Dear Lulu Jeh: My boyfriend doesn’t really like it when I hang out with my friends without him. I am actually fine with this, but my friends are very concerned and they keep giving me a hard time. What can I do to smooth things over with everyone? — Somewhere in the Middle

Dear SM, in an ideal world, everyone would get along. But of course, it can never be that easy.

Is your boyfriend open to hanging out with your friends? If that’s the case, then the solution should be easy. Get everyone together, go out, and have a good time. This will give them a chance to know each other, and the best case scenario would be for your boyfriend to become comfortable enough for you to spend time with your friends without issues arising.

But you also mentioned that you’re actually fine with the arrangement. If a friendship doesn’t forge between them, you have a responsibility to let your friends know that. They could be worried about the situation — because it is something that tends to raise red flags. But if your boyfriend is not a possessive, manipulative individual (Is he?) and you’re happy with the arrangement for whatever reasons (Why are you fine with it? Have you examined your own reasons?), then that’s all that matters. Although you might end up losing some friends in the process! 

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