Meant To Be Ch. 01

Kelsey laughed. "No. Completely and totally single."

"What about Nathan Lowe?"

Kelsey stiffened. "What about Nathan? You know that he's just a friend."

"I don't know, I've seen you two together. You seem like more than friends to me!"

Kelsey shook her head as she turned left at a green light. Their bodies swayed with the motion of the car.

"No. Nate's been my best friend since we were born. He's like a brother. Besides, he's dating Amy Buckley."

"Good God. He's still with Amy Buckley? She's such a whiney bitch. What does he see in her?"

Kelsey shrugged. Alison's roomate piped up from the backseat.

"Probably her big tits and the fact that she's quick to spread her legs," she snorted.

Everyone laughed loudly at Amy's expense. Alison turned up the music and Kelsey got lost in her own thoughts again. The idea that Nathan was with someone who probably didn't care that much about him really bothered her. She knew that she was going to have to get a grip on her emotions, and fast.

Before long, Kelsey pulled her car into the neighboring town, and into the parking lot of the new nightclub. The club itself was a renovated industrial building, all old brick and concrete on the exterior. They walked to the door and got in line. Soon after arriving, the line started moving and the girls were quickly granted access inside the bar. Kelsey quickly shoved her ID back into her purse and started looking around for Nathan.

She spotted him across the expansive room before he ever saw her. He was right. He looked bored out of his mind. He was sitting on a metal stool in the corner, drinking a longneck and watching Amy dance with her friends. Kelsey smiled as she walked towards him. She couldn't help but check him out. He had on dark jeans and a white button up shirt. Kelsey wasn't sure if she'd ever seen him look so handsome. She shivered slightly at the sight of him.

Her heels clicked on the shiny concrete floor as she got closer to Nathan. As she closed the distance between them, Nathan glanced up at her, then looked away. His eyes quickly darted back to Kelsey when he realized it was her. She saw his eyes give her a quick once-over, then they softened as his familiar, friendly smile spread across his face.

Nathan patted the seat next to him, inviting Kelsey to join him. She sat her purse on the bar and lifted herself onto the tall stool. She leaned in towards Nathan's ear.

"You do look bored!" she yelled above the music.

Nathan grinned and nodded. "I told you...not my idea of a good time!" he shouted.

Kelsey giggled. She could smell his warm cologne and it made her insides flutter. She swallowed hard and turned to look at the dance floor. Amy was in her own world, being admired by both men and women, dancing up a storm and not caring in the least that her own boyfriend was sitting by himself, totally uncomfortable.

Kelsey leaned back towards Nathan.

"How long is she going to make you stay here?"

Nathan shook his head. "I have no idea. I'm totally over it already, though!"

Suddenly, the pounding music stopped and a slower, sexier song came over the system. Amy eventually peeled herself away from her group of admirers and bounced excitedly towards Nathan, completely ignoring Kelsey.

She had on a tiny green dress that looked to be about a size too small. Her heavy breasts were nearly popping out of the top and her perky round butt was practically hanging out of the hem. Kelsey swallowed hard and shifted nervously in her seat as Amy approached them.

"Nathan! Baby! You have to dance with me!" Amy whined. It took every ounce of self control that Kelsey had not to start gagging at her desperation.

"Amy, I really don't want to."

Amy stuck her bottom lip out. "Fuck, Nathan. Please? You're no fun! Any one of these guys would be happy to dance with me, you know!"

Kelsey glanced at Nathan, sensing his discomfort. He sighed and stepped onto the floor. He handed Kelsey his beer and walked to the dance floor, looking back and rolling his eyes towards Amy.

Kelsey swallowed hard and glanced at the bottle in her hands. Sure, to Nathan, they were just friends, but being forced to hold his drink while he danced with a spoiled, ungrateful bitch was not exactly what Kelsey had in mind for the evening. She set the bottle down on the bar, grabbed her purse and walked away to find Alison.

After several songs and a few conversations with random guys, Kelsey felt a heavy hand press against her shoudler. She turned around to find Nathan standing behind her.

"You ditched me!" he shouted.

"No, you ditched me for...that!" Kelsey pointed towards Amy who was now dancing very erotically with two female friends of hers. Kelsey shook her head at Nathan.

"I'm hot. Want to step outside?" he growled in her ear. Kelsey nodded. She told Alison that she was stepping outside with Nathan. Alison wiggled her eyebrows suggestively. Kelsey could only laugh.

Nathan held the heavy steel door open for Kelsey as they stepped out into the cooler evening air. They stepped away from a couple small groups of smokers and leaned against the brick building. Nathan rested his head against the wall.

"God, I hate these places."

Kelsey nodded. "Yeah. It's ok every now and then, but I don't really understand the appeal. Drunk idiots and desperate girls looking for attention."

Nathan chuckled. Kelsey turned to look at him.

"Speaking of obnoxious girls, I have to ask you something. Something that's been bothering me for a really long time." She let out a long, shaky breath.

"Alright..." he said curiously.

"Why Amy? I mean, besides the fact that she's hot. Why her? Are you really happy with her?"

Nathan raised his eyebrows in surprise. He hadn't expected such a meaningful question. He shrugged.

"Yeah, she's hot. She can be funny. She's just...Amy. I don't know. We've got history. Why does she bother you so bad?"

Kelsey cocked her head to the side. "Nate, come on. If you saw me with some guy that cared more about himself than he did about me, you're telling me that you wouldn't be bothered by that?"

Nathan nodded his head. "Yeah, ok. I see your point."

"Good. I just think you can do better, that's all."

"Oh yeah? You know of anyone who is interested?" he nudged Kelsey's arm playfully. A lump formed in her throat. She shook her head. Nathan laughed.

"Didn't think so." He sighed and pushed himself off the wall. He stood back and examined her. "I don't see you in dressy clothes very often. I usually see you in a swimsuit or jeans. You look good. Well, you look good in anything, don't get me wrong..." he rambled.

Kelsey felt a deep blush spread across her skin. She looked down at the ground, then back up to Nathan's ice blue eyes. She couldn't tell if it had been a genuine compliment, or if he'd had just a little too much to drink.

"Um...thanks."

"Yeah. Maybe we should get back inside? Besides, you probably shouldn't be out that late. You have a busy day ahead of you tomorrow."

Kelsey shoved him humorously and pushed herself off the wall. Nathan held the door for her as they re-entered the club. Between the lights and the pulsing rhythm of the music, they were both ready to leave shortly after returning. Alison and her friends were still laughing and dancing away, and Amy and her entourage were grinding and drinking in the VIP corner. Nathan and Kelsey just looked at each other.

"I drove. Want a ride home?" Kelsey yelled over the noise.

Nathan nodded. "I've had too much to drink, anyway. I'm going to tell Amy that I'm leaving with you. Give me a second."

Kelsey watched as Nathan crossed the dance floor and pulled Amy to the side. She was visibly irritated. Nathan pointed towards Kelsey and Amy flashed her a look of annoyance. Then, she brushed him off and went back to her friends. Kelsey sighed and looked for Alison. She found her and pulled her aside.

"You can get a ride home, right?" Kelsey yelled above the music.

"Yeah, no problem. Why? You done?" Alison laughed.

Kelsey nodded dramatically.

"That's fine. We can get a ride with Eric. See you at work on Monday?"

"Yep. I'll see you then!" Kelsey hugged Alison and turned to walk back to Nathan.

"Ready?" he yelled. She nodded enthusiastically. "Thank God!" he replied.

They walked outside and exhaled heavily. Nathan stumbled into the wall of the building.

"How many did you drink?"

"Uhhh...several. It was either drink or dance with Amy. So, I drank," he laughed as he opened the passenger door to her car and collapsed into the seat. Kelsey laughed as she got behind the wheel and started the car. She pulled out of the parking lot and started the short drive back to Nathan's apartment.

"Is Amy going to be pissed that you left without her?"

Nathan snorted. "Fuck. Probably. She's always pissed about something. Actually, she'll probably be more pissed that I left with you, not just that I left early."

"Why would that make her mad?"

Nathan paused and rolled his head towards Kelsey. Her eyes shifted back and forth between him and the road. She raised her eyebrows.

"Well? Why would she be mad that you left with me? She knows that we're friends."

"She thinks I have a thing for you, Kels."

Kelsey swallowed and shifted in her seat, visibly uncomfortable. Her mind briefly flirted with the idea of confessing to Nathan that she had been looking at him differently since they graduated. She quickly dismissed the idea, terrified of making their effortless friendship turn awkward.

"Oh. Well, we've been friends our entire lives, I don't know why she'd be threatened by that."

Nathan shrugged and turned up the music as they drove back into their hometown. As they passed a construction site, a large, illuminated 'Lowe Construction' billboard caught Kelsey's eye.

"How is the new medical building coming along?" she asked, glancing over at Nathan. He was sound asleep. She smiled to herself as she turned into his apartment complex. She parked in front of his door and shut off the engine. She rested her head on the steering wheel and looked at him.

He was so handsome. So friendly and kind. She had no idea how Amy didn't realize what an incredible man she had. Kelsey closed her eyes and reminded herself that Nathan was just her friend. Her best friend and that she didn't want to jeopardize anything. She tucked her keys into her pocket and got out of the car. She walked around to the passenger side and carefully opened the door, making sure not to let Nathan roll out onto the asphalt.

As she leaned in the car to wake him up, she felt his hand slide up the back of her leg, coming to rest just below her firm ass. His long fingers wrapped around her inner thigh. She gasped and pushed it away. He was exhausted and buzzed. He probably thought he was feeling up Amy. She grabbed him by the shoulders and shook him gently.

"Nate. You're home. C'mon. I'll get you in the house."

Nathan stirred and groaned, not wanting to wake up.

"Dammit, Nathan. Come ON. Get your ass out of my car!" she laughed, pulling him away from the warm seat. He grumbled and rubbed his eyes.

"It's not even that late, you nerd. Now, where are your keys?" she asked, feeling his pockets. Accidently, her fingers brushed against the soft bulge in his jeans. Kelsey jerked her hand away and her eyes shot up to Nathan's. He didn't seem to notice. She exhaled and pulled the front of his shirt forcefully.

"Nathan! You're home. Let's. Go!"

Nathan mumbled. "Alright...alright. Damn. I'm going."

She moved out of the way and let him climb out of the car. She closed the door behind him and grabbed his elbow, making sure that he got to his front door safely. He tried unsuccessfully to unlock the front door, so Kelsey snatched the keys out of his hand and did it for him. She opened his door and pushed him inside. He walked to the couch and fell back into it, kicking his shoes onto the floor.

Kelsey rolled her eyes. She picked up his shoes and tossed them into his bedroom. She looked around. It had been several months since she'd been in his apartment. It was obvious that bachelors lived there. She walked into the kitchen and set her keys down on the counter. She picked up some trash and started the dishwasher. She straightened up the mail on the counter and quickly swept the floor.

She shook her head at their obvious lack of housekeeping skills. She flicked on the light in the small bathroom in the hallway, but quickly decided that no matter how much she loved Nathan, that kind of disaster area was their responsibility. She grabbed two aspirin and a bottle of water out of the fridge, picked up her keys and walked back into the living room.

Nathan was completely passed out, snoring softly on their large sectional sofa. She pried his keys out of his hand and pulled his phone out of his pocket, placing them next to the pills and the water on the coffee table. As she set the phone down, a message popped up. All Kelsey saw was:

Amy: I can't believe you fucking ditched me.

Kelsey rolled her eyes and stared back at Nathan. He deserved so much better. She grabbed a thick blanket from the floor and covered him up. He nuzzled into the cushion and mumbled something incoherently.

Kelsey smiled and shut off the lamp beside the sofa. She walked to the front door and locked it behind her as she left.

She got into her car and stared at Nathan's front door.

She laid her head back against the headrest and sulked to herself as she realized that all she wanted to do, was to go back inside and cuddle up with Nathan on the couch. She sighed and started her car, pulling away from his apartment reluctantly.

>>>>><<<<<

Kelsey woke up to a warm, sunny morning. She glanced at the clock and realized that she'd slept a lot later than usual. It was nearly 11am. Kelsey stretched in bed and felt her toned muscles lengthen. It looked beautiful outside.

She sat up in bed and glanced over at the Lowe's house. Growing up, Nathan and Kelsey had always had a direct view into each other's bedrooms. They'd stay up late at night messing with each other, shining lights in the windows, or trying to throw things against the glass. She smiled at the memory and got out of bed. She tiptoed down the hall, in just her black bra and black lace thong, hoping to avoid her parents.

She closed the bathroom door behind her. She couldn't wait to move into her own place, but her parents insisted that she stay with them for just one more summer.

Kelsey peeled her underwear off and jumped in the shower. As she scrubbed the club smell off her body and out of her hair, she realized that it was Saturday. She had to wash Nathan's truck today. She groaned. It was a bet that they made every summer. She lost every single time. A little sadness overcame her when she realized that this might very well be the last summer they made the dive bet. Who knew where they'd be this time next year. She'd be in a place of her own, hopefully starting her own successful photography business. Nathan would be a year older, another year into his career...and who knew about relationships. Kelsey had dated in college, she had even had one serious relationship, but nothing ever seemed to work out. And of course, Nathan was with Amy.

It was hard to believe that this would probably really be their last summer of real freedom.

Kelsey shut off the water and stepped out of the shower. She wiped the condensation off the mirror and studied her body as she massaged lotion into her slightly tanned skin. She pulled a towel off the shelf and held it around herself, then walked back to her bedroom.

She stepped in and closed the door behind her. When she turned around, Nathan was sitting on her bed. She yelled out in surprise, clutching her loose towel around her tightly.

"Holy shit, Nathan! What the hell are you doing in here?"

Nathan laughed and held up his hands. "Sorry, sorry! I didn't realize you'd be naked, for Christ sake. Your Mom sent me up here to wait on you!"

"Dammit, you scared the shit out of me!"

"Want me to leave?"

Kelsey didn't want him to leave. In fact, what she wanted was to drop her towel and push Nathan back onto her bed. She wanted to climb on top of him and...

"Kels? Want me to go?" Nathan asked, standing up.

Kelsey shook her head. "No. You're fine. Just turn around while I get dressed, please."

Nathan rolled his eyes and turned around, looking away. Kelsey waited for a second to make sure he wasn't looking before she dropped her towel and pulled a small, white bikini out of her dresser. She kept her eyes fixed on the back of Nathan's dark blonde head as she slipped the bottoms on over her round hips.

"What do you need, anyway?" she asked as she tied the strings of the top around her neck and back.

"Nothing really, I just told Dad that I'd come over and help get stuff ready for the barbeque tonight. Besides, you need to wash my truck," he said condescendingly.

"Yeah, yeah," Kelsey replied, trying to sound annoyed. "Alright I'm decent now."

Nathan turned around and saw Kelsey standing with her back to him, digging in her dresser for a pair of shorts. Her bikini bottoms were tight against her ass cheeks, the sight causing a stir in Nathan's shorts.

He cleared his throat.

"Well, what I really needed was to tell you thanks for getting me out of that damn club last night."

Kelsey turned around, stepping into a pair of short cut-off shorts. "No problem. I was desperate to leave, too." She smiled. Nathan sat back down on her bed as Kelsey started combing through her long, wet hair.

"Did you clean up my kitchen last night?" he asked with a grin.

Kelsey giggled. "Yes. I had to. Your place is a mess. You guys need a girl to move in, Nate."

"It's pretty bad, huh?"

"Yes. I would have cleaned some more, but I would still be there, probably."

Nathan laughed. "Tell you what, you come over for a movie this week and I'll make sure that my place is spotless for you."

"Why would you do that? You've never cared how clean your place was before," she asked as she braided her hair into a long braid that fell down over the front of her left shoulder.

"I don't know. I owe you, I guess. Getting me out of there last night, making sure I got home safe, cleaning my disgusting kitchen..." Nathan shrugged.

"Alright. How about tomorrow night? I have the weekend off."

"Sounds good. I think the guys have poker tomorrow night, anyway. They won't be there to bother you," Nathan said with a smile. His roommates always gave them a hard time about how they just needed to hook up already. Only recently had it started to bother Kelsey.

Nathan stood up. Kelsey caught him glance briefly at her bikini covered breasts. She turned and pulled a tank top out of her closet, shrugging it on over her head.

She walked to her bedroom door and opened it, Nathan followed her out and downstairs to the kitchen. Her Mom was at the grocery store and she saw her Dad outside, cleaning his huge grill on the patio.

"You hungry? I can't believe you're even here this early, Nate. You were out of it last night."

"I know. I feel better than I should, really."

"Want a bagel?"

Nathan shook his head and leaned against the marble island, watching Kelsey as she popped a bagel into the toaster.

"So, where is all of this special wax and soap for your precious truck?"

"I've got it in the bed. You're free to start whenever you want," he said with a grin.

"Let me eat, then you can pull it around to our driveway." She leaned over and patted his muscular forearm. "And don't worry. I'll take good care of her, as always."

Nathan laughed. Kelsey sat down on a barstool and started to eat her breakfast. She patted the seat next to her and Nathan sat down.