Take My Breath Away

Wesley took the bottle of perfume and walked away from the checkout counter. After he left, the woman turned around and glared at her boyfriend. "We break up! I want a handsome and generous soldier to be my husband too!" she shouted.

Meanwhile, Blair and Cecelia had been looking for Wesley. They were just about to call him when he finally came into sight.

Cecelia asked, "Where have you been? We thought you lost your way or something!"

"I didn't. Let's go now." Wesley shrugged, not planning to offer an explanation.

Blair narrowed her eyes at Wesley, growing suspicious and a little confused with his behavior. She wondered if he had been smoking in a corner somewhere.

Wesley chose not to acknowledge Blair's suspicious gaze and continued to walk towards a phone store and walked inside. The two ladies exchanged confused glances and eventually followed him inside the store. Wesley browsed the store's glass racks and picked out a rather expensive phone for Blair. She was about to decline his choice, but Wesley stopped her before she could protest, saying, "I broke your phone. It's the least I could do."

Holding the brand new phone in her hand, Blair discreetly pinched his arm so Cecelia would not notice, and hissed in his ear, "What are you doing? You idiot. This phone you bought me is worth almost ten times of my old one. I don't even dare to take out my new phone when I'm on the streets. I'm afraid of being robbed." More importantly, Blair knew that the phone Wesley was currently using was much cheaper than the one he just bought. The screen even had a crack on it, but he refused to have it repaired or buy a new one. Blair did not find it reasonable that he bought her such an expensive phone.

"If you get robbed, tell me immediately. I'll help you track the robber down and get your phone back," he said confidently as if it was just a piece of cake for him.

Blair sighed inwardly. She was getting the feeling that Wesley was trying to overindulge her.

The three of them had lunch at a Western restaurant at noon, and then went back to Niles' apartment in the afternoon. While Cecelia took her afternoon nap, Blair busied herself with making some desserts in the kitchen.

Wesley offered to help, but Blair rejected it. He had no choice but to sit in the living room and watch her go back and forth in the kitchen.

Two hours later, Blair was done with the cooking.

She divided the desserts into two portions, one for Wesley and the other for Cecelia, so she could eat on her plane ride.

She neatly packed the dishes into two separate bags. She called out to Wesley to inform him. "This bag is for you. Inside is a box of mooncakes and mung bean cakes. There's also a cup of strawberry milkshake. Rest assured, it's a new cup. This bag"—she patted the other bag—"is for your mom. I didn't prepare a milkshake for her since she can't take it on the plane. Remember to finish the food quickly. The weather's still a little hot, so the food might go bad soon."

Wesley looked at the bags and nodded. "Okay." He then shifted his eyes to his phone again.

Blair pouted, slightly infuriated by Wesley's indifferent attitude. She let out an exasperated sigh and continued packing. "Go wake your mom up. It's about time to set out," she told Wesley without looking at him.

Wesley stood up from the couch and went to his mom's room. Cecelia had already woken up a few moments ago and was now lying in the bed, talking with Baldwin on the phone. Hearing the knock on the door, she got out of bed and opened the door. She instantly understood and nodded. "Wait a moment, dear. I'll finish packing up," she said even before Wesley said anything.

Soon afterwards, Wesley and Blair sent Cecelia off at the airport.

On their way back, Blair silently busied herself with her phone. She did not know what to say while they were alone in the car. She thought that it would probably not be a good idea to mention returning money to him at the moment. She had decided that she would save up some money in the bank and pay him back in one lump sum.

Wesley was also silent. He wasn't really the type to initiate a conversation, nor was he the type to play music in the car. And so, they sat in the car in eerie silence.

It didn't help that they soon got stuck in a traffic jam. After playing on her mobile phone for quite a while, Blair began to feel sleepy and her eyes became strained. She then leaned her head against the passenger window and closed her eyes.

Wesley incidentally caught a glimpse of her when he checked the rear view mirror, and asked in a deep gloomy voice, "Feeling bored to be around me?"

His sudden utterance startled Blair, who was about to drift off. She abruptly opened her sleepy eyes and looked at him in a daze. "Huh? What did you say?" She was slow in taking in his meaning due to the sleepiness.

Her dazed and slightly confused expression made Wesley grin slightly. "I said, is it boring to be around me?"

Blair shook her head in response. "Not really. You're driving and you need to focus on the road. I don't want to distract you."

"You don't have faith in my driving skills?" he asked, the faintest hint of offense evident in his voice.

Blair let out a helpless sigh. "It's not like that..." she started, but eventually decided against it, thinking that it was pointless. The air of awkwardness grew and they fell silent for a while. A few moments later, Blair added, "Well, um...will you go back to work after driving me to the apartment?"

That was his initial plan. "No. I'm on a holiday today," he said, suddenly changing his mind.

"Well, then maybe you can have dinner with me back at Niles' place. There's still a lot of food in the fridge. Your mom has left and I can't eat them up myself." She was telling the truth. They did actually buy a lot of food last night.

Wesley nodded, "Okay, but I'm going to bring someone."

Blair raised an eyebrow. "Who?" She was trying to sound casual about it, but she was admittedly a little curious. Not that she would say it out loud.

"I'm picking up Megan. Today's Friday and she's coming back from school for the weekend."

Blair's face fell as she heard the name. 'Do the two of them always meet up whenever either of them have the day off?'

She took back her words at once. "Forget it. I'll just ask Joslyn to come and eat the food with me. I don't want to interrupt you and Megan."

Wesley immediately pulled a face with her sudden change of mind. 'Interrupt us? What the hell does she mean by that?' "Blair, explain."

"Explain what?"

"What do you mean by 'I don't want to interrupt you and Megan?'" Wesley demanded, casting a sharp glance at her. He had to find out what was in this woman's mind.

"Oh. I meant, aren't you two sleeping together?" Blair said straightforwardly. But as soon as she dropped those words, she felt her face flush as she realized her insinuation.

Wesley suddenly turned the steering wheel and pulled up on the side of the road. He stared at Blair, the seriousness on his face shocking her. "She's still a kid. Don't say such words to ruin her reputation."

'Ruin her reputation? Still a kid? A kid can be so hypocritical like her?' Blair thought resentfully.

She then smiled mirthlessly and scoffed, "Oh, so what am I to you, then?"

'You hugged and kissed me. Aren't you worried that you'll ruin my reputation too?' she wanted to add. She was seething now.

Wesley fell silent. After a few silent moments later, he replied,

"My mom likes you."

"So?" Blair did not understand what that had to do with her question. She stared at Wesley's resolute face, which she couldn't deny was an attractive look for her.

"Niles may be a little immature at times, but he's around the same age as you. Maybe it would really be better if you go out with my brother. He's a doctor and he has my parents' support. Even if he doesn't work hard to earn money, it won't affect the life quality of you two."

Wesley remembered the time when Blair was sent to the hospital because of a high fever, Niles asked him for his opinion on pursuing her. Wesley reckoned that Niles also had feelings for Blair.

He wouldn't be able to give her a bright and stable future, but his brother could. Being a doctor was not as dangerous as being a soldier. Niles would be a better choice for Blair.

It stung Blair's heart to hear his words. "And so?"

Wesley looked at her intently. "I've been thinking that you'd be better off with Niles. My mom likes you, so maybe you can date my brother."

Blair didn't know whether she should cry or laugh. She wondered how she fell in love with such an idiot. 'My mom likes you...You can date with my brother...' She curled her lips in exasperation, repeating his words in her mind.

She suppressed the anger and bitterness, and said, "If I become your sister-in-law one day, what will you think about your behavior now? You've kissed your future sister-in-law. Do I need to confess to Niles that you've hugged and kissed me, his 'wife?'" 'Not to mention that you've even explored my body.'

Wesley's face darkened. "That kind of thing won't happen again in the future," he assured her.

Blair raised a fist and hit him in the shoulder as hard as she could. "Who do you think you are? Do you think I can't leave you on my own accord? Why do I have to listen to you and tell me who I should date?" she shouted as hot angry tears welled up in her eyes.