I'm a huge fan of the type of relationship that sparks out of a friendship. You start off already knowing a lot about the other person without having to drag information out of them on a first date. You already know that you can really be yourself around them because you already have been. There's no more awkwardly feeling out which side of you they respond the best to. They've seen you with bags under your eyes and with your hair up in a messy bun (ladies), and they dig it. They've seen you get upset, or frustrated, but they also already know how to make you laugh. They know your deepest flaws and even so, with all of that, they still want to date you.

Wondering why this isn't the perfect fairytale? Don't worry, you'll get your fairytale picture perfect rom-com ending -- sometimes.

In the movies, the best buds realize they are in love with each other and boom -- happily ever after. But real life isn't like movies, and that is alright.

Changing the entire dynamic of a relationship isn't an easy feat, and frankly, if you really had a friendship you were invested in, it shouldn't be an easy feat. Friendships and romantic relationships are very emotionally different for healthy people.

Everything is going to change in this transition.

Whether you're the partner who has been pining for a while or the one who all of a sudden just had a love-epiphany, the shift is going to require brain power.

Maybe you're the one who has been looking at your good old buddy as more than that for a while now. Then one day you're dating and it's all just too good to be true. You might overcompensate for the fact that your partner is still taking it all in. You're being extra cute and sweet because you're just so excited it's finally happening. But when you spend so long waiting for something, it might come with a little bit of a shock.

And if you're the one who had the realization all of a sudden, it's probably still weird that your good friend is saying romantic things to you. You know you reciprocate because your stomach gets all twirly and you're all smiley and glowing, but still, something in the back of your head won't let go of the idea of a platonic friendship. You need a little time to process before you can fully appreciate the beautiful relationship you're in.

Sometimes it might not work out. Maybe you've spent so much time building up in your head how perfect this relationship will be, that when it does happen, it just kind of falls flat. Or maybe you just never get over the weirdness of a friend being romantic. You might just not be compatible romantically, even though the friendship is perfect. But that's all okay. Maybe you'll be able to go back to the friendship and maybe you won't. Either way, you went out on a limb and the security of knowing you tried to follow your heart will be worth it.

But when both parties put in the effort and its right, the weirdness can evaporate slowly until you're left with a strong relationship built on the foundation of an even stronger friendship. You've skipped all of the awkward dates and now you're just on to spending time with someone you care a lot about, in a different way than before.

So if it does end up working out, it's not a fairytale where a random prince you don't know kisses you in your sleep and then you spend the rest of your life together (Ew. Can you say creepy?). But it's also not a classic rom-com where the best friends finally see each other after being platonic for so long and then boom -- happily ever after. You have to be prepared to work for it. But also, be prepared to have the strongest relationship of your life. Sorry Hollywood, relationships aren't easy -- but they're worth it.