Its not difficult to spot a good friend syndrome.It started with we are just ‘good friends’, a customary ‘hi’ and then started the

• Long talks way past midnight
• planning of the whole day keeping his calender appointments on mind,
• Shopping for his best friends wedding,
• Picking up his laundry while he was at office
• Bunking because he was down with fever.
• Going that extra mile to say ‘sorry’ when actually he is at fault.
• Jealous when you see him with some pretty girl.

She knew she had developed feelings that didn’t categorize him as just a ‘good friend’,but she never accepted it, neither to herself nor to him. In denial, she only let her self fall deeper into this pit.She couldn’t tell if he loved her, but he depended on her. She was his lifeline, she was there whenever he wanted, at 5 in the morning or at midnight. She was there for him always. Growing up around each other now had become a habit.

Friends and family noticed, but she always shut them by misusing the word ‘friends’.

Then came the day when she could no longer hide it. She called him at their usual coffee house

G: I have been thinking

B: Thats news ha ha ha.

G: Look there is something that I can no longer hide it from you. I cant go thro’ all alone. I know I may loose you as friend, but then you are the only one I can say this to. I can’t live in denial.

B: That’s something. What have you been hiding. I thought we shared everything!

G: Why didnt you notice it? Is it because I am always there for you? Couldn’t you see the pain thro’ all the smile when you flirted with her? What am I to you?

B: What does that mean? Come to the point! For the last question, you are my friend, friend for life, someone I can trust with eyes closed.

G: (moist eyes). You are no longer that for me. I see you someone I want to spend my life with. I cant sleep till I hear your voice, I cant eat well if you are sick, I cant take it when you are with other girls. I have reached a point where I cant deny this anymore. ( tears now rolling down)

B:You are not serious? You cant be!

He stood up, and sat next to her. He held her, and then suddenly he stood up and walked out.

She expected him to say something , anything, but he left.

Days went by, he didn’t call her. He missed her, but did he love her? She was a friend, and she was there for him always, but she didn’t fit his definition of a life partner, a pretty ,homely, girl. A girl who can take ride back home at midnight night all alone, a girl who can stand in the queue to get his rail ticket, would never need him. In any case, she wasn’t the pretty sorts. She was there as a friend, Yes! But could he flaunt her in front of his friends, was she is his pride?

She had given herself soo much in the relationship that she had lost herself in the process. Let him take her for granted, she had only ,let him to believe that she didn’t need him.

What happens next is left to your imagination.

We are often driven by giving ourselves soo much in relationship that we stop caring for our happiness, we let others drive our life.There comes a point in life, when one needs to stand for oneself.

I told her story , but it could happen to him too!