Page 54 of Wallflower

I'd thought about it and decided that the reason Dad dismissed the gossip yesterday was because he hadn't been there. This time Dare and I would give him proof that something was going on. Seeing was believing after all.

"Before that, though, I need something from you."

"Oh?" Dare asked. "What is it now? A lung, kidney, my heart on a silver platter?"

I rolled my eyes. "Ugh, must you be so dramatic?"

"Says the girl who's enacting a revenge plot against her father."

Touché, I thought.

"No, it's not an organ or anything," I said. "I just realized we may need to call each other at some point—and I have no way of reaching you."

He arched a brow, waiting.

"It would be good if we could communicate somehow. Don't you think?"

Dare looked amused, and I felt like dying.

"Are you asking for my number, flower?" he said.

I shifted my weight from one foot to the other. "Yeah, I guess."

"Okay," he said like it wasn't a big deal.

I exhaled in relief as he held out his hand for my phone. After I gave it to him, he quickly entered his info then passed it back. That smile of his never dimmed, and when I looked down, I saw why.

"Thank you," I said and then checked my phone. "Secret Boyfriend? That's what you put as your contact name?"

Dare shrugged. "I figured 'Hot Soccer Playing Fake Boyfriend' would be too long."

I bit back a laugh, but in my head, I knew I'd probably change it later.

"'Dare' or 'Frost' would've worked just fine," I said.

He snapped his fingers. "Shoot, why didn't I think of that?"

My brow furrowed a moment later. "Hey, I've been meaning to ask. What's your real name?"

He pushed his hands into his pockets. "You already know it," he said. "Why?"

"No, your real name," I repeated. "Is Dare short for something? I figured it was. Like Darius or Derek or something?"

"Nope," Dare said, averting his gaze. "That's it. That's my name."

I gazed at him and the way he was studiously not looking at me.

"I can tell you're lying," I said.

Dare scoffed. "Sure, you can."

I pointed to his face. "You haven't been able to meet my eyes since I asked the question, and your cheeks are redder than they were a second ago. My only conclusion is that your name must be pretty embarrassing."

Dare lifted his chin, and his gaze fixed on mine. "Leave it, flower."

"But I thought we were friends," I said.

"Not that good of friends," he muttered.

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