Tiffany arched an eyebrow in surprise. “An ice cream shop?” she exclaimed, her tone revealing a hint of skepticism.

Jacob’s lips curled into a mischievous grin as he teased, “What, don’t tell me you hate the sacred treat of summer, miss grouchy pants.” The scent of sweet vanilla and freshly made waffle cones filled the air around them, making Tiffany’s mouth water and causing her to second guess her previous statement. She could practically taste the creamy goodness already.

“What? No, of course I don’t hate ice cream.” Tiffany winced. “It’s just that…when you said let’s skip school, I today you’d take me somewhere more…um…”

“Somewhere more what?” Jacob smirked, leaning closer as they stood in front of the small, charming ice cream shop.

Tiffany hesitated, unsure how to phrase it. “I don’t know… more exciting? Like some secret hideout or something rebellious. You know, not an ice cream shop in broad daylight.”

Jacob chuckled, his grey eyes sparkling with amusement. “You thought I’m some kind of drugged-out teenager, didn’t you?”

“Aren’t you?” She looked at him wide-eyed as if surprised to see that he was not.

“I am not. The only addiction I have is my addiction to sugar. Besides? It’s not like I can do drugs and get away with it. My job does random drug tests and…”

“You have a job?” Tiffany interrupted.

Jacob smirked at the surprise in her tone. God…she really thought the worst of him.

“Yeah, I do,” Jacob replied, looking amused by her reaction. “What, you thought I just spent my time blackmailing girls and getting into trouble?”

Tiffany shrugged, her cheeks flushing a bit. “Well, you don’t exactly give off ‘responsible employee’ vibes.”

Jacob chuckled, shaking his head. “I work part-time at a diner. Nothing fancy.”

“Which one?” Tiffany asked, her eyes glowing with curiosity.

“Are we going inside, or are we going to sit in this car all day?” He said amusingly.

Tiffany glanced at the ice cream shop and then back at Jacob, trying to suppress a smile. “Fine, let’s go in. But don’t think you’ve distracted me from the fact that you’re dodging my question.”

Jacob grinned, unbuckling his seatbelt. “I’m not dodging anything. I’ll tell you all about my job once I’ve had a few scoops of ice cream.”

They stepped out of the car and made their way to the shop’s entrance, the warmth of the sun contrasting with the cool breeze that carried the scent of sugar and cream.

Tiffany’s stomach fluttered with a strange mix of excitement and anxiety as she walked through the door beside Jacob. Being here with Jacob felt surreal like she’d crossed into some alternate universe.

Why was he doing this? Her mind raced with questions, unsure of his motives. Was this just some ploy to toy with her emotions?

Inside, the shop was cozy, with pastel walls and chalkboard menus. A display of brightly colored ice cream tubs sat behind glass, and the cheery shop owner greeted them with a smile.

“Go ahead and pick your poison,” Jacob joked, playfully nudging her towards the counter. “My treat.”

As Tiffany scanned the menu, she couldn’t help but wonder what other surprises Jacob had in store for her.

Tiffany’s eyes landed on a chocolate fudge swirl. “I’ll take the chocolate,” she said, trying to focus on anything other than how close Jacob was standing to her.

He ordered a double scoop of mint chip, then turned to her with that familiar, cocky grin. “So, you really think I’m just trouble, huh?”

Tiffany crossed her arms, giving him a look. “You do bully me, Jacob. That’s not exactly what a nice guy does.”

He shrugged, handing the cashier a few bills. “I don’t bully you.”

Tiffany glared at him. “Yes you do, Jacob. Ever since ninth grade, you’ve been constantly harassing me.”

Jacob raised an eyebrow, his expression turning more serious. “Harassing you? Come on, Tiff. It’s not like that.”

Tiffany crossed her arms, not backing down. “You aren’t as dumb as you are pretending to be, Jacob. You know exactly what I’m talking about.”

He sighed, running a hand through his hair. “Okay, maybe I mess with you sometimes, but it’s not like I’m trying to ruin your life. You think I do it just to be mean?”

Tiffany stayed silent, unsure how to respond. In truth, she wasn’t sure why he did what he did. It was confusing. He always had this strange way of getting under her skin, but now, sitting in an ice cream shop with him, he seemed different.

“I thought you hated me,” she said quietly, looking down at her ice cream.

Jacob blinked, clearly caught off guard by her admission. “Hate you? No, Tiff, I don’t hate you. If I did, I wouldn’t be here right now, would I?”

“Then why do you always act like you do?” she asked.

Jacob shrugged, leaning back in his chair. “Maybe I just wanted your attention.”

Tiffany glared at him. “That’s so stupid.”

“Guess I’m just a stupid guy,” he said avoiding looking into her eyes.

“I just want people to leave me alone and that includes you,” she said.

“Well, I’m not going to leave you alone,” he said without missing a beat.

Tiffany realized her ice cream was slowly melting as she was neglecting it but she didn’t care. “Why not?” She hissed.

“Because I want you.”

Tiffany’s entire body froze, her breath catching in her throat like a trapped bird. “What?” she whispered, her voice trembling with disbelief. Her heart raced and her mind struggled to make sense of Jacob’s words.

Jacob kept his eyes fixed on the table in front of him, avoiding her gaze. His usual cocky demeanor had vanished, replaced by a deep vulnerability that rattled Tiffany to her core. “I want you, Tiff. I always have,” he repeated, his voice more clear this time.

Her eyes darted between him and the table, searching for some sign that this was all just a cruel joke. But there was none. This was real. Jacob—her longtime bully and notorious player—was confessing his feelings for her. It was almost too much to comprehend.

“Is this another one of your games?” she asked, her tone laced with confusion and anger.

Jacob shook his head. “It’s not a game. I know I’ve messed with you, and maybe I went too far sometimes, but…” He paused, finally looking up at her, his gray eyes serious. “I want you.”

“Want me in wha…what way?” she stammered.

Jacob remained silent, his muscular frame leaning in closer until he towered above her. Tiffany couldn’t help but feel overwhelmed by his presence, the weight of his larger body looming over her.

She instinctively leaned back, feeling her pulse quicken as she tried to regain control over her trembling voice. “Jacob,” she warned, her heart racing with anticipation.

But he didn’t back down, his intense gaze fixated on her every move. His deep voice broke through the tension. “In every way, Tiff,” he declared firmly. “I want all of you - your body, your heart. I’ve wanted you since we were in ninth grade.” The memory flooded back to Tiffany - the first time she had laid eyes on him, the same arrogant boy with an undeniable charm that had annoyed her from the start.

She blinked, struggling to process the gravity of his words. “You’re not serious,” she whispered, her disbelief almost palpable. “This is a prank, right?”

“I am dead serious,” Jacob replied, his eyes locking with hers.

Tiffany shook her head, her confusion mounting. This had to be a joke, right? He couldn’t be serious!