*This article is a work of nonfiction based on actual events recounted to me by a friend who witnessed them firsthand; used with permission
Getting the person you’re in love with to be in a relationship with you is a lot more than liking each other or asking for gifts. For them to want you to be their long-term partner, you need to see affection, attention, patience, and plenty of determination.
Whether you argue sometimes or always laugh together, what matters most is if you can see yourself with that person for a long time and if they treat you like they feel the same way about you.
My friend Natalie, who lives in Phoenix, Arizona, has been dating Thomas, who she thinks of as her boyfriend, for six months. Even though she feels that dating every day means they are in a relationship, Thomas isn’t convinced he wants that.
“It’s true I like her a lot and want to see her often. But that happened with other people I dated too. It’s not like I don’t want to see anyone else ever again, so I don’t know if I can do that kind of commitment,” Thomas said.