It may take two to tango, but it only takes one to complicate a Platonic relationship. And that’s what makes maintaining relationships of any sort so hard: if both parties aren’t on the same page there can be significant problems. And if that wasn’t enough, emotions have a way of complicating interpersonal relationships even further. If rationality were solely in charge of both parties, surely limiting ourselves to a non-romantic relationship would be possible. We often know what’s best and we often genuinely want to do whatever that is, but we can’t always prevent feelings from creeping in to our plans and diverting our path from being “just friends”. Can we suppress these feelings if we know it’s for the best? Even if we could, should we? A good relationship requires honesty, so what about being honest with ourselves? And does this vary from person to person? Some people, for better or for worse, are more capable of controlling their emotions than others. If we ignore a feeling for long enough, does it go away?

Aristotle famously said that humans are social animals. We’re hard-wired to believe that one really is the loneliest number. Relationships with other people can be the most meaningful part of our lives, and sometimes – whether it’s what both parties want, what one party wants, or what neither party wants – they’re best carried out in a non-romantic fashion. But what’s best isn’t always what’s easy. So, can you ever really be just friends?