Page 50 of Wallflower

"Okay," I said.

He rubbed the back of his neck. "This may be hard for you to believe. But I just wanted you to know I had nothing to do with that video. I'd never do something like that, leak our personal business and try to embarrass you."

I nodded. "I know—"

"And I see now that I may have been a little harsh," he went on. "I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings. That wasn't my intention. At all."

"I know, Ty," I said.

"You do?" he asked.

"Yeah." I gave his hand a pat. "I know what kind of person you are. We're okay."

Tyson seemed to exhale for the first time since he sat down.

"Oh good," he said and gave me a smile. "I just didn't want you to think I was a douchebag or something."

"Well, you are friends with Dare," I said.

As I'd intended, Tyson let out a laugh. Dare walked over and sat down a second later.

"What are you two smiling about?" Dare asked suspiciously.

"Nothing," I said as Tyson bit back a grin.

"Sorry you got stuck taking this one"—Tyson hooked his thumb at Dare—"to school every day. He's my best friend, but even I know he can be a handful."

"Hey!" Dare protested, but I spoke over him.

"True. He can be a little much."

Dare looked between the two of us.

"You guys suck, and if I wasn't so hungry I'd expand on that," he said then dug into his food.

Tyson scooted closer and said, "He's really not so bad, you know."

No, he's not, I thought, wondering why Tyson, the guy who I'd thought I was in love with, could whisper in my ear, and it did nothing. But even as Dare glared my way, I felt a rush of butterflies in my stomach.

I chalked it up to bad cafeteria food.

#

Viola, come see me in my office before you leave.

Seeing those words in a text message from my dad had me on high alert. It had been a day. I was more than eager to go to the shelter, visit with the animals and then head home. But now, my father wanted a word. Honestly, it was worse than getting called to the principal's office. Me and Principal Hogan were on great terms. She was a Potterhead like me, Ravenclaw through and through, and, we got along beautifully.

I wished it were her door I was standing at right now.

Dad was sitting at his desk, going over some papers, when I arrived. I knocked on the open door, and he looked up, smiling when he saw it was me.

"Hey Viola," he said, "you know you don't have to knock. You can always come in no matter what."

"Hi, Dad," I said.

"Come in, come in." He gestured me forward. "This won't take long. There was just something I wanted to discuss with you."

I walked to one of the visitor's chairs and sat while Dad came around the desk and took the chair opposite me.

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