Saturday morning felt like Christmas for Blair.
She twirled once in front of her mirror, checking her outfit. She had settled on a soft white off-shoulder top, tucked into high-waisted light denim shorts that showed off her legs.
Her curly brown hair was tamed into loose waves that bounced over her shoulders, and her green eyes sparkled with excitement.
Minimal makeup, just a swipe of clear gloss, and a hint of blush. Enough to feel pretty — but still herself.
Downstairs, she heard James's voice, deep and casual, talking to Caleb about breakfast.
Blair grabbed her tiny purse and headed down — her heart flipping when she spotted James in the kitchen, sipping water from a bottle.
He wore dark fitted jeans, a simple white t-shirt that clung to his broad shoulders a little too perfectly, and his golden blonde hair was still slightly damp from his morning shower, messy in that effortless way that made her stomach flutter.
When he saw her, he froze mid-sip.
Then, he smiled.
"You ready to cause some trouble, Maybell?" he said, voice teasing — but the look in his bright blue eyes was anything but casual.
Blair grinned, hiding how her heart had gone rogue inside her chest.
They jumped into James's sleek black Jeep, windows down, the spring air whirling her hair around her face as they drove.
James controlled the music, of course — soft indie rock that somehow matched the sunny morning. Blair laughed at how he drummed his fingers against the steering wheel to the beat.
They were heading to a place called The Indigo House, a charming, old brick art gallery tucked into the artsy district of town. Blair had done her research — it had a reputation for being cozy, colorful, and full of personality.
Just like James, she thought.
The gallery was even prettier in person — an old Victorian-style building, painted pale blue, with ivy crawling up the sides and huge glass windows that let sunlight flood inside. A small bell chimed softly when James pushed the door open for her.
Inside, it smelled like old books, paint, and something sweet — like cinnamon.
Blair's eyes widened as she took it all in.
Paintings covered every wall — bursts of color, swirling emotions frozen on canvas. Sculptures of twisted metal and soft marble stood like sentinels in every corner. There were cozy armchairs tucked between exhibits, and fairy lights strung across the ceiling like stars.
James was already smiling, his entire face lighting up in a way Blair wished she could bottle forever.
"This is incredible," he said, almost reverently, his blue eyes shining as he took in the space.
Blair beamed. "I thought you might like it."
James looked at her then — really looked at her — and for a moment, the world shrank until it was just the two of them.
"I love it," he said softly. "And I love that you brought me here."
Blair's cheeks flushed, but she smiled wider.
She couldn't have planned a better reaction if she tried.
---
They wandered slowly through the gallery, sometimes talking, sometimes just standing shoulder to shoulder, lost in the colors and the feelings.
James explained things Blair didn't even know — the way certain brush strokes conveyed anger, the hidden meanings in color choices, the techniques that could break or make a painting.
He wasn't just admiring the art.
He understood it.
It lived in him.
At one point, Blair made a teasing face at a very dramatic black-and-red abstract piece.
James caught her look and nudged her playfully. "Don't judge. Art speaks differently to everyone."
"I think this one is screaming," Blair whispered dramatically, making James choke on a laugh.
They both leaned in closer, pretending to listen to the painting like it might start yelling.
Their laughter echoed lightly through the gallery.
An older woman — tiny, elegant, with silver hair pinned into a loose bun — shuffled past them, smiling kindly.
"You two make a beautiful couple," she said warmly, her voice a little raspy from age but full of sweetness.
Blair blinked, flustered.
James didn't miss a beat.
He grinned at the woman and squeezed Blair's hand casually. "Thank you, ma'am. I think so too."
Blair's face went up in flames.
As soon as the old woman tottered away, Blair elbowed him, giggling. "You're terrible."
"You're blushing," James said smugly, brushing a strand of her hair back behind her ear — so casually that Blair thought her heart might actually combust.
---
After a couple of hours (and approximately twelve moments that made Blair's knees weak), they grabbed lunch from a little food truck outside — gourmet grilled cheese and truffle fries.
They found a small park bench under a tree and ate there, Blair laughing when James got cheese on his chin, and James stealing half her fries when she wasn't looking.
The sky was a perfect blue. The breeze was soft.
And Blair felt… light.
Full.
Happy in a way she hadn't been in a long time.
---
On the drive home, Blair rested her forehead against the cool window, smiling secretly to herself.
James tapped the steering wheel, humming softly to the music playing.
At a red light, he glanced over at her — and Blair caught him looking.
Neither of them said anything.
They didn't need to.
There was a whole conversation happening in the air between them — painted in invisible colors, stitched into the spaces between their breaths.
Something was changing.
Something was building.
And Blair couldn't wait to see where it would take them next.
--
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---
The drive back was quiet — the good kind of quiet.
Blair tapped her fingers lazily against the window, a soft smile still lingering on her lips.
James's hand draped loosely over the steering wheel, his blonde hair ruffled by the breeze sneaking through the open window, his blue eyes flicking toward her every now and then, like he couldn't quite help it.
When they pulled into a small gas station on the outskirts of town, James cut the engine and hopped out to fuel the car.
Blair unbuckled her seatbelt. "I'll grab some water."
James nodded, tossing her a lazy grin. "Get me one too, Maybell."
She flashed him a quick thumbs up and headed toward the convenience store.
The moment she stepped inside, she felt it — the burn of eyes on her.
At the fridge, as she reached for two bottles of water, a group of girls near the candy aisle watched her openly.
Blair ignored it — until one of them stepped closer.
"So you're the new chick James Quest is playing with," the girl said, her voice syrupy fake.
Another girl, blonde and sharper looking, snickered and added, "Hope you're not getting too attached. He gets bored fast."
Blair froze for a half-second.
But then — she straightened her spine, grabbed the water, and walked right past them without a word.
Not worth it.
Not today.
Still, the words stuck like gum to the bottom of her shoe.
Outside, James watched her come out, immediately catching the tight look on her face. His eyes narrowed when he spotted the girls loitering behind her, clearly whispering and giggling among themselves.
James recognized them instantly.
College girls.
Faces he vaguely remembered seeing around campus.
Faces he definitely hadn't given the time of day to — and definitely never would now.
He sighed heavily, tossing the pump back into place.
Blair slid back into the passenger seat, her face turned toward the window, clutching the water bottle a little too tightly.
James got in and drove without saying a word, the tension building between them like invisible thread stretched tight.
---
By the time they pulled into the sprawling driveway of the Quest mansion, the sun was beginning to dip behind the trees, casting long shadows over the stone pathway.
James turned off the engine and leaned his elbow on the wheel, turning to face her.
"Blair…" he started gently.
But she was already unbuckling her seatbelt, the polite smile back in place — the one she wore when she didn't want to talk about things.
"We don't have to talk about it," she said, voice light, too light.
Then she pushed the door open and hopped out before he could stop her.
James let his head thunk lightly against the headrest, exhaling slowly.
Perfect.
---
Inside the house, the living room was full — Maddie, Caleb, Andrew, Cassie, and Jazmine were sprawled out, snacking and watching TV.
The second Blair walked in, Maddie perked up. "Sooo, how was your date?"
Blair smiled tightly. "Fine," she said quickly, then practically bolted for the stairs, the sound of her footsteps disappearing down the hall.
The room fell awkwardly silent.
Andrew popped a chip into his mouth. "Guess things didn't go great."
A moment later, James walked in, running a frustrated hand through his blonde hair.
Caleb sat up straighter. "What happened, bro?"
James sighed, leaning against the doorframe like the weight of the day had suddenly doubled.
"We had a nice day. Really nice. But… I stopped at a gas station to fuel up and these girls — Cassandra, or some name, I don't even know — they go to our college. I think they said something to her. She's been off ever since."
Jazmine rolled her eyes and grabbed a handful of popcorn. "We all know exactly what they said."
Cassie crossed her arms with a smirk. "Guess being a public toilet does have its disadvantages."
James shot her a warning look but said nothing.
He just pushed off the doorframe and trudged upstairs after Blair, his heart already aching a little.
He had a feeling fixing this wasn't going to be as simple as saying sorry.
Because Blair Maybell didn't just brush things off when they hurt her.
And this — whatever she heard — had definitely hurt her.
---
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I love how sweet and emotional this scene is!
Here's Part 9 written out fully the way you asked — keeping Blair's POV, the soft emotions, the playful but deep romantic tension, and making sure it feels natural and cozy for the readers:
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Blair's POV
By the time she reached her room, Blair threw herself face-first onto her bed and let out a heavy sigh.
God, she felt awful.
Jealous. Insecure. Silly.
All things she didn't want to be — especially not over James.
He's allowed to have a past, she told herself. You knew that. You just didn't know it would sting this much.
She buried her face deeper into the pillow, willing herself to stop thinking, to stop feeling. Eventually, exhaustion won. Sleep crept in slowly and pulled her under.
---
Dinner came and went downstairs.
"Blair's not coming down?" Cassie asked, looking around the table as everyone dug into their plates.
Maddie shook her head, scooping some food into a smaller plate. "I'll take her dinner up," she said, standing.
Carrying the plate carefully, Maddie padded upstairs and knocked lightly on Blair's door. When there was no answer, she pushed it open gently.
Blair was curled up in bed, hugging her pillow, her curls a messy halo around her head.
Maddie's heart softened. She placed the plate on the side table, kicked off her slippers, and slid onto the bed beside Blair, wrapping her arms around her.
"I heard what happened," Maddie whispered. "It's okay to feel that way, you know."
Blair sighed, loosening her hold on the pillow and sitting up slowly. "Thanks for bringing me food," she said, managing a small smile.
"Anything for you," Maddie grinned, nudging her shoulder playfully.
A soft knock came at the door.
"Come in," Blair called out, voice still a little groggy.
The door opened, and James stepped inside, looking unsure for the first time in… well, ever.
Maddie caught the vibe instantly, gave Blair's hand a squeeze, and stood. "I'll leave you two alone," she said, flashing a supportive smile before slipping out.
James lingered near the door, his hands deep in his pockets.
"Blair," he started, his voice lower, careful. "I'm sorry. Whatever those girls said... it's in the past. It's not who I am with you."
Blair hugged her knees to her chest. "I know," she said softly. "I just… I can't get over how many girls you've been with. How they're just waiting for you to get bored of me like it's inevitable."
James took a step closer, frustration flashing briefly in his blue eyes — but not at her. "What?" he said, disbelieving. "Blair, I never dated any of those girls. It was just—" he rubbed a hand over the back of his neck, wincing, "—casual sex. Nothing else."
Blair let out a short laugh, shaking her head. "Yeah, well, casual sex without even texting them back unless it's for sex is still dumping them, James."
He sighed heavily, crossing the room to her.
"I'm not trying to defend who I was," he said. "I just want you to know... my intentions with you are different. Completely different. I really, really like you, Blair. And I mean it."
Her heart thudded painfully against her ribs.
She stood, walked the short distance to him, and threw her arms around his waist, burying her face against his chest.
"I'm sorry for the attitude," she mumbled. "I hate being the jealous type of girl. They just… they ruined our day."
James hugged her back tightly, resting his chin lightly on top of her head.
"They didn't ruin anything," he murmured. "And as an apology gift... tonight, we'll watch whatever movie you want. Till we pass out."
Blair leaned back, grinning. "Really? Yayyy!"
She darted toward her closet. "Give me two seconds to change."
James chuckled, already kicking off his sneakers and collapsing backward onto her bed. He grabbed his laptop, pulling up Netflix while she changed behind him.
When Blair came out, she was dressed in a big baggy shirt and a pair of shorts, her wild curls tied loosely at the back. Fresh-faced and somehow even more beautiful.
James patted the bed beside him without looking up. "Alright, what are we watching, Maybell?"
She crawled into bed beside him, sliding under the blanket. "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days."
James paused mid-scroll. "That's a movie?" He laughed, the sound rumbling from his chest.
"Yes!" Blair said, swatting his arm playfully. "It's romantic."
He grinned, finally selecting it. "Alright, alright. Romantic comedy it is."
Under the warm blanket, they cuddled naturally, her head tucked under his chin, their legs tangled loosely together. The movie started, but for a moment, neither of them watched — too aware of how close they were.
"This is our first time cuddling," Blair whispered, smiling shyly.
James looked down at her, his blue eyes full of something softer, sweeter than she had ever seen before.
"To many firsts," he said, pressing a soft kiss to her cheek.
Blair smiled so wide her cheeks hurt.
They stayed like that — cuddling, laughing at the movie, sneaking glances at each other — until somewhere in the middle of Andie Anderson's chaotic plan, sleep finally took them both.
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