Page 8 of Wallflower

"Love you, too, Vi," he said softly. "Thanks, and your senior year is going to be great. I just know it."

Yeah, I thought. Too bad I'd already screwed that up by making a fool of myself in front of my secret crush—who it turns out I hadn't really known at all. And now that little convo with my parents had reminded me just how friendless and alone I really was.

Oh well, at least I'd gotten all the awkwardness out of my system.

There was no way it could get worse than that, right?

CHAPTER 3

You know that dream where you can't wake up?

The one where you know it's a dream, not quite reality, because something is off. But you can't figure out what? That was kind of how I felt when I woke up on Monday. The only difference was that the moment I stepped out my front door, I knew exactly what was wrong.

I got ready for school in a flash, grabbed a banana, thermos of milk, and pack of peanut butter crackers (aka the breakfast of champions and people who hate being late) then rushed out the door…only to freeze on the porch.

I blinked.

Blinked again.

But the scene before me didn't change.

A pinch to the arm didn't work either.

Why wasn't I waking up?

This had to be a dream, I thought. Either that or a hallucination.

Standing in our driveway, leaning back against my little Honda, hands in his pockets like he was Jake Ryan fromSixteen Candlesor something, was a guy who knew he looked good even in sweats and a hoodie.

Dare Frost.

His six-foot-three frame dwarfed my car. Dare was the last person I expected to see waiting outside my house on my last first day of high school. I was so surprised it took me a second to find my voice.

But Dare just cocked his head.

"Morning flower," he said. "Better hurry or we'll be late."

I shook myself out of it. "Are you lost?"

"Nope, I'm exactly where I'm supposed to be."

"What are you even doing here?" I asked.

"Isn't it obvious?" He held his hands out, a small smile playing on his lips. "I'm here to bum a ride to school. Speaking of, could you pop the locks?" Dare rubbed his hands together. "It's a little chilly out here."

I laughed, couldn't help it. "Are you crazy? Dare, I'm not taking you to school."

"Yes, you are."

"No. I'm not."

Dare shrugged. "Coach said you would."

My jaw dropped. "He did what? When? Why?"

"That's a lot of questions," he said. "But yeah, your dad and I talked the other day after practice. He said you'd give me a ride because we live so close to each other. Said it would be no problem. I run by your house every morning anyway. Plus, my car's in the shop for repairs."

"Didn't you just get that car?" I asked.

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