Chapter twenty six.

Blair stared at the piece of paper in front of her zoning out once again. She felt a sharp pinch to her arm and glared at Hailey who was sitting next to her. Both girls had a practice exam they had gotten from their teacher and were timing themselves in preparation. Usually Blair would be all over this idea, anything extra she could do to prepare. But for some reason today she just couldn't concentrate. She still had the whole beach holiday antics playing in her mind and couldn't seem to shake them.

'Snap out of it B,' Hailey sighed and stopped the timer they had sitting between them. 'Is this how you're going to be in the exam?'

Blair sighed and shook her head, 'No of course not. I just need a break.'

She couldn't believe how much had changed in the last four days. At the start of the holiday she'd been happily with Dean, hated Lacy and Cade's guts and was looking forward to a nice break before exams started.

Now her and Dean haven't spoken since the trip, she was friends with Lacy, her and Cade were doing some sort of ignoring each other dance around the house and she didn't feel ready for the exams at all.

Blair groaned into her hands at the mere thought.

'Is this about Dean? You never told me what happened after. You guys just suddenly stopped seeing each other,' Hailey asked curiously.

'I told him how Cade kissed me in the kitchen, remember the night Dean and I kind of made up?'

Hailey winced, 'Ouch, he was mad then I take it?'

'No, that's the worst part,' Blair sighed. 'He kind of nodded his head just accepting the news. Then he asked me if I had feelings for Cade...'

Hailey's mouth fell open, 'What did you say?'

'I said I didn't know. That I used to, even though we were only really casual and not ever in a relationship. But he was a bit of an asshole and I knew I couldn't be with him properly.'

Hailey smiled sadly, 'Oh honey that sucks. So what did Dean say?'

'He said that he likes me and he had fun but we want different things and we should stop seeing each other,' Blair got a little bit teary remembering the conversation. At the time she had welled up considerably and Dean had even smiled and picked her up in a bear hug, even chuckled a little at her.

'Don't you dare cry,' he laughed and squeezed her tightly. 'I'm the one who should cry missy!'

'S-sorry,' she stammered. 'You're just the perfect guy, I don't deserve you.'

'Oh shut up,' he replied with a wink. 'We'll stay friends. We kind of have to because our best friends are dating each other. We'll see each other around, and who knows maybe it's just timing?'

Hailey smiled wistfully, 'He was even nice to break up with, gosh Blair he is one in a million.'

'I know, what the fuck have I done?' She was panicking.

'Don't doubt yourself now sweetie,' Hailey advised backtracking quickly. 'If you weren't feeling it that's not your fault. He's right it could have been timing, or you weren't ready for a boyfriend...' Hailey trailed off and hid a smile. 'Or simply you want to have sex with Cade again.'

Blair's frown immediately disappeared and she let slip a giggle, hitting Hailey playfully in the arm, 'Oh shut up!' Then she frowned, 'We haven't spoken since the kitchen incident either.'

'He's barely left his room though, I don't think anyone's talked to him much the last few days anyway,' Hailey pointed out.

Blair shrugged and stood up from the table, 'I'm going to have a break. You should keep going with the exam you were on a roll and I don't want to bring you down with me when I fail everything.'

'You are not going to fail,' Hailey rolled her eyes but agreed with her friend. If she took a break now she'd never go back to it.

Blair went downstairs and got a Diet Coke out of the fridge leaning against the counter deep in thought. She knew she needed to snap out of her little drama fest going on in her life if she wanted to do well at school. These were the most important exams, she couldn't afford to zone out now. She took her drink outside to the pool area for a bit of sun while vowing to stop thinking about boys for the next two weeks until exams were over. Boys were just such a distraction... She trailed off in her own thoughts when she spotted Cade in the garden. He was wearing a pair of small black running shorts, a pair of bright green trainers and nothing else, doing push ups in the shade.

'What are you doing?' She blurted out without thinking.

She didn't mean it in a literal sense, of course she could see he was doing push ups.

Cade looked up from his position mid push up and did three more before climbing to his feet. What a show off.

'What does it look like?' He grinned. 'I'm working out, the body you know and love doesn't just happen easily.'

He was flirting with her and Blair cursed him for mentioning his body because her eyes automatically trailed down it.

'Oh so you're speaking to me now,' she tried a different tactic.

'I never stopped, you were just in your own little world the last few days,' he shrugged and knocked back a bottle of water. 'I got the feeling you wanted me to back off.'

'Exam stress?' she shrugged.

'Oh that reminds me,' he threw the bottle to the ground and started rooting through his gym bag. Blair watched him curiously as he surfaced with a small cream box with a curly pink ribbon in a bow on top of the box He held out the box to her wordlessly.

'What's this?' She asked him taking it very hesitantly.

'It's nothing,' he shrugged and busied himself packing up his workout gear. 'You just mentioned you were having trouble concentrating on study...at dinner last night.' He finished packing his stuff and turned to her where she still stood holding the small box in her hand looking surprised. 'Open it you loser,' he rolled his eyes. 'Lacy is into that kind of stuff, it's a stone that helps with concentration. I figured you could do with one...'

Blair's eyes widened as she looked down at the little bag again, did Cade get her a present? She opened the bag and took out the small gemstones, they were beautiful.

'You can put it in your bag and stuff, it's meant to give you positive energy or some crap like that, ask Lacy if you want to know details. She just told me which one to get you.'

Blair grinned up at him, 'Thanks Cade, that's awfully sweet of you.'

'No problem.'

Was he blushing? She was almost positive! She couldn't believe he'd bought her a gift, how odd...

'Hope your boyfriend doesn't mind I got you something, he seemed a little peeved at me on the drive home,' Cade scratched his head in confusion.

Blair frowned, 'Oh well he's not my boyfriend anymore...'

Cade froze with his hand still resting in his hair, 'Oh yeah? What happened?'

'Nothing important,' Blair shook her head. She didn't feel like going into the details of her stupid crush on him. 'Told him I kissed you the other night in the kitchen. Bit too much for us to get through.'

Cade smiled wryly at her, 'I can see why... Poor bastard, no wonder he looked like he wanted to hit me before.'

'I better get back to study,' Blair said awkwardly. 'Thanks again for the present.'

Cade shrugged, 'No worries...' He looked like he was going to say something else but thought better of it and closed his mouth.

Blair headed back inside and upstairs to Hailey. She checked the timer and noticed she'd had a thirty-minute break. She put the bag of stones on her desk and joined Hailey finishing the rest of the exam.

...

Blair became and absolute hermit over the next week. She only surfaced for Diet Coke and food. The following Friday she'd finished three exams. English, Legal Studies and Physics. She only had Maths and French the following week and was feeling ok about them.

Jane was being overly helpful, making them continuous snacks and drinks bringing them up to Hailey's room on trays.

That Friday night Blair decided to take a break and settled in on the couch to watch some mind numbing TV. Anything to take her mind off exams.

'What are you doing?'

Blair looked up where Cade was standing in the doorway with an eyebrow raised, she gestured to the TV without saying anything. Surely he didn't need a written explanation on what she was doing.

'I mean watching TV on a Friday night when we've practically finished exams? Lame,' Cade replied joining her on the couch. 'Go get ready you can come with me.'

'Uh firstly we haven't finished exams yet, and secondly where are you going?'

'Movies,' he replied smartly. 'Trust me you'll like the movie.'

'I highly doubt that,' Blair replied. 'You hate every TV show and movie I watch remember?'

'It's a chick movie,' he argued. 'I don't even know the name.'

'You're making a compelling case,' she rolled her eyes.

'Stop bitching and go get dressed, as much as I love those pyjamas on you they won't go down well outside the house,' Cade smirked.

Blair frowned at him, 'Whose going?' She was definitely considering it. Movies did sound like something relaxing to do, it was just weird Cade was the one inviting her.

'A group of us, hurry up or we'll be late,' he replied pushing her off the couch and Blair fell onto the floor in a lump.

'Hey!' She exclaimed letting out a small laugh. 'Calm down, I'll be quick.'

Blair took the stairs two at a time quickly changing into a pair of jean shorts and a nice top. She glanced in the mirror and contemplated doing her hair before shrugging and applying a little lipstick she headed back out to a surprised Cade.

'That was quick, I'm impressed.'

'Yeah, yeah,' Blair grinned at him. 'So what are we seeing?'

They headed out to Hailey's car which Cade must have organized to borrow previously. Well Blair hoped he had as they climbed in.

'This brilliant new horror flick,' Cade smirked at her. 'Much scarier then the one we saw together. You'll love it.'

Blair gasped, 'Cade! You said it was a chick movie! I don't want to see something scary.' She pouted at him in frustration.

He laughed deeply and smiled reassuringly, 'I'm kidding. I honestly don't know the name. Some of the girls picked it out today, I'm only going for moral support. One of the guys is trying to hook up with Jessica so we're going in a group because he's too shy to ask her out himself.'

Blair shrugged, that was kind of sweet of them.

They arrived at the local cinema complex and Blair was already having second doubts. She saw the group of people hanging around just inside the entrance and nearly turned back around and went home. An entire group of people she would normally completely avoid in school were standing there waiting for Cade. A few guys from the basketball team which was ok because Blair knew Jacob, Brady and Cade so they generally accepted her. It was the girls with them she was wary of. They were all Lacy's close group of friends whom Blair wasn't sure if they were aware she and Lacy had buried the hatchet.

'I don't know about this...' She said to Cade before they went inside.

'Relax, it'll be fine,' he reached out and squeezed her arm reassuringly.

'I don't know your friends very well...'

'So get to know them...' Cade shrugged holding the door open for her.

Blair didn't know if this was a good idea at all but followed him inside walking towards the group slowly. As they greeted Cade she hung behind him and watched the complete and utter looks of surprise as they realized Blair had come with Cade.

'Hey guys you know Blair right?'

Blair rolled her eyes at Cade for his brilliant introduction. He shrugged and grinned back at her.

'What?' He mouthed to her with a smile.

'Of course we do...' Winona, one of Lacy's right hand women smiled at Blair. It wasn't exactly fake but it wasn't the warmest greeting. She could tell the girls were sizing her up now.

'I'm going to run to the bathroom before the movie,' Blair said to Cade before escaping the looks. She hung around the sink in the bathroom biding enough time to hopefully avoid the group until the movie started where she wouldn't have to speak to them.

When she went outside Cade was waiting near the door holding two drinks.

'I got you a Diet Coke,' he shoved it into her arms without another glance. 'Come on everyone's inside.'

'What about my ticket?'

'I'm sneaking you in so we don't have to pay, be quiet and look inconspicuous,' Cade whispered as they neared the ticket man.

'What? Cade no!' Blair exclaimed stopping and tugging his shirt.

'Relax, I bought you a ticket,' Cade laughed and shook his head at her like she was crazy. 'You really do need a wind down.'

So he bought me a ticket and a drink?

They entered the movie theatre and spotted the group easily. They were spread out in the back two rows and Blair noticed suddenly they were all in couples. With actual seats spare in between the couples.

'Is this a huge group date?'

'It seems that way doesn't it?' Cade frowned. 'No one told me that jeez if I hadn't found you in the living room I would have come alone. How awkward would that have been,' he grumbled to her as they found their seats in the back row.

'Glad I could help,' Blair retorted rolling her eyes at him.

The movie was actually hilarious. Blair couldn't remember laughing so much in a while, and even looked over to catch Cade enjoying himself. At one point there was a steamy sex scene and Blair was suddenly extremely aware of Cade sitting right next to her. Their arms were touching on the arm rest they shared and Blair coughed and pulled her arm off the arm rest. She could feel Cade's eyes on her and she purposefully didn't look at him. She knew he would tease her for getting so embarrassed.

After the film the group gathered outside the complex debating what to do next. After much arguing it was decided they would head back to Winona's house and have drinks.

These guys obviously didn't care too much about exams, Blair thought unimpressed.

'Hey I'm going to go home,' she told Cade as the others were heading off to their cars. 'I don't really feel like going out but thanks for the movies.'

Cade nodded, 'Hey wait guys!' He called out to the group leaving. 'I'll see you on Monday, Blair and I are going home.'

'Oh you don't have to come, you can stay,' Blair argued shaking her head at him.

'It's cool,' Cade shrugged at her. 'I'm tired anyway.'

Blair smiled slightly and followed him to the car silently. That was nice of him. The short drive home was in silence with only the radio playing softly to break it. They parked in the driveway and climbed out of the car walking up to the porch in complete silence. Blair's thoughts were in a frenzy thinking about their evening. Cade was actually being a nice guy to her. He took her to the movies and paid for her, then came home with her when she was tired. He was being decent.

Blair paused and turned to face him once they reached the front door, 'Thanks for tonight Cade, I had fun...'

He grinned back at her, 'Of course you did don't sound so surprised, girls dream of me taking them to the movies. You're one of the lucky ones.'

She scoffed at him and laughed loudly, 'Yeah ok sure...'

Blair turned to the key and felt his hand close over hers.

'Wait,' he said quietly and Blair froze.

'I had fun tonight too...'

She looked up at him and he was smiling almost shyly.

Then he blinked and the mood changed, he opened the door for her gesturing for her to go in. What an interesting night...

...