Chapter 22
Cupcakes & Confessions

"We're gonna miss you so much, Sweetie." I smiled at my mom, leaning into her hug.

"I'll be seeing you in a couple weeks anyway, right? Before I come back for college."

"Yeah...about that...are you sure you still want to go to WashU?" She asked hesitantly. I frowned, not understanding why she would say it. In the beginning of the summer she was so happy about me going there that she and my dad sent me here out of nowhere.

"Of course. I can't imagine going anywhere else." Looking over at Jacob, I blushed. He was talking to Connor, who looked like he for once was interested in what Jacob had to say. I was happy they were getting along.

"OK...I'm so happy for you, darling. There's just one thing," Mom sighed. She took my hand, squeezed it tight, and looked into my eyes deeply.

"There's gonna be a ceremony honoring your grandmother in Forest Park. We won't be here...since your dad has to go back to work. But someone from the family has to represent, and Aunt Delilah said she would do it. I just wanted to let you know so you wouldn't be surprised."

I paused. I felt my eyes begin to water. This was the one thing that kept me from loving St. Louis one hundred percent. My dead grandmother.

"That's fine. Completely fine." Then I said goodbye to my parents, wrestled Connor into a hug, and watched them step into their car. My mom waved from the passenger side, and she had a frown on her face.

Bing!

I looked down at my phone, seeing she had texted me. I'm worried for you were her words. But I was completely...fine.

***

"You wanna go get dessert?" Jacob asked me. I nodded, even though I was super tired. We walked from the botanic gardens to his car in the parking lot.

Jenny had gone home after finding out about Sebastian, while Tucker and Heather went to the movies. Me and Jacob were alone for the first time in awhile.

As he was driving, Jacob looked over at me concerned.

"Claire, what's wrong?" He asked. He grabbed my hand and held it tightly. I stared into his deep blue eyes and sighed.

"Nothing." I even gave him a quick peck on the cheek to prove it. He grinned.

"You promised me you would give me the time of my life tonight," Jacob whispered seductively. That finally made me smile.

"You'll get it, I promise you that. But let's get some dessert first."

"Claire, you're all the dessert I need." I looked at him again, noticing his eyes filled with lust. The car had stopped and I glanced outside, seeing we were in a parking lot for a cupcake bar.

"I want you."

Oh my god. My attention went back to my "boyfriend" and I gulped, blushing furiously. All of a sudden Jacob took of his seatbelt, crawled into the back of the car, and stared at me expectantly.

Do you really want to do this, Claire? YES YES YES! My mind screamed. And I was craving the guy in front of me. So I crawled into the back, landing on Jacob's lap. He pulled my legs around his waist so I was straddling him.

"I...I want you too," I breathed heavily. Suddenly his eyes were completely clouded with hunger and need. He yanked me closer to him, and I moaned with pleasure as his hips bumped into mine. Jacob pulled me lower onto him, and I was practically grinding on his lap.

"Omygod" was all I could manage to get out as his lips attached to my neck, sucking as if it was his lifeline. Jacob bit me hard, and I cried out in pain, which caused him to pull away.

"Claire god I'm sorry, I don't know what's got over me," he breathed, then pushed me off him.

Jacob began to shake and he turned away from me, wiping his face. He was crying.

"Jacob...why're you crying? It's fine, it was just a..." I felt at the skin where he bit me and it was so sore.

He sighed with anger, then unlocked the car, getting out. I'm confused. So, so confused. I got out and grabbed my purse, rushing after him as he power walked. When I caught up with him, he opened the door to Jilly's Cupcake Bar. I followed Jacob inside, immediately breathing in the aroma of cupcakes. Then I walked up to Jacob who was looking at all the cupcakes available.

"I...I marked you. Claire, I hurt you and I took advantage of you. When you made those rules it said that I wasn't supposed to take advantage of you, and I did." He whispered as I squeezed his bicep.

"I know I made those rules. But remember the point of them? If you made me like you, then I would be your girlfriend. And I frickin like you so much more that it scares me." I immediately blushed and went quiet. I can't believe I just confessed.

But he turned to face me, pulling me closer gently. "You do? I'm scared whenever I'm with you. This relationship has scared me so much, Claire. I know you think I'm a player, but it's because I'm scared of getting into a deep relationship. But I want you and I want to be your boyfriend."

Jacob was confessing all of this with a chocolate cupcake in his hand. He had already paid, and had also gotten a vanilla cupcake with gold frosting.

He guided me to a table near the back, and set his dessert down, holding onto mine. I sat down, but he kneeled on the floor.

"Do you...wanna be my girlfriend? I promise I won't take advantage of you again, won't kiss you without your permission. Hell, you can make any rules you want, but I just want to spend this summer and hopefully longer with you in my arms." Once Jacob was done, he placed my cupcake in front of me and sucked in a deep breath.

I got up, nervousness suddenly taking over me. My legs were shaking and I felt my eyes watering. But I stayed strong. Grabbing his hands and pulling him up, I looked deeply into his eyes.

"I don't care about rules anymore. I want to be with you, Jacob."

His face lit up and his blue eyes crinkled as he smiled widely. Then he pulled me in for a quick kiss, causing an applause from the people in the restaurant. We laughed, blushed, and sat down again.

"You make me so happy," Jacob whispered, holding my hand across the table.

"You make me happy too," I said. Smiling, I took a bite of my gold cupcake and savored every bit of it. My life has changed.