Be careful

Be careful
VIOLET’S POINT OF VIEW

By the time we finally got home, everything still felt… unreal in a quiet kind of way, like the world had continued moving while a part of me had stayed somewhere else entirely, somewhere softer, somewhere slower, somewhere that still smelled faintly of rain and warmth and him.

Dylan had insisted on walking me all the way to the door even though I told him he didn’t have to, and I knew it wasn’t about being polite or doing the right thing, it was just him… wanting a few seconds more, just like I did.

He stopped right in front of me, close enough that I could still feel his warmth even with the morning air brushing lightly between us, his eyes softer than I had ever seen them, like he was memorizing something he wasn’t ready to let go of.

“I’ll call you when my phone comes back to life,” he said quietly, a small smile touching his lips.I nodded, holding his gaze just a second longer than necessary.

“Okay.”There was a pause after that, not awkward, not empty… just full.Full of everything we weren’t saying out loud.
Then he leaned in, slow and unhurried, his lips brushing mine in a soft kiss that didn’t try to take anything, just… linger.

“I love you, mon chérie,” he murmured against my lips, his voice low and warm in a way that made my chest tighten all over again.I smiled without even realizing it, my fingers lightly gripping his shirt for just a second before letting go.

“I love you too...... Dylan” I whispered, hesitating just slightly before adding, softer this time, almost shy,

“…my love.”Something shifted in his expression at that, something that looked almost too pleased, like I had given him something he didn’t expect but really wanted.

“I like that,” he said quietly, brushing his thumb gently along my cheek before stepping back and just like that… he left.
I stood there for a second longer, watching him drive off until the car disappeared completely, only then turning toward the door, my heart still beating in that slow, unfamiliar rhythm I hadn’t gotten used to yet.

The moment I stepped inside, I knew I wasn’t going to get even a second of peace.
My mom was already standing there.
Arms folded,Watching me and right beside her was......

“Sissy!”Sophie ran toward me almost immediately, her small arms wrapping tightly around me before I could even react, and I laughed softly, bending slightly to hug her back.

“Hey, baby,” I murmured, pressing a quick kiss to her hair.

“I missed you.”

“I missed you too,” she said quickly, pulling back just enough to look at me properly.

“You weren’t here yesterday, and when I woke up you were gone already.”I smiled faintly, brushing her hair back gently.

“I know, I’m sorry.”

“Look who finally decided to come home,” my mom said from behind her, her tone calm but carrying that familiar edge that told me she had been waiting.I straightened slightly, letting out a small breath before turning to face her fully.

“Good morning, mom.”She raised a brow, her gaze moving slowly over me like she was studying something she hadn’t quite figured out yet.

“Morning” she repeated lightly.

“ I've been trying to call you,I was worried”I let out a small, nervous laugh, rubbing the back of my neck slightly.

“There was a lot of rain,” I explained quickly.

“The car got stuck, so we couldn’t leave.”She didn’t respond immediately,She just kept looking at me and then… slowly, her expression shifted.....not into anger,Not even into suspicion.....Something else.

“…you’re glowing,” she said finally, her voice quieter now, almost thoughtful and I blinked.

“What?”She tilted her head slightly, still watching me.

“I don’t know,” she continued.

“There’s just something… different about you”My chest tightened a little at that, and I forced out a small laugh.

“I don’t know what you mean, mom.”
She hummed softly, like she didn’t fully believe me, but she didn’t push.
Instead, her expression softened just slightly.

“So,” she said, her tone changing,

“how was your trip with him?”I hesitated for a second,Not because I didn’t have an answer but because I had too many.

“It was… nice,” I said finally, my voice softer than before and she nodded slowly.

“I’m glad,” she replied, and then after a small pause, she added, more gently now,

“You know I’ve been hard on you about this… about dating.”I looked at her, surprised.

“I didn’t want you getting hurt,” she continued.

“I know what that feels like, and I didn’t want that for you.”My chest tightened a little at that.

“But,” she added, letting out a small breath,

“I realized I was being a little… unfair. Maybe even selfish and your aunt Quinn has told me so much about how it will affect you later”I didn’t say anything......I just listened.

“If he really cares about you,” she went on, her eyes holding mine now,

“then I won’t stand in the way.”Something warm spread through me instantly.

“Just be careful, Violet,” she added, softer now.

“Please.”I nodded quickly.

“I will, mom.”She studied me for one more second… then finally smiled and just as I was about to step forward.

"Speaking about Aunty Quinn when Will she be back...... I've missed her so much and it's too bad that we haven't been talking much since she left"I muttered and mom sighed and rubbed my cheek.

"Yeah mom, When will she be back .....I miss her too"Sophie said too earning a chuckle from me.

"it's not just you guys, Well as for the last time we spoke,she told me that she'll be coming on Tuesday after the meeting"She said and I let out a wide smile. I've missed aunty Quinn so much and I'm sure she does too.There was a knock on the door and we all paused.mom glanced toward it, then back at me.

“I think that’s for you,” she said.
Before I could even ask.....The door opened slightly, and a familiar face appeared.

“Uh… hi.”it was Jason.He stepped in slowly, his gaze landing on me almost immediately.

“Oh… you’re back.”My heart skipped just slightly.

“Oh......Jason,” I said, surprised.My mom folded her arms again, but this time there was a hint of amusement in her expression.

“He came by yesterday,” she said. “Looking for you.”I glanced at her, then back at him.

“Yeah, I did,” Jason added, rubbing the back of his neck slightly.

“You weren’t home.”Something about that made me feel just a little awkward.

“Sorry,” I said quickly.

“I was out.”He nodded.

“I figured.”There was a small pause,Then I turned slightly, gesturing toward the stairs.

“Do you want to… go upstairs?”He looked at me for a second, then nodded.

“Yeah. Sure.”We moved up quietly, the air between us different from what it used to be, not uncomfortable exactly… just not as easy.Once we got to my room, I closed the door behind us, turning back to face him.
He leaned lightly against the wall, watching me for a moment before speaking.

"Wow your room is beautiful..... didn't know your favorite color is purple"He said staring around.

"Yeah...... although it's not really my favorite"I said and he chuckled.

“You’ve been kind of hard to reach lately.”
I let out a small laugh, crossing my arms lightly.

“I know… I’ve just been busy.”He nodded slowly, like he expected that answer but didn’t fully accept it.

“…...even in school......you know,” he added after a moment,

“you’re actually the reason I transferred to your school.”I blinked, caught off guard.

“I didn’t know that.”He gave a small, almost shy smile.

“Yeah… I guess you didn’t.”I hesitated, then added honestly,

“I mean… I kind of had a feeling.”That made him chuckle softly.

“Of course you did.”A small silence settled between us and then he looked at me again.

“So… where were you yesterday?”I paused just for a second then answered simply.

“Dylan took me out… to see the lake. Just… somewhere quiet.”He nodded slowly, his expression unreadable for a moment.

“Right.”Then he exhaled softly, pushing himself off the wall slightly.

“Normally,” he said,

“I would’ve had something to say about that.”I raised a brow slightly.

“Normally?”He gave a small, almost resigned smile.

“Yeah… but I’ve noticed something.”I tilted my head.

“What?”He looked at me properly this time.

“You really like him.”My heart skipped slightly.

“And it seems he likes you too,” he added before I could respond.I stayed quiet because there was nothing to deny.
So he nodded once, like that was enough for him.

“I’m not going to interfere,” he said simply.

“I’m not that guy.”I felt a small sense of relief but it didn’t last long because his expression shifted again,More serious this time.

“But…” he added.There it was......I didn’t like that word.

“Just be careful, Violet,” he said, his voice steady now, his eyes holding mine in a way that made something in my chest tighten slightly.

“I’m a guy,” he continued.

“I know how guys think.”I didn’t say anything,I just listened.

“And someone like Dylan Freeman…” he paused slightly, then finished quietly,

“…just be careful.”Silence settled between us again and for some reason…That didn’t feel like a warning I could just ignore,I nodded slowly.

“…okay.”But even as I said it......something about it didn’t sit right with me because I didn’t like being told to be careful.Not like that,Not when everything felt so right and yet…As his words lingered in the air....A small part of me couldn’t shake the feeling that maybe…Just maybe......He wasn’t saying it for no reason.