After a silent car ride, I gladly open the door to my house, ready to escape Dario.

"How was school?"

"Excellent. I think I aced my AP Go-Po test."

"That's Advanced Placement Government and Politics, correct?"

"Yeah."

"That's great to hear."

"I'm going to get started on my homework."

"Alright."

Dario ruins my escape to the peaceful atmosphere that is my room.

"You're daughter isn't talking to me, Zach."

"Cat?"

I stop halfway up the stairs. I turn my head to look at my dad.

"Yeah?"

"What's going on? Why aren't you talking to Rio?"

A smug look is on Dario's face.

Oh, don't worry.

I'm about to rip it right off you, jerk.

With words. Not literally.

"He almost kissed my friend at lunch."

It works. He's not happy that I brought it up.

Zach throws his hands in the air, backing up.

"This isn't my department."

He looks to Dario sympathetically.

"I can give you advice on guys. I'm clueless with girls."

"Dad!"

He chuckles, fleeing back to wherever he was before we got home.

"Is that what you're so mad about? That I almost kissed Bartlett?"

He approaches me, taking each step slowly.

"Her name is Rae-Lynn. And you know how much she likes you!"

"Your point?"

Another step up.

"All you do is play it against her."

And another.

"You want me to ask her out to make it better or something?"

The bitterness in his tone knocks me back for a second.

"No."

Another.

"Then stop complaining."

He's right in front of me. I study his features.

His expression is unreadable.

But his body language is another thing.

He's not angry.

He's visibly tense, suggesting he's annoyed.

"You can't tell me what to do."

I spin quickly, running up the rest of the stairs to avoid Dario's gaze. I rush into the privacy of my room, closing the door. I take a deep breath, exhaling slowly.

Why does he have such a weird effect on me?