Guys, this science test
is gonna kill me.
 
Same. I’m so dead.
Why don’t we just
all run away together,
like to Mexico,
or maybe Portugal?
 
Who runs away to Portugal?
Exactly!
They’ll never find us!
Or maybe we could all
study hard together?
Yeah. That sounds like
a way better idea.
 
I’m standing right here.
I know.
I was talking to you.
Okay, when is everyone free?
Is tonight good?
No, tonight doesn’t work.
How about tomorrow night?
 
No good.
Tomorrow night is when
me and Maddy normally have sex.
- What?
- Yeah.
My parents work super late.
It’s really convenient.
 
Wait...
 
You two are dating?
 
Dating? No.
No, that’s gross!
Marcus is like my best friend.
Yeah! She’s practically
like my sister.
 
Now, that is gross.
I knew it was disgusting
when it came out of my mouth,
but you understand
what I mean, right?
 
Uh...
 
Actually, no.
 
I don’t.
Okay. Well, Marcus and I
are really good friends...
 
Best friends.
- And we both enjoy sex.
- Best sex!
So we figured why not
put the two together?
 
Best idea!
That sounds like it could
get really complicated.
That’s why we created
boundaries, like...
Like no kissing
on the mouth.
I learned that
from Pretty Woman.
No PDA,
and we talked about
what kind of relationship
this was gonna be.
Yeah, like are we gonna be
exclusive friends with benefits?
Or can we have other
friends with benefits?
Or even strangers
with benefits?
That’s just a
one-night stand.
- Noted.
- Yeah.
And we check in with each other
on a regular basis,
just to make sure
our feelings haven’t changed.
And if they have,
we’ll get married.
 
I got that wrong, right?
 
Yes. Very wrong.
- That’s kind of cool, actually.
- Yeah.
 
We think it is, too.
 
Yeah.
 
So, Leah...
 
I’m still gay, dude.
 
Worth a shot.
 
The term “friends with benefits” 
usually refers to friends
who have a sexual relationship
 
without being a couple.
Other terms used to describe
this kind of relationship
are “fuck buddies”
or “no strings attached”.
Unlike one-night stands,
friends with benefits
spend time together
on a more “regular” basis.
This kind of relationship
often stems from a combination
of attraction and
connection with someone
and the desire to share
sexual experiences
without committing
to a romantic relationship.
While some see it as a way
to preserve their freedom,
 
it can become complicated.
Engaging sexually
with a casual partner
can lead to complex
situations and feelings
such as one person suddenly
wanting to be more than friends. 
Agreeing to be “fuck buddies”
or asking someone to be
in the hope that they
will fall in love rarely works.
 
Love can’t be forced.
If you feel hesitant,
hurt or rejected 
each time you see the person,
it’s usually a sign
that this relationship
is not right for you.
And since everyone
has their own way
 
of seeing love and sexuality,
some people just don’t want
that kind of relationship. 
If you choose to be
a friend with benefits,
it’s better to agree
from the start
on the kind of
relationship desired,
the methods of protection
you want to use,
 
and each other’s boundaries.
For example, ask: 
“Are we exclusive?”
“Can we talk about
our relationship with others?”
 
Or: “How often do we meet?” 
All relationships
evolve with time.
Talking about it
on a regular basis
helps to check if expectations
and feelings have changed,
and to end the relationship
if it no longer feels right.
Knowing what friends
with benefits involves
helps you to think
about whether
this type of relationship
suits you or not.
Asking to be
in an open relationship
or to be friends
with benefits...
I don’t think it can bring
any good out of it.
 
In theory, I think it’s possible
to have sex with someone and
not get emotionally attached. 
But my current boyfriend
used to be my friend with benefits,
and I got emotionally
attached, so...
I can’t really say
anything about that.
Yes, I have had friends
with benefits before.
 
And I’d say that...
Sex is sex, but it also
can make you catch feelings.
It fulfills a need that I think
some of us have.
It just makes you feel
less lonely in some cases,
because you do
have someone,
but it doesn’t involve a lot
of emotion, so you can just...
You do what you do
and you get out of there.
I think if you go have sex
with someone once,
for a one-night stand,
and then never see them again,
you won’t really
get attached.
But if it’s a
frequent thing,
where you’re meeting up
and casually having sex,
 
it gets more complicated.
Because I feel it’s almost
impossible to, like...
to be physically
stimulated with someone,
engaged with them
physically,
and to not
develop feelings,
or desire more than what
you’re getting with your bodies.
Honestly, it’s going to
put a lot of stress
and remove a lot of the emotions
behind a real relationship.
Personally, it left me feel a bit
empty inside when partaking.
If you think you can do it
in a healthy way,
where the other person
wouldn’t get hurt,
 
then I say go for it.
Every friends with benefits
situation which I’ve seen
has always turned out ugly
for one side or the other.
Instead of growing
into something nice,
it ends up ruining
friendships.
I think friends with benefits,
of course there’s the fact
it’s just sex without really
many commitments,
which is fun
for a lot of people,
and commitments
are hard.
You have to actually
care about the other,
 
spend time with them.
Friends with benefits
is just easier.
It’s always:
“Oh, no, I won’t catch feelings.”
And then someone
catches feelings, and...
Something like that.
- Yeah, it’s a bad recipe.
But actually, I think
when people communicate
and people are open
with each other,
I think friends with benefits
or any sort of friendship can work.
There are probably healthy
friends with benefits out there.
Of course!
It’s just a lot of work.
