Lifeless (Sequel to Soulless - Justin Bieber Love Story / Fan Fiction)

TWO

mess around by cage the elephant

Tirelessly, I fell back onto Nate's bed, gasping for breath. I clutched the soft, light gray sheet against my chest and smiled, feeling totally satisfied with how things were in our relationship.

I had seen movies like Friends With Benefits and No Strings Attached, and they had it all wrong in my eyes. Friends who had sex in the movies always fell in love in the end— always. Nate and I were both mature adults that knew better than to enter a relationship where there could potentially be feelings. If any ever came about, which I knew they wouldn't, we promised to stop. Simple as that.

It had been almost four years since high school, and I turned into a person I never thought I'd be. New twenty one year old Kennedy was fun and adventurous and brave and exciting, while old Kennedy lived only to blend in. It seemed as if I liked the person I was in that moment more than I liked who I was back then. Like I said, she didn't exist anymore.

"So," I started after I caught my breath. I propped my head up on my palm while my elbow sunk into the comfort of my mattress, facing Nate who was also attempting to steady his breathing once again. "How are things going with Marissa?"

He shot me a glare, then his face softened. "They're not. I think she's seeing someone."

Marissa Day worked in the same office as Nate as the Human Resources girl. She was new, and he had the biggest thing for her since the few weeks that she had been there. For a while, she was just "hot girl from HR," until Nate finally had the courage to talk to her and learn her name.

"What makes you say that?" I asked, feeling sorry for my friend. It was rare that he found someone he was interested in, so she must have been something pretty special.

He shrugged. "Every time I try to ask her out, she won't budge. I mean, technically I haven't actually asked her out, but I've gotten pretty damn close. Anyways, we always get interrupted and then nothing comes of it."

"Maybe just ask her if she has a boyfriend, then," I suggested. I made it all sound so simple, but I knew that if I was in his shoes, I'd be just as nervous as he was. Thankfully, I did not plan on falling in love any time soon.

He rolled his eyes at my blatancy. "Yeah, thanks," his tone was drenched with sarcasm. "I'll be sure to give that a try."

Laughing, I moved closer to him to warm myself up. We never really touched after sex, which was something I missed, but we did sleep in the same bed on occasion. Most nights, though, he left my room before he fell asleep.

"When are you going to start looking for someone?" Nate asked, changing the subject.

I shrugged too, not too fond of the question. "Honestly, that's the last thing on my mind."

"We can't do this forever, you know," Nate replied in reference to our special kind of relationship. "If I end up dating Marissa— or anyone, for that matter, we have to stop."

"I know that. I'm just not ready."

Instead of saying what anyone would have said, he stared at me sympathetically. He knew the reason was Justin, but he also knew not to bring him up. He knew everything about the situation and how badly it crushed me. He knew it all, and he knew never to speak of it unless for some reason, I was feeling particularly emotional and ready to burst from the pent up frustrations.