As Ciara left the courtyard, her eyes landed on Jacob, standing by his locker with a couple of his friends. She noticed the effortless way he laughed, his relaxed posture as he spoke with the group. Ciara smirked, an idea forming. She didn’t have to go after Hanna directly—she’d go after her through Jacob. The plan wasn’t just to get close; it was to get under Hanna’s skin, to make her realize that Ciara could take what she wanted if she chose to.
After a moment of smoothing down her hair and adjusting her jacket, Ciara sauntered over to where Jacob was standing. She flashed a casual smile, making her voice light and playful. “Hey, Jacob! Didn’t realize you had such great taste in music,” she said, nodding toward the vintage band logo on his T-shirt. “Arctic Monkeys? Classic.”
Jacob raised an eyebrow, his gaze skeptical. He wasn’t exactly expecting Ciara to strike up a conversation about music, especially given her reputation as someone who barely cared about anything outside her social media feed. “Uh… thanks, I guess?” he replied, his voice cautious.
Ciara laughed, tossing her hair over her shoulder. “I’m just saying, it’s refreshing to see a guy with actual style around here.” She let her eyes linger on him, adding a slight smirk for good measure.
Jacob narrowed his eyes, catching on to her game. He knew exactly who Ciara was and what she was capable of; he’d seen her manipulation firsthand. “Thanks, but I’m pretty sure you usually go for the more… mainstream type.” His tone was polite but distant.
Ciara’s smile never faltered. “Maybe I’m just expanding my horizons.” She leaned in closer, her voice dropping to a mock-whisper. “I don’t think people really understand me.”
Jacob suppressed a snort, his gaze leveling with hers. “Right. Somehow, I don’t think I’m the one to change that.”
She feigned an exaggerated pout. “You’re so harsh, Jacob. Maybe if you gave me a chance, you’d see I’m not all bad.”
But he just shook his head with a small laugh. “Thanks for the… advice, Ciara, but I’m good.”
As he turned and walked away, Ciara’s smile faded slightly. Her jaw tightened, and she narrowed her eyes. She’d come here to play, and if Jacob wanted to make it difficult, well, she’d only enjoy it more. This wasn’t over.