Dear Shay -

My best friend of seven years went to the Marines two weeks after graduation. We didn't talk for a year. He came home the following July and things were different with us. It was like we didn't realize what we had until we were together again.

Well, he went back to NC and we talked almost every single night. My love for him grew and grew until I finally told him how I felt one day. He agreed and said that he has always cared about me but was afraid that if we pursued it and it didn't work our friendship would be hurt . Well we decided that our friendship was strong enough to withstand whatever happened.

I flew out there in December and stayed for only a weekend. Friday night was great and I knew then that I loved him without a doubt. Then came Saturday. He was like a whole new person all day long. He acted like I had the plague and if he even touched me he would catch it. So that night I asked him what was wrong and he said that since he is so far from me that we should just be friends and then in two and a half years when he was out that we would try it again. Well inside I was screaming, but on the outside I just smiled and said that I understood.

He came home for two weeks at the beginning of February and never called. We only saw each other once, by accident at a party. I would call him and he wouldn't call me back. Not once did he make an effort to see me. That really hurts. I am willing to accept that he may not be the one for me but I still need his friendship at least. Please help me.