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Just Good Friends
Lorna and George have been just friends since the sixth form - but why do people find it strange that hetrosexual men and women can be very happy being....just friends.
Once upon a time
We didn't really become friends until the sixth form. We made a connection with our sense of humour and shared various problems and made a strong link that way. I went out with guys and still maintained friendship with George. But quite a few of the boys found that hard to handle. People find it hard to believe that there is such a rapport between two people of opposite sexes when there is obviously a strong link between the two of us but there isn't any kind of sexual chemistry. Parents always said: "You'll end up with good old George. Ever looked at him with other than platonic eyes?" No, I can honestly say that that would be so strange.
Lorna's story
I got engaged but my fiancee couldn't accept my relationship with George, and virtually forced me into telling George that I wasn't going to stay in touch with him any more. I was vulnerable at the time and I was willing to do what my fiancee told me in order to keep him. But only seeing George over Christmas for the next three years was very difficult and painful. I knew that there was nothing romantic between us, but this fiancee just saw it as a threat and couldn't accept the friendship at all. It was dreadful to almost lose my best friend. This was definitely a major reason why the engagement ended.
The Happy Ending
Then you give up all that - and what does George do then? He gets engaged! It came as quite a surprise. I was very happy for him, but there were alarm bells ringing - I was afraid that it was going to be a similar scenario. Before I met Fiona I was very worried. But now that I have met her I realise that she is not going to see our relationship as a threat.
"Why can't we just be friends" is one of the most common clichΓ©s exchanged between men and women.
But can your best friend be someone other than your lover?
Is there room for both?
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