Page 25 of Wallflower

I blinked as Dare smiled.

"Plus, I don't know if it's because you're kind of odd or because you don't kiss up to me"—he winked—"but I like you, Vi."

"You do?"

Dare nodded.

I shifted on my feet, not knowing what to do with myself or the words he'd just said.

"I think—no I know, we're going to be friends," he said.

Ugh. Who did Dare think he was, making outrageous deals with my father, delivering these mind-blowing declarations? I had to put a stop to it.

"I don't want to be your friend," I said with as much distaste as I could muster.

"Too bad, flower."

Dare stared into my eyes, his baby blues warm and unflinching as my heart tried to escape my chest.

"I'm going to be the best friend you've ever had," he said. The words were like a vow. "I'm going to friend you so hard no other friends will ever compare."

I had no idea what he meant by that.

But I'd be lying if I said I wasn't dying to find out.

CHAPTER 6

Two days later, it was still sinking in. I'd taken the weekend to contemplate, try and make sense of it all. But as much as I tried, what I'd discovered did not compute.

My dad, the father who I loved with all my heart, the one who still called me his "baby girl," had asked one of his players to befriend me.

And not just any player.

He'd asked Dare freaking Frost to be my buddy, my companion, my someone.

As if the two of us would ever be more than total opposites.

What alternate reality was I living in?

At dinner the other night, I'd had a hard time even sitting in the same room as him, knowing what I now knew.

Mom, who had always been able to read me, noticed something was off.

"Hey, Viola, is something wrong?" she asked.

"No." I shook my head. "It's all good."

"Is it that boy, Dare?" Mom cut her eyes at my father. "I still can't believe you did that. Roped her into driving him. What were you thinking?"

Yes, Dad, I thought as he looked up.Whatwereyou thinking when you asked the school playboy for that crazy favor?

Dad's face was the picture of innocence. "Viola's a good kid. Dare's a good kid, too. He's had some trouble in the past, but he's got so much potential. I saw an opportunity to help, and I took it."

I snorted softly.

More like he thought I was so inept I couldn't find friends on my own.

Not that I'd shown any evidence to the contrary…but still.

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