High Life / A WEEKLY FORUM FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS : What’s a Date Between Best Friends?
Best friends can share everything. . . . Well, just about everything.
You wouldn’t feel the slightest hesitation in borrowing your best friend’s new sweater, because she is always borrowing your jeans. And neither do you worry about getting a ride to school each morning, because you provide transportation on the weekends.
But what about when it comes to “significant others”? Hot Topics wonders, “If your best friend’s boyfriend or girlfriend asked you out, what would you do?”
“I definitely would not go out with him, even if I liked him, because if he did it to her, he can do the same thing to me.”
Andera Kuhn, 14,
freshman, Loara
“Tell my friend that his girlfriend has good taste.”
Jim White, 17,
senior, Fullerton
“I would turn him down. It’s pretty low for him to ask in the first place.”
Margaret Chen, 16,
senior, Villa Park
“Part of being best friends is being loyal, and I’d expect my best friend to feel the same.”
Alicia Dixon, 15,
sophomore, Garden Grove
“It depends. If she looks good, forget my friend.”
Jim Tsang, 18,
senior, Troy
“I would never say yes to a thing like that. You can look at the menu, but you can’t order.”
Mike Nguyen, 17,
senior, Ocean View
“Depending on if it was a date or otherwise and if they were still going out or just broke up. But I’d probably say no, no matter what, because I wouldn’t want to hurt my friend’s feelings.”
Nguyet Le, 17,
senior, Los Amigos
“I’d tell him ‘never’ and to talk to his girlfriend. Then I’d go home and cry.”
Mary Ferguson, 15,
sophomore, Connelly
“I wouldn’t go out with her unless I had permission from my friend. Friendships are worth more than relationships.”
Adam Hawley, 16,
junior, Servite
“I’d say yes, because if she asked me out, that would mean that he isn’t fulfilling all her needs.”
Marcos Jimenez, 17,
senior, Pacifica
“I would say no, because if you are already committed to someone, it’s not right to go out behind their back.”
Veronica Thompson, 14,
freshman, Orange
“I’d tell him to set his hormones straight. Although my best friend may be lost in a blind fantasy land, I’d force her to see that she’s dating a creep.”
Christy Kim, 16,
junior, Irvine
“It is hard to answer this because I’ve been in this situation, but the terms were a little different. The guy was no longer going out with my friend, and at this time, my friends and I were at great odds. I chose to go out with him, and I’ve been with him ever since.”
Denise Snow, 16,
junior, Rosary
“I would go out with him secretly if I liked him a lot.”
Suzanna Huang, 15,
sophomore, University
“I’d say no because it’s not morally correct.”
Phillis Lin, 16,
sophomore, Villa Park
“Your best friend is sacred, and so is your relationship. No guy is worth breaking up a friendship.”
Van Lee, 16,
junior, Ocean View
“I’d slap him.”
Heather Hoffmann, 17,
junior, Calvary Chapel
“Depends on who she is, but if she’s cute, I’d say yes.”
Troy Heidenreich, 15,
sophomore, Fullerton
“I would say no and talk to my best friend about it.”
Zachary Sifuentes, 16,
junior, Troy
“I would like to tell him to get a clue. My best friend is way more important.”
Jamie McGaughey, 15,
sophomore, Loara
“Simple: If she’s paying, I go. If she’s not, I wouldn’t.”
David Row, 17,
senior, Los Amigos
“I would say no because I already have a girlfriend.”
Michael Trivison, 16,
junior, Orange
“I’d go out with her. Just because my best friend went out with her shouldn’t mean I shouldn’t go out with her.”
David Faith, 16,
senior, Garden Grove
“I would decline the chance of hurting our friendship. I would not be as dishonest to go out with anyone’s girlfriend.”
Gilbert Manzano, 17,
senior, Servite
“I wouldn’t go out with her unless I knew that they were having mutual problems.”
Jake Wang, 17,
senior, University
“I would definitely say no. It would be the epitome of all insults against her if I accepted.”
Eugenia Liu, 17,
senior, Villa Park
“Scream ‘No!’ and slap him.”
Tracey Shepos, 15,
sophomore, Connelly
“It would all depend on how my friend felt about him.”
Rachel Merideth, 14,
freshman, Pacifica
“I would first talk to my best friend and see what was going on. If he said OK, then I would party with her.”
Tom Trapp, 15,
sophomore, Irvine
Next Week’s Hot Topic:
What’s your worst nightmare?
Responses gathered by Noah McMahon (Calvary Chapel), Maura Johnston (Connelly), Kelly St. John (Fullerton), Tanya Corbean (Garden Grove), Ken Lee (Irvine), Kristie Tayne (Loara), Troy Grudin (Los Amigos), Seema Mehta (Ocean View), Tram Nguyen (Orange), Diana Mueller (Pacifica), Christine Madracki (Rosary), James Martin (Servite), Layne Mosler (Troy), Claudine Ko (University) and Juanita Chang (Villa Park).