The hallways buzzed with the usual morning chatter as Blair, Cassie, Maddie, and Jazmine entered the school together. It was the first time in a while that Blair didn't feel like a total outsider. Something about the rhythm of routine—books in hand, gossip in the air, friends by her side—started to feel… okay.
Their first class was English, and Mrs. Thorn was already scribbling something dramatic on the board about Shakespeare and tragedy. Blair settled into her seat, but not five minutes in, she raised her hand.
"Bathroom?" she asked.
Mrs. Thorn waved her off without looking up, mid-rant about Hamlet's poor life choices.
Blair stepped into the hallway, savoring the quiet. The school wasn't huge, and she figured she'd be back in class in a couple of minutes. But halfway down the hall, someone rounded the corner too quickly, and she bumped shoulder-first into them.
"Whoa—sorry!" she said, looking up.
It was Oliver.
Blair blinked. "You again? You know, for someone who doesn't go here, I see you around this school a lot."
Oliver smirked. "What can I say? I like the vibe. Maybe I'll enroll just for the mystery and subpar cafeteria food."
She snorted. "You're ridiculous."
"You love it."
She rolled her eyes, but there was no heat behind it. Then, a bit more serious, she said, "Hey… about the other day. With the letter from my dad. I was kind of—harsh."
Oliver's eyes softened. "Nah. You had every right. I probably should've given it to you the same day, but…" He gave a casual shrug. "Guess I wanted an excuse to see you again."
Blair looked at him, lips twitching upward. "Oh, really?"
"Guilty." He leaned against the wall, a little too smooth for someone in a school hallway. "So… how about I cash in that excuse properly? You, me—hang out sometime. What do you say?"
She pretended to consider, then nodded. "Sure."
He grinned. "Cool. Gimme your number?"
She handed it over, and he quickly typed it in. "I'll text you the details. Time, place, all the top-secret stuff."
"Looking forward to it."
"Same. Later, Blair."
"Bye, Oliver."
He headed off down the hall, and she ducked into the bathroom, cheeks warm but smiling.
After a quick trip, she returned to class like nothing happened, but the buzz in her chest lingered.
---
By lunch, the girls had claimed their usual table near the windows. Jazmine was mid-rant about the vending machine "eating her money again," and Maddie was trying to bribe a bite of Cassie's sandwich.
Blair sat down with a laugh. "Okay, okay, can I tell you guys something weird?"
The girls looked at her.
"In Canada, right—our vending machines never ate money. They were polite. Like, if something went wrong, it'd give you a message like 'Sorry, try again later.'"
"No way," Maddie said, wide-eyed.
"I swear. Also, the roads are massive. I thought someone was driving on a runway the first time I saw a six-lane street."
Jazmine laughed. "You serious?"
Blair nodded. "Dead serious. And the cars? Everyone drives these huge trucks. I thought I was in a car commercial half the time."
Cassie raised a brow. "Wait, are you just describing a Fast & Furious scene?"
They all burst out laughing. Blair felt the weight on her chest ease. Just a little.
"So what's Canadian school like?" Maddie asked.
"Oh, we ride moose to school and have maple syrup breaks."
More laughter. For the first time in a long time, Blair didn't feel like she had to try so hard to belong. These girls—her girls—were letting her in.
---
---
The final bell rang, and students poured into the parking lot like a wave escaping high tide. Blair walked out beside Cassie, the sun low and golden behind them. Their driver was parked in the usual spot, sleek black car humming quietly, but another vehicle pulled into the lot just as they reached the curb.
A dark grey sports car—clean, polished, and expensive-looking—rolled to a slow stop. And stepping out of the driver's seat was James.
Cassie blinked. "What the—?"
James looked… ridiculously good. His dark blue button-up hugged his frame perfectly, sleeves rolled up to show strong forearms. His black pants were fitted and neat, not a wrinkle in sight, and his hair—messy in a purposeful, I-woke-up-like-this kind of way—caught the light just right. His usual cool, confident energy radiated off him like heat.
Cassie's eyes narrowed. She didn't wait. She stormed over to him.
"What are you doing here?"
James didn't flinch. He barely looked at her. "I'm here for Blair. We've got somewhere to be."
Cassie folded her arms. "What? Why?"
James raised an eyebrow, his voice calm but firm. "Why are you questioning me?"
Without waiting for a response, he stepped past her and headed toward Blair.
"Maybell," he greeted smoothly, his usual smirk tugging at the corner of his lips.
Blair gave a small smile. "Hey."
They walked together toward his car, and Blair turned to glance back at Cassie. "Oh—Cass, I forgot to tell you. I'll meet you at home, okay?"
Cassie forced a smile. "Sure. No problem." But her eyes said something else entirely.
She turned and walked stiffly toward her car where the driver waited, stopping just short of getting in. She stayed there, watching.
Watched as James opened the passenger door for Blair.
Watched as Blair slipped into the seat, laughing at something he said.
Watched as James closed the door gently behind her, rounded the car, and got in to drive off.
Her jaw clenched.
Behind her, whispers floated through the air like smoke.
"Oh my god, is Blair Maybell dating James Covey?"
"I took a picture with them—like, together together."
"They actually look so cute."
"Please. James is probably banging both Blair and Cassie."
Cassie's fingers curled into fists at her sides. Her vision tunneled for a second, her blood hot with disbelief.
How dare Blair.
She yanked the car door open and got in without a word.
"Home," she snapped.
The driver didn't ask questions.
The door slammed shut behind her.
And Cassie's silence was louder than anything she could've said.
---
Got it! You want that witty, layered, effortlessly sharp banter with undercurrents—like Lorelai and Luke—where the words say one thing, but the emotions are simmering underneath. Their dynamic should be teasing but intimate, guarded but electric.
Here's the reworked version of Chapter 24, Part 3 with that Gilmore Girls vibe—fast, playful, and emotionally charged in a subtle way:
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Blair's POV
James didn't tell her where they were going.
Just showed up at school like it was normal, like casually appearing with perfect hair and that lazy confidence wasn't illegal. Blair hadn't even gotten a warning. Now she was in his car, still in her school uniform, feeling like she'd been kidnapped by a GQ model who had a schedule to keep and a sunset to catch.
"You always abduct girls straight from school or am I just special?"
James didn't look at her. "I prefer the term 'exclusive chauffeur.' Less jail time."
"Oh, so kidnapping, but make it classy."
"I even brought snacks," he said, motioning toward the back seat. "That's five stars on Yelp, easy."
Blair peeked. A woven basket sat there like it belonged in a movie. "Is that an actual picnic basket?"
"Don't judge it," he said. "It has cheese in it."
She blinked. "Is that your way of flirting? 'Hey girl, I brought Brie'?"
James smirked. "It's worked before."
She snorted. "You're insufferable."
"You're still in the car."
"Touche."
The drive twisted up into higher ground. Trees blurred past, the sky melting into gold and lilac as the sun began its slow dive. Eventually, the road thinned and James pulled off onto a gravel stretch that opened into a stunning overlook.
Mountains in the distance, ocean far below. The sky looked like it had been painted by someone with a romantic streak and too much time on their hands.
"Wow," Blair breathed, stepping out of the car. "This is beautiful...this doesn't feel real."
James grabbed the blanket and basket from the back. "I was aiming for impressive but not imaginary, so this is good."
She turned to him, eyebrow raised. "Where's the sign that says James Covey: personal hooker spot"
He laid out the blanket with smooth, practiced motions. "There isn't one. I only come here for some alone time"
Blair raised a brow. "So I'm here because…?"
He didn't answer right away. Just gave her that slight, unreadable smile of his.
"you said you love looking at the clouds" James said
"And you remembered?" Blair asked
Something flickered in her chest—unexpected.
She sat down, watching as he unpacked the basket. Crackers, two fancy sodas, and yes, actual Brie.
Blair leaned back on her elbows. "So, is this part of some elaborate plan to charm me?"
James opened a bottle, passed it to her. "If I had a plan, it'd involve fewer carbs."
She laughed. "You're weird."
"And yet, here we are."
They clinked their bottles together without even thinking about it.
As they snacked, the teasing continued—light and fast and a little addictive.
Blair licked some crumbs off her thumb. "So. What does Mr. Legacy Empire want to be when he grows up?"
James didn't answer immediately. Just looked out at the water, his expression unreadable.
"I don't know," he said finally. "But apparently, I'm already it."
Blair looked at him. "That's cryptic. Even for you."
James glanced at her, his smile tired this time. "Let's just say… some dreams come prepackaged."
She didn't push. Just nudged his shoulder. "Let me guess. You wanted to be a magician."
"Close. Firefighter."
"No way."
"I liked the uniform," he said. "Still do."
Blair rolled her eyes. "You're hopeless."
"And you're nosy."
They both laughed. It felt easy. Safe, somehow. But underneath the jokes, something was shifting.
She told him a story about getting caught trying to prank her math teacher back in Canada—fake spiders involved. James nearly choked on a cracker.
"You're a menace," he said, laughing.
"I'm delightful."
"You're dangerously confident for someone who just admitted to a felony."
When the sky turned darker, painted with stars and the fading blush of sunset, they started packing up. James was quiet again, focused. Blair watched him from the corner of her eye.
When he dropped her off at the Quest mansion, the porch light flickered on like a spotlight. Neither of them moved.
"Thanks," she said softly. "For today. It was… kind of perfect."
James leaned an arm on the wheel, looking at her. "Don't let it get to your head."
Blair smiled, leaned over, and hugged him quickly. He froze for a second, then relaxed into it, his hand brushing lightly down her back before pulling away.
She stepped out and closed the door, then looked back one last time.
"Drive safely "
James smirked. "I always do."
Then he drove off into the night, like he hadn't just completely ruined her expectations of what a Covey could be.
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