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How close is too close when it comes to his female friend?

alyx11alyx11 newb
First Comment
edited April 2015 in Relationships
I'm finally coming to a breaking point with my boyfriend's close friendship a female. She and him actually had this strictly emotional affair half a year ago where they texted their feelings to each other and flirted non-stop behind my back, until I found out. He regretted his actions and we tried working it out, (mind you he still remained friends with her) and until now had just dealt with their friendship. We've talked about the topic of them so many times and I'm just as sick of it as he is. They text throughout each day and hang out for many hours at a time, 1-2 times a week. It's clear there really hasn't been any big change since their 'fling' since she's still very much around. In our latest talk I told him that I thought he never really did anything to fix us when he should have. The only thing he did was remove the inappropriate side of their relationship, which he thinks was enough. He's transparent about when they're texting, hanging out and what they do while they hang out, but I obviously do not witness their conversations so I don't really have a grasp on what their connection is like. 

I'm only now realizing that he never really made things right. In my mind, he should have scaled back with her. I'd never tell him to get rid of her as a friend or expect him to, but if he doesn't address my concerns does that mean I'm not worth it or he doesn't care enough? Are my concerns legitimate in the first place? My constant nagging about her is out of the insecurity he created and so while he answers my questions about her, he always asks me why I'm interrogating him. Shouldn't he be more understanding? He asked what's wrong with texting daily to see what's up, and I really didn't know how to justify that. He has plenty of female friends who have never bothered me in the past, it's just that these two now have a history and are so close that I think there needs to be a change since I've made it so clear how uncomfortable I am. Maybe we just disagree with what a close friendship entails, which in that case, it'll never work.

I also compare his friendship to her with that of his best guy friend. I know men and women can be fundamentally different by nature, but shouldn't I find it weird that he'll discuss his relationship with me with the guy, but not with her? That he walks her to her door after they hang out, occasionally FaceTimes her, sees her more often than he sees him (the 2 guys are neighbors). There's something overreaching about her too. She randomly buys him gifts, holds him to the standards of a partner (when it comes to returning texts/calls) and they have one of those iPhone friend location tracking apps, which I find so odd. On one hand I feel like that if he wanted her, he would be with her and that I naturally worry for no reason. On the other hand, he seems to ignore my concerns and that I'm just allowing something to happen, again.

Am I just being insane? 

Re: How close is too close when it comes to his female friend?

  • Aren't you the one that posted a similar post under a different name and your husband is a nurse and the one he flirts with/texts is a co-worker?

  • No, I'm in my early 20s, unmarried.
  • Yeah, I agree with BlueBirdMB. It's clear he wants to have his cake and eat it too.
  • VORVOR member
    Eighth Anniversary 500 Love Its 500 Comments Name Dropper
    I'm with Bluebird and joleri.  His friendship w/ this girl is more important than his relationship with you. 

    He had an AFFAIR with her.  Emotional or physical - he had an affair.  He may be transparent about it NOW, but I feel the horse has left the barn on this one.  To continue being such good friends with her....??? Come on. 

    I believe men and women can be friends, and my DH has women friends, but this I would NOT be o.k. with.  Not at all.

    You're in your early 20s.  Don't stay with a guy who treats you like this.  TRUST ME, there are better men out there. 
  • It's difficult but possible to move past an affair, but it almost unanimously requires cutting off the association with the other person. Like 99.99999% of the time. This is not a good situation. I'm with the others who think it's time to move on to someone who wants to have that kind of relationship WITH YOU.

    Also, if you do decide to stay, take a look at the book "After the Affair" on surviving infidelity.
    image
  • Why are you tolerating this kind of treatment? 

    You're so young; you have your whole life ahead of you. 

    Don't waste your best years with someone who blatantly disrespects you. 
  • It's very hard to trust again
  • It's easy to say move on.  But I think you should change your perspective.  He's not putting your feelings first.  And it sets a precedent for him to treat you as poorly as you let him.

    Find someone who will value you.

  • If you aren't comfortable with their relationship, you've told BF that different things make you uncomfortable, and they aren't willing to change their relationship, what's the point of continuing this relationship. Because realistically, where is it going to go. Typically you get into a relationship to get to know someone in hopes of finding that special someone to spend the rest of your life with. If you have trust issues with him & his friend, what kind of marriage would you end up having? And if you can't have a happy & healthy marriage, what is the point of continuing to date him?

    Even if you are overracting, you have trust issues with them and don't like their relationship which is affecting your relationship with him. Those issues are not giving you type of relationship you want. So you have two choices basically. Say goodbye your insecurities and trust issues and move forward and accept their friendship for what it is or say goodbye to him.

  • Dump him.
    Daisypath Anniversary tickers
    TTC since September 2012
  • You're not insane. Personally, I find it unacceptable that he's still keeping such a close contact with her. I feel his behavior kinda devalues your relationship. You deserve better!
    Stusanto Anniversary
  • Run as fast as you can from this guy!  You're young and you have no attachments to him, so get out while you can.  He definitely wants to have his cake and eat it too.
  • I would not tolerate that crap! Get the hell out and never look back!!
  • A co-worker of mine went through a similar situation - over a year of her boyfriend texting his "friend", buying her small "joke gifts", etc. - he just dumped her and was dating this "friend" 4 days later, after a 3 year relationship with my co-worker.

    It's hard truth, but he's valuing that relationship over yours, and he will continue to do so, and make you feel bad for asking him to put a stop to it. You can't have a future with someone who doesn't make you their number 1, so better to get out now, rather than find out he took things further later on down the road. It sucks, but it's true!
  • Stop interrogating him about his behavior. You can ask him to stop hanging out with this" friend" ONCE, but it is entirely up to him whether he is willing to do that. You can't control him and constantly talking about the issue has not helped. He is unwilling to let her go. Now the ball is entirely in your court. Assume that he will never change. Either accept that she will be in his life, or leave the relationship. All we can control are our own choices.
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