We're Just Friends [BOOK 1 Of The 'We're Just' Trilogy]]

"Cheeseballs!"

T W E N T Y  F I V E

I lay back, looking up at the stars through the sunroof of the car as i take in a deep breath, the cold air fills my lungs and burns my nostrils a little but its a nice feeling.

Nathan and i left the bar right after we received that picture, he insisted i keep it and i agreed since well.. i wanted it anyway. We ended up driving down this dirt road and parked by a lake, reclined our seats and opened the sunroof.

It was cold. Like at least 10 degrees cold and i was in a thin wrap around dress and open shoes.

"You're cold.. here" nathan slips off his sweater and holds it out for me. I look between him and the sweater "its fine, i'll live" he chuckles "i wasn't offering"

"What-" before i can protest or even comment, he pulls me to sit up and drapes the sweater over my head "left arm" he mumbles, i follow suit. "Right arm.." he whispers and i obey.

The smell of his scent all over the sweater is intoxicating... Its masculine, strong and lingering. And extemely big on me, the sleeves end at the tips of my nails and i'm fairly sure that if i stand up, it'll be long enough to cover the whole dress.

I fall back into my seat and mumble a thank you, feeling his lingering warmth tingle my skin. "You can't keep it all inside you know? Bottling it up won't do any good.." he speaks suddenly, and with an out of the blue statement. I turn to look at him, confused etched clearly on my face "what do you mean?" I ask.

He sighs, his gaze still focused on the sky above us. "You seem to keep a lot inside Anastasia.."

God the way he says my name makes my heart stumble.

I don't know how to reply, so i just stay quiet. I mean what does he want me to say to that? I know i keep a lot bottled in but that's just how i tend to be.

"I hate burdening everyone with my problems because i've done enough of it.." i answer honestly. I don't even know where this is coming from, maybe it's all the alcohol speaking.

"Its like.. every time i tell someone something is wrong, it might make me feel a little less tension but i see their heart growing heavy with theirs and my problems combined. So at some point i started keeping shit to myself because i couldn't stand the way people looked at me when i told them personal things. And by people i mean my own friends."

Definitely the alcohol speaking.

Fuck me.. i'm going to regret this in the morning..

He turns to look at me, i glance away before he does because i'm too scared to see his reaction. Too afraid to see the pity in his eyes..

"Anna.." he calls softly. I can see him staring at me from the corner of my eye but i look straight ahead at the sparking lake, the moonlight reflecting in it in waves.

"Anastasia.." he says again, his voice a little louder this time. He slips his fingers under my chin and turns my head gently to look at him, and when i do.. i don't see pity, i see...

Love?

I almost laugh out loud at the thought of that. Its not love.. its something else.

Are you sure anna? You've never seen love in someone's eyes, you've never even been in love! The voice in my head laughs at me, and i honestly feel like laughing with it because its right, i've never been in love nor have i seen love for myself in someone else's eyes.

"You can tell me your problems, i promise you.. i'll listen. I'll give you advice to the best of my capabilities because i think i suck at it.. and i'm not good with words" he offers me a small smile, his fingers slipping from my face to my arm.