Photo by Ahyoung Nguyen
Best friends Alvarez, Ramirez defy gender stereotypes, form lasting bond
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There have always been different beliefs when it comes to boys and girls becoming friends. Some think that it is impossible for people of opposite sex to become friends, that there will eventually be mixed emotions, but not in this case. Seniors Bryan Alvarez and Audrey Ramirez went from common acquaintances to best friends in the past years of their high school career.
According to Alvarez, it was during freshman year when Ramirez and him became more than just acquaintances.
“We were in math class and she [Ramirez] sat behind me and she started messing with me because we were partners on something,” Alvarez said. “After that, we started like talking and we became cool with each other.”
On the other hand, Ramirez described it as something that sparked during that instance of their freshman year encounter.
“The first time I met Bryan, I could already tell he was the kind of guy I wanted to be friends with but I never thought we would become best friends,” Ramirez said.
However, the fear of being put in the friend zone is something that will always resonate with two opposite gender friends. According to Alvarez and Ramirez, there has never been a romantic interest with each other; it has always been about maintaining a strong friendship.
“I don’t really consider [friend zone] a term,” Alvarez said. “We never really friend-zoned each other. More like continued to be best friends and it never really got in the way.”
Through time, their friendship has grown from support of each other through many hardships and obstacles.
“She [Ramirez] helped me a lot through my relationship and a bunch of hard times that I had throughout my life, and I [did] the same for her,” Alvarez said. “I consider [Ramirez] something more than just a best friend, but probably like a sister to me now.”
Although arguments are commonly seen between best friends, misunderstandings will soon disintegrate when a strong friendship exists.
“I can’t think of a time where me and her bumped heads,” Alvarez said. “We’ve never argued about anything, [but if ] we were to argue, we would consider it playing around [because at] the end, we would just be like ‘Ah I’m just kidding.’”
“We are always on the same page,” Ramirez said. “I’m very comfortable with him; he is like a brother to me.”
On certain days, Alvarez and Ramirez go on double dates just to strengthen their friendship and bonds with their partners.
“I try to bring my girlfriend and she’ll bring her boyfriend,” Alvarez said. “And then we go and hang out and stuff and we’ll just go–to have fun and do some cool stuff.”
Alvarez and Ramirez have grown to love each other while maintaining a healthy friendship. Although there may be arguments and confusion, at the end of the road, there will no longer be a “friend zoned” relationship, but instead, a family.
