Agreed and probably shouldn't have
Presented in two versions for reader's choice:

Short Version, Least Tenuous
Accidentally got the girl I really liked to ask me out, we did for a short period, she ends things before anything serious develops.

Long Version, Most Tenuous
Met a girl totally out of the blue in the local, she as a barmaid off shift, me as an at-the-time regular. Groups of both friends were present, and although I'd seen the girl before, this was the first time I'd spoken to her. It wasn't long before I was smitten by said girl, and after seeing her a few more times, sometimes just us, sometimes in a group, I got that distinct falling feeling.

Two problems were present, the first being that the girl in question was smitten with one of my mates, my misogynistic fuck'em & chuck'em mate to be precise (love the guy, would trust him with my life, but not with my wife), who was enjoying having a girl fawn over him that he had no intention of reciprocating with. The second was that after some bad stuff happening in my early twenties, for the next few years I'd been actively avoiding even thinking about getting involved with anyone, ruining my own life was fair enough, but dragging someone else down just wasn't acceptable.

So far, so bad, I'd fallen for a girl that didn't know I liked her, was interested in my mate and that in good conscience I shouldn't have done anything with. Pretty much solves itself.

Fast forward some time, said girl is out with my mates and me on a friday, usual drinking stuff. My misogynistic mate has handed off looking after duties of said girl to me, by basically ignoring her. We end up talking, a lot, and flirting, plenty of that too. My conscience is a wee bit quietened by the beer, and my thoroughly out of practise charm seems to be making a return. Such is it returning, that some time later, the girl takes me off to one side, to tell me that she really likes me, we should see each other and that I should probably kiss her. I did, stars aligning, silence, fireworks, toe curling, it was all of the above, I was over the moon, the bad part of my life was suddenly brightening up, the future I'd given up on was restored in an instant, I'd say karmic redemption were I that way inclined.

I saw her for a little while longer, then one fateful night I stopped into her work on the way home from the cinema, chatted a bit and on attempting to give her a kiss goodnight, I received the cheek. Next day I receive a text message, saying that she was risking hurting me by carrying on, so that's it, all over. After an uncharacteristically violent spell (furniture, don't panic), I manage to convince her to talk to me. It turns out that an old boyfriend of hers had spoken to her and teased her about her last relationship, making her doubtful and confused. I held my tongue and anger, absolved her of all wrongdoings, sent her away happy, and most foolishly, agreed I would be in the pub later for a drink.

Drink was consumed, and said girl is almost immediately falling all over my mate, he of the misogynist title. Needless to say, being jealous, hurt and half cut, I didn't act exactly with aplomb. I threatened to kill my mate a number of times, and gave a certain amount of vitriol to the girl. After parting ways, it was a while before we spoke again, both apologetic in our own ways, angry in others. She also informed me that nothing would ever be able to happen between us again.

Fast forward more time, we are now friends, occasionally detouring into flirting territory and coming back just as quickly. She now has a boyfriend, who I quote is "wet" and "the relationship won't last", so go figure. Now I'm in that most familiar of male territories, the friend zone. I'll never confess the huge back story to the girl, how she's had a more profound effect on my life than she'll ever know and that I still can't forget about her, because to tell her even half of it, would be equal parts cruel and unfair.

Apologies for length, that was as abbreviated as I could make it
(ShiftyBastard won the World Cup on World Soccer Champs 2010!, Fri 29 Aug 2008, 13:43, 1 reply)

Fair play to you matey
and well told.

*clicky*
(Nogin the Nog is the good one! Beware Nogbad the Bad!, Wed 3 Sep 2008, 15:49, closed)