You're Mine

"Are you dating Carter? And don’t bother lying—I’ll find out myself if you are."

Emily didn’t look happy. For the first time, I saw my best friend staring at me with anger and distaste. I couldn’t believe the first thing she said to me that morning was about Carter. What was her deal? For some reason, Emily had become obsessed with Carter ever since he stopped paying attention to her.

"What brought this on?"

"Just answer the question. Everyone’s talking about it. There’s even a picture of you leaving school in his car, Kerry. Why didn’t you tell me you were dating my ex?"

"Because I’m not dating him," I said firmly. "Silas was supposed to pick me up yesterday, but Carter offered me a ride instead. And yes, he did ask me out, but I was going to tell you as soon as I got to school. There’s no point in hiding it from you, Emily, so I don’t understand why you’re so mad."

"I’m mad because I never thought you’d agree to date him, knowing we used to date. Do you know how selfish you’re being?"

"I… but you said you didn’t want to be with Carter. You’re already dating someone else. Is it so bad that I agreed to go out with him?"

Honestly, I had no idea what she was so angry about. Sure, it might sound a little weird that I agreed to go on a date with Emily’s ex, but Carter was my friend long before he became her boyfriend. I remembered how badly she’d wanted Carter to leave her alone—I even helped her push him away. And now she was happily dating David. So what was the problem?

"Whatever. I don’t even care," Emily snapped, grabbing a book from her locker and walking away. She didn’t say another word to me, and I watched her leave, feeling thoroughly confused.

I frowned, suddenly uneasy about the thought of someone secretly taking pictures of me. Up until today, I didn’t think anyone even noticed me at school. I was the kind of person who blended into the background. Maybe it wasn’t about me, though. Maybe it was about Carter—after all, he was the most popular guy in school. Whoever took those photos was probably one of his many fangirls.

"Hey, beautiful," came a familiar voice. Speak of the devil. Carter appeared, looking as handsome as ever. His radiant smile was annoyingly attractive.

His sudden appearance left me with mixed feelings. I was happy to see him, but I couldn’t help feeling self-conscious about what people might think. Everyone knew about the drama between us because of Emily.

"Hey," I said, my voice quieter than I intended.

"What’s wrong? Fought with Emily?"

"How do you know? And if you do, why are you asking me?"

"Just checking. She stormed past me earlier. Yesterday, she sent me this random text asking about our relationship. Maybe she’s just trying to keep you all to herself."

"I don’t think that’s it. I think she wants you back."

"Like hell," Carter snorted, amused by the idea. "She does everything she can to avoid me. If anything, she’s probably worried us hanging out will make me show up around her more."

"Stop making wild guesses," I said, rolling my eyes. "Couldn’t you just… I don’t know, read her mind or something?"

The moment the words left my mouth, I regretted them. Carter’s smirk turned mischievous, and he leaned in, trapping me between him and my locker.

"Does the good girl want me to do something bad?" he teased.

"Cut it out! You read my thoughts all the time."

"Yeah, because you’re mine. Why would I care about what others think?"

"Y-you’re talking nonsense," I stammered, pushing him away to hide my flushed face. Carter grinned but waited patiently as I grabbed my books. Before I could protest, he interlocked our fingers.

It must’ve been a bizarre sight—two people who were always at each other’s throats suddenly holding hands. Stares followed us as we walked to class, but Carter didn’t seem to care. His thick skin deflected their judgment, but I was mortified.

I’d never been in a relationship before, so the romantic gesture felt foreign. Still, I couldn’t deny the butterflies fluttering in my stomach. As I walked beside Carter, I realized I’d been blind to my own feelings. Maybe the reason I was so adamant about getting him to leave Emily alone wasn’t just for her sake—I liked him, too.

But the warmth in my chest confused me. It was similar to how I felt whenever I was around Silas. I shook the thought away. Silas was different. He was my brother.

"You didn’t forget about our date, did you?" Carter asked, breaking the silence as we reached the classroom.

"I didn’t. But where are we going?"

"It’s a surprise. I’ll pick you up at 7. Don’t wear a dress."

"Don’t tell me what to do."

"That’s my girl," he said with a laugh. Before I could respond, he leaned in and pressed a quick kiss to my forehead. My cheeks turned red again, and I looked down at my hands, suddenly shy. Since when did I get so soft?

The teacher entered, and I looked up just in time to see Emily take a seat at the front of the class. She didn’t glance at me once. I grew more worried. I didn’t want any misunderstandings to ruin our friendship.

After school, I tried texting her, but she didn’t reply. I decided to give her some space and visit her house tomorrow. For now, I’d focus on getting ready for my first date.