Chapter 2-What is this? The Real World

Kara entered her apartment after a long day of job hunting. Even though Craig and Anne paid her well she needed money to afford the new apartment that she moved into. She fell in love with it and hoped to find a job within the first two months so she could afford it. Her friend Amanda lived with her and helped her pay rent but Amanda was about to move in with her new fiancé and wouldn’t be helping with the bills anymore.

She had a Master’s degree in Sports Medicine and was a certified athletic trainer through long hours of hard work and study. She knew that a starting position paid well and that she’d be able to afford the $2500 per month rent with the money Craig and Anne paid her plus if she got a job.

Sighing as she put the key into the door, she kicked her high heels off by the door and threw her purse on the couch.

“Ow, what the hell,” a voice said causing Kara to grab the baseball bat by the door.

“What the fuck,” Kara said rounding the corner, “Craig, how the hell did you get in here?”

“The star struck old lady next door gave me your spare key.”

“Why are you here,” Kara asked taking off her coat and putting the bat back into the umbrella holder.

“Anne and I got into an argument and I needed time to cool off, so I came here. I hope you don’t mind.”

“Craig,” Kara sighed, “You can’t come here, I’m not your shoulder to cry on.”

Craig didn’t know what to say as he stood there stunned, “Kara, we need to talk.”

“No, we don’t need to talk. We talked about it last week after it happened and it’s over and done with.”

“Are you sure about that,” Craig asked stepping forward pinning her against the wall.

“Craig, stop,” Kara replied pushing him away, “I will not do this to Anne anymore. We need to tell her what happened.”

“I did tell her that I cheated on her but I told her that I cheated on her before we got married at my bachelor party.”

“What bachelor party was that? Lattes at Starbucks with the Hurricanes?”

“Very funny,” Craig smiled, “Kara, I want you.”

“You can’t have me, Craig.”

“I didn’t see you resisting last week.”

“Craig, enough is enough.”

“Kara,” he whispered stepping forward, “I want you so bad.”

“Go home, to your wife, make things right with her, I’m done Craig.”

Kara grabbed his coat from the couch and gave it to him before pushing him out the door, “Kara, don’t be like this!”

“Craig, go home and prove to your wife you love her and please just let me do my job.”

Her phone ringing snapped her out of her trance and she looked down at the caller ID. Amanda, it read and she sighed before pressing the answer button.

“Hello!”

“You, me, club tonight,” Amanda said on the other line.

“I’m not in the mood for clubbing!”

“You need to confide in your best friends Jack, Jim, and Jose. Who knows, you may even meet a hot man to take home and ravish.”

“Ravish, really,” Kara replied sarcastically.

“When was the last time you went out, be honest?”

“I honestly have no idea; I’ve been working for Craig and Anne plus looking for a job that I haven’t had time to look for a job.”

“Get dressed; I’ll pick you at eight.”

Club tonight, you down?

Kara looked at her phone and smiled as she saw the text from Max, he stole Craig’s phone during practice several months before and got her number. They became quick friends and texted each other almost every day.

I’m going out with Amanda later, what club are you guys going to?

Diesel, duh?

BORING

Come on, you haven’t been out in a while.

I’ll see you there; make sure our names are on the VIP list this time so we don’t look like puckbunnies coming to see you.


Better yet, I’ll meet you at the door and we’ll make them jealous. Talk to you later, I got to get some beauty rest before tonight.

Kara sighed before walking into the bathroom and turning on the faucet to the jacuzzi bathtub that came with the apartment. All she wanted to do was soak in the hot water and let it relax her before the poor vase on the counter was in a thousand pieces on the hardwood floor.

As she laid her head back against the wall after she slowly sank into the bathtub and let the jets massage her aching body, she thought about what she had done with Craig and it made her sick to her stomach but part of her was happy she did it. Part of her always thought he was good looking but she never dreamed she’d have an affair with a man whose family welcomed her with open arms.

Wrapping a towel around her body as she stood up to walk out of the bathroom to her bedroom, she opened her closet door and grabbed the black dress that she wore once and that was to her college graduation two summers ago. She prayed it still fit as she grabbed the lace black pumps from the shelf inside of the door.

“Kara,” Amanda’s voice called down the hall, “Are you ready to go?”

“Give me one second,” she replied pinning the last curl back.

Amanda walked into Kara’s room and leaned against the doorframe, “DAMN, who are you trying to impress tonight?”

“I just need tonight to get my mind off of everything, when did my life get so fucked up?”

“Talk to me, what’s wrong,” Amanda asked sitting on the bed.

“I slept with a married man,” Kara said throwing her phone in her clutch.

“My God, I always thought you were a prude but you fucked a married man, HOT DAMN!”

“It’s not funny, there’s nothing funny in what I did. I slept with Craig.”

“YOU FUCKING FINALLY SCREWED THAT DILF.”

“Really, Amanda, really?”

“I thought you would have tapped it a lot sooner than you did.”

“It’s not funny, he told Anne he cheated on her but she thinks it was when they were in college not now. If she finds out, I lose everything that I have come to know in the past two years.”

“I’m speechless, really.”

“Craig though, he claims he loves her but he came here earlier and tried to sleep with me again.”

“Wow! Babe, I don’t know what to tell you,” Amanda replied honestly, “You need to keep your distance from him and keep your relationship strictly business.”

“That’s the problem though, he’s always riding me home because Anne picks me up and drives me over there because I don’t know the first thing about how to get there.”

“You need to invest in a GPS then, those things work like magic.”

“I think we need to get to the club before all the straight men are taken.”

Amanda laughed, “Let’s go, you slut.”

Kara and Amanda headed out the front door and started their long trek down Carson Street as they headed to Diesel. They made their way to the bar after walking through the doors for free since the bouncer knew them from their biweekly visits.

“Are you two ladies having the usual tonight,” Carlos, the bartender asked as Kara and Amanda finally reached the bar.

“Yes sir,” Amanda said pulling her money out of her purse.

“It’s already paid for,” Carlos said as he sat the glasses on the bar.

“What fucking pervert bought us drinks already,” Kara asked slamming her clutch down on the bar.

“Ma Cherie,” Max said coming up behind her, “That’s no way to describe me.”

“Thank you, fucker,” Kara replied giving him a hug, “How are you?”

“I’m good, so I hear you moved down the street from me?”

“News travels fast,” Kara said sarcastically, “Who told you?”

“Craig did, he warned me to stay away from you. With the way he warned me, you would have thought he was fucking you or something.”

Amanda spit her drink out and started coughing, “I’m sorry, bad alcohol. CARLOS, MAKE ME A NEW ONE!”

Carlos laughed as he made Amanda another Long Island iced tea while Kara talked to Max.

“You want to come up to the VIP room; a lot of the guys are here tonight.”

“Jake is coming, so I’ll stay down here until he gets here then we’ll come up.”

“Sounds good,” Max replied, “Come on, Kara.”

Max took Kara’s hand and led her to the VIP room, “KARA,” all the voices said in unison as she walked through the door.

“Hey guys,” Kara replied sitting down noticing the new face on the couch. He shot her a smile and went back to his conversation with the Russian he was sitting next to.

“Alexei, James, this is Kara, she’s Craig’s nanny and future mother of my beautiful children,” Max smirked and he introduced.

“HOLY SHIT THAT’S ALEXEI KOVALEV,” Kara whisper shouted to Max and she heard Kovy laugh.

“That I am,” he smiled shaking her hand.

“I’m sorry, I’ve been a huge fan since I was a teenager. My brother is going to shit himself, can I take a picture with you?”

“Yeah sure, Max can you take it,” Alex asked.

“Yup,” Max said grabbing Kara’s iPhone, “Say ‘Kovy!’”

Kara thanked Max for taking the picture and gave Alex a hug, “I’m sorry, I’m a huge fan and sometimes I don’t think before I talk.”

“It’s perfectly fine,” Alex smiled, “Have a seat.”

Kara took a seat next to Alex and they engaged in a conversation when the door to the VIP room opened and in walked Anne followed by Craig.

“Kara,” Anne said coming over to the couch, “How are you?”

“I’m great,” Kara said taking a deep breath, “How are you?’

“Could be better, trying to get passed something Craig told me but other than that, I’m fine. I see you met James and Alex.”

“She fangirled for a second when I introduced her to Alex,” Max said coming over to say hello.

“FUCK YOU, FRENCH BASTARD.”

“Name the time and place and I’ll be there, babe,” Max winked before he sat down on the couch next to Tyler Kennedy who was wrapped up in his girlfriend.

“I still haven’t found a place to live,” Kara heard James say to Alex as she made small talk with Anne.

“You’ll find something, I’m sure one of the guys need a roommate, maybe you should ask around the team.”

Anne excused herself from her conversation with Kara while leaning over, “James, I don’t mean to intrude on your conversation but Kara here is actually in need of a roommate since her best friend is moving in with her fiancé.”

“What the fuck is this? The Real World,” Craig huffed as he came through the door with drinks.

“I was just telling him that Kara needed a roommate.”

“Would you like to check it out tonight,” Kara asked, “I usually leave pretty early and I don’t get drunk since I have job interviews lined up for the next couple of weeks but you’re more than welcomed to check it out tonight.”

“I was actually just getting ready to leave and head back to my hotel room for the night since we have an early practice tomorrow, is it okay if I take your number down and I will either call or text you after practice is over and we can arrange a time?”

“Yeah sure, that’s fine,” Kara said pulling her phone out of her clutch and they exchanged numbers. Veronique, Marc-Andre Fleury’s girlfriend was now talking to Anne and they smiled at the conversation between James and Kara.

“They look absolutely adorable together,” Vero had said to Anne and Craig tried not to let his anger show. James said goodbye to his new teammates as he headed for the door and Kara excused herself to go to the bathroom. Craig waited for a couple of minutes before he walked towards the restrooms.

“What the fuck was that,” Craig asked gently guiding Kara back into the single bathroom before he locked the door behind him.

“What are you talking about,” Kara replied, “Have you lost your fucking mind?”

“Don’t play dumb with me, you fucking flirting with James. It had Anne and Vero all ‘OH MY GOD, THEY’RE SO CUTE TOGETHER!’”

“Fuck you, Craig,” Kara said pushing past him to unlock the door, “I was not fucking flirting with him, I need a roommate and he needs a place to stay.”

Craig went to say something as Kara opened the door and Craig pushed it closed, “Where do you think you’re going?”

“Back to the guys and Anne,” Kara said trying to open the door.

Craig leaned down and kissed Kara. She tried to push him away but he was too strong for her and she mentally killed herself as she kissed him back.

“I want you right now,” Craig whispered as he slid Kara up the wall causing her to wrap her legs around his waist.

“This is so wrong,” she whispered tears nearly falling down her face.

“Please don’t regret this, God please don’t regret it?”

“Craig, you’re married,” Kara barely managed to get out before Craig entered her.

“God Kara, you feel amazing,” Craig said attacking her neck as he thrusted in and out holding her in place with his arm around her back as he occasionally leaned her back to gain better leverage.

“CRAIG,” Kara moaned burying her face in his chest, “FUCK!”

“Tell me you want me,” Craig whispered as he ran his hand under her dress and cupped her breast with his hand.

“I want you,” she whispered as she felt herself get close before she buried her head in his chest to silence her scream.

“You feel so fucking amazing,” Craig moaned as he too reached his peak spilling himself inside of Kara.

“We can’t keep doing this,” Kara said as he placed her on her feet when she was steady enough to walk without collapsing.

“Kara,” Craig whispered cupping her face in his hands, “I shouldn’t have these feelings for you but I do and they’re not going away.”

“Make them go away because I will not be a home wrecker. I feel like a slut enough as it is already, I just stooped to a new low by having sex with someone in a public bathroom at a club, Craig, please just don’t do this,” Kara said fixing her hair before she slipped out of the bathroom and into the crowded club.
As she made her way outside she turned down the alley and slid down before she let the tears fall from her eyes. Max had noticed her leaving and followed her out of the club, “Ma Cherie,” he asked rounding the corner, “What’s wrong? Why are you crying?”

“I’m a little homesick,” Kara lied and Max easily bought it, “I just got a text from my brother and my nephew is walking and I missed his first steps.”

“Come on, ma Cherie, I will walk you home,” Max said holding his hand out to her and she let him lead her back to her apartment.

“Thank you, Max,” Kara said as they reached her door, “I appreciate it.”

“What are friends for, right,” he smiled before giving her a hug.

“I’ll see you tomorrow, goodnight.”

Max gave her a kiss on the cheek, “Are you coming to practice?”

“I have a job interview, Vero is taking the kids for the day.”

“Oh right,” Max smiled, “If you need anything, call me.”

“Goodnight, Max.”

Kara shut her apartment door and slid to the floor bursting to tears as she did so. She felt the black cloud of guilt immediately wash over her as she curled into a ball and cried herself to sleep on the hardwood floor praying that this whole situation was a dream but it wasn’t and when she woke up, she’d have to face the facts that this was reality.