3. She's Just Not Worth Your Pretty If She Doesn't Hang Out With You

Just like dating delving into a new close platonic relationship is confusing. The uncertainty, the vaugeness, the murky shades of grey between what is appropriate and what is awkward. Every girl hates this time because this is the crucial moment where you both decide whether either of you can make it as each other's best friend. The walls slowly begin to come down and you're each at your most vunerable.
This is the point where spending time with each other is essential. You have to know if your best friend (or best friend-to be) wants to be with you, wants to hang out with you, wants to really know the kind of person you are, in public and at home.


The "She's Been Hurt and Betrayed Before" Excuse

Which one of us hasn't already felt the white-hot, sickening sting of platonic rejection? It's more than just unpleasant and, in a lot of ways, can be more heartwrenching than losing at love. At least with love you prepare yourself for rejection; you feed yourself all the placating excuses until you feel up to the challenge again. But no one wholly prepares themselves to be ejected from a friendship that seems to be going well.
Being previously betrayed and hurt does not constitue a good reason to perpetuate the vicious negative cycle. Chances are you could be the one who shows her that not all people are bitches and jackasses, if only she'd give you the chance. But if she decides not to give you that chance, don't feet because there's someone better and more worthy of your time and pretty.


The "But We Really Are Best Friends" Excuse

There's a certain security in knowing that your best friend is there for you, that she's got your back. And there's a certain pleasure, a warm fuzzy feeling if you will, when we can say, "That's my best friend." It sounds so Neanderthalic, the simple act of just saying it out loud but in actual truth saying it out loud really does carry validation. So if your so-called bestie keeps choking on her words, then the words you need to recognize are she's just not worth your pretty.


The "We're Around Each Other, So Why Not" Excuse

Right off the bat I need to say that settling for the girl who you've shared a cubical wall with for eight and a half months is not grounds for best friendship. She's a colleague, a work friend at best. In English: settling is not friendship. Settling is the act of sheer laziness, and who wants or wants to be a lazy best friend? When you settle for the person who's "just there," you're really cutting down your standards and, in the long run, cutting down your self-esteem by saying that you're not good enough to be searched for or to search for someone who perfectly complements you. So if you find that your relationship with your BFF is based on "why not," then I suggest you reevaluate it because, in the long run, she's probably just not worth your pretty.


The "She's A Jet Setter" Excuse

So your best friend is out of town. Again. It's nothing new, it's not a surprise. She travels a lot and, c'mon, someone's gotta wrack up them Frequent Flyer Miles! But here's the thing: it's beginning to feel like you've got a constant out of town visitor and not a best friend. She's constantly talking on and on about her travels and the people she meets and you feel like everything you have to say us insignificant in comparison. Well, it shouldn't be like that. Having a best friend means that she doesn't constantly feel like a stranger in your life, especially one that makes you feel like you aren't up to snuff.


It's so simple! Really and truly this time, it is: she doesn't want to see you then she's not worth your pretty. It's pretty plain, cut and dried. It may not feel that way because of all the excuses we make for them and to ourselves. But hanging out together- shopping, hiking, at home mani-pedi's- is essential in knowing and getting to know your best friend.

This one's particularly hard because your boundaries aren't yet fully defined. It's only when you're both willing to take that leap over the Wall of Awkwardness and land into Acceptance that you'll know whether you're each others' best friend material.