Fake Dating Alpha Hockey Captain novel Chapter 95

#Chapter 95: Back to Normal…For Now

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Over the next couple of days, things go back to normal. At least as normal as they can be now. I’m not able to hide my appetite or my newfound desire for meat. I tell Mom it must be my hormones.

The stutter is becoming difficult to hide, mostly because I don’t want it anymore. I’m finally free of the one thing that placed the wrong kind of spotlight on me and when I finally get the chance to be free of it, I have to fake it again.

I just have to remind myself that it’s temporary.

Alex and I meet Hailey and Lenard for a double date, and it like nothing has changed.

Except Alex isn’t shy about public displays of affection, though I wonder how much of it is a put–on for shock value. It works.

We meet at the diner down the street from the school. As soon as I walk in, I can smell grease and meat, and my stomach starts to rumble. “I have to hide my appetite at home so Mom doesn’t get suspicious,” I whisper to Alex, who can’t help but cackle.

I nudge him in his rock–hard belly. “It’s not funny. I’m hungry all the time.”

“Welcome to my world!”

“What?” Hailey turns to ask as we wait to be seated.

“I told Cynthia I can’t stand the smell of onions and I can smell them a mile away.”

“Ich! Me, too,” she says, scrunching her nose. “I can smell them in here.”

“Me, too,” I agree with a little irritation. The realization that I can smell the onions being the culprit.

We order food and eat while we catch up. Alex is the master of telling fabricated stories, and some of the ones he describes in elaborate detail cause me to cringe.

For example, I would never go repelling. In my life. What sort of outdoor camp does he think we were at? Fortunately, Hailey doesn’t realize my personal limits when it comes to adventurous activities.

“That would be fun!” she says. “Wouldn’t it be?” she asks Lenard, who doesn’t have much of an opinion on the

matter.

Alex has his arm around my shoulders and is making show of nuzzling up against me. Hailey is eating up every bit

of it.

“It’s so good to see you doing better,” she tells Alex. You had all of us worried about you.”

“I’m fine now, thanks to Cynthia.‘

“Stop!” I say with a wiggle as he nibbles at my ear.

“My goodness!” Hailey cries out, her eyes big as saucers. “You sure you two didn’t go to some couples camp? We need to go wherever they did!”

But Lenard only squirms, apparently uncomfortable with watching his idol so enamored.

“We were actually separated quite a bit,” Alex said. “Like when we went spelunking. Remember that honey?”

I shake my head. I have no idea where he’s going with this. “The guys and the girls went separate because we had to stick with our counselors. In small groups. Probably for safety. I mean, we went, like, five miles down, wouldn’t you say honey?”

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+25 BORUS

#Chapter 95: Back to Normal F& Now

“Deeper than you. Can shovel shit,” I said, inspiring laughter from everyone, including Alex.

“Yeah–true. But it was beautiful. There were crystals and stalagmites, and it was so dark down there. If you got separated from your group, you might never find your way back out.”

“Hence the small groups,” I added.

“Where did you say you went again?” Lenard asks.

“Connecticut,” Alex says without missing a beat.

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Which worries me because I’m pretty sure I originally told Hailey Maine. If I did, she doesn’t seem to notice the difference.

“So I finally got my acceptance letter to State,” Hailey says with a jitter of excitement. “Wanna be roomies?”

“I would. Love that,” I reply.

I really would like to room with Hailey. I already know her, I’m pretty sure I can trust her, and we have similar interests. It would save me a whole lot of trouble in the long run because I’m still not too stoked on meeting new people or having to make new friends.

“What about you, Alex? Where are you going?” she asks.

“Well, long story short, my dad is getting transferred to Lindenberg, so I think I’m going to hang with them for a while. Take a gap year.”

“Oooooh! That sounds fascinating!”

I just glance at him from the corner of my eye. Is he going to tell everyone a different story?

Hailey’s back straightens and her eyes get big again. “Where is that? Somewhere in Europe?”

“Germany,” Alex says confidently.

Fortunately for him, he picked a city he can identify on a map, though it would have been more entertaining if he hadn’t. I would love to tease him. I’m still going to.

I notice Hailey watching me. “My goodness,” she says.

“What?”

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you eat so much food!”

I stop and look down. I’m the only one whose plate is almost cleared. It’s a little embarrassing, but I can’t seem to help myself. It’s like my metabolism has been jumpstarted and is trying to make up for lost time.

“Sssorry,” I say, lowering my fork which was going to be aimed at the last bite of sausage on my plate. “Don’t be,” Alex says with a squeeze. “It’s refreshing to see a girl with a healthy appetite. Huh, Lenard?” “Uh–yeah…” Lenard answers as they both glance at Hailey’s plate, which has barely been touched.

I wipe my mouth and try to change the subject. “So what should we do. After thisss?”

Alex runs his hand up my thigh and squeezes near my tender spot, causing me to jump and n

Hailey, concerned, asks, “Are you okay?”

“Yeah…” I say shifting my back from side to side, “I think it’s just heartburn.”

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+25 BONUS

#Chapter 95: Back to Normal FM Now

But my mind is already in the wrong place, and Alex needs to stop before he gets me into trouble.

“So Alex, if you’re in… where are you going again?”

“Germany.”