When you're part of a friend group, inter-group dating can be inevitable. Here are the stages every friend group goes through when people start dating each other:

1. At first the new couple tries to be discrete.

This usually occurs at the heavy flirting or hooking up stage. You casually throw out a question like “hey, what’s going on with you and Jeff?” and they’re all “Omg! Nothing! Why would you even ask that?!”

Either the two of them think they’re being super low key (they’re not), or everyone’s picked up on the sparks but them.

2. Then comes the gossip

Since you’re already friends with both of the members of this new relationship, the whole friend group is either going “I totally saw that coming!” or is completely taken aback. It's not bad gossip though. They're both your friends, so you know they're each dating a keeper.

3. Before you know it, three more couples spring up out of nowhere

You haven’t even had time to be excited about the first one, and before you know it, your friend group is all dating each other!

4. And you start getting super lonely

As one of the only ones without a boyfriend/girlfriend with you at school, things can start looking pretty bleak. Especially if your friends are so caught up in their significant others that they don’t make time for you.

5. You quickly become an expert at third, fifth or seventh wheeling

No, it’s fine. I’ll just be over here by myself. I don’t need love.

6. And sometimes it gets awkward…

If two of your friends are dating, you can’t pick sides. Which can be super tough if they both confide in you about their relationship.

8. Especially when you’re not sure where the boundaries are

All of a sudden, your friend is in a relationship… with one of your other friends. You want to maintain your friendship with him, but you don’t want to make her uncomfortable. It’s a tough line to walk.

7. And if any of them break up....

Yikes.

9. And then people start dating each other’s exes

10. At which point you're just like:

11. But at the end of the day, it warms your heart to see how happy everyone makes each other.

I mean, what better way to know your friends are dating keepers? <