---
The soft hum of the oven filled the spacious kitchen, mixing with the sweet scent of vanilla and melting chocolate. Blair stood by the marble counter, a smear of flour on her cheek and a wooden spoon in one hand. She wore a pale yellow hoodie that hung loosely off one shoulder, paired with denim shorts and fuzzy socks that peeked just above her ankles. Her hair was pulled up in a messy high bun, loose strands curling around her face, giving her a warm, casual glow.
She was humming under her breath, halfway through mixing brownie batter, when the kitchen door opened and Cassie walked in.
Blair froze.
Cassie's face was blotchy and pale, her eyes puffy, eyeliner smudged as if she hadn't even tried to fix it. She wore a gray hoodie over leggings, arms crossed tightly over her chest like she was holding herself together.
Blair's expression softened. She dropped the spoon, wiping her hands on her hoodie as she stepped toward her. "Cass?" Her voice was low, cautious. "What happened? Who hurt you?"
Cassie just stood there, swallowing hard. "I thought she was my friend," she said, voice cracking. "I was worried about the wrong person." And just like that, she broke. She moved toward Blair, arms wrapping around her like she needed to hold onto something solid.
Blair wrapped her arms around her in return, her own heart cracking at how small and broken Cassie felt. "Hey… come on, sit with me," Blair whispered, gently guiding her out of the kitchen and into the living room.
They sank into the oversized couch, Cassie curling into the corner while Blair sat close, one hand rubbing slow, comforting circles on her back.
After a long silence, Cassie finally looked up, eyes glassy. "It's Mary."
Blair blinked. "Mary? Your Mary?"
Cassie nodded slowly, bitterness clinging to every word. "She's been sleeping with James." Her voice broke again. "She knew how I felt. I told her everything… and she still—" She clenched her jaw, shaking her head. "Judy and Grace knew too. They all knew. And they pretended to be my friends."
Blair felt her mouth fall open. "James… was sleeping with Mary? Your friend Mary?"
Cassie gave a hollow laugh. "Yeah. Screwed up, right?"
Blair's stomach twisted. She was angry—angry for Cassie, angry at James, angry at how careless people could be with others' hearts. "That's… that's seriously messed up."
Cassie looked at her, eyes wide and wet. "Blair… I'm sorry. For how I've acted. I was jealous, and I took it out on you. But I know you'd never try anything with James. I shouldn't have treated you like that."
Blair's heart stumbled. Her lips curled into a tight, unsure smile as she pulled Cassie into a hug. "It's okay," she whispered.
But it wasn't.
Because as she sat there, arms wrapped around the girl who'd been hurt by James Covey, all she could think about was how good his laugh sounded in her ear just the night before… and how much she was starting to look forward to hearing it again.
Guilt settled heavy in her chest.
She pulled away slightly, forcing a brighter smile. "Okay. Enough tears. What do you say we pick a dumb rom-com and forget about James Covey and the traitor squad?"
Cassie let out a half-laugh, wiping at her eyes. "Only if there's ice cream involved."
"You're talking to the right girl."
Blair stood, heart aching and confused, already heading toward the fridge—wishing guilt didn't taste so much like chocolate fudge.
---
Got it! Here's Chapter 25, Part 2 — keeping the dialogue real and close, full of emotion, girl talk, and that touch of drama you're so good at building:
---
Blair held the warm box of cookies close to her chest as she climbed into the backseat of the sleek black car. The driver glanced at her through the mirror with a polite nod before pulling away from the mansion's gates.
Maddie's house was nothing like the grand Quest estate. It was cozy, charming — the kind of place that felt lived in and loved. A two-story craftsman with ivy climbing the sides, flower beds bursting with color out front, and wind chimes that sang softly in the breeze. The porch had two rocking chairs and a welcome mat that said Come in, we're awesome.
Maddie opened the door wearing an oversized pink tee with a faded cartoon graphic and gray biker shorts. Her hair was piled high in a curly puff, and she was barefoot, her toenails painted lilac.
"Damn, those better be the cookies I'm smelling," she grinned, pulling Blair in for a quick hug.
Blair laughed, stepping inside. "You know I don't come empty-handed."
She had on an oversized beige sweater tucked loosely into a pleated mini skirt, hair braided loosely to the side. A look that said effortless but cute, which was honestly her default lately.
They headed upstairs to Maddie's room — all pastel tones and fairy lights, with posters of 90s movies and a bulletin board cluttered with polaroids. They flopped onto Maddie's bed with milk and cookies like they were ten again.
"I've missed this," Maddie said, taking a bite. "Just us."
Blair nodded. "Yeah. So much has happened lately it's been hard to keep up."
Maddie looked at her, eyebrows raised. "Spill."
Blair took a deep breath. "Okay… so, you know James? He took me to this spot up in the hills. Like, mountain view, gorgeous sky, whole picnic set-up—"
"James Covey planned a picnic?"
"I know. I was confused too," Blair said, laughing. "But it was... nice. Really nice."
Then her voice dropped. "And today Cassie told me James has been sleeping with Mary."
Maddie blinked. "Wait what?"
Blair nodded. "Behind Cassie's back. She found out today and was a mess. And I was so mad — like, how could he do that? But also… I felt… disappointed? Because I thought me and James had something. And now I don't even know what to feel because... I think I might be catching feelings."
Maddie slowly put her cookie down. "Wow. Okay. First of all — James sleeping with Mary? Not shocking. He's best friends with Caleb, remember? When Caleb broke up with me, he slept with Judy the same night. I've always said — I don't trust those boys. Heartbreakers, the whole lot of them."
"I didn't think I'd fall for someone like James," Blair muttered.
"I didn't think you would either," Maddie said gently. "That's why I didn't say anything. I didn't think you'd get that close to him."
Blair let out a sigh. "Cassie can never find out. I can't do that to her. I just… I'm going to move on. Forget about James. It was just… a phase."
"That's the smart thing to do," Maddie nodded. "Because girl, in school, people are already shipping you two."
Blair blinked. "Wait, what? Seriously?"
"You don't check your phone, do you?" Maddie snorted, grabbing hers off the bed. "It's on the school group chat. Someone took a picture of him opening the car door for you when he picked you up. It's giving Prince Charming and everyone is losing their minds."
Blair groaned. "Oh my God."
"He might act like a gentleman, but that boy just wants to get in your pants," Maddie said through a mouthful of cookie.
"You really know how to paint a romantic picture," Blair deadpanned.
They both burst into laughter, the tension finally loosening between them.
"Okay," Maddie said, flopping back onto her pillows. "Enough James drama. Let's talk about something that actually makes sense — Damon or Stefan?"
"Oh, we're going there?" Blair grinned. "Easy. Damon. Always Damon."
"Okay, yes! Toxic king energy but he has depth."
They went on, cookies in hand, debating vampires and love triangles like it was the most important thing in the world — and for that night, it kind of nice
---
Blair stepped into the Quest mansion just as the sky outside began to turn that moody shade of navy blue. The lights inside were warm, casting a soft glow on the living room where Cassie and Caleb sat curled up, watching some action-packed spy movie.
Cassie had a throw blanket pulled up to her chest, eyes barely focused on the screen. Caleb was munching on popcorn like he didn't have a care in the world.
Blair set her bag by the stairs. "Hey... where's my mom and Victor?"
Caleb turned, still chewing. "They went out on a date. Fancy dinner place. Might even come back engaged."
Blair chuckled. "Oh, wow. Okay then."
She looked toward Cassie, who gave her a faint smile. "You good?"
Cassie nodded. "Yeah... better. Just kinda tired. Think I'll go lie down."
"Okay. Goodnight, Cass."
Cassie stood and walked slowly up the stairs, and Blair could still sense the weight on her shoulders. Once she was gone, Blair wandered into the kitchen, pulled open the fridge, and smiled when she spotted leftover pizza. She popped a few slices into the oven, stretching a little as she waited.
A minute later, Caleb leaned against the doorway with that trademark Covey smirk. "So... you and leftovers too, huh?"
Blair glanced at him. "I mean, food is food. And pizza is a universal language."
He laughed, stepping in to grab a soda. "You're not wrong. I live for midnight snacks. Sometimes I think I'm just one bad decision away from being a raccoon."
Blair burst out laughing. "Honestly, I can see it. You give off raccoon energy."
Caleb grinned. "That's the nicest insult anyone's ever given me."
The vibe between them was light — surprisingly easy. This was the first time they'd been alone together since she arrived in London. No Cassie. No James. No drama.
They ended up talking about the most random things — their mutual love for movies where dogs talk, food combos that shouldn't work but do (Caleb swore by peanut butter and pickles), and the absolute audacity of people who prefer pineapple on pizza.
As she took her warmed-up slices out of the oven, Blair smiled to herself. Caleb wasn't as bad as she thought. Not tonight, at least.
But still... her thoughts flickered back to Maddie. To that quiet pain she carried when she spoke about Caleb. Who would've thought this guy — goofy, charming, lowkey hilarious — could've hurt someone like Maddie?
Blair bit into her pizza, thoughtful.
If she was being honest with herself, this was just another reminder: she had to stay away from James. These boys had too many layers, and not all of them were pretty.
"So," Caleb said suddenly, tossing his empty can into the bin. "Annual tennis party at my college this weekend. You're coming."
Blair raised a brow. "Why?"
"Because Cassie, Maddie, and Jazmine are all going. And now that you're part of the gang, you don't get to opt out. It's like, tradition."
Blair hesitated. She knew James would be there. Of course he would.
But Caleb was grinning like it was no big deal. And Blair didn't want to seem like she was avoiding anything — or anyone.
"Okay," she said finally. "I'll come."
Even if she had to dodge James all day, she'd go. Avoiding him was probably for the best anyway.
Besides, how hard could it be?
---