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It’s great to have a close male friend with whom there is no sexual attraction—a guy that can give you insight into the mind of men, help you fend off creeps at bars, and lift that giant couch of yours when it’s time to move. But the line between being a guy’s close girl friend and being his surrogate girlfriend is a thin one, and if you cross it, your friendship can get messy. If a guy sees you as a surrogate girlfriend he might resent when you date other men, and even give up on finding himself a real girlfriend. Why should he? He already gets basically everything he would in a girlfriend from you. And as for the other stuff, well, there’s the Internet for that. Here are signs you’ve become a surrogate girlfriend.

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He’s very touchy

He holds your hand while walking down the street, he gives you lots of hugs, he kisses you on the forehead, he’ll hold you when you’re standing outside in the cold, he even wants to cuddle during movies. That’s not just buddy behavior.

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You’re his plus one

Before even thinking about a love interest he could invite to his company holiday party or his cousin’s wedding, he just goes straight to inviting you as his plus one to everything. You’re all ready to go, no complications, and he doesn’t have to fear rejection.

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When something good happens…

You’re the first person he calls when he gets a job he wanted. Oh, who are we kidding? He was texting you from every red light on the drive to the job interview, from the waiting room, and even when the interviewer left the room for a minute. You’re his soundboard for excitement.

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He doesn’t flirt in front of you

He doesn’t flirt in front of you because he doesn’t ever want you to question your use in his life. He doesn’t want to risk losing his surrogate girlfriend just because a potential real girlfriend comes in the picture!

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He won’t hook up with your friends

Even if you encourage it, he will not so much as flirt with your female friends, let alone hook up with or date them. That would compromise his surrogate relationship with you (obviously, because your own friend doesn’t want to see you running around acting like a girlfriend to the guy she is dating!)