Guys and girls cannot be merely platonic friends. Now, before the bellowing, guffawing, and, “psh, yeah right” begins, it is not that all guys and girls who are friends end up together romantically. But the guarantee remains that any great opposite-sex-best-friend pairing has had its go around. There are three major archetypal examples of this.

The friends who have remained best friends forever are the first type of example. Let’s call them Tom and Sue. Each has dated other people; oftentimes Tom calls Sue up to complain about his girlfriend, and Sue relates with boyfriend complaints. Tom and Sue eventually break up with their respective significant others, and then…oh, right, they end up dating. Tom and Sue ended up bonding at the end of all those phone calls.

In another example, Sue liked Tom or he liked her while the other remained bitterly oblivious: the classic “friend zone” story. A timeless circumstance since Gordo’s relationshop with Lizzie McGuire for the duration of the series.

Oftentimes, Sue will only keep up with the friendship because of her secret undying love for Tom, while he simply counts on Sue as a science class buddy. Sue constantly wonders why Tom will not just be with her, because they get along so well.

The final case includes Tom and Sue and their curiosity about one another. At this point, a random kiss or hookup transpires, resulting in one of two routes. Either a) the two realize they were meant to be together the moment their lips touched or b) Tom and Sue deeply regret their actions and realize curiosity really did kill the cat. Either way, the friendship has transformed and will not remain entirely the same.

At point a), Tom and Sue probably consider some type of budding relationship. At point b), if the friendship maintained substantial foundations, the two can continue on as friends; otherwise, Tom and Sue may become awkward acquaintances.

A myriad of variations of these stories may occur, but the chief points hold true; even if best guy and girl friends remain plainly as companions, the thought of what could potentially happen has crossed one of their minds at some time…if it has not, it probably just did. You’re welcome.

Complications arise at every juncture in these types of relationships. Any instance where two such friends grow to be close maintains the capacity for natural feelings to occur. Tom and Sue simply appreciate each other in a friendly relationship, and that often leads to commonly considered thoughts about how that relationship may later develop.