I've noticed that a lot of my relationships with my closest friends roughly resemble stages of romantic relationships... It happens like this: I meet a girl and find her really cool I want to be her friend and I want to get to know her/be around her I find myself trying to impress her, usually just really little things, though We become good friends Sorry, this one's a bit creepy, but I find myself obsessing over her, looking through all her pictures on social media, etc. (actually, this one often happens before we become good friends) If we do become really close, I am almost blind to her imperfections, or if I do notice her flaws, I don't mind/think of them as quirks that only add to her attractiveness as a person I get jealous when she talks to other friends; I want her to myself Once or twice, I have gotten jealous when she talks about someone she likes, or if she doesn't like anyone, I think feel a bit happier than I should Sometimes, if I'm walking to class with a friend and I see her, I feel the urge to go over and talk to her or at least say hi, even though it would mean ditching the friend I am walking with Then, the "special friend" feelings I have for her fade... Quite suddenly, too With a couple people, I have phases when I just don't like them at all (not triggered by anything they do); I am annoyed by a lot of what they say/do, or I just find myself trying to avoid them We start talking again, but it isn't the same I stop wanting to hang out with her as much and I usually still consider her a best friend, but I'm not obsessed with her anymore and the friendship more closely resembles the friendships I have with other girls Are all friendships supposed to be this way? Is this just me being extremely clingy and a bad friend? Am I paranoid and mistaking sisterly bonds for romantic feelings, or am I in denial and it really is a sign that I do have/have had romantic feelings for them?
When you are really, really good friends with someone it can mimic a romantic relationship, but it is different. Only you can decide if you truly have genuine romantic feelings for them. It's completely normal to be jealous when a good friend starts talking to someone else or gets romantically involved with someone because it means some of their time is taken away from you.
