Fake Dating Alpha Hockey Captain

#Chapter 96, Freshman at State

#Chapter 96: Freshman at State

The next day really is my birthday. Mom makes me a cake and we celebrate in the morning over coffee. Then we spend the day in Marona, a nearby hippie town with awesome shopping, and Morn splurges on a few new outfits for me to take to school.

I've realized I'm grateful for every moment. When I was at the Ayzena base I was grateful for their hospitality, when I'm with Alex I'm grateful for his love and attention not to mention his body! Now that I'm with Mom, I'm grateful I ended up with her. In spite of our hardships, I've realized she endured everything for my sake. There's no greater love than that.

And today is a great day. We share food and laughs in a way we've never been able to before. It makes me determined to help take care of her when I'm able, so we can spend more time like this when we're together. Away from drama, having

fun.

Alex comes by later that day and brings me a present. He was sweet to give me the day alone with my mother, though it helps that I reminded him he'll have me for the rest of my birthdays.

He walks in with all charm, flowers, and a small gift box, and my mother swoons. She likes Alex, which is good. She doesn't know it yet, but he's going to be her son-in-law someday.

"Happy Birthday, baby," he says and gives me a peck on the cheek.

"You two are so adorable," Mom gushes.

I smell the flowers, which make me sneeze, and hand them to Mom. "Will you put these in water for me?"

She doesn't notice I'm not stuttering because she's too wrapped up in the moment.

After she's out of the room, Alex gets on one knee and holds out the box.

I look back to make sure Mom can't see him. "Are you crazy?"

"I am-for you."

I scoff aloud, but inside I'm melting. "You need to stand up before she comes back in here."

The gleam in his grin could crack Gibraltar. "Not until you open it."

I shift from one foot to the other, then give in to his demands. What I find when I open the box leaves me speechless.

Inside is a ring. Two bands are woven together, one gold and the other silver, and my birthstone, a red ruby, is in the middle. "The ruby is for your birthday, so you remember when I gave it to you. The bands represent us. They wrap continually together so there is no beginning and no end, like our union," he says.

I don't know what to say. He stands up, takes the ring from the box, and slides it on my left ring finger. "When you have your real ring, you can move this to the other hand."

I hear movement and look over at the kitchen door where my mother is watching. "I'm sorry," she says. "I just can't help it."

Alex gets props for this. My mother couldn't love him more if she'd hand-picked him herself.

He kisses me on the mouth, but still modestly because my mom is watching. "Let me give you all some privacy," she says before backing out of the room.

Alex kisses the top of my head. "I should have brought you a cake. I know how ravenous your appetite is these

+25 BOW

#Chapter 96 Freshman at State

days," he adds with a gige.

I simply shake my head at Im-of course he had to crack joke to lighten the

moment. "Mom made me one this morning."noveldrama

"Did you make a wish?"

"I didn't have to."

His brows furrow, and he studies my eyes. "Why's that?"

"Because it already came true."

He gives me another kiss-a real kiss-and we stand there dancing to "Faithfully"

by Journey as Alex hums it. His hokeyness never ceases to amaze me.

I really miss Alex when he's gone, but it allows me to shift focus onto the next phase in my life-college.

It's really difficult when Mom drops me off at State. I'm ready for this chapter in my life, but I know it's a transitional one that is ultimately leading me away from her. But once she's gone, I breathe the fresh-well, body odor-laden-air of dorm life.

Hailey is beside herself with excitement, and I don't know where she gets her energy from, but she really spreads her wings. She immediately begins attending parties and even flirts with pledging a sorority.

Of course, Lenard is here, too, so he takes up a lot of her free time, most of it in our dorm room. But that's okay. He is yet another snippet of home that helps me transition into my new surroundings. Plus, he doesn't exactly talk much, so he's not a bother.

College life proves to be a little overwhelming for me at first. There are so many activities and clubs and social events that Hailey wants to drag me to, and I've learned it's hard for her to take no for an answer. But I'm persistent!

One roadblock to evening outings is that I have a Monday, Wednesday, Friday class that starts at 7:30 in the morning! It's Freshman English and there are umpteen papers to write for this class, not to mention a reading list that will make you snore!

But I don't let it get me down because college also gives me ample opportunities to fulfill my passion for drama. I don't need more friends or people to feel obligated to, so I don't need to go to parties. My people are drama people, and I meet some real characters here!

First semester, I jump right in by taking Drama 101 and signing up for Drama Club. I'm so excited to fall back on what I love doing. This is my moment to live my dream before my life's unusual obligations tie me down.

Drama club is in the evenings, and I start by working on costumes for the crew. This gives me an in that makes me feel confortable, so I can ease my way back into acting, which is my ultimate goal.

I also start phasing out my stutter in front of Hailey, and don't use it in any of my classes. College is a clean slate for me, and with my newfound confidence and my ability to keep from standing out in the wrong ways, I find new

momentum.

It isn't long before I land a small role in one of the Drama Club productions. Requiem at a Summer Cottage is a murder mystery and I play one of the supporting characters Think Clue set in a beach house. It's a fun adaptation

Night's Dream. and allows me to get my feet wet with something a little less intense than, say, a Midsum

I play a teenage victim of divorce who harbors resentment toward her stepmother, to whom the house belongs. It's a lot of tit-for-tat with humor mixed in. There are four children total, and I have the fewest lines, which is perfect for my first go- round.

#Chapter 96: Freshman at Stafe

1 Facetime Alex from backstage during a stage rehearsal.

"Look at you," he says, his genuine smile warming my heart and causing me to

miss him. I do miss him so bad...

I pretend to mess with my hair, which has gotten longer and fuller since my inner

wolf was released. "Do I look sixteen and filled with angst?"

"If that means you look stunning, then yes."

"When does the show start?"

"Next weekend. I wish you could be here," I say, my tone betraying my regret.

"Me too, honey, but things are busy here."

"How's Michael?"

"Hanging in there. Rita helps a lot, but he has some rough days, ya know?"

I nod. I wish I were able to be there for him, but I can't jump right into a life that I don't know. Alex understands, and he would never ask me to do something I'm not comfortable with. Just another reason to love him.

We say our goodbyes and I promise to call him later. We talk every day and text multiple times a day, so we don't miss anything.