Don’t fall for a friend. It’s not worth the fallout. In fact, it’s the worst think you can do…
…for the friendship.
How can they ever trust you again? Are you being friendly, or are you still stuck on the past, still trying to get them to see you as more than a friend? Do you offer them a helping hand while they’re stepping across a rocky creek? Or are you doing it just so they’ll hold your hand? Are you taking more photos of them because they’re an interesting photography subject, or because they’re an interesting romantic subject? Are you leading the conversation in a certain direction because you’re actually curious, or because you want to know if you’re a good fit for them? Did you make a joke because it was funny, or was it to be flirtatious?
Friends shouldn’t have to ask these questions—a friendship is sacred. Or at least it should be. How do they rebuild faith in you?
…for you.
They were probably your most trusted confidant—or your only trusted confidant. The one you trust implicitly. The one you went to when you wanted to share good news with. And the one you went to when times were tough and you just needed a shoulder to cry on. Or a listening ear to vent to. Even in the face sadness and anger, they’d still manage to make you laugh and remind you of how much you’ve already accomplished. The one you’d talk to after a good date. Who else can offer empathy for the hopeless-gay-romantic, but another hopeless-gay-romantic? The one to console you after getting friend-zoned.
But now who do you go to when they are the one to friend-zone you?
…for them.
“Let you down easy.” That’s the best case for the average case. How do you say no to a friend—someone you know, love, and trust? By ripping that part of your heart out, plating it, stabbing it with a knife, and twisting till it stops twitching. Painful to watch, and even more painful to do.
They hoped for your future. They supported you. They believed in you. For what? For you to betray them—and betray their trust. They were cheering you on, supporting you for ending a “meh” relationship because you felt “like there’s better options still out there.”
Little did they know they were the better option still out there.