Stone Creek by Davis, Lainey (reading diary .TXT) 📕

"The dating bit?"

My mouth hangs open as I try to form a response, create some sort of apology that doesn't sound like an excuse. He keeps talking. "Yes, I got an email from Mr. Sweeney this weekend, actually. It was rather romantic. He wrote to explain that he'd developed feelings for you, but didn't want you to get in trouble or lose your position. Then he said something about how he felt sure he'd do better on his final if I gave permission for you to give him a good luck kiss." Dr. Meyer begins spinning his wedding band around his finger, smiling.

I start crying again and Dr. Meyer walks around the desk. He puts a hand on my back and I really let it all out. I'm actually boo-hooing when he says, "Dahlia, I hope you know how much we value you here in the math department." I look up to meet his eyes, mine clouded with tears. I've never actually heard him say that and it feels overwhelming to know he cares about me.

"We want you to do well in life, Ms. Wardzinksi. There! Now I've even learned to pronounce your name. Surely that warrants a smile?"

I laugh. He hands me another tissue and I blow my nose and try to wipe up my face. Dr. Meyer pats my back again and hands me the folder from MIT. He says, "Why don't you go and share your news with Mr. Sweeney and see if he'll trade you a good luck kiss for one of congratulations."

I gather the folder against my chest and exhale. I bend to pick up my bag, thanking him for all of his help and support. He waves me on out the door. Without thinking my feet lead me toward the Earl, where the hockey team is finishing with practice.

CHAPTER TWELVE

When I get to the hockey building, there's a group of sorority sisters hanging around the main door. They're all decked out in SCU gear, some of them even wearing jerseys with the hockey players' names on them. I see more than a few Sweeney fangirls.

I'm still wearing my sweaty clothes from crying in Dr. Meyer's office, and one of Neal's sweatshirts from the floor in my room. I feel shabby and under-dressed, so I hang back when I see the doors open. The guys, all freshly showered and smiling, walk out en masse. I remember now that they are headed to nationals, and their excitement is obvious.

The sorority girls flock the team. I see Tyler and Smith getting friendly with a few of them, but I smile when I notice that Neal seems uninterested in their attention. I step closer to the group and Neal sees me. Our eyes lock, his a bright blue that's unreadable.

He waves at the sorority girls and walks over to me, stopping a few feet away. I want to jump into his arms, share my news, hold him. But I just stand frozen, taken back to how I felt when Coach Thomas walked in on us in the arena.

"Hey," he says. "You missed my game."

I nod. "I know. I'm really sorry about that."

"I called you a hundred times that weekend."

We stand in silence for a few minutes, and I take his hand. "Neal, I know what you wrote to Dr. Meyer." My voice catches and I start crying again. "He told me he thinks you're romantic."

Neal grins, but his hand is stiff in mine. He asks, "So did you get fired?"

When I shake my head, the tears really start flowing. The breath I'd been holding all semester, probably the past four years, charges out of me. I don't have to worry any more about my dad signing forms that affect my financial status. I can pursue my dreams in graduate school on my own merit. "He knows about us and it's…it's ok for us to be together. If you want." I bite my lip, not sure what to expect next.

He exhales and starts talking, squeezing my hand now reassuringly. "I wanted to say so many things to Coach Thomas that day, Dahlia. I wanted to tell him…I should have told him…" He picks up my chin and looks at me. "Dahlia, I'm in love with you."

I blink, because I am not sure that I heard him properly. "What?" I say, my voice quiet.

He kisses my hand, my cheek. "I said I love you."

Just like that I'm crying again. I can't believe he's saying the words I've been so hungry to hear. I never let myself believe I could love anyone, but I knew I was in love with Neal Sweeney. And then I never imagined that it was possible he loved me back. "I love you, too," I sob. Neal pulls me into his body and holds me as I fall to pieces.

In the course of a few hours, my world went from an uncertain landscape to a clear path forward. I know where I'm going and I know who will be by my side while I get there. Unless--"Neal, did you get in trouble for…because of us?"

He scoffs. "Did you even watch the game?" I shake my head again. "I scored 3 goals, Dahlia. In a playoff game." I look at him blankly and he smiles wide. "I can probably do whatever the hell I want, babe." He strokes my cheek and I feel weak at his touch. I hadn't realized how much I'd missed him the past few torturous days, where I'd been plagued by uncertainty.

Neal pulls me in then for an embrace and I cry into his shoulder. He leans his chin on my head and says, "Babe, you're not looking so good. Want to tell me what happened?"

And so I tell him. I tell him about my GRE scores and the meeting with