The Teen Survival Guide to Dating & Relating: Real-World Advice on Guys, Girls, Growing Up, and Getting Along

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86 The Teen Survival Guide to Dating and Relating

My girlfriend lives in another

part of the state

Hey Terra,

My girlfriend is really great, but now she lives in another part of the state and we don’t see

each other much (like hardly ever). I love her, but there’s this girl I just recently met who goes

to my school and we get along great, too. I think I love them both, and they both say they

love me. You see the problem?

Caught in the Middle

Dear Caught in the Middle,

A long-distance relationship is obviously different than a “nearby” one. When there’s distance

between you, it’s tough to stay close. (That’s the downside.) But not being able to see each

other has an “up” side, too. It gives both of you the freedom to do other things, such as going

out with friends. With a girlfriend who lives nearby, on the other hand, you might want to go

out with her as much as possible. As a result, you both may lose some independence.

You have a decision to make: do you want to stick with the long-distance relationship

and see where it goes? Or do you want to pursue the girl who’s nearby? Or do you want to

date both, which may or may not be acceptable to them?

Before you get further involved with the local girl, tell your girlfriend what’s going on.

Explain how you’re feeling about the relationship, the distance, and the fact that you have

feelings for someone else. Have this conversation soon, because it sounds as though you have

two girls who think they’re the only one, and that’s one girl too many (unless both girls are

okay sharing you). Best of luck!

In friendship,

Terra