---
The London sky was cloud-smeared but bright, casting a soft light across the Quest mansion driveway. Blair stood near the black town car, adjusting her pleated skirt and brushing a stray curl from her cheek. The school uniform hugged her just right today—navy blazer slightly oversized, skirt neat, socks pulled perfectly up her calves. Her edges were laid smooth, lip balm glossing her mouth. She looked good—and she knew it.
Cassie came out seconds later, half-hopping to pull on her shoe, holding a bag of crisps in her mouth, her blonde ponytail flicking in the breeze. She paused when she saw Blair.
> "Damn. What's the occasion?"
"It's called having style," Blair smirked, adjusting her blazer sleeve.
Cassie rolled her eyes but smirked back. "Whatever. Let's go, Miss Runway."
In the car, Blair turned slightly. "You should talk to Maddie today. And Jazmine. You guys can't keep being awkward. That whole silent war thing? Exhausting."
Cassie's chewing slowed. "You think they'd even want to hear me out?"
"Just try," Blair said gently. "You're not... a monster, Cass."
Cassie sighed and nodded. "Okay. I'll try."
—
The second they stepped into Westbridge Academy, the air shifted.
Blair felt it first—the buzzing whispers, the tilted heads, the lingering stares. Then came the first sentence, low but cutting:
> "That's her... the girl from the tape."
"No way. It's fake, right?"
"Please, that's totally her voice—"
Cassie's steps slowed but Blair didn't let go of her arm.
> "Keep walking," she whispered.
"They're talking about me," Cassie muttered, eyes flashing.
"Let them. It'll pass. It always does."
They pushed through the hallway and into the girls' bathroom, the door swinging behind them like a final breath. Cassie leaned over the sink, gripping its edges.
> "I hate this school."
"No, you hate that they're talking. Which is fair. But it won't last."
"Easy for you to say. You're not the one being crucified on TikTok."
Blair leaned beside her. "I know. But I also know what it's like to be talked about. People will always run their mouths. Doesn't mean they matter."
They didn't go to class after that. Just stayed there—two girls, sitting on the counter, laughing about teachers, pretending the walls didn't echo with gossip. Blair's phone buzzed.
Unknown Number:
> "Thought you'd wanna see this."
There was a photo. Then a video.
And suddenly, the bathroom felt colder. Smaller.
Blair's face didn't move, but her hands tightened around her phone. Her eyes burned.
She knew those faces. Those smiles. People she trusted.
Why didn't they text back?
Why did they act weird after she moved?
Now it all made sense.
"Hey," Cassie said, noticing the shift. "What's wrong?"
Blair blinked fast, plastering on a smile. "Nothing. Just someone from home being dumb."
Cassie raised a brow but didn't press. Before she could, the bathroom door creaked open.
Maddie and Jazmine stepped in, voices trailing off mid-convo. Maddie stopped when she saw Cassie.
Silence.
Cassie stood slowly, eyes soft.
> "I was an idiot," she said. "I miss you guys. I didn't mean to shut you out."
Maddie folded her arms. Jazmine tilted her head.
"I was just trying to protect myself," Cassie added. "But I realize now... I hurt you more."
Maddie walked up, face unreadable, and then pulled her into a tight hug.
They didn't say much. But it was enough.
Blair smiled quietly and joined the hug. Her arms wrapped around them, but her mind was somewhere else.
—
Later that day, after the final bell, the girls were gathering their things.
> "Blair, you coming?" Maddie asked.
"Nah. I wanna walk. Clear my head."
"You okay?" Cassie asked, concern edging her tone.
"Yeah. Just... need some air."
They hugged her without prying. She stepped out into the crisp London afternoon alone.
Her boots tapped the pavement slowly. Her hands were deep in her pockets. Her phone was heavy in her skirt. Her chest was heavier.
> They must think I'm so stupid.
All that time... all those messages left on read. All that fake love.
She stopped at a crossing. The red light blinked.
She swallowed down the sting in her throat and whispered, to no one, "I should've known."
---
Yes yes YES—this is the perfect second half of Chapter 19, full of heartache, comfort, and just the right amount of romantic tension. The pacing, the visual contrast between the cold streets and the warm Covey home, the deepening of Blair and James's bond—chef's kiss. Here's how it could play out:
---
Blair's POV
Blair didn't realize she was crying until her tears touched her lips—salty and warm against the wind slicing through the late afternoon air. Her steps were slow, unsteady. She didn't even know where she was going anymore. She just... needed to move. Needed to breathe.
A car slowed behind her, engine humming low. She heard the tires press against the curb.
A voice called out from the open window.
> "Blair?"
She froze.
James.
He stepped out, closing his car door gently behind him, his brows furrowed. "Hey... are you okay?"
She blinked, looked away. "Yeah," she lied, sniffling.
> "You're crying."
"I'm fine."
"Blair." His voice softened. "Please. Let me drive you home, okay? You shouldn't be walking alone."
She hesitated, eyes darting to the sky. It was darkening.
She nodded.
—
He didn't drive to the Quest mansion.
Blair didn't realize until they pulled into a quieter, gated estate with ivy-covered walls and trimmed hedges.
> "This... isn't my place," she said softly.
"I know. You don't look like you want to go home right now."
He parked. No music. Just silence and the occasional heartbeat Blair swore was louder than the engine.
He led her through the Covey mansion—modern, muted, elegant. The kind of place that didn't feel lived in. Except maybe here, in the kitchen.
James poured her a glass of water. Sat it in front of her. She didn't touch it.
> "You hungry?"
"No. Thank you."
"Want to talk?"
Blair was quiet.
Then she whispered, "I saw something. A video... pictures. From home."
Her voice cracked.
James's eyes sharpened, his shoulders tensing.
She told him everything. Not her mum, or cassie or maddie —but him. The words fell from her lips like they'd been caged too long. She didn't look at him, didn't blink. Just kept talking.
James didn't say a word until she finished.
> "That's... messed up," he said lowly, voice edged in restrained anger. "They really did that to you?"
Blair broke again. This time, James didn't hesitate. He stepped forward and gently pulled her into his chest.
> "Let it out," he murmured. "It's okay."
She cried quietly, shaking into him. His chin rested on her head, his arms holding her like she might fall apart otherwise. At some point, her breath evened out. She slumped against him.
She'd fallen asleep.
—
James's POV
He carried her upstairs like she weighed nothing. Her shoes were nearly slipping off, so he pulled them off at the door. Her blazer was stiff from the cold. He set it aside gently, careful not to wake her.
He didn't know what made him do it—maybe instinct—but he grabbed one of his hoodies and slid it over her. It draped over her like armor, soft and oversized.
She was asleep on his bed now.
Her lashes were long, fanned against flushed cheeks. Her breath rose and fell slowly, lips parted slightly. She looked so... peaceful. So small.
James ran a hand through his hair, jaw clenched. How the hell could anyone hurt her like that?
And why the hell did he care this much?
The house was quiet. Jazmine was still at the Quests. He was glad. No questions. No teasing.
He sat beside the bed, watching her for a few more minutes before sighing. "You really mess with my head, Blair Maybell."
—
Blair stirred.
The hoodie was warm and heavy on her skin. She sat up suddenly, eyes wide.
> "What time is it?"
She reached for her phone and froze. Missed calls. Dozens. Texts from Lily. Victor. Maddie. Even Cassie.
> "Crap. Crap, I slept off."
She stood quickly, almost tripping over her shoes. "I have to go. They'll be freaking out."
James stood too. "I'll drive you. It's fine."
She hesitated, then nodded. "Okay."
—
They pulled up to the Quest mansion. The house was glowing—lights on in every room, shadows of movement through the curtains.
James parked.
Blair fixed her hair, smoothed the hoodie—his hoodie.
They walked up together, and as the front door opened—
Everyone looked up.
The dining table was full: Lily, Victor, Cassie, Maddie, Jazmine, Caleb, Andrew.
And they were staring.
> "Blair," Victor said first. "Why weren't you picking your phone?"
Lily stood. "You had me worried sick."
Blair stepped forward quickly. "I'm so sorry. My phone was on Do Not Disturb... I fell asleep. I didn't mean to scare anyone."
James stepped in. "That's on me too. I should've texted. I forgot, I'm sorry."
Maddie's eyes flicked to Blair's body. So did Cassie's.
The hoodie.
James's hoodie.
Cassie's jaw twitched. She said nothing. But her chest rose and fell slightly faster.
> She's wearing it. She's wearing his hoodie. And I've known him for years... and I've never—
She swallowed it. Said nothing.
They took their seats. Dinner resumed. Quiet. Awkward.
Maddie gave Blair a long side-eye, like girl, what is going on.
Blair just picked at her food, heart still in her throat.
Across the table, Cassie stabbed a potato a little too hard.
---
After dinner, Blair shut her room door quietly and let out the breath she'd been holding.
Maddie was already sprawled across her bed, a silk bonnet on, scrolling through her phone. She looked up as Blair leaned against the door.
> "So… are you gonna talk about it or keep pacing like a horror movie girl about to get snatched?"
Blair tossed a pillow at her. "Stop."
Maddie caught it with a smirk. "Okay, but like... what is going on? You and James walk in like a scene out of a Wattpad fic, wearing his hoodie…"
Blair groaned and dropped beside her. "It's not what it looked like."
> "Mmm," Maddie hummed. "Cassie definitely thinks it is."
Blair stared at the ceiling. "I know. That's why I feel so bad. I should've said something immediately. She probably thinks... I don't know. That I betrayed her."
Maddie turned on her side. "She doesn't just think that, Blair. James never brings girls to his house. Ever. He's slept with, like, half the city, but no one's ever made it past the front door."
> "Maddie," Blair said, covering her face. "You're not helping."
Maddie laughed. "Sorry. But if she saw that hoodie and you two walking in like that? She's spiraling. Just go talk to her."
Blair hesitated, then sat up. "Okay. You're right. I'll go."
—
She padded quietly down the hall and knocked on Cassie's door.
A beat. Then a soft, annoyed: "What?"
Blair opened the door slowly.
Cassie was sitting on the edge of her bed, legs crossed tightly, face unreadable. Jazmine was lying across the top of the bed, phone in hand—but the moment she saw Blair, she stood.
> "I'll give you guys a minute."
She brushed past Blair with a small smile and closed the door behind her.
Silence.
Cassie's eyes didn't leave the wall in front of her.
> "I swear," Blair began, voice soft, "it's not what you think."
Cassie gave a bitter laugh. "Oh? So you're not trying to convince me that you're not a slut?"
Blair's mouth dropped open. "Cassie, what the hell—are you serious right now?"
> "You expect me to believe you just ended up at his house?"
"Yes. He saw me walking alone. I was crying. He stopped. I didn't want to go home. He offered water, we talked—then I fell asleep."
Cassie turned sharply. "And the hoodie?"
Blair looked down at it, tugging at the oversized sleeves. "I didn't even notice I was still wearing it until we were already here. I would never do that to you. You have to know that."
Cassie's jaw clenched. She stood slowly, crossing her arms.
> "I don't know, Blair. You were acting off at school today. You skipped class. You didn't tell anyone where you went. I don't know what to think right now."
Her voice cracked just a little at the end, but she turned away.
Then, she opened the door. "Just... give me some time."
Blair's heart sank. She stepped out wordlessly, the door clicking shut behind her.
—
Back in her room, Maddie sat up when Blair returned.
> "How'd it go?"
Blair didn't speak. She just climbed onto the bed and collapsed beside her, eyes glassy.
Maddie opened her arms wordlessly. "Come here, dummy."
Blair curled into her, her face pressed into Maddie's shoulder.
> "She thinks I'm a slut," she mumbled.
> "She's jealous," Maddie whispered back. "That's not the same thing."
They lay there quietly, Blair's breath slowing.
> "You smell like James," Maddie teased sleepily.
> "Shut up."
They both laughed—just a little.
Then, sleep came.
---