"When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different. You know that your name is safe in their mouth."

-Jeremy Lockhart

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⚓️SKYLAR⚓️

I tip toed up the stairs to my room, hoping that my mum wouldn't realize I'm home. I smiled in accomplishment when I reached the door of my room but my hopes were shortlifted.

I heard someone clearing their throat and as I looked down the flight of stairs, there she stood with arms crossed.

I should start digging my grave six-feet underground.

"Skylar, you're home."

"Yes...?"

"I got a call from someone today, anything you want to explain?" She raised an eyebrow.

Just bullshit a whole damn story now!!

My inner thoughts kept screaming at me, I really had no choice but to agree.

"I skipped school today...because I got a call from the ice cream parlor that I got the job...and...I had to rush over to sign all the documents. The job is really important, mum. That's why I did what I did." I smiled sweetly, hoping that she would buy my story.

"And where are those documents?"

"That's the thing...I was just about to get them!!" I replied almost too quickly before dashing out of house.

How the hell am I going to get all the job documents when I don't even have a job?

Grabbing my skateboard, I skated towards the ice cream parlor while wrecking my brain for a solution.

The Ice cream parlor seem to be packed like a can of sardines, Willow must be really busy.

I held my skateboard in one hand as I walked in, my eyes scanned for a familiar strawberry blonde girl.

"Willow!!" I made my way to the cashier.

"Thank you for coming, hope you have a great–SKYLAR!!" She squealed in happiness in the midst of talking to a customer. I gave her a side hug before rambling my situation.

"So I need a job or the job documents...now.." I asked desperately.

"I don't think it's possible but maybe my boss can help you, just go through that door at the back—his office is in there." She directed me before attending to the customers again.

I went through the door and found a chubby man and a boy around my age discussing something. I cleared my throat to get their attention and both pairs of eyes immediately flew onto me.

"Sorry to disturb, but I would like to speak to the manager of this ice cream parlor." I asked polietly.

"That would be me." The young boy stepped forward, flashing me a million dollar smile.

"Shut up Cole." The chubby man hit Cole from the back of his head in a playful way.

Cole chuckled while running his fingers through his silky blonde hair, a dimples smile plastered on his face.

"How may I help you Ms..?"

"Just call me Skylar. I need a job urgently, most preferably by today. I actually came over yesterday and told Willow about this..."

"Oh so you must be Skylar Torres, Willow told me a lot about you. I'm Mr Stevens and that young man over there is my nephew, Cole.  Well, I don't normally do this but follow me.." He led me back to the cashier, Cole followed us too.

Mr Stevens scanned the ice cream parlor before pointing over to a booth in the middle of the entire ice cream parlor, he passed me a notepad and a pen.

"Your job interview starts now, go over to that booth and get their orders and inform their orders to Willow later.  Work for 1 hour and I'll give you the job, just like that." He clapped his hands happily.

My smile widened by each passing second and I nodded eagerly.

This should be a piece of cake.

"You okay Skylar? You look like you're having seizure." Cole teased while laughing.

Rolling my eyes at him, I grabbed the notepad and made my way to that booth. The booth had fours guys chatting and laughing loudly. Quite a rowdy bunch, if you ask me.

"Welcome to Ice Palance, what would you like to—" I stopped midway when I realized who I was attending to.

Luscious dirty blonde hair, ocean blue eyes, sharp jawline, high cheekbones, plump lips—Jeremy Lockhart.

As his eyes met mine, his lips twitched into an evil smirk.

Why is he smiling like that?

"Hey Torres!" Tristen budded in.

"That's one fine ass you got there babe." Zach checked me out from head to toe.

Gabriel gave me a small smile of acknowledgement, he never talked much come to think of it.

"Didn't know you worked here, Skylar?" The way Jeremy said my name, made me feel a sudden rush of excitement.

"Didn't know you could live without your girlfriend for a minute, Jeremy." I countered back.

"You just got burned jj—" Zach said before immediately shutting up when Jeremy glared at him.

What was he about to say?

"So what's your order?"

Jeremy gave his friends an evil smile before blabbering his order.

"Can I have...a scoop of Chocolate, Butter pecan and Strawberry. Zach would have Neapolitan, Chocolate chip and French vanilla. Tristen would have Cookies and cream, vanilla fudge ripple and chocolate marshmallow. Gabriel would just like to have an espresso. For all our ice creams, we would like to melted chocolate over it and it's mustn't be too hot or cold. " he listed out with a smug look while I tried to scribble down as much possible.

That son of a goat.

"You did this on purpose." I gritted through my teeth.

"Sorry, don't you have to work and serve us our order?" He questioned arrogantly, while Tristen mouthed 'sorry' .

Taking a deep breath, I stomped to the cashier where Willow was.

"Willow, does Jeremy always order this much?" I shoved the notepad into her hand.

"Wow...that's a lot...Jeremy never does that..but either way, we still have to do it." She said slowly while reading the order.

She started whipping up all the different flavors while I kept shooting daggers at Jeremy's head, hoping that someone would just appear and shoot him.

Maybe I should hire an assasin?

Placing the different ice creams on their table, Jeremy took the first bite into his ice cream.

"This is not what I ordered." He pushed the ice cream away from him.

"What!? It's exactly what I wrote!"

"I wanted my melted chocolate to be not too hot or cold but it's too cold for me." He gave me a mischievous smile.

Why does he have to keep messing with me?

Gabriel nudged Jeremy and shook his head, discouraging him from what he was planning to do next.

"Where's the manager?" Jeremy yelled which grabbed everyone's attention.

All pairs of accusing eyes were on me, Mr Stevens ran to the booth with a worried expression plastered on his face.

"Sir, how may I help you?" Mr Stevens asked Jeremy.

"Your new waiter over here didn't order my ice cream in the way I wanted it to be." Jeremy smirked.

Was this his kind of revenge?

"We'll get your order immedaitely, sir. Skylar meet me at my office." Mr Stevens said sternly.

Taking off my apron, I met Mr Steven at his office. I wasn't sure of what to expect to be honest.

"I'm really sorry Skylar, but I can't hire you. It's not even been 1 hour, and you're already having problems with customers—"

"But Mr Stevens, didn't you see how Jeremy was doing this on purpose!!" I argued.

"Customers' wishes are always our priority, maybe this isn't the job for you..."

He was already firing me, even though I didn't get the job. How am I going to help mum now?

How are we going to buy food and pay the bills?

How about mum's medical bills? How are we going to survive?

"Fine but before I leave I have to do something." I said in a grim tone before exiting his office.

I approached the booth where Jeremy sat, I wasn't going to let him get away without being embarrassed too.

"Before I leave this place because I got fired, let me fulfill your order. Here is your chocolate, butter pecan and strawberry ice cream!"

Taking Tristen's and Zach's ice cream, I dumped it onto Jeremy's head. All the other customers had their eyes on us.

"Skylar, what are you—NOT MY HAIR!!" Jeremy screamed.

"Oh and let's not forget how you want your ice cream to be—not too hot or cold."

I grabbed Gabriel's hot espresso and splashed it onto Jeremy's white shirt. That was going to leave a mark, for sure. As I walked out of the ice cream parlor, I felt his eyes on my back.

If he wants to play, I'll make sure it's fun.