The Secrets of the Aorta Ruins

Chapter Twenty One

The family once again sat down to eat, but this time was a bit more awkward than the last. Once again everything was delicious but now everyone had an entirely different set of questions they wanted to ask Becca and Dare. The younger kids began to dig in, content at first to just listening to the adults though it was obvious they were just as interested.

"Well, sorry for surprising you, but when Dare told us you two were going to prom I guess we all kind of assumed you two were together now," Kris apologized.

"Wait, you said you were asking someone already?" Becca asked Dare confused. The younger two at the table giggled, enjoying the conversation as though it were something on television.

"Well, uh, this wasn't exactly how I pictured asking you to prom was going to go...But uh yeah. It was you I wanted to ask Becca. It was always you I wanted to ask..."

"Wait, you mean she isn't going to be my new big sister already?" Dora asked now, sounding crushed.

"Woah, no one is rushing them along that much yet sweetie!" Gwen said. This time it was only the middle boys laughing. By now, Becca and Dare were both a bright shade of red and avoiding eye contact with the other. Becca though, was just flat out avoiding eye contact with everyone. Had they only agreed to let her come because they thought she was Dare's girlfriend? Was this to meet the parents?

"I kind of thought you had guessed that already. I'm sorry Becca. We went on that trip into town together and the Headmistress picked up on it-" he began sheepishly.

"Wait! Even she knew?" Becca questioning loudly, shocked to which Dare nodded.

"That's why she dragged you into that dress shop I think...and then we had that lunch date...I really thought you knew it was you I liked," he finished embarrassed.

"No...I had no idea. Yes, I would like to go to the prom with you. And on a date where I actually know it's a date," she said, feeling equally as embarrassed.

"She said yes! She said yes!" Dora exclaimed, hopping out of her seat, fork still in her hand.

"Sit down at the table," Gwen attempted to lecture, but was giggling too.

"So....are we all good now? Sorry about that kids," Kris said. He too was looking mortified about the situation himself. Truthfully, he may have felt as bad about it as they did, despite the rest of the family having found it to be entertaining.

"Yes," Dare and Becca both answered quickly, not wanting the conversation to continue any further at the dinner table. Luckily for them, the children had a much shorter attention span than they did and were already over it and moved on to a new topic.

"Hey daddy. Guess what? Becca said after my bath she'll do my hair tonight," Dora said excitedly.

"Did she now? That was very nice of her," Kris said, a smile returning to his face.

"Yeah, and she said she'd help me with my math homework," Kyren said, perfectly aware he was stirring up some more trouble with Becca's 'love' for the subject.

"Woah. Hey. I don't math. I already told you that," Becca reminded him as he sat there smirking.

"Besides, you know that if you needed help you could always ask Darezot. He did skip two grades. How else do you think he's graduating so much younger than the rest of his class?" Kris reminded the boy. Unfortunately for him, it sounded more like Kris was harping on Kyren for his grades than bragging about Dare's smarts for Becca's sake.

"I know, I know," Kyren complained, "I'm trying,"

"You skipped two grades?" Becca asked, both impressed and trying to get Kyren a break from the school lectures over winter holiday.