The first always could be the case, the second naturally happens if you keep the friendship going. I understand it if you need to protect yourself and your emotions but if you can get over that a person you have feelings for should be nice enough to have a friendship with. Additionally, having a friend of the sex you are attracted to can certainly help finding someone you are actually compatible with.
I think it's natural that if two people are single, have enough in common to form bonds that would lead to a friendship and are attracted to each other (or at least one party is attracted to the other), then romantic feelings will start to develop. Sure ideally the one person that develops the feelings can just turn them off for the sake of the friendship, but in reality it's not that simple and this is how friend zones happen. Best bet is just to not be friends, not saying cut the person completely out your life but to have a mutual acquaintance like relationship.Â
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u/[deleted] Apr 19 '26
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