Tell It Like It Is.

If you know me in "real life," you know that I have a hard time separating casual flirtation from serious, I-have-a-crush-on-you flirtation, and oftentimes, it causes a bit of misinterpreted feelings. Even some of my very close friends have a difficult time evaluating their relationships with me, and at that point, it's up to me to put my foot down and draw a very thick, black line.

Girls: Guys love attention, almost as much as we do. They revel in our compliments and beg for more, the more we give. They love being kept company when they're not feeling well, and text you when they're thinking about you, eagerly anticipating your response. Boys are big children, that love nothing more than being mommied.. by you.

I happen to be overly attentive when I probably shouldn't, and even though I don't think that being a great friend is doing any harm, the bottom line is: it really is. The more you cater, the greater an emotional attachment is growing. Sometimes, this emotional attachment is unwelcome because you're just not interested, and other times it's unwelcome because it's just... inappropriate. If you see yourself starting to play the role of the (ugh, I don't even want to say it) tease, it's best to pull back the reigns a little and give your friend some space. He will be more hurt and confused when your relationship is compromised because he looks at (and depends on) you as more than just a friend, while you can't say the same. Taking a little space is a gentle and subtle way of letting him know that now is the time to back off a bit, before your friendship completely meets its demise.