Don't Be A Fool

NALA

I move swiftly and softly, making sure not to wake the blond boy still fast asleep on his bed. I think back to last night and how I ended up here, in the bedroom of Matthew Merrik, a rookie for the Toronto Maple Leafs.

As a player on the Canadian Women's National Soccer Team, I was invited to attend the Leaf's charity gala last night. I met Matthew after an altercation at the bar. Even though I'm 20 and over the legal age here in Canada, the bartender wouldn't let me purchase any beverages because I had forgotten my ID.

Matthew overheard, and he bought two drinks, secretly handing the other one to me when the bartender wasn't looking.

He stuck by my side for the rest of the night.

He ended up inviting me back to his place, and probably like any other girl who's met the kind boy, I went.

Now though, I need to leave before he wakes up. I don't need any awkward altercations, especially when I don't plan on seeing him again.

I put my undergarments back on and also grab the shorts I had worn under my dress last night.

I find my dress and heels, and having no desire to put them on, I instead opt for the pair of crew socks I keep in my purse and a Leaf's t-shirt I find laying on the ground. I'm sure he won't miss it. I imagine he has plenty.

I pick up my bag and shove my shoes into it. I hold my dress by its straps and almost make my way out when a voice stops me. I grimace, and I'm forced to make the awkward turnaround.

"Why are you leaving so early?" His voice was hoarse and his hair was sticking up in every direction.

Damn it, almost made it.

"I have an early morning team breakfast that I need to get to," I lie.

Matthew nods, "Can I at least see you again? Sometime soon?"

I mentally sigh and look down to avoid his eye contact. "Maybe, but don't count on it."

It sounds harsh, I know, but it's better to let him off now than to think I want to be more than a one-night stand.

That should have been my cue to leave, but my eyes met his soft blue ones, and the disappointment in them kept me in my place. Last night had already left its impact on both of us.

I walk over to his bed and kiss him gently, "I'll text you. Go back to bed," I tell him before walking out - another lie.

I make my way to the door when I'm stopped by a man sitting on the couch. He must be the roommate. Alex, I think that's what Matthew had said his name was. He's apparently also a player for the Leafs.

I try to steer past him, but he stands in front of the front door to block it before I can reach it.

"I'm surprised to see you here," he says, looking down at me. His voice is husky and adds to his already imitating and built figure. "How's Austin?"

My eyes get big at the mention of my current boyfriend's name: Austin Garcia, a hotshot rookie for the Los Angeles Dodgers, aka, the boy I should be sleeping with.

Instead, here I am, leaving Matthew Merrik's apartment - trying to leave at least.

"What do you mean?" I ask, furrowing my eyebrows and narrowing my eyes in an attempt to try and seem as menacing as the brunette boy in front of me.

Alex scoffs and rolls his eyes, "I went to school with Austin, so don't think that I don't know about your guys' relationship."

I raise an eyebrow and cross my arms. "Yeah well he cheats on me all the time too, so I guess it doesn't really matter to either of us."

"Sounds like a healthy relationship," he mutters, still in my way of the door.

"My relationship is none of your business, so excuse me, but I would like to leave."

I try to move past him, but he stands his ground. "It is actually. You made it my business when you came in and slept with my best friend. You better have made it clear to him that this was just a one-time thing because I don't think he knows the difference between hooking up and someone being into him. And if he's upset, it's not going to be his fault; it'll be yours. You're the one who agreed to come home with him."

I look back at the room and the boy I'd just left. I sigh and turn my attention back to the door and the large man in front of it. "He's a big boy, Alex. He'll be fine."

With that, I push past Alex and am out the door. I take an Uber back to my place which is a short ten-minute drive away.

I stare out the window at this gorgeous city that I call home. I don't belong here. In these streets that hold hundreds of kind hearts, my cold one doesn't have a place.

I'm not pure and sweet like those I meet - like Matthew - if anything, I'm the exact opposite.

I wish I weren't, but when certain circumstances morph your personality and your outlook on love, it's nearly impossible to go back to the way you used to be. Once the walls are up they don't come down.

I thank my driver and ascend the elevator all the way up to my apartment. I feel horrible, and I don't know why. Hookups are usually meaningless to me, but then again, the boys I hook up with are often assholes who never beg me to stay. The boy I met last night was one of the sweetest people I've come across in a while.

From buying my drinks to helping me clean said drinks off my dress when a girl who'd had a couple too many bumped into me; he even helped me find spots around the venue where I could take pictures for my Instagram. He's a genuine gentleman, and Alex's words are getting to me. I hope I didn't upset Matthew too much.

I sigh and lay down on my couch.

I pull out my phone to post one of the pictures Matthew had taken for me.

@emmaray: @mapleleafs charity gala was amazing last night 👥: @merrik_13

@username: you're so gorgeous!

@alex_masters: Yeah, i'm sure it was...

@merrik_13: Amazing it was, shot you a text when you get the chance

@austin_garcia: smokeshow😍🔥

@mapleleafs: We're glad you had fun!

@siri.zado: my best friend is stunning♡

@username1: Matthew is new👀

@username2: ^ another new guy?

@williamzyl: so is this where Matthew was the whole night...

Notifications

@merrik_13 has started following you

@alex_masters has started following you

@williamzyl has started following you

34 others have also started following you

Great, now I have the whole Leafs team and their mothers following me. I expected Matthew to since I had found his Instagram and tagged him, but I didn't think all of his friends would too.

I don't want to check his text, but it's since I just posted, I feel obligated to.

Matthew (Leafs): I hope you got home safe; I'm an asshole for not getting up and driving you. Also, you left your necklace on my nightstand.

God, he's so sweet. I'm such a bitch.

Nala: don't worry about it, i got home fine on my own

I move my hand to my neck and find out that my necklace is indeed missing. I let out a loud groan. I didn't want to see Matthew again, but now I'm going to have to. There's no way I'm not getting that necklace back; it's too special to me.

Matthew (Leafs): That's good. I have a couple of extra tickets to our game tonight if you want to come. I can give you your necklace then?

I could say no. I can easily ask him to leave it on his doormat, but the sooner I can get it the better. That's why I agree.

Nala: okay, how am i going to get the tickets from you?

Matthew (Leafs): I'll add your name to the list and one of the security guards will let you in

I don't respond after that, instead, pulling out my phone to text Siri Zadome, my best friend and teammate on the Canadian National Team. I tell her we're going to this hockey game and that she has no choice but to go with me, and she replies instantly to tell me she'll pick me up at six.

I sigh because I know that I'm going to have to explain to Siri what happened last night.

Sooner or later, I'm also going to have to tell Austin that I've been unfaithful again, which will result in him telling me that he's been sleeping around too.

Our usual toxic cycle.

So much for a simple one-night stand.