Yours, Forever.

Chapter Three

(Harper's POV)

"So, how was your first day of school, Isaac?" Talia asked me from the other side of the dinner table.

"It was so fun! I drew a puppy and a kitty, and my teacher said it was really good!" Isaac beamed.

"That's great! And how was your day of college, Harper?" Talia turned her attention to me.

"It wasn't too bad. Well, except for the first period. The English teacher is a-well, her last name is 'Bich'," I replied, smirking.

"HA! That's hilarious! But honestly, I wouldn't take her too seriously. It seems like all English teachers are a bit uptight," Talia said, digging into her bowl of ramen.

"Yeah, honestly I don't care. I've been through too much to care," I laughed.

Later That Night:

After Isaac went to bed, Talia and I settled on the couch with ice cream, ready to watch a movie.

"Whoa, is this allowed in an R-rated film?" I exclaimed, eyes wide.

"Apparently... dang," Talia said, cheeks flushing.

"Oh my gosh, does this embarrass you?" I teased.

"Shut up! It's just weird watching this with my little sister. I'll have to get used to it," she said, rolling her eyes.

"Alright, alright..." I laughed, trying to steer the conversation away from the man pounding a chick on TV.

"So, did you meet anyone new today?" Talia asked, taking a big bite of ice cream.

"Well, I met this girl named Luna. I think she'd be the type you probably wouldn't want me hanging around," I admitted, chuckling.

"Let me guess: punk, colored hair, goes to frat parties a lot, and probably dabbles in some illegal substances?"

"Pretty much! I don't know her well enough yet to say for sure," I replied.

"Well, just be smart about it. I'm not going to be the crazy strict sister, but I hope you'll apply yourself in college. It'll pay off in the long run," she said, her tone serious.

"Okay, I'll try to... apply myself. And no, I'm not going to go smoke crack or anything. You don't have to worry about that..." I said quietly.

"Thank you, sis," she said, smiling warmly.

"Think nothing of it," I replied with a wave of my hand.

"Oh! I also met a guy. I didn't catch his name, but he seemed pretty nice," I said, a hint of curiosity creeping in.

"Oooh? What's he like? Is he cute?" she asked, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

"Oh my god, no! I called his girlfriend a bitch, then apologized, which is why he seemed chill. But I'm not interested in relationships right now," I clarified.

"Oh. Okay then. I won't even ask about the 'bitch' comment... but cool, I guess?" she laughed.

"Yeah," I replied, giggling.

(Alex's POV)

The next day in science class:

"Hey Alex, do I stink? I didn't get a chance to shower today," Sam said from his seat.

"Nah, you smell fine," I replied casually.

(Harper's POV)

I sat down in the back of the classroom for what felt like an eternity, then finally Mrs. Carole, our teacher, settled down to begin her lecture.

"So, class, as I'm sure you all know, your... sexual health is very important. And uh... this is because. Ehem," Her stuttering only made the atmosphere more awkward.

"Fornication and reproduction can be a rather... um, sensitive topic, so we won't be using any vulgar or explicit language or showing any explicit imagery. However, if you'd like some, uh, rubber protectors, you can ask for them at the end of class," she added, visibly flustered.

"Wait, so the creation of human life is a vulgar subject?" I stood up, challenging the absurdity.

"Excuse me?" Mrs. Carole exclaimed, clearly taken aback.

"Why are words like 'penis,' 'vagina,' and 'sexual intercourse' considered vulgar? All of us standing here are adults. I'm sure most of us in this class could stand up and admit we were born from two people who came together to create us. Actually, I think if you make sex a taboo subject, it causes people to have unhealthy mindsets," I asserted confidently.

"Miss Whitlock, you have some nerve using language like that in my classroom. It's quite disrespectful," she retorted, her face flushed.

"Vagina," Luna chimed in with a smirk, giving me a supportive pat on the back.

Mrs. Carole looked completely shocked, her anger boiling as she debated sending us both to detention when something unexpected happened.

"Sex is a beautiful thing when you think about it. In a consensual, peaceful environment, it's one of the purest forms of intimacy-if not the most. There's no shame in it," a voice chimed in from across the room. It was Alex-the cute brunette guy whose girlfriend I had called a bitch.

"Okay, well, um..." Mrs. Carole stumbled, momentarily lost for words.

"This is clearly distracting, so let's move on to the main topic: anatomical science," she finally said, her tone flat. Everyone rolled their eyes in unison.

"Thank you," I mouthed to Alex from the back of the classroom.

"No problem," he replied, mirroring my gesture.