hen you’re ready to venture into the boyfriend/girlfriend zone, the world
becomes a place filled with romantic possibilities: “Did you see the way
she looked at me?” “I wonder if he likes me.” “Will anyone ever ask me out?”
“Will this relationship last?” Your love interests may shift from day to day like
changing kaleidoscope patterns. And once you’re in a romantic relationship,
you may have all sorts of new emotions—and questions! One of the main ones
will probably be, “How do we make this relationship work?”
BUILDING HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS
A healthy romantic relationship includes lots of elements, but here are the basic
ones: honesty, respect, trust, and open communication. They’re not listed in order
of importance—they’re all equallyimportant. If you have all four ingredients,
a relationship can grow in healthy ways. (By the way, these ingredients are nec-
essary for allhealthy relationships, including the ones you have with your
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C H A P T E R 3
W
Making Boyfriend/Girlfriend
Relationships Work