a liquor cab. "And we won''t be so far from each other either. We should n on hanging out" ¡°We''ll still be a couple of hours away from each other" "That''s close enough.¡± Out of nowhere ke grabs hold of me, pulling me in for a hug. "I''m going to miss you so much, man. You were one of my best friends. I feel bad for everything I''ve done" ¡°What have you done?" I ask, my voice muffled by his shoulder. ¡°You''re a lucky man, having Harper in your life,¡± ke continues. "! don''t want you to hate me" "I don''t hate you" I disentangle myself from his smothering embrace, brushing my hair back into ce. "You gotta stop trying to kiss her. I love you, you''re my friend. But I will kick your ass if youy your hands on her again" ¡°I''m so sorry, bro. Seriously. Forgive me.¡± ke holds his hands up in front of him. "I swear I''ll leave her alone forever. She''s yours. She belongs to you" ¡°You''re damn right,¡± I say, my voice firm. "Just don''t hate me, okay? Please?" He''s pleading, his eyes turning ssy. Fuck. How can I hate this guy? "We''ll talk about thister, okay?" "Okay" ke nods, sniffing loudly. ¡°It''s cool" Harper approaches us, stopping by my side. "Are you guys all right?" "We''re great, Harp. I''m sorry if I''ve been a prick to you,¡± ke says. And with that, he walks away, not quite able to walk in a straight line, stumbling as he heads toward the house. ¡°Damn, that guy is so fucked up,¡¯ I say before turning my attention onto Harper. "Did he actually get his lips on you?" "No" She shakes her head. "And you can''t be mad at him for what he tried" ¡°Who says?" I scowl at her and she throws herself at me, wrapping her arms around my neck and kissing along my jaw. "Me,¡¯ she murmurs, pulling back so she can smile up at me. "I say. Let it go, Easton. ke is so drunk. I think he''s kind of sad too. It''s the end of an era, you know?" I press my forehead against hers, gazing into her eyes. This girl. She''s so smart. Compassionate. I''ve definitely learned a thing or two from her since we''ve been together. "You''re right. And he is so fucking wasted.¡± "So is Sadie.¡¯ She winces. "I''m kind of worried about her. She drank an entire bottle of tequ" Goddamn. "She''ll be okay. Ryan will take care of her" Harper frowns. "He might be wasted too" ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . "They''ll be fine. Don''t worry" I slide my hands down to her butt, giving it a gentle squeeze. "You were a big tease earlier, when you were dancing with Sadie" "Oh, so you did notice" ¡°I couldn''t not notice" I slowly run my hands up and down her ass, ying with the hem of her shorts. "Want to sneak off somewhere? Fuck around for a little while?" "So romantic,¡¯ she croons,ughing when I swat her on the ass. ¡°And such a perv" "You fucking love it,¡¯ I growl, thrusting my hips against hers. She kisses me, her eyes glowing. "I do." Chapter 177 Chapter 177 Harper "Do you need a drink?" I ask Easton. He takes a look at his ss and says, ¡°Wouldn''t mind a refill, babe" He hands me the tumbler. "How about you?" I ask Ryan. He checks his bottle of beer. "Still got a half, I''m good for right now, but do me a favor, check on my girlfriend, I haven''t seen her in like ten minutes or something.¡± Now that I think of it, he''s right. It feels like it''s been a century since Sadie disappeared to the bathroom. ¡°I''m on it," I tell both of them and I carry Easton''s ss into the kitchen, making him another vodka soda and deliver it to him before I go to the downstairs bathroom. There''s a small line outside the door and I ask the person in the front, "Is Sadie in there?" He shrugs and replies, "I think it''s Michael, but I''m kinda too drunk to remember" Sadie isn''t in line. There''s a chance she went upstairs to use Easton''s bathroom. That''s where I''m going to check, but I''m going to get myself a beer first. I go to his dad''s private garage to grab one from his secret stash and open the door, flipping on the light. "Turn off the light,¡¯ I hear someone say the moment I look inside. I immediately notice someone leaning against the wall halfway between the fridge and me. That someone is my best friend. And there''s a guy pinning her to the wall, his lips all over hers, his hands moving up and down her sides. ¡°What the fuck?¡± I shout, my hands instantly shaking, my heart freezing. They stop kissing and look at me. My stomach churns when I see who it is. "ke?" I gasp and look at Sadie. "Sadie, what the hell are you doing with him?" ¡°ke,¡± she slurs and her eyes widen, like she''s just now realizing it''s him. Her hand ttens against his chest and she pushes him away from her. At least she attempts to, but he doesn''t move. "H¡ªhow dare y¡ªyou.¡± She''s a mess. Drunker than I thought. I never should have let her go to the bathroom by herself. But it''s toote. And now ... she''s made out with ke? Oh God. "How d¡ªdare you," she continues and tries to step back, but he''s holding onto her. "I¡ªI. I thought you were R¡ªRyan" "You thought who was Ryan?" my brother says from the doorway directly next to me, his empty hand telling me he''de in here for another beer. He''d just chosen the worst timing ever. At least the scene isn''t as bad as it was a few seconds ago. Still, it''s bad enough. ke''s hands are on Sadie''s waist. Her lipstick is smeared all over ke''s mouth. Tears are spilling down Sadie''s face. "Ryan, she cries, "I didn''t know. I thought it was you .." I look at Ryan just as it all seems to click in his head, his teeth grinding together as he roars, "Sadie, what the fuck am I looking at right now?" I don''t know how to fix this. I dont want to throw my best friend under the bus. I don''t want my brother to kill ke in Easton''s house. I don''t want my brother to feel betrayed because his girlfriend was just making out with his friend. Fuck. "Ryan .." I start. He cuts me off andunches for ke, saying, ¡°I''m going to fucking murder you!" But someonees running up behind Ryan, stopping him by holding him steady, and I quickly realize Easton has joined us and he''s not letting my brother go. ¡°What the fuck is going on?" Easton shouts across the garage. No one says anything. If it wasn''t for Sadie crying, we''d be standing in silence. ¡°Someone better fucking answer me,¡¯ Easton demands. "Let me go!" Ryan shouts, trying to wiggle out of Easton''s grip. "Not until I know what the fuck is happening,¡± Easton replies. N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. "Tell him, Harper!" Ryan deres. "Tell him what you saw because your face is telling me you fucking saw something" But I dont get a chance to say anything because Sadie moves away from ke and closes the distance between her and Ryan. "I felt hands¡ªs on me and¡ªd it was dark¡ªk.¡± She hups. ¡°And then I¡ªlips" Another hup. ¡°And I heard y¡ªyour name and I was sure it was y¡ªyou, Ryan" Ryan looks like he''s about to explode when he says to her, "Did he take advantage of you?" ¡°Come on, man," ke starts. But Ryan cuts him off and says, ¡°Answering the question, Sadie. Did ke take advantage of you?" "I-I" She puts her hand on her forehead, her skin starting to turn pale. "l don''t th¡ªthink so. I''m s¡ªso drunk, Ryan" I know my best friend better than anyone. And I know when she''s reached her alcohol limit and we''re there right now. ¡°She''s going to be sick," I tell everyone, and I move past the boys and grab Sadie''s arm, leading her out of the garage. "Just hold on to me, I''m going to bring you into Easton''s room so you have some privacy" I take most of her weight, carefully guiding her up the stairs into Easton''s room and close the door behind us. I get her into the bathroom and just as I''m grabbing a washcloth to wet, she leans over the toilet and throws up. "Oh God, Harper,¡¯ she cries. I quickly wet the cloth with cool water and hold it against her neck. ¡°It''s okay. You''re going to feel better after this.¡± ¡°Everything is spinning" She purges again and I hold her hair out of her face, rubbing soft circles over her back. "You''re all right,¡± I whisper. ¡°What did I do, Harp?¡± She sobs between retches. "What did I do with ke?" ¡°Don''t worry about that now" "Ryan''s going to hate me.¡± She turns to me, her ck eyeliner running down her cheeks. "Hate, hate, haaaaate me" I take the washcloth off her neck and start to wipe her face. "He won''t" ¡°But he w¡ªwill. You know your brother, he doesnt t¡ªtake any shit" ¡°I''ll talk to him, Sadie.¡± Since it looks like she''s done, I flush the toilet and bring her over to the sink, trying to clean the rest of the makeup off her face. "Don''t worry, I''m going to make this better.¡± "You cant," she sobs. "Loan" I hear the sound of the bedroom door opening, Ryan appearing in the doorway of the bathroom. "Sadie, are you all right?" I don''t want them to fight. I don''t even want them to talk about this now. They''re both way too drunk, nothing will get resolved, and Sadie will only get sicker. "Get out,¡± I tell him. "She needs toy down and rest.¡± "Sadie, answer me, are you all right?" Ryan asks her, ignoring me. "No,¡± she cries, gripping the sink with both hands. "Do I need to take you to the hospital?" I put my hands on my brother''s shoulders and back him up a few feet. ¡°Let me take care of this. Please" His stare hardens. "Harper¡ª" ¡°Listen to me, Ryan. She''s drunk. She''s emotional. She''s been throwing up. You two will talk about this in the morning.¡± I nod toward the door. "Go" "Fine. Fuck.¡± He continues through Easton''s room and shuts the door behind him. That''s when I turn to Sadie and help her out of the bathroom, leading her into Easton''s room and onto his bed. "You just need some sleep,¡¯ I tell her, adjusting the pillow to make her morefortable. I take off her shoes and cover her in a nket. "He h¡ªhates me.¡± Her head shakes from right to left. "Hates" I push the hair out of her face and try to settle her down. "He''s going to break¡ªk up with m¡ªme.¡± I continue to try to soothe her, but I say nothing. Because I don''t want to lie. The truth is, I don''t know how my brother is going to react, because ... This is the first girl he''s ever loved. Chapter 178 Chapter 178 Easton "Is she all right?" I ask Harper as she walks downstairs from my room, where I know she just took Sadie. "I think so" She stops at the bottom step and rests her arms over my shoulders. "She feels like hell and she can''t stop crying about Ryan and how much he''s going to hate her, but she''ll sleep it off and be good to go in the morning" She pulls me closer, giving me a quick kiss. "Don''t worry, I put your trash can next to the bed in case she needs to puke again" I pull her in the rest of the way, breathing in her tropical scent. ¡°Harper, what the fuck was happening in that garage .." "I don''t know,¡¯ she whispers. "I really don''t. I was ... shocked" "Did she know what she was doing?" "No" She leans back, giving me her eyes. "Sadie would never jeopardize her rtionship with Ryan. She''s obsessed with him" She sucks her lip into her mouth, biting it. "But what about ke? Did he know? Was this all on purpose?" I take a minute to really think about her question. "Can we trust that motherfucker? I don''t know.¡± ¡°Where is he?" ¡°On the couch, drinking water,¡¯ I tell her. ¡°And where''s Ryan?" "I sent him outside to the patio. He needs to cool off and get some air.¡± She links her fingers behind my neck. "I''ll go get Ryan, you go sit with ke, and I''ll bring Ryan to you guys. Let''s get this worked out before something¡ªor someone¡ªexplodes.¡± "You mean you want to hash this out now? While they''re both drunk?" She nods. "If we wait until morning or even at school, it''s going to brew, and that''s a storm none of us need right now" She has a point. I give her a quick kiss. "All right, I''m down. See you in two minutes.¡± While Harper heads outside in search of her brother, I go into the family room, finding ke where I''d dumped him on the couch. He''s lying down, a huge bottle of water propped up on his chest. ¡°You good, man?" I ask as I take a seat next to him. He sits up a little. "You know you have twelve pieces of art from here to the kitchen. Twelve, Easton. And two of them have red in them. Is red angry? I think red is angry" Fuck, he''s drunk. I don''t know if that''s a good thing. "Harper is getting Ryan and we''re going to talk this shit out.¡± He looks in both direction, like we''re crossing the street. "Talk? What are we talking about?" "We''re talking about Sadie and why you kissed her.¡± He starts to laugh, his face even turning red. "I kissed Sadie? Nah. Not even possible" "You don''t remember?" He sits up even higher, putting his feet on the ground, which causes him to almost fall over. "I remember some juicy ass lips. ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . Man, those were good lips. I fucking love lips.¡± "You better not be talking about my fucking girlfriend,¡± Ryan says as he joins us. Talk about the worst timing. Fuck me. "He¡¯s hammered, Ryan. I don''t think he remembers a thing.¡± Ryan looks at me, and then at ke. "You don''t remember kissing my girl?" ¡°Kissing your girllll?" ke slurs. Heughs, his head falling back and for a second I think he might fall asleep. ¡°I don''t evennn know what you''re talking aboutttt" Sadie takes a seat next to me and Ryan stands in front of the couch, too mad to nt his ass down. I wait to see if ke''s answer satisfies him. It seems to for a second, no one is saying a word, so I add, "Ryan, he doesn''t even know where he is¡ª and you know I never stick up for the motherfucker, so if I''m saying this, I really mean it.¡± Ryan looks at me, and then at ke. "I need to hear you say it. I need to know you didn''t intentionally try to get with Sadie, and then I can squash this" "Sadie?" keughs. "Why the helllll would I want Sadie?" He takes a drink of his water and misses his lips, most of it spilling on his shirt. "We all know it''s Harper I''m in looooove with" Ryan shakes his head,ughing. Harper puts her hand in mine. And me? I take a deep fucking breath, trying not to punch the dickhead in the face. ke stands. He''s not at all steady on his feet and wobbles back and forth before he finds his footing. ¡°Bathroom,¡± he announces. He takes a few steps and almost stumbles and that''s when he turns around to face our group. His mouth opens and it looks like he''s pondering something. "You know ...¡± He shakes his head, looking down at the floor. "I''m sorry" Iugh at the fool. "What the fuck are you sorry for?" He keeps his head pointed down, but looks up at me, like a puppy who''s just had an ident. "It''s cool .. you know.¡¯ He pauses. "No, never mind" He takes a breath, rocking on his heels. "I''m just fucking sorry.¡± He keeps walking toward the closest bathroom. I turn to Ryan. "When was thest time you saw him this drunk?" "My house, maybe?" he answers. ¡°You know, the night of the Halloween party.¡± Harper squeezes my hand. "One of my favorite nights ever.¡¯ I wink at her. "Mine, too, baby.¡¯ My attention turns back to Ryan. "Do you believe him? Or am I going to have to Uber ke home, so you don''t dissemble his face on my living room floor?" Ryan finally takes a seat next to Harper. "I think we''re good. I want to talk to Sadie in the morning and make sure she¡¯s all right, that there isn''t anything she''s not saying. But ke seems so fucked up, I don''t think that motherfucker had any idea what he was doing" "I agree,¡¯ Harper says. She looks at her brother. ¡°And you know Sadie would never intentionally kiss him. She''s so in love with you" "Easton!" ke shouts from behind me. "Your toilet dances. Has it always done that?" "What?" I ask,ughing, watching him trip his way toward the couch. "It''s dancing?" "Yeah, man.¡± When he takes a seat, he copses. ¡°It kept moving from side to side.¡± "I think you were moving from side to side,¡± Harper says. ¡°Haaaarper,¡¯ ke slurs. "What are you saying? I pissed all over the bathroom on purpose?" The three of themugh while I think of the text I''m going to send our housekeeper in the morning, begging her toe over and clean before my parents get back. "Hey, at least the photo of you pissing everywhere won''t be posted by WHGOSSIP in the morning,¡± Ryan says. "I don''t miss that ount one fucking bit" "And I sure as hell don''t miss her,¡¯ Harper says. "I especially love how quiet she''s been since all that shit hit the fan.¡± ¡°Mmm, ke groans. "Aisha .." I can''t tell if he''s agreeing with Harper or not. But I don''t get the chance to ask him because a few secondster, he''s sound asleep, snoring. Chapter 179 Chapter 179 Harper "You''re right on time, I love it,¡¯ Sadie says when I meet her outside her locker. ¡°Why would I bete?" I ask. "You know, I just figured you and Easton would have a quick sexy session before we went shopping.¡± I laugh. ¡°In the student parking lot?" She shrugs and shuts her locker, the two of us now walking out of school. ¡°Wherever. You guys can never keep your hands off each other.¡± ¡°Same for you and Ryan¡ªbut please don''t talk about it. I still can''t stomach the details.¡± "Girl, I''m just d your brother forgave me for the whole ke thing and he didn''t demolish ke''s face in the process" "That makes two of us. I mean, the party was a st, but cleaning up ke''s blood would have made for a horrific ending.¡± I turn toward her as we reach the parking lot. "I still can''t believe I walked in on you two. It was pretty nuts to see it, Sadie. ke and you¡ªthest thing I ever expected" ¡°I swear it was Ryan. But, honestly, it could have been the president and I was in no shape to even know the difference.¡± I giggle, trying to wipe that image from my head, too, and climb into her car. Once she pulls into the road, I check my wallet to make sure the money is still in the slot where I put it this morning. "I really hope the shop is running some kind of prom sale. I can''t afford to spend a fortune on this dress.¡± "Didn''t Easton give you his credit card to pay for it?" I nce out the window. "Yep" "So, use it.¡± I sigh. "I really dont want to, Sadie. I feel weird about it.¡± "Why?" She speeds up, hauling ass through the yellow light. "I don''t know, I just do. I have my own money to pay for it.¡± "But you also have Easton''s and he wants you to use his card or he wouldn''t have given it to you" I understand that and I thanked Easton endlessly when he handed me his ck card at lunch today. But putting that expense on him feels like too much and not fair to him. "I''ll think about it,¡± I tell her just so we can change the subject. ¡°What color dress are you thinking?" She turns at the next light and begins to slow as we get closer to the store. "I had a dreamst night about a hot pink dress. That''s the color I''m going for. And the hotter, the more sparkly, the sexier, the better" ¡°Ooo,¡± I sing, "That''s going to look so amazing on you" I pause, sighing. "I have no idea what color I want. Probably something a little more simple and ck" She snorts. "Okay .." I turn toward her just as she parks. "What?" Sadie looks at me and rolls her eyes. "We''ll see.¡± She climbs out of the car and I follow her inside the dress shop, watching Sadie go straight for the pink section where I stay back and go for all the dark tones. The first dress Ie across has a price tag of eight hundred dors. Yikes. I only brought four hundred with me. It''s almost all the money I''ve saved over the year that includes from Christmas and my birthday. I flip through a few more, finding a couple that are only a few hundred, one that''s navy, another that''s dark green, and pick up a few more that are all ck. "Having any luck?¡± Sadie asks, joining me, her arms full of pink and sparkles. I show her my arms. "You''re holding a funeral" "Stop it,¡¯ I tell her. ¡°I like dark colors" She looks at one of the price tags. "No, you like the price.¡± Her voice fades out as a sales clerk approaches and offers to start a dressing room for us, taking the pile of dresses from each of our arms. ¡°I need a few more to try,¡¯ I tell her, searching through another rack. ¡°Why don''t you check the purples, that color would look great on you" Text content ? N?velDrama.Org. "Good idea.¡± She disappears and I locate a couple more slip style dresses that I can afford, knowing a cute pair of shoes will make the dress look more formal and I head toward the back of the store where the dressing rooms are located. I strip off my clothes and step into the first gown and I walk out of the dressing room at the same time Sadie is walking in. "No" She shakes her head. "I hate it.¡± I look down at the dress. "Why?" "It''s nd, like squash. No one likes squash, Harp" I turn, so she can see the way my leg is sticking out. "But it has a high slit.¡± She points toward the dressing room. "Still no.Next one.¡± I go back inside and put on the navy one, reaching behind my back to zip myself up. When Ie out, I don''t expect Sadie to be standing outside, but she is. She eyes me up and down. "That''s a big hell no.¡± "Seriously?" Her brows raise. "You seriously think it''s cute?" I shrug. ¡°I think it works.¡± ¡°Girl, nakedness works too, but that doesn''t mean I''m going to let you go like that to prom.¡± She holds up her finger. "Don''t move,¡± she says and disappears. I stand in front of the full-length mirror, observing the dress at every angle. It''s really not that bad. Maybe not as tight as I want. Maybe not as sexy. It definitely doesnt stand out, but does it need to? I have Easton for that. "Here,¡¯ Sadie says, handing me a smoking hot red gown. "Try this one.¡± I eye the stunning material and the low¡ªcut neckline and slit, the intricate beading and the soft, silky material. "No" "No? Why?" Because I know I can''t afford it. "It''s too much, Sadie.¡± "Go try it on right this second and if you put up a fight, I will smack you.¡± "Ugh" I turn and go back into the dressing room, losing the navy dress for the red one, immediately feeling so perfect and how it feels on my body. When I get back outside, Sadie''s mouth drops open. ¡°Holy fuck" She pulls my arm, moving me in front of the mirror. "Can you even right now? Look at how freaking gorgeous you look" She''s right. The dress is stunning. It''s everything I could have ever dreamed of. It fits me perfectly, it''s tight in all the right ces. It''s smooth and buttery on my skin. I nce down at the tag, my eyes almost popping out of my head when I see the price. "Twenty¡ªfive hundred dors?" I gasp. "Are you kidding¡ª" "Easton is buying it.¡± I nce at her to respond. ¡°And don''t even try to fight me on this. I''ve already sent him a text and asked if it was okay and he said yes.¡± "Sadie .." She puts her hands on my shoulders. "Navy and ck and nd dresses are your past. You''re a red girl now. The kind of girl who walks into prom and everyone in the room stops and looks at her" She twirls a piece of my hair. ¡°Let your boyfriend spoil you, he can afford it.¡± Just as she finishes speaking, we hear whispers and in walks Aisha and Julia with dresses in their hands. My stomach churns at the sight of them. "Of course you''re here,¡± I say, looking right at Aisha.She huffs a mouthful of air, like my presence is turning her off."Costing Easton a pretty penny, huh?" Sadie gives her the finger. "You''re just jealous that you have to take Julia as your date.Not even ke wants to be seen with you" Sheughs. ¡°Can''t me him really.If I was him, I''d rather take a freshman, too.¡± "Whatever.We''re not together, he can take whoever he wants" But I can tell she doesnt mean that. She''s clearly upset. I put my hands on my hips, smiling. "It''s too bad WHGOSSIP is shut down. A picture of your face right now would make the most perfect post.¡± "Fuck you, Harper.¡± I smile. "Jealousy is not a good look on you, Aisha" In that moment, the sales clerk walks in to check on us and I point to the dress I''m in and say, ¡°I''m going to take this one." Chapter 180 Chapter 180 Easton. ¡°Harper ...¡± I whisper as I walk over to her as she enters my living room. I can''t fucking get over how she looks in her prom dress. I cant stop gawking at her. I can''t stop touching her. I can''t stop thinking about what the fuck I''m going to do to her the second we''re alone. My hands go to her waist as I take her in again. ¡°My God, you''re so fucking gorgeous.¡± ¡°You like?¡± She smiles and it''s like she''s glowing. Her hair is curled in long waves, her makeup is done perfectly, her lips glossy in the same color as the dress. Every curve of her body looks fucking beautiful. ¡°I don''t like it. I love it." My stare moves down her body and back up, my girlfriend the most stunning girl I''ve ever seen in my life. "And I admit, this is one hell of a surprise.¡± She wouldn''t let me see the dress even though she bought it a few weeks ago, she wouldnt even tell me what color it is, so I did white roses for her corsage and she''d done the same for my boutonniere. But it was worth the wait to see her like this. I wrap the corsage around her wrist and she says, ¡°It''s exquisite, thank you.¡± ¡°It doesn''t evenpare to you.¡± I groan. "Nothingpares to you, stunning girl.¡± She blushes. "I wasn''t sure about the red,¡± she says, twirling so I can view every angle. The dips of her shoulders, her heart-shaped ass, the curves of her waist. N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. "But I couldn''t be happier with it¡± She puts her hands on thepels of my ck suit, pinning the boutonniere to it. ¡°I cant get over how scrumptious you look in this suit.¡± She closes her eyes. "And how goad you smell.¡± Those thick, glossy lips pull into a grin. "God, do I wish you could take me upstairs right now.¡± "I would fucking kill to do that,¡± I growl. "But your dad is giving me that look.¡± I nce up, making eye contact with him as he stands with my parents, talking. ¡°You know, the one that tells me he knows what we''re going to do tonight since it''s already been done under their Christmas tree.¡± ¡°We''ll save the fun for the limo,¡¯ she says, and she brings me over to Ryan and Sadie, so we can start with the pictures. My parents had offered our house for the pre¡ªprom festivities and a bunch of our ss is here. ke brought his freshman date. Aisha and Julia are even here, even though no one invited them. I''m not surprised they came, we all know Aisha has balls bigger than half the senior ss. ¡°I need pictures of just you four,¡± Harper''s mom says, standing in our living room with a camera in her hands. We move into the position she wants us in. ¡°Now closer,¡¯ she adds. I put my arm around Harper''s waist and crowd in next to Sadie who''s practically on top of Ryan. "Say cheese, her mom shouts. I''m giving her my best smile and the shes are going off. Not just from her, but my parents are taking plenty of shots too. ¡°Now just Harper and Easton. Sadie and Ryan will be next.¡± Harper and I are now under the spotlight, standing in front of ourrge firece. Harper''s mom gives us more directions on how to stand and turn, thest pose she wants us facing each other. I look in her eyes and all I want to do is grab her face and pull her against me and kiss the shit out of her. But I can''t. Not with her parents watching. So, I look at her instead, feeling my lips pull into a smile and say so softly, ¡°I fucking love you so much.¡± ¡°And I love you, Easton.¡± ¡°You know I''m the luckiest dude, right? There isn''t a single motherfucker in my house right now who''s luckier than me.¡± She''s grinning sorge. ¡°This is just the beginning for us.¡± She pulls at the sides of my suit jacket. "Now, it''s onto college.¡± I shake my head, thinking of the fall and the fun we''re gaing to have together at UCLA. ¡°I can''t fucking wait.¡± Sheughs. ¡°That makes two of us.¡± ¡°need you both smiling,¡± Harper''s mom says. I pull Harper in a little closer and smile at my girl. It isn''t hard. She''s all I think about. The one thing in my life that makes me the happiest. And when it''s Ryan and Sadie¡¯s turn, I look at my best friend under the spotlight andugh like hell at how he''s posing with her. Once the photoshoot is done, we all go outside and join the rest of the ss who havee. kees over to us with his freshman, his arm around her shoulders, some swagger in his step that tells me he''s had a few cocktails, ¡°Looking good boys,¡¯ he says to me and Ryan. He nods at Sadie, knowing better than to speak a word to her after what went down in my garage. ¡°Harper, damn it, girl, red is your color.¡± ¡°Watch it,¡± I warn. ke puts his hands in the air. ¡°It''s all good man, just speaking the truth.¡± ¡°Everyone get together, we''re going to do one massive pick of all of you,¡¯ one of the parents says. We all move in close together, Harper at my side, Ryan and Sadie next to us, ke and the freshman beside them. I can see Aisha and Julia at the end, Aisha looking miserable as always, probably pissed as hell because ke is here with another chick. Or maybe she''s pissed I''m so in love with Harper. Either way, I stopped giving a fuck a long time ago. ¡°All right, everyone, look at me,¡± the one parent says, holding her camera in the air. "On the count of three, I want everyone to say, ¡®Seniors!" She holds up her fingers, showing the countdown and by the time she reaches three, we all scream, "Seniors!" I wait for the parents to take several shots, and then I look at Harper. ¡°Are you ready to have the best night of your life?¡± She smiles at me, making my dick hard as well. "I can''t wait.¡± Chapter 181 Chapter 181 Harper "I can''t believe it''s prom,¡± I say to Sadie as we stand in front of the sink in Easton''s bathroom, putting on somest¡ªminute touches to our makeup before the limo takes us to the pre¡ªprom dinner. ¡°Neither can I.¡± She adds lip gloss, and then starts fluffing her hair. ¡°I really didn''t think this year was going to turn out this way. I mean, you know I''ve always been in love with your brother. But us ending up together, like we are now, I don¡¯t think I saw thating.¡± ¡°Um, hello, I certainly didn¡¯t see Easton and I together either. To be honest, I didn¡¯t see myself with anyone.¡± And that somehow, I was going to die a virgin. Sigh. ¡°I always saw you with Easton,¡± she says, facing me, waiting for me to turn toward her, which I do. "I remember that little bikini you wore the day of your Halloween party and how all I wanted was for him to notice you.¡± That''s a party I will never forget. A party that changed my whole life in every way. ¡°Except he didn''t,¡± I say, rolling my eyes. ¡°He probably didn¡¯t even know I was at that party .. or that Ryan even had a twin sister." She gently ps my shoulder. ¡°Stop it, he knew exactly who you were and he thought you were hot AF.¡± ¡°Now you''re just lying ...¡± ¡°Harp,¡± she starts, and I know a lecture is on its way. ¡°You''re the most gorgeous person I know. I promise he saw you. I promise he thought about you. And I promise he never made the moves on you because he knew Ryan would disassemble his body¡ª like Dexter style.¡± I smile, because the truth is, it doesn''t matter. He¡¯s mine now. And nothing, not even college, will break us apart. ¡°I hate that you''re always right,¡± I say,ughing. She takes the tube of lip gloss she just put on and starts dabbing the wand against my lips. ¡°Now they''re red hot and glossy.¡± ¡°Easton''s face is going to look like a crime scene the moment I kiss him.¡± She giggles. ¡°That''s the problem with red, but with that dress¡± ¡ªshe leans back, so she can check me out¡ªit¡¯s a must. You''re a freaking knockout, girl. I''ll be surprised if Easton doesn''t kick us out of the limo and try to fuck you in it.¡± I release a long, pent ¡ªup breath, thinking of hot, leathery seats and music ying through the speakers, and that wickedly sexy ck suit he has on.Text content ? N?velDrama.Org. Easton dressed up is now one of my favorite sights ever. ¡°Oh God, I hope he does.¡± She holds out her hand and I grab it. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go downstairs, I think everyone is getting ready to leave.¡± With our fingers linked, I follow her out of Easton''s room and down the staircase where the guys are waiting for us. ¡°Ready?¡± Easton says, his hand on my lower back, his eyes practically devouring me. ¡°Yep.¡± He rubs his lips over my cheek, like he¡¯s inhaling me. ¡°Everyone is outside, so we''ll say good¡ªbye to your parents and then take off. Sound good?¡± I nod, releasing Sadie¡¯s hand to sp my fingers around Easton''s and I follow him into the living room where my parents are chatting with his. The moment we join them, their voices die out, and they all turn toward us. ¡°My little girl, you look so incredibly stunning,¡± my mom says, gazing at me first, and then at our entire group. ¡°All of you do.¡± She holds up her camera. ¡°Onest picture, scrunch together.¡± The four of us wrap our arms around each other and smile, the sh going off several times before we stand straight and resume our normal pose. ¡°You guys be good tonight,¡± my dad says. "No trouble¡ªremember that.¡± He looks at Easton as he speaks. ¡°You have our word,¡± Easton replies. ¡°You have money, your phones, everything you need?¡± Easton¡¯s dad asks. Easton nods and taps his pocket. ¡°We''re all set.¡± ¡°Then, we''ll see you tomorrow,¡± Easton¡¯s mom says, smiling. We give them all hugs and we leave through the front door, our senior ss all starting to get into the limos and cars they''d brought to Easton''s house. ¡°You guys finally ready?¡± ke asks, him and his date are waiting for us by the front door, his impatience clear as day. "Jesus, you took long enough.¡± ¡°It¡¯s my fault,¡± I tell him. ¡°Sadie and I needed lip gloss and to hug my mom.¡± ¡°Whatever.¡± He shrugs. ¡°Let''s go, I need a drink.¡± He shows us the sk he has in his suit pocket. "That makes two of us,¡± Easton says, shing the one he¡¯s packed in his pocket. ¡°Our ride is over there,¡± he adds, pointing to our limo. Easton¡¯s hand lowers down my back as we walk over to the limo. When he reaches the top of my butt, a heat begins to move across my skin. ¡°I want your fucking ass,¡± he growls, just loud enough for me to hear. Goosebumps move across my skin as his lips press against my neck. "You feel so fucking good, Harper.¡± Hispliments never get old. My body responds each time, his words like fire as they move through me. ¡°Limo sex,¡± I whisper. ¡°Mmm.¡± He squeezes my ass. ¡°Fuck yes.¡± We round theer and walk around the back of the limo to the side where the driver is holding the door open for us. But something makes Easton stop and a strange lookes across his face. ¡°What the fuck?" he shouts. I follow his eyes to the rear windshield and that¡¯s when my heart stops. When my stomach churns. When my eyes immediately begin to fill. Words are spray painted across the ss¡ªjust like they were on the lockers and the cars and the bathroom mirror at school. Words that are about me. RED IS THE PERFECT COLOR FOR A WHORE. ¡°I''m going to fucking kill someone,¡± Easton hisses. ¡°Oh God,¡± I sob, my eyes tracing the lines of the letters, my lips quivering as the meaning really begins to sink in. ¡°Harper?¡± Sadie says from a few feet behind us, ¡°what''s wrong?¡± And then she stops directly in back of me, gripping my shoulders as she realizes what we''re looking at. ¡°Oh fuck no! It''s prom, how could they? No! Just no!¡± ¡°Who did this?¡± Ryan seethes. ¡°Who fucking did this to my sister?¡± *Man,¡± ke groans. ¡°This is so fucked up. I''m so sorry, Harper.¡± ¡°I''m going to murder someone at prom!" Easton shouts. ¡°I''m going to fucking wreck whoever did this.¡± Why? FUCKING WHY? I know they''re going to ruin my makeup, but I can''t hold them in. Like Sadie said, it¡¯s prom. It''s ourst celebration before graduation. And now ... this is the memory I''ll hold onto forever. Chapter 182 Chapter 182 Easton ¡°What the fuck!" It¡¯s all I want to say after the limo''s cleaned off and everything is back to normal I mean if you can call having fucking red whore across your limo fucking normal. Harper''s crying and all I want to do isfort her. She stiffens. Oh shit this can''t be good. Suddenly she lifts her head and stares at me, her eyes made of steel. ¡°No.¡± ¡°No?¡± Lask. *No.¡± She shakes her head. ¡°Hell no. This is our night.¡± My girl. This girl. ¡°It''s ours.¡± I want to repeat again that she¡¯s mine but don''t. ¡°Ours.¡± She sits back against the leather of the limo her tears drying. ¡°Ours.¡± She repeats. ¡°Ours. Mine. And I''m gonna make it epic.¡± Meanwhile, she can¡¯t evenprehend how pissed I am, how angry over all of this. It¡¯splete bullshit! I try to keep my voice down and nearly stutter as I try to agree.I grab the sk from my jacket and start chugging, knowing full well that I''ll probably be wasted before the night ends because again. What. The. Fuck. Who the hell does this? Who targets someone as amazing as her? I''m thinking all these things as she reaches across the limo and puts her hand on my thigh. Her nails are all done, so pretty, her dress is fucking gorgeous. All I wanted for this night was perfection. She had such a rough year that it''s the least I can give her. From the limo to the hotel roomter, to just everything... she deserves it¡ªhell, we deserve it, and now it''s all ruined because some dumbass decided that they couldn''t let us be happy. My stomach chums as I take another swig. ¡°Hey.¡± Harper grabs my face with her hands and presses a kiss to my lips. ¡°It''s fine, it''s going to be okay. Honestly, I''m not even that pissed.¡± I snort. ¡°You shouldn''t be used to shit like this.¡± ¡°Oh, ''m not used to it.¡± She shrugs. ¡°But I''m with you. At freaking prom, so forgive me for being happy. We need to ignore it and figure it outter.¡± ¡°And now?" I ask. ¡°Now, we kiss, we hang out, we have fun, we make memories, we exist, just us, Easton.¡± ¡°Just us,¡± I repeat. ¡°Yup.¡± She grins like she¡¯s just solved world hunger, and it kind of feels like it as I exhale a shuddery breath and lean in to kiss her cheek. "You''re amazing,¡± I say. ¡°Truly fucking amazing.¡± m,¡± she agrees. She''s so damn cute. I have this sudden need to bop her on the nose like a lunatic, instead, I just say, "You are. You''ve always been.¡± ¡°Bro...¡± Ryan ps his hands. ¡°Not to like interrupt this weird¡ªass moment but can you at least share the goods?¡± He holds out his hand. I toss him the sk. For real, I forgot he was even in that fucking limo with us. Whoops? Sadie''s furning. But I know it¡¯s not Ryan''s fault, it has everything to do with whoever''s picking on Harper. Sadie''s a good friend, she¡¯d probably give both kidneys if Harper asked, and I love her for it. ¡°Babe...¡± Ryan elbows her. ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . ¡°Drink up.¡± ¡°Who the hell does this? Who has time!¡± Sadie throws up her hands. Here we go. Ryan tries to shove more alcohol in her face, but (can tell¡ªcorrection, everyone can tell, the entire world can tell, that she''s not focused on Ryan or the alcohol but on the fact that we have a jackass amidst the school and that it most likely isn''t Aisha since she¡¯s been fucking exposed. ¡°Let''s not focus on it now,¡± Harper says with a shrug. ¡°We''re all here, together, let¡¯s just party and¡ª¡± ¡°¡ªFuck," I answer out loud, then jerk my head toward Ryan and wince. ¡°Sorry?¡± He groans and pinches his nose. ¡°It''s like you forget how weird it is that you see her naked.¡± ¡°We were born naked,¡± Harper announces. ¡°Together.¡± ¡°That''s seriously not helpful in the least. You actually managed to make it worse!¡± Ryan turns toward Sadie and literally ces his face between her tits forfort. I bark out augh. ¡°Is that the answer to your trauma, bro?¡± His answer is muffled as he mutters, ¡°Tits are always the answer.¡± ¡°True, true.¡± I agree, then turn to Harper. ¡°Does that mean I get some therapy as well?¡± ¡°Do you need it?¡± I nod my head and try to put on a sad face. ¡°I have the sads.¡± ¡°Oh God.¡± Harper rolls her eyes. "Get over here.¡± Is it wrong to do a fist pump as I start kissing down her neck and rest my face between her tits and start licking the valley between them like I''m iming it as my own? ¡°They''re making out, aren''t they?¡± Ryan''s muffled voice sounds. ¡°Shhh, shhh,¡± Sadie says soothingly. ¡°Just stay in there a bit longer, tiger.¡± ¡°So wrong,¡± he grumbles. "So right.¡± I lick then pinch her nipples with my fingers beforeing up for air and iming her mouth. ¡°So, fucking, right.¡± *I can hear you!¡± Ryan announces as the limo stops. For some reason, I¡¯m nervous, maybe because the night has already been amazing, then shit, then amazing again¡ªbut what else could possibly go wrong, I mean, seriously? I kiss Harper again and decide to just be thankful despite the anger still brewing in my soul over someone being such an ass. It''s Harper. If you don''t like her, you''re the problem. My thoughts go to ke, how he¡¯s been acting recently. He wouldn''t, tight? There¡¯s no way he''d go that far, but he was with Aisha a hell of a lot this year, and we already suspected him. But he''d been normal recently. I''m still thinking about it as we get out of the limo and make our way toward the gym. The music is so loud it¡¯s almost hard to think. We hand over our tickets and go inside. The ce has been transformed into Hollywood. It looks pretty fucking incredible, they even have the Hollywood sign disyed for pictures that looks nearly lifelike. Post Malonees on, and I take a deep breath. I''m with Harper. It¡¯s all I want. All need. I hold out my hand and yell. ¡°Let''s dance!" ¡°Lead the way!¡± Sheughs and twirls next to me as we make our way out to the dance floor. I''ll salvage this night if it''s thest thing I do, I think as I twirl her again and then grind against her. Chapter 183 Chapter 183 Harper I know he¡¯s pissed. God knows I was ready to tear someone apart¡ªbut this is prom, it¡¯s our night, our moment, and I''ll murder anyone whoes between Easton and me. I know he¡¯s being protective, and he¡¯s just angry on my behalf, but I need him to focus on the happy because, after this moment, we don''t have a lot of days left at school, and while I can''t wait to go to college and get out of this hell hole, these are still Moments we''ll never have back again. Who knew I''d be at prom with Easton reminiscing over stupid moments? Not this girl. I take a deep breath after we have a few dances, my slinky red dress makes me feel so sexy, and the fact that Easton bought it for me and wanted me to dress like this for him gives me chills, he''s the best, truly. And he deserves to know that. ¡°Terrifying,¡± he whispers in my ear, pulling me back against him. ¡°What is?¡± ¡°That look in your eyes. You plotting someone''s murder?¡± Ilean back against him, loving the way it feels to be held by him as people dance all around us, the music seems to get louder and louder. ¡°You''re safe, don''t worry.¡± ¡°Because I was. Worried, that is.¡± Heughs, his fingertips dance up and down my arms, and it''s funny because I don''t even think he realizes that he''s doing it. Damn, we''re officially in a rtionship. The couple that moves around each other like they''re in orbit. And I love it. I sigh as our principal taps the mic and holds up the cards for prom king and queen. I try not to tense, but I can''t help it. Despite everyone wanting to throttle her, Aisha is most likely going to win. And Easton? Who the hell else would he evenpete with? Ryan? ke? No offense to both of thern, but they would never win over Easton. Which means that he and Aisha get to dance. And I get to watch. Suddenly my night doesn''t seem so magical. I brace myself for the news. Our principal looks so annoyed I almost feel for him as people boo that the music has stopped and that he''s at the mic trying to get everyone''s attention. Maybe if he wasn''t such an ass, he¡¯d have more fans. ¡°He''s the worst,¡± Easton grumbles in my ear. ¡°Hey, wanna go get high?¡± ¡°You''re going to win.¡± I turn in his arms and press a kiss to his neck, his cologne is a mixture of sweet spices that make my knees weak. ¡°So no, we can''t go get high.¡± ¡°You''re killing me.¡± He runs his hands down my bare back sending chills down my spine. ¡°Come on, Harp¡ª" ¡°Harper Quinn!¡± The principal shouts my name. \jump away from Easton. Wait, why is he calling my name? Everyone''s cheering, and Sadie rushes to my side, dancing like a lunatic. What the hell is going on? ¡°YOU WON Sadie shouts. ¡°Get your crown, bitch!¡± ¡°What? I nce at the stage where our principal looks bored out of his mind as he holds up a gorgeous little silver tiara. N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. Wait. That''s mine? ¡°Gol¡± Sadie shoves me while Easton winks. Stunned, I walk to the stage, past everyone pping. Is this really happening? I half expect Aisha to trip me when I walk by her and ke. Instead, she just looks pissed and hurt like I stole something from her, then again, I stole Easton, and now I was putting on what she thought was her crown. I smile to myself. I can''t help it. And when I get on stage, and the crown¡¯s ced on my head, I smile brighter. Because Easton¡¯s name is next, I just know it. So when it¡¯s announced. ¡°Easton Cartwright¡¯ I''m waiting with open arms. The cheesy crown goes on his head. He tums to me. "Ready for our dance?¡± "Is this real?¡± ¡°Come on, Cindere...¡± He winks. ¡°Let''s go make out on the dance floor then party, then fuck, then party again, like in that order.¡± ¡°Wait, I thought we were getting high?¡± ¡°I''m already high.¡± He kisses my forehead. "Because I''ve got my queen by my side.¡± ¡°And I''ve got my king.¡± I smile through stupid tears. He brings me to the middle of the dance floor like every amazing teen movie that has you crying despite the cheesiness. The music picks up, it''s The Weeknd , and it feels more sexy than sweet which I totally love. He spins me around and around. People p. Oh God, it really is like a teen movie, isn''t it? And I''m the star. l almost preen as Easton adjusts my crown only to pull me flush against him. His mouth meets mine amidst cheers, and suddenly the music shifts into Doja Cat, and we''re all grinding and dancing, me with my crown, him with his. lose track of how much time goes by as we dance, but we''re having the time of our lives as we move around the floor. It¡¯s crazy. This is actually crazy. Ryan and Sadie start making out next to us, I keep adjusting my crown since I¡¯ve been moving around in my dress so much. BTS starts ying, and I cling to Easton. Could this be any more perfect? ¡°So...¡± He kisses my cheek, then his lips slide down my neck. "You ready to party?¡± ¡°And get high?" Iugh. ¡°And get fucked,¡± he adds. I gulp. Because yeah, I can just imagine how hot it would be to get fucked with my crown on, his, possibly my heels. ¡°Let''s go!¡± I grab his hand. He bursts outughing as he stumbles after me and calls for Ryan. ¡°Bro, it¡¯s time!¡± ¡°YESI¡¯ Ryan shouts, grabbing Sadie. Within minutes we''re back in the limo drinking out of the sk again and en route to the Four Seasons. l assumed Easton would get a hotel room, I just wasn¡®t sure where or if my parents would be pissed about it, but clearly, it''s all part of the n, especially if Ryan got a room too. I frown. How would he even afford it? I''m about to ask when Easton kisses my forehead. ¡°Hope you''re okay with it, but I got us all a penthouse. I wanted everything to be special.¡± ¡°You''re so getting a blow job tonight.¡± I grab his hand. ¡°Just one?¡± He teases. ¡°Two...¡± U say, then lean in and whisper. ¡°Plus, I''ll let you fuck me in the ¡°¡ªStill sitting pretty close guys!¡¯ Ryan yells. ¡°DON''T give me trauma!¡± ¡°Poor baby.¡± Sadieughs. ¡°You''re just jealous because you haven''t been in my¡ª" ¡°¡ªNOPE!" I yell along with Easton. ¡°Huh, now I know why it¡¯s traumatic, not enough weed in the world to get that out of my head.¡± ¡°We''ll see,¡± Easton adds. And my mouth hurts from smiling so much. It''s perfect. All of it. Even my brother talking about Sadie¡¯s ass. Chapter 184 Chapter 184 Easton The drive to the hotel is half lusting over Harper and half alcohol buzzing through my veins. Sadie and Ryan haven''te up for air in thest few minutes as they make out across from us like we won''t have to go to therapy after listening to the wetness of their mouths sliding against one another along with the moans and what I¡¯m sure is a giant boner Ryan''s sporting since sitting down and pulling her onto hisp. ¡°So this is fun." Harper jokes and then shudders as Ryan moans again. ¡°So fucking fun.¡± Iugh and then pull her against me, kissing the top of her head. God knows I want my girl, I always do, but I don''t need to be all over her right now. l adjust her crown on her head with pride before kissing her cheek again. ¡°You ready to party?¡± She looks up at me. ¡°I think we''ll at least outst those two.¡± Ryan moans. *Son of a bitch, bro!¡± I throw my sk at his feet. "Knock it off, we get it. You''re horny and super drunk, wait until you at least don''t have an audience.¡± ¡°Don''t mind one,¡± he says between kisses. ¡°Sadiieeeeeee.¡± Harper draws out her name. ¡°Fine, fine.¡± Sadie gives Ryan a bit of a shove. ¡°Stop clutching your pearls.¡± ¡°More like puking them up,¡± I mutter under my breath, earning augh from Harper. Ryan sits back and wipes his mouth with his sleeve like he¡¯s been deep diving for ms or something, and Sadie stares across at us. ¡°Is my lipstick messed up?" I frown and lean in toward Harper. ¡°She''s joking, right?¡± ¡°Maybe it''s a trick question?¡± She bounces back. ¡°Or we win a prize if we answer correctly?¡± "She does realize she¡¯s spent thest five minutes getting mauled by my twin... ew, I can''t say it out loud, saying it makes it real.¡± ¡°Was fucking real a few seconds ago, babe.¡± I shudder. ¡°And yes, Sadie...¡± I turn my voice up a notch. ¡°Your makeup is fucked because of that fucker who wants to fuck you. Any questions?¡± She turns to Ryan, who flips me off across the limo. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°No, you''re beautiful, always beautiful.¡± ¡°Right,¡± Harper pipes up, ¡°But you''ve got like...red...¡± She points her finger. "...lipstick, like painted against your chin and right cheek.¡± I nod my head in agreement. ¡°Think less crime scene more... Vampire if that helps?¡± Sadie shoves Ryan and grabs her purse while Harper and I snicker and lean in close. I can¡¯t help but stare at the stars in her eyes and pray to God it¡¯s because we''re together, despite the fucking spray paint and the bullies. Damn it, we may just survive all of this, huh? High school shoulde with both a waming and a passport just to get in so we can burn it when we get out¡ªridiculous. I try not to do that whole trip down memoryne because, quite honestly, it makes me fucking panic over all of the shit that went down... that we went through... and the shit road we had to travel down to get to this point. Would I do it again? Yeah, and that''s what''s terrifying. Because a year ago, I would have said I wanted an easy senior year, no drama, a lot of sex, hanging out with my boys. But now? I have my queen by my side. She''s wearing the crown she deserves after going to hell and back, and honestly, I''d travel that road a billion times as long it means I get to be by her side. SIMP. My brain screams. ¡°Yup,¡± my heart screams right back as it flips my brain off. Sue me. We allugh and drink as the limo takes us to the hotel and drops us off. I told her dad I''d be respectful, knowing full well he knew what was about to go down tonight, when he pulled me aside and started getting that awkward ¡®do we need alcohol for this conversation¡± look in his eyes. ¡°Yeah, so...prom.¡± He rocks back on his heels. *Yup.¡± I rock back on mine, mimicking his movements. I shove my hands into my pockets. He does the same. A.crow flies overhead searching for my dead body¡ªokay, not really, but I half expect him to pull a gun and say pistols at dawn, all right? He suddenly announces, ¡°I too went to prom.¡± ¡°Wow. I didn¡¯t know they had prom back then.¡± Iugh at my own joke. He doesn''t. So far, I''m losing. ¡°Lots of partying,¡± he adds in. ¡°Sir, lll keep her safe. I love your daughter and¡ª¡± ¡°¡ªget her fucking pregnant, and I will find you. I can tell you I don''t have money. But what I do have are a very particr set of skills, skills I have acquired over a very long career, skills that make me a nightmare for people like you¡ª" *¡ªAre you quoting Taken?¡± ¡°Seemed appropriate.¡± I hold out my hand to shake his. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s fair.¡± He shakes it and sighs. ¡°Great movie though.¡± ¡°Fantastic movie.¡± He hangs his head and swallows like it almost hurts to speak or breathe. ¡°She''s my baby girl, Easton.¡± He tums to me. ¡°But I trust you.¡± l almost break. His words mean so much. I nod my head because it is all I can do, and then he ruins the moment by handing me a small package all wrapped up in weird as hell birthday paper. N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. ¡°Ummmm.¡± I take it. "What''s this?¡± ¡°Didn''t want the wife to suspect anything.¡± She legit walks around theer. ¡°The limo¡¯s here!¡± ¡°Perfect!¡± Harper''s dad says, a bit too loud. ¡°Oh, honey.¡± She frowns and stares at the Marvel birthday package in my hand. ¡°Is it your birthday¡± Yeah, because a grown¡ªass man would totally wrap a birthday present in Iron Man, well okay, maybe... I wouldn''t be opposed to that. ¡°Just a present for his¡ª¡± *¡ªNephew.¡± I nod. ¡°Your husband''s just so giving...¡± ¡°Aw, sweetie!¡± She kisses his cheek and leaves while I give hima what the fuck look. ¡°Just...¡± He turns bright red. ¡°I don¡¯t want to think about it, just...be safe.¡± Hourster, I almost called my mom¡¯s therapist. He''d given us condoms. CONDOMS! And he''d given me the medium-sized that rat bastard! At first, I was weirded out, then I realize that asshole of an awesome father was just ying mind tricks, he knows we''ll have sex, and he knows it was gonna happen but wanted to basically be like, I''m the bigger dick, just try to fight me. Until all of the bullshit with the red paint¡ªit might have been one of the funniest moments of my life. ¡°Why are youughing?¡± Harper nudges me as we get out of the limo, and I return to the present with my thoughts. ¡°I just...¡± L grin. ¡°Fucking love Iron Man, you know?¡± Same, bro, same.¡± Ryan nods seriously while both girls look at us like we''re crazy. Anm. Crazy. Insane. Mad. For her. Chapter 185 Chapter 185 Harper I''m nervous as I adjust my crown and try not to think about what tonight means. We''ve had sex so many times I''ve lost count, yet tonight feels like the first time. Maybe because it''s prom or maybe because a year ago, I had to watch both my brother and Easton take off with random dates (we hate Aisha) and not get back until early moming the next day. Easton stayed with us. His lips had been swollen, and his eyes were tired like he''d been up all night partying, but he seemed happy as if prom was the best night of his life. Isn''t that how it''s supposed to be? I sat across from him, sipping my coffee,pletely invisible. I hadn''t gone to prom because the date I wanted already had someone, so I ate junk food all night, felt sorry for myself, painted my toenails twice, cried while watching roms on Netflix, and then had to see the results of what was the most perfect night ever right in front of me. Ryan had been pretty tight-lipped, but I can only imagine what happened between the two of them and their dates. Will tonight be better or different now that Sadie has Ryan and Easton has me? I want to believe it will be beyond epic, but my nerves are getting the best of me. Once we are in the hotel suite, I kick off my heels and lie back against the bed, spreading my arms wide. Sadie bounces next to me on the bed. "Time to party!¡± ¡°Time to party!¡± Ryan shouts a bit too loud, making me smile. Before I know what is happening, the four of us are ordering room service,pliments of Easton''s dad''s credit card, watching sappy movies, drinking way too much champagne, andughing hysterically over things that in the moming probably won''t even be funny. Easton pulls me against him on the couch, our legs tangle between each other. He kisses the top of my head and whispers, ¡°Best prom ever.¡± ¡°You mean other than the whore business on the limo?¡± I joked. He lets out a groan. "Don''t ever remind me. Ever.¡± "Too soon.¡± I nod, my gut clenching. ¡°It will always be too soon.¡± His arm braces my body in a protective way that says he''s going to stand in front of the line of fire no matter what faces us. love him for it. Ijust love him. Suddenly I want Ryan and Sadie the hell out of our room so I can show him exactly how much I love him and do it in a way that makes sure he never thinks about another girl again. Ever. ¡°Time to go!¡± I jump up. Everyone looks at me like I''ve gone crazy. ¡°You.¡± I kick Ryan with my foot. He''s on the floor with Sadiezily draped around him. ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . ¡°Go to your room.¡± ¡°Why are you suddenly channeling mom?¡¯ Ryan sits up. ¡°And why is it so fucking scary?¡± lroll my eyes and point. "Go." ¡°Your future, man...observe, Ryan says to Easton as he gets to his feet and puts his hand out for Sadie. ¡°Mydy.¡¯ ¡°Could you be any slower?" I say through clenched teeth. ¡°Could your ass be any tighter?¡± Ryan winks and then does this whole high five we''re bros thing with Easton before moving at the speed of a sloth toward the door with Sadie clinging to him. I swear he''s doing it on purpose. ¡°Oh look, my shoe, it''s untied,¡± he says. ¡°Tie that shoe, and I''m shoving it down your throat!¡± I threaten. Sadie takes pity on me, and with a smile and a generous grip on my poor brother''s ass, she whispers something in his ear, and suddenly he''s picking her up, and we''re alone. ¡°Huh, should have just used her instead,¡± I say to myself. Easton gets up and wraps his arms around me, his body''s so warm, so right. ¡°Is there a reason you kicked out your best friend and brother?¡± "I wanted to be alone with you.¡± I pout and then confess way faster than I hoped to. ¡°And I''m nervous, okay? Likest year you were here with Aisha, and this year things have been crazy, and I just want to forget the limo thing and have the perfect night, and I can''t have the perfect night with my brother breathing down my neck and¡ª" He spins me in his arms and kisses me. It''s the perfect kiss too. Not too much tongue. Not too much force. Just... perfection. I moan into his mouth and cling to the sides of his face keeping him captive as he spins me around and lightly pushes me back onto the bed. I''m still wearing my dress, but I''m barefoot. The slits on the dress allow me to wrap my legs around his waist and pull him dangerously close to where I want him. Easton''s already tugging at his tie and tossing it, nextes the vest, and then he starts this sexy hypnotic dance of unbuttoning his cuffs and shrugging out of his tight button¡ªdown shirt. I''m surprised it didn''t rip during dancing. I''m also surprised I didn''t rip it off while we were dancing because, damn this boy is hot. "Like what you see?" He grins. I grab the discarded tie on the bed and wrap it around his neck, then pull him in for a kiss, keeping him captive, whispering against his neck as I roll against his dick. ¡°Like what you feel?¡± He groans. ¡°Totally unfair.¡± ¡°All''s fair in love and war. ¡°know we''re in love but are we at war too?¡± he asks. "I do like to fight..." is all I say before he growls and flips me onto my stomach, then starts lifting my dress. ¡°How attached are you?" he asks, voice husky. ¡°To what?¡¯ I look over my shoulder. His eyes are locked in on my ass and the fact that I''m wearing the tiniest thong in the history of thongs. ¡°Your dress.¡± "Not very, I mean you bought it for me so it''s special but¡ª" He starts ripping. I gape at him as it rips up my back until it''s basically half a dress, and he''s half¡ªstarved. His eyes are wild as he licks his lips and starts nting kisses up the back of my thighs. His hands dig into my ass as his face presses against the small of my back, sending shivers up and down my spine. ¡°lused to make fun of guys who felt like this...who felt like they''d miss their girl even if they''d never met them, he whispers, rubbing his hands up and down my body before gripping my ass again. "Now I know the truth.¡± lhesitate, then whisper, "What''s the truth?¡± ¡°I missed you even when I knew you. I was missing you every day, all the time, and now that I have you. I just want to fucking worship you.¡± A tear escapes before I can stop it. Easton leans his body over mine and kisses my neck, then swipes at the tear and says, ¡°You''ll never be anyone else''s.¡± "I know. You''re mine Easton. You''re mine forever.¡± I lean over my shoulder to kiss him, then flip onto my back and pull him close as our mouths collide. Chapter 186 Chapter 186 Easton I want to fucking devour this girl. I want thest words on her tongue to be my name, and I want her screaming so hard she''s hoarse. She reaches up and pulls my head down again, I''m so fucking lost I wonder if I''ll ever find air again as our tongues tangle and twist like we haven''t been making out and fucking for thest few months. This is it though. Last year was filled with so much drama, shit sex, and mistakes I never want to repeat, which just makes this year that much more special. I have my girl, no my woman, because damn those curves, she is a motherfucking woman. She arches up to greet me. My dick is all like, hey girl, hey there. But my heart wants everything to slow down. Nowes the moment beyond the crown, beyond prom, beyond everything as I shakily pull back from her and stand. She frowns. ¡°What''s wrong?¡± More like, what''s right. I fumble like a total idiot as I reach into the pocket of my almost kicked off ck pants and hold out the Tiffany''s box. Harper''s eyes widen. "Um, I''m not ready for¡ª" ¡°Like I would propose during prom.¡± Iugh and want to kiss her even harder for the panicked look in her eyes that also tells me if it was a ring, she''d say yes. ¡°I''m fancier than that.¡± She bites down on her lower lip as it trembles. ¡°So what is this?¡± ¡°A promise,¡¯ I say, obsessed with the way her eyes well up with tears, tears for me, tears for us, probably tears over the shit year we''ve had to go through in order to get to this moment. "To love you forever despite all the cunts that want to keep us apart. To be the person you rely on, you love, you fight with, and sometimes fuck when you want to fight.¡± I add in for good measure. "To be yours the way you''ve been mine when I was too stupid to even realize what was right in front of me.¡± I open the box. She gasps. hold out the small bracelet¡ªon the inside, it says my mystery girl forever, my love. I show it to her. The minute it''s on her wrist, I''m getting pinned onto the bed, clothes go flying, I don''t even know my own name as she rakes her nails down my chest like she wants to fucking mark me. let out a yell when her nails dig into my pants in an effort to jerk them the rest of the way down. We nearly hit our heads together as she finally gets the rest of my clothes off. And then she''s grabbing my cock and riding me. I''m in heaven. Complete bliss mode as she grabs my hands and puts them on her tits, her body moves back and forth, and I''m drugged, so fucking drugged the building could burn around us, and I''d still be like, oh look, a fire, that''s weird. She''s fucking aggressive, her hips mming against mine, my head actually hits the back of the headboard, and I''m so turned on I want to throw her against the wall and ugly fuck like the type of fucking where you know there may be bruising, but you don''t give a shit because it''s passion and love all tied up into one perfect moment. Her lips part. N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. I want tost. I truly do. I want to be that guy who just flips her over and goes for hours, but I can''t, not when I see the bracelet on her wrist, not when I see the bliss on her face, and not when I feel the perfection of being inside her. ¡°Harper, I whisper her name, and I''m done, so done that I just let her ride me out until she screams out Easton. And It smile. That''s my name. My name bitches. Mine. Just like she''s mine. How did I get so lucky? I keep thinking of these things as we get up the next day and stumble around the room. I take onest drag of the champagne that''s been open all night and wince. ¡°Could have just grabbed water.¡± Sheughs. "This just hits different,¡¯ I rasp. ¡°Plus, we''re celebrating, right?¡± She holds out her wrist and giggles. ¡°Right.¡± An hourter, we''re all at Denny''s eating a shit ton of eggs, bacon, pancakes, and attempting to rally after a long night of partying. Quite honestly, after we had sex me and Harper stayed up, we talked, we watched another movie, and thest thing I remember was her falling asleep in my arms. It was perfect. She''s perfect. It almost scares me thinking about how I could have missed her or missed what we have now. l reach across the booth and squeeze her hand. She looks down then up at me. ¡°You okay?¡± ¡°More than okay.¡± I lean in for a kiss and pull back with a scowl when Aisha and ke walk in and grab a booth right next to us. "Seriously, even after all of the shit that went down?¡± ke doesn''t make eye contact, but Aisha? She fucking puts her hand around his waist and basically owns him as they sit in the booth and order. "Suspicious, Ryan says in a hushed whisper. ¡°Why would he even still be with her? Especially after he took that other chick to promst night.¡± "Maybe she has something on him?" Sadie offers up. Harper frowns. "I thought... sorry, I don''t know what I thought, but like didn''t he say he was done with her? For real done?¡± "Yeah," I say. ¡°Same.¡± Aisha looks over her shoulder and winks, then wraps an arm around an ufortable looking ke all before she grabs a sip of water and leans in. He pales. And then looks like he''s ready to throw something as he looks over at us and waves, then gets back to chatting it up with enemy number one. ¡°Something''s off.¡± I frown. "Very off.¡± And as much as I want to say it''s all Aisha, there''s something about the way ke is sitting next to her, almost like she has him, that has me wondering what the hell he¡¯s done to make her own him like a bitch. Chapter 187 Chapter 187 Harper ¡°Oh my God, I don''t want to be here¡± Sadie groans, leaning her head on my shoulder. I pat the top of her head. ¡°Only a couple more weeks, and then it''s over forever.¡± ¡°No more high school,¡± Ryan adds as he joins us. We''re standing in front of our lockers, waiting for the bell to ring to start our day. One of ourst days of high school. This moment is totally surreal. ¡°It just feels so pointless, going to ss. We''re graduating in mere days. Why do we even have to be here?" Sadie goes to stand beside Ryan, sliding her arms around him and resting her head on his chest. "I have a suggestion¡ªlet''s ditch.¡± ¡°We can''t ditch, Ryan says, kissing her hair. "If they catch us, no grad trip for us.¡± ¡°And you''re not missing out on that,¡± I warn her. ¡°I cant go to Disnend without you. Who will go on the Peter Pan ride with me?¡± ¡°I''m your Tinkerbell.¡± Sadie smiles, pressing her lips against Ryan''s chest before she lets him go and takes a step back to stand next to me, bumping her shoulder against mine. ¡°It''s going to be so epic.¡± "What''s going to be epic?" Easton asks,ing right in between us and sliding his arms around mine and Sadie¡¯s shoulders. It warms my heart that my boyfriend is so good to my best friend. Yes, sometimes they have their moments but for the most part, they get along. And I love it. "Senior grad night,¡± Sadie tells Easton. ¡°Disnend, here wee.¡± ¡°Only a few more days,¡± I sing song, extra excited. ¡°You told him, right?¡± Sadie asks, ncing over at Easton. His brows draw together as he turns to me. "Told me what?¡± ¡°We''ve...never been to Disnend before,¡¯ I admit. Text content ? N?velDrama.Org. Easton nces over at Ryan. "For real?¡± Ryan nods. "For real.¡± ¡°Your parents never took you guys to Disnend ever? Not even when you were little kids?" Easton''s voice goes low as he nuzzles my hair. I shake my head. "They never really had the money. It''s expensive." The sympathy in Easton''s gaze is unwanted, but I do love how he kisses me and whispers, "We''re going to have the best time.¡± ¡°I can''t wait to take you on my favorite ride!¡± Sadie squeals as she slips from under Easton''s arm and goes back to my brother, gripping the front of his T-shirt. ¡°Pirates of the Caribbean is so much fun.¡± ¡°My favorite is Space Mountain,¡¯ Easton says. "Oh and the Haunted Mansion.¡± Sadie makes a dismissive noise. ¡°That ride always breaks down." ¡°It¡¯s still cool, though.¡± Easton tucks me into his body, pressing his mouth on my forehead. "It was my favorite when I was a kid.¡± My heart squeezes. I love thinking about little Easton. He must''ve been the absolute cutest. "Aw." ¡°We are going to have so much fun,¡± Sadie says. ¡°I can''t wait.¡± ¡°What are you guys talking about?¡± ke appears, ncing around at each of us. Easton goes tense beside me. ¡°Senior grad trip, Ryan answers for us. ¡°Duuuude, I can''t wait.¡± ke grins, rubbing his hands together. There are a few mumbled ¡°yeahs¡±, but otherwise we''re silent. It''s still a little awkward between us and ke, especially with Sadie. That kiss in the garage at Easton''s party still lingers over her head, though she ys it off for the most part. I don''t think it bothers Ryan nearly as much as it bugs Sadie. Meaning miracles can and do happen. "How''s the freshman?" Easton asks ke. "She''s doin all right. Too bad she can''te to grad night¡¯ ke drawls. ¡°You''re still seeing her?" I ask. "Oh yeah.¡± ke nods. "We just hung outst night.¡± "Dude, she''s like...fifteen,¡± Ryan protests. "You can''t get any action with someone like that.¡¯ "You''d be surprised,¡± ke says mysteriously. ¡°Gross,¡± I mutter under my breath, making Easton chuckle. ¡°Hey so I just found out I''m leaving for San Diego early,¡¯ ke announces, looking around at us. Even Sadie, who immediately looks away. "Why?" I ask. "I got a job down there at a hotel right on the water.¡± ke grins, scratching the back of his head so his manbun bounces up and down. ¡°I''ll be banging beach babes all summer long.¡± ¡°Lucky,¡± Ryan says, earning a p on the stomach from Sadie. ¡°Ow, baby.¡± ¡°Wrong thing to say, baby,¡± Sadie throws back at him. The bell rings, breaking up the tension. Thank God. "I''ll walk you to ss,¡¯ Easton says as he steers me down the hallway and away from our friends. ¡°What do you think of ke''s new job?" I ask, my voice casual. I cant help but wonder if my boyfriend thinks ke is lucky too since he''s going to be surrounded by bangable beach babes all summer. Can''t believe Ryan said that in front of Sadie. He''s going to catch hell for that remark. ¡°I''m sure he''ll be great at it. He knows how toy on the charm. That''ll earn him a lot of tips,¡± Easton says. That isn''t what I was referring to. ¡°What about the babes part?¡± ¡°What about them?" He nces down at me. "He''s going to be having the time of his life, single and free while working at a hotel on the beach.¡± I pause for a moment. ¡°Some guys might like that.¡± ¡°I''m not just some guy, Harper. And I don''t want to work on the beach this summer.¡¯ He pauses right in front of my ssroom doorway and we turn to face each other. "I want to be with you.¡± ¡°Well, you''re stuck with me whether you like it or not,¡± I say lightly, the tension easing within me. ¡°I''m not stuck with you, Harper. I''m in love with you.¡± His gaze is serious as he studies my face. ¡°Big difference.¡± My heartis so light, I feel like it¡¯s going to pop out of my chest and float to the heavens. Even after everything we''ve been through, I still get worried sometimes that I might not be enough. That he might be tempted to go somewhere else. But here he still is, always by my side. Smiling at me. Leaning in for a kiss. Like he is right now. "No PDA in the hallway!" someone from administration squawks as they walk by us. A new person who came in to rece Mrs. Scott. Ugh. So d she''s gone. "Uh oh,¡¯ Easton says as we spring away from each other,ughing. ¡°You better get to ss,¡± he tells me. "You too.¡± "I love you, he mouths at me. "I love you too,¡± I whisper back, earning a smile that makes my heart ache in the best way. love this man so much. And I can''t wait to start the next chapter in our lives. Feels like forever until we get there. Chapter 188 Chapter 188 Easton The ride to Disnend is long, a little over four hours, but at least the high school rented plush buses for us to travel in. Harper and I sit together, with Ryan and Sadie in front of us, and the girls have kept up their conversation ever since we left campus, Sadie going on and on about her favorite rides and snacks at the park. "and we have to get the Dole Whip, Ryan. It''s so good. I know you don''t like pineapple, but you must try it.¡± Sadie nudges Ryan in the tubs, and he grunts in reply. I nce over at Harper, noting how her gaze is at half¡ªmast. My girl looks sleepy and I reach out, briefly settling my hand on her thigh. N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. ¡°Tired?¡± She nods, her eyes falling closed for a moment. ¡°Maybe I should nap before we get there.¡± ¡°You can use my shoulder as a pillow, I suggest, because I''ve be that guy. The one who''s sopletely into his girl, he''d do anything to make her happy. Harper''s eyes pop open and she smiles. ¡°I''d love that.¡± ¡°Harp, are you seriously going to take a nap right now? I was just going to tell you about Ssh Mountain.¡± Sadie turns in her seat, rising up onto her knees so she can look directly at us as she grips her headrest with both hands. ¡°Ryan''s no fun. He''s only talking to me in grunts, like I''m an annoyance to him. And now you''re about to fall asleep too. What is wrong with you people?" ¡°Let them sleep so they can actually enjoy Disnendter; I tell Sadie, wishing she''d calm down. I like Harper''s best friend, but sometimes she''s way too hype. ¡°We''re in for a long night, Harper says as she rests her head on my shoulder. ¡°I need rest.¡± "So do I, Ryan says from his seat in front of me. Sadie purses her lips into a pout. ¡°I''m too excited to sleep.¡± ¡°Try. Ryan grabs Sadie''s hand and tugs, causing her to tumble into hisp with a giggle. He gives her a deep kiss before pushing her out of hisp and back into her seat. "Close your eyes, baby. Rx for a minute.¡± If she could rx for as many minutes as possible, I definitely wouldn''t protest. Leaning in, I press my lips to Harper''s temple, breathing in her sweet, tropical scent. "You should definitely try to take a nap. We''re going to be up all night long.¡± ¡°I can''t wait to see everything. Like, I don''t even know what ride to get on first¡° ¡°I''ll help you,¡¯ Sadie calls from seat. ¡®I''ve got your back, bestie.¡± "I know you do bestie,¡± Harper says to her before she returns to our conversation. ¡°But yeah, I''m so tired. I''ve been anxious all day, excited about the trip.¡± ¡°It''s going to be fun.¡± I grab her hand, intecing our fingers. "I haven''t been there in years.¡± "Right." She''s quiet for a moment, her fingers curling around mine, and I wish I knew what was going on in that pretty head of hers. "Thesest few weeks have been so wild.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± "Getting into my dream college. The party and the whole ke and Sadie thing at your house¡ª" "I heard that,¡± Sadie interrupts. Harper''sughter is soft. ¡°Sorry friend.¡± I squeeze her hand. ¡°Continue.¡± ¡°Prom night. My dress and how much you loved it. Winning prom king and queen with you. Knowing that you''reing to UCLA with me. That we have a future together¡± She lifts her head from my shoulder. "I feel on top of the world.¡± That''s all she says, and I sense there''s a ¡°but¡± following her statement. Yet she remains quiet. ¡°Harper, I urge. ¡°If you''re feeling unsure about any of this, about me, just know you''ve got nothing to worry about. You''ve got me on lock. You couldn''t shake me if you tried.¡± She turns her head to look at me, her eyes glowing, though I spot the tiniest hint of worry clouding them. "I know. I don''t worry about you. Or us. I just...¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°The spray paint. The message that night on the limo,¡¯ she admits, biting her lower lip. I really hate it when she does that. Only because I want to bite that plump lip myself. "We don''t know who did it. Who wrote that.¡° Anger makes my blood simmer and I try my best not to get too worked up. "When I find out who did, there''s going to be hell to pay. Mark my words.¡± "Oh, I know,¡± she says on a sigh. ¡°But what if we never find out who did it. Or why. What then?¡± I frown. ¡°You told me you weren''t going to worry about it.¡± ¡°I wasn''t, not that night. I didn''t want to let some petty, stupid message make me feel like shit on what turned into the best night of my life. But now I''m curious. Who is doing this? And why? What do they care about me and what I''m doing? I have no known enemies.¡± ¡°Except Aisha,¡± I remind her. ¡°Except Aisha,¡¯ she repeats, slowly shaking her head, her gaze going to the window to study the scenery passing by. ¡°She didn''t do this.¡± "You don''t know that for sure¡ª" ¡°No.¡± She whips her head around, her gaze finding mine. "I''m positive it wasn''t her. Not after what happened and how we exposed her. She''s been keeping to herself ever since, Easton. And yes, while she was there at your house the night of prom, I still don''t think she''s the one who left the message. It''s got to be someone else.¡± Idon''t agree with her, but I''m not about to argue. Not on the bus while headed to Disnend. Talk about making everything worse. "Okay. So who is it?¡± ¡°I don''t know, she admits, catching her lower lip between her teeth. "But I''m hoping we figure it out. Soon¡± Chapter 189 Chapter 189 Easton We''re exiting the bus in one of the giant Disnend parking lots when Ryan grabs hold of my arm and pulls me aside. ¡°I brought something,¡¯ he says, holding up his backpack. ¡°Like what?¡± Knowing him, he packed some extra good snacks, which we''re allowed to have so it''s no big deal. Don''t know why he didn''t bust them out while we were still on the bus, but whatever. ¡°This.¡± He unzips the top of his backpack, opening it up and revealing what''s inside. At first I see nothing, but then my eyes adjust to the light and it bes super obvious. The dumbass I brought a small baggie of fuckin¡¯ weed. ¡°Seriously?¡± I push his backpack closed and shove it into his chest. ¡°They catch us with that, we''re done for. No walking at graduation. No nothing. Your parents will kill you.¡± And mine will kill me. Definitely not worth the risk. Ryan clutches his backpack to him, rolling his eyes. "Give me a break. We can smoke out behind the bus, just pass the joint between us for a few puffs. No biggie. It''ll be epic.¡± ¡°You have joints in there too?¡± How much weed did the guy bring with him? Ryan nods, looking real pleased with himself. ¡°Let''s get the girls and go around to the other side of the bus before they start looking for us.¡± They''re still unloading the buses, and it''s going to be a while until everything is under semi¡ªcontrol and they can corral us to the park. So like a dumbass, I fall into line and follow Ryan everywhere he goes. And I''m not a follower. I never have been. But I wouldn''t mind a couple of hits off that joint to mellow me out. I''ve been amped up ever since Harper and I had that conversation about who could be the one who''s spray painting shitty messages about my girl everywhere we are. It really could be anyone. I know she doesn''t believe it''s Aisha, but I think she''s wrong. That bitch doesn''t give a shit about anyone but herself. It gives her some sort of sick thrill, bashing Harper anonymously. What the fuck ever. Ryan grabs Sadie and Harper and we go to the far side of the bus, away from everyone. We form a tight circle facing inward, no one able to see what the hell we''re doing as Ryan brings out a joint and a lighter and sparks one up. "Going vintage today,¡¯ he says before he brings it to his lip and takes a deep drag, holding the smoke in his lungs before he lets it out. "Nice." ¡°Hand it over, I say, ncing over my shoulder to make sure no one''s nearby. ¡°I can''t believe you guys!" Harper squeaks, her eyes wide with panic. ¡°We could get into huge trouble.¡± ¡°Keep your voice down and we won''t,¡± Ryan chastises. I take a couple of hits, then pass the joint to Sadie, who puts the joint between her lips and takes a pull off of it. She doesn''t say a word. Doesn''tin or act shocked by the joint''s appearance, which tells me Ryan let her in on that little bit of info. And no one told Harper. ¡°You want some?¡± Sadie asks her when she¡¯s done, holding the joint out toward her. Harper slowly shakes her head, her gaze going to mine. ¡°I shouldn''t.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± I shrug. ¡°What if we get caught?¡± ¡°You''re wasting precious time, Harp.¡± Ryan''s voice is full of irritation. ¡°Either take a hit or hand it over.¡± She takes a small hit, making Sadieugh. ¡°You go girl!" We pass it around a couple of times, Sadie bringing a giant bottle of body spray out of her bag and spraying it everywhere once we''re done. Ryan and I start coughing and we jog away from the girls,ughing the entire way as we join the rest of our senior ss, who are all now clustered in a circle, listening to one of our advisors. The chaperone is rattling off all the rules and what we can and cannot do, but I''m unable to focus. I''m fucking high, is my problem. Ryan nudges me in the ribs with his elbow, making me crack up. Sadie and Harper show up, both of them standing behind us and I nce back at my girl to find her smiling at me, her eyes zed over. ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . Looks like someone else is high too. We take yet another bus out of the parking lot and head toward Disnend. Harper is pressed up close next to me in the crowded shuttle, her hand on my thigh a total distraction. Despite everyone talking all around us, the excitement in the air, I can only focus on one thing. Harper. ¡°You smell good,¡± I tell her, my voice low. ¡°I smell like Sadie''s overpowering body spray, she answers with augh. Damn it, she''s right. ¡°You still smell good.¡± I nuzzle her hair, pushing it out of the way with my nose so I can kiss her cheek. "Why are you so hot?¡± ¡°Easton.¡± She drags my name out, pushing on my thigh. ¡°Stop.¡± ¡°Let''s hook up on Space Mountain,¡¯ I suggest. "Maybe I can finger you. It''s dark in there, you know.¡± Wide eyes meet mine. ¡°What do you mean, it¡¯s dark in there?¡± ¡°Space Mountain is a roller coaster you ride in the dark. You have no idea what''s going to happen.¡± ¡°It sounds terrifying.¡± ¡°It''s fun." I shrug. ¡°And it''s your favorite ride?¡± ¡°You know it.¡± I smile. ¡°And it''ll be my favorite ride of all time once I get you in there and slip my fingers beneath your panties.¡± She ps my leg. ¡°You''re being awful.¡± ¡°And you fucking love it.¡± "Maybe, she says mysteriously. There''s no maybe about it. I know my girl is going to have fun tonight. Andso all. Chapter 190 Chapter 190 Harper Running all around Disnend with my best friend, my brother and my boyfriend. Riding all the rides. Trying the Dole Whip, which is pineapple vored frozen yogurt. We stood in line for what felt like hours just for ice cream, but it was so delicious I told Sadie it was worth it. It''s worth it just getting to spend this time with the people I love the most. Everything makes me giggle, and I me the joint we shared. I can''t stopughing or smiling. All the rides are so much fun, even Ssh Mountain, where I got totally drenched, more than anyone else. Sadie thought that was hrious. Since it was one of the first rides we got on, and thete spring air is still warm, we dried up pretty fast. As the night gotter and the air got colder, we popped into a souvenir shop and Easton bought me a sweatshirt. I''m wearing it now as we''re in line for Space Mountain, and the promise in Easton''s eyes is beyond obvious. At least to me. l remember his earlier threat. How he said he was going to finger me on the ride, and while I think what he¡¯s suggesting is pretty impossible, I can''t help but wonder if he¡¯s at least going to give it a try. ¡°This is going to have to be ourst ride¡± Sadie says after she checks her phone for the time. ¡°After this, we''ll need to head back to the meeting spot.¡± Pouting, I lean against Easton, who pulls me fully into his arms. "Saving the best forst.¡± "This ride is gonna make me trip out, especially when I''m¡ª" Ryan presses his fist to his mouth and coughs the word, ¡°high.¡± "How do you know?" I ask him. "You''ve never been on it.¡± "Because I made him watch a bunch of the rides on YouTubest week," Sadie answers for him. ¡°They''re all on there, and when you watch, it''s like you''re actually on the ride.¡± ¡°No way,¡¯ I breathe, wishing I''d watched the Space Mountain one sol knew what I was in for. "Talk about spoiling the surprise,¡± Easton mutters. Sadieughs. "I was just trying to prepare him." We move deeper into the building where the Space Mountain roller coaster is, the air getting cooler and making me grateful for the sweatshirt. Oh and Easton, who can''t seem to let me go. At least he¡¯s keeping me warm. Making me feel safe. We''re finally loading up in the cars, me and Easton behind Sadie and Ryan, who are sitting at the very front of the ride. The sly look Easton shoots me is wicked enough to make butterflies erupt in my stomach and I slowly shake my head at him when he rests his hand on top of my thigh. ¡°You keep your hands to yourself, mister, I warn him. The look on his face turns into pure innocence, despite the wicked gleam in his eyes. ¡°You don''t want me to finger you on the ride? While we''re sailing through the intergctic sky?" "Bro, please.¡± Oops. Guess Easton said that way too loudly. "Sorry, Easton tells my brother, not sounding sorry at all. He leans in close to me and whispers, "I''ll finger youter. On the bus.¡± ¡°Easton.¡± I nudge his shoulder with mine, but I''m smiling. Hopefully he''ll make good on his promise. ke ¡°Let''s share a nket,¡± I suggest to Easton as I pull out one of the throws from home that I packed in my backpack. ¡°I''m beat,¡± he says loudly as I drape it over the both of us. "Me too,¡¯ I say just as loudly. The conspiring look we share almost makes me giggle and I have to stifle it with my hand so no one will hear me. The majority of people on our bus are exhausted. We just got on the freeway about twenty minutes ago, and the night''s excitement has worn off some. Pretty sure Ryan and Sadie are already asleep, and if I spot anyone with their eyes open, they do look pretty drowsy. ¡°Come here,¡± Easton murmurs, tugging on my arm. ¡°Let''s snuggle.¡± This giggle slips out as I press my body across his,ying halfway across him. "You want to snuggle with me?¡± ¡°Of course I do.¡± He strokes my hair and my eyes automatically shut. "I always want to snuggle with you.¡± "Not at the beginning of the year, I remind him. ¡°I was a different person then.¡± "So different.¡± I nce up at him to find he''s already watching me. ¡°Now you''re mine.¡± "No, you''re mine.¡± He dips his head, his mouthnding on mine. The kiss is slow. Sweet. N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. Hot. His tongue licks against mine, stroking deep and the next thing I know, his fingers are at the front of my denim shorts, undoing the snap. Pulling down the zipper. "Really think we should do that here?¡± I whisper against his seeking lips. He nods, his fingers brushing the front of my panties. ¡°Hell yeah.¡± A soft whimper leaves me when one of his fingers slips beneath the thin cotton fabric and then he''s touching me. Stroking me. More fingers join the first one and I spread my legs as far as I can go without being obvious. "So wet," he whispers, the sound so soft I wonder if I imagined it. But I didn''t. I know I didn''t. My boyfriend is going to give me an orgasm on a bus with us surrounded by all sorts of people. People we''ve gone to school with for years. It''s wild. One of the wildest things we''ve ever done and we''ve done a lot. I love how free I feel when I''m with Easton. How much we experiment. How he''s up for anything and he''s convinced mem too. Like I realized earlier, he makes me feel safe. Protected. I can trust him. Completely. There''s a hitch in my breath when he touches a certain spot and he touches it again. And again. I lift my hips, biting my lip when he increases his pace. My entire body stiffens as my orgasm draws near and just when I''m about to fly apart, his mouthnds on mine, swallowing my moan as Ie against his fingers. I''m trembling, my breaths rapid, my skin damp with sweat. My bones are liquid as I melt against him and he holds me close, his heart racing beneath my ear. ¡°I love you; I whisper, my eyes falling closed. "I love you too.¡± He kisses the top of my head. Best. Night. Ever. Chapter 191 Chapter 191 Harper The moment we all climb off the bus, the bright sunlight smacks me right in the face, making me wince, holding up my hand to shield my eyes. "Oh God.¡± Easton slips on his sunsses, looking sexy as hell despite having slept on a bus for the last three hours. Sometimes it''s painful how good looking he is. ¡°Thank God we''re home.¡± ¡°Actually, I''m sad we''re home. That went by way too fast,¡¯ Sadie says as we start walking across the parking lot toward Easton''s Jeep. "I''d stay five days in Disney if I could. Hell, I''d live there.¡± ¡°You would.¡± Ryan ruffels her hair, making her duck away from him with a yelp. ¡°You guys want toe back to my house?" Easton asks, wrapping his arm around my shoulders as we continue walking toward his car. ¡°You shoulde too.¡± ¡°I''m down,¡¯ Sadie says as she hooks her arm through Ryan''s, briefly leaning her head on his shoulder. ¡°Mom and Dad knew I was going over to Easton''s once we got home, my brother tells me. ¡°Oh.¡± I pull my phone out, wondering how I should word this. My parents trust us. Sort of. But they wouldn''t like it if they knew I was going to Easton''s house to sleep. In his bed. With him. Preferably naked. That would be a hard no from the parents for sure. ¡°Just tell your mom I''ll be there. She can''t say no to that,¡± Sadie suggests. Huh. Knowing Mom, she might. Thoughtely she''s been pretty agreeable, letting me do more things, giving me a little bit of freedom. Can''t hold you back forever, she said at one point. So true. I''m leaving in a few months. About to live on my own in the dorms at UCLA. I can''t freaking wait. Once I get the okay from Mom, we head for Easton''s house, the mood subdued. More like we''re exhausted. I didn''t sleep that well despite using Easton as a pillow. AllI want to do is copse and go back to sleep for the rest of the day. ¡°My parents are already at work, so we''ll have the ce to ourselves,¡± Easton says as he pulls into the driveway of his house. "Not like we''re going to party,¡± Ryan says as we all exit the Jeep. ¡°I''m way too tired for that shit.¡± "Same,¡¯ Sadie says. I nod in agreement, shuffling my way through the garage, trailing after my boyfriend. ¡°Anyone want a snack? Something to drink?" Easton asks as we enter the house through the kitchen. "I just want toy down.¡± Sadie stretches her arms above her head, yawning loudly. ¡°Let''s chill in the family room. We can put a movie on and crash out on the couch for a while,¡± Easton tells us. We follow him into the family room and find a spot on the giant sectional that takes up most of the space. It''s big andfy and Easton''s momis a big believer in cozy throw nkets, so I snag one off the back of the couch and grab a pillow, lying down facing the TV. Easton lies next to me and Ryan and Sadie are cuddling on the other side of the couch. ¡°That was so much fun,¡± I say once I''ve got myself positioned just right with the nket tucked up under my chin. ¡°And I''m so freaking tired¡± "Me too,¡¯ Ryan says. I nce over at him to see he''s leaning against the back of the couch, Sadie in hisp and his fingers in her hair. They look happy together. Content. And that warms my heart, I swear. My brother and my best friend together. Who knew? ¡°You two make a cute couple.¡± I can''t resist telling them that, knowing it''ll please Sadie and most likely irritate my brother. But Ryan doesn''t seem irritated at all. He nces down at Sadie with a soft smile before lifting his head to meet my gaze. ¡°We do, huh.¡¯ "Definitely." ¡°You know, I didn''t expect our senior year to end like this, Ryan says. I frown. "What do you mean?" "Me with Sadie. You with Easton¡ªespecially you and Easton.¡± ¡°Watch it,¡± Easton murmurs, his eyes closed. I elbow him in the ribs, making him grunt. ¡°He''s being nice.¡± ¡°Oh, I''m being so nice,¡± Ryan says, his tone sarcastic. He starts tough. "But seriously. I didn''t want you anywhere near my friends, Harp.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± "Because they''re jackasses and I didn''t believe any of them were worthy of you.¡± Ryan points at my boyfriend. "Especially that guy.¡± "I proved you wrong,¡± Easton says. ¡°Yeah you did. Now I can''t imagine you two not together.¡¯ Ryan smiles. ¡°It''s been a crazy senior year.¡± "Crazy good,¡± Sadie adds. "Totally agree.¡± Ryan smiles down at her. Aww, they''re so adorable. ¡°A couple of weeks ago, I started to panic,¡± I admit, about to share with them something I havent told anyone. Not even Easton. My boyfriend stiffens next to me. ¡°About what?¡± "Life in general. What was going to happen after high school. How we''re technically going to be adults now, and have to fend for ourselves.¡± A shiver moves through me. "It''s kind of scary.¡± ¡°Yeah it is¡¯ Sadie chimes in like the good best friend that she is. ¡°leven believed at one point that I didn''t want to graduate. Couldn''t we just stay in high school forever?" I''m trying to make light of the moment, but I really did think that. Life is scary. Going to college is too. N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. I was afraid to move on. Move forward. Not anymore. ¡°You don''t want to stay in high school forever, Easton says, tucking me close to him. "That sounds like a living nightmare.¡± ¡°Full of nonstop Aisha,¡± Ryan reminds us. We all startughing. That''s thest thing any of us wants. ¡°Are you scared of the future now?¡± Easton asks, his voice low and just for me. ¡°Not at all¡± I whisper, smiling at him. I know everything is going to be okay as long as I have him by my side. Chapter 192 Chapter 192 Easton Me: Just a few more hours and we''re graduated, dude, that''s fucking crazy. Harper: Right? Thesest few weeks have flown by. It''s what I wished for and now it''s here and gah! Me: That graduation practice was a total joke today, but are youfortable with it all, do you know what you''re doing? Harper: Wait, you''re asking ME if I know what I''M doing? I''m the one who was paying attention to where we''re supposed to line up and all that. You''re the one who was high as hell with my brother,ughing non-stop. Me: lol truth ... I''m just always worried about you, baby. Harper: I love you for that, but I''m all good. I''ll see you there very soon. I smile at herst message and put my phone down. Then, I take my ck tie out of my closet and wrap it around my neck. Once the knot is where I want it, I carefully ce the graduation gown over me and I put the cap on my head. I take a final look at myself in the mirror, knowing the minute I get downstairs, my family is going to want pictures. They''re all here¡ªmy brothers and their girls, aunts and uncles, everyoneing to the auditorium to watch me walk across the stage. Being the youngest, I know this is a big deal for my parents, so that''s why I don''t lose my patience when I join them downstairs and pose in every fucking direction while they snap a million pictures of me. And since some of my family hasn''t seen me since I decided to go to UCLA, I ept the small digs they shoot in my direction for being the rebel of the family and not going to Stanford like the others. Whatever, I can handle it. In fact, bring it on. I don''t want to be like my brothers. I don''t want to get intow. I want to be my own person and go my own direction and kick ass ina way that isn''t expected of me. And by some fucking miracle, the people I was most worried about¡ª Mom and Dad¡ªdidn''t kill me over my decision. Sure, they wanted Stanford. Sure, they''re a bit salty about it. But they epted UCLA and they¡¯re even hooking me up with something huge for my first year there¡ª something I haven''t told Harper yet, but I''m going to surprise her with itter. Damn it, I can''t wait to see her face when I tell her the news. That''s what has me smiling as I take some final pictures with my brothers. Once the photoshoot is over, my parents approach me just as I''m getting ready to leave. ¡°We''re so proud of you, honey,¡± my mother says, kissing my cheek. ¡°We know you worked so incredibly hard this year and your grades couldn''t have made us happier." This definitely isn''t the moment where I bring up Leigh and her help with that. Nah, that secret is going to my grave. But I pulled my shit together and I got the grades I needed to and that''s all that matters. "Thanks, Mom¡ªand thanks for being cool with my decision over UCLA¡¯ She adjusts my tie as my father says, "Are you sure I can''t convince you to go to Stanford?" He''s holding his phone and shakes it in his hand. "A quick email is all it''ll take and I can tell them you''ve changed your mind and¡ª" "No, Dad.¡± I know this is thewyer in him. He doesn''t stop until he wins. But he''s not going to win this and his eyes tell me he''s epting that fact. "I''m happy with where I''m going.¡± He nods. ¡°I understand, son. But I had to try onest time.¡± ¡°I''ll see you both at graduation,¡± I tell them, and I say good¡ªbye to the rest of my family and hurry outside to my Jeep. When I get to the auditorium, minutes before we line up, I find Harper in the crowd. I''ve been thinking about when I want to give her this gift and knowing we''re not anywhere near each other in line, this feels like the right time. Her hair is down and curled and her lips are glossy, just like I love. I''m not sure what she''s wearing underneath, but she looks gorgeous in her gown. ¡°Hi,¡¯ she whispers, sping her hands with mine. "] was hoping you''de find me before we walk across the stage.¡± She takes a deep breath. ¡°I''m so nervous.¡± ¡°Nervous? Why, baby?" She shrugs. ¡°It''s just a huge deal and my family is here and it feels like the whole world is watching and¡ªyou know, all the things.¡± I give her a kiss, holding our faces together before I reach into my pocket and pull away. ¡°Don''t worry about it, it''s gonna go great." ¡°I know ... I''m just a wreck.¡± "Maybe this''ll make you feel better.¡± I ce the small box on her palm. Her eyes widen as she looks at it. ¡°You got me a gift? But I didn''t get you anything and¡ª" ¡°It''s not like that. Just open it.¡± She lifts the p of the hack wrapping job I''d done and pulls the rest of the paper off, slowly opening the lid of the box. I can see confusion on her face as she takes out the key and holds it in her hand. "My parents rented me an apartment off campus." I smile. "That''s your key.¡± The confusion is gone and is now reced with excitement, especially as she throws her arms around my neck. "Oh my God, Easton. Your own ce.¡± ¡°Our own ce. Text content ? N?velDrama.Org. Where we won''t have to sneak around. Where we can be as loud as we want.¡± I hold her tighter. She releases a quiet moan. "Oh. Hell. Yes.¡± Iugh. "I know you''re going to be in the dorms, but I want you to stay with me as much as you can. I want you to think of the apartment as home.¡± She bites her lip. "You''re my home.¡± God, I''m in love with her. There isn''t anyone who''s more perfect for me. ¡°And you''re mine, Harper.¡± The moment is interrupted as one of the teachers yells, "Line up, everyone, we''re starting.¡± I p her ass and say, ¡°Go. I''ll see you after.¡± She giggles and gives me onest kiss and hurries to the front of the line where her and Ryan have been positioned. Being farther back, I''m able to watch her enter the front of the stage, waiting by the stairs to be called. The moment the principal announces Harper Quinn, she climbs up the few steps and walks across the stage. She hugs the teachers who are standing there before she approaches our principal and epts her diploma. For a quick photo¡ªop, she poses in the center of the stage. A smile covers her beautiful face and there''s relief in her eyes. I see so much love flooding through that girl. Love that she gives me. Love that I can''t live without. As she''s walking down the steps to find her seat, our eyes lock and I mouth, "I love you, baby.¡± She grins in response. And it''s more than enough. Chapter 193 Chapter 193 Harper ¡°How did Ryan score us this bottle?" I ask Sadie as she fills our sses again, the bottle now almost gone. ¡°I promised him a blow job.¡± Sheughs. ¡°And don''t worry, I have another bottle in my bag, so we''re not even close to running out.¡± I groan as I roll over in my bed, trying not to spill all over my nket. ¡°You could have spared me that detail.¡± She rolls onto her back as well, both of us looking up at my ceiling. "You know, one day you''re going to have to get used to talking about this kind of stuff.¡± I shake my head. ¡°Nope.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± I feel her eyes on me. ¡°Because if I''m going to hear all the juicy details of you and Easton, especially what''s about to go down in his new apartment, then it''s only fair you hear about Ryan.¡± I wince at the thought. "Then, can you change his name? Call him Michael or Greg or something, so I don''t have to deal with the visual that makes me want to gag?¡± ¡°You''re ridiculous.¡± ¡°And that''s why you love me.¡± There''s a few moments of silence while she takes a drink and then sighs. ¡°You know what I''m not looking forward to?¡± "What''s that?" Her voice softens, ¡°Missing you.¡± I sit up, resting my back against the wall, draping my legs over hers. ¡°The thought about kills me.¡± ¡°It''s far, Harp. Like faaaar.¡± She''s talking about the distance between the two schools, something I''ve looked up more times than I can count. The miles are drivable, of course, seven hours and change is totally possible, but we won''t be in the same town, like we are now. We won''t be minutes away. We''re going to have to rely on Facetime and texts and phone calls. And the thought of that makes me so sad. ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . ¡°I know,¡¯ I whisper, guzzling down more of my wine, the reality of our situation eating at me. ¡°And if I''m being honest, I hate it.¡± "Me too.¡± ¡°I wish we were all going to the same college.¡± She leans up on her elbow, resting her face against her palm. ¡°But you know UCLA was never my thing just like Chico State isn''t yours.¡± ¡°True, but once we leave, it''s going to be Thanksgiving until I see you?¡± She nods. ¡°Unless I can convince Ryan to do a road trip to visit you guys sooner, which is totally possible, he''ll do anything for a blow job.¡± I cover an ear with my only free hand. ¡°Different name! Remember?¡± Sheughs. ¡®I''ll work on it¡ªpromise.¡± "Easton''s going to have a car too, so maybe we cane visit you. I know he¡¯s going to miss Ryan like crazy, so I doubt it''ll take much convincing.¡± ¡°What about ke?" she asks. "Do you think he''s going to be part of the group once he takes off? I know he¡¯s leaving soon.¡± I shrug. ¡°Don''t know. I do know the guys are going to help him pack up and load his car. Easton says he has a ton of shit and it''s like an all- hands¡ªon¡ªdeck kinda thing. But I hope he stays in touch¡ªat least I want him to, I can''t speak for Easton or Ryan.¡± She grabs the bottle again and adds more to our sses. "I feel like I have so much to do to get ready for this move. So much to pack. So much to buy. Bedding, towels, decorations¡ªall the things.¡± ¡°Same.¡± I nce around my room, not wanting to bring anything that''s in here because when I return for break, I want my bedroom to look the same as when I left. ¡°Want to go shopping next week?" I ask her. ¡°I still have that four hundred dors I didn''t use for my prom dress and now I have some graduation money that I can spend.¡± "Next week is perfect, but, girl, you know Easton is going to insist on buying it all, his bougie ass is going to want a certain thread count for the sheets and pillows that are a certain percentage of down¡ª" ¡°oh my God, stop.¡± Iugh. ¡°He''s not that bad.¡± ¡°I''m d you''re sticking up for your future husband, but, hello, we both know he¡¯s THAT bad.¡± She takes out her phone and shows mea photo that was taken in his room the night of prom when we were putting the finishing touches on our makeup. "Do you see what''s in the background of this picture?¡± look closely. "Decorative towels? A few bottles of body wash?" ¡°Those, yes, but the man has a freaking bidet in his own private bathroom. Do you know a single person in this world who has a bidet, never mind having one in all eight bathrooms in their house?¡± I put my hand over my mouth as I snort. ¡°I honestly didn''t even know what one was until I saw it at his ce, and then had to Google it.¡± ¡°Exactly my point.¡± She clinks her ss against mine. ¡°Bougie.¡± ¡°Okay, maybe you are right.¡± I continueughing. "Should we invite the boys on our shopping trip, so they can weigh in on the things that matter, like sheets?" ¡°Ryan will go because he loves the Chinese food at the mall, but Easton''s approval is a must, so yes.¡± "It''s a date, then.¡± I nce out the window beside me, remembering all the times I''d watched the boys from up here while they hung out in the backyard. All the times I''d wished more than anything that Easton would notice me. And, now, I''m here. When I nce back at Sadie, the emotion starts to hit. "I know I''ve already said this and I probably will a million more times, but I''m going to miss this.¡± I inhale, feeling my chest tighten. ¡°And I''m really going to miss you.¡± She sets her wine down and gets up to throw her arms around my neck. "I know, Harp, I know. I feel the same way.¡± I set my wine down, too, so I can reallytch onto her. "We can''t let too much time go by without seeing each other. Promise?¡± ¡°Promise.¡± I close my eyes, feeling the first tear drip. ¡°How am I going to life without you?¡± ¡°You won''t be doing any of that without me. We''re going to talk hourly, we''re going to Facetime. Nothing is going to change aside from you seeing my pretty face in person every day¡± That better be true. Because even though I''m ready for this next stage, doing it without Sadie hurts. And the thought of having to hug her good¡ªbye soon makes the tears drip even faster. Chapter 194 Chapter 194 Easton ¡°Another beer?" ke says, walking into his room with the third six¡ª pack of the afternoon. He told us he needed help packing up to go to college, that he had a shit¡ªton of stuff, but I never expected this. It''s like he''s moving his whole house. "Fuck yes,¡¯ I answer, holding out my hand. ¡°Without question,¡± Ryan says. ¡°Why in the hell didn''t you hire a movingpany?" I ask, ncing around the room, seeing all the boxes we''ve done so far, knowing we have way more to go. ke sets the rest of the beers on his desk and starts putting another box together. "Because I have two best friends who are more than capable of doing it.¡± Heughs and I want to knock his ass out. We''ve been here for hours and we''ll still be here for a few more. ¡°After this, I''m not sure you''ll be able to call us friends anymore,¡¯ Ryan says, wiping the sweat off his brow. "This is hard ass work.¡± "Tell me about it¡± I add, lifting a box of books out of his room to bring it into the hallway, swearing it weighs at least a hundred pounds. I stand in the doorway, taking an inventory of what''s left. ¡°Why do you need all this shit anyway?" "Because I need it,¡± ke answers. ¡°Your bitching isn''t going to speed this process up.¡± He walks over to the desk and hands me another beer. ¡°Drink that and stop crying.¡± I twist off the cap and guzzle it down. ¡°Thanks ... dick.¡± Ryan holds up a series of pictures from prom that were taken in the photobooth that was rented for the night and he points it toward ke. "Things done between you and the freshman?¡± He finishes with the wardrobe box and moves onto another one. "Things never started between us. She was just a date.¡± ¡°Then why didn''t you take Aisha if she wasn''t anyone special?¡± I ask. ke shrugs, pausing the packing to take a drink. ¡°I know you guys don''t like her and I didn''t want to bring her around the group since all everyone would do is fight all night.¡± ¡°Finally, a right decision.¡± He flips me off for myment. "I was looking out for you guys.¡± ¡°And I appreciate it,¡¯ I tell him. ¡°Harper would have lost her mind. It was hard enough getting her to recover from the shit that was written on the limo. You add in Aisha and that would''ve sent her straight over the fucking edge.¡± "Don''t get me started on the whore incident, it makes my fucking blood boil¡± Ryan says, ¡°Let''s talk about something important, like if the freshman put out.¡± ¡°Jesus,¡± I groan and drown myself in beer. ¡°Well, did she?" Ryan follows up. "She''s a virgin, ke replies. ¡°That''s certainly never stopped you before,¡± I add. ke goes back to his closet, taking another armful of clothes to hang those in the new box. "It did that night. She''s the clingy type and I''m leaving for school. I didn''t want to get all involved, and then worry she might show up on campus or something.¡± He shakes his head. ¡°I sure as hell don''t need that.¡± ¡°Or the freshman''s fathering to hunt your ass down for taking his daughter''s virginity after she''s butt hurt that you peaced out to San Diego, Ryan says. ¡°That too,¡¯ ke agrees. I feel a vibration in my pocket and take out my phone, seeing a text from Harper. Harper: Are you guys going to be there for a while? Should Sadie and I bring you food? I nce up and say, ¡°Anyone hungry? Harper and Sadie are offering to bring some grub.¡± "Fuck yes,¡± Ryan says. N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. "I want a Big Mac and arge pepperoni pizza.¡±ugh. "You want both?" ¡°I''m on my fifth beer and doing manualbor. Don''t fight with me. Yes, I want both.¡± I continue to chuckle and look at ke. ¡°What about you?¡± ¡°Pizza is fine.¡± Me: 2rge pizzas and your brother also wants a Big Mac Harper: We''re on it. Anything else? Me: Just you. Harper: Silly, you already have me. Me: Then, go get the food and hurry over here, so I don''t have to wait any longer to really have you. Harper: See ya soon. "The girls will be here in no time, let''s get this shit wrapped up,¡¯ I tell them and I drop my empty beer in his trash and go over to his bed. Since he''s not taking any of his furniture, he instructed us not to touch his sheets or pillows. But since I hide plenty of shit under my bed, shit I don''t want out in the open, I figure ke does too, and he''ll need that stuff packed up as well. I get on my stomach and take a peek undemeath, checking out the whole space between his mattress and floor. There''s only one thing under there. A box. Not even a big one, it''s about the size that would fit a couple pairs of shoes. I swipe it with my arm, dragging it toward me along the carpet and once I get it out, I notice nothing is written on the lid. I lift it off, seeing which of the boxes we''ll need to dump this stuff into, whether it fits with his school stuff or clothes or personal items¡ªboxes we''ve alreadybeled. But as I look inside, it takes me a minute to realize what I''m staring at. To process each item. To slowly put the pieces together in my brain. And when it all clicks, I practically explode. There are four cans of spray paint¡ªthe same color as the WHORE that was sprayed across Harper''s parents¡¯ garage and the lockers at school¡ªtwo of them brand new, the other two used as bits of the paint are all over the nozzle and have dripped down the sides of the can. There''s also cheerleader paint in there, the same kind that was used on the windows of Sadie and Ryan''s car and on the limo and on the fucking mirror at school. When Ryan and I found cans in the back of his car, he denied doing it. I fucking dare him to deny it again. I turn around. My teeth grind together as I look at Ryan who''s busy packing ke''s hat collection. I then gaze over at ke who''s putting the rest of his clothes into the wardrobe box. Neither of them notice what I''m doing. Neither of them know I''m about to lose my fucking shit. I bnce the box on my hand and tilt it forward, so they''ll both be able to see what''s inside. ¡°ke ..." The sound of my voice causes both of them to tum around. I look at Ryan first, watching him peer inside the box, the realization finally hitting him. My eyes shift over to ke, my throat growling, ¡°Exin what the fuck this is.¡± Panic shoots across his face, his body bing twitchy, his gaze shifting between Ryan and me. "Easton¡ª" ¡°You have about a second to exin yourself before I choke your ass out. And I promise, ke, you''ll never take another fucking breath again.¡± Chapter 195 Chapter 195 Harper "I feel like this is enough food to feed our entire senior ss,¡¯ Sadie snorts as she drives away from McDonald''s, our final stop for the boys. That''s after we already picked up the pizzas and added severalrge fries and a few more burgers to the order, knowing they''re probably drunk and most definitely high and will eat more than they''ve asked for. ¡°You know our men, they''re endless pits of hunger.¡± ¡°Ain''t that the truth.¡± She turns at the light, heading for ke''s neighborhood, one that''s just as nice as Easton''s. ¡°When does ke leave again, like a few days, right?¡± ¡°Girl, he''s leaving tomorrow, that''s why they need to get it all done today. Once he''s packed, the boys are going to load it all into ke''s car, and we''re going to party tonight, and then ke will take off in the moming.¡± ¡°Damn.¡± She shakes her head. "This is all happening so fast.¡± ¡°You''re telling me,¡¯ I say as she begins to slow for the stop sign. I nce at her. "You know ... we''re next.¡± ¡°Don''t go there, we still need to shop and pack and have fun this summer. We have some time before we take off." She''s right. We have the whole summer, ke is just going early to San Diego. But I''m d we''re not heading to UCLA until freshman orientation, which is in a couple months. I need more time with Sadie and I need more time with Ryan. And I need time to unwind from thest few months of school and prepare my brain for all the hard work I have ahead of me. How I''m going to bnce Dean''s List¡ªsomething my schrship requires me to maintain¡ªwith Easton and partying and college fun. I know I can do it. It''s just going to take a lot of focus when I suddenly have so much freedom. ¡°You know what''s one of the best things about this summer, I say. She turns onto ke''s street. "What''s that?" ¡°Mom and Dad have dropped my curfew." ¡°Whaaaat?¡± I smile. ¡°It was a surprise to me, too. They just told me tonight when you picked me up. I asked Mom what time I needed to be home and she said she''d spoken with Dad and they decided not to give me a time anymore.¡± ¡°oh my God, the trouble we''re about to get in.¡± I grab her arm. ¡°Let''s not, I just got the shackles taken off, I don''t want my parents to put them back on. And they will¡ªlike in three seconds.¡± Sheughs. ¡°True.¡± She pulls into ke''s driveaway. "The smell of this food is making me so hungry.¡± ¡°I''m sure they''ll share,¡¯ I say and climb out of the car, bncing the pizzas and McDonald''s bags on my palms. "Here¡±¡ªshe holds out her hands¡ª¡®¡°give me something, you don''t have to carry it all.¡± I shake my head. "Just get the door, I''m fine.¡± We go up the walkway and up the front steps, knocking on ke''s door. ¡°Are his parents¡¯ home?" I ask Sadie. She shrugs. "No idea. I don''t see their cars, but they have an eight¡ª car garage or something, I doubt they park in the driveway.¡± ¡°Try ringing the bell,¡± I say after another knocking attempt. She presses the button and we can hear the bell go off inside, the double chimes that echo through the entryway. When a few minutes goes by, I say, ¡°Where are the boys?¡± I look toward the driveway where Easton''s jeep is parked with Ryan''s car and ke''s. ¡°They have to be here.¡± ¡°I''m sure they are, but the house is so big, they probably can''t hear the doorbell.¡± She reaches for the handle, pressing down on the toptch, and the door pops open. "Do you think it''s okay if we just go in?¡± I''ve only been to ke''s house a few times, each asion he answered the door. I''ve definitely never just let myself in before. ¡°I think so, I tell her. ¡°They know we''reing over, they gave us a food order, so it should be fine.¡± She takes a step inside, looking in both directions before she nces back at me. "Should we bring the food up to them or leave it down here and we''ll eat in the kitchen?¡± "I say bring it upstairs. N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. If I remember correctly, there''s a bar up there where I''m sure they have paper towels and drinks.¡± "Perfect." She closes the door behind us and takes the McDonald''s out of my hands, leading us to the massive staircase that wraps around the entire living room. When we''re past the first few steps, I say, "Maybe they''re passed out. Knowing them, they had a ton to drink.¡± ¡°Oh God, I didn''t even think of that." We hurry up the rest of the staircase and down the long, windy hallway toward ke''s wing, where he has his own sitting area and bathroom, he even has a massive balcony that overlooks the pool. We''re rounding the corner toward his sitting room and that''s when we hear the screaming. "I''M GOING TO FUCKING MURDER YOU.¡± I freeze from the sound of it, the voice so loud and angry and gritty, I can''t tell which of the boys it''sing from. ¡°What the fuck?" Sadie whispers next to me, her eyes wide. I take a deep breath and swallow. ¡°I don''t know...¡± "Easton!" I hear ke shout. ¡°I''m fucking sorry!¡± "Oh God,¡± I groan as I realize what we''re hearing. "They''re fighting, this is going to get ugly.¡± I ce the pizza on the couch, Sadie drops the McDonald''s next to it, and we run to the back where ke''s room is located. We get to the doorway and I see ke on the floor, Easton''s hands are around his neck, and Ryan is holding ke''s legs, stopping him from kicking or moving. "I don''t give a fuck if you''re sorry; Easton yells, rearing his arm back, his fingers clenched in a fist, like he¡¯s seconds away from punching ke. "Easton!" I shout. When he doesn''t look up or acknowledge me, I scream, ¡°Easton,¡± again. It finally registers and he nces up at me. His jaw is clenched, his eyes are filled with anger. I''ve seen him mad. But I''ve never seen him like this. ¡°What are you doing?¡± I gasp. ¡°What''s going on?¡± ¡°Harper, he growls, ¡°get out of here.¡± I don''t understand. I don''t know why he''s asking me that. ¡°Easton, no¡ª" ¡°Harper, he says again, cutting me off, "get the fuck out of here, I don''t want you to see this.¡± I don''t know why, but my eyes suddenly fill with tears."See what?¡± "See me kill ke.¡± Chapter 196 Chapter 196 Easton ¡°I''m not going anywhere, Easton,¡¯ Harper says in tears. ¡°Tell me what''s going on right now.¡± Ilook down at ke, disgust pouring through my body. The urge is so strong to demolish his face that I have to look away before I do it. "Do you see that box on the ground?¡± I nod with my head since I''m now holding ke with both hands. "Look inside it.¡± Harper and Sadie leave the doorway toe closer, beth girls peering inside the box. ¡°Spray paint?" Sadie says in shock. Harper wipes the tears that are dripping down her cheeks. "And cheerleader paint.¡± She then looks at ke and it''s that moment that I finally see the guilt in his eyes. The realization of how fucking badly he hurt my girl. ¡°It was ... you?¡± She''s not using him. N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. Because she still doesn''t believe it. She''s asking him. I dare this motherfucker to lie to her. I dare him to make up some bullshit excuses, like he did when we found the spray paint in his car. ¡°Harper...¡± he starts, his voice then fading out. "No." She shakes her head. ¡°It can''t be you. It was Aisha, she''s the one who hates me, she''s the one who wants to take me down.¡± She wraps her arms around her stomach. ¡°You''re my friend, ke ... you''ve been there for me. You''ve picked me up when I was falling apart.¡± She swallows, the tearsing down even faster. ¡°You wouldn''t do this tome. ke is breathing so hard, but he''s silent, saying absolutely nothing as he stares at her. "Tell her, I growl, squeezing his neck even harder. ¡°Tell her the fucking truth.¡± It takes several seconds before he responds. But when the motherfucker finally opens his mouth, the only thing thates out is, "I''m sorry. I''m so fucking sorry, Harper.¡± "No!" Harper shouts, her hands going to her face, and then into her hair. ¡°No!¡± She copses on top of his bed, leaning between her legs, her cries filling the air. ¡°I can''t believe you would do this to me.¡± Sadie is next to her,forting her. "I''ve trusted you, she wails. ¡°I''ve always stood up for you.¡± When she finally looks up, rivers of tears are streaming down her cheeks. "Why? Why would you hurt me that way?¡± ¡°Fuck,¡± ke replies and turns his head away from Harper. His response only fuels my anger. I know if I don''t stand up and walk away, I''m going to hurt him to the point where he''s not even able to respond. ¡°You piece of shit¡± I roar and I get to my feet, clenching my fists together, pacing hisrge bedroom. "What the fuck are we going to do with him?" I ask Ryan. "We trusted this motherfucker and all he¡¯s done is lie and betray us.¡± ¡°lL can''t believe it wasn''t Aisha,¡¯ I hear Harper sob in the background. ¡°I can''t believe ke would do this to me.¡± ¡°You know what''s so fucking funny?" Ryan says, releasing ke''s feet to stand over him. ¡°When you were wasted at the party, the one where you were kissing my girl, you apologized to us. It happened after all the Sadie shit was worked out, after I somewhat forgave you. When Easton asked you what you were apologizing for, you didn''t answer. It was for this, wasn''t it?¡± Ryan looks like he''s about to explode. ¡°The alcohol hit you and you were feeling like a fucking asshole for doing this to my sister and making out with my fucking girlfriend¡ª something I no longer think was a mistake¡ªand the guilt was too much for you to bear.¡± I remember that. I remember wondering what the fuck ke was saying sony for. And now it all makes sense. "Ryan, I''m going to fucking kill him.¡± I go to take a step toward ke and my best friend moves in front of me. ¡°Easton ... you''ll go to fucking jail,¡± Ryan says. ¡°That''s what will happen if you put a hand on him. He''ll tell his Mommy and Daddy and your ass will be behind bars.¡± ¡°My father is the bestwyer in the state¡ª" "Easton, Ryan is right,¡± Sadie says, cutting me off. ¡°It doesnt matter how good your dad is, ke''s parents won''t stop until you''re punished.¡± Ilook at her, the way she''s rubbing circles over Harper''s back, and then at Ryan. "So, you''re telling me to just stand here and do nothing?¡± My fingers clench again. "Fuck that.¡± I storm out of the room and move into the hallway, the smell of the pizza and McDonald''s filling my nose as hurry down the long, narrow path that will eventually lead to the staircase. Before I get there, there''s a piece of art on the far wall of the sitting room that hangs above the TV. I grab it off the wall, lift my leg, and fucking bash the canvas across my knee, splitting it in two. When I have both pieces in my hands, I throw them. And then I take themp that''s on the table and I throw that, too, hearing the ss shatter as it crashes. How dare he do this to us. How dare he do this to Harper. Ryan is one of his best friends, doesn''t he realize he''s hurting him, too? Harper has done nothing to hurt him. She''s stood up for him. She''s supported him. And this is what she gets in return? Getting her reputation sted? Getting used of being a slut anda whore¡ªusations that are so far from the truth. Getting her prom night almost fucking ruined because she couldn''t shake the WHORE from her head? She''s shed so many fucking tears over this, she¡¯s had so many sleepless nights. All because of him. Amotherfucker we kept close, a motherfucker we didn''t push away because for some reason we trusted him. I should have listened to my gut. I should have forced Ryan to push him out of our circle the second we found that shit in the back of his car. I should have done more digging and maybe I could have prevented this. This is my fault. And somehow, I have to fix this. I go back into ke''s room. Harper and Sadie haven''t moved. Ryan is ring down at ke, his teeth grinding together, his fingers in fists. ke is now sitting on the floor, knees bent, looking guilty as hell. I stand in the doorway, not daring to get any closer, and I look that motherfucker in the eyes. "I don''t care if I go to jail. I don''t care if you never leave this room again¡ªI don''t fucking care if you even live to see another day. The only thing I care about is the answer to this question.¡± I take a breath, trying to stop myself from charging forward and strangling him. "I need to know why. Why the fuck you did this to my girl.¡± Chapter 197 Chapter 197 Chapter 197 Harper I''m breathless, both dreading and needing to hear ke''s response to Easton''s question. What is he going to say? How is this asshole going to redeem himself? He cant. Not with me. And not with my boyfriend either. Or my best friend. Or my twin brother. ke is done. The tears still stream down my face and Sadie¡¯s got her arm around my shoulders,forting me. The silence in the room is deafening and it''s just... can''t take it anymore. ¡°Why?" | whisper, the sound ragged. ke remains quiet, the asshole. Trying to buy time? He visibly shakes as he runs his hands through his hair and his gaze finally meets mine, his eyes, his expression is just¡ªnk. Like he doesn''t know what to say. ¡°Tell me!" | scream. ¡°Tell her, fuck face,¡± Easton demands, his voice low. Deadly. ¡°| wanted..." ke''s gaze is pleading when it meets mine. ¡°I wanted you. And | knew I couldn''t get you, especially once Easton finally noticed you. You''ve always had a thing for him, and just when | thought I might have a chance with you, he kept treating you like garbage, yet you still wanted him. It made no fucking sense. He doesn''t deserve you!" | flinch, hating how he makes me feel like I''m at fault for having a crush on Easton. How was | supposed to know ke was interested in me? He never gave me a single clue that he was. | was the quiet girl. The one no one noticed. The invisible twin. "It was stupid, my idea,¡± ke continues, shaking his head. "I felt desperate. And | thought that just maybe | could scare you a little and be the big hero running to rescue the girl.¡± "That''s the stupidest thing I''ve ever heard." Sadie''s voice is full of disgust. | briefly squeeze my eyes shut, like | can''t stand to look at ke¡ªwhich | can''t. "Why not just try the normal way and ask me out?" "Him." That''s all ke says. "I knew before even he did, that he was obsessed with you. Even if Easton wouldn''t admit it to himself, | saw it. The way he looked at you, how he couldnt keep his eyes off you. There was something between the two of you and I couldnt stand it. So | panicked. Fuck, it¡¯s our senior year and | wanted a chance. | just... don''t know." A sigh leaves me and | hang my head, frustrated. His exnation isn''t good enough. What he did to me is beyond cruel. It''s unforgiveable. And ke needs to realize that. I''m not the weak, quiet girl | was at the beginning of the school year. I''m stronger. More confident. I''m not going to let this guy break me. No way. Sadie removes her arm from my shoulders when | stand up straighter, and | re at ke before my gaze shifts to the box full of incriminating evidence. ¡°Did it really have to go this far?¡± ¡°No. | got in too deep, and | couldn''t stop.¡± ke visibly swallows. "And | swear it was never supposed to be like this. | thought¡ª| could be your hero, you know? And then you''d finally see me.¡± ¡°All | see...¡± | walk over to the box of spray paint and give it a fierce kick. ¡°Is a weak ass bitch who never once exined his feelings to me, or even tried, before asking the wicked witch of the west to help you." And that''s the most unforgivable part of all. "She had uh...experience." Say what? That''s his excuse? Oh hell no. | lunge for ke and Easton grabs my arms, but | immediately jerk out of his hold. ¡°Let me take care of this.¡± | love that my boyfriend wants to defend me, but | dont need him to run to my rescue every single time. Despite what he thinks, or ke, for that matter. | can handle things on my own. "So." | start to pace, going over everything that happened this year in my mind. "It was you and Aisha this entire time? Who started it? Or does it even fucking matter? You''re both guilty as hell, but it''s worse, knowing it was you. You betrayed me, ke. | was scared. You made me cry. You tried to ruin my senior year while pretending to be my friend. And | defended you! When Easton would say he thought you were being shady, | always said, ¡®not ke. Never ke¡¯. | feel like an idiot!¡± He closes his eyes like he can''t even look at me. "You''re right. It was both of us. | just thought¡ª" "¡ªOh, you thought?¡± | make air quotes with my fingers, not bothering to hald back. "This is so cruel, so messed up, you have to see that, right?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± His voice is low. "| know that now. | mean, | knew that then, | just... maybe | wanted what I could never have.¡± ke turns his attention to my boyfriend. "In a way, it felt like you stole her from me." Easton takes a step toward ke, his expression murderous, his hands clenched into fists, but Ryan grabs his arm, stopping him. ¡°He''s not worth it my brother murmurs and Easton nods once, his attention solely for ke. "The difference between you and me, is that | actually love Harper. | love her with my entire fucking soul. | would die for her¡ªwould you? | doubt it. And even if | mess things up¡ªand | probably will¡ª| hope to God I know how to repent on my fucking knees and tell her how amazing she is and beg for her forgiveness. | would never try to make her feel small in order to manipte her into being with me. Ever." ke''s eyes squeeze shut, his humiliation clear. All | can do is stare at Easton, my heart thumping so hard | swear everyone in the room can hear it. His gaze meets mine, all of that sincerity and his love for me swirling in the blue depths and without thought, | go to him, not caring that everyone¡ªspecifically ke¡ªis watching us. He''s mine. And I''m his. Easton grips the back of my head, kissing me hard on the mouth and then my forehead and | lean into him, sighing against his shoulder. This is how it should be. Having each other''s backs, not trying to tear each other down. Why couldn''t ke realize this? Why did he have to take it so far? He ruined a friendship between all of us. It''s over. Finished. Text content ? N?velDrama.Org. Completely ignoring ke, the four of us send each other a look before we leave his house, Sadie and Ryan making sure they grab all the food. ke doesn''t try and even stop us. Doesnt say a damn word to any of us, and once we''re outside, it''s as if we''re all taking a deep, cleansing breath. The weight of the mystery ispletely gone, and while I''m disappointed in finding out it was ke of all people, I''m not surprised at all that Aisha was involved. Of course she was. "If | could, I''d go kick that skank''s ass right now,¡¯ Sadie mutters. A giggle escapes me, even after everything we''ve just been through. ¡°I wouldnt stop you.¡± ¡°| would.¡± Ryan wraps Sadie up in a big hug, and while it seems like he''s being affectionate, | also wouldnt doubt he''s trying to restrain her from making good on her threat. "We need to forget about them. Forget all of this ever happened¡± "| agree,¡± Easton says as he pulls me into his arms. | cling to him, breathing in his familiar, delicious scent, absorbing all of his warmth and strength. This boy...| love him. So much. | trust him. He''s got my back, and I''ve got his. He''s promising me forever without using words just by holding me and | close my eyes, safe and secure in his arms. Even outside of ke''s house. It doesnt matter. | know, and Easton knows too. I''m his. And he''s mine. Chapter 198 Chapter 198 Chapter 198 Easton ¡°I''ll can''t believe we''re done!" Harper spreads herself across me on the bed as we sit at my parents¡¯ke housepletely alone except for the fandom screamsing from Ryan and Sadie. ¡°Should we go out there?" | ask. ¡°She did just threaten his life.¡± ¡°Ill threaten yours if you don''t kiss me.¡± "Oh yeah?" My eyebrow arches as | hold her hard against me. "Weren''t we supposed to juste in here real quick to change for the hot tub?" | snap her white bikini and grin up at her. "Or am I wrong?¡± She rubs against me. "Mmmm, yes to changing, but | gotfy, so...¡± | look down at the scrap of material barely covering her body. ¡°That''s comfy?" "Yes." She winks. "What, you don''t like it? | thought you loved me in bikinis? Isn''t that how you found your mystery girl?" "Correction..." | flip her onto her back. "I found you post bikini, and had | known this was my future, | would have stripped you bare and carried you over my shoulder, | may have locked you in my room, possibly would have gone to prison after Ryan kicked my ass or attempted to. We both know his right hook is weak as fuck.¡± She nods like she does know. Damn, | love her. ¡°And yeah, our story would have ended differently.¡± ¡°True.¡± She wraps her arms around my neck. "But | like our ending.¡± ¡°Oh yeah?" | ask. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°It''s messy.¡± She shrugs. "But messy makes us stronger right?" ¡°Right.¡± | rasp, leaning down for a kiss. She hooks her heels behind me. A fist bangs against our bedroom door. "You better not be having sex." ¡°Okay Dad!" | yell back. "Oh God, Easton, right there, right there, oh, oh,¡¯ Harper starts screaming like a porn star, and instead ofughing, I''m so turned on | swear my dick turns to stone as | watch. ¡°Son of a bitch, Easton!" Ryan roars. ¡°I''ll kill you!¡± ¡°IT''S NOT LIKE YOU DIDN''T KNOW!" | yell back, angry that he''s ruining this super fucking sexy moment of Harper fake orgasming beneath me¡ªfuck he''s such a cock block sometimes! ¡°Ohhhhhbhhh.¡± Harper reaches down and slides her hand beneath her tiny little bikini bottoms. | watch like it''s free porn. | can barely breathe. When the fuck can | marry this girl? | mean, seriously. I''m afraid to move as she hooks her hands inside the bottoms. | can tell when her fingers start to move because her hips buck. Is this really happening? "You guys suck!" Ryan yells. ¡°Sucking,¡± | repeat in a daze. ¡°Yes, great idea, all the sucking.¡± ¡°All of it,¡± Harper pants. | grab her hand and jerk it from underneath her bottoms, then suck on her two fingers tasting her there and wishing that | could sit here, the rest of my life and just watch her pleasure herself over and over again. I''d be okay with that sort of torture, that sort of hell. "My turn,¡± | growl. N?velDrama.Org owns all content. ¡°Hurry.¡± Her cheeks are pink. | tug down her bottoms, then reach for my shorts and do the same. My dick is already so hard it''s painful as | thrust into her, quickly, efficiently, damn we have it down to a perfect science, though I''d like to think of it as art as | pump into her. We both know, without even saying it, that Ryan''s probably grumpy and wants everyone to hang out since it''s ourst night before everyone starts to buckle down and worry about getting ready for college, but all I''m worried about is making my girl feel everything. And all she''s worried about, it seems, is to scream so loud she traumatizes her brother and best friend for life. Can''t say I''m not on board for that. Her body is so tight, so hot and wet, I can''t breathe. | kiss her hard, devouring any confession she may still have left on her lips as our bodies move in sync. It''s so perfect. Us. Theke house. Everything. She smiles against my mouth, and | feel her let go. It''s beautiful, knowing that I''m the one that causes her release, that she''s so free with me and always can be, that she''s mine and that | can be myself, finally. Fuck | was such a pussy about rtionships earlier this year, and now | can''t imagine anything else or anything better than this. I''m ready to handcuff the poor girl to me. She''d probably say yes only because of the kink. We both find release. It''s perfection. And when we finally make it out to the hot tub, both of uspletely sated it''s to find a pair of swim shorts, an empty bottle of champagne, along with an empty hot tub. "Where the hell are they?" | ask. "DON''T LOOK OVER HERE!" Ryan yells. And, of course, we do exactly that. He''s standing behind the tree to the right,pletely naked and Sadie has a switch from one of the same trees in her hand. She''s still in her suit as she hits him again. ¡°That feel good, baby?" "Yes!" he yells. "No!" And then. "LOOK AWAY!" "I will never recover from this,¡¯ Harper says under her breath. ¡°And yet I can''t look away at all; his ass is so white I''m blinded.¡± ¡°Ew.¡± Harper turns to me and then slowly gets into the hot tub. ¡°Pretty sure we can tune them out with all my moans and screams." ¡°Oh, it''s like that, huh?" | get in after her. ¡°Yup.¡± She peels off her top and tosses it to the ground. "If we can''t look, neither can they." I''m ready again. "Look away, Ryan," | say. He''s clearly busy at this point. | see Sadie grab his hand. They run into the house probably to finish what they started leaving Harper and me alone in the hot tub. "So." The waterps at her breasts as she swims toward me. "What should we do?" "Stargaze." | pull it out of my ass. "Respect one another...have a nice chill dinner where we talk about our hopes and dreams and¡ª" She pinches my dick with her fingers. ¡°Son of a¡ª" | jerk away. "¡ªOr we can just love each other, fuck on asion, and | can feed you when you get hungry. After all, my mystery girl needs to eat to keep up her energy." ¡°True.¡± She floats toward me then sits on myp. My cock brushes against her ass; I can barely hold my groan in. "And in the meantime..." She reaches behind and squeezes. | curse. And then she''s holding her breath, and her mouth is sucking me under the water. | forget all other thoughts. And look up at the stars and smile. Okay, so maybe I''ll stargaze and find a lucky star to thank for the girl of my dreams. My mystery girl. Harper. Chapter 199 Chapter 199 Chapter 199 Easton ¡°Hey there." A random girl tries to touch my arm, | recoil and shake my head as if to say, not in this lifetime, but I''m saved by my girl as she slides up next to me and res. The girl walks off, nearly falling in her flip¡ªflops and impaling herself on a bike rack in all her haste to get away. ¡°Damn, you didn''t even have to say anything." | hold Harper close. ¡°I''ve developed a really good resting bitch face since dating you." Harper looks ready to pat herself on the back. "Anyway, how was orientation?" She''s wearing the cutest little jean shorts and crop top showing off her curvy body, and damn, I''m not normally a fan of cowboy boots, but | literally see her in nothing else but them and want to m her against the nearest building and peel her clothes from her body. ¡°Hey.¡± She snaps her fingers. "Eyes up here!" "Hmm?" | blink. "What?" "Men,'' she mutters. ¡°Yes, I''m in boots. Yes, my shorts are short." She turns around, showing near ass cheek. "Yes, you can fuck meter but right now, tell me about orientation!¡± She stomps one of the boots, endearing her to me even more as I smirk at her little scowl. "Okay, okay, it was intense, but I''m really excited about being here. | think I''ll be challenged, and so far, the professors seem really cool." "Good." She grabs my hand. | squeeze hers back as we start walking down the sidewalk. College so was not what | thought it would be. So far, freshman orientation takes up all of our time¡ªwe''re in different majors, so we still see each other every day, but it''s an adjustment after basically living together all summer. Her parents would be dumb¡ªdumbs if they didn''t know that we were in the same room whenever we were at theke house. Add that into the fact that her mom and dad went on their very first overseas trip since their honeymoon for a month, and yeah, it''s not like Harper stayed at her house the entire time. Between my house and hers, it was basically like an intro into adulthood and possibly living together, so when it came time to figure stuff out for college, | just said fuck it and asked her to live with me. Her parents, | think, were so thankful they didn''t have to pay for her housing that they were at least a bit okay with it. | may have lied a bit and said she''d be in the other room and that we''d be sharing with one other person who I''ve yet to actually meet, but | figured worst¡ªcase scenario, we''d find some sad freshman who needed to catch a break, let them live with us, and all would work out. | kissed the back of her hand. "Should we go make dinner?" ¡°Lwas thinking Italian.¡± ¡°Nice choice." | stopped walking. "Shit, | need to go get groceries. Damn, | keep forgetting they don''t magically appear in our fridge.¡± ¡°No, the grocery fairy, aka your mom, does not, in fact, live in our fridge.¡± Harperughs. ¡°But | did actually stop off and grab some stuff just in case you wanted to stay in tonight. One of the only Italian dishes | know involves noodles, sauce, and a whole bunch of...¡± Sheughs. "Meat." ¡°Oh, does it?" Fuck how am | already turned on over food? "That''s... wonderful.¡± N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. "Yup." She looks ready to skip in front of me. She tugs my hand harder. ¡°And for dessert, | bought whipped cream...¡± ¡°Where do we put that?¡± | ask dumbly. She throws her head back andughs, then sobers and says, ¡°Wherever you want.¡± | groan. "How am | so turned on right now?" ¡°When are you not?" she asks. ¡°And we''re only a few minutes away from the apartment.¡¯ "Mmm." | nod in agreement, staring at her boots again. ¡°You should cook in just those.¡± ¡°And you''ll do what? Watch?" ¡°Supervise, duh." | shrug and spin her around. "I''ll make sure you''re doing a good job, and every time you drop something, I''ll p your ass, think of it as both reward and punishment.¡¯ | pull her against me and kiss her nose. ¡°Tell me you''re wet for me right now just thinking about a wooden spoon coming down on your ass.¡± She wiggles against me, her cheeks going red. ¡°People are staring.¡± |ugh. ¡°Let them stare. Let them be jealous.¡± ¡°Jealous, huh?¡± She teases. ¡°Of how horny we are for each other?" "That..." | pull her tighter. "And how much we love each other, how much it shows, and how fucking thankful | am that | stumbled across a mystery girl and decided to make her mine.¡± ¡°Just took you a hot minute.¡± She pats my head. ¡°Didn''t it?¡± ¡°| should have known; | whisper. "| would know you anywhere now." ¡°Even in the dark?" "Yup!" ¡°You sure?¡± | prove it hourster when we decide to reenact the whole moment-¡ª| mean, of course, it''s our small kitchen, so | know she''s there, but as | see her silhouette, | think to myself how fucking grateful | am that she¡¯s here with me and how awesome it is that she¡¯s not just my other half but my best friend. Most guys don''t get this lucky. Then again, most guys aren''t dating Harper Quinn. "Love you,¡± | whisper hourster when we''re in bed, and she''s naked across me. ¡°Love you too,¡± she answers back with a yawn. ¡°Love you so much." Chapter 200 Chapter 200 Chapter 200 Easton ¡°l''ll want to tell you a story,¡¯ | start, a smile moving over my face as all the memoriese back to me. There are so many of them. Years worth. Fifteen to be exact. ¡°It all started with a party, a bathroom, and a power outage.¡± | shake my head,ughing. "I''ll spare you those details, but what resulted from that party was the most epic of love stories. One that had so many highs and lows. One that was as rocky as it was beautiful. We were so young and total opposites, but somehow she was made for me.¡± Completely made for me. "She was the most beautiful girl at school, but | was too caught up in a life | won''t go into to even notice her. | never knew what love was, until | was with her. Love that is all consuming, that takes your breath away. Love that makes you miss the person even when you are away from them for only a few minutes. Love that makes you know you would do anything in the world for that person. That is what it felt like, being in love with her. My voice drifts and I think of our life together. How we started, and what we''ve built. How we''vee so far, and what we''ve aplished. "UCLA was never the school of my dreams, | just knew there was no way | wanted to go to Stanford and be without her ..." | sigh, recalling the disappointment from my parents ¡ª | was a third generation legacy, my path had been mapped out for me from the moment the doctor told them, ¡°It''s a boy!¡± and diverting from their path was not what they expected. ¡°lL loved her, and it didn''t matter if | would disappoint my parents. | had to follow my heart, so | went with her to Los Angeles for college.¡± A smile crosses my face. Those moments feel like yesterday, yet they also feel like a lifetime ago.I rock my body, back and forth, like music is ying in the room, but it''s just silence and my voice¡ªand my memories. ¡°We moved in together freshman year and that''s where we lived until we graduated, and now there''s a finance diploma hanging on the wall, and a degree in social work for her.¡± | move over to the window, taking in the view from the second story of our house. "My graduation present to her was a condo downtown-thanks to my hefty trust fund-and a two week vacation in Europe. She said it was too much ..." | shake my head. "But it wasn''t enough. Not for her, not for my girl-she deserved the world and | nned to give it to her." | bend my knees and straighten them, adding in that movement tobine with the arm swinging. "That''s where it all started, in that condo downtown-the start of her career and the beginning of mine. The true foundation of our life together and what we have now.¡¯ | close my eyes for a moment, recalling the basic dinners we tried cooking¡ªand burning¡ªtogether and the long walks we took after we got off work. When we were tired yet full of excitement and dreams. So many dreams. The weekends off when we would escape to theke house or stay in the city, finding new brunch spots to test out, determined to locate the best mimosa in town. So young, so in love. | move over to the rocking chair, carefully taking a seat, keeping up the swinging, which is now guided by the chair. The swish of air as the chair moves adds to the calming mood permeating the room. ¡°And then came the moment when it was time to propose. I knew she wouldnt want a diamond the width of her finger. That''s not her style, money and m isn''t something she was ever after. | worked with our family jeweler and designed something that was made for her. Humble. Exquisite. Breathtakingly beautiful. | took her to theke house, a ce that holds so many memories for us, and | asked her to marry me. Under the nket of stars and with a gentle breeze blowing, she said yes and | didnt think my life could ever be moreplete.¡± | pause thinking about our wedding, and how perfect it was. ¡°The only ce she wanted to get married was at the point at theke. When she rounded the corner and | saw her in that white dress, | was done for. The tears were pouring down my face, and | didnt even care. All| could think was, ¡®how did | get this lucky?¡¯. | was totally one of those grooms that they show on TikTok crying like a baby when he sees his bride, and trust me there was no shame in my game" Another sigh leaves me. It''s so easy to get caught up in the memories. | look up at the ceiling pasted with glow in the dark stars, rocking back and forth, and | smile. ¡°Now what came after the wedding was not what we expected.¡± | chuckle. "They say Godughs when you make ns, and boy was he rolling on the floorughing at us. | came home from golfing one day with a client to find her on the bed crying.¡± | shake my head, hating the thought of her tears. Any of them. ¡°Let me tell you, when I see her cry, no matter what the reason, it just kills me. She held up a positive pregnancy test and when | asked her why she was upset, she said she was scared to be a mother." How wrong she''d been to be scared. She''s a freaking natural.. ¡°We had so many doubts over what type of parents we would be. Will we know what to do, or would we fu-¡ªfudge it up. | had no doubt she would be the best mother there ever was. We decided to move home where we grew up, to be closer to our family." Her parents stepped in and helped us so much-and surprisingly enough, so did mine. They both love being grandparents. ¡°We had twin boys-really shouldn''t have been a shocker, considering. But that''s not the biggest surprise to happen-just hang in there, I''ll get to that part soon. A fond smile crosses my face as | think back to that particr time of our lives, Talk about a challenge. ¡°No parenting books could have prepared us for those hellions. They were like two bulls in a China shop 24/7. We would fall into bed at night so exhausted, but also grateful for those two precocious boys. When Ryder and Jamie were four, we decided our family wasnt yetplete. So when we found out we were having baby number three, we were so excited ¡ª and she being the nner she is, couldn''t wait to find out if we were having a boy or a girl." Another chuckle escapes me, remembering Harper''s frustration. ¡°You wouldnt position yourself right at every ultrasound we went to, and we went to a lot. We couldnt tell if you were a boy or a girl, and the doctor kept calling you our mystery baby!¡± My smile is huge as | nce down at the sweet bundle in my arms to find sleepy eyes peeking up at me, and my heart threatens to burst. ¡°Remember when | said, twins weren''t the biggest surprise? No, that was the day you were born. Your mother was so strong during the delivery, doing everything the doctor said and on the final push, when you came out-he looked at us and said, Harper and Easton, meet your mystery girl! We cried tears of joy knowing that name held so much more meaning to us than what Dr. Davis knew.¡± Rising to my feet, | walk over to the window once again andy her head on my shoulder, patting her on the back as | begin raining kisses all over her tiny face. "So that is the story of us, our family of five. A story | will never get tired of telling." As | walk to her crib andy her down, | just stare at Ava. Our daughter. "God you are so tiny,¡¯ | whisper as she holds my finger with her hand, not wanting to let go, fighting the sleep that will being soon, "Your eyes are just like your mother''s. And your perfect lips, your ten tiny fingers and toes." Swear to God, tears threaten and | let theme, overwhelmed with love. "You are so perfect, baby girl. You''re mine, you know. Just like your mom is mine, too." ¡°Oh Easton." | turn to find Harper standing in the open doorway of our daughter''s bedroom, tears flowing down her face. | hold my arms out to her and she comes for me, walking straight into them, her face pressed against my chest as | kiss her temple. "We''ve made a good life,¡¯ | whisper into her hair. N?velDrama.Org owns all content. ¡°The best,¡± she murmurs, giggling when one of our son''s shouts, ¡°MOMMY''!" from downstairs. ¡°| love you.¡± ¡°Llove you too, baby." | squeeze her tight, angling us both so we can stare at the wonder that is our daughter. "And | still cant believe you''re mine." 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