(violet's outfit for this part of chapter)

The next few days went by without a hitch, and Violet was glad for it. She was happy that she could enjoy her school life and the things she enjoyed, like band, her friends, and hanging out with Jackson. She ended up hanging out with Dean more as well, pleased to find out he still wasn't smoking. They got to know each other more, and Violet began to see a different side of Dean. He wasn't just the brooding, troubled delinquent teen she thought him to be. Instead, she discovered that he had a sharp wit, a hidden sense of humor, and a surprisingly thoughtful side. Dean started to open up to Violet more, sharing glimpses of his past and the reasons behind his tough exterior.

Despite his tough exterior, Violet learned that Dean was struggling with his own set of challenges. He had been dealing with a lot of judgment and isolation, which made it hard for him to trust people. Violet's genuine concern and non-judgmental attitude were refreshing to him. It was clear that Dean valued their growing friendship, and it made Violet feel even more invested in getting to know him.

One afternoon, they had went out to get some ice cream and get to know each other more. "You know, Pink—sorry, Violet—I've been thinking—"

"That's dangerous." Violet teased, giggling.

"Shut up." He rolls his eyes, smirking. "As I was saying, before I was so rudely interrupted—" He gave her a look and Violet giggled again, making him smile. "I've been thinking. We've hung out a lot recently, and I've come to realize that I really like you, Violet. More than just as a friend. And I was wondering if you'd want to go out with me...Like, on a date."

Violet grimaces, guilt gnawing at her stomach. She was silent for a moment, unsure how to respond. Dean notices the change in her expression, and his heart sinks. "If you don't want to, it's okay. I understand. I just thought I'd ask." He sighed, trying to hide his disappointment.

"Dean, no. It's not that. I'm flattered, really. You remember Jackson?" She asked, tilting her head to the side while she kept eating her ice cream.

"That scrawny kid you're always hanging out with?" Dean raises his eyebrows, taking a bite of his ice cream. "Pretty sure I saw something about him that was trending for him being named 'Baloney Boy' or something."

"Yeah, him," Violet cringes. "There's that new rumor, well, not really a rumor now, that he's Full Lips Fuller, makeout legend..." Her voice trails off and he looks at her like he didn't believe her. "Anyway, uh, he's my boyfriend. We've been dating for a few months."

"He's your boyfriend?" Dean's expression shifts from playful to genuinely surprised. He stares at Violet for a moment, clearly processing her words. "I didn't realize. I mean, I knew you were close with him, but I didn't think..." He trailed off, shaking his head slightly.

Violet nods, feeling a mix of relief and nervousness along with guilt. "Yeah, we've been together for a few months now. I really care about him, and he's been there for me. So, yeah. Sorry, Dean." She apologizes, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. She looked down at her shoes, trying to avoid eye contact. "I really care about you too, just...Not in that way."

"No, I get it. It's okay. I shouldn't have assumed, I'm sorry." Dean sighed, shaking his head. He was disappointed, but he wasn't angry. He didn't want to pressure her or make her feel uncomfortable. "I hope we can still be friends though."

"Of course! I'm sorry, Dean. I never meant to lead you on or anything. I like you a lot, just...Not in that way. Please, don't think it's because of your looks or anything like that. I promise, it's not." Violet rambled, hoping she didn't offend him.

Dean chuckles, his eyes meeting hers. "Don't sweat it, Pink."

"Violet." She corrected, giving him a small smile.

"Sorry, habit." He shrugged.

"It's okay. Kinda been growing on me." She admits, earning a smirk. "I'm sorry. I wish I could return your feelings, I really do. I feel bad, can I do anything to make it up to you?" She pauses as she thinks of something. "Oh! Want another ice cream? My treat."

Dean shakes his head, chuckling. "You don't have to do that. You didn't do anything wrong." Dean's smile was genuine as he looked at Violet. "Really, it's fine. I appreciate the offer, but I'm good. I'm just glad we talked about it. Now I can stop pretending that I have a chance with you."

"Hey!" Violet nudges him playfully. "You have a chance with anyone. Just not me, I'm taken. Seriously, any girl would be lucky to have you."

Dean laughs. "Well, maybe someday." He sighs, finishing his ice cream cone. "So, you and that kid, huh? That's pretty crazy."

"Why is it so crazy?" Violet chuckled, raising her eyebrows while she finished her ice cream.

"Well, I mean, he's...You know. And you're...You." Dean gestures vaguely, earning a curious look. "I mean, you're smart and beautiful and funny, and he's...A dork."

"Hey!" Violet was about to defend Jackson, but she realized something. "Yeah, honestly, he's a bit of a dork. But he's my dork." She smiled shyly, looking down as blush rose to her cheeks.

Dean smiled fondly at her, his eyes bright. "I'm happy for you, Pink. You deserve to be happy." He ignores the pain he felt in his chest, pushing down his disappointment. "I'll always support you."

"Thank you, Dean. That means a lot." Violet's smile was genuine as she looked at him, and he smiled back, despite the pain he felt in his chest.

"Always."

Later that evening, Jackson was over at Violet's house. The two of them were relaxing in her room, enjoying some time alone together. "So, how was your day? I feel like I haven't seen you in awhile which is weird 'cause we live next door to each other." Jackson admitted with a small chuckle.

"Sorry, I've been keeping Dean company and showing him around town. He doesn't really know anyone yet, so I wanted him to feel welcome. He's actually a really cool guy, once you get to know him." She replied, smiling softly.

Jackson felt an odd pang in his chest as she mentioned Dean. "Yeah, I'm sure he is." He agrees, though he didn't really mean it. "Are you two, like, friends or something now?" He tried not to sound jealous or possessive, but it came out a bit that way anyway.

"Well, yeah. I mean, he's a good guy. And he's fun to hang out with too. You should give him a chance, Jackson. I think you'd actually like him if you got to know him." Violet smiled reassuringly, placing her hand over his.

Jackson couldn't help but feel a twinge of jealousy and suspicion, but he pushed it down. "Yeah, maybe."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make it seem like I'm ditching you or something. It's just, I've been helping him settle in. He's had a rough time lately, and I think he could use a friend." Violet explains, giving his hand a light squeeze. She notices the look in his eyes and knew what was wrong. "Get out of that pretty head of yours, Jax. I only got eyes for you." She reached up to cup his face, her thumb gently caressing his cheek.

Jackson blushes at that, leaning into her touch. "Sorry, I know. I'm being dumb. I trust you."

"Don't apologize. I get it, I felt the same way when that Barbie girl tried to kiss you the other day. But it's okay. There's nothing to worry about. We're solid." She leans up and kisses his cheek. "Now, how was your day, babe?"

"Better now." Jackson murmured, leaning down to kiss her. She smiled against his lips, her face turning red.

The two of them cuddled and kissed for a while until they fell asleep, enjoying the comfort of each other's company. As she lay there in her boyfriend's arms, Violet couldn't help but smile. She was glad that she could be there for him and that he trusted her. It made her heart swell with happiness. She knew they would always be there for each other, and that was all that mattered.

The next few days, everything was going good, Violet and Jackson were spending time together. Dean even hung out with them too and turned out he and Jackson ended up getting along well. Violet was happy that her boyfriend and her friend could get along. Though Violet was trying to avoid seeing DJ and the other because of her new hair and she was nervous for how they would react. But she knew she couldn't avoid them forever. Which is why this morning she was regretting heading next door to her boyfriend's even though it wasn't normal for her to dread heading next door.

She headed next door, walking in without knocking or ringing the door bell since she was used to not doing that and Dean followed her in. He had met up with her outside since they planned to hang out along with Jackson at The Warf today. "Hey, baby, good morn—" She pauses, eyes widening and mouth opening in shock and disbelief. She never thought she would see this. "Holy sh—"

"Like my new look?" Jackson grins at her, showing off his new style. Violet blinks rapidly, making sure she wasn't seeing things. That she wasn't still dreaming or something. She never thought Jackson would dress like this, but here he was, blue highlights in his hair and dark edgy clothes. "Do you like it?" He repeated.

"Uh...Huh..." Violet's voice trailed off, not able to find the words. She was in complete shock. Her mind was racing, trying to process what she was seeing. She never would've imagined him dressing like this. Sure, he'd worn a leather jacket a few times, but never anything like this. It was a complete transformation.

"What do you think? Does it suit me?" He asked, his smile fading slightly as he noticed her expression. "Is it bad?"

"It's...Uh...Different." Violet manages to say, her eyes still wide. "Very different. Like, really, really different. But in a good way." She stammered, her brain trying to catch up. She struggled to find the right words and to process what was going on as she took in Jackson's new look. The vibrant blue highlights and the dark, edgy clothes contrast sharply with his previous style. Violet's initial shock slowly gives way to curiosity and admiration.

Jackson's face turns a bit apprehensive, hoping for a positive reaction. "I just thought I'd try something new," He says, a hint of insecurity creeping into his voice. "You know, change things up a bit. Dean helped me with the style and all that."

Violet nods in realization, finally starting to piece things together. "Ah, okay." She felt a bit stupid for not noticing it sooner. Jackson now looked very close to Dean's hair and his style. She didn't notice it because her mind was racing too much. "It suits you. It really does. You look hot." She blurted out, her face flushing. Dean chuckled, watching the interaction with amusement as he crossed his arms and leaned against the door.

"Really?" Jackson asks with surprise, his face turning red. "You're not just saying that?"

"No, I'm serious. You're hot. And I mean, you were before," She starts, walking over to him as she glances at him appreciatively. "But now, it's like a whole new level of hot." She couldn't help but let her eyes linger on him, taking in his new look. She couldn't help but be impressed by how well Jackson had pulled off the new style. His transformation was dramatic, but he wore it with confidence and flair. Violet's initial shock melted into admiration as she looked at him. She had to admit, he looked amazing.

Jackson's cheeks flush at her compliment, a bashful grin forming. "Thanks."

"Don't mention it, babe. Really." Violet smiles at him, her heart pounding in her chest. "I gotta say, you are full of surprises. And I love it."

"Thanks." Jackson blushes, a shy smile playing on his lips. "I'm glad you approve."

"I do." Violet reaches up to brush her fingers through his hair, admiring the way the blue stood out against his brunette locks. "Very much. Let me guess, someone here helped you out with the whole thing." She glanced over at Dean, who smirked.

"Hey, it wasn't just me. He needed a little push and I gave it to him. And the color, he chose the color." Dean raised his hands up innocently, grinning. He was amused by the interaction.

"A push?" She repeated, raising her eyebrows.

"Yeah, you know, just a little nudge. A bit of motivation. Nothing bad. We're all good, right?" Dean grinned, slapping his arm around Jackson's shoulders.

"Right." Jackson nods, smiling at him and glances at Violet. "Yeah, I wanted to try a different style, and Dean offered to help me out."

"And by help, you mean give a makeover." Violet corrected, glancing at him.

"Yeah, whatever." Dean rolls his eyes. "The point is, it worked. I mean look at 'em now, he doesn't look like a dork anymore." He teased.

"I wasn't a dork." Jackson mutters, glancing at Violet, who sent him a look. "Okay, maybe a little." He sighed, rolling his eyes.

"Hey, no judgment here. You were cute as a dork. But now you're, well, you're even more hot than before too." Violet comments, smiling at him. "Like, you were hot, but now it's like, on a whole new level." She added, her gaze lingering on him appreciatively.

"Aw, thanks babe." Jackson grins, his cheeks flushing. "That's sweet."

"Just speaking the truth." Violet smiled, her heart racing. She had to admit, Jackson's transformation was impressive. And she was definitely enjoying the results.

"Alright, alright, enough with the sappy stuff. Are we going to The Warf or not?" Dean spoke up, rolling his eyes playfully.

"Yes, let's go. But you were gonna meet everyone today." Violet tells him, walking over to grab his arm. "And if I have to show 'em my new highlights even though I kinda just wanna leave right now without seeing 'em, you have to meet everyone too." She sighed, already dreading the whole thing.

"Fine." Dean groans, knowing she was right. "But I'm not promising I'll like 'em."

"Fair enough." Violet shrugs, letting go of his arm when they got to the door to the kitchen. She pauses, turning to Jackson. "How did your mom react to your new look?" She asked curiously, looking him over.

"She was very surprised, that was for sure." Jackson replies with a shrug. "Come on." He walked into the kitchen with her, who was trying not to be too nervous, but she was failing at that. She was nervous. Very nervous. Dean trailed behind them, putting his hands in his pockets of his leather jacket.

DJ, Stephanie, and Kimmy sat at the dining table, eyes widening in realization after seeing Violet walk in with Jackson and they all said 'oh' in unison. They had been talking about why Jackson was suddenly being a bit rebellious and dressing differently. But when they saw his girlfriend with the new pink highlights, they figured she had something to do with it. "Hey, why are we 'oh'-ing? Just because she has a new friend with blue hair and she's got new pink—Oh!" Kimmy interrupted herself when she realized it and nodded while DJ and Stephanie sent her a look.

"Okay, I saw everyone, now I'm out." Violet turned to leave, groaning when Jackson pulled her back in and closed the door behind her. She frowned at him, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Hey, if I have to meet 'em, you have to stay." Dean muttered to her as he nudged her.

"Fine." She sighed, reluctantly staying.

"What's up, kiddos? And, uh, friend." Kimmy greeted them, glancing between Dean and Violet, wondering what was going on.

"Hey, guys, this is Dean. He was the new kid." Violet explains nervously. "He's new to town. He's a junior at Bayview."

DJ raises her eyebrows at Dean, noticing how similar he looked like her son. She was starting to see why her son was dressing like that now. "Dean, nice to meet you. I'm DJ, Jackson's mom." She greets him, walking over with a polite smile and reached out to shake his hand. Dean just nodded at her, leaning against the kitchen island, not moving or shaking her hand. He just gave her a small smile. DJ was taken aback by his behavior, but she tried to not take it personally. "So, where are you from?" She asked, trying to make small talk.

"Here and there." He replies shortly, glancing around the kitchen, not interested in the conversation.

"That's vague." Kimmy remarked, raising her eyebrows.

Violet chimes in quickly. "His dad is a music producer so they moved around a lot." She explained, glancing between Dean and Jackson's family. She knew Dean wasn't exactly friendly and warm at first, so she decided to help him out a little.

"Ah, okay. I see." DJ nods in understanding. "Well, welcome to town, Dean. We hope you'll like it here."

"Thanks." Dean muttered, not really caring about what she had to say. He was only staying because he had promised Violet.

"Look, I know we just met, but why do I get the feeling you had something to do with this?" DJ couldn't help but ask, gesturing to her son's new look and even Violet's new pink highlights.

Dean raises his eyebrows. "What if I did?" He challenged, earning a warning look from Violet. She didn't want to deal with an argument, she just wanted to get the awkward meeting over with. "Okay, look, all I did was help Jackson out. It's obvious he's being raised in an artificial world of sugar-coated sweetness-"

"That is so not true." DJ quickly interrupts, her eyes widening. Suddenly Tommy walks in with Cosmo, the two wearing matching sunglasses and matching bandanas. Violet couldn't help the smile that formed at the cute sight. Dean raises his eyebrows at the sight, glancing at Violet and Jackson with an 'are you serious' look before he looks back at DJ, who smiles sheepishly. "That was terrible timing."

"All I'm saying is this momma's boy is gonna be eaten alive if he doesn't grow some McNuggets." Dean bluntly stated.

"Oh, you don't have to worry about my McNuggets." Jackson comments. "Alright, well, we'll see ya later. We're going to The Warf to make fun of the tourists."

"Okay, well, don't forget to take out the trash." DJ reminded him.

Jackson shrugs. "I'll get to it when I get to it." He shared a smirk with Dean, fist bumping him before the trio turned to leave the kitchen.

"So, that could've gone better." Violet mutters as she glanced at Dean, who shrugs. "Really, Dean? Couldn't you have been a little nicer?"

"I wasn't rude, I answered her questions. I'm just not friendly or anything. You know this." Dean told her, crossing his arms over his chest.

Violet sighs, rubbing her temples. "Yeah, but you didn't have to be so...So...Rude. Just a little nice would've been good. That's all I'm asking."

"Okay, fine, next time I'll be super nice." Dean sarcastically replied, rolling his eyes.

Violet rolls her eyes, knowing she couldn't convince him to change. "Whatever." She turns to Jackson, who was silent the whole time. "What do you think, Jax?"

"It wasn't that bad. You're acting like it was worse." Jackson intertwines his fingers with hers, giving her hand a light squeeze. "It was fine. Don't worry."

"Fine, if you say so." Violet mutters, leaning against him. "Anyway, let's get to The Warf. I'm getting hungry."

"Same, let's go." Dean agreed, heading outside ahead of the couple. 

Violet smiles, squeezing Jackson's hand. "Come on, babe. Let's go." As they left the house, Violet couldn't help but feel a sense of relief. She was glad the meeting was over, and that it went well. And now, she was looking forward to spending the rest of the day with her boyfriend and their new friend.