"So, what's your next step?"
I told Paris my plan, and by the end, we were both grinning. Before I left, I took a few of the dogs out one last time and made sure all of the bowls had fresh water. I said goodbye to Hermione and Professor Snape. Paris told me good luck. And then I drove home, ready to shower, eat and go to bed.
And more than ready to set my plan in motion.
CHAPTER 10
"Alright," Dare said, coming out of the locker room in his practice clothes. He stopped in front of me. "You said to meet you here after school, though you wouldn't say why. No matter how many times I asked," he tacked on.
He was right.
I'd kept everything up until this point very close to the chest, for fear that I'd jinx it. On the drive to school and then throughout the day, Dare kept pelting me with questions, but I wouldn't crack. After study hall, I told him where and when to meet me. He'd scoffed, and I wasn't sure he'd come. But here we were, back at the scene of the crime, so to speak. This was where I'd delivered my confession to Ty. And this was where I would start fresh.
"Well, I showed," he said. "Half the team's already warming up. Practice is about to start, flower, so will you finally tell me what we're doing?"
I tried to sound nonchalant. "Time for phase two," I said.
His smile was bright. "Ah, so there is a phase two. I was starting to wonder."
"Yes," I said with a sniff. "There is. Dad's about to come out, and I thought this would be the perfect place for us to 'get caught'."
Dare's smile faltered. "This isn't going to get me benched, right?"
I sliced my hand across my chest. "No way."
"Good." He seemed to let out a breath. "We have a big game coming up against Mount Tabor, and I can't be out of commission. Don't want to let the team down."
I nodded. "No worries, it'll all be good. The first step is just to make Dad suspicious that there may be something going on. I'll deny it—as any girl with a secret would—but hopefully it will be enough to plant the seed in his mind."
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.
"Aha," I said. "I knew it. You can trust me, Dare. I won't tell anyone."
Dare studied me a moment. Finally he said, "I'll think about it."
"Sounds good," I said—then unable to help myself, "Is it Darrence?"
"Viola," he said flatly.
"Daylor? Darwin? Darvey?"
Dare shook his head. "You're impossible."
"Dart?" I tried.
At that, he laughed. "Good one," he said. "But no."
My lips pursed at the puzzle before me. Before I could figure it out, I heard footsteps followed by the sound of my dad's voice. He was coming this way. Oh goodness, here we go. I looked to Dare and found him staring back at me with a smile.
"Whatever I do right now, it's all for the revenge plot," I said. "I just wanted to make sure that's clear."
Dare chuckled under his breath then lifted his chin. "Okay. Make your move, flower.
