Share
#Chapter 22 Growing Pains
Related chapters
Fake Dating Alpha Hockey Captain #Chapter 23 Bandages Ripped Off Hurt More
It took me a while to calm down enough and gather my energy together to move from that spot. But Alex spoke to me the entire time, right until he, miraculously, ran out of things to say for the moment. We ended up not hanging up, just breathing on both sides of the phone until I got home.I’ve been sleeping a bit better recently despite anxiety with the performance coming up. Getting home that day and imagining Alex talking as I started falling asleep…uhm. As embarrassing as it is to say, I can’t deny that may be a part of why.Anyway, I get to school the next day with a fresher mind than I’ve had for the last few.It’s good that I am since the upcoming play is only three days away. Thankfully, it’s on a night Alex doesn’t have a hockey game, so he’ll be free to play his part. Still, seeing all the effort he puts into his own interests and mine…If only Alex wasn’t a bit of a mindless flirt, he’d be a really good boyfriend.I think I’m mature enough to admit that.He’d be pretty good
Fake Dating Alpha Hockey Captain #Chapter 24_Returning To The Limelight
Whatever happens with Danielle and Oliver isn’t anything I really care to pay attention to anymore. Their lives are theirs, and mine is here. Maybe they will now finally leave me alone altogether.I have enough on my plate as it is. Which, at this point, is about 80% the fact that, for the first time in four years, I’m going to be on stage. Moreover, I’m going on stage as a lead.I feel like I’ve been doing pretty well, all things considered. Or, maybe, the drama club is doing really well.Because no matter what I try, I can’t stop stuttering.It’s something that’s always bothered me. Apparently, I was stuttering almost immediately as I learned how to speak.Certain Ss and Rs always end up slithering and rolling from my lips. Even when I know the next word I want to say, sometimes my voice stops against my will, leaving my sentences incomplete. If I get tired enough, I’ll just say individual words and hope that gets the point across.But the thing about being on stage is, well, abridg
Fake Dating Alpha Hockey Captain #Chapter 25 Proper Skillset
…For some reason, the comparison between the two kinda hurts.But he’s not wrong. Just like in acting, the roles work best if the actors mesh well with each other, pick up on each other’s cues, and remember their lines. We stumbled a lot in the beginning, but…We’ve gotten so good at it at this point, even I’m sometimes forgetting it’s just a role I’m playing.Just like with actors, specifically ones that practice method acting, we can get lost in our emotions. Or rather, the emotions we feel appear strongly. As real as breathing, as solid as steel.Meshing with Alex like this has become easy… And though I think about the crowd, like the bullies or the girls vying for his attention, it’s somehow less important than the play itself.Right…Because what I’ve always loved about theater are the stories. Whether they have lessons in them or simply tell the lives of non-fiction or fictional characters, I’ve always enjoyed them.I enjoyed playing in them because it was just fun. Being with A
Fake Dating Alpha Hockey Captain #Chapter 26 Friends in Fast Places
I stare at her with wide eyes, shocked.“But…why?”“What do you mean ‘Why’? You were great up there! Not only did you and Alex help refine the script and storyline, but your performance was fantastic! Carter still sent me the details. I know you adlibbed that line during a titular scene. And it fit well! It’s a waste to have you stay in the background, so I want to see you on stage more.”For a moment, I’m speechless. Anxiously, I look back at Alex, who gives me two thumbs up. But that’s not reassuring at all!“…What about the, uhm, sss…stuttering?”She hums. “What about it?”“Won’t that rrr-ruin some of the linesss?”“Oh, hon.” She starts counting off with her fingers. “Bran Walden, Yearny Easton, Emilia Frank. That’s just three of my favorite actors who stutter or had one at some point. Emilia Frank’s is neurogenic, so she always takes slower-speaking roles. Still, isn’t she amazing?”“Ah…”Mrs. Taylor walks over and puts a hand on my shoulder.“Having a stutter doesn’t mean you can
Fake Dating Alpha Hockey Captain #Chapter 27: Frightful Feelings
Something’s wrong when Cynthia walks in the cinema doors.I joke all the time about her being a deer in headlights. This time, she actually looks the part, visibly shaking and unsteady on her feet as she stumbles in.“Cynthia?”She looks up at me, hazel eyes swimming.As I approach her, I catch a whiff of an unusual smell.Cynthia usually smells like old cotton, lavender soap, and a faint hint of lilac. There’s also my smell on her. I’ve hugged and held her enough that it’s stuck, however faintly.But there’s something new there. Something like…fog, maybe.It’s faint, but the fact it’s there and it’s unusual…I take a hold of her arm.“C’mon, twig legs, you need to sit.”She doesn’t tell me to shut up or punch me playfully. In fact, I don’t think my comment even registers to her. My teeth clench in worry, getting us a seat on a nearby bench.Len and Cynthia’s friend, Hailey, come over.“Cynthia? What happened? You alright?” Hailey asks in quick succession. I watch as she takes a hold
Fake Dating Alpha Hockey Captain #Chapter 28: Apologies in Action
“…I don’t like that he belittled me jussst now,” Cynthia says softly. “He doesssn’t do that. So, I’m not sure why he would today.”Her assertion that I wouldn’t belittle her makes me happy and stabs me in the chest. She sees me kindly, if not a bit annoying. But I’ve never talked down about her like that before.“What he did wasn’t right. I’m sure you’re a great actor.”“…Thank you.”“I think, perhaps, he’s just gotten jealous and lashed out. He used to always do that when we were younger, too, lil brat.”It frustrates me that I can hear the smile in Mikey’s voice. Crossing my arms, I grumble under my breath.“Jealous? Why?”“Well, maybe it has something to do with me. He’s a chatterbox, so I know he’s starting to feel some kind of way when he goes quiet. Still, he could do better.”“Hmmh…don’t know what he’s jealousss about.”“Maybe because I’m having such a good conversation with you?” Mikey presents, definitely teasing me.I feel tempted to kick the wall slightly as a way of tellin
Fake Dating Alpha Hockey Captain #Chapter 29: Staking Claims
Shifting always comes with a level of discomfort. It’s unavoidable, considering the changes to your body. I’m good at mine, so the sound of my bones cracking and muscles shifting is minimal compared to the stalker.I was prepared to fight without transforming. But since the stink decided to pull out his wolf first, well. You don’t fight a wolf in human form unless you’re okay with having 42 very sharp knives coming for your very unprotected neck.Instead of a half-shift, he becomes a scrawny 4-foot-5 wolf with graying, crinkled fur. I have a size advantage at 4-foot-8. I can’t take that for granted, though.The stalker charges at me with a snarl, and I growl right back, keeping my ground.I dodge to the right, his teeth clacking as he misses. A swift turn, and I’m jumping at his back. It’s surprisingly easy to sink my teeth into his shoulder.But his skin’s tough. Hard to break through. I shake my head to try to force my teeth in.He yowls and twists, finally dislodging me before jump
Fake Dating Alpha Hockey Captain #Chapter 30: For Yourself
While I accepted Alex’s invitation happily at the time, once I get home, my eyes truly open.There’s no way any of my current clothes will be good enough for me to wear to this dance. It’s supposed to be black-tie optional, not semi-casual, and just about all my clothes are semi-trash. The outfit I managed to put together for the movie was basically fool’s luck, but that’s entirely too casual for this dinner party.I realize, with startling clarity, that there’s no way I can go when I’ll be so severely underdressed.I start to panic a bit, emptying out my closet. Maybe there’s some magical dress or something I haven’t worn in a long time? Maybe it’s tucked away, like, from a funeral or something…No, actually. Since Mom and I got ousted from the family, we’ve had no funerals to go to. So I can’t even put on a black ensemble and act like it’s black-tie optional and not meant for the dead.I’m truly shit out of luck.“Hhhhaaaaagh…”Okay. Okay.Calm down, me. Maybe I can fit my mom’s clo
Latest chapter
- Fake Dating Alpha Hockey Captain #Chapter 100: Pitter-Patter
- Fake Dating Alpha Hockey Captain #Chapter 99: Goodbye Old Life
- Fake Dating Alpha Hockey Captain #Chapter 98: Finding Balance
- Fake Dating Alpha Hockey Captain #Chapter 97: Star of the Show
- Fake Dating Alpha Hockey Captain #Chapter 96: Freshman at State
- Fake Dating Alpha Hockey Captain #Chapter 95: Back to Normal…For Now
- Fake Dating Alpha Hockey Captain #Chapter 94: The Truth Comes Out
- Fake Dating Alpha Hockey Captain #Chapter 93: A Sad Goodbye
- Fake Dating Alpha Hockey Captain #Chapter 92: A Truce Between Packs
