My best friend is a boy. We met in our AP Language & Composition class junior year. The first thing he ever said to me was, "Do you have like, Tourette's or something," because I have a bad habit of twitching when I'm cold or anxious. I admired his bravery, and we've been best friends ever since.
Unfortunately, some people don't believe that males and females can share a strictly platonic bond. When people who only know our friendship through social media ask me about him, the first things they ask are: "Y'all have kissed before, right?" or "Do either one of y'all like, like-like each other?"
When I (repeatedly) respond with, "Nah, he's just like my little brother," people whip out the friend zone card. This is upsetting to me, and I feel bad for people who don't believe guys and girls can just be friends because they're missing out on some awesome relationships.
So, let me tell you about him and what it means to have a boy as my best friend.
He is extremely talented. He can draw, sketch, paint, sing, rap and work math problems way better than I can. He is always opening his home up for movie nights for our larger group of friends. He Facetimes me before tests to make sure I'm studying or on nights I'm upset over a boy to make sure that I'm OK and remind me that I can do way better. He's someone I can get breakfast with before pep rallies, when we don't want to participate in early morning school spirited activities. And he's someone to get frozen yogurt with when I haven't seen him in weeks. He listens and he understands.
Having a guy as my best friend means we don't have to deal with the same petty girl drama that my female friend group does. He can give me unbiased, outside, honest advice, whereas my girls (whom I love with my whole heart) are usually going to be on one side or the other. Having a guy as my best friend, especially a guy as creative as this one, means I get to see life in new perspectives all the time. I have no clue how a boy's brain works, and he has no clue how a girl's works so we're there to guide each other.
Having a guy as a best friend opens doors up for me. I get to meet new people that I could never have met if I just stuck to my bubble. I go out of my comfort zone and go to sporting events so I can hang out with him. Having a guy as a best friend means having someone to protect you from the evils of the world, particularly the evil of high school. Junior and senior year, we sat in the exact same spots in the exact same room with the exact same English teacher, and we learned how to maneuver that class without quitting because of each other. He made me laugh when I was stressed and doodled funny things on my binders and papers for me to find later. He eased the tension in the room when people were anxious or upset. And, he ALWAYS shared his peanut butter crackers with me, because he knew I got hungry third block. Having a guy as a best friend is having someone to "beat up boys" when they break my heart and help me realize how stupid they can be, or even how stupid I can be. He tells it to me straight and helps me understand what I'm doing wrong or when I'm treating people incorrectly. He helps me protect my heart, and I help him with his brokenness as well. Since he has me in a sisterly way, he can open up and not feel judged and still feel loved.
Having a guy as a best friend is having the brother that I never had. So shoutout to mom and dad for never having a boy because I got to pick my own brother, and I couldn't ask for anyone cooler.
To the girls out there who have guys as best friend, you know how special of a bond it is. You understand that guys can be just as emotional as girls and that they get hurt too and need someone there to pick them up when they fall.
So to my best friend that's a boy, thank you for being there for me. And to the girl whose best friend is a guy, don't lose him. Be there for him like he's been there for you, and keep loving him like the brother you never had.
