<p>How do you distinguish between a really strong friendship and the possibility that a close friend might want to pursue a romantic relationship with you? </p>
<p>that this person is of the same sex complicates the situation. i'm not homophobic in any way and have, in fact, experimented (non-sexually) in the past, but i'm not sure if this is what my friend is hinting at. it is uncommon for boys to say touchy-feely stuff to each other, so the fact that he did gives me good reason to raise this question. i don't want to ask him directly, because i could be totally wrong and it would just be awkward. i also worry that this experimentation could destroy an otherwise strong friendship (which, for me, is hard to find). but sometimes, i feel like he has given out obvious clues that i deliberately interpreted a different way for fear that he'd think i'm over-analyzing the situation. this has gone on for some time now, and i just want to know if experimenting is really what's on his mind. i don't know if he's gay or.. something else. but i think i'll know how to react if that ends up being the case. that's really not what i'm worried about.</p>
<p>just about in every conversation, it happens. if i were absolutely sure that experimenting was his intention (and i trust my instincts), i will bring up the subject and tell him what i think. this time, i'm not sure about his strategy.</p>
<p>lol.. crazyscientist, you give the strangest advice. i don't think i'm headed in that direction, actually. :) i think i've gotten past that stage, but unexpected things can happen. i was just so bold and adventurous 2 years ago.</p>
<p>crazyscientist.. because i think i've fallen for a girl and am not really interested in anybody else. don't think that i don't value your opinion. i do. :)</p>
<p>to answer your question, kk, he asks questions that go something like "if i were a girl, would you...?" and makes statements like "if you were a girl, i would..." he does other weird things.. like one day i was sitting on a bench, and he sat next to me not uttering a word. he then stood up and dribbled a ball in front of me, avoiding eye contact which i tried to initiate (where else could i have looked?!). and because he was silent, i also stayed silent. there was an indescribable tension that was just so unusual. i really don't know what to make of these clues. they may sound obvious, but one has to be there to see the subtleties that made me think twice.</p>