JASMINE
Jasmine opened her eyes to the soft morning light slipping through the large windows of her room at the Covey mansion. It wasn't her usual space—it still smelled like lavender and cedarwood, like Lily. Still, it was starting to feel a little familiar.
Last night had shaken something loose.
She stared at the ceiling for a long moment, arms folded behind her head, chest rising with a quiet, annoyed breath. Oliver.
She hadn't expected to see him at the dinner. She'd been skipping school like it was survival instinct just to avoid this exact moment. But now that it had happened—now that she'd looked him in the face and nothing happened—she wasn't sure what to feel.
He didn't flinch.
He didn't look uncomfortable.
He didn't even act like anything had ever gone down between them.
And maybe that pissed her off more than anything.
Maybe avoiding him won't solve anything, she thought, legs sliding out from under the covers. Maybe facing him will.
She looked at herself in the mirror—dark curls pushed back in a high puff, her usual smirk missing—but her eyes were sharp, determined.
"Game day," she muttered. "Westbridge vs. Covey Prep. Let's go."
She wasn't going to sit this one out. Not for Oliver. Not for anyone.
---
BLAIR
When Blair opened her eyes, the first thing she noticed was warmth. Not the usual morning sun through her curtains or the weight of Poppy curled at her feet—this was different. She turned her head and froze softly.
Her mother was asleep beside her, curled on top of the blanket in a hoodie, one arm flung protectively near Blair's pillow.
A smile tugged at Blair's lips.
She hadn't realized how much she needed this—her mom's presence, her silence, her comfort. Last night had been heavy, and not once had she thought about how the letter might've affected Lily, too. Blair always thought about her pain. Her dad left her. But he left her mom, too. And still—still—Lily smiled, cooked, hugged, stayed.
Blair's heart swelled with a quiet kind of love.
She shifted slightly, trying not to wake her, but Lily stirred anyway.
"Hey, princess," Lily mumbled, her voice husky from sleep. "How're you doing?"
Blair rolled to her side. "I'm okay, Mom."
Lily yawned, blinking as she sat up slowly. "Didn't want you to be alone last night."
Blair looked down, her voice soft. "Thank you for staying."
"Anything for you." Lily reached to brush a strand of hair from Blair's face. "You feeling better?"
Blair nodded slowly. "Yeah. I mean… I think so."
"You sure you don't want to skip school? It's okay to take a breather."
Blair shook her head. "Today's the school football game. I kinda want to go. Everyone's going to be there, and I feel... alright, I guess."
Lily studied her for a beat. "Don't apologize, Blair. You didn't 'act weird.' You reacted like a human being. Like a girl who's been through some heavy stuff."
"You don't think they think I'm weird?" Blair asked, her voice suddenly small.
Lily's eyes softened. "No one thought you were weird. And if they did, they're idiots."
Blair let out a breathy laugh. "Thanks, Mom."
"I'll make breakfast. You need something in your stomach before you go slay the day." Lily stood, stretching. "Egg sandwich okay?"
Blair grinned. "Perfect."
---
Blair got dressed in her uniform—navy pleated skirt, white blouse tucked neatly under the blazer, long white socks pulled to her knees. Her black loafers were polished, and she tied a slim black headband into her hair, sweeping it back from her face. She checked herself once in the mirror. She didn't look like the same girl who fell apart last night. She looked... kind of put together.
As she stepped out of her room, she nearly bumped into Cassie.
Cassie was already standing in the hallway, hands on her hips like she'd been waiting.
"Hey," Blair greeted her, unsure.
Cassie looked at her up and down. "You look good. Feeling better?"
Blair nodded. "Yeah. You?"
Cassie nodded back. "I'm good. Ready for school?"
"Yeah."
"Cool. Let's go."
They walked down the hall side by side, their steps in sync. The smell of eggs and toasted bread filled the downstairs as they reached the dining room.
Victor was already there, dressed in a clean white button-up and sipping coffee. As soon as he saw them, he stood and pulled Cassie into a quick hug. Then, he opened his arms to Blair.
She hesitated—but only for a second.
Then she stepped forward, and Victor hugged her, gently but firmly.
She smiled.
They grabbed their sandwiches, thanked Lily (who was already fussing over a bowl of strawberries), and said goodbye. As they headed to the car, Blair felt something shift.
Small.
But real.
---
The halls of Westbridge buzzed louder than usual. Students chattered about the game, the players, the cheerleaders, and who they were betting on to win. Blair and Cassie walked in side-by-side, a soft morning sun spilling in from the large windows. Cassie kept her chin high, her polished look perfectly in place, while Blair tried to keep her eyes forward and calm her pounding nerves.
At the hallway split, Cassie muttered, "I'll catch up with you later," and turned toward her locker.
Blair nodded and turned the other way, spotting Maddie near the main staircase. Maddie's curly brown hair bounced slightly as she caught sight of Blair and waved.
"Hey, you look better today," Maddie said as they fell in step together.
"I feel better," Blair admitted. "Yesterday was... kind of a lot."
Maddie gave her a knowing glance. "Yeah? What happened?"
Blair hesitated for a second, then exhaled. "We had dinner with James, Caleb, and Jasmine."
Maddie's steps faltered slightly. "Caleb?"
Blair didn't miss it. The shift. The way Maddie's mouth stiffened. But she kept her tone casual. "Yeah. You know him?"
Maddie blinked. "Not really."
Blair tilted her head but didn't press. She didn't want to bring up the letter. Not yet.
They passed the lockers of Mary, Grace, and Judy, where the girls were whispering like little snakes coiled together.
"Is she pretending like she's okay now?" Grace scoffed, eyes flicking toward Jasmine down the hallway.
"She came back quick," Judy murmured.
"She's not made of glass," Cassie's voice snapped from behind them. She glared at the trio. "Mind your business. And go get changed. Now."
The girls rolled their eyes and walked off, but Blair caught Maddie's smirk.
A few minutes later, Blair and Maddie made their way out to the field. The bleachers were already half-full, the school buzzing with anticipation for the match against Westfield. Westbridge banners whipped in the wind.
Blair's eyes widened when she spotted Cassie slipping into a pair of white cheer shoes by the edge of the field, her uniform clinging perfectly to her figure.
"I didn't know Cassie was a cheerleader," Blair said.
Maddie rolled her eyes. "There's a lot you don't know."
Blair frowned. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"Nothing," Maddie said with a shrug. "She's good, though. I'll give her that."
Blair approached Cassie just as she was fixing her ponytail. "Hey."
Cassie turned, face unreadable. "Hey."
"You didn't tell me you were a cheerleader."
Cassie arched a brow. "Didn't think it was important."
Blair handed her a chilled water bottle from her bag. "Still. You're good out there."
Cassie took the bottle, a flicker of appreciation softening her voice. "Thanks."
As Blair walked back to Maddie, Jasmine approached Cassie, her voice low but warm. "We didn't get to talk yesterday. You were surrounded."
Cassie gave a half-smile. "You coming over tomorrow?"
Jasmine nodded. "If that's okay."
"You're always welcome," Cassie said without hesitation.
Meanwhile, Blair and Maddie settled onto the bleachers with snacks. The sky was a soft blue, the field marked freshly for the game.
Blair unwrapped a protein bar. "I noticed something."
Maddie glanced over, mouth full of popcorn. "What?"
"You and Cassie... you never talk. Like, never."
Maddie paused. "Really?"
"Yeah."
"We used to," Maddie said lightly. "We had history."
Blair looked curious. "What happened?"
Maddie wiped her fingers on a napkin. "Ask your stepsister."
The game began with Westbridge pushing hard. The crowd roared. Blair kept an eye on Jasmine, who stood at the edge of the bleachers in uniform, arms folded, looking distant but composed. Cassie led a round of cheers, sharp and focused. Maddie watched her with a blank expression.
Westbridge scored in the last five minutes, clinching the win. The team burst into celebration, and Blair and Maddie stood with the rest of the crowd to cheer.
After the match, Blair and Maddie walked down toward the field where Cassie was collecting her things.
Cassie spotted them and asked, "Ready to go?"
Blair nodded. "Actually... I was wondering if the three of us could hang out tomorrow. After school."
Maddie blinked. "What?"
Cassie pulled her hoodie over her uniform. "Jasmine's already coming over."
Blair grinned. "The more the merrier."
Maddie hesitated, then nodded. "Sure."
"I'll text you," Blair said.
"Fine," Cassie said, swinging her bag over her shoulder.
Maddie waved. "Later."
As she walked off, Blair and Cassie headed toward the driveway, shoes crunching softly on gravel.
"If tomorrow doesn't go well," Cassie muttered, "I'm going back to hating you."
Blair laughed. "That's fair."
They walked a few steps in silence before Blair turned to her. "Hey... I want to tell you something. Before dinner."
Cassie gave her a glance, but didn't respond.
---