Wallflower by Cookie O'Gorman (best romance ebooks .TXT) 📕

Dare smiled then walked around and opened my door.  "Let's go," he said.

I frowned across Buttercup's yellow hood at him.  "I thought we agreed to no more door opening."

Dare snapped his fingers.  "Aw shoot, that's right.  I forgot.  Sorry," he said, not sounding apologetic at all.

I rolled my eyes.  "'Aw shoot'?" I parroted.  "Really?"

Dare smiled.  "What?  It's a habit, Vi.  A gentlemanly reflex."

I laughed at that, and his smile grew.

After we both were settled in, I sat there, keys already inserted but not starting the engine…uncertain.  Ugh.  Why was Dare being so nice all of sudden?  Also, what was up with my heart skipping a beat just because he got the door for me again?  And why was I over-thinking this?

Dare noticed my hesitation.  "What's up?  Something wrong with the car?" he asked.

"No," I said, drumming my fingers on the steering wheel, glancing at him out of the corner of my eye.  "Buttercup's fine."

"O-kay," Dare said.  "Is it something else then?"

Yes, I thought.  This was supposed to be a one-off, and now, I'd be taking Mr. Popular to school for an indeterminate amount of time.  Excuse me for needing a moment.

Sighing, I reached into my bag, pulled out two packs of peanut butter crackers and two oranges, placing one of each on the console for him.  I also placed my thermos and a smaller one in the cupholders.  Dare looked at the items.  When his gaze shifted to mine, his eyes were bright.

"Are these for me?" he asked.  "I thought you didn't know I was coming."

"I didn't," I said, blushing.  "But I brought two just in case…"

"Ah flower, you shouldn't have."  Dare grinned as he tore into the makeshift breakfast.  "Now that you're giving me treats I may never leave."

For some reason, his words paired with the delight he seemed to take in eating set off butterflies in my stomach.

I shrugged.  "I just don't like sharing."

"Yeah, sure," he said.  "Whatever you say."

The drive went by in companionable silence except for the sounds of us enjoying our food.  It was fast, and we got to Durham High in good time.  Once we were outside of the car, Dare looked to me, but I waved him on.

"Well, bye," I muttered, noticing several people eyeing us again.  Whitney, Ingrid and a couple other girls were a few cars down, and they stared at us while whispering back and forth.  Whatever they were saying, I knew it couldn't be anything good.  "Hope you have a nice day."

Dare shook his head in amusement.  "You know, if you keep driving me, we'll have to walk in together at some point, right?"

Yeah, but not today, I thought.

"I have to go to the band room again."

Dare shrugged.  "You do you.  Catch you later."

Blowing out a breath, I walked in the opposite direction, my nerves releasing the further away I got from him.  But after a few steps, I had the weirdest feeling.  His parting words echoed in my mind.  Catch you later.  What had he meant by that—and why did he sound so certain?

Maybe I was just hearing things, I thought.

After all, people said that phrase all the time.  No need to read anything into it.

I shook my head.  Don't stress over it, Viola.  You're simply giving him rides to school.  And this is only day two.  It's still new.  If people want to do a little staring, that's their prerogative.  It was only to be expected.

What was totally unexpected…was when Dare came and sat with me at lunch later.

I had my earbuds in, listening to music, and was deep into reading a new release from one of my favorite authors, when suddenly a tray plopped on the table in front of me.  Looking up, I caught Dare's gaze as he stood there, watching me.  My jaw dropped, and I pulled an earbud out.

Glancing around, I asked, "Did you need something?"

"Yeah."  Dare's eyes were serious as he frowned.  "Nobody puts Baby in the corner."

Oh my God, I thought.  There really was something wrong with him.  Dare Frost had totally lost it.

Seeing the concern on my face, Dare broke character, laughing out loud and gaining some curious stares.  "God, I've always wanted to say that.  And your reaction made it so satisfying."

"I'd never have taken you for a Dirty Dancing fan," I mumbled, part of me glad he wasn't cuckoo, the other part still wondering why he was speaking to me at all.

"Said it before.  There's a lot you don't know about me."

"Yeah well, your delivery could use some work."

"Noted."  His laughter petered out as he took a seat.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

"Sitting with you," he said like it was obvious.

"But why?"

"Why not?" he said as he dug into one of the three burgers on his plate.  He also ate some fries before swallowing, then added, "I would've been here yesterday if I'd known you had lunch this period.  You're a hard one to find, Viola."

My gaze narrowed as he took another bite of his sandwich.

"Again, why?  We've never eaten lunch together before," I said, putting a bookmark inside my paperback to hold my place.  There were a lot more people here than in the parking lot, and Dare was drawing people's attention like he always did.  He may have liked the spotlight.  But I definitely did not.  "Don't you want to eat with your friends?"

After polishing off that first burger, he raised his gaze to mine.  "You've taken me to school two days in row and even made me breakfast."

"I wouldn't say I 'made' you breakfast" I muttered.

"Whatever."  He tilted his head, his dark hair falling over his forehead in the most distracting way.  "Don't you think that makes us friends?"

"No," I said in disbelief.  "We don't even know each