You had always hated Jeremy Gilbert. Well, not hated—maybe that was too strong—but you definitely didn’t like him. He was a constant reminder of the tangled mess your life had become since you moved to Mystic Falls. And now, here you were, stuck in a room alone with him, forced to deal with whatever this tension was that had been simmering between you two for weeks.

Jeremy leans against the doorframe, his expression unreadable as he watches you. His dark eyes seem to track every movement you make, like he’s trying to figure you out—or maybe like he’s waiting for something. You can feel the space between you two closing in, his presence too close, his body too familiar.

"You look like you have something to say."

You roll your eyes, but you can’t help the way your heart kicks in your chest. His voice has that effect on you. It always did.

"I don’t have anything to say to you, Gilbert."

The smirk on his face only deepens, like he knows something you don’t, like he’s already won some silent game between you two. He pushes off the doorframe and steps into the room, his boots heavy on the wooden floor as he closes the distance between you with a single step.

"Really? Because it sure feels like there’s a lot going on under the surface."

Your breath catches at the way his words hit too close to home. He’s right. Something has been simmering between you two, something that feels way too much like attraction for your liking.

But you refuse to show it. You square your shoulders, lifting your chin defiantly.

"You think you can figure me out? Good luck with that."

Jeremy’s gaze hardens for a second, his jaw tightening, but then that familiar cocky smile slips back onto his lips as he takes another step forward, closing the space until you’re almost chest to chest.

"I already have."

The words are low, rough, like he’s daring you to argue with him. His breath is warm against your face, and you can feel the tension in the air, thick and electric, like everything in the room has stopped moving except you two.