Page 101 of Wallflower

Dare's hands were still on my ribs, and I was laying underneath him when the door opened.

"Dare?" someone said. "Whose car is that outside? You mother took my spot, and it's taking up the rest of the driveway."

We both froze as a man I'd never seen but knew instantly walked around the side of the couch. He was the spitting image of a grown-up Dare. A woman appeared beside him and frowned down at the two of us.

"Ah, I see we have company," the man said.

Dare stood and helped me up from the couch.

"Another one, Dare?" the woman commented. "Really? I thought you'd toned it down on all the girls."

My face flushed hot as both of them ran assessing eyes over me.

"Dad, Mom," Dare said through gritted teeth. "I didn't know you guys would be home today."

The man shrugged. "Why not? It's a holiday."

"I thought you'd be spending the night again with Cecily," he said.

"Cess is out of town to see family."

"Nathan expects me back later." His mom sniffed. "We're having the apartment fumigated, so I needed somewhere to go for a while. Besides, it's almost time for dinner."

"And?" Dare said. "We never eat together like a normal family."

"Dare." It was a warning, but Dare didn’t look like he was going to back down.

I gave his parents an awkward wave. "Hi, I'm Viola," I said. "Sorry for intruding. I was just about to leave."

"But what about your clothes?" Dare asked.

His mom scoffed. "Just like your father."

"Mother," he snapped. "It's not like that."

I turned fire engine red at her assumption but decided to brazen it out.

"I'll get them tomorrow." I looked back at her. "And just so you know, he was only teaching me how to swim."

She looked like she still had her doubts, so I added more context.

"I almost drowned today, and Dare saved me."

"Dare, is that true?" she asked.

He shrugged. "Yeah."

"That's…not what I was expecting. Sorry, if I jumped to the wrong conclusion."

"I'm used to it," Dare said, and my heart went out to him.

She looked surprised while his father gave him a nod.

"Good job, son," he said. "I'm impressed—though like your mom said, there hasn't been a lot of cause for that since you hit high school and started acting like a wild child."

"Mark," Dare's mom hissed, but he ignored her.

"Viola, do you want to stay for dinner?"

---