Inevitable

Even after one week, they still managed to hide what they were doing. It was all a secret that only Claire, Tyler, Kate and Nazem knew. James, Dion, Phil and Joffrey all had figured out that she was the same girl from the bar that Naz had slept with, but the boys had no idea what was currently going on.

Nine times in the last two weeks. Three times at her place, four times at his, and one quickie in the bathroom at a bar. They continued asking each other three random questions every night which they had agreed on. Either she always left to go back to her house in the morning after he woke up, or he left her house to go back home after saying bye. She once made him pancakes at his house in the morning and they spent two hours eating and chatting, in his pajamas, while she stayed in his sweatshirt with no pants.

After Kaitlynn had asked him if he likes her for more than the hot sex a week ago, he had just shrugged it off at practice. Nazem had assumed that she was just sleepy and didn't know what she really said. But she knew. Kate first felt a bit angry, until she remembered that the plan was not to have feelings for each other. The sneaky game they were playing was nothing but a way to have fun. Nazem felt guilty every single time he saw Matt in the locker room. His best friend, his teammate, linemate, his roommate on roadies. Every time Naz saw him around Kate, he eyed him carefully, hoping that Matt wouldn't fall hard for her. That was the last thing him and Kate wanted. The question had been brought up in their minds multiple times: Why not just dump Matt to be with Nazem? But then the answer to it was clear. If she does that, the friendship between Matt and Nazem will be ruined forever.

And then there was Matt. Completely blind of the fact that his girlfriend had been sleeping with the one guy he trusted the most. Every practice, every warm-up, every game, he and Nazem were the same around each other. Matt and Kate only had sex twice since they started dating three weeks ago. She still liked him, definitely, but not as much as he liked her.



Tyler had organized a huge party which was at his second house by the half-frozen lake. Leafs had beaten the Panthers 3-2 in overtime and they didn't have a game until Thursday, so they wanted to celebrate after moving into 4th place in the Eastern Conference. He had invited the Marlies as well to come along, and he knew Jesse Blacker was coming for sure.

Bozie hired a DJ and had large black speakers set up on and attached colorful lights in every corner of the house. A disco ball hung in the middle and the floor was ready for the dancing. Dion ordered the beer and the drinks along with a bartender to do the job in his big kitchen. Nazem, Cody, Joffrey, Phil, JvR and Matt had arrived early and were helping then set everything up half an hour before the party.

Even though it was cold out, stools were placed out on the deck by the wooden lawn chairs so people could sit and have a good view of the water.

Tyler jumped on the couch and put his feet up on the couch. "This is gonna fucking rock."

"How are the chicks?" James cracked a can of beer and sat beside him and Joffrey.

"Obviously hot," Ty laughed. "Everyone should be getting here soon." He looked at the clock and it pointed to 10:30.

"You'd better not be calling Elisha that." Dion threatened jokingly, talking about his fiance.

"Relax big D," Phil laughed. "It just means there's no fun for you."

The captain rolled his eyes and then Tyler added, "No fun for Joffrey either." While smirking at Lupes who just sat with his arms crossed.

"My party will be later tonight, thank you very much." Joffrey smiled devilishly.

The boys gave him and Dion a disgusted look, at the thought of their teammates naked.

Phil turned his head to Bozie and said, "You shouldn't be talking, you're one year closer to marriage." Tyler's birthday was last week and Phil had tweeted about it, jokingly.

They all laughed, including Tyler, and then Cody said, "Just remembered baby Fratts isn't single anymore, either." He pointed to Matt and smiled. Cody was at the bar when the dare happened but didn't recognize Kaitlynn. He was far too drunk that night and when Matt had introduced her to more of his teammates last week, he just shook her hand and talked casually.

"Gotta be loyal, my friends." Matt held his Molson Canadian up. Nazem swallowed a lump in his throat at the word 'loyal.'

"How are things with you and her?" Phil asked and everyone glanced at Naz.

Matt looked at them weirdly for looking over at Nazem but he shrugged and replied, "Pretty good. I think she's a keeper."

Before anyone could ask or say anything else, the doorbell rang and Tyler stood up and walked over.

"Eyyyyyy!" Mike Kostka yelled. He had his arms wrapped around two brunettes beside him and also a six-pack in one hand.

"Sunshine!" Ty called him by the nickname they had made up, since his hair was blonde. He stepped aside and let Mike and the girls in short dresses walk in.

Shortly after, Carl Gunnarsson and John-Michael Liles arrived. Followed by Jesse Blacker and Ryan Hamilton right after. Soon, most of the Marlies along with most of the Leafs had arrived, and same with the girls, including Kate. Nazem noticed one with black hair who seemed familiar. The music cranked louder and everyone danced with drinks in their hands.

Kaitlynn and Matt were grinding up against each other, moving to the groove of the song. Turbulence by Laidback Luke and Lil Jon was pounding off the speakers.

Nazem finished dancing, distance apart, with a blonde girl and then went to lean against the counter beside James. They both clicked their beer bottles together and took sips.

"How awkward is it?" JvR kept his face towards Matt and Kaitlynn who were still dancing.

"More than you can imagine." Nazem sighed. He wanted to tell James that it was much more complicated and that they went further past the one-night-stand, but he couldn't risk it. He was good friends with James already but he had only been on the team since the short season began in January.

"Have you and her talked at all since that night?"

"Just the usual hi and bye, or 'can you pass me a chip?' but nothing else, really." Nazem lied.

"Ah, I see." he nodded. "Well, at least that's over now." James patted Nazem on the shoulder.

Two hours had quickly already passed by after the conversation. Nazem had danced with a bunch of fake blonde girls in 6 inch heels who he didn't even know the names of. He had an overall fun night. John-Michael had left earlier along with Dion, Carl and Joffrey.

Nazem walked out onto the porch and put his elbows on the wooden fences on the sides, staring at the lake and his breath in the cold air, with one hand holding his fourth beer bottle of the night. A few people were sitting on the lawn chairs looking in another direction and chatting quietly. His black sweater kept him a bit warmer but his thoughts were keeping him busy. All he felt was pure guilt. He had watched Matt and Kaitlynn pressed up against each other almost all night. She had looked at him a couple times but he just stared from the corner of his eye.

The only lights were the ones coming from inside the house and out the large glass windows. The music had lowered its volume and the party was almost over as more drunk and un-steady players walked out. He was a bit worried at first but then saw them get into the cabs and taxis that had been ordered earlier by Tyler. He looked up at the shining full moon and sighed. As a girl with black hair walked down the stairs on her way out, she winked at Nazem and he did the same. It was the same girl he noticed earlier and she really looked so familiar but he just couldn't get the picture clear in his mind.

He felt a tap on his left shoulder and turned his face to see, but saw no one. He looked confused and turned to face the lake again. Just as he took another sip of his beer, he saw the girl standing beside him on his right.

"Took you long enough," Kaitlynn laughed lightly.

"When someoe taps you on the left, you turn to your left. It's what anyone would have done." he smirked and then showed no emotion after.

She tried to force some sort of smile on his face by smiling at him, herself, but he just kept his face toward the water. He glanced at the beer that was left in the bottle and she laid back against the wood, beside him. She crossed her arms and he finally turned his face and looked down at her.

"What's the matter?" she asked.

He didn't reply for a bit, because he didn't even know what the matter was. Basically, it was everything. There was a huge problem, and there was no way he could admit it. He could barely admit it to himself because he always tried to deny it. He knew he only had a few beers, no shots, so it wasn't the alcohol making him feel this way about her.

"Nothing," he mumbled. "Wanna do Three Questions?"

To his surprise, she didn't mention how he answered her question with a question by changing the topic.

"Are we planning on..." Kate let it trail off, trying not to say it since she didn't want anyone to hear. The game they played was usually before or after sex so she was wondering.

"No," he swallowed. "Not tonight." He wanted to slap himself because he shouldn't have brought up Three Questions, since he just remembered that she was going to bring the topic up.

"Oh." she felt a bit confused. The only time they didn't sneak away was when one of them was busy.

He glanced at her and she stared at the wood floor in front of her. He turned his whole body but still leaned against his arm. "I'm just not in the mood."

"How come?" she also turned her body so she was in front of him. They stayed their distance and watched as more people walked out with puck sluts beside them. "Matt left, by the way." she added once she felt that Nazem was scared of him seeing them.

"Yeah I saw him leave earlier with Jesse and Mike." he nodded.

"So.. how come you're not in the mood? What's wrong?" she repeated.

"Because I'm not, Kate." he replied right away in a firm tone. She didn't say anything and made her eyes look at the moon above the lake.

Nazem sighed and they stood in silence. Her legs were shivering in the cold and she regretted wearing a tight short black skirt. There was still snow on the ground but it was melting and it was wrong to assume the night wouldn't be cold. She kept her arms crossed, but more tightly, trying to make herself warmer.

He stared at her and then unzipped his sweater. He took it off and slowly wrapped it around her shoulders. His arms were tugging it, so she had taken a step in toward him. She then put her arms through the holes and hugged herself by pulling it closer. It was so much bigger compared to the sweaters she has. It was furry on the inside and had two pockets on the sides. It was nice and warm and it smelled just like Nazem, which made her stomach feel like it was doing flips out of control.

"But now you're freezing," she bit her bottom lip.

"No, this shirt has long sleeves anyway." he shrugged. "Just as long as you're not cold."

Kaitlynn shot him a small smile and he responded with a faint one, as well. He took a deep breath before saying, "I didn't mean to be an asshole. I'm just not in the mood because.." he exhaled. "You guys have been dating for almost a month now. I know technically that's not that long, but.." He didn't finish the sentence. He didn't even know how to finish it.

"If you don't wanna do this anym--"

"No, I do." he stopped her. He didn'f want to stop sleeping with her but that wasn't what he was talking about. "I just need to ask you something."

She licked her lips and looked to her side again. Nazem also faced the lake once more and she waited for him to continue. All they've been doing is having sex but getting to know each other more. She really felt like she could trust him and open up to him, but she didn't know what he was thinking about her. Kaitlynn had spent the first couple of days with him without ever coming across any feelings, but they were slowly taking over the whole situation.

It had been two hot and sexy weeks for both of them, but they had never actually kissed without it leading to a make-out or sex. Sleeping together with him was amazing each time, but somehow, somewhere, she wanted more.

He wanted more.

"What do you need to ask me?" Kate looked up at him nervously.

He sighed and faced her again, with no words coming out of his mouth. She felt her heart begin to beat faster. His brown eyes looking down at her, making her palms sweat.

"I, uh," he scratched above his eyebrow and glanced at the ground. Nazem felt like he was in junior high school again. He barely chuckled slightly at the thought but then flashed a straight face again as he met her eyes again. "Can I kiss you?"

She softly licked her lips and swallowed. Neither of them were smiling nor frowning, just staring. "I thought you'd never ask.." she admitted and took another step closer.

He put his hand on her cheek and slid it behind her head, pulling it up near his. Nazem leaned in and pressed his lips against hers in a gentle, long kiss. It was slow and calm but also one that made her melt at his touch. Their lips moved back only an inch and they opened their eyes, looking at each other, mesmerized. He still kept his hand softly placed on her cheek and let their minds do the reflecting. They both realized what they had done and there was no way to take it back.

They knew that they had done what was completely unplanned from the beginning. The kiss sealed it. They were both emotionally attached with no idea what to do about it.