Chapter 101: Walk with me

VIOLET'S POINT OF VIEW

I didn’t go inside immediately,Even after the door clicked shut behind me.Even after the faint sound of Dylan’s car disappeared down the street.I just stood there,Right in the middle of the living room still and Quiet.

Like moving too fast would somehow erase everything that had just happened.My fingers slowly lifted to my lips and I froze.

Because I could still feel it, that kiss.

Soft,Careful.......Not rushed.

A shaky breath left me as I dropped my hand slowly.

“What is wrong with me…when did I become this bold??” I whispered under my breath.Because this this wasn’t me.

I wasn’t the kind of girl who stood in her living room replaying a kiss like it meant everything.I wasn’t the kind of girl who let someone get this close this fast.And yet.......Here I was.Doing exactly that.

I let out a small breath and walked slowly toward the couch, dropping my bag without thinking before sinking into it.My mind didn’t stop,It couldn’t.

It replayed everything.The way he looked at me,The way his eyes softened like I was something fragile he didn’t want to break.The way his voice dropped when he said my name.

And then........That moment.....My brows pulled together slowly.

"Violet… I need to tell you something."

I stared ahead, my fingers curling slightly against the couch.

That didn’t feel like nothing,That didn’t feel like “just prom.”That felt important.

Heavy.Like something that mattered.So why didn’t he say it?Why did he stop?Why did he look like that?.....so damn nervous,I exhaled slowly, leaning my head back.

“He was nervous…” I murmured quietly.

And that part stayed with me.

Because Dylan?Nervous?That didn’t make sense.Dylan was always confident.Bold.

Annoyingly sure of himself most of the time.But last night.....He wasn’t.Last night, he looked like someone who was about to lose something.My chest tightened slightly.

And for a brief second......A thought crossed my mind.

What if it wasn’t something good?I sat up immediately, shaking my head.

“No.”

That didn’t feel right.

Because everything else about him felt real,The way he held my hand,The way he looked at me,The way he kissed me......That couldn’t be fake.Right?.....…Right?...... What if he dumps me like the rest of his ex........

“Violet?”i heard and I looked up quickly.

My mom stood by the hallway, watching me with a soft, knowing expression.She had that look,That mother look,The one that said she already knew something had happened.

“You’re home,” she said gently and I nodded.

“Yeah.”She walked closer, her eyes scanning my face like she was trying to read every little emotion I hadn’t said out loud.

“How was it???” she asked and I hesitated.

Because I didn’t even know how to explain it.

How do you explain something that felt simple…But also complicated at the same time?

“It was…” I started,Then I smiled slightly.

“…really nice.”Her lips curved into a small smile.

“Just nice?”I let out a soft laugh, shaking my head.

“No… not just nice.”

“Then?”I looked down for a second, my fingers playing with the edge of my sleeve.

“It felt… easy.”And that was the truth.It didn’t feel forced.It didn’t feel awkward.It felt like I had known him longer than I actually had.Like everything just… fit,mom watched me carefully And then her smile softened.

“That’s how it’s supposed to feel,” she said quietly.My chest warmed slightly at her words.She stepped closer, brushing a strand of hair behind my ear gently.

“He seems like a good boy.”she whispered and I swallowed slightly.

“Yeah,” I said softly.

“He is.”And for some reason.....Saying that out loud felt bigger than it should have.

Like I was admitting something I wasn’t ready to fully face yet.

"Go get some sleep dear, I will too"She said and turned to go but I stopped her immediately.

"Mom"

"Yes??"she answered and Turned to look at me.

"Why??"I muttered and she raised her eyebrows.

"Why what??"She asked with a light smile.

"Why are you suddenly so cool with me having a boyfriend??"I asked and she chuckled lightly.

"Well because I realized that you are no longer a kid...... you're 19 dear, I was just scared.....I mean I just didn't want you to be distracted...... Goodnight"She muttered with a light smile and went to her room.

"Wow"I muttered and followed behind her walking to my room too.

That night, I barely slept,Not because I couldn’t.But because my mind refused to stop.Every time I closed my eyes......I saw him.Heard him......Felt that moment again.

That unfinished sentence......That look in his eyes.

And every time I got close to understanding it......It slipped away.Morning came too quickly.....And somehow…Everything felt different,Not in a dramatic way.Just… quieter.More aware.

More sensitive,Like I was noticing things I hadn’t before.The hallway was loud as usual when I got to school,Voices overlapping, Lockers slamming,People laughing too loudly at things that probably weren’t that funny,But it all felt distant.

Like I was moving through it instead of being part of it.

“Okay......pause.”I didn’t even need to turn.

Mira......I sighed softly as she grabbed my arm and pulled me aside.

“What?” I asked.

She didn’t answer immediately,She just stared at me......Long,Hard.....Suspicious.

“…What happened?” she asked slowly and I blinked.

“Nothing happened."I muttered and She didn’t even hesitate.

“Liar.”

“I’m not lying.”

“You are absolutely lying,” she said, crossing her arms.

“You have that look.”

“What look?”

“That soft, floaty, slightly confused but happy look people get when something definitely happened.....Tell me....how was the date???.”she said with a grin and I opened my mouth......but Closed it.Because she wasn’t entirely wrong.

“I hate you,” I muttered I muttered and She grinned instantly.

“I knew it.”

“It wasn’t like that,” I said quickly, my cheeks warming and She leaned in closer immediately.

“Then what was it like?"She Asked and I hesitated.Because again.......No word felt right.

“It was just…” I started.And then I smiled a little.

“…it felt easy.”Mira blinked......That caught her off guard.

“Oh,” she said quietly.And I knew she understood.We started walking again, but she kept glancing at me like she was still processing everything.

We were still talking when......I felt it......That presence.Familiar.Strong.Close.I turned.And there he was.Dylan.Walking toward us.His hands in his pockets.His expression calm.But his eyes.......His eyes were locked on mine.Like I was the only person in the hallway and My breath caught slightly.

Because something about the way he was looking at me…Felt different.

More serious.More determined.

Like he had made up his mind about something.Mira leaned slightly toward me.

“…Hmmm let’s talk later, lover girl,” Mira whispered under her breath, nudging me lightly before slipping away with a knowing smirk.My chest tightened....Because now… it was just me and him with some few Students who weren't even paying attention to us. Yeah I've noticed that they've gotten used to Dylan and me stuff.

Dylan stopped a few steps in front of me.

For a second, neither of us spoke. noise faded.....not completely, but enough that it felt like everything around us blurred into the background.

“You’re early,” he said finally, his voice calm… but there was something underneath it.Something careful.

“I could say the same about you, you're early that's so unlike Dylan” I replied softly.A small smile touched his lips, but it didn’t fully reach his eyes.And I noticed that.....Of course I noticed.

“You slept okay?” he asked.The question was simple. Casual.But the way he asked it… wasn’t.Like he actually cared about the answer.

“Not really,” I admitted, before I could stop myself.His brows pulled together slightly.

“Why?”I hesitated.Because what was I supposed to say?Because you almost told me something and didn’t?Because I’ve been replaying every second of last night like it meant more than it should?So instead, I shrugged lightly.

“Just thinking.”His gaze didn’t leave mine.

“About what?”My heart skipped.And for a second.....just a second.....I thought about asking him.

What were you going to say last night?

But something held me back.

Maybe it was the way his shoulders were slightly tense.Or the way his fingers flexed faintly at his sides.Or maybe…Maybe I wasn’t sure I was ready to hear the answer.

“Nothing serious,” I said instead, offering a small smile.He studied me for a moment longer.Like he didn’t quite believe me.But then.......he nodded.

“Okay.”That was it,No pressure,No pushing,And somehow… that made it worse.Because again......He trusted me enough not to question me.Just like I was trusting him,And maybe… we were both avoiding something.

“Walk with me?” he asked after a second.I nodded.

“Yeah.”We fell into step beside each other, not too close....but close enough that our shoulders brushed once.Twice.Neither of us pulled away.There w

as something quiet between us now,Not awkward.Not uncomfortable.Just… aware.Like both of us knew something had shifted.And neither of us knew what to do with it yet.